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 expressed whereunto these encouragements and privileges 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 washed with pure Water.

The duty itself is expressed by [in non-Latin alphabet], the word whereby the whole performance of all divine, solemn worship was constantly expressed. For God having fixed the residence of the signs of his presence to 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 to that place, the means of their worship, and the pledges of God's presence therein. So were they to bring their gifts, their offerings, their sacrifices; every thing wherewith they worshipped, in it was an approximation to God. Now all these things, Tabernacle, Temple, Altar, as we have showed, were types of Christ and the gracious presence of God in him, and they were appointed only to this end to teach the Church to look for an access to God in and by him alone. Therefore the Apostle tells the Hebrews, that as they had under the old Testament an approach to God, and were then [in non-Latin alphabet], those that came and drew nigh to 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 to God himself, but only some outward pledges of his presence. (3.) That in this access they were always excluded from an entrance into the Holiest. This way being now removed, there is that appointed in the room thereof, which is liable to none of these defects. For, (1.) It is not by things carnal, but in a holy spiritual way and manner, as the ensuing description of it does manifest. (2.) It is not to any outward pledges of the divine presence, but immediately to God himself even the Father. (3.) It is into the most holy place itself, the special residence of God, and of our High Priest Christ Jesus. Therefore this drawing near contains all the holy worship of the Church, both public and private, all the ways of our access to God by Christ. And the charge given for this duty, is the first inference the Apostle makes from the consideration of the benefits we receive by the Priesthood and Sacrifice of Christ.

The principal qualification of the persons exhorted to this duty, is a true heart. God in an especial manner requires truth in the inward parts in all that come to him (Psalm 51:6). Especially he does so in his worship (John 4:24). Now truth respects either the mind, and is opposed to falsehood; or respects the heart and affections, and is opposed to hypocrisy. 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 to all hypocrisy. Two things are therefore comprised in this qualification:

1. That the heart is that which God principally respects in our access to him. The Hebrews in their degenerate condition rested in the outward 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 hypocrisy in the acts of worship that it goes about, but also that in its habitual frame it be holy, and throughout leavened with sincerity. From there 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 to God in his holy worship.

It is so, (1.) From the nature of God. (2.) From the nature of the worship itself. (3.) From the conscience of the worshippers, which can have neither boldness nor confidence without it. What is required to that sincerity or true heart, without which we cannot fully draw nigh to God in any duty of his worship, I cannot now declare.

There is the way and manner, together with the principle to be acted in all our accesses to God, [in non-Latin alphabet], in the full assurance of faith. [1.] Without faith it is impossible to please God. Therefore faith is required in this access on a twofold account: (1.) Of the qualification of the person, he must be a true believer who has 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 to God which is not quickened and enlivened by faith. [2.] As to this access to God by Christ, the Apostle requires that there be a full assurance of faith. Many have disputed wherein this assurance of faith does 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, [in non-Latin alphabet], be elsewhere (Romans 4:21; chapter 14:15), to signify a full satisfaction of mind, in what we are persuaded of. Here two things seem to be included in it.

1. That which in other places the Apostle expresses by [in non-Latin alphabet], which is the word constantly used to declare the frame of mind which is or ought to be in Gospel worshippers, in opposition to that of the Law. And it has two things in it: (1.) An open view of the spiritual glories, of the way and end of our approach to 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 expresses the way and manner of our approaching to God by Christ, in opposition to 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 to.

A firm and unmoveable persuasion concerning the Priesthood of Christ, whereby we have this access to 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 shows that under it men could have no access to God, nor acceptance with him. Therefore 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 to all other ways and means thereof, that is intended. But withal this persuasion, is accompanied with an assured trust of our own acceptance with God in and by him, with an acquiescence of our souls therein.

The actual exercise of faith is required in all our approaches to God, in every particular duty of his worship. Without this no outward solemnity of worship, no exercise of it will avail us.

It is faith in Christ alone that gives us boldness of access to God.

The person and office of Christ are to be rested in with full assurance in all our accesses to the Throne of Grace.

There is a two-fold preparation prescribed to 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 alludes to 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 Chapter 9. Without the use and application of those purifications, if any of them that were so defiled, did draw nigh to the worship of God, he was to die, or be cut off. These institutions the Apostle does not only allude to, and make application of things outward and carnal, to things inward and spiritual; but withal declares what was their nature and typical administration. They were not appointed for their own sakes, but to typify 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 to the first, it is required that with respect to 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 does especially in the practical understanding, as the affections are ruled and guided thereby.

This conscience is affirmed to be evil, antecedently to 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 disquiets, perplexes, judges, and condemns for sin. In this sense the Apostle speaks of conscience, ver. 2. A conscience condemning us for sin, which the sacrifices of the Law could not take away; so a 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 man's own conscience, opposed to the body, or external known sins, which he speaks of afterwards. I take it here in the latter sense; (1.) because it is said to be evil, which it cannot be, with respect to its former acts and power, for it does therein but perform its duty, and is evil not in itself, but to 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 atonement to sanctification or internal purification.

And this is the last thing in particular, namely, the way or means of the 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 (Exodus 29:16, 21; Leviticus 4:17; Chapter 14:7). The spiritual interpretation and application whereof is given us (Ezekiel 36:25). And whereas this sprinkling from sin, and cleansing thereby, is in Ezekiel ascribed to pure water, whereas it was in the type, the blood of the Sacrifice that was sprinkled, it gives us the sense of the whole. For as the blood of the Sacrifice was a type of the blood and Sacrifice of Christ as offered to God; so it is the Holy Spirit, and his efficacious work that is denoted by pure water, as is frequently produced. Therefore 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 to our souls, wherein the blood of Christ the Son of God cleanses 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.

Although that worship whereby we draw nigh to God be wrought with respect to institution and rule, yet without internal sanctification of heart we are not accepted in it.

Due preparations by fresh applications of our souls to 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 has especial respect to, and the want of it, is the bane of public worship. Where this is not, there is no due reverence of God, no sanctification of his name, not any benefit to be expected to our own souls.

In all wherein we have to do with God, we are principally to regard those internal sins we are conscious of to ourselves, but are hidden from all others.

The last thing required of us in order to the duty exhorted to, is, that our bodies be washed with pure water. This at first view would seem to refer to the outward administration of the ordinance of Baptism required of all, antecedently to their orderly conjunction to 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 does not consist in the washing away of the filth of the body (1 Peter 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 to all our solemn approaches to 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 does 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 to 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 (Romans 3:13, 14, 15, 16; chap. 8:13; and 12:19; Colossians 3:3, 4, 5). (3.) Because the body is defiled by them, some of them in an especial manner (1 Corinthians 6).

Pure water wherewith the body is to be washed, is that which is promised (Ezekiel 36:25, 26), the assistance of the sanctifying Spirit, by virtue of the sacrifice of Christ. Hereby all those sins which cleave to our outward conversation are removed and washed away. For we are sanctified thereby in our whole spirits, souls, and bodies. And that Scripture respects the deeds of sin, as to 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 ourselves 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.

Universal sanctification upon our whole persons, and the mortification in an especial manner of outward sins, are required of us in our drawing nigh to God.

These are the ornaments wherewith we are to prepare our souls for it, and not the gaiety of outward apparel.

It is a great work to draw nigh to God, so as to worship him in spirit and in truth.