These sacrifices were impotent and ineffectual unto this end, rerciaous What the redrt/wors 1s which the apostle so frequently mentions in this epistle, I have before de- clared, and so what it is rzAed@oos. It is indeed to “ perfect,” to “ consummate,” to “sanctify,” to “ dedicate,” to “consecrate;” but whereas those sacrifices did all these things outwardly, and as unto the flesh, as the apostle grants, verse 13, he doth not here absolutely deny it unto them, but in a certain respect only.
They could not do it xard& ovve/dqon,—as unto the conscience of the sinner before God. What he intends hereby he doth more fully declare, Heb. x. 2. There is a con- science condemning for sin. This could not be taken away by those sacrifices. They were not able to do it; for if they could have done so, the sinner would have had complete peace with God, and would not have had need to have offered those sacrifices any more. But they were multiplied and often repeated, because of their disability unto this end. Wherefore rercidious nar ovve/dnon, is to give peace of conscience unto men, through a sense of perfect atonement made for sin, in the sight of God, with an interest in his love and favour thereon. This,it is to be “ perfect” or “ consum- mated, as pertaining to conscience” in the sight of God, namely, to have a conscience condemning for sin taken away. This those sacri- fices of the law could not effect. It will be said, then, ‘ Unto what end did they serve? Were they of no use but only to free men from the penalties of the law or covenant, as it was a rule of the polity or commonwealth of Israel, and the tenure of their possessions in Canaan?’ Yes, they were moreover part of the rapaCorx or “mystical instruction” which God granted the church in these days, directing them unto the one sacrifice and offering of Christ, typi- cally representing it, and through faith applying the virtue ane efficacy of it unto their consciences every day.
6. The person is described towards whom this effect of puis
My duvepeves.
Teatiacut,
Kare cuvel= onotv.
-
VER. 9, 10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 251
the conscience is denied. They could not thus perfect riv Aurpeborrc,— “him that did the service,” saith our translation, I think not so properly. He that did the service was the priest only; but respect is had unto every one that brought his gift or offering unto the altar. "EqireAst rag Awrpeiag, “ sacredly to accomplish the services,” was the work of the priest alone, verse 6. But 6 rAurpevwv, is the same with 6 spocepysuevos, chap. x. 1; that is, every one who brought his sacrifice to be offered, that atonement might be made for him. And dAarpedwv comprehends the whole of dive worship in all individuals: T@ © Aarpedoec, Matt. iv. 10. But he also may be said to do the service, on whose account and in whose stead it was performed.
But the defect charged doth not in the first place reflect on the persons, as though it was by their default. They worshipped God according unto his own institutions; but it was in the sacrifices them-
‘selves. And if they could not make the worshippers, those who did the service, perfect, they could make none so, for it was they alone who had the benefit of them.
. The note of Grotius on this place is, “Isti cultus non possunt sectatorum suorum animos purgare a vitiis quemadmodum evan- gelium ;’—most remote from the mind of the Holy Ghost: for he speaks not of purging our minds from vices, but of purifying con- science by atonement made for the guilt of sin; and opposeth not those sacrifices unto the doctrine of the gospel, but unto the sacrifice of Christ. And we may hence observe,—
Obs. I. There is‘a state of perfect peace with God to be attained under imperfect obedience. For it is charged as a weakness in the legal administrations, that they could not give such a peace where any sin remained; it is therefore to be found in the sacrifice of Christ, as is proved at large in the next chapter. “ Being justified by faith, we have peace with God.”
Obs. II. Nothing can give perfect peace of conscience with God but what can make atonement for sin. And whoever attempt it any other way but by virtue of that atonement, will never attain it, in this world nor hereafter.
Tov Aucpev- OVTOLns
Ver. 10.—“ Only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed [on them] until the time of reformation.”
It is acknowledged that there is no small difficulty in the con- nection of these words, or their relation unto what doth immediately precede; and therefore expositors have multiplied conjectures about it, in whose examination we are not concerned. I shall therefore no further consider any of them, but as they relate unto what I judge to be their true coherence. Two things are plain and evident unto this purpose :—
252 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. TX.
1. That the design of the apostle in the words themselves, is to manifest and declare the weakness of the services of the tabernacle, and their insufficiency for attaining tle end proposed in them. This end in general was the perfecting of the church-state in religious worship ;.and in particular, to make the worshippers perfect as unto their consciences before God. And he gives such a description of them as of itself will sufficiently evince their weakness and insufti- ciency. For what is it possible that things of that kind and nature which is here described can contribute unto these ends ?