(1.) The first of these is, as in other places, so particularly ex- pressed, Deut. vi. 6-9, “ And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house, and on thy gate.” Add hereunto the institution of fringes for a memorial of the commandments; which was one way of saying, “ Know the Lord,” Num. xv. 38, 39.
Two things may be considered in these institutions: [1.] What ‘is natural and moral, included in the common mutual duties of men one towards another; for of this nature is that of seeking the good of others by instructing them in the knowledge of God, wherein their chiefest happiness doth consist. [2.] That which is ceremonial, as to the manner of this duty, is described in sundry instances, as
VER, 10-12.) _ EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 161
those of frontlets and fringes, writing on posts and doors. The first of these is to abide for ever. No promise of the gospel doth eva- cuate any precept of the law of nature; such as that is of seeking the good of others, and that their chiefest good, by means and ways proper thereunto. But as unto the latter, which the Jews did prin- cipally attend unto and rely upon, it is by this promise, or the new covenant, quite taken away.
(2.) As unto the practice of the church of the Jews in these insti- tutions, it is not to be expressed what extremities they ran into. It is probable that about the time spoken of in this promise, which is that of the Babylonian captivity, they began that intricate, perplexed way of teaching which afterwards they were wholly addicted unto. For all of them who pretended to be serious, gave up themselves unto the teaching and learning of the law. But herewithal they mixed so many vain curiosities and traditions of their own, that the whole of their endeavour was disapproved of God. Hence, in the very entrance of their practice of this way of teaching, he threatens to destroy all them that attended unto it: Mal. ii. 12, “The Lorp will cut off the master and the scholar out of the tabernacles of Jacob.” It is true, we have not any monuments or records of their teaching all that time, neither what they taught, nor how; but we may reasonably suppose it was of the same kind with what flourished afterwards in their famous schools derived from these first inventors. And of such reputation were those schools among them, that none Was esteemed a wise man, or to have any understanding of the law, who was not brought up in them. The first record we have of the
~ manner of their teaching, or what course they took therein, is in the
x
a
Mishna, This is their interpretation of the law, or their saying one to another, “ Know the Lorp.” And he that shall seriously con-
sider but one section or chapter in that whole book, will. quickly
discern of what kind and nature their teaching was; for such an operose, laborious, curious, fruitless work, there is not another in- stance to be given of in the whole world. There is not any one
head, doctrine, or precept of the law, suppose it be of the Sabbath,
of sacrifices, or offerings, but they have filled it with so many needless, foolish, curious, superstitious questions and determinations, as that it is almost impossible that any man in the whole course of his life should understand them, or guide his course according unto them. These were the burdens that the Pharisees bound on the shoulders of their disciples, until they were utterly weary and fainted under them. And this kind of teaching had possessed the whole church then, when the new covenant was solemnly to be introduced, no other being in use. And this is absolutely intended in this promise, as that which was utterly to cease. For God would take away the law, which in itself was “a burden,” as the apostle speaks, “ which VOL. XXIII 11
162 AN EXPOSITION OF THE — [CHAP. VIII.
neither their fathers nor they were able to bear.” And the weight of that burden was unspeakably increased by the expositions and additions whereof this teaching consisted. Wherefore the removal of it is here proposed in the way of a promise, evidencing it to be a matter of grace and kindness unto the church, But the removal of teaching in general is always mentioned as a threatening and punish- ment.
Wherefore the denial of the continuation of this teaching may be considered two ways:—
(1.) As it was external, in opposition unto and comparison of the effectual internal teaching by the grace of the new covenant; so it is laid aside, not absolutely, but comparatively, and as it was solitary.
(2.) It may be considered in the manner of it, with especial re- spect unto the ceremonial law, as it consisted in the observance of sundry rites and ceremonies, And in this sense it was utterly to cease; above all, with respect unto the additions which men had made unto the ceremonial institutions wherein it did consist. Such was their teaching by writing parts of the law on their fringes, frontlets, and doors of their houses; especially as these things were enlarged, and precepts concerning them multiplied in the practice of the Jewish church. It is promised concerning these things, that they shall be absolutely removed, as useless, burdensome, and incon- sistent with the spiritual teaching of the new covenant. But as unto that kind of instruction, whether by public, stated preaching of the word, or that which is more private and occasional, which is subservient unto the promised teaching of the Spirit of God, and