Me@avepuras.
VER. 26,] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 403
also to express his glorious manifestation by the gospel, 2 Tim. i. 10, See 1 Tim. iii. 16; 1 John iii. 8; Tit. ii, 13. 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 manifested, in the end of the world.’
2, The end of this appearance of Christ was to “put away sin.” And we must inquire 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 abso- lutely and wniversally; sin as it was an apostasy 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 entered by the fall of Adam, invaded our nature in its power, op- pressed 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; sin, that rendered 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.
*Abérnors, which we render “ putting away,” is “ abrogatio,” “ dis- solutio,” “ destructio;” an “abrogation,” “disannulling,” “ destroy- ing,” “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 sinful or penal, is called its Jaw, the “law of sin,’ Rom. viii. 2. And of this law, as of others, there are two parts or powers: (1.) Its 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.) Its
impelling, ruling power, subjectively in the minds of men, leading them captive into all enmity and disobedience unto God, Rom. vu. 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 atonement 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 adéryjoig or “abrogation” of its law _ principally. (2.) By the destruction of its subjective power, purg- ing 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 John iii. 8.
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Eis abernow apaprias.
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404 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [cHAP. 1x,
3. The way whereby he did this, was “by the sacrifice of himself,” —bia rio Suoias awbrot for éavrod: that sacrifice wherein pee ou 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: ay evidence that Christ did not olor himself unto God often, more than once, as the high priest offered every year, before his entrance into the holy place, the apostle declares the end and effect of his offer- ing or sacrifice, which rendered the repetition of it needless, It was
one, once offered, in the end of the world; nor need be offered
any more, because of the total abolition and destruction of sin at once made thereby. What else concerns the things them-
selves spoken of will be comprised under the ensuing observa-
tions.
Obs. III. It is the prerogative of God, and the effect of his wis- dom, to determine the times and seasons of the dispensation of him- self and his grace unto the church.—Hereon it depended alone that Christ ‘‘ appeared in the end of the world,” not sooner nor later, as to the parts of that season. Many things do evidence a condecency unto divine wisdom in the determination of that season; as, 1. He testified his displeasure against sin, in suffering the generality of mankind to lie so long under the fatal effects of their apostasy, without relief or remedy, Acts xiv. 16, xvii. 30; Rom. i, 21-24, 26. 2. He did it to exercise the faith of the church, called by virtue of the promise, in the expectation of its accomplishment. And by the various ways whereby God cherished their faith and hope was he glorified in all ages, Luke i. 70; Matt. xiii, 17; Luke x. 24; 1 Pet. 1,10, 11; Hag. ii 7. 3. To prepare the church for the reception of him, partly by the glorious representation made of him in the tabernacle and temple with their worship, partly by the burden of legal institutions laid on them until his coming, Gal. ni, 24. 4. To give the world a full and sufficient trial of what might be attained towards happiness and blessedness by the excallenoy of all things here below. Men had time to try what was in wisdom, learning, moral virtue, power, rule, dominion, riches, arts, and whatever else is valuable unto rational natures. They were all exalted unto their height, in their possession and exercise, before the appearance of