treat unto Jesus Christ, and into the due consideration of his person in the discharge of his office, will not fail of relief, support, and consolation.

Obs. IV. A steadfast cleaving unto the truth concerning the person and office of Christ, will preserve us from hearkening to various and strange doctrines perverting our souls. And,

Obs. V. Jesus Christ, from the beginning of the world, that is from the giving of the first promise, was the object of the faith of the church. And,

Obs. VI. It is the immutability and eternity of Jesus Christ in his divine person, that renders him a meet object of the faith of the church in the discharge of his office.-All which truths are contained in this assertion of the apostle, with the occasion and use of it in this place.

VER. 9.—The ensuing context from hence to the 17th verse, seems abstruse, and the reasonings of the apostle in it are not easy to be apprehended. But expositors do generally overlook it, and attend only to the exposition of the parts of it severally by themselves. 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 deduces one thing from another. These things therefore we must inquire into; and thus the way will be prepared for the exposition of the several parts of the discourse itself. And we must take our rise from the occasion of it.

First. There was at this time not only an obstinate adherence unto Mosaic_ceremonies amongst many of the Jews who professed the gospel, but also an endeavour to enforce their necessity, and to impose the observance of them upon others. These things the apostle opposeth in the whole Epistle; and on the occasion of the mention of Christ with his unchangeableness in the church, he adds in this place a dehortation in general from a continuance in the observance of these rites, or reaching after doctrines concerning them; such as were taught amongst the Gentiles, by some out of Judea, Acts xv. 9.

Secondly. He adds a reason of this dehortation and warning, which is their inconsistency with the gospel, the nature of Christian religion, and with that great principle of it, namely, that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. And he proceedeth herein on sundry acknowledged principles, which he supposeth and expresseth.

1. He supposeth 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. With respect thereunto was the determination of things clean and unclean. For what might be offered on the altar, was clean; and what might not, was not clean. And sundry laws there were, respecting what parts of the sacrifices might be eaten by the priests, and what might not.

2. That the foundation of religion lies in an altar: for all religion is founded on an atonement for sin made in it, or upon it; and by it is all our worship to be offered unto God, nor can it be otherwise accepted with him. Wherefore he affirms, that we also have an altar; yet not of such a nature as that from thence any distinction of meats should ensue, ver. 10.

3. That whatever be the benefits of this altar of ours, the way of the participation of them is not the administration of the services of the old tabernacle, nor could they who administered therein claim a title or right to them by virtue of any divine institution; but if they rested in that administration, they were excluded from them.

Thirdly. He adds the reason hereof, taken from the nature of our altar, and of the sacrifice thereon; which is a sacrifice of expiation, to sanctify the people by blood. And in the very type of it, it was declared, that there was no right of eating, or distinction of meat to ensue thereon. For in the solemn sacrifices of expiation and atonement, as we shall see, the blood of them was carried into the holy place, and the bodies of them were burned entirely without the camp, so as that the priests themselves had no right to eat any thing of them; as ver. 11, 12.

Fourthly. In answer hereunto, the Lord Christ, who is himself both our altar and our sacrifice, in the offering of himself, carried his own blood, in the efficacy of it for atonement, into the holy place of heaven, after he had suffered in his body without the gate, or in the place answering to that without the camp, wherein the bodies of the beasts that were sacrificed were burned, ver. 12. So that there is no place now left for eating, or for distinction of meats. Yea,

Fifthly. Hereby a new state of religion, answerable unto the nature of this altar and sacrifice, is introduced, wherewith those observances which depended on the nature and use of the altar at the tabernacle, were utterly inconsistent. Wherefore, they who adhered unto them, whoever they were, did therein renounce this altar of ours, and the religion founded thereon. For none can at the same time have an interest in two altars of such different natures, and drawing after them such different religious observances. And,

Sixthly. He adds, in the last place, what we are to learn from the nature and use of our altar and sacrifice; in opposition unto the meats which belonged to the old typical altar. And hereof he instanceth in patient bearing of the cross, or suffering for Christ, ver. 13. Self-denial, as unto any interest in temporal enjoyments, ver. 14. The continual worship of God, in and by spiritual sacrifice, made acceptable in Christ our altar, priest, and sacrifice, ver. 15. And usefulness amongst men in all good works of piety and charity; these being the only sacrifices that we are now called unto.

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 in this great mystery, plain and evident; and gives us a safe rule for the interpretation of every particular passage in it.

VER. 9.—Διδαχαις ποικίλαις και ξεναις μη περιφερεσθε καλον γαρ χαριτι βεβαιούσθαι την καρδιαν, ου βρωμασιν, ἐν οἷς ουκ ωφελήθησαν οἱ περιπατήσαντες.

VER. 9.-Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines; for it is good that the heart be established with grace, not with meats, which have not profited them that have walked in them.

There is an inference in these words from what was before asserted concerning the immutability of Christ, and his continuing the same in the church for ever, and several things are included in it.

1. A supposition that the truth concerning the person and office of Christ, whereon all other evangelical truths and duties do depend, had been once delivered to the Hebrews by them that spake to them the word of God, of whom mention is made, ver. 7.

2. That this doctrine is one, whence in the church there is but one faith, Eph. iv. 3-5. And that it was once delivered to the saints, Jude 3, in the revelation made of it by Christ and the apostles, Heb. ii. 3, 4. Hence whatever agrees not with it, whatever proceeds not from it, is uncertain, foreign and alien to the faith of the church.

3. That by this doctrine the hearts of believers were established in peace with God and assurance of their acceptance with him.

4. That as there were direct oppositions made to this doctrine by the obstinate Jews at that time, so there were amongst those who outwardly professed the Christian religion, sundry doctrines broached and maintained, that were indeed inconsistent with that one faith, and served to no end but to entangle the minds of believers, and at length to turn them off from the gospel.

5. That experience had already evinced the folly of those new doctrines, inasmuch as the things which they led to, were of no use to the souls of men. And,

6. In particular this was the state of those doctrines about Mosaic institutions in the distinction of meats, and things of a like nature, which many false teachers did then press on them with great noise and

earnestness.

This is the design and substance of the apostle's discourse in this verse, which we shall now consider in particular. The words contain a dehortation from an evil, with the reason or enforcement of it.

First. The dehortation is in these words, Be not carried about διδαχαις ποικιλαις και ξέναις, 6 with divers and strange doctrines. And we must inquire what these strange doctrines were, and what it is to be carried about with them.

First. It is evident that the doctrines intended were such as did then infest the churches of the Hebrews; others they were not in present danger of. And this is manifest in the especial instance given about meats. And they are called 'various,' as it may be on other accounts, as we shall see, so because they were not reducible to that one faith which was once delivered to the saints. And they are called 'strange,' or alien, as being of another kind than they, no way related to them. And it may be they are said to be various,' because they had no consistency nor agreement among themselves. For so some think that the apostle had respect to the doctrines which were controverted in the schools of the Jews, between the followers of Hillel on the one side, and Shammai on the other. But these they kept within themselves, and never troubled the Christian churches withal. Howbeit, because the Jews placed much of their religion in these doctrines, and their contests about them, it may be the apostle here reflects on them, as he doth in other places, Tit. i. 14, iii. 9; 1 Tim. i. 4. But I

rather think he calls them 'various,' from their object. They were about various things. So he calls, by another word of the same signification, the Jewish rites, 'divers or various washings,' Heb. ix. 10. The things were many and various, and so were the doctrines concerning them; which are since multiplied in their Talmud and other writings, into such a heap of confusion as is inexpressible. Or he calls them various,' as those which took off the mind from its stability, tossing it up and down in all uncertainties, as variety of doctrines are apt to do. When once men begin to give ear to such doctrines, they lose all the rest and composure of their minds, as we see by expe

rience.

And they are 'strange,' as being concerning things foreign to the gospel, that are uncompliant with the nature and genius of it. Such are all doctrines about religious ceremonies, and the scrupulous observance of them. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost,' Rom. xiv. 17.

Secondly. With respect to these doctrines, the charge in the dehortation is, that they should not be Tepipepeσai, 'carried about' with them. To the same purpose he useth the same word, Eph. iv. 14, 'Tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.' There is an allusion to ships, and the impression of the wind upon them. For the word joined with this here used λvdwviloμevos, signifies one that is tossed on the waves of the sea when they are agitated by the wind. It is a lively similitude, expressing both the nature of these strange doctrines, the way of spreading them, and their effects on the minds of men. In themselves they are light and vain, as the wind, or clouds without water,' carried about of winds. And those who would impose them on others, commonly do it with a great and vehement blustering. You must be circumcised or you cannot be saved, as Acts xv. 1. Unless you believe and practise these things, you are heretics or schismatics, and cannot be saved. All imposition of doctrine is with such a noise and wind. And the effects of them on the minds of men, are those of contrary winds at sea. They toss men up and down, they turn them out of their course, and endanger their destruction. So it is with these doctrines: first, they fill the minds of men with uncertainties, as to what they have believed, and as to what is proposed to them. And then for the most part, they alter the whole course of their profession; and lastly, endanger their cternal ruin. All these are fully exemplified in the instance of the Galatian churches, which were carried about with these strange doctrines, See Gal. i. 6, 7, iii. 1, iv. 9-11, v. 1-5. Throughout that whole Epistle, the evil here cautioned against, is evidently exemplified. And there are many weighty directions intimated, and included in these words for the use of the church, at all seasons. As,

Obs. I. That there is a revelation of truth given to the church in the word of God, which is its only doctrinal foundation, and rule of faith.

Obs. II. That this doctrine is cognate, and every way suited to the promotion of the grace of God in believers, and the attainment of their own salvation.

Obs. III. That doctrines unsuited to this first revelation by Christ and his apostles as recorded in the Scripture, alien and foreign from them, did soon spring up unto the trouble of the church; they had done so in those days, and continued to do so in all ensuing ages.

Obs. IV. That usually such doctrines as are empty of truth and substance, useless and foreign to the nature and genius of evangelical grace and truth, are imposed by their authors and abettors, with a great noise and vehemence on those who have been instructed in the truth.

Obs. V. Where such doctrines are entertained, they make men double-minded, unstable, turning them from the truth, and drawing them at length into perdition.

Obs. VI. The ruin of the church in after ages, arose from the neglect of this apostolical caution, in giving heed unto various and strange doctrines, which at length overthrew and excluded the fundamental doctrines of the gospel.

Obs. VII. Herein lies the safety of all believers, and of all churches; namely, to keep themselves precisely unto the first complete revelation of divine truth in the word of God.-Let men pretend what they will, and bluster as they please, in an adherence to this principle we are safe; and if we depart from it, we shall be hurried and carried about through innumerable uncertainties unto ruin.

Secondly. The remaining words give a reason and enforcement of this charge. So the conjunctive particle yap, 'for,' doth declare. And a particular instance is given of those doctrines about which he had warned them, namely, about meats. And in the words there is, 1. An end proposed which ought to be aimed at in the profession of religion, and that is, the establishment of the heart. 2. Two ways mentioned, whereby (as is pleaded) it may be attained; and they are grace and meats. 3. A preference given herein to grace: It is good that the heart be established with grace, not with meats.' 4. A reason is added hereof from the insufficiency of meats to that purpose; they have not profited them that walked in them. All which must be opened.

1. The end to be aimed at in the profession of religion, is BeẞaιovoJaι Tηy Kapdiaν, that the heart be established.' The heart, that is, of every believer, and so of them all. Beßatow, is 'to confirm,' to establish, and is applied both to things and persons. So the word of the gospel is said to be confirmed or established by signs, Mark xvi. 20. And the testimony of Christ, 1 Cor. i. 6. And the promises by their accomplishment, Rom. xv. 8. And so it is applied to persons, 1 Cor. i. 8, confirm or establish you.' He that establisheth us,' 2 Cor. i. 21. And we are said to be established in the faith,' Col. ii. 7. In all which places the same word is used. And the heart is here taken for the mind, the soul, or spirit, as is usual in the Scripture. Wherefore, to have the heart established, is to be so confirmed in the faith, as to have these two effects wrought thereby. 1. A fixed persuasion of the mind in the truth. A just, firm settlement of mind in the assurance of it. This is opposed to a being 'tossed to and fro,' and being carried away with divers doctrines, Eph. iv. 14. And hereunto it is required