in the world than to abuse Gospel Truths When the Doctrine of free Justification by Faith through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ was first fully revealed and declared his great Design then was to perswade men that there was no need of Obedience and so they could attain any manner of perswasion of the Truth of the Gospel or make profession thereof they might live in sin as they pleased and neglect all good Works and Duties of Obedience And although this be now condemned by all yet indeed is it no more but what upon the matter most do practise according unto For they suppose that by being of this or that Religion Papists or Protestants or the like they shall be saved whatever their ways and works are So Papists for Instance are indeed the greatest Solifidians in the world For to own the Faith of the Church is enough with them to secure the Salvation of any This Abomination having been early started was seasonably suppressed by the writing of James and John For the former directly and plainly lays open the Vanity of this pretence declaring that that Faith which they professed and boasted of was not the Faith whereby any should be justified before God nor of the same kind with it For this Faith is living operative and fruitful and evidenceth it self unto all by its Works and Fruits Whereas that Faith whereof vain men living in their sins did boast was so far from being a Grace of the Spirit of God that it was no other but what was in the Devils themselves and which they could not rid themselves of if they would The latter without expressing the occasion of it spends his Epistle in declaring the necessity of Love and Obedience or keeping the Commandments of Christ. Wherefore the enemy of our Salvation being defeated in this Attempt he betook himself unto the other extream contending that the works of Faith had the same place in our Justification with Faith it self And why should they not are not Faith and they equally Acts of Obedience in us are not Faith and they equally required by the Gospel why may they not be supposed to have an equal influence into our Justification at least in the same kind though Faith on some considerations may have the pre-eminence I say these things are speciously pleaded but in short the Design is not to advance works into an Equality with Faith but to advance them into the room of Christ and his Righteousness For when we say we are justified by Faith only we do not say that Faith is our Righteousness but as it apprehends the Righteousness of Christ as he is the End of the Law for Righteousness unto them that do believe And this is the use that God hath designed Faith unto and which in its own nature it is suited for But bring in the works of Obedience into the same place and they are of no use but to be imputed unto us for Righteousness and so to possess the place of Christ and his Righteousness in our Justification unto their Exclusion But all this trouble might have been spared if men had not been too ready and prone to receive Impressions from the crafty actings of Sathan against the purity and simplicity of the Gospel For nothing is more evidently expressed and taught therein than are these two things 1 That we are justified freely by Faith through the Redemption that is in the Blood of Christ and so the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us 2 That the Faith which hath this effect which is of this use is living operative fruitful and will evidence it self by works in Obedience unto the Commands of God And this is that which here we contend for namely that a living Faith will be a working Faith And he is a vain man that deceives himself with any thing else in the room thereof And yet this is the course of multitudes But yet men do not deceive themselves herein notionally but practically I never yet met with any man in my life who professed it as his Judgement that so he believed aright he might live as he pleased follow his Lusts and neglect all good Works or holy Duties of Obedience For this implies a contradiction So to believe is so far from believing aright as that it contains in it a total Rejection of the Gospel But practically we see that the generality of men content themselves with that knowledge they have of Religion and that Faith which they suppose they have in Christ without once endeavouring after amendment of life or fruitfulness in good works Now this is not from any conclusions they draw from any Doctrines which they profess to believe but from the power of Darkness and the deceitfulness of Sin that ruleth in them And it is no otherwise among them who are taught to believe that they are justified by their works For there is not a race of greater and more flagitious sinners than for the most part are the men of that Perswasion Only for their Relief their Leaders have provided them with a Commutation of some other things instead of their good works which shall do the deed for them as Penances Pardons Purgatory Confessions Pilgrimages and the like But be mens Perswasion what it will right or wrong where sin is predominant they will be wicked and whatever be the Object of their Faith if it be not living in the subject it cannot work nor be fruitful We ought to look on Obedience as our work which will admit neither of sloth nor negligence Here lies the occasion of the ruine of the Souls of men who profels the Gospel The Duties of Profession are a thing of course unto them and that which lies without the compass of their principal work and business in the world This makes their Profession serve to no other end but to make them secure in a perishing condition Now that our Obedience may indeed be our work it is required 1 That the carrying of it on the attendance unto it and furtherance of it in order unto the Glory of God be our principal design in the world That is a mans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his proper work which is so God severely threateneth those which walk with him at peradventures Levit. 26. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you shall walk with me fortuito at hap hazard that is without making it your principal design and using your utmost diligence and care to proceed in it in a right manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 24. then will even I my self walk with you at all adventures though I continue with you as one walking with you in my outward Ordinances and Institutions yet will I have no regard unto you as to do you any good yea I will sorely punish you notwithstanding the Appearance of our walking together as it follows in the place Yet is this the course of many who please themselves in their condition They walk with God in outward
they only believe truly who are ordained to Eternal Life 2 The Lord Christ intercedeth that this Faith may never fail or be utterly lost Joh. 17. 8 11 15. c. 3 The Power of God is engaged in the preservation of it 2 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Ephes. 1. 19 20. 4 The Promises of the Covenant are expresly multiplied unto this purpose Jer. 31. 32 33. chap. 32. 38 39 40. And the like may be said of all other saving Graces And on this Ground doth the Apostle call those better things that these Hebrews were made partakers of such as accompany Salvation It is the Duty of all Professors strictly to examine themselves concerning their Participation of those better things which accompany Salvation Their condition is deplorable who under an outward Profession do satisfie themselves with those common Gifts Graces and Duties which are separable from Salvation Yet that it is so with many in the world who thereon cry Peace Peace whilst suddain Destruction is coming upon them is openly manifest See the Advice of the Apostle express to this purpose 2 Cor. 13. 8. We may yet farther observe how variously the Apostle treats these Hebrews Sometimes he stiles them Holy Brethren affirming them to be Partakers of the Heavenly Calling so also that they had those better things in them which accompany Salvation Sometimes he tells them that they were dull and slothful and had need be taught again what are the Principles of the Oracles of God and sets before them the final Destruction of Apostates to ingenerate a fear and apprehension of the Terror of the Lord in them Now this variety in the Apostles treating of them proceeds not from present Commotions not from any Rhetorical Artifice but from a regular and steady Judgement concerning the condition of the whole Church For 1 There were indeed several sorts of Professors among them answering the several Descriptions he gives of them He spake therefore to the whole community indefinitely leaving the especial Application of what he speaks unto themselves in particular according as their different conditions did require And this is the only safe and prudent way for Ministers to deal with their Flocks For when any conceive themselves by other circumstances to be singled out for Reproof and Threatening they commonly draw forth disadvantage to themselves thereby 2 The best of the Hearers of the Gospel may have much to be blamed in them although their sincerity in general ought to be highly approved 3 Severe Threatenings in the Dispensation of the Gospel are usually proposed unto them who yet are not absolutely liable to the Penalty threatened They do not predict what will come to pass but warn what is to be avoided VERSE 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syriack renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perversus iniquus it omitteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also as doth the vulgar Latine but expresseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emphatically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that your Love Other material differences among Translators there is not For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the labour of that Love which you have evidently shewed towards his name in that you have ministred to the Saints and do minister The Expositors of the Roman Church do greatly perplex themselves and others in their Comments on this Text. They generally agree in an endeavour from hence to prove the merit of works against Protestants because the Council of Trent applies this Text to that purpose And none are more confident herein than our Rhemists who after their usual Reproaches of Protestants affirm That good works are meritorious and the very cause of Salvation so that God should be unjust if he rendered not Heaven for the same But they are greatly divided among themselves about the state of the persons and kind of the Works here intended Some contend that the Apostle speaks to and of such as were fallen out of a state of Justification into a state of deadly sin And the works of which it is said that God will not forget them are those which they wrought in that estate from whence they were now supposed to be fallen For on the account of those former works God will spare them and not destroy them And although there be no present merit in these works whilst those who wrought them are in a state of deadly sin yet when they shall be recovered by Penance these works which were before mortified by their falling from Grace and so became of no use as to present merit shall recover their former meritorious virtue as if they had never been forfeited by deadly sin This therefore is the sense which these persons would affix unto these words Where any have been in a state of Justification and have wrought good works therein meritorious of Eternal Life if they fall into deadly sin they immediately lose all the merit and benefit of those works But notwithstanding God in his Righteousness keeps the Remembrance of these works so that when such sinners return again by Penance into their first estate these works shall revive into a condition of merit This sense is opposed by others For they think those mentioned are justified persons and the Apostle expresseth the merit of their present works with respect unto the Righteousness of God The Reader who desires to see such Chaffe tossed up and down may find these things debated in Aquinas Adamus Estius A Lapide Ribera Maldonat de Tena and others of them on the place How Forraign these Discourses are to the Text and Context is evident to every impartial considerer of it They are only Chimera's hatched out of the proud Imaginations of the merit of their works that these mens minds are prepossessed withall For 1 Our Apostle treats of those whom he supposeth and judgeth to be in a present good Spiritual Condition For with respect thereunto he ascribeth unto them things that accompany Salvation and prescribeth no other Duty unto them for the actual enjoyment of it but only those of Faith and Love and Ministration unto the Saints which at present he commendeth in them What they did formerly that he affirms them to continue in the performance of You have ministred and you do minister 2 The Apostle expresly distinguisheth them concerning whom he now speaks from those who were now fallen off from the Profession of the Gospel or that state of Justification which the Romanists suppose 3 He doth not direct these persons to seek after a Recovery out of the Condition wherein they were but incourageth them unto a continuance therein and to shew the same Diligence unto that purpose as formerly to the End ver 12. Nothing therefore is more fond than to suppose that any thing is here taught concerning the mortification of good works as to their merit by deadly sin and their recovery thereof by Penance a fiction which these men dream of to no purpose 2ly Neither is
so deported himself as that he might not be unmeet to receive the succeeding mercies whereof he was to be made partaker And this is the method of Gods communicating his Grace unto sinners His first Call and Conversion of them is absolutely gratuitous He hath no consideration of any thing in them that should induce him thereunto Neither is there any thing required unto a condecency herein God takes men as he pleaseth some in one condition and posture of mind some in another some in an open course of sin and some in the execution of a particular sin as Paul And he indeed at the instant of his call was under the active power of two of the greatest hinderances unto Conversion that the heart of man is obnoxious unto For first he was zealous above measure of the Righteousness of the Law seeking earnestly for Life and Salvation by it and then he was actually ingaged in the persecution of the Saints of God These two qualifications constant resting in Legal Righteousness with rage and madness in persecution than which there are not out of Hell more adverse principles unto it were all the preparations of that Apostle unto converting Grace But after that this Grace which is absolutely free and Soveraign is received there is an order in Gods Covenant which for the most part he observeth in the communication of ensuing Graces and Priviledges namely that Faith and Obedience shall precede the increase and enlargement of them Thus was it with Abraham who received his last great signal Promise and Priviledge Gen. 22. upon that signal Act of his Faith and Obedience in offering up his Son upon Gods Command As it was with Abraham so is it with all those who in any Age are made partakers of Grace or spiritual Priviledges Secondly The Promise here intended as to the spiritual part of it may be considered with respect unto all Believers of whom Abraham was the Representative And two things are contained therein 1. The giving and sending of the Son of God to take on him the Seed of Abraham This was the life and soul of the Promise the ancient and first expressed regard of Divine Grace unto sinners In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed that is the Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head The Incarnation of the Son of God promised from the Foundation of the world shall be fulfilled in thy Seed he shall take on him the Seed of Abraham So our Apostle argues Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made he saith not unto Seeds as of many but as of one and thy Seed which is Christ. For the Promise which is made concerning Christ in one sense is made unto him in another As to the benefit and effects of the coming of Christ it was made concerning him unto Abraham and all his Seed but as unto the first grant intention and stability of the Promise it is made unto Christ himself with respect unto that Everlasting Covenant which was between the Father and him in his undertaking the work of Mediation Or the Lord Christ may be considered either as the undertaker of the Covenant with God and so the Promise was made unto him or as the Accomplishment of the terms of it for us so the Promise was concerning him 2. The nature of the benefit which is to be received by Christ thus promised and that in general is a Blessing in thy Seed shall they be blessed And two things are comprised in this Blessing as the Springs of other mercies innumerable The Promise of Christ himself was the fountain and all other Promises were particular streams from it especial Explications and Applications of that Promise 1 The removal of the Curse of the Law which was come on all men by reason of sin The Curse could not be removed but by a Blessing and that which doth it is the greatest of Blessings as that was the greatest of Curses and Miseries 2 The bringing in of a blessed Righteousness on the account whereof we might be accepted with God See Gal. 3. 13 14 15. Before we proceed we may observe two things in general concerning this Promise 1 That this was the Life of the Church of the Old Testament the Spring of its continuance unto its appointed season which could never be dried up How many times were that whole people the posterity of Abraham at the very brink of Destruction For sometimes they fell generally into such terrible provoking sins as that their utter casting off might have been justly expected by Angels and men sometimes they were in the just Judgement of God given up unto such wasting Desolations in their Captivities as that they were wholly like dry bones on the face of the Earth without hopes of a Resurrection Yet mercy patience and power wrought through all and preserved them in a Church state until this Promise was accomplished This it was alone or the Faithfulness of God therein whence all their healing and recoveries did proceed And when this Promise was once fulfilled it was beyond the power of all the world to keep them unto their former condition All depended on the issue of this Promise in whose fulfilling all things were to be cast into a new mold and order 2 This was that which preserved the Spirits of true Believers among them from ruining Despondencies in the times of the greatest Apostasies Calamities and Desolations of the People They had this Promise still to plead and rested therein notwithstanding all the Interveniencies which oft-times seemed to render the case of that people very desperate See their Faith expressed Micah 7. 18 19 20. Isa. 7. 13 14 15. chap. 5. 3. Luke 1. 70 71 72 73. And I would hope there is mercy lies treasured in the Bowels of this Promise not yet brought forth toward the remainders of the Posterity of Abraham according to the Flesh. Who knows but that by virtue of the ingaged Love and Faithfulness of God declared in this Promise these withered Branches may revive and these dead bones rise again Our Apostle placeth the Hopes of it on this ground alone that as touching the Election they were beloved they were beloved for the Fathers sake Rom. 11. 28. As to Profession they were then vsibly falling off but as to Election as to Gods purpose concerning them the Love which he bare to their Fathers ingaged unto Abraham in this Promise will one day find them out and bring them in unto a plentiful share in this Blessing Wherefore on all accounts the Instance chosen by the Apostle was of singular use unto the Hebrews and singularly suited unto their present condition For as they received many Advantages from his personal Priviledges who was their Father according to the Flesh so they succeeded unto him in the spiritual part of the Promise and therefore as the like Duties of Faith and Obedience and Perseverance were required of them as of him so they in
72. Micah 7. 20. Believers are called Heirs of the Promise on a double account 1 With respect unto the Promise it self 2 With respect unto the matter of the Promise or the thing promised This distinction is evidently founded on Chap. 11. ver 13 17 39. compared For look in what sense they are said to be Heirs of the Promise therein they are not actually possessed of it For an Heir is only in expectancy of that whereof he is an Heir Wherefore take the Promise in the first sense formally and it is the Elect of God as such who are the Heirs of it God hath designed them unto an Interest therein and a Participation thereof and he confirmed it with his Oath that they might be induced and encouraged to believe it to mix it with Faith and so come to inherit it or to be made actual partakers of it To this purpose our Apostle disputeth at large Rom. 9. 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. In the latter sense taking the Promise materially for the thing promised they are Heirs of it who have an actual Interest in it by Faith and partaking of the present Grace and Mercy wherewith it is accompanied as pledges of future Glory have a Right unto the whole Inheritance Thus all Believers and they only are Heirs of the Promise Rom. 8. 17. Heirs of God that is of the whole Inheritance that he hath provided for his Children And I take the words in this latter sense for it is not the first believing of these Heirs of the Promise that they might be justified which is intended but their establishment in Faith whereby they may be comforted or have strong consolation But whereas this Declaration of the Immutability of Gods Counsel is made in the Promise of the Gospel which is universal or at least indefinitely proposed unto all how it comes here to be cast under this limitation that it is made to Elect Believers or the Heirs of Promise only shall be immediately declared 4. What God did in this matter for the ends mentioned is summarily expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he interposed himself by an Oath fidejussit jurejurando He that confirmeth any thing by an Oath is fidejussor one that gives security to Faith And fidejussor in the Law is Interventor one who interposeth or cometh between and ingageth himself to give Security This state of things is therefore here supposed God had given out that Promise whose Nature we have before declared Hereon he required the Faith of them unto whom it was given and that justly For what could any reasonably require further to give them sufficient ground of assurance But although all things were clear and satisfactory on the part of God yet many fears doubts and objections would be ready to arise on the part of Believers themselves as there did in Abraham unto whom the Promise was first made with respect unto that signal Pledge of its Accomplishment in the birth of Isaac In this case though God was no way obliged to give them further Caution or Security yet out of his infinite Love and Condescension he will give them a higher Pledge and Evidence of his Faithfulness and interposeth himself by an Oath he mediated by an Oath he interposed himself between the Promise and the Faith of Believers to undertake under that solemnity for the Accomplishment of it And swearing by himself he takes it on his Life his Holiness his Being his Truth to make it good The Truths which from these words thus opened we are instructed in are these that follow The Purpose of God for the saving of the Elect by Jesus Christ is an Act of Infinite Wisdom as well as of Soveraign Grace Hence it is called the Counsel of his Will or an Act of his Will accompanied with Infinite Wisdom which is the Counsel of God And among all the holy Properties of his Nature the manifestation of whose Glory he designed therein there is none more expresly and frequently mentioned than his Wisdom And it is declared 1 As that which no created understanding of Men or Angels is able perfectly to comprehend neither in the Counsel nor in the Effects of it Hence our Apostle shutteth up his Contemplation of the ways paths and effects of this Wisdom with that Rapture of Admiration Rom. 11. 33 34 35 36. O the depths of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his Judgements and his Ways past finding out For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompenced unto him again For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be Glory for ever Amen The whole issue of our Contemplation of the Wisdom of God in the Eternal projection of our Salvation by Jesus Christ is only an Admiration of that Abysse which we cannot dive into with an humble Ascription of Glory to God thereon And as to the especial effects of this Wisdom the Angels themselves desire to bow down with an humble diligence in their enquiry into them 1 Pet. 1. 12. And on these considerations our Apostle concludes that without all controversie the work hereof is a great mystery 1 Tim. 3. 16. which we may Adore but cannot Comprehend See the Name of Christ Isa. 9. 6. 2 As that wherein God hath expresly designed to Glorifie himself unto Eternity This is the end of all the free Acts and Purposes of the Will of God neither can they have any other though all other things may be subordinate thereunto Now no Property of the Divine Nature is so conspicuous in the disposal of things unto their proper end as that of Wisdom whose peculiar work and effect it is Wherefore the great end which God will ultimately effect being his own Glory in Christ and the Salvation of the Elect by him the Wisdom whereby it was contrived must needs be Eminent and Glorious So the Apostle tells us Then is the End when Christ shall have delivered up the Kingdom unto God even the Father and he also in his humane Nature subjects himself unto him that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15. 24 28. that is when the Lord Christ hath finished the whole work of his Mediation and brought all his Elect unto the enjoyment of God then shall God be all in all or therein or thereby he will be for ever exalted and glorified when it shall be manifest how all this great work came forth from him and is issued in him Jude 25. 1 Tim. 1. 17. 3 The whole work is therefore expresly called the Wisdom of God because of those Characters and Impressions thereof that are upon it and because it is a peculiar effect thereof So our Apostle tells us that Christ crucified is the Power of God and Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. and that the Gospel whereby it is declared is the Wisdom of God in a mystery 1 Cor. 2.
the Priesthood and had such a Relation thereunto as that of Necessity it must stand and fall with it And this may suffice for a view of the Scope of this Verse and the force of the Argument contained in it We shall now consider the particulars of it 1. A Supposition is included that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render Perfection is the adaequate and compleat end of the Office of the Priesthood in the Church This at one time or another in one Order or another it must attain or the whole Office is Useless And the Apostle denies that this could be obtained by the Levitical Priesthood And he calls the Priesthood of the Law Levitical not only because Levi was their Progenitor the Patriarch of their Tribe from whom they were Genealogized but also because he would comprise in his Assertion not only the House of Aaron unto whom the Right and Exercise of the Priesthood was limited and confined but he would also take into Consideration the whole Levitical Service which was subservient unto the Office of the Priesthood and without which it could not be discharged Wherefore the Levitical Priesthood is that Priesthood in the Family of Aaron which was assisted in all their Sacerdotal Actings and Duties by the Levites who were Consecrated of God unto that End That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Perfection was of this Priesthood is denyed in a restrictive Interrogation If it had been so it would have been otherwise with respect unto another Priest than as it is declared by the Holy Ghost 2. Our principal Enquiry on this Verse will be what this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is and wherein it doth consist The word is rendred Perfectio Consummatio Consecratio Sanctificatio Dedicatio The Original Signification and Use of the word hath been spoken unto on Chap. 2. ver 10. where it is rendred Sanctification real and internal Sanctification is not intended but that which is the same with Sacred Dedication or Consecration For it is plainly distinguished from real Inherent Sanctification by our Apostle Chap. 10. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By one Offering he hath perfected them that are Sanctified This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Effect and Product of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is wrought towards them who are Sanctified and so doth not consist in their Sanctification Much less therefore doth it signifie an absolute Perfection of Inherent Holiness Some Men no sooner hear the Name of Perfection in the Scripture but they presently dream of an absolute sinless Inherent Perfection of Holiness which if they are not utterly blinded and hardned they cannot but know themselves far enough distant from But this word hath no such signification But if it denotes not internal Holiness at all it doth not do so the Perfection of it Nor is any such Perfection attainable in this Life as the Scripture every where testifies Wherefore the Apostle had no need to prove that it was not attainable by the Levitical Priesthood nor to reflect upon it for that reason seeing it is not attainable by any other way or means whatever We must therefore diligently enquire into the true Notion of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Perfection which will guide the remaining Interpretation of the words And concerning it we may observe in general First That it is the Effect or End or Necessary consequent of a Priesthood This Supposition is the Foundation of the whole Argument of the Apostle Now the Office and Work may be considered two ways 1. With respect unto God who is the first immediate Object of all the proper Acts of that Office 2. With respect unto the Church which is the Subject of all the Fruits and Benefits of its Administration If we take it in the first way then the Expiation of Sin is intended in this word For this was the great Act and Duty of the Priesthood towards God namely to make Expiation of Sin or Attonement for it by Sacrifice And if we take the word in this sence the Apostle's Assertion is most true For this Perfection was never attainable by the Levitical Priesthood It could Expiate sin and make Attonement only Typically and by way of Representation really and effectually as to all the Ends of Spiritual Reconciliation unto God and the Pardon of sin they could not do it For it was not possible as our Apostle observes that the Blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins Chap. 10. 4. which he also proves in his ensuing Discourse at large But I do not know that this word is any where used in this sence nor doth it include any such signification And whereas God is the immediate Object of that Sacerdotal Energy whereby sin is Expiated it is the Church that is here said to be Perfected so that Expiation of sin cannot be intended thereby though it be supposed therein Besides the Apostle doth not here understand Sacrifices onely by which alone attonement was made but all other Administrations of the Levitical Priesthood whatever The Socinians would have Expiation of Sin here intended and I shall therefore examine briefly what they speak to this purpose in their Comment on this place Perfectionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomine hoc loco nihil aliud intelligit Autor quà m veram perfectam Expiationem peccatorum qua non tantum quorundam sed omnium etiam gravissimorum criminum reatus isque non tantum poenae alicujus temporariae ad hanc vitam spectantis sed ipsius aeternae mortis aufertur jusque homini vitae sempiternae conceditur qua denique non tantum reatus omnis omnium peccatorum sed ipsa peccata in hominibus tolluntur Namque his in rebus vera hominum perfectio coram deo consistit Si ergo haec perfectio hominibus contingere potuisset per Sacerdotium Leviticum certè nullus fuisset usus novi Sacerdotis Melchisedeciani Sacerdotium enim propter peccatorum expiationem constituitur At si perfecta peccatorum Expiatio contingebat per Aaronicum Sacerdotium quid opus erat novum istum superinducere Sacerdotem secundum ordinem Melchisedeci ut scilicet perageret id quod peragere potuerat Aaronicus Quocirca cùm Deus illum constituere voluerit atque adeò jam constituerit hinc patet uemini per Leviticum Sacerdotium perfectionem seu perfectam expiationem contigisse ut certe non contigit Quorundum enim peccatorum expiatio per illud fiebat nempe Ignorantiarum Infirmitatum gravium autem peccatorum scelerum poena mortis luenda erat Nec ista expiatio ad tollendam aeternam mortem quidquam virium habuit sed tantum ad tollendas quasdam poenas temporarias huic vitae proprias Nec denique illis Sacrificiis ulla vis inerat homines ab ipsis peccatis retrahendi 1. What in general is suited unto the Apostle's Argument whatever be the sence of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here mentioned is approved The Question is
respect unto the life and manners of Christ yet it was no way unto the purpose of the Apostle to mention them unto the end designed But 1 If that be the sense of the words which he contends for not one of them is true with respect unto the life and manners of Christ in this world for they all belong unto his blessed estate in the other 2 We shall see on the next verse how far he will allow them to be true of the life and manners of Christ in any sense seeing in some sense he affirms him to have offered sacrifice for his own sins And this he doth with an expresse contradiction unto his own main Hypothesis For by sins he understands weakness and infirmities and whereas he will not allow Christ to have offered himself before his entrance into the Holy place and makes it necessary that he should be antecedently freed from all weaknesses and Infirmities it is the highest contradiction to affirm that he offered for them seeing he could not offer himself until he was delivered from them 2. We have only his bare word for it that the Asscription of those things unto our High Priest as inherent Qualifications was not unto the purpose of the Apostle And his Assertion is built on a false supposition namely that the Lord Christ was not an High Priest on the Earth nor did offer himself unto God in his Death which overthrows the Foundation of the Gospel 6. The Vanity and Falshood of this novel Exposition will yet farther and fully be evinced in an enquiry into the proper signification of these words as here used by the Apostle every one whereof is wrested to give countenance unto it 1. He is or was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctus Holy that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For Acts 2. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Holy one from Psal. 16. 10. And the Lord Christ is there said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 antecedently unto his Resurrection which must be with respect unto his internal Holiness Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see Corrupton And in the New Testament the word is every where used for him that is internally holy 1 Tim. 2. 8. Tit. 1. 8. The Syriack renders it in this place by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure which is an inherent Qualification as it doth 1 Tim. 2. 8. and Tit. 1. 8. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pious Holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pure Righteous Godly Peaceable Chast. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used only for Holily 1 Thes. 2. 10. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is internal Holiness Luk. 1. 75. Ephes. 4. 24. No where is it used for a merciful disposition much less for venerable and sacred upon the Account of an immortal nature or any other Priviledge as it is pretended Neither is the word used in any other Good Author to signifie any one but him that is Holy and Righteous or free from all sin and wickedness It is therefore the holy purity of the nature of Christ that is intended in this expression His Life and Actions are expressed in the ensuing Epithets His nature was pure and holy absolutly free from any spot or taint of our original Defilement Hence as he was conceived in the Womb and as he came from the Womb he was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy thing of God Luke 1. 35. All others since the fall have a polluted nature and are originally unholy But his conception being miraculous by the immediate operation of the Holy Ghost and his nature not derived unto him by natural Generation the only means of the Propagation of original Defilement and in the first instant of its being filled with all habitual seeds of Grace He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy And such an High Priest became us as was so Had he had a nature touched with sin he had not been meet either to be a Priest or Sacrifice This Holiness of nature was needful unto him who was to answer for the unholiness of our nature and to take it away Unholy Sinners do stand in need of an Holy Priest and an Holy Sacrifice What we have not in our selves we must have in him or we shall not be accepted with the Holy God who is of purer eyes than to behold Iniquity 2. He was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is saith Schlictingius omnis mali expers nullis amplius miseriis obnoxius incapable of suffering any hurt saith another to the same Purpose The word is but once more used in the New Testament and that in a sense remote enough from one not exposed to misery or incapable of suffering Rom. 16. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men Simple and Harmless who for the most part are exposed to most Evils and Troubles in the World 2. It is never used in any good Author in such a sense nor can any instance be produced unto that purpose But it constantly signifies one Innocent Harmless free from malice who doth no evil Nor did any one before these Interpreters dream of a passive Interpretation of this Word It is he who doth no evil not he who can suffer no evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is malus or qui dolo malo utitur an Evil malitious Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vitiositas in the Judgement of Cicero Virtutis saith he contraria est vitiositas sic enim malo quam malitiam appellare quam Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellant nam Malitia certi cujusdam vitii nomen est vitiosit as omnium We render it sometimes naughtiness Jam. 1. 22. sometimes malice or malitiousness 1 Pet. 1. 16. All manner of evil with deceitful guile Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is he that is free from all evil fraud or sin the same absolutely with that of the Apostle Peter 1 Epist. 2. 22. Who did no sin neither was there guile found in his mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy is his Epithet with respect unto his Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Harmless respects his Life The first includes all positive Holiness the other an Abnegation of all unholiness As he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin present as we have with us Rom. 7. 18 21. or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin easily besetting Heb. 12. 1. As he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was free from every effect of such a Principle And we had need of such an High Priest Had he not been innocent and every way blameless himself he would have had other work to do than always to take care of our Salvation as the Apostle observes in the next verse He must first have offered for his own sins as the High Priest did of old before he had offered for us or ours And this added unto the merit of his Obedience For whereas he was absolutely Innocent Harmlesse and free
of Duty and Obedience we are told in the Scripture and find it by experience that of our selves we can do nothing Wherefore unless the Precept of the Covenant be founded in a Promise of giving grace and spiritual strength unto us whereby we may be enabled to perform those duties the Covenant can be of no benefit or advantage unto us And the want of this one consideration that every Covenant is founded in Promises and that the Promises give life unto the Precepts of it hath perverted the minds of many to suppose an ability in our selves of yielding Obedience unto those Precepts without Grace antecedently received to enable us thereunto which overthrows the nature of the New Covenant 2 As was observed we are all actually guilty of sin before this Covenant was made with us Wherefore unless there be a Promise given of the pardon of sin it is to no purpose to propose any new Covenant terms unto us For the wages of sin is death and we having sinned must die whatever we do afterwards unless our sins be pardoned This therefore must be proposed unto us as the foundation of the Covenant or it will be of none effect And herein lies the great difference between the Promises of the Covenant of Works and those of the Covenant of Grace The first were only concerning things future eternal Life and Blessedness upon the accomplishment of perfect Obedience Promises of present Mercy and Pardon it stood in need of none it was not capable of Nor had it any Promises of giving more Grace or supplies of it but man was wholly left unto what he had at first received Hence the Covenant was broken But in the Covenant of Grace all things are founded in Promises of present Mercy and continual supplies of Grace as well as of future Blessedness Hence it becomes to be ordered in all things and sure And this is the first thing that was to be declared namely that every Divine Covenant is established on Promises 2. These Promises are said to be better Promises The other Covenant had its Promises peculiar unto it with respect whereunto this is said to be established on better Promises It was indeed principally represented under a System of Precepts and those almost innumerable But it had its Promises also into the nature whereof we shall immediately enquire With respect therefore unto them is the New Covenant whereof the Lord Christ was the Mediator said to be established on better Promises That it should be founded in Promises was necessary from its general nature as a Covenant and more necessary from its especial nature as a Covenant of Grace That these Promises are said to be better Promises respects those of the Old Covenant But this is so said as to include all other degrees of comparison They are not only better than they but they are positively good in themselves and absolutely the best that God ever gave or will give unto the Church And what they are we must consider in our Progress And sundry things may be observed from these words 1. There is infinite Grace in every Divine Covenant inasmuch as it is established on Promises Infinite condescension it is in God that he will enter into Covenant with dust and ashes with poor Worms of the earth And herein lies the Spring of all Grace from whence all the streams of it do flow And the first expression of it is in laying the foundation of it in some undeserved Promises And this was that which became the Goodness and Greatness of his Nature the means whereby we are wrought to adhere unto him in Faith Hope Trust and Obedience until we come unto the enjoyment of him For that is the use of Promises to keep us in adherence unto God as the first Original and Spring of all Goodness and the ultimate satisfactory reward of our Souls 2 Cor. 7. 1. 2. The Promises of the Covenant of Grace are better than those of any other Covenant as for many other Reasons so especially because the grace of them prevents any condition or qualification on our part I do not say the Covenant of Grace is absolute without conditions if by conditions we intend the duties of Obedience which God requireth of us in and by vertue of that Covenant But this I say the principal Promises thereof are not in the first place remunerative of our Obedience in the Covenant but efficaciously assumptive of us into Covenant and establishing or confirming in the Covenant The Covenant of Works had its Promises but they were all remunerative respecting an antecedent Obedience in us so were all those which were peculiar unto the Covenant of Sinai They were indeed also of Grace in that the Reward did infinitely exceed the merit of our Obedience But yet they all supposed it and the Subject of them was formally Reward only In the Covenant of Grace it is not so For sundry of the Promises thereof are the means of our being taken into Covenant of our entring into Covenant with God The first Covenant absolutely was established on Promises in that when men were actually taken into it they were encouraged unto Obedience by the Promises of a future Reward But these Promises namely of the pardon of sin and writing of the Law in our hearts which the Apostle expresly insisteth upon as the peculiar Promises of this Covenant do take place and are effectual antecedently unto our Covenant Obedience For although Faith be required in order of nature antecedently unto our actual receiving of the pardon of sin yet is that Faith itself wrought in us by the Grace of the Promise and so its precedency unto pardon respects only the Order that God hath appointed in the communication of the benefits of the Covenant and intends not that the pardon of sin is the reward of our Faith This entrance hath the Apostle made into his Discourse of the two Covenants which he continues unto the end of the Chapter But the whole is not without its difficulties Many things in particular will occur unto us in our progress which may be considered in their proper places In the mean time there are some things in general which may be here discoursed by whose determination much light will be communicated unto what doth ensue First therefore the Apostle doth evidently in this place dispute concerning two Covenants or two Testaments comparing the one with the other and declaring the disannulling of the one by the introduction and establishment of the other What are these two Covenants in general we have declared namely that made with the Church of Israel at Mount Sinai and that made with us in the Gospel not as absolutely the Covenant of Grace but as actually established in the death of Christ with all the worship that belongs unto it Here then ariseth a difference of no small importance namely whether these are indeed two distinct Covenants as to the essence and substance of them or only different ways of the
cause God saw it necessary and it pleased him to put a grievous and heavy yoke upon them to subdue the pride of their spirits and to cause them to breathe after deliverance This the Apostle Peter calls a yoke that neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear Acts 15. 20. that is with peace ease and rest which therefore the Lord Christ invited them to seek for in himself alone Matth. 11. 29 30. And this yoke that God put on them consisted in these three things 1. In a multitude of Precepts hard to be understood and difficult to be observed The present Jews reckon up 613 of them about the sense of most of which they dispute endlesly among themselves But the truth is since the days of the Pharisees they have increased their own yoke and made obedience unto their Law in any tolerable manner altogether unpracticable It were easie to manifest for instance that no man under Heaven ever did or ever can keep the Sabbath according to the Rules they give about it in their Talmuds And they generally scarce observe one of them themselves But in the Law as given by God himself it is certain that there were a multitude of arbitrary Precepts and those in themselves not accompanied with any spiritual Advantages as our Apostle shews Chap. 9. 5. only they were obliged to perform them by a meer soveraign Act of Power and Authority 2. In the severity wherewith the observance of all those Precepts were enjoined them And this was the threatning of death For he that despised Moses 's Law died without mercy and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward Hence was their complaint of old Behold we die we perish we all perish whosoever cometh near unto the Tabernacle of the Lord shall dye shall we be consumed with dying Numb 17. 12 13. And the Curse solemnly denounced against every one that confirmed not all things written in the Law was continually before them 3. In a Spirit of Bondage unto Fear This was administred in the giving and dispensation of the Law even as a Spirit of Liberty and Power is administred in and by the Gospel And as this respected their present Obedience and manner of its performance so in particular it regarded Death not yet conquered by Christ. Hence our Apostle affirms that through fear of Death they were all their life-time subject unto Bondage This state God brought them into partly to subdue the pride of their hearts trusting in their own righteousness and partly to cause them to look out earnestly after the promised Deliverer 4. Into this estate and condition God brought them by a Solemn Covenant confirmed by mutual consent between him and them The Tenure Force and Solemn Ratification of this Covenant is expressed Exod. 24. 3 4 5 6 7 8. Unto the terms and conditions of this Covenant was the whole Church obliged indispensibly on pain of Extermination until all was accomplished Mal. 4. 4 5 6. Unto this Covenant belonged the Decalogue with all Precepts of Moral Obedience thence educed So also did the Laws of Political Rule established among them and the whole Systeme of Religious Worship given unto them All these Laws were brought within the verge of this Covenant and were the matter of it And it had especial Promises and Threatnings annexed unto it as such whereof none did exceed the Bounds of the Land of Canaan For even many of the Laws of it were such as obliged no where else Such was the Law of the Sabbatical year and all their Sacrifices There was Sin and Obedience in them or about them in the Land of Canaan none elsewhere Hence 5. This Covenant thus made with these Ends and Promises did never save nor condemn any man eternally All that lived under the Administration of it did attain eternal life or perished for ever but not by vertue of this Covenant as formally such It did indeed revive the commanding Power and Sanction of the first Covenant of Works and therein as the Apostle speaks was the Ministry of condemnation 2 Cor. 3. 9. For by the deeds of the Law can no flesh be justified And on the other hand it directed also unto the Promise which was the instrument of life and salvation unto all that did believe But as unto what it had of its own it was confined unto things temporal Believers were saved under it but not by vertue of it Sinners perished eternally under it but by the Curse of the original Law of Works And 6. Hereon occasionally fell out the ruine of that People their Table became a snare unto them and that which should have been for their welfare became a trap according to the Prediction of our Saviour Psal. 69. 22. It was this Covenant that raised and ruined them it raised them to Glory and Honour when given of God it ruined them when abused by themselves contrary to express declarations of his mind and will For although the generality of them were wicked and rebellious always breaking the Terms of the Covenant which God made with them so far as it was possible they should whil'st God determined to reign over them unto the appointed season and repined under the burden of it yet they would have this Covenant to be the only Rule and Means of righteousness life and salvation as the Apostle declares Rom. 9. 31 32 33. Chap. 10. 3. For as we have often said there were two things in it both which they abused unto other ends than what God designed them 1 There was the Renovation of the Rule of the Covenant of Works for righteousness and life And this they would have to be given unto them for those ends and so sought for righteousness by the works of the Law 2 There was ordained in it a Typical Representation of the way and means whereby the Promise was to be made effectual namely in the Mediation and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ which was the end of all their Ordinances of Worship And the outward Law thereof with the observance of its Institution they looked on as their only relief when they came short of exact and perfect righteousness Against both these pernicious Errors the Apostle disputes expresly in his Epistle unto the Romans and the Galatians to save them if it were possible from that ruine they were casting themselves into Hereon the Elect obtained but the rest were hard ned For hereby they made an absolute renunciation of the Promise wherein alone God had enwrapped the way of life and salvation This is the nature and substance of that Covenant which God made with that People a particular temporary Covenant it was and not a meer dispensation of the Covenant of Grace That which remains for the declaration of the mind of the Holy Ghost in this whole matter is to declare the differences that are between those two Covenants whence the one is said to be better than the other and to be built upon better Promises Those of
that they should do Psal. 56. 5 6. Some of them affirmed him to have said I am able to destroy the Temple of God and to build it in three days Mat. 26. 61. Which was apparently false as is evident in comparing his words with theirs Wherefore others of them observing that the Witness was not yet home unto their purpose and the design of the Priests they sware positively that he said I will destroy this Temple made with hands and in three days I will build another made without hands Mark 14. 58. For they are not the words of the same persons variously reported by the Evangelist For these in Mark are other Witnesses which agreed not with what was sworn before as he observes ver 59. But neither so did their Witness agree together However they fix on a Notion that was passant among them of a Temple to be built without hands And sundry things there are in the Prophets which lead them into an apprehension that God would dwell among men in a Temple or Tabernacle that should not be made with hands And all their Predictions were accomplished when the eternal Word by the assumption of our nature fixed his Tabernacle among us John 1. 14. This is that which the Apostle intimates Whereas Solomon openly affirms that the Habitation of God could not be in the Temple that he had built because it was made with hands and it is a principle of natural light that he who made the world and all things contained therein could not dwell in such a Temple and whereas it seems to have belonged unto the Faith of the Church of old that there should be a Temple wherein God would dwell that was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in comparing the Humane Nature of Christ with the Old Tabernacle he affirms in the first place that it was not made with hands Respect also is had herein unto the framing of the Fabric of the Old Tabernacle by Bezaliel For although the pattern of it was shewn unto Moses in the Mount from Heaven yet the actual framing and erection of it was by the hands of Workmen skilful to work in all kind of earthly materials Exod. 32. 3 4 5 6. Chap. 36. 1. And although by reason of the wisdom cunning and skill which they had received in an extraordinary way they framed made and reared a Tabernacle most artificial and beautiful yet when all was done it was but the work of mens hands But the Constitution and Production of the Humane Nature of Christ was an immediate effect of the Wisdom and Power of God himself Luke 1. 36. Nothing of Humane Wisdom or Contrivance nothing of the Skill or Power of Man had the least influence into or concurrence in the provision of this glorious Tabernacle wherein the work of the Redemption of the Church was effected The Body of Christ indeed was made of a Woman of the substance of the blessed Virgin but she was purely passive therein and concurrent in no efficiency either Moral or Physical thereunto It was the contrivance of Divine Wisdom and the effect of Divine Power alone 2dly The Apostle adds as a farther dissimilitude unto the other Tabernacle that is not of this Building Expositors generally take these words to be meerly exegetical of the former not made with hands that is not of this Building To me there seems to be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them It is so not made with hands like unto that Tabernacle as that it is not of the order of any other created thing not of the same make and constitution with any thing else in the whole Creation here below For although the substance of his Humane Nature were of the same kind with ours yet the Production of it in the World was such an Act of Divine Power as excels all other Divine Operations whatever Wherefore God speaking of it saith The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth A woman shall compass a man Jer. 31. 22. or conceive him without natural Generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word whereby the creation of all things is Constantly expressed in the new Testament and sometimes it signifies the things that are created Neither is it ever used or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence it is derived to signifie the constitution of the Ordinances of the old Testament the Tabernacle the Temple or any thing belonging thereunto Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here doth not limit it unto that constitution so as that not of this Building should be not made with hands as that Tabernacle was It is therefore not of the order of created things here below either such as were immediately created at the beginning or educed out of them by a creating Act or Power For although it was so as unto its substance yet in its constitution and production it was an effect of the divine power above the whole order of this Creation or things created God is so far from being obliged unto any means for the effecting of the Holy Counsels of his Will as that he can when he pleaseth exceed the whole order and course of the first creation of all things and his providence in the rule thereof VER XII FRom the comparison between the Tabernacle of old and that of the High Priest of the new Covenant there is a procedure in this verse unto another between his Sacerdotal actings and those of the High Priest under the Law And whereas in the description of the Tabernacle and its especial services the Apostle had insisted in a peculiar manner on the entrance of the High Priest every year into the most Holy Place which was the most solemn and most mystical part of the Tabernacle-service in the first Place he gives an account of what answered thereunto in the Sacerdotal Administrations of Christ and how much on all accounts both of the Sacrifice in the vertue whereof he entred into the most Holy Place and of the Place itself whereinto he entred and of the Time when it did in Glory and Efficacy excel that service of the High Priest under the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the blood of his own Soul or Life He made his soul an offering for sin Isa. 5. 3. Blood is the Life of the Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one time not many times not once every year as they did under the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the House of the Sanctuary less properly for by that expression the old Tabernacle is intended but the Apostle respects Heaven itself in Sancta Sancta Sanctorum Sacrarium That which answers unto the most Holy Place in the Tabernacle where was the Throne of God the Ark and Mercy-seat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vul. aeterna Redemptione inventa aeternam Redemptionem nactus aeterna Redemptione acquisita most properly and according unto the use
nor was there any constraint on Christ but he offered himself willingly through the eternal Spirit 2 She was to be had forth without the Camp ver 3. which the Apostle alludes unto Chap. 13. 11. representing Christ going out of the City unto his Suffering and Oblation 3 One did slay her before the face of the Priest and not the Priest himself So the hands of others Iews and Gentiles were used in the slaying of our Sacrifice 4 The Blood of the Heifer being slain was sprinkled by the Priest seven times directly before the Tabernacle of the Congregation ver 4. So is the whole Church purified by the sprinkling of the Blood of Christ. 5 The whole Heifer was to be burned in the sight of the Priest ver 5. So was whole Christ Soul and Body offered up to God in the fire of love kindled in him by the eternal Spirit 6 Cedar wood Hysop and Scarlet were to be cast into the midst of the burning of the Heifer ver 6. which were all used by God's Institution in the purification of the unclean or the sanctification and dedication of any thing unto sacred use to teach us that all spiritual vertue unto these ends really and eternally was contained in the one offering of Christ. 7 Both the Priest who sprinkled the Blood the men that slew the Heifer and he that burned her and he that gathered her ashes were all unclean until they were washed ver 7 8 9 10. So when Christ was made a Sin-offering all the legal Uncleannesses that is the Guilt of the Church were on him and he took them away But it is the use of this Ordinance which is principally intended The Ashes of this Heifer being burned was preserved that being mixed with pure water it might be sprinkled on persons who on any occasion were legally unclean Whoever was so was excluded from all the Solemn Worship of the Church Wherefore without this Ordinance the worship of God and the holy state of the Church could not have been continued For the means causes and ways of legal defilements among them were very many and some of them unavoidable In particular every Tent and House and all persons in them were defiled if any one died among them which could not but continually fall out in their Families Hereon they were excluded from the Tabernacle and Congregation and all Duties of the Solemn Worship of God until they were purified Had not therefore these Ashes which were to be mingled with living water been always preserved and in a readiness the whole worship of God must quickly have ceased amongst them It is so in the Church of Christ. The Spiritual Defilements which befal Believers are many and some of them unavoidable unto them whil'st they are in this world yea their Duties the best of them have defilements adhering unto them Were it not but that the Blood of Christ in its purifying vertue is in a continual readiness unto Faith that God therein had opened a Fountain for Sin and Uncleanness the Worship of the Church would not be acceptable unto him In a constant application thereunto doth the exercise of Faith much consist The nature and use of this Ordinance is farther described by its object the unclean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is those that were made common All those who had a liberty of approach unto God in his Solemn Worship were so far sanctified that is separated and dedicated And such as were deprived of this priviledge were made common and so unclean The Unclean especially intended in the Institution were those who were defiled by the dead Every one that by any means touched a dead body whether dying naturally or slain whether in the house or field or did bear it or assist in the bearing of it or were in the Tent or House where it was were all defiled no such person was to come into the Congregation or near the Tabernacle But it is certain that many Offices about the dead are works of Humanity and Mercy which morally defile not Wherefore there was a peculiar reason of the constitution of this defilement and this severe Interdiction of them that were so defiled from Divine Worship And this was to represent unto the People the Curse of the Law whereof Death was the great visible effect The present Iews have this Notion that defilement by the dead arose from the poyson that is dropt into them that dye by the Angel of death whereof see our Exposition on Chap. 2. 14. The meaning of it is that Death came in by Sin from the poysonous temptation of the old Serpent and befel men by the Curse which took hold of them thereon But they have lost the understanding of their own Tradition This belonged unto the bondage under which it was the Will of God to keep that People that they should dread Death as an effect of the Curse of the Law and the fruit of Sin which is taken away in Christ Heb. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 47. And these works which were unto them so full of defilement are now unto us accepted Duties of Piety and Mercy These and many others were excluded from an interest in the Solemn Worship of God upon ceremonial defilements And some vehemently contend that none were so excluded for moral defilements and it may be it is true for the matter is dubious But that it should thence follow that none under the Gospel should be so excluded for moral and spiritual Evils is a fond imagination Yea the Argument is firm that if God did so severely shut out from a participation in his Solemn Worship all those who were legally or ceremonially defiled much more is it his Will that those who live in spiritual or moral defilements should not approach unto him by the holy Ordinances of the Gospel The manner of the application of this purifying water was by sprinkling Being sprinkled or rather transitively sprinkling the unclean Not only the Act but the Efficacy of it is intended The manner of it is declared Numb 19. 17 18. The Ashes was kept by it self Where use was to be made of it it was to be mingled with clean living water water from the Spring The vertue was from the Ashes as it was the Ashes of the Heifer slain and burnt as a Sin-offering The water was used as the means of its application Being so mingled any clean person might dip a Bunch of Hysop see Psal. 51. 7. into it and sprinkle any thing or person that was defiled For it was not confined unto the Office of the Priest but was left unto every private person as is the continual application of the Blood of Christ. And this Rite of sprinkling was that alone in all Sacrifices whereby their continued efficacy unto Sanctification and Purification was expressed Thence is the Blood of Christ called the blood of sprinkling because of its efficacy unto our Sanctification as applied by Faith unto our Souls and Consciences The effect of
the things mentioned is that they sanctified unto the purifying of the flesh namely that those unto whom they were applied might be made Levitically clean be so freed from the carnal defilements as to have an admission unto the Solemn Worship of God and Society of the Church Sanctifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament doth signifie for the most part to purifie and sanctifie internally and spiritually Sometimes it is used in the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Old Testament to separate dedicate consecrate So is it by our Saviour Iohn 17. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And for them I sanctifie my self that is separate and dedicate my self to be a Sacrifice So is it here used Every defiled person was made common excluded from the priviledge of a right to draw nigh unto God in his Solemn Worship But in his Purification he was again separated to him and restored unto his sacred Right The word is of the singular number and seems only to respect the next Antecedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ashes of an Heifer But if so the Apostle mentions the Blood of Bulls and Goats without the ascription of any effect or efficacy thereunto This therefore is not likely as being the more Solemn Ordinance Wherefore the word is distinctly to be referred by a Zeugma unto the one and the other The whole effect of all the Sacrifices and Institutions of the Law is comprised in this word All the Sacrifices of Expiation and Ordinances of Purification had this effect and no more They sanctified unto the purifying of the flesh That is those who were legally defiled and were therefore excluded from an interest in the worship of God and were made obnoxious unto the curse of the Law thereon were so legally purified justified and cleansed by them as that they had free admission into the Society of the Church and the Solemn Worship thereof This they did this they were able to effect by vertue of Divine Institution This was the state of things under the Law when there was a Church-Purity Holiness and Sanctification to be obtained by the due observance of external Rites and Ordinances without internal purity or holiness Wherefore these things were in themselves of no worth nor value And as God himself doth often in the Prophets declare that meerly on their own account he had no regard unto them so by the Apostle they are called worldly carnal and beggarly Rudiments Why then it will be said did God appoint and ordain them Why did he oblige the People unto their observance I answer It was not at all on the account of their outward use and efficacy as unto the purifying of the flesh which as it was alone God always despised but it was because of the representation of good things to come which the wisdom of God had inlaid them withal With respect hereunto they were glorious and of exceeding advantage unto the Faith and Obedience of the Church This state of things is changed under the New Testament For now neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but a new Creature The thing signified namely internal Purity and Holiness is no less necessary unto a Right unto the Priviledges of the Gospel than the observance of these external Rites was unto the Priviledges of the Law Yet is there no countenance given hereby unto the impious opinion of some that God by the Law required only external Obedience without respect unto the inward spiritual part of it For although the Rites and Sacrifices of the Law by their own vertue purified externally and delivered only from temporary Punishments yet the Precepts and the Promises of the Law required the same Holiness and Obedience unto God as doth the Gospel VER XIV How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot unto God purifie your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God THis Verse contains the Inference or Argument of the Apostle from the preceding Propositions and Concessions The Nature of the Argument is à minori and à proportione From the first the Inference follows as unto its truth and formally from the latter as to its greater evidence and materially There are in the words considerable 1. The Subject treated of in opposition unto that before spoken unto and that is the Blood of Christ. 2. The means whereby this Blood of Christ was effectual unto the end designed in opposition unto the way and means of the efficacy of legal Ordinances He offered himself that is in the shedding of it unto God without spot through the eternal Spirit 3. The end assigned unto this Blood of Christ in that offering of himself or the effect wrought thereby in opposition unto the end and effect of legal Ordinances which is to purge our Consciences from dead works 4. The benefit and advantage which we receive thereby in opposition unto the benefit which was obtained by those legal administrations that we may serve the living God All which must be considered and explained 1. The Nature of the Inference is expressed by How much more This is usual with the Apostle when he draws any Inference or Conclusion from a Comparison between Christ and the High Priest the Gospel and the Law to use an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in expression to manifest their absolute pre-eminence above them See Chap. 2. 2 3. Chap. 3. 3. Chap. 10. 28 29. Chap. 12. 25. Although these things agreed in their general Nature whence a Comparison is founded yet were the one incomparably more glorious than the other Hence elsewhere although he alloweth the administration of the Law to be glorious yet he affirms that it had no Glory in comparison of what doth excel 2 Cor. 3. 10. The Person of Christ is the Spring of all the Glory in the Church and the more nearly any thing relates thereunto the more glorious it is There are two things included in this way of the Introduction of the present Inference How much more 1. An equal certainty of the Event and Effect ascribed unto the Blood of Christ with the effect of the legal Sacrifices is included in it So the Argument is à minori And the Inference of such an Argument is expressed by much more though an equal certainty be all that is evinced by it If these Sacrifices and Ordinances of the Law were effectual unto the ends of legal Expiation and Purification then is the Blood of Christ assuredly so unto the spiritual and eternal effects whereunto it is designed And the force of the Argument is not meerly as was observed before à comparatis and à minori but from the nature of the things themselves as the one was appointed to be typical of the other 2. The Argument is taken from a Proportion between the things themselves that are compared as to their efficacy This gives a greater evidence and validity unto the Argument than if it were
dignity and efficacy of all that he did did depend That which the Effect intended is ascribed unto is the Blood of Christ. And two things are to be enquired hereon 1 What is meant by the Blood of Christ. 2 How this Effect was wrought by it 1. It is not only that Material Blood which he shed absolutely considered that is here and elsewhere called the Blood of Christ when the work of our Redemption is ascribed unto it that is intended But there is a double consideration of it with respect unto its Efficacy unto this End 1 That it was the pledge and the sign of all the internal Obedience and Sufferings of the Soul of Christ of his Person He became obedient unto death the death of the Cross whereon his blood was shed This was the great instance of his Obedience and of his Sufferings whereby he made Reconciliation and Atonement for Sin Hence the Effects of all his Sufferings and of all Obedience in his Sufferings are ascribed unto his Blood 2 Respect is had unto the Sacrifice and Offering of Blood under the Law The reason why God gave the People the Blood to make Atonement on the Altar was because the life of the flesh was in it Lev. 17. 11 14. So was the life of Christ in his Blood by the shedding whereof he laid it down And by his death it is as he was the Son of God that we are redeemed Herein he made his Soul an Offering for Sin Isa. 53. 10. Wherefore this Expression of the Blood of Christ in order unto our Redemption or the Expiation of Sin is comprehensive of all that he did and suffered for those Ends inasmuch as the shedding of it was the way and means whereby he offered it or himself in and by it unto God 2. The second Enquiry is How the Effect here mentioned was wrought by the Blood of Christ. And this we cannot determine without a general consideration of the Effect it self and this is the purging of our Conscience from dead works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall purge That is say some shall purifie and sanctifie by internal inherent sanctification But neither the sense of the word nor the Context nor the Exposition given by the Apostle of this very expression Chap. 10. 1 2. will admit of this restrained sense I grant it is included herein but there is somewhat else principally intended namely the Expiation of Sin with our Justification and Peace with God thereon 1 For the proper sense of the word here used see our Exposition on Chap. 1. 3. Expiation Lustration carrying away punishment by making Atonement are expressed by it in all good Authors 2 The Context requires this sense in the first place For First The Argument here used is immediately applied to prove that Christ hath obtained for us eternal Redemption But Redemption consists not in internal Sanctification only although that be a necessary consequent of it But it is the pardon of Sin through the Aronement made or a price paid In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins Eph. 1. 7. Secondly In the Comparison insisted on there is distinct mention made of the Blood of Bulls and Goats as well as of the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkled But the first and principal use of Blood in Sacrifice was to make Atonement for sin Lev. 17. 11. Thirdly The End of this Purging is to give boldness in the service of God and peace with him therein that we may serve the living God But this is done by the expiation and pardon of Sin with justification thereon Fourthly It is Conscience that is said to be purged Now Conscience is the proper seat of the guilt of Sin it is that which chargeth it on the Soul and which hinders all approach unto God in his service with liberty and boldness unless it be removed which Fifthly Gives us the best consideration of the Apostle's Exposition of this expression Chap. 10. 1 2. For he there declares that to have the Conscience purged is to have its condemning power for sin taken away and cease There is therefore under the same name a twofold Effect here ascribed unto the Blood of Christ the one in answer and opposition unto the Effect of the Blood of Bulls and Goats being offered the other in answer unto the Effect of the Ashes of an Heifer being sprinkled The first consisting in making Atonement for our sins the other in the sanctification of our persons And there are two ways whereby these things are procured by the Blood of Christ. 1 By its offering whereby Sin is expiated 2 By its sprinkling whereby our persons are sanctified The first ariseth from the satisfaction he made unto the justice of God by undergoing in his death the punishment due to us being made therein a Curse for us that the blessing might come upon us therein as his death was a Sacrifice as he offered himself unto God in the shedding of his Blood he made Atonement The other from the vertue of his Sacrifice applied unto us by the Holy Spirit which is the sprinkling of it so doth the Blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanse us from all our Sins The Socinian Expositor on this place endeavors by a long perplexed discourse to evade the force of this testimony wherein the expiation of Sin is directly assigned unto the Blood of Christ. His pretence is to shew how many ways it may be so but his design is to prove that really it can be so by none at all For the Assertion as it lies in terms is destructive of their Heresie Wherefore he proceeds on these Suppositions 1 That the Expiation of Sin is our deliverance from the punishment due unto Sin by the power of Christ in Heaven But this is diametrically as opposite unto the true Nature of it so unto its Representation in the Sacrifices of old whereunto it is compared by the Apostle and from whence he argueth Neither is this a tolerable Exposition of the words The Blood of Christ in answer unto what was represented by the Blood of the Sacrifices of the Law doth purge our Consciences from dead works that is Christ by his power in Heaven doth free us from the punishment due to Sin 2 That Christ was not a Priest until after his Ascension into Heaven That this Supposition destroys the whole Nature of that Office hath been sufficiently before declared 3 That his offering himself unto God was the presenting of himself in Heaven before God as having done the Will of God on the earth But as this hath nothing in it of the nature of a Sacrifice so what is asserted by it can according to these men be no way said to be done by his Blood seeing they affirm that when Christ doth this he hath neither flesh nor blood 4 That the Resurrection of Christ gave all Efficacy unto his Death But the truth is it was his Death and what he effected therein
efficient John 1. 5. Rom. 11. 34. Heb. 1. 2. So it doth here the eternal Spirit was not an inferior instrument whereby Christ offered himself but it was the principal efficient cause in the work The Variety that is in the reading of this place is taken notice of by all Some Copies read by the Eternal Spirit some by the Holy Spirit the latter is the reading of the Vulgar Translation and countenanced by sundry ancient Copies of the Original The Syriac retains the Eternal Spirit which also is the reading of most ancient Copies of the Greek Hence follows a double interpretation of the words some say that the Lord Christ offered himself unto God in and by the acting of the Holy Ghost in his Humane Nature For by him were wrought in him that servent zeal unto the glory of God that love and compassion unto the souls of men which both carried him through his sufferings and rendered his obedience therein acceptable unto God as a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savor which work of the Holy Spirit in the Humane Nature of Christ I have elsewhere declared Others say that his own Eternal Deity which supported him in his sufferings and rendred the Sacrifice of himself effectual is intended But this will not absolutely follow to be the sense of the place upon the common reading by the Eternal Spirit For the Holy Spirit is no less an Eternal Spirit than is the Deity of Christ himself The truth is both these concurred in and were absolutely necessary unto the offering of Christ. The acting of his own Eternal Spirit was so unto the efficacy and effect And those of the Holy Ghost in him were so as unto the manner of it Without the first his offering of himself could not have purged our Consciences from dead works No Sacrifice of any meer creature could have produced that effect It would not have had in itself a worth and dignity whereby we might have been discharged of sin unto the glory of God Nor without the subsistence of the Humane Nature in the Divine Person of the Son of God could it have undergone and passed through unto victory what it was to suffer in this offering of it Wherefore this sense of the words is true Christ offered himself unto God through or by his own Eternal Spirit the Divine Nature acting in the person of the Son For 1 it was an Act of his entire Person wherein he discharged the office of a Priest And as his Humane Nature was the Sacrifice so his Person was the Priest that offered it which is the only distinction that was between the Priest and Sacrifice herein As in all other Acts of his Mediation the taking our nature upon him and what he did therein the Divine Person of the Son the Eternal Spirit in him acted in love and condescension so did it in this also of his offering himself 2 As we observed before hereby he gave dignity worth and efficacy unto the Sacrifice of himself For herein God was to purchase his Church with his own blood And this seems to be principally respected by the Apostle For he intends to declare herein the dignity and efficacy of the Sacrifice of Christ in opposition unto those under the Law For it was in the will of man and by material fire that they were all offered But he offered himself by the Eternal Spirit voluntarily giving up his Humane Nature to be a Sacrifice in an Act of his Divine Power 3 The Eternal Spirit is here opposed unto the Material Altar as well as unto the Fire The Altar was that whereon the Sacrifice was laid which bore it up in its Oblation and Ascension But the Eternal Spirit of Christ was the Altar whereon he offered himself This supported and bore it up under its sufferings whereon it was presented unto God as an acceptable Sacrifice Wherefore this reading of the words gives a sense that is true and proper unto the matter treated of But on the other side it is no less certain that he offered himself in his Humane Nature by the Holy Ghost All the gracious actings of his mind and will were required hereunto The Man Christ Iesus in the gracious voluntary acting of all the faculties of his Soul offered himself unto God His Humane Nature was not only the matter of the Sacrifice but therein and thereby in the gracious actings of the faculties and powers of it he offered himself unto God Now all these things were wrought in him by the Holy Spirit wherewith he was filled which he received not by measure By him was he filled with that love and compassion unto the Church which acted him in his whole Mediation and which the Scripture so frequently proposeth unto our Faith herein He loved me and gave himself for me He loved the Church and gave himself for it He loved us and washed us in his own blood By him there was wrought in him that zeal unto the glory of God the fire whereof kindled his Sacrifice in an eminent manner For he designed with ardency of love to God above his own life and present state of his Soul to declare his righteousness to repair the diminution of his glory and to make such way for the communication of his love and grace to sinners that he might be eternally glorified He gave him that holy submission unto the Will of God under a prospect of the bitterness of that Cup which he was to drink as enabled him to say in the height of his conflict Not my Will but thy Will be done He filled him with that faith and trust in God as unto his supportment deliverance and success which carried him steadily and safely unto the issue of his tryal Isa. 50. 7 8 9. Through the actings of these graces of the Holy Spirit in the Humane Nature his offering of himself was a free voluntary Oblation and Sacrifice I shall not positively determine on either of these Senses unto the exclusion of the other The latter hath much of spiritual light and comfort in it on many accounts But yet I must acknowledge that there are two Considerations that peculiarly urge the former interpretation 1. The most and most ancient Copies of the Original read by the Eternal Spirit and are followed by the Syriac with all the Greck Scholists Now although the Holy Spirit be also an Eternal Spirit in the unity of the same Divine Nature with the Father and the Son yet where he is spoken of with respect unto his own personal actings he is constantly called the Holy Spirit and not as here the Eternal Spirit 2. The design of the Apostle is to prove the efficacy of the Offering of Christ above those of the Priests under the Law Now this arose from hence partly that he offered himself whereas they offered only the blood of Bulls and Goats but principally from the dignity of his Person in his Offering in that he offered himself by his own Eternal Spirit or
should any way hinder his Sacrifice from being accepted with God and really expiatory of Sin And this was the Church instructed to expect by all those legal Institutions It may be not unuseful to give here a brief Scheme of this great Sacrifice of Christ to fix the thoughts of Faith the more distinctly upon it 1. God herein in the Person of the Father is considered as the Law-giver the Governor and Judge of all and that as on a Throne of Judgment the Throne of grace being not as yet erected And two things are ascribed or do belong unto him 1 A Denunciation of the sentence of the Law against Mankind Dying ye shall dye and cursed be every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to do them 2 A Resusal of all such ways of Atonement Satisfaction and Reconciliation that might be offered from any thing that all or any creatures could perform sacrifice and offerings and whole burnt-offerings for sin he would not have Heb. 10. 5 6. he rejected them as insufficient to make Atonement for sin 2. Satan appeared before this Throne with his Prisoners he had the power of death Heb. 2. 14. and entered into judgment as unto his right and title and therein was judged John 16. 11. And he put forth all his power and policy in opposition unto the deliverance of his Prisoners and to the way or means of it That was his hour wherein he put forth the power of darkness Luke 22. 53. 3. The Lord Christ the Son of God out of his infinite love and compassion appears in our Natures before the Throne of God and takes it on himself to answer for the sins of all the Elect to make Atonement for them by doing and suffering whatever the holiness righteousness and wisdom of God required thereunto Then said I Lo I come to do thy Will O God Above when he said Sacrifice and Offerings and Burnt-offerings for sin thou wouldst not neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered by the Law then said he Lo I come to do thy Will O God he taketh away the first that he might establish the second Heb. 10. 7 8 9. 4. This stipulation and engagement of his God accepteth of and withal as the sovereign Lord and Ruler of all prescribeth the way and means whereby he should make Atonement for sin and Reconciliation with God thereon And this was that he should make his soul an offering for sin and therein bear their iniquities Isa. 53. 10 11. 5. The Lord Christ was prepared with a Sacrifice to offer unto God unto this end For whereas every High Priest was ordained to offer Gifts and Sacrifices it was of necessity that he also should have somewhat to offer Heb. 8. 3. This was not to be the Blood of Bulls and Goats or such things as were offered by the Law ver 4. But this was and was to be himself his humane nature or his body For 1 this body or humane nature was prepared for him and given unto him for this very end that he might have somewhat of his own to offer Heb. 10. 5. 2 He took it he assumed it unto himself to be his own for this very end that he might be a sacrifice in it Heb. 2. 14. 3 He had full power and authority over his own body his whole humane nature to dispose of it in any way and into any condition unto the glory of God No man saith he taketh my life from me I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again John 10. 18. 6. This therefore he gave up to do and suffer according unto the Will of God And this he did 1 In the Will Grace and Love of his Divine Nature he offered himself unto God through the eternal Spirit 2 In the gracious holy actings of his humane nature in the way of zeal love obedience patience and all other graces of the Holy Spirit which dwelt in him without measure acted unto their utmost glory and efficacy Hereby he gave himself up unto God to be a Sacrifice for Sin his own Divine Nature being the Altar and Fire whereby his Offering was supported and confirmed or brought unto the Ashes of Death This was the most glorious spectacle unto God and all his holy Angels Hereby he set a Crown of Glory on the head of the Law fulfilling its precepts in matter and manner unto the uttermost and undergoing its penalty or curse establishing the truth and righteousness of God in it Hereby he glorified the holiness and justice of God in the demonstration of their nature and compliance with their demands Herein issued the eternal Councils of God for the salvation of the Church and way was made for the exercise of grace and mercy unto sinners For 7. Herewith God was well pleased satisfied and reconciled unto sinners Thus was he in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing our sins unto us in that he was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him For in this tender of himself a Sacrifice to God 1. God was well pleased with and delighted in his obedience it was a Sacrifice unto him of a well-smelling savor He was more glorified in that one instance of the Obedience of his onely Son than he was dishonoured by the sin of Adam and all his Posterity as I have elsewhere declared 2. All the demands of his Justice were satisfied unto his eternal glory Wherefore 8. Hereon Satan is judged and destroyed as unto his power over sinners who receive this Atonement all the grounds and occasions of it are hereby removed his Kingdom is overthrown his Usurpation and unjust Dominion defeated his Arms spoiled and Captivity led captive For of the anger of the Lord against sin it was that he obtained his power over sinners which he abused unto his own ends This being atoned the Prince of this world was judged and cast out 9. Hereon the poor condemned sinners are discharged God says deliver them for I have found a ransom But we must return to the Text. The effect of the Blood of Christ through the offering of himself is the purging of our Consciences from dead works This was somewhat spoken unto in general before especially as unto the nature of this purging But the words require a more particular Explication And The word is in the Future Tense Shall purge The blood of Christ as offered hath a double respect and effect 1 Towards God in making Atonement for sin This was done once and at once and was now past Herein by one Offering he for ever perfected them that are sanctified 2 Towards the Consciences of men in the application of the vertue of it unto them this is here intended And this is expressed as future not as though it had not this effect already on them that did believe but upon a double account 1. To declare the certainty of the event or
a compleat relief in this condition two things are necessary 1 A discharge of Conscience from a sense of the guilt of sin or the condemning power of it whereby it deprives us of peace with God and of boldness in access unto him 2 The cleansing of the Conscience and consequently our whole persons from the inherent defilement of sin The first of these was typified by the blood of Bulls and Goats offered on the Altar to make Atonement The latter was represented by the sprinkling of the unclean with the Ashes of the Heiser unto their purification Both these the Apostle here expresly ascribes unto the Blood of Christ and we may briefly enquire into three things concerning it 1 On what ground it doth produce this blessed effect 2 The way of its operation and efficacy unto this end 3 The Reason whence the Apostle affirms that it shall much more do this than the legal Ordinances could sanctifying unto the purifying of the flesh 1. The grounds of its efficacy unto this purpose are three 1. That it was Blood offered unto God God had ordained that Blood should be offered on the Altar to make Atonement for sin or to purge Conscience from dead works That this could not be really effected by the Blood of Bulls and Goats is evident in the nature of the things themselves and demonstrated in the event Howbeit this must be done by Blood or all the institution of legal Sacrifices were nothing but means to deceive the minds of men and ruine their souls To say that at one time or other real Atonement is not to be made for Sin by Blood and Conscience thereby to be purged and purified is to make God a Lyar in all the Institutions of the Law But this must be done by the Blood of Christ or not at all 2 It was the Blood of Christ. Of Christ the Son of the living God Mat. 16. 18. whereby God purchased his Church with his own Blood Acts 20. 28. The dignity of his Person gave efficacy unto his Office and Offering No other person in the discharge of the same Offices that were committed unto him could have saved the Church and therefore all those by whom his Divine Person is denied do also evacuate his Offices By what they ascribe unto them it is impossible the Church should be either sanctified or saved They resolve all into a meer Act of Sovereign Power in God which make the Cross of Christ of none effect 3 He offered this Blood or himself by the eternal Spirit Though Christ in his Divine Person was the Eternal Son of God yet was it the humane nature only that was offered in Sacrifice Howbeit it was offered by and with the concurrent actings of the Divine Nature or Eternal Spirit as we have declared These things make the Blood of Christ as offered meet and fit for the accomplishment of this great effect 2. The second Enquiry is concernig the way whereby the Blood of Christ doth thus purge our Conscience from dead works Two things as we have seen are contained therein 1 The expiation or taking away the guilt of sin that Conscience should not be deterred thereby from an access unto God 2 The cleansing of our souls from vicious defiling habits inclinations and acts or all inherent uncleanness Wherefore under two considerations doth the Blood of Christ produce this double effect First As it was offered so it made Atonement for Sin by giving satisfaction unto the Justice and Law of God This all the expiatory Sacrifices of the Law did prefigure this the Prophets foretold and this the Gospel witnesseth unto To deny it is to deny any real efficacy in the Blood of Christ unto this end and so expresly to contradict the Apostle Sin is not purged from the Conscience unless the guilt of it be so removed as that we may have peace with God and boldness in access unto him This is given us by the Blood of Christ as offered Secondly As it is sprinkled it worketh the second part of this effect And this sprinkling of the Blood of Christ is the communication of its sanctifying vertue unto our souls see Eph. 5. 26 27. Tit. 2. 14. so doth the Blood of Christ the Son of God cleanse us from all our sins 1 John 1. 7. Zech. 13. 2. 3. The Reason why the Apostle affirms that this is much more to be expected from the Blood of Christ than the Purification of the Flesh was from legal Ordinances hath been before spoken unto The Socinians plead on this place that this effect of the death of Christ doth as unto us depend on our own duty If they intended no more but that there is duty required on our part unto an actual participation of it namely Faith whereby we receive the Atonement we should have no difference with them But they are otherwise minded This purging of the conscience from dead works they would have to consist in two things 1 Our own relinquishment of sin 2 The freeing us from the punishment due to sin by an act of power in Christ in Heaven The first they say hath therein respect unto the blood of Christ in that thereby his doctrine was confirmed in obedience whereunto we forsake sin and purge our minds from it The latter also relates thereunto in that the sufferings of Christ were antecedent unto his Exaltation and Power in Heaven Wherefore this effect of the blood of Christ is what we do our selves in obedience unto his doctrine and what he doth thereon by his power and therefore may well be said to depend on our duty But all this while there is nothing ascribed unto the blood of Christ as it was offered in Sacrifice unto God or shed in the offering of himself which alone the Apostle speaks unto in this place Others chuse thus to oppose it This purging of our consciences from dead works is not an immediate effect of the death of Christ but it is a benefit contained therein which upon our faith and obedience we are made partakers of But 1 This is not in my judgment to interpret the Apostles words with due reverence he affirms expresly that the blood of Christ doth purge our conscience from dead works that is it doth make such an Atonement for sin and Expiation of it as that conscience shall be no more pressed with it nor condemn the sinner for it 2 The blood of Christ is the immediate cause of every effect assigned unto it where there is no concurrent nor intermediate cause of the same kind with it in the production of that effect 3 It is granted that the actual communication of this effect of the death of Christ unto our Souls is wrought according unto the method which God in his sovereign wisdom and pleasure hath designed And herein 1 the Lord Christ by his blood made actual and absolute Atonement for the sins of all the Elect. 2 This Atonement is proposed unto us in the Gospel Rom. 3. 25. 3 It
be done by that Covenant against which the Sins were committed neither by the Priests nor Sacrifices nor any other Duties of it Therefore had he promised the Abolition of it because of its weakness and insufficiency unto this end as also the introduction of a new to supply its defects as we have seen at large in the Exposition of the foregoing Chapter For it became the Wisdom Goodness and Grace of God upon the removal of the other for its insufficiency to establish another that should be every way effectual unto his purpose namely the Communication of an Eternal Inheritance unto them that are called But then the Enquiry will be How this Covenant or Testament shall effect this end what is in it what belongs unto it that should be so effectual and by what means it might attain this end All these are declared in the words And Sixthly In general all this arose from hence that it had a Mediator and that the Lord Christ the Son of God was this Mediator The dignity of his Person and thereon both the Excellency and Efficacy of his Priestly Office whereunto alone respect is had in his being called here a Mediator he had abundantly before demonstrated Although the word in general be of a larger signification as we have declared on Chap. 8. 6. yet here it is restrained unto his Priestly Office and his acting therein For whereas he had treated of that alone in the foregoing Chapter here declaring the Grounds and Reasons of the necessity of it he says for this cause is he the Mediator And proceeding to shew in what sense he considers him as a Mediator doth it by his being a Testator and dying which belongs to his Priestly Office alone And the sole end which in this place he assigns unto his Mediatory Office is his death That by means of death Whereas therefore there were Sins committed under the first Covenant and against it and would have been so for ever had it continued which it was no way able so to take away as that the called might receive the Inheritance the Lord Christ undertook to be the Mediator of that Covenant which was provided as a Remedy against these Evils For herein he undertook to answer for and expiate all those Sins Whereas therefore Expiation of Sin is to be made by an Act towards God with whom alone Atonement is to be made so as that they may be pardoned the Mediation of Christ here intended is that whereby suffering death in our stead in the behalf of all that are called he made Atonement for Sin But moreover God had a further design herein He would not only free them that are called from that death which they deserved by their Sins against the first Covenant but give them also a Right and Title unto an Eternal Inheritance that is of Grace and Glory Wherefore the Procurement hereof also depends on the Mediation of Christ. For by his Obedience unto God in the discharge thereof he purchased for them this Inheritance and bequeathed it unto them as the Mediator of the New Testament The Provision of this Mediator of the New Testament is the greatest Effect of the infinite Wisdom Love and Grace of God This is the Center of his Eternal Counsels In the womb of this one Mercy all others are contained Herein will he be glorified unto Eternity 1 The first Covenant of Works was broken and disannulled because it had no Mediator 2 The Covenant at Sinai had no such Mediator as could expiate Sin Hence 3 Both of them became means of Death and Condemnation 4 God saw that in the making the New Covenant it was necessary to put all things into the hand of a Mediator that it also might not be frustrated 5 This Mediator was not in the first place to preserve us in the state of the New Covenant but to deliver us from the guilt of the breach of the former and the Curse thereon To make provision for this End was the Effect of Infinite Wisdom Seventhly The especial way and means whereby this Effect was wrought by this Mediator was by death Morte obita facta interveniente intercedente by means of death say we Death was the means that whereby the Mediator procured the Effect mentioned That which in the foregoing Verse is ascribed unto the Blood of Christ which he offered as a Priest is here ascribed unto his death as a Mediator For both these really are the same only in the one the thing it self is expressed it was death in the other the manner of it it was by blood in the one what he did and suffered with respect unto the Curse of the first Covenant it was death in the other the ground of his making Expiation for Sin by his death or how it came so to do namely not meerly as it was death or penal but as it was a voluntary Sacrifice or Oblation It was therefore necessary unto the End mentioned that the Mediator of the New Testament should dye not as the High Priests of old dyed a natural death for themselves but as the Sacrifice dyed that was slain and offered for others He was to dye that death which was threatned unto Transgressions against the first Covenant that is death under the Curse of the Law There must therefore be some great Cause and End why this Mediator being the onely begotten of the Father should thus dye This was say the Socinians that he might confirm the Doctrine that he taught He dyed as a Martyr not as a Sacrifice But 1 There was no need that he should dye unto that End For his Doctrine was sufficiently confirmed by the Scriptures of the Old Testament the Evidence of the Presence of God in him and the Miracles which he wrought 2 Notwithstanding their pretence they do not assign the Confirmation of his Doctrine unto his Death but unto his Resurrection from the dead Neither indeed do they allow any gracious Effect unto his death either towards God or men but only make it something necessarily antecedent unto what he did of that kind Nor do they allow that he acted any thing at all towards God on our behalf Whereas the Scripture constantly assigns our Redemption Sanctification and Salvation to the death and blood of Christ. These Persons 1 deny that of it self it hath any influence into them wherefore 2 they say that Christ by his death confirmed the New Covenant but hereby they intend nothing but what they do also in the former or the Confirmation of his Doctrine with an addition of somewhat worse For they would have him to confirm the Promises of God as by him declared and no more as though he were God's Surety to us and not a Surety for us unto God Neither do they assign this unto his Death but unto his Resurrection from the dead But suppose all this and that the death of Christ were in some sense useful and profitable unto these Ends which is all they plead
had its Consummation Wherefore both the Entrance and the End of this season are called by the same name the Beginning of it here and the End of it Mat. 28. 20. For the whole is but one entire Season And the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this construction with a Dative Case signifies the Entrance of any thing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is at the approach of Death Wherefore whatever hath been or may be in the Duration of the world afterwards the Appearance of Christ to offer himself was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the end of the world that is at the entrance of the last season of Gods dispensation of Grace unto the Church Thus it was saith the Apostle in matter of Fact then did Christ offer himself and then only With respect unto this season so stated three things are affirmed of Christ in the following words 1. What he did He appeared 2. Unto what end to take away sin 3. By what means by the Sacrifice of himself But there is some Difficulty in the Distinction of these words and so variety in their Interpretation which must be removed For those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Sacrifice of himself may be referred either unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the putting away of sin that goes before or unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was manifest that follows after In the first way the sense is He was manifest to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself In the latter he appeared by the Sacrifice of himself to put away sin which confines his Appearance unto his Sacrifice which sense is expressed by the Vulgar Translation per hostiam suam apparuit he appeared by his own Host say the Rhemists But the former Reading of the words is evidently unto the mind of the Apostle For his Appearance was what he did in general with respect unto the end mentioned and the way whereby he did it 1. There is what he did He appeared He was manifested some say that this Appearance of Christ is the same with his Appearance in the Presence of God for us mentioned in the foregoing verse But it is as another word that is used so another thing that is intended That Appearance was after his Sacrifice this is in order unto it That is in Heaven this was on Earth That is still continued this is that which was already accomplished at the Time limited by the Apostle Wherefore this Appearance this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or manifestation of Christ in the end of the world is the same with his being manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16 or his coming into the world or taking on him the seed of Abraham to this End that he might suffer and offer himself unto God For what is affirmed is opposed unto what is spoken immediately before namely of his suffering often since the Foundation of the world This he did not do but appeared was manifest that is in the flesh in the Ends of the world to suffer and to expiate sin Nor is the Word ever used to express the Appearance of Christ before God in Heaven His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is his coming into the world by his Incarnation unto the Discharge of his Office His Appearance before God in Heaven is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And his Illustrious Appearance at the last day is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though that word be used also to express his Glorious manifestation by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10 See 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Joh. 3. 8. Tit. 2. 14. This therefore is the meaning of the word Christ did not come into the world he was not manifested in the flesh often since the Foundation of the world that he might often suffer and offer but he did so he so appeared was so manifest in the End of the world 2. The End of this Appearance of Christ was to put away sin And we must enquire both what is meant by sin and what by the putting of it away Wherefore by sin the Apostle intends the whole of its Nature and Effects in its Root and Fruits in its Guilt Power and Punishment Sin Absolutely and Universally Sin as it was an Apostacy from God as it was the Cause of all Distance between God and us as it was the work of the Devil Sin in all that it was and all that it could effect or all the Consequents of it Sin in its whole Empire and Dominion as it entred by the fall of Adam invaded our Nature in its Power oppressed our Persons with its Guilt filled the whole world with its fruits gave existence and Right unto Death and hell with power to Satan to rule in and over mankind so as it rendred us obnoxious unto the Curse of God and Eternal punishment In the whole Extent of sin he appeared to put it away that is with respect unto the Church that is sanctified by his Blood and dedicated unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render putting away is Abrogatio Dissolutio Destructio An Abrogation Disanulling Destroying Disarming It is the Name of taking away the Force Power and Obligation of a Law The Power of Sin as unto all its Effects and Consequents whether sinfull or Penal is called its Law the Law of Sin Rom. 8. 2. And of this Law as of others there are two Parts or Powers 1. It s Obligation unto punishment after the nature of all Penal Laws Hence it is called the Law of Death that whereon sinners are bound over unto Eternal Death This force it borrows from its Relation unto the Law of God and the curse thereof 2. It s impelling Ruling Power subjectively in the mindes of men leading them Captive into all enmity and disobedience unto God Rom. 7. 23. Christ appeared to abrogate this Law of sin to deprive it of its whole power 1. That it should not condemn us any more nor bind us over to punishment This he did by making Attonement for it by the Expiation of it undergoing in his own suffering the penalty due unto it which of necessity he was to suffer as often as he offered himself Herein consisted the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or abrogation of its Law principally 2. By the destruction of its subjective Power purging our Consciences from dead works in the way that hath been declared This was the principal end of the Appearance of Christ in the world 1 Joh. 3. 8. 3. The way whereby he did this was by the Sacrifice of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Sacrifice wherein he both suffered and offered himself unto God For that both are included the opposition made unto his often suffering doth evince This therefore is the design and meaning of these words to evidence that Christ did not offer himself unto God often more then once as the High-Priest offered every year before his entrance into the Holy place the Apostle declares the End and Effect of his
Sin as should manifest that they stood in need of a farther Expiation than could be attained by them But a difficulty doth here arise of no small Importance For what the Apostle denys unto these Offerings of the Law that he ascribes unto the One only Sacrifice of Christ. Yet notwithstanding this Sacrifice and its Efficacy it is certain that Believers ought not only once a year but every day to call sins to remembrance and to make Confession thereof Yea our Lord Jesus Christ himself hath taught us to pray every day for the pardon of our sins wherein there is a calling of them unto Remembrance It doth not therefore appear wherein the difference lyes between the Efficacy of their Sacrifices and that of Christ seeing after both of them there is equally a Remembrance of Sin again to be made An. The difference is evident between these things Their Confession of Sin was in order unto and preparatory for a new Attonement and Expiation of it This sufficiently proves the insufficiency of those that were offered before For they were to come unto the new Offerings as if there had never been any before them Our remembrance of Sin and confession of it respects only the Application of the Virtue and Efficacy of the Attonement once made without the least desire or expectation of a new propitiation In their remembrance of Sin respect was had unto the curse of the Law which was to be answered and the wrath of God which was to be appeased it belonged unto the Sacrifice it self whose Object was God Ours respects only the application of the benefits of the Sacrifice of Christ unto our own Consciences whereby we may have assured peace with God The Sentence or Curse of the Law was on them until a new Attonement was made for the Soul that did not joyn in this Sacrifice was to be cut off But the Sentence and Curse of the Law was at once taken away Eph. 2. 14 15 16. And we may observe 1. An Obligation unto such Ordinances of Worship as could not expiate sin nor testifie that it was perfectly expiated was part of the Bondage of the Church under the Old Testament 2. It belongs unto the Light and Wisdom of Faith so to remember Sin and make Confession of it as not therein or thereby to seek after a new Attonement for it which is made once for all Confession of Sin is no less necessary under the New Testament than it was under the Old but not for the same end And it is an eminent difference between the spirit of Bondage and that of Liberty by Christ. The one so confesseth Sin as to make that very Confession a part of Attonement for it the other is encouraged unto Confession because of the Attonement already made as a means of coming unto a participation of the benefits of it Wherefore the causes and reasons of the Confession of Sin under the New Testament are 1. To affect our own Minds and Consciences with a sense of the Guilt of Sin in it self so as to keep us humble and filled with self-abasement He who hath no sense of Sin but only what consists in dread of future judgment knows little of the mystery of our Walk before God and Obedience unto him according unto the Gospel 2. To engage our Souls unto watchfulness for the future against the sins we do confess for in confession we make an abrenuntiation of them 3. To give unto God the glory of his Righteousness Holiness and Aversation from Sin This is included in every Confession we make of Sin for the reason why we acknowledge the Evil of it why we detest and abhor it is its contrariety unto the Nature holy Properties and Will of God 4. To give unto him the glory of his infinite Grace and Mercy in the pardon of it 5. We use it as an instituted means to let in a sense of the pardon of Sin into our own Souls and Consciences through a fresh Application of the Sacrifice of Christ and the benefits thereof whereunto Confession of Sin is required 6. To exalt Jesus Christ in our Hearts by the application of our selves unto him as the only procurer and purchaser of Mercy and Pardon without which Confession of Sins is neither acceptable unto God nor useful unto our own Souls But we do not make Confession of Sin as a part of a Compensation for the Guilt of it nor as a means to give some present pacification unto Conscience that we may go on in Sin as the manner of some is VERSE IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THere is no difficulty in the Words and very little difference in the Translations of them The vulgar renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Passive Impossibile est enim sanguine taurorum hircorum auferri peccata It is impossible that Sins should be taken away by the blood of Bulls and Goats The Syriack renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to purge or cleanse unto the same purpose For it is impossible that the Blood of Bulls and Goats should take away Sin This is the last determinate resolution of the Apostle concerning the insufficiency of the Law and its Sacrifices for the Expiation of Sin and the perfecting them who come unto God as unto their Consciences And there is in the Argument used unto this end an inference from what was spoken before and a new enforcement from the Nature or subject matter of these Sacrifices Something must be observed concerning this Assertion in general and an Objection that it is liable unto For by the Blood of Bulls and Goats he intends all the Sacrifices of the Law Now if it be impossible that they should take away Sin for what end then were they appointed Especially considering that in the Institution of them God told the Church that he had given the Blood to make Attonement on the Altar Levit. 17. 11. It may therefore be said as the Apostle doth in another place with respect unto the Law it self if it could not by the works of it justifie us before God to what end then served the Law To what end serve these Sacrifices if they could not take away Sin The Answer which the Apostle gives with respect unto the Law in general may be applyed unto the Sacrifices of it with a small Addition from a respect unto their special Nature For as unto the Law he answers two things 1. That it was added because of Transgressions Gal. 3. 19. 2. That it was a Schoolmaster to guide and direct us unto Christ because of the severities wherewith it was accompanied like those of a School-master not in the Spirit of a tender Father And thus it was as unto the end of these Sacrifices 1. They were added unto the promise because of Transgressions For God in them and by them did continually represent unto Sinners the Curse and Sentence of the Law namely that the Soul that sinneth must dye or
God the Father did order things towards Jesus Christ that he should have a Nature wherein he might be free and able to yield Obedience unto the Will of God with an intimation of the quality of it in having Ears to hear which belong only unto a Body This Sense the Apostle expresseth in more plain terms now after the accomplishment of what before was only declared in Prophesie and thereby the Veil which was upon Divine Revelations under the Old Testament is taken away There is therefore nothing remaining but that we give an Exposition of these words of the Apostle as they contain the sense of the Holy Ghost in the Psalm And two things we must enquire into 1. What is meant by this body 2. How God prepared it 1. A Body is here a Synecdochical expression of the Humane nature of Christ. So is the flesh taken where he is said to be made flesh and the Flesh and Blood whereof he was partaker For the general end of his having this Body was that he might therein and thereby yield Obedience or do the Will of God And the especial end of it was that he might have what to offer in Sacrifice unto God But neither of these can be confined unto his Body alone For it is the Soul the other essential part of Humane Nature that is the principle of Obedience Nor was the Body of Christ alone Offered in Sacrifice unto God He made his Soul an Offering for Sin Isa. 53. 10. which was Typified by the Life that was in the Blood of the Sacrifice Wherefore it is said that he offered himself unto God Chap. 9. 14. Ephes. 5. 2. That is his whole entire Humane Nature Soul and Body in their Substance in all their Faculties and Powers But the Apostle both here and ver 10. mentions only the Body it self for the reasons ensuing 1. To manifest that this Offering of Christ was to be by Death as was that of the Sacrifices of Old and this the Body alone was subject unto 2. Because as the Covenant was to be confirmed by this Offering it was to be by Blood which is contained in the Body alone and the separation of it from the Body carries the Life along with it 3. To testifie that his Sacrifice was visible and substantial not an outward appearance of things as some have fancied but such as truly answered the real Bloody Sacrifices of the Law 4. To shew the Alliance and Cognation between him that Sanctifieth by his Offering and them that are Sanctified thereby Or that because the Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood he also took part of the same that he might tast of Death for them For these and the like reasons doth the Apostle mention the Humane Nature of Christ under the name of a Body only as also to comply with the Figurative Expression of it in the Psalm And they do what lies in them to overthrow the principal Foundation of the Faith of the Church who would wrest these words unto a new Aetherial Body given him after his Ascension as do the Socinians 2. Concerning this Body it is affirmed that God prepared it for him Thou hast prepared for me that is God hath done it even God the Father For unto him are those words spoken I come to do thy will O God a Body hast thou prepared me The coming of Christ the Son of God into the World his coming in the Flesh by the assuming of our Nature was the effect of the mutual Counsel of the Father and the Son The Father proposeth to him what was his Will what was his design what he would have done This proposal is here repeated as unto what was Negative in it which includes the Opposite Positive Sacrifice and Burnt Offerings thou wouldst not have but that which he would was the Obedience of the Son unto his Will This Proposal the Son closeth withal Lo saith he I come But all things being Originally in the Hand of the Father the Provision of things necessary unto the fulfilling of the Will of God is left unto him Among those the principal was that the Son should have a Body prepared for him that so he might have somewhat of his own to offer Wherefore the preparation of it is in a peculiar manner assigned unto the Father a Body hast thou prepared me And we may observe that 1. The Supream contrivance of the Salvation of the Church is in a peculiar manner ascribed unto the person of the Father His Will his Grace his Wisdom his good Pleasure the purpose that he purposed in himself his Love his sending of his Son are every where proposed as the eternal springs of all Acts of Power Grace and Goodness tending unto the Salvation of the Church And therefore doth the Lord Christ on all occasions declare that he came to do his Will to seek his Glory to make known his Name that the praise of his Grace might be exalted And we through Christ do believe in God even the Father when we assign unto him the Glory of all the Holy Properties of his Nature as acting Originally in the contrivance and for the effecting of our Salvation 2. The Furniture of the Lord Christ though he were the Son and in his Divine person the Lord of all unto the discharge of his work of Mediation was the peculiar Act of the Father He prepared him a Body he anointed him with the Spirit it pleased him that all fulness should dwell in him From him he received all Grace Power Consolation Although the Humane Nature was the Nature of the Son of God not of the Father a Body prepared for him not for the Father yet was it the Father who prepared that Nature who filled it with Grace who strengthened acted and supported it in its whole course of Obedience 3. Whatever God designes appoints and calls any unto he will provide for them all that is needful unto the Duties of Obedience whereunto they are so appointed and called As he prepared a Body for Christ so he will provide Gifts Abilities and Faculties suitable unto their work for those whom he calleth unto it Others must provide as well as they can for themselves But we must yet enquire more particularly into the nature of this preparation of the Body of Christ here ascribed unto the Father And it may be considered two ways 1. In the Designation and Contrivance of it So preparation is sometimes used for Predestination or the Resolution for the effecting any thing that is future in its proper season Isa. 30. 33. Matt. 20. 23. Rom. 9. 23. 1 Cor. 2. 9. In this sense of the word God had prepared a Body for Christ he had in the Eternal Counsel of his Will determined that he should have it in the appointed time So he was Forc-ordained before the Foundation of the World but was manifest in these last times for us 1 Pet. 1. 20. 2. In the actual effecting ordering and creating of it
the former instances so it is here there are two parts of this aggravation The first taken from the Object of their sin the Spirit of Grace The second taken from the manner of their opposition unto him they do him despight The holy Spirit of God promised and communicated under the Gospel by Jesus Christ from the Father as the Author and cause actually communicating and applying of all Grace unto the souls of them that believe is this Spirit of Grace And this carries in it innumerable aggravations of this Sin This Person the holy Spirit of God God himself his Communication of grace and mercy in the accomplishment of the most glorious Promises of the Old Testament was he whom these Apostates renounced But there is a peculiar notion or consideration of the Spirit with respect whereunto he is sinned against and that is this That he was peculiarly sent given and bestowed to bear witness unto the Person Doctrine Death and Sacrifice of Christ with the glory that ensued thereon John 16. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 12. And this he did various wayes For by him the souls of multitudes were converted unto God their eyes enlightned their minds sanctified their lives changed By him did those who believed come to understand the Scriptures which before were as a sealed book unto them were directed encouraged supported and comforted in all that they had to do and suffer for the name of Christ. By him were all those mighty works wonders signs and miracles wrought which accompanied the Apostles and other preachers of the Gospel at the beginning Now all these things and the like effects of his Grace and Power on all who made profession of the Gospel were owned believed and avowed to be the works of the holy Spirit as promised in the dayes of the Messiah and they pleaded the evidence of them unto the confusion of all their adversaries This therefore was done also by these Apostates before their Apostasie But now being fully fallen off from Christ and the Gospel they openly declared that there was no testimony in them unto the truth but all these things were either diabolical delusions or phanatical misapprehensions that indeed there was nothing of truth reality or power in them and therefore no argument to be taken from them unto the confirmation of the truth of Christ in the Gospel Now this proceeding from them who had once themselves made the same profession with others of their truth and reality gave the deepest wound that could be given unto the Gospel For all the adversaries of it who were silenced with this publick testimony of the holy Spirit and knew not what to say considering the many miracles that were wrought did now strengthen themselves by the confession of these Apostates that there was nothing in it but pretence and who should better know than those who had been of that Society There are no such cursed pernicious Enemies unto Religion as Apostates Hence are they said to do despite unto the Spirit of Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do injure him so far as they are able The word includes wrong with contempt And this they did upon a twofold account For 1. The works many of them which he then wrought were eminent and evident effects of divine Power and to ascribe such works unto another cause is to do despite unto him 2. They did so principally in that by all his works and in the whole dispensation of him he gave testimony unto Christ in the Gospel And what greater despite and wrong could be done unto him then to question his truth and the veracity of his testimony No greater despite can be done unto a man of any reputation than to question his truth and credit in that wherein he engageth himself as a witness And if lying unto the Holy Ghost is so great a sin what is it to make the Holy Ghost a Liar Herein did such persons do him despite For notwithstanding the publick testimony he gave in with and by the preaching of the Gospel they rejected it as a fable in despising his Person and Authority All these great and terrible Aggravations are inseparable from this sin of Apostasie from the Gospel above those of any sin against the Law of Moses whatever They were none of them in the vilest sin prohibited by the Law under capital punishment Hence therefore the Apostle 2. Proposeth it unto the Judgment of the Hebrews of how much sorer punishment They suppose a sinner guilty of this sin shall be Judged worthy above what was inflicted on the wilful transgressors of the Law And there is included herein 1. That such a sinner shall be punished Apostates may flatter themselves with impunity but in due time punishment will overtake them How shall they escape who neglect so great Salvation Much less shall they not do so by whom it is thus despised in all the causes of it 2. That this shall be a sore a great and an evil punishment which is included in the note of comparison far greater punishment such as men shall be able neither to abide nor to avoid 3. Comparatively it shall be a sorer Punishment then that which was appointed for wilfull Transgressions of the Law which was Death without Mercy 4. That the degree of its exceeding that punishment is inexpressible Of how much sorer None can declare it as the Holy Ghost expresseth himself when he would intimate unto our minds that which we cannot absolutely conceive and apprehend 1 Pet. 4. 17 18. But whereas that punishment was Death without Mercy wherein could this exceed it I answer Because that was a temporal death only For though such sinners under the Law might and did many of them perish Eternally yet they did not so by vertue of the constitution of the Law of Moses which reached only unto temporal punishments But this punishment is Eternal that 's constantly proposed in the first place unto all impenitent Unbelievers and despisers of the Gospel See 2 Thes. 1. 6 7 8. Mark 16. 16 c. Yet so as not to exclude any other temporal Judgments in Spirituals or Naturals that may precede it Such was that whereunto the temporal destruction that was ready to come on these despiâ—ers did belong 3. The way whereby they are made Obnoxious unto it is that they are counted Worthy of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall receive neither more nor less but their due The Judge in this case is God himself as the Apostle declares in the next verse He alone knows he alone can justly determine what such Apostates are worthy of But in general that this shall unspeakably exceed that annexed unto the transgression of the Law is left unto themselves to judge suppose ye Ye know and take it for granted that the punishments under the Law to be inflicted on its transgressors by the Constitution and Sanction of it were all of them righteous for God was the Judge of this
first Covenant was Moses It was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3. 19. And this was no other but Moses who was a Servant in the House of God Hebr. 3. 6. And he was a Mediator as designed of God so chosen of the people in that dread and consternation which befell them upon the terrible promulgation of the Law For they saw that they could no way bear the immediate presence of God nor treat with him in their own persons Wherefore they desired that there might be an Internuntius a Mediator between God and them and that Moses might be the person Deut. 5. 25 26 27. But the Mediator of the New Covenant is the Son of God himself For there is one God and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all 1 Tim. 2. 4 5. He who is the Son and the Lord over his own House graciously undertook in his own Person to be the Mediator of this Covenant and herein it is unspeakably preferred before the Old Covenant 5. They differ in their subject matter both as unto Precepts and Promises the advantage being still on the part of the New Covenant For 1 The Old Covenant in the preceptive part of it renewed the Command of the Covenant of Works and that on their original terms Sin it forbad that is all and every sin in matter and manner on the pain of death and gave the promise of life unto perfect sinless obedience only Whence the Decalogue itself which is a Transcript of the Law of Works is called the Covenant Exod. 34. 28. And besides this as we observed before it had other Precepts innumerable accommodated unto the present condition of the People and imposed on them with rigor But in the New Covenant the very first thing that is proposed is the accomplishment and establishment of the Covenant of Works both as unto its Commands and Sanction in the obedience and suffering of the Mediator Hereon the Commands of it as unto the obedience of the Covenanters are not grievous the yoke of Christ being easie and his burden light 2. The Old Testament absolutely considered had 1 No promise of grace to communicate spiritual strength or to assist us in obedience nor 2 Any of eternal life no otherwise but as it was contained in the promise of the Covenant of Works The man that doth these things shall live in them and 3 Had promises of temporal things in the Land of Canaan inseparable from it In the New Covenant all things are otherwise as will be declared in the Exposition of the ensuing Verses 6. They differ and that principally in the manner of their Dedication and Sanction This is that which gives any thing the formal nature of a Covenant or Testament There may be a Promise there may be an Agreement in general which hath not the formal nature of a Covenant or Testament and such was the Covenant of Grace before the death of Christ. But it is the solemnity and manner of the Confirmation Dedication and Sanction of any Promise or Agreement that gives it the formal nature of a Covenant or Testament And this is by a Sacrifice wherein there is both Bloodshedding and Death ensuing thereon Now this in the confirmation of the Old Covenant was only the Sacrifice of Beasts whose blood was sprinkled on all the People Exod. 24. 5 6 7 8 9. But the New Testament was solemnly confirmed by the Sacrifice and Blood of Christ himself Zech. 9. 11. Hebr. 10. 29. Chap. 13. 20. And the Lord Christ dying as the Mediator and Surety of the Covenant he purchased all good things for the Church and as a Testator bequeathed them unto it Hence he says of the Sacramental Cup that it is the New Testament in his Blood or the Pledge of his bequeathing unto the Church all the Promises and Mercies of the Covenant which is the New Testament or the disposition of his Goods unto his Children But because the Apostle expresly handleth this difference between these two Covenants Chap. 9. v. 18 19. we must thither refer the full consideration of it 7. They differ in the Priests that were to officiate before God in the behalf of the People In the Old Covenant Aaron and his Posterity alone were to discharge that Office in the New the Son of God himself is the only Priest of the Church This difference with the advantage of the Gospel state thereon we have handled at large in the Exposition of the Chapter foregoing 8. They differ in the Sacrifices whereon the Peace and Reconciliation with God which is tendred in them doth depend And this also must be spoken unto in the ensuing Chapter if God permit 9. They differ in the way and manner of their solemn writing or enrollment All Covenants were of old solemnly written in Tables of Brass or Stone where they might be faithfully preserved for the use of the Parties concerned So the Old Covenant as to the principal fundamental part of it was engraven in Tables of Stone which were kept in the Ark Exod. 31. 18. Deut. 9. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 7. And God did so order it in his Providence that the first draught of them should be broken to intimate that the Covenant contained in them was not everlasting nor unalterable But the New Covenant is written in the fleshly Tables of the hearts of them that do believe 2 Cor. 3. 3. Jer. 31. 33. 10. They differ in their ends The principal end of the first Covenant was to discover sin to condemn it and to set Bounds unto it So saith the Apostle It was added because of transgressions And this it did several ways 1 By Conviction for the knowledge of sin is by the Law it convinced sinners and caused every mouth to be stopped before God 2 By condemning the Sinner in an application of the Sanction of the Law unto his Conscience 3 By the judgments and punishments wherewith on all occasions it was accompanied In all it manifested and represented the justice and severity of God The end of the New Covenant is to declare the love grace and mercy of God and therewith to give Repentance Remission of Sin and Life Eternal 11. They differed in their effects For the first Covenant being the ministration of death and condemnation it brought the minds and spirits of them that were under it into servitude and bondage whereas spiritual liberty is the immediate effect of the New Testament And there is no one thing wherein the Spirit of God doth more frequently give us an account of the difference between these two Covenants than this of the liberty of the one and the bondage of the other see Rom. 8. 15. 2 Cor. 3. 17. Gal. 4. 1 2 3 4 24 25 30 31. Heb. 2. 14 15. This therefore we must a little explain Wherefore the bondage which was the effect of the Old Covenant arose from several causes concurring unto the effecting of it 1.
The Renovation of the terms and sanction of the Covenant of Works contributed much thereunto For the People saw not how the Commands of that Covenant could be observed nor how its Curse could be avoided They saw it not I say by any thing in the Covenant of Sinai which therefore gendred unto bondage All the prospect they had of deliverance was from the Promise 2. It arose from the manner of the delivery of the Law and Gods entring thereon into Covenant with them This was ordered on purpose to fill them with dread and fear And it could not but do so when ever they called it to remembrance 3. From the severity of the Penalties annexed unto the Transgression of the Law And God had taken upon himself that where punishment was not exacted according to the Law he himself would cut them off This kept them always anxious and sollicitous not knowing when they were safe or secure 4. From the Nature of the whole Ministry of the Law which was the ministration of death and condemnation 2 Cor. 3. 16. which declared the desert of every sin to be death and denounced death unto every Sinner administring by its self no relief unto the minds and consciences of men So was it the letter that killed them that were under its power 5. From the Darkness of their own minds in the means ways and causes of deliverance from all these things It is true they had a promise before of Life and Salvation which was not abolished by this Covenant even the Promise made unto Abraham But this belonged not unto this Covenant And the way of its accomplishment by the Incarnation and Mediation of the Son of God was much hidden from them yea from the Prophets themselves who yet foretold them This left them under much bondage For the principal cause and means of the liberty of Believers under the Gospel ariseth from the clear light they have into the mystery of the love and grace of God in Christ. This faith and knowledge of his Incarnation Humiliation Sufferings and Sacrifice whereby he made Attonement for Sin and brought in everlasting Righteousness is that which gives them liberty and boldness in their Obedience 2 Cor. 3. 17 18. whilest they of old were in the dark as unto these things they must needs be kept under much bondage 6. It was increased by the yoke of a multitude of Laws Rites and Ceremonies imposed on them which made the whole of their Worship a burden unto them and unsupportable Acts 15. 9. In and by all these ways and means there was a Spirit of Bondage and Fear administred unto them And this God did thus he dealt with them to the end that they might not rest in that state but continually look out after deliverance On the other hand the New Covenant gives liberty and boldness the liberty and boldness of Children unto all Believers It is the Son in it that makes us free or gives us universally all that liberty which is any way needful for us or useful unto us For where the Spirit of God is there is liberty namely to serve God not in the oldness of the Letter but in the newness of the Spirit And it is declared that this was the great end of bringing in the New Covenant in the accomplishment of the Promise made unto Abraham namely that we being delivered from the hands of all our enemies might serve God without fear all the days of our lives Luke 1. 72 73 74 75. And we may briefly consider wherein this Deliverance and Liberty by the New Covenant doth consist which it doth in the things ensuing 1. In our freedom from the commanding power of the Law as to sinless perfect Obedience in order unto Righteousness and Justification before God Its commands we are still subject unto but not in order unto life and salvation For unto those ends it is fulfilled in and by the Mediator of the New Covenant who is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. 2. In our freedom from the condemning power of the Law and the Sanction of it in the Curse This being undergone and answered by him who was made a curse for us we are freed from it Rom. 7. 6. Gal. 3 13 14. And therein also are we delivered from the fear of death Heb. 2. 15. as it was paenal and an entrance into judgment or condemnation John 5. 24. 3. In our freedom from conscience for sin Heb. 10. 2. That is Conscience disquieting perplexing and condemning our persons the hearts of all that believe being sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood of Christ. 4. In our freedom from the whole System of Mosaical Worship in all the Rites and Ceremonies and Ordinances of it which what a burden it was the Apostles do declare Acts 15. and our Apostle at large in his Epistle to the Galatians 5. From all the Laws of men in things appertaining unto the Worship of God 1 Cor. 7. 23. And by all these and the like instances of spiritual liberty doth the Gospel free Believers from that Spirit of bondage unto fear which was administred under the Old Covenant It remains only that we point at the Heads of those Ways whereby this Liberty is communicated unto us under the New Covenant And it is done 1. Principally by the grant and communication of the Spirit of the Son as a Spirit of Adoption giving the freedom boldness and liberty of children John 1. 12. Rom. 8. 15 16 17. Gal. 4. 6 7. From hence the Apostle lays it down as a certain Rule that where the Spirit of God is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. Let men pretend what they will let them boast of the freedom of their outward condition in this world and of the inward liberty or freedom of their wills there is indeed no true liberty where the Spirit of God is not The ways whereby he giveth freedom power a sound mind spiritual boldness courage and contempt of the Cross holy confidence before God a readiness for obedience and enlargedness of heart in duties with all other things wherein true liberty doth consist or which any way belongs unto it I must not here divert to declare The world judges that there is no bondage but where the Spirit of God is For that gives that conscientious fear of Sin that awe of God in all our Thoughts Actions and Ways that careful and circumspect walking that temperance in things lawful that abstinence from all appearance of evil wherein they judge the greatest bondage on the earth to consist But those who have received him do know that the whole world doth lie in evil and that all those unto whom spiritual liberty is a bondage are the Servants and Slaves of Satan 2. It is obtained by the evidence of our justification before God and the causes of it This men were greatly in the dark unto under the first Covenant although all stable peace with
that it might be fitted and suited unto the work that it was ordained unto In the former sense the Body it self is alone the Object of this preparation A Body hast thou prepared me that is designed for me This latter sense comprizeth the use of the Body also it is fitted for its work This latter sense it is that is proper unto this place Only it is spoken of by the Psalmist in a Prophetical Style wherein things certainly future are expressed as already performed For the word signifies such a preparation as whereby it is made actually fit and meet for the end it is designed unto And therefore it is variously rendred to fit to adapt to perfect to adorn to make meet with respect unto some especial end Thou hast adapted a Body unto my work fitted and suited an Humane Nature unto that I have to perform in it and by it A Body it must be yet not every body nay not any Body brought forth by Carnal Generation according to the course of Nature could effect or was fit for the work designed unto it But God prepared provided such a Body for Christ as was fitted and adapted unto all that he had to do in it And this especial manner of its preparation was an act of Infinite Wisdom and Grace Some Instances thereof may be mentioned As 1. He prepared him such a Body such an Humane Nature as might be of the same Nature with ours for whom he was to accomplish his work therein For it was necessary that it should be Cognate and Allied unto ours that he might be meet to act on our behalf and to suffer in our stead He did not form him a Body out of the Dust of the Earth as he did that of Adam whereby he could not have been of the same Race of Mankind with us nor meerly out of nothing as he created the Angels whom he was not to save See Chap. 2. ver 14 15 16. and the Exposition thereon He took our Flesh and Blood proceeding from the Loyns of Abraham 2. He so prepared it as that it should be no way subject unto that depravation and pollution that came on our whole Nature by Sin This could not have been done had his Body been prepared by Carnal Generation the way and means of conveying the taint of Original Sin which befel our Nature unto all individual persons For this would have rendered him every way unmeet for his whole work of Mediation See Luke 1. 35. Heb. 7. 26. 3. He prepared him a Body consisting of Flesh and Blood which might be Offered as a real substantial Sacrifice and wherein he might Suffer for Sin in his Offering to make Attonement for it Nor could the Sacrifices of Old which were Real Bloody and Substantial prefigure that which should be only Metaphorical and in appearance The whole evidence of the Wisdom of God in the Institution of the Sacrifices of the Law depends on this that Christ was to have a Body consisting of Flesh and Blood wherein he might answer all that was prefigured by them 4. It was such a Body as was Animated with a Living Rational Soul Had it been only a Body it Might have Suffered as did the Beasts under the Law from which no Act of Obedience was required only they were to suffer what was done unto them But in the Sacrifice of the Body of Christ that which was principally respected and whereon the whole Efficacy of it did depend was his Obedience unto God For he was not to be Offered by others but he was to Offer himself in Obedience unto the Will of God Chap. 9. 14. Ephes. 5. 2. And the principles of all Obedience lye alone in the Powers and Faculties of the Rational Soul 5. This Body and Soul were obnoxious unto all the Sorrows and Sufferings which our Nature is liable unto and we had deserved as they were poenal tending unto Death Hence was he meet to Suffer in our stead the same things which we should have done Had they been exempted by special priviledge from what our Nature is liable unto the whole work of our Redemption by his Blood had been frustrate 6. This Body or Humane Nature thus prepared for Christ was exposed unto all sorts of Temptations from outward Causes But yet it was so Sanctified by the perfection of Grace and fortified by the fulness of the Spirit dwelling therein as that it was not possible it should be touched with the least Taint or Guilt of Sin And this also was absolutely necessary unto the work whereunto it was designed 1 Pet. 2. 22. Heb. 7. 26. 7. This Body was liable unto Death which being the Sentence and Sanction of the Law with respect unto the First and all following Sins all and every one of them was to be undergone actually by him who was to be our Deliverer Heb. 2. 14 15. Had it not died Death would have borne Rule over all unto Eternity But in the death thereof it was swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. 8. As it was subject unto Death and died actually so it was meet to be raised again from Death And herein consisted the great pledge and evidence that our dead Bodies may be and shall be raised again unto a Blessed Immortality So it became the Foundation of all our Faith as unto things Eternal 1 Cor. 15. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. 9. This Body and Soul being capable of a real separation and being actually separated by Death though not for any long continuance yet no less truly and really than them who have been dead a Thousand years a Demonstration was given therein of an active Subsistence of the Soul in a State of Separation from the Body As it was with the Soul of Christ when he was dead so is it with our Souls in the same State He was alive with God and unto God when his Body was in the Grave and so shall our Souls be 10. This Body was visibly taken up into Heaven and there resides which considering the ends thereof is the great encouragement of Faith and the Life of our Hope These are but some of the many instances that may be given of the Divine Wisdom in so preparing a Body for Christ as that it might be fitted and adapted unto the work which he had to do therein And we may Observe that Not only the Love and Grace of God in sending his Son are continually to be admired and Glorified but the acting of this Infinite Wisdom in fitting and preparing his humane Nature so as to render it every way meet unto the work which it was designed for ought to be the especial Object of our Holy Contemplation But having treated hereof distinctly in a peculiar discourse unto that purpose I shall not here again insist upon it The last thing Observable in this Verse is that this preparation of the Body of Christ is ascribed unto God even the Father unto whom he speaks these words a Body