§. 50. Of the meaning of Heb. 9. 10.
VVhich stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and ca•…•… Ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
THe Apostle to convince those to whom he wrote of the truth of that great point, concerning the impotency of legal rites, that they could not make perfect, a•…•… pertaining to the conscience, he here renders the reason thereof, which is taken from the nature of those rites, which only concern the external parts of man, and there∣fore* 1.1 cannot give full satisfaction to the conscience; For as whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him, (Mark 7. 18.) so whatsoever thing a man doth from without to the body only, doth not defile the man, as concerning the conscience.
The external things which the Apostle produceth are four in number.
- 1. Meats.
- 2. Drinks.
- 3. Washings.
- 4. Ordinances of the flesh.* 1.2
Our English translators put in these words, which stood, to make up the sense. It implies the force of the reason: as if they had added one word more, because, be∣cause they stood.
The exclusive particle a 1.3 onely, addeth force to the reason: because onely in meats, &c. If there had been spiritual matters joyned with them, by vertue of those spiritualls, they might have made perfect as pertaining to the consci∣ence.
- 1. By the first particular b 1.4 Meats he understandeth
- 1. All manner of Meat-offerings: whereof he maketh a particular enumeration, Lev▪ •…•…, 1, 2. &c.
- 2. All those offerings whereof the Priests had their portion to eat. Lev. 6. 14. &c. and 7. 6. &c.
- 3. The distinction of clean and unclean meats. Lev. 11. 7. &c. Deut. 14. 4. &c.
- 2. By the second, are meant all manner of Drink-offerings. Exod. 29. 40. Lev. 23. 8.* 1.5 And such drinks as were allowed or forbidden to Priests. Lev. 10. 9. And to Naza∣rites, Numb. 6. 3. And to the Mothers of Nazarites, Iudg. 13. 4. And all drink that was in any unclean Vessel. Lev. 11. 34.
Obj. These are said to be unclean, and in that respect to defile a man.
Answ. This was only concerning the flesh. v. 13.
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3. By the third d 1.6 washings, The manifold rites of washing the Priests, their clothes, the sacrifices, and sundry sorts of things that were unclean. The inwards and leggs of a sacrifice were to be washed in water, Lev. 1. 9, 13. Aaron and his Sons were to wash their hands and feet when they entered into the Congregation. Exod. 30. 19. All that are any way made unclean, were to bathe themselves in water. Lev. 15. 6. &c. Sundry unclean Vessels were to be washed: and sundry Garments. Lev. 6. 27, 28. There was also a sprinkling water to sprinkle on such as should be un∣clean. Numb. 19. 13. &c.
By reason of the many kinds of washings, this Epithite, * 1.7 diverse, is added.
- 4. The Greek word translated e 1.8 Ordinances, is the same that was used, v. 1. §. 3. and taken in the same sense. They are here called Ordinances f 1.9 of the flesh. Such as concerned the flesh or body of man. This is an Hebraisme. For perspicuity sake our English turns it, carnall Ordinances. This adjective and g 1.10 carnal or fleshly, is u∣sed by the Apostle himself in the Greek: and applyed to the Commandement, which he stileth a carnal Commandement. See chap. 7. v. 16. §. 80, 81. Under these Ordinances he compriseth all manner of legal rites, besides the three before menti∣oned, Meats, Drinks, Washings. Therefore in the margin of our English is set down rites or Ceremonies. For