Chapter II
That God has abolished the legal sacrifices,
to introduce the spiritual righteousness of the Gospel.
SEEING then the days are
exceedingly evil, and the
adversary has got the power of this
present world we ought to give the
more diligence to inquire into the
righteous judgments of the Lord.
2 Now the assistants of our
faith are fear and patience; our
fellow-combatants, long suffering
and continence.
3 Whilst these remain pure
in what relates unto the Lord,
wisdom, and understanding, and
science, and knowledge, rejoice
together with them.
4 For God has manifested to us
by all the prophets, that he has no
occasion for our sacrifices, or
burnt-offerings, or oblations:
saying thus; To what purpose is
the multitude of your sacrifices
unto me, saith the Lord.
5 I am full of the burnt-offerings
of rams, and the fat of fed beasts;
and I delight not in the blood of
bullocks, or of he-goats.
6 When ye come to appear
before me, who hath required
this at your hands? Ye shall no
more tread my courts.
7 Bring no more vain oblations,
incense is an abomination unto me
your new moons and sabbaths,
and the calling of assemblies
I cannot bear with, it is iniquity,
even the solemn meeting; your
new moons and your appointed
feasts my soul hateth.
8 These things therefore hath
God abolished, that the new law
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
is without the yoke of any such
necessity, might have the spiritual
offering of, men themselves.
9 For so the Lord saith again
to those heretofore; Did I at all
command your fathers when they
came out of the land of Egypt
concerning burnt-offerings of
sacrifices?
10 But this I commanded them,
saying, Let none of you imagine
evil in your hearts against his
neighbour, and love no false oath.
11 Forasmuch then as we are
not without understanding, we
ought to apprehend the design of
our merciful Father. For he
speaks to us, being willing that
we who have been in the same
error about the sacrifices, should
seek and find how to approach
unto him.
12 And therefore he thus
bespeaks us, The sacrifice of God
(is a broken spirit,) a broken and
contrite heart—God will not despise.
13 Wherefore brethren, we ought
the more diligently to inquire
after those things that belong
to our salvation, that the
adversary may not have any
entrance into us, and deprive
us of our spiritual life.
14 Wherefore he again speaketh
to them, concerning these things;
Ye shall not fast as ye do this day,
to make your voice to be heard on high.
15 Is it such a fast that I have
chosen? A day for a man to afflict
his soul? Is it to bow down his
head like a bulrush, and to spread
sackcloth and ashes under him?
Wilt thou call this a fast, and an
acceptable day to the Lord?
16 But to us he saith on this
wise: Is not this the fast that I
have chosen, to loose the bands of
wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens,
and to let the oppressed go free:
and that ye break every yoke?
17 Is it not to deal thy bread
to the hungry, and that thou bring
the poor that are cast out to thy
house? When thou seest the naked
that thou cover him, and that thou
hide not thyself from thy own
flesh.
18 Then shall thy light break
forth as the morning, and thy
health shall spring forth speedily;
and thy righteousness shall go
before thee; the glory of the Lord
shall be thy reward.
19 Then shalt thou call and
the Lord shall answer; thou shalt
cry and he shall say, Here I am;
if thou put away from the midst of
thee the yoke; the putting forth
of the finger, and speaking vanity;
and if thou draw out thy soul to
the hungry; and satisfy the
afflicted soul.
20 In this, therefore, brethren,
God has manifested his foreknowledge
and love for us; because the
people which he has purchased to
his beloved Son were to believe
in sincerity; and therefore he has
shown these things to all of us,
that we should not run as
proselytes to the Jewish Law.