tions of his worship.
Obs. XXII. That sovereign authority is that alone which our faith
and obedience respects in all ordinances of worship.
After this was stated and delivered, when the mind of God was ex-
pressly declared, as unto his rejection of legal sacrifices and offerings,
rore, 'then he said;' after that, in order thereon, upon the grounds
before mentioned, 'he said, Sacrifice,' &c. In the former words he
declared the mind of God, and in the latter his own intention and reso-
lution to comply with his will, in order unto another way of atonement
for sin, ' Lo, I come to do thy will, O God ;' which words have been
opened before.
In the last place, he declares what was intimated and signified in
this order of those things being thus spoken unto ; sacrifices, on the
one hand, which was the first, and the coming of Christ, which was
the second in this order and opposition. It is evident,
1. That these words, avaiptt to ttowtov, 'he taketh away the first,
VOL. iv. s
258 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CH. X.
do intend ' sacrifices and offerings.' But he did not so do it immedi-
ately, at the speaking of these words, for they continued for the space
of some hundreds of years afterwards ; but he did so declaratively, as
unto the indication of the time, namely, when the second should be
introduced.
2. The end of this removal of the first, was the establishment of the
second. This second, say some, is the will of God ; but the opposition
made before, is not between the will of God and the legal sacrifices, but
between those sacrifices and the coming of Christ to do the will of God.
Wherefore it is the way of the expiation of sin, and of the complete
sanctification of the church by the coming, and mediation, and sacrifice
of Christ ; that is this second, the thing spoken of in the second place:
this God would establish, approve, confirm, and render unchangeable.
Obs. XXIII. As all things from the beginning made way for the
coming of Christ in the minds of them that did believe, so every thing
was to be removed out of the way that would hinder his coming, and
the discharge of the work he had undertaken. Law, temple, sacrifices,
must all be removed to give way unto his coming. So is it testified by
his forerunner, Luke iii. 4, ' As it is written in the book of the words
of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilder-
ness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight ; and
the rough ways shali be made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salva-
tion of God.' So it must be in our own hearts, all things must give
way unto him, or he will not come and take his habitation in them.
Ver. 10. — By the which will we are sanctified through the offering
of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
From the whole context, the apostle makes an inference which is
comprehensive of the substance of the gospel, and the description of the
grace of God which is established thereby. Having affirmed in Christ's
own words, that he came to do the will of God, he shows what was
that will of God which he came to do, what was the design of God in
it, and the effect of it, and by what means it was accomplished ; which
things are to be inquired into. As, 1. What is the will of God which
he intends ; ' by which will.' 2. What was the design of it, what God
aimed at in this act of his will, and what is accomplished thereby : ' we
are sanctified.' 3. The way and means whereby this effect proceedeth
from the will of God ; namely, ' through the offering of the body of
Jesus Christ,' in opposition to legal sacrifices. 4. The manner of it, in
opposition to their repetition : ' it was once for all.' But the sense of
the whole will be more clear, if we consider,
First. The end aimed at ; namely the sanctification of the church.
And sundry things must be observed concerning it.
1. That the apostle changeth his phrase of speech into the first per-
son, ' we are sanctified,' that is, all those believers whereof the gospel
church-state was constituted, in opposition unto the church-state of the
Hebrews, and those that did adhere unto it ; so he speaks before, as
also ch. iv. 3, ' We who have believed, do enter into rest.' For it
might be asked of him, you that thus overthrow the efficacy of legal
VER. O — 10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 259
sacrifices, what have you yourselves attained in your relinquishment of
them ? We have, saith he, that sanctification, that dedication to God,
that peace with him, and that expiation of sin, that all those sacrifices
could not effect. And observe,
Obs. XXIV. Truth is never so effectually declared, as when it is
confirmed by the experience of its power in them that believe it, and
make profession of it. This was that which gave them the confidence
which the apostle exhorts them to hold fast and firm unto the end.
Obs. XXV. It is a holy glorying in God, and no unlawful boasting,
for men openly to profess what they are made partakers of by the grace
of God, and blood of Christ. Yea, it is a necessary duty for men so
to do, when any thing is set up in competition with them, or opposition
unto them.
Obs. XXVI. It is the best security in differences in and about reli-
gion, (such as these wherein the apostle is engaged, the greatest and
highest that ever were,) when men have an internal experience of the
truth which they do profess.
2. The words he useth are in the preterfect tense, fiyiaanevot zafxtv,
and relate not only unto the things, but the time of the offering of the
body of Christ. For although all that is intended herein, did not im-
mediately follow on the death of Christ, yet were they all in it, as the
effects in their proper cause, to be produced by virtue of it, in their
times and seasons ; and the principal effect intended, was the immediate
consequent thereof.
'3. This end of God, through the offering of the body of Christ, was
the sanctification of the church ; ' we are sanctified.' The principal
notion of sanctification in the New Testament, is the effecting of real
internal holiness in the persons of them that do believe, by the change
of their hearts and lives. But the word is not here so to be restrained,
nor is it used in that sense by our apostle in this Epistle, or very rarely.
It is here plainly comprehensive of all that he hath denied unto the
law, priesthood, and sacrifices of the Old Testament, with the whole
church-state of the Hebrews under it, and the effects of their ordi-
nances and services. As, 1. A complete dedication unto God, in op-
position unto the typical one, which the people were partakers of by
the sprinkling of the blood of calves and goats upon them, Exod. xxiv,
2. A complete church-state for the celebration of the spiritual worship
of God, by the administration of the Spirit, wherein the law could
make nothing perfect. 3. Peace with God upon a full and perfect ex-
piation of sin, which he denies unto the sacrifices of the law, ver. I — 4.
4. Real, internal purification or sanctification of our natures and per-
sons, from all inward filth and defilement of them ; which he proves at
large that the cardinal ordinances of the law could not effect of them-
selves, reaching no farther than the purification of the flesh. 5. Here-
unto also belong the privileges of the gospel, in liberty, boldness, im-
mediate access unto God, the means of that access by Christ our high
priest, and confidence therein; in opposition unto that fear, bondage,
distance, and exclusion from the holy place of the presence of God,
which they of old were kept under. All these things are comprised in
this expression of the apostle, 'we are sanctified.' The designation of
s2
260 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CH. X.
such a state for the church, and the present introduction of it by the
preaching of the gospel, is that whose confirmation the apostle princi-
pally designs in this whole discourse ; the sum whereof he gives us,
ch. xi. 40, ' God having provided some better thing for us, that they
without us should not be made perfect.'
Secondly. The whole fountain and principal cause of this state, this
grace, is the will of God, even that will which our Saviour tendered to
accomplish ; ' by which will we are sanctified.' In the original it is,
f in which will ; ' in for by : which is usual. Wherefore, we say pro-
perly, ' by which will,' for it is the supreme efficient cause of our sanc-
tification, that is intended. And in that expression of our Saviour,
' Lo, I come to do thy will, O God,' it is evident, 1. That it was the
will, that is, the counsel, the purpose, the decree of God, that the
church should be sanctified. 2. That our Lord Christ knew that this
was the will of God, the will of the Father, in whose bosom he was.
And 3. That God had determined, which he also knew and declared,
that legal sacrifices could not accomplish and make effectual, this his
will, so as the church might be sanctified thereon. Wherefore, the will
of God here intended, (as was intimated before) is nothing but the eter-
nal, gracious, free act or purpose of his will, whereby he determined or
purposed in himself, to recover a church out of lost mankind, to sanctify
them unto himself, and to bring them unto the enjoyment of himself
hereafter. See Eph. i. 4 — 9.
And this act of the will of God was, 1. Free and sovereign, without
any meritorious cause, or any thing that should dispose him thereunto
without himself; he purposed in himself. There are everywhere,
blessed effects ascribed to it, but no cause anywhere. All that is de-
signed unto us in it, as unto the communication of it in its effects, were
its effects, not its cause. See Eph. i. 4, and this place. The whole
mediation of Christ, especially his death and suffering, was the means
of its accomplishment, and not the procuring cause of it. 2. It was
accompanied with infinite wisdom, whereby provision was made for his
own glory, and the means and way of the accomplishment of his will.
He would not admit the legal sacrifices, as the means and way of its
accomplishment, because they could not provide for those ends, ' for it
is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin.'
3. It was immutable and irrevocable ; it depended not upon any condi-
tion in any thing or persons without himself; ' he purposed in himself;'
nor was it capable of any change or alterations from oppositions or in-
terveniencies. 4. It follows hereon, that it must be infallibly effectual,
in the actual accomplishment of what was designed in it, every thing in
its order and season ; it cannot in any thing be frustrated or disap-
pointed. The whole church in every age, shall be sanctified by it.
This will of God, some would have not to be any internal act of his
will, but only the things willed by him, namely, the sacrifice of Christ ;
and that for this reason, because it is opposed to legal sacrifices, which
the act of God's will cannot be. But the mistake is evident, for the
will of God here intended, js not at all opposed unto the legal sacri-
fices, but only as to the means of the accomplishment of it, which they
were not, nor could be
VER. 5 — 10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 261
Obs. XXVII. The sovereign will and pleasure of God, acting itself
in infinite wisdom and grace, is the sole, supreme, original cause of the
salvation of the church, Rom. ix. 10, 11.
Thirdly. The means of accomplishment, and making effectual of
this will of God, is the offering of the body of Christ Jesus. Some
copies after i)yia(Tf.tevoi ectjuev, read ol, and then the sense must be sup-
plied by the repetition of nyiaa/nevoi, in the close of that verse, ' who
by the offering of the body of Christ were once sanctified.' But there
is no colour for this supply, for the word ' once,' doth directly respect
the offering of Christ, as the following verses, wherein it is explained,
and the dignity of the sacrifice thence demonstrated, do prove. Where-
fore this article belongs not to the text, for it is not in the best copies,
nor is it taken notice of in our translation. Why, and in what sense
the sacrifice of Christ is called the offering of his body, was before de-
clared. And ' by which,' Sm Trig, refers not to the cause of our sancti-
fication, which is the will of God, but to the effect itself. Our sancti-
fication is wrought, effected, accomplished, by the offering of the body
of Christ. 1. In that the expiation of our sin, and reconciliation with
God, Mere perfectly wrought hereby. 2. In that the whole church of
the elect was dedicated to God ; which privilege they are called into
the actual participation of, through faith in the blood of Christ. 3. In
that thereby all the old legal sacrifices, and all that yoke, and burden,
and bondage, wherewith they were accompanied, are taken out of the
way, Eph. ii. 15, 16. 4. In that he redeemed us thereby from the whole
curse of the law, as given originally in the law of nature, and also re-
newed in the covenant of Sinai. 5. In that thereby he ratified and
confirmed the new covenant and all the promises of it, and all the grace
contained in them, to be effectually communicated to us. 6. In that
he procured for us all grace and mercy, and received these into his own
disposition in the behalf of the church, effectually to communicate them
to our souls and consciences. In brief, whatever was prepared in the
will of God for the good of the church, it is all communicated to us
through the offering of the body of Christ, in such a way as tendeth
to the glory of God, and the assured salvation of the church.
This offering of the body of Christ, is the glorious centre of all the
counsels of the wisdom of God, of all the purposes of his will for the
sanctification of the church. For, 1. No other way or means could
effect it. 2. This will do it infallibly, for Christ crucified is the wisdom
of God, and the power of God to this end. This is the anchor of our
faith, whereon alone it rests.
Fourthly. The last thing in the words gives us the manner of the
offering of the body of Christ. It was done, £$a7ra£, ' once for all,'
say we ; once only : it was never before that one time, nor shall ever be
afterwards; 'there remains no more offering for sin.' And this de-
monstrates both the dignity and efficacy of his sacrifice. Of such worth
and dignity it was, that God absolutely acquiesced therein, and smelt a
savour of eternal rest in it. And of such efficacy, that the sanctification
of the church was perfected by it, so that it needed no repetition. It
also made way for the following state of Christ himself, which was to
be a state of glory absolute and perfect, inconsistent with the repetition
262 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CH. X.
of the same sacrifice of himself. For, as the apostle shows, ver. 12, 13,
after this sacrifice offered, he had no more to do but to enter into glory.
So absurd is that imagination of the Socinians, that he offered his ex-
piatory sacrifice in heaven ; that he did not, he could not enter into
glory, till he had completely offered his sacrifice, the memorial whereof
he carried into the holy place. And the apostle lays great weight on
this consideration, as that which is the foundation of the faith of the
church. He mentions it often, and argues from it as the principal argu-
ment to prove its excellency above the sacrifices of the law. And this
very foundation is destroyed by those who fancy to themselves, a re-
newed offering of the body of Christ every day in the mass. Nothing
can be more directly contrary to this assertion of the apostle, whatever
colour they may put on their practice, or whatever pretence they may
give to it.
Wherefore the apostle in the next verses, argues from the dignity
and efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ, by its difference from, and oppo-
sition to the legal sacrifices which were often repeated.
Ver. 11 — 14. — Kat nag fxev Uptvg Iottjke ica$' rj/mepav XeiTOvpywv,
Kai Tag avrag noWaicig npo
nepieXeiv afiapriag. Avrog §s jtuav vnep afiapTiwv npoaavzyicag
Svcriav ug to StrjvEiae, tuaQicrw tv de^ia. too Qsov. To Xonrov EicSt-
\ofxevog hog Te^foxriv ol £\%poi avTov vnonodiov rtov iro^tov avrov.
Mta yap npoatyopq t£Ts\siu)k£v tig to $it]V£iceg rovg ayia^ofxevovg.
Ver. 1 1 — 14. — And every priest standeth daily ministering, and
offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away
sins. But this Man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins,
for ever sat down on the right hand of God. From henceforth
expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offer-
ing he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
These words are an entrance into the close of that long blessed dis-
course of the apostle, concerning the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ,
their dignity and efficacy ; which he shuts up and finisheth in the fol-
lowing verses, confirming the whole with the testimony of the Holy
Ghost before produced by him.
Four things doth he here instruct us in, by way of recapitulation of
what he had declared and proved before. 1. The state of the legal
priests and sacrifices, as unto the repetition of them, by which he had
proved before their utter insufficiency to take away sin, ver. 11. 2. In
that one offering of Christ, and that once offered, in opposition there-
unto, ver. 12. 3. The consequence thereof on the part of Christ ;
whereof there are two parts. First. His state and condition immedi-
ately ensuing thereon, ver. 12, manifesting the dignity, efficacy, and
absolute perfection of his offering. Secondly. As unto the continuance
of his state and condition afterwards, ver. 13. 4. The absolute effect
of his sacrifice, which was the sanctification of the church, ver. 14.
In the first of these, we have 1. The note of its introduction, koi,
1 and.' 2. The subject of the proposition in it, ' every priest.' 3.
VER. 11 — 14.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 2G'o
What is ascribed unto them in the discharge of their office ; which is
expressed, First. Generally, ' they stood ministering day by day.'
Secondly. Particularly, as unto that part of their office, which is now
under consideration ; ' they often,' that is every day, offered the same
sacrifices. 4. The incfficacy of those sacrifices though often offered ;
' they could not take away sin.' Besides this work of daily offering the
same sacrifices, which could not take away sin, there was nothing ensued
on them of glory and dignity unto themselves, or benefit unto the
church. This the apostle insinuates, although it be left out in the com-
parison, insisting especially on the contrary in the opposite sacrifice of
Christ, both as unto his own glory, and the eternal salvation of the
church.
1. The introduction is by nai, mostly a copulative, sometimes redditive,
as it is here taken by us and rendered. In this latter way, it gives a
further reason of what was before declared, of the efficacy of the sacri-
fice of Christ, by a comparison of it with those of the priests, which
were often repeated. In the other sense, it denotes a progress in the
same argument, by a repetition of the consideration of the old sacrifices,
and a new comparison of them with that of Christ. Both come to the
same, and either may be allowed.
2. The subject spoken of, that is, irag hpsvg, ' every priest,' that is,
say some, every high priest ; and so they interpret the words, ' standeth
daily,' by a ' certain day once a-year,' referring the whole unto the
anniversary sacrifice on the day of expiation. And it is not denied, but
that the apostle hath a special regard thereunto, and mentioneth it ex-
pressly, as we have shown on ch. ix. 7, 25. But it cannot be here so
restrained ; for he makes application herein, of what he had spoken
before of all the sacrifices of the law ; and therein he reckons up all
sorts of them, as we have seen, some of which, as the whole burnt-
offerings, and all offerings in distinction from bloody sacrifices, were
not offered by the high priest on that day, but by other priests on all
occasions.
3. And the following expression of, iaTy]Ke na& lyitpav Xeirovpyojv,
* standeth ministering every day,' declares the constant discharge of the
priestly office in every daily ministration. This was the work that all
the priests were designed unto in their courses. Wherefore, the words,
as they do not include the annual sacrifice of the high priest, so they
include the daily and occasional sacrifices of all the other priests ; for
these offerings of blood were also types of the sacrifice and offering of
Christ. For all sacrifices by blood were to make atonement for sin,
Lev. xvii. 11. And they were of no use but by virtue of the typical
representation of the sacrifice of Christ. Therefore, all the priests,
and their whole office, as unto all that belonged unto the offering of
sacrifices, are comprised in this assertion. And it was necessary to ex-
tend the comparison to them all, that there might be no exception to
the argument from it. And the following words, which give a descrip-
tion of the general way of their ministration, do enforce this interpreta-
tion, which is the third tiling in them.
1st. 'Standeth daily ministering;' lo-Tjjice, 'standeth' or rather
' -
o
264 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CH. X*
the law so to do. For the apostle respecteth not what was their present
acting as to matter of fact, but speaks of the whole service of the priests
indistinctly, as past or present, with regard unto what was to be done,
by virtue of the first institution of them, and the service which the
tabernacle was erected for.
' Stood' or 'standeth' ready for, and employed in the work of their
office, XttTovpyojv, ' ministering ;' a general name of employment about
all sacred duties, services, and offices whatever, and therefore it com-
priseth all the service of the priests about the tabernacle and altar,
wherein they ministered unto God according to his appointment. And
this extends unto all that were partakers of the priesthood, and was not
confined unto the high priest; see ch. ix. 1. This they did, icaS' i^ufpav,
that is, ' day by day,' as occasion did require, according to the appoint-
ment of the law. Not only the daily sacrifice morning and evening is
intended, nor yet the doubling of them on the Sabbath, and other
festivals, but all the occasional offerings for the people, as their neces-
sities did require. For any man might bring his sin-offering, and
trespass-offering, his peace-offering, his vow, or free-will-offering, unto
the priest at any time to be offered on the altar. For this cause they
came to be always in a readiness to stand ministering daily ; and here-
unto was their office confined. There was no end of their work, after
which they should enter into another and better state, as the apostle
shows it of the Lord Christ in the next verse. And this is a high
argument in proof of the imperfection of their sacrifices; they were
never brought unto that state by them, as the high priest might cease
from ministering, and enter into a condition of rest.
2dly. Their general ministry is described by the especial duty which
is under present consideration ; they offered, ' oftentimes' the same
sacrifices ; they were the same sacrifices that were offered, of the same
general nature and kind. They were indeed distributed into several
sorts, according unto their occasions and institutions ; as, whole burnt-
offerings, sin-offerings, trespass-offerings, and the like ; but their general
nature was one and the same, falling all under the same censure, that
they could not take away sin. They had not any one peculiar service
that could effect this end ; and they offered them often, daily, monthly,
annually, occasionally, according to divine institution. In this defect
as unto the efficacy and frequency in the repetition, is the sacrifice of
Christ directly opposed unto them. Hence,
4. In the last place, the apostle passeth that sentence concerning
them all, whose truth he had before sufficiently confirmed, ' they cannot,'
they never could, ' take away sin.' They could not irtpitXnv, ' take
them out of the way,' that is, absolutely, perfectly, as the word denotes.
They could not do it before God the Judge, by making a sufficient
atonementfor them, ver. 4. They could not do it as unto the conscience
of the sinner, giving him assured peace with God thereon. It may
be, they could not do it at any one time ; but in the constant con-
tinuance in the use and observance of them, they might do it : if they
were multiplied, if they were costly, if they were observed in an extra-