the same;" that is, eternal, immutable, indeficient, Wherefore, 4. There is no need to fix a determinate, distinct sense as to the notation of time to each word, “yesterday, to day, and for ever," the apostle designing, by a kind of proverbial speech, wherein respect is had to all seasons, to denote the eternity and immutability of Christ in them all. To the same purpose he is said to be (o wv, na o yv, nas o eρxoμevos, Rev. i, 4,) "He who is, who was, and who is to come." This then is the use of these words: "Jesus Christ, in every condition of believers, is the same to them; being always the same in his divine Person, to the consummation of all things. He is; he ever was, all and in all unto the church; the author, object, and finisher of faith; the preserver and rewarder of them that believe in all generations." §3. Our last inquiry is concerning the connexion and use of these words, with reference to the other parts of the discourse. In the preceding verse (for we have no reason to look higher in this series of duties independent one of the other) the Hebrews are enjoined to persevere in imitating the faith of their first apostolical teachers. Now whereas they had by their faith a victorious end of their whole conversation, they might consider, that Jesus Christ, who is always the same in himself, would likewise be the same to them, to give them the like blessed end of their faith and obedience. As he was when they believed in him, so he is now. And here a rule is fixed for the trial of doctrines, viz. the acknowledgment of Christ in his person and office; which in the like case is given us by the apostle John, 1 Epist. iv, 2, 3, Let this foundation be laid; whatever agrees with it is true and genuine, what doth not agree with it is various and strange doctrine. And as to the other part of the exhortation; to what end, saith the apostle, should men trouble themselves with the distinction of meats, and the like Mosaical observances; whereas in the time they were enjoined, they were in themselves of no advantage; for it was Christ alone, that even then was all to the church, as to its acceptance with God. And so I hope we have restored these words to their genuine sense and use. §4. Hence observe; 1. The due consideration of Jesus Christ, especially in his eternity, immutability, and indeficiency, or as he is always the same, is the great encouragement of believers in their whole profession, and all difficulties. 2. As no changes formerly made in the institutions of divine worship, altered any thing in the faith of the church, with respect to Christ; for he was, and is still the same; so no vicissitudes we may meet with in our profession, by oppression or persecution, ought in the least to shake us; for Christ is still the same to protect, relieve, and deliver us. 3. He that can in the way of his duty, on all occasions, retreat to Jesus Christ, and the due consideration of his person in the discharge of his office, will not fail of relief, support, and consolation. 4. A steadfast cleaving to the truth, concerning the person and office of Christ, will preserve us from harkening to various and strange doctrines perverting our souls. 5. Jesus Christ, from the beginning of the world, was the object of the church's faith. And, 6. It is the immutability and eternity of Jesus Christ in his divine person, that render him a meet object of faith to the church, in the discharge of his office. VERSE 9. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines; for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. $1. The apostle's design explained in several expository remarks, which contain an analysis of his discourse.. Exposition. Varions and strange doctrines, what $3. The exhortation not to be carried about with them. 4 The end to be aimed at in professing religion is, to be established. $5, Which is not to be done by the Jewish altar and ceremonies, but by grace. §6, The unprofitableness of the former. $7. Observations. §1. THE ensuing context from hence to the 17th verse seems abstruse, and the reasoning not easy to be apprehended; but expositors generally overlook it, and attend only to the exposition of the parts. To find out the mind of the Holy Ghost in the whole, we must consider the design of the apostle in it, and how he adduces one thing from another. 1. There was at this tirae not only an obstinate adherence to Mosaical ceremonies amongst many of the Jews, who yet professed the gospel; but also an endeavor to reinforce their necessity, and to impose their observance upon others. 2. He adds a reason of this dehortation and warning, by pointing out the inconsistency of these Mosaic ceremonies with the gospel, with the very nature of the Christian religion, and that great principle of it, that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever." To this end he supposeth, 1. That the spring of all their observances about meats, eating or not eating, and consequently of the other rites of the same nature, was from the altar; for with respect to this was the determination of things. clean and unclean; what might be offered on the altar was clean, and what might not, was unclean. 2. That the foundation of religion lies in an altar; but that ours is not of such a nature as that from thence distinction of meats should ensue. any 3. That whatever be the benefits of our altar, the way of their participation is not the administration of the old tabernacle services; nor could they who administered therein claim a right to them by any divine institution. Nay, if they rested in that administration, they were excluded from them. 4. He adds the reason of this excluding maxim taken from the nature of our altar and sacrifice; for it is a sacrifice of expiation to sanctify the people by blood; and even in the very type of it; the blood of the victims being carried into the holy place, their bodies were burned entirely without the camp; so that the priests themselves had no right to eat any thing of them. 5. In answer thereto the Lord Jesus Christ, who is himself both our altar, sacrifice, and priest, carried his own blood, in its atoning efficacy, into the holy place of heaven, having suffered in his body without the gate, where the sacrifices were burned. So that there is no place now left for eating, or distinction of meats. Yea, 6. Hereby a new state of religion, answerable to the nature of the altar and sacrifice, is introduced; with which the tabernacle observances, which depended on the nature and the use of the altar, were utterly inconsistent. Wherefore, whoever adhered to them, did thereby renounce this altar of ours and consequently. the religion founded thereon; for none can have an interest in two altars, at the same time, of such different natures, and which draw after them such different re ligious observances. 7. He adds, in the last place, what we are to learn from the nature and use of our altar and sacrifice, in opposition to the meats which belonged to the old typ ical altar; and herein he instanceth in patient bearing of the cross or suffering for Christ, ver. 13. Selfdenial, as to temporal enjoyments, ver. 14; continual divine worship, which is a spiritual sacrifice made acceptable in Christ, our altar, priest, and sacrifice, ver. 15; and all good works of piety and charity towards men. These are the only sacrifices we are now called to offer. I hope we have not missed the apostle's design and reasoning in this analysis of his discourse, which makes his sublime way of arguing this great mystery plain and evident; and gives us a safe rule for the interpretation of every particular part of it. §2. "Be not carried away with divers and strange doctrines. It is evident that the doctrines intended were such as did then infest the churches, the Hebrew churches; which is manifest in the special instance given about meats. And they are called "various," because they were not reducible to that one faith, which was once delivered to the saints, and which was quite of another kind; because they had no consistency or agreement among themselves; and especially they were various from their object, seeing they were about various things. Or he calls them "various," because they took the mind from its proper stability, tossing it up and down at all uncertainties. When once men begin to give ear to such doctrines, they lose all the rest and composure of their minds, as we see by daily experience. And they are "strange," as being concerning things foreign to the gospel, uncompliant with the nature and genius of it. Such are all doctrines about religious |