The things which rise up ia enmity and opposition to him and the work of his grace, are, sin, death, the grave, and hell, All these endeavour to obstruct and frustrate all the ends of Christ's mediation, and are therein his enemies.
(2.) There is the disposal of this subject, of these enemies of Christ. They shall be made his footstool. "Ewg¢ redder, —“until they be put” and’ “ placed” in this condition. It is a state which they would not be in; but they shall be made,
‘reoréduy Put, and placed in it, whether they will or no, as the cay goddy ad- Word signifies. ‘“Yarorddsv réiv reddy adrot. A footstool mas is used in a threefold sense in the Scripture:—
[1.] For the visible pledge of God’s presence and his worship. God’s throne, as we have showed, was represented by the ark, mercy-seat, and cherubim, in the most holy place; wherein the sanctuary itgelf was his fotstonl 1 Chron. xxviii 2; Ps, xcix. 5, cxxxii. 7. So it is applied unto God, and his presence in the church; as the ark was his throne, so the sanctuary was his footstool.
[2.] It is applied unto God and his presence in the world. So heaven above is called his throne, and this lower part of the crea- tion is his footstool, Isa. xvi. 1.
In neither of these senses are the enemies of Christ to be his footstool; therefore it is taken,—
[3.] For a despised, conquered condition; a state of a mean, sub- jected people, deprived of all power and benefit, and brought into absolute subjection. In no other sense can it be applied unto the enemies of Christ, as here it is. Yet doth it not signify the same condition absolutely as unto all persons and things that are his enemies; for they are not of one nature, and their subjection to — him is such as their natures are capable of. But these things are
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VER. 11-14] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 491
intended in it: Ist. The deprivation of all power, authority, and glory. They sat on thrones, but now are under the seat of him who is the only potentate. 2dly. An utter defeat of their design, in opposing either his person or the work of his grace in the eternal salvation of his church. They shall not hurt nor destroy any more in the mountain of the Lord. 3dly. Their eternal disposal by the will of Christ, according as his glory shall be manifested therein. Sin, death, the grave, and hell, as unto their opposition to the church, shall be utterly destroyed, 1 Cor. xv. 55-57; and “there shall be no more death.” Satan and Antichrist shall be destroyed two ways: (Ist.) Initially and gradually. (2dly.) Absolutely and completely. The first they are in all ages of the church, from the time of Christ’s glorious ascension into heaven. They were then immediately put in subjection to him, all of them, because that they should not defeat any one end of his mediation. And he maketh continual instances, as he pleases, of his power over them, in the visible destruction of some of his principal and most implac- able enemies. And secondly, it will be complete at the last day, when all these enemies shall be utterly destroyed.
(83.) The word éws, “until,” here hath respect unto both these, the gradual and final destruction of all the enemies of Christ.
(4.) This Christ is said to expect; Shenveforth expecting.” Expecta- tion and waiting are improperly ascribed toChrist,as they , are in the Scripture unto God himself, so far as they in- _clude hope or uncertainty of the event, or a desire of any thing, either as, to matter, manner, or time, otherwise than as they are foreknown and determined. But it is the rest and complacency of Christ in the faithfulness of God’s promises, and his infinite wisdom as unto the season of their accomplishment, that is intended. He doth not so expect these things, as though there were any thing wanting to his own blessedness, gloty, power, or authority, until it Nee actually and completely finished ; but saith the apostle, ‘As to what remains to the Lord Christ in the discharge of his office, he henceforth is no more to offer, to suffer, no more to die, no more to do any thing for the expiation of sin or by way of sacrifice; all this being absolutely and completely perfected, he is for ever in the enjoyment of the glory that was set before him; satisfied in the promises, the power, and wisdom of God, for the complete effecting of his mediatory office, in the eternal salvation of the church, and by the conquest ,and destruction of all his and their enemies in the proper times and seasons for it. And from this interpretation of the words we may . take these observations:—
Obs. Y. It was the entrance of sin which raised up all our ene- mies against us. From thence took they their rise and beginning;
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492 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [ CHAP. X.
as death, the grave, and hell. Some that were friendly before be- came our enemies, thereon; as the law: and some that had a radical enmity, got power thereby to execute it; as the devil. The state in which we were created was a state of universal peace; all the strife and contention rose from sin.