Exposition of Hebrews 6-10, Exegesis of chapter 10 · Exegesis of verse 22
VERSE 22.
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our Bodies washed with pure water.
The Duty is here exprest whereunto these encouragements and priviledges do direct and lead. And this Duty is described, (1.) By the nature of it, Let us draw near. (2.) The Qualification of the persons by whom it is to be performed, With a true Heart. (3.) The manner of its performance, in full assurance of Faith. (4.) The preparation for it; which is twofold, (1.) That our hearts are sprinkled from an evil conscience. (2.) That our bodies are washt with pure Water.
I. The Duty it self is expressed by foreign, the word whereby the whole performance of all Divine, solemn worship was constantly expressed. For God foreign.having fixed the residence of the signs of his presence unto a certain place, namely, that of the Tabernacle and Altar, none could worship him but it was by an approach, an access, a drawing nigh unto that place, the means of their Worship, and the pledges of Gods presence therein. So were they to bring their Gifts, their Offerings, their Sacrifices; every thing wherewith they worshipped, in it was an approximation unto God. Now all thele things, Tabernacle, Temple, Altar, as we have shewed, were Types of Christ and the gracious presence of God in him, and they were appointed only unto this end to teach the Church to look for an access to God in and by him alone. Wherefore the Apostle tells the Hebrews, that as they had under the old Testament an approach unto God, and were then foreign, those that came and drew nigh unto him, yet it was defective in three things. (1.) That it was by carnal means, the Blood of Bulls and Goats. (2.) That it was not unto God himself, but only some outward pledges of his presence. (3.) That in this access they were alwayes excluded from an entrance into the Holiest. This way being now removed, there is that appointed in the room thereof, which is lyable to none of these Defects. For, (1.) It is not by things carnal, but in a Holy Spiritual way and Manner, as the enfuing description of it doth manifest. (2.) It is not unto any outward pledges of the divine presence, but immediately unto God himself even the Father (3.) It is into the most holy place it self, the special residence of God, and of our High Priest Christ Jesus. Wherefore this drawing near containeth all the holy worship of the Church, both publique and private, all the ways of our access unto God by Christ. And the charge given for this Duty, is the first inference the Apostle maketh from the consideration of the Benefits we receive by the Priesthood and Sacrifice of Christ.
II. The principall qualification of the Persons exhorted unto this duty, is a true heart. God in an especiall manner requireth truth in the inward parts foreign.in all that come unto him, Ps. 51. 6. Especially he doth so in his worship Joh. 4. 24. Now Truth respects either the mind, and is opposed unto falsehood; or respects the Heart and Affections, and is opposed to Hypocrisie. In the first may all false Worship is rejected, all means of the worship of God not of his own institution. But the Truth of the Heart here intended, is the sincerity of heart, which is opposed unto all hypocrisie. Two things are therefore comprized in this qualification:
1. That the Heart is that which God principally respects in our Access unto him. The Hebrews in their degenerate condition rested in the outward Observ.performance of Duties, so as that they made their access outwardly according to the Institutions and Directions of the Law; they were regardless of themselves and of the inner man, and of the frame thereof. But it is the heart that God requires, and accordingly that it be under the conduct of Doctrinal Truth in the Light of the Mind, and not only that it be true, and free from Hypocrisie in the acts of Worship that it goes about, but also that in its habitual Frame it be holy, and throughout leavened with sincerity. Thence it is denominated a true heart. If men be sincere in the Acts of Worship, but fail of it in point of walking in Conversation, they will not be accepted in it.
2. Universal, internal Sincerity of heart is required of all those that draw nigh Observ.unto God in his holy Worship.
It is so, (1.) From the Nature of God. (2.) From the nature of the Worship it self. (3.) From the Conscience of the Worshippers, which can have neither boldness nor confidence without it. What is required unto that sincerity or true heart, without which we cannot fully draw nigh unto God in any duty of his Worship, I cannot now declare.
III. There is the way and manner, together with the Principle to be acted in all foreign.our accesses unto God, foreign, in the full assurance of faith. [1.] Without Faith it is impossible to please God. Wherefore faith is required in this access on a twofold account: (1.) Of the qualification of the Person, he must be a true Believer who hath this Access, all others are utterly excluded from it: (2.) Of its actual exercise in every Particular duty of access. Abel by faith offered his sacrifice. And there is no duty acceptable unto God which is not quickned and enlivened by Faith. [2.] As unto this Access unto God by Christ, the Apostle requires that there be a full assurance of faith. Many have disputed wherein this assurance of faith doth consist, what it is that belongs thereunto. We must consider the design of the Apostle, and scope of the place, and what they do require. The word is used only in this place, though the Verb, foreign, be elsewhere, Rom. 4. 21. chap. 14. 15. to signifie a full satisfaction of mind, in what we are perswaded of. Here two things seem to be included in it.
1. That which in other places the Apostle expresseth by foreign, which is the word constantly used to declare the frame of mind which is or ought to be in Gospel Worshippers, in opposition unto that of the Law. And it hath two things in it: (1.) An open view of the spiritual Glories, of the way and End of our Approach unto God, which they had not. (2.) Liberty and confidence; Liberty of speech, and confidence of being accepted, which in their Bondage condition they had not. Therefore the Apostle thus expresseth the way and manner of our approaching to God by Christ, in opposition unto that under the Law, and affirms it to be in the full assurance, and spiritual boldness of Faith. This is the Plerophorie of it; which frame of Mind is plainly directed unto.
2. A firm and unmoveable Perswasion concerning the Priesthood of Christ, whereby we have this Access unto God, with the glory and efficacy of it; Faith without wavering. For many of the Hebrews who had received in general the Faith of the Gospel, yet wavered up and down in their minds about this Office of Christ, and the glorious things related of it by the Apostle; supposing that there might some place be yet left for the Administration of the Legal High Priest. This frame the Apostle confutes; and shews that under it men could have no access to God, nor acceptance with him. Wherefore the full assurance of faith here, respects not the assurance that any have of their own salvation, nor any degree of such an assurance; it is only the full satisfaction of our souls and Consciences in the reality and efficacy of the Priesthood of Christ to give us acceptance with God, in opposition unto all other ways and means thereof, that is intended. But withall this perswasion, is accompanied with an assured trust of our own acceptance with God in and by him, with an acquiescence of our Souls therein.
1. The actual exercise of Faith is required in all our approaches unto God, in Observ.every particular duty of his Worship. Without this no outward Solemnity of Worship, no exercise of it will avail us.
2. It is Faith in Christ alone that gives us boldness of access unto God.
3. The Person and Office of Christ are to be rested in with full assurance in all our Accesses to the Throne of Grace.
IV. There is a two-fold preparation prescribed unto us for the right discharge of this Duty. (1.) That our Hearts be sprinkled from an evil Conscience. (2.) That our Bodies are washed with pure Water. It is plain that the Apostle in these expressions alludeth unto the necessary preparations for Divine Service under the Law. For whereas there were various ways, whereby Men were Legally defiled, so there were means appointed for their Legal purification, which we have declared on Chap. 9. Without the Use and Application of those Purifications, if any of them that were so defiled, did draw nigh unto the Worship of God, he was to dye, or be cut off. These Institutions the Apostle doth not only allude unto, and make Application of things outward and Carnal, unto things inward and Spiritual; but withal declares what was their Nature and Typical Administration. They were not appointed for their own sakes, but to typifie and represent the Spiritual Grace, and its Efficacy, which we receive by the Sacrifice of Christ.
The Subject spoken of is two-fold: (1.) The Heart. (2.) The Body: That is, the inward and outward Man.
As unto the First, it is required that with respect unto it, it be separated from an evil Conscience; There is no doubt but in this place, as in many others, the Heart is taken for all the Faculties of our Souls, with our Affections. For it is that wherein Conscience is seated, wherein it acts its power, which it doth especially in the practical understanding, as the Affections are ruled and guided thereby.
This Conscience is affirmed to be evil, antecedently unto the means proposed for the taking it away. Conscience, as Conscience, is not to be separated from the heart, but as it is evil, it must be so.
Conscience may be said to be evil on two accounts. (1.) As it disquieteth, foreign.perplexeth, judgeth, and condemneth for Sin. In this sence the Apostle speaks of Conscience, ver. 2. A Conscience condemning us for sin, which the Sacrifices of the Law could not take away; so an Heart with an evil Conscience, is a Heart terrified and condemning for Sin. (2.) On account of a vitiated principle in the Conscience not performing its duty, but secure when 'tis filled with all unclean vitious habits. And hereon it signifies also all those secret latent sins in the Heart, which are known only to a Mans own Conscience, opposed unto the Body, or external known Sins, which he speaks of afterwards. I take it here in the latter sence; (1.) Because it is said to be evil, which it cannot be, with respect unto its former Acts and Power, for it doth therein but perform its duty, and is evil not in it self, but unto them in whom it is. And (2.) The way of its removal is by sprinkling, and not by an oblation or offering; now sprinkling is the efficacious application of the Blood of Attonement unto Sanctification or internal Purification.
And this is the last thing in particular, namely, the Way or Means of the foreign.removal of this evil Conscience, which is by sprinkling of our Hearts. The expression is taken from the sprinkling of Blood upon the Offering of the Sacrifices, Exod. 29. 16, 21. Lev. 4. 17. Chap. 14. 7. The Spiritual Interpretation and Application whereof is given us, Ezek. 36. 25. And whereas this sprinkling from Sin, and cleansing thereby, is in Ezekiel ascribed unto pure water, whereas it was in the Type, the Blood of the Sacrifice that was sprinkled, it gives us the sence of the whole. For as the Blood of the Sacrifice was a Type of the Blood and Sacrifice of Christ as Offered unto God; so it is the Holy Spirit, and his efficacious work that is denoted by pure water, as is frequently produced. Wherefore this sprinkling of our hearts, is an Act of the Sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost, by virtue of the Blood and Sacrifice of Christ, in making of that Application of them unto our Souls, wherein the Blood of Christ the Son of God cleanseth us from all our sins. Hereby are our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience. (1.) Originally, in the Communication of regenerating Sanctifying Grace. (2.) Continually, in fresh Applications of the virtue of the Blood of Christ, for the taking away of the defilement by internal actual Sin.
1. Although that Worship whereby we draw nigh unto God be wrought with Observ.respect to Institution and Rule, yet without internal Sanctification of heart we are not accepted in it.
2. Due Preparations by fresh Applications of our Souls unto the efficacy of the Blood of Christ, for the Purification of our hearts, that we may be meet to draw nigh to God, is required of us. This the Apostle hath especial respect unto, and the want of it, is the Bane of publick Worship. Where this is not, there is no due reverence of God, no Sanctification of his name, not any benefit to be expected unto our own Souls.
3. In all wherein we have to do with God, we are principally to regard those internal Sins we are conscious of unto our selves, but are hidden from all others.
The last thing required of us in order to the duty exhorted unto, is, that foreign.our Bodies be washed with pure water. This at first view would seem to refer unto the outward Administration of the Ordinance of Baptism required of all, antecedently unto their orderly Conjunction unto a Church-state in the causes of it; and so it is carried by many Expositors. But, (1.) The Apostle Peter tells us that saving Baptism doth not consist in the Washing away of the filth of the Body, 1 Pet. 3. 21. therefore the expression here must be figurative, and not proper. (2.) Although the sprinkling and washing spoken of, do principally respect our habitual internal qualification, by regenerating Sanctifying Grace; yet they include also the actual, gracious, renewed preparations of our Hearts and Minds, with respect unto all our solemn approaches unto God; but Baptism cannot be repeated. (3.) Whereas the sprinkling of the Heart from an evil Conscience, respects the Internal, and unknown Sins of the Mind; so this of washing the Body doth the Sins that are outwardly acted and perpetrated. And the Body is said to be washed from them, (1.) Because they are outward, in opposition unto those that are only inherent in the Mind. (2.) Because the Body is the Instrument of the perpetration of them; hence are they called Deeds of the Body; the Members of the Body; our Earthly Members, Rom. 3. 13, 14, 15, 16. chap. 8. 13. and 12. 19. Col. 3. 3, 4, 5. (3.) Because the Body is defiled by them, some of them in an especial manner, 1 Cor. 6.
2. Pure Water wherewith the Body is to be washed, is that which is promised, Ezek. 36. 25, 26. the assistance of the sanctifying Spirit, by virtue of the Sacrifice of Christ. Hereby all those sins which cleave unto our outward Conversation are removed and washt away. For we are Sanctified thereby in our whole Spirits, Souls, and Bodies. And that Scripture respects the Deeds of Sin, as unto a continuation of their Commission, he shall keep and preserve us. We are so by the Grace of Christ, and thereby we keep and preserve our selves from all outward and actual Sins, that nothing may appear upon us, as the Bodies of them who having wallowed in the Mire are now washed with pure Water; for the Body is placed as the Instrument of the Defilement of the Soul in such Sins.
1. Universal Sanctification upon our whole persons, and the Mortification in an Observ.especial manner of outward Sins, are required of us in our drawing nigh unto God.
2. These are the Ornaments wherewith we are to prepare our Souls for it, and not the Gaiety of outward apparel.
3. It is a great work to draw nigh unto God, so as to Worship him in Spirit and in Truth.