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lives we want not a priest; and therefore he says, that, "because he lives, we shall live also."

3. To make new priests in the church, is virtually to renounce the faith of Christ's living for ever as our priest; or to suppose that he is not sufficient to the discharge of his office,

4. The alteration that God made in the church by the introduction of the priesthood of Christ was progressive towards its perfection. To return therefore to legal ceremonies in the worship of God, is to go back to poor "beggarly elements and rudiments of the world."

VERSES 18, 19.

For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did: by the which we draw nigh unto God.

$1. Connexion of the text. $2. (I) Exposition of the words. $s. The commandment abrogated. How this could be, $4. How it was done. $5--8. The reason why. §9-13. Observations.

§1. In the twelfth verse of this chapter the apostle affirms, that the priesthood being changed, there was of necessity a change made of the law also. Having proved the former he now proceeds to confirm his inference from it by declaring that the priest and priest hood, that were promised to be introduced, were in all things inconsistent with the law.

§2. (I.) The (svioλy) command, is of as large a signification (ver. 18, as the voμos, Law, in ver. 19,) for the same thing is intended in both. It is not therefore the peculiar command for the institution of the legal priesthood that is intended, but the whole system of Mosaical institutions. And indeed it was of such a

nature and constitution, that, pull one pin out of the fabric, and the whole must fall to the ground. Nor is it the whole ceremonial law only that is intended, but the moral law also:-so far as it was compacted with the other in one body of precepts for the same end. For with respect to the efficacy of the whole law of Moses, as to our drawing nigh to God, it is here considered.

"The commandment going before," is the law whereby the worship of God was regulated before the introduction of the gospel.

Of this "command" or "law," it is affirmed, that there is an (071) abrogation, which consists in taking away all its power of obliging to obedience or punishment. The apostle elsewhere expresseth that same act by another word (nalapyew, Eph. ii, 15; 2 Tim. i, 10.)

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§3. It is therefore plainly declared, that the law is abrogated, abolished, disannulled: but we must yet farther inquire How this could be done? By what means? and-For what reason?

A law may be abrogated when, on any consideration whatever, its obligation to practice is taken away. Thus was it with this law; for, as every other law, it may be considered two ways:

1. With respect to its main end, and directive power, to guide. The moral law, in the first covenant, had no other end but obedience and rewardableness. It is the entire instrument of our living to God, and of our eternal consequent rewards. But as in its renovation it was made a part of the law here intended, it came with it to be of another nature, or to have another use and end. For the whole scope and design of this law was to direct men, not to look after that good which was its end, in obedience to itself, but

in something else that it directed to by that obedience. This end, therefore, is principally to be considered in this law, which when it is attained, the law is established, although its obligation to obedience to itself do necessarily ceasc. Now this end of the law was Christ and his righteousness, as the apostle expressly declares; "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth," Rom. x, 4. This is called by our Savior, (≈λepweaι Tov voμov) to fulfil the law; and is opposed to the destroying of it, Mat. v, 17, "I came not (anovou) to destroy, or dissolve, the law, but to (Tλnpwsu) fulfil it;" that is, not to abrogate it, as that which either wanted a just authority, or was not good or useful, the common reasons of the abrogating laws; but I came to accomplish its whole end; whereon it would cease to oblige.

2. The law may be considered with respect to the particular duties, that it required and prescribed. And because the whole law had its end, these were appointed only until the end was attained. So saith our apostle, "They were imposed until the time of reforma. tion," chap. ix, 18. Wherefore two things accompa nied this law in its first institution:-That obedience to its commands would not produce the good it directed to, as formerly respecting the law itself; and-That the duties it required had a limited time allotted them. Wherefore, without the least disparagement to the authority whereby it was given, or its own holiness and goodness, it might be disannulled as to its actual obligation. For the end of it being fully accomplished, it is no less established than if the observance of it had been continued to the end of the world.

$4. We must next inquire how this was done? We find it was done two ways:

1. Really and virtually by Christ himself in his own person. For the fulfilling of it was that which really and virtually took away all its obligatory power. For what should it oblige men to? An answer is ready to all its demands, viz. that they are fulfilled: and as to what was significative in its duties, it is all really exhibited; so that on no account can it any more oblige the consciences of men. This the apostle explains by the relation that subsists between a man and his wife, with the attendant obligation to mutual duties, Rom. vi, 1-6. Whilst the husband is alive, the wife is obliged to all conjugal duties towards him, and him alone; but upon his death that obligation ceaseth of itself, and she is at liberty to marry another. So were we obliged to the law, whilst it was alive, whilst it stood in its force and vigor; but when through the death of Christ the law was accomplished, it died as to the relation that subsisted between it and us, whereon all its obliging power was disannulled. This was that whereby the law was really and virtually abrogated.

2. It was abrogated declaratively; in general, by the promulgation and preaching of the gospel, where the accomplishment and cessation of it were declared; and also by the introduction of new ordinances of worship. Besides, there was a determination made in the case by the Holy Ghost, Acts xv, that the gospel as preached to the gentiles, was not a way of proselyting them to Judaism, but the bringing of them to a new church state by an interest in the promise and covenant of Abraham, given and made four hundred and thirty years before the giving of the law.

As to those of the Hebrews who yet would not understand these express declarations; God, to put an end to all disputes about his will in this matter, gave a

dreadful (0s) abolition to it, in the total, final, irrevocable destruction of the city and temple, with all the instruments and vessels of its worship, especially of the priesthood and all that belonged to it. Thus was the law disannulled, and thus was it declared to be so.

$5. The close of the verse gives an especial reason of this abrogation of the command, taken from its own nature and efficacy; "for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof." The commandment in this verse. is of equal extent and signification with the law in the next; and the law there evidently intends the whole law, moral and ceremonial, as given by Moses to the church of Israel. And this is now charged with "weakness and unprofitableness," both which make a law fit to be disannulled. But how can it be supposed that the good and holy God should prescribe such a law to his people, as was always weak and unprofitable? I answer, that the whole law may be considered two ways:-As absolutely in itself; and -with respect to the end for which it was given, and the persons to whom it was given. In itself, no reflection can be made upon it, being an effect of the wisdom, holiness, and truth of God. But they to whom it was given being sinners, antecedently to the giving of this law, it could never take away any de

filement of sin from the soul, but became weak and unprofitable to any such end. It could not be a cause or means of righteousness to them who were so disa-bled. Wherefore "by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified."

Sinners stand in need of the expiation of sin, for being already guilty, it is to no purpose to think of a righteousness for the future, unless their present guilt be first expiated. The moral law hath nothing in it, that respects the guilt of sin, but the curse only. It

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