[Which stood] only in meats and drinks
That is, along with the gifts and sacrifices offered, there only
were meat offerings and drink offerings; things which only
respect the body, and cannot therefore make perfect, as to the
conscience; to which may be added, that while the tabernacle was
standing, and typical service was in being, there was a
prohibition of certain meats, as unclean, and an allowance of
others, as clean, (
Leviticus 11:2-31 ) and there were certain drinks which were
unlawful to certain persons, at certain times, as to the priests
and Nazarites, ( Leviticus
10:9 ) ( Numbers 6:3 ) and
which, for the above reason, could make no man perfect:
and divers washings
or "baptisms": the doctrine of which, the apostle would not have
laid again, ( Hebrews 6:2 ) these
were the washings of the priests and of the Israelites, and of
sacrifices, and of garments, and of vessels and other things; and
which, because they were performed by immersion, they are called
"baptisms": and now since these only sanctified to the purifying
of the flesh, or what was outward, they could not reach the
conscience, or make perfect with respect to that: and
carnal ordinances:
which belonged to the flesh, and not the spirit or soul, and
therefore could not affect that; besides, these were only
imposed on them until the time of reformation;
they were enjoined the Jews only, though by God himself; and were
put upon them as a burden, or a yoke, and which was on some
accounts intolerable, but were not to continue any longer than
the time of the Gospel, here called "the time of reformation", or
of "correction", and emendation; in which, things that were
faulty and deficient are amended and perfected, and in which
burdensome rites and ceremonies are removed, and better
ordinances introduced: or rather of direction: in which saints
are directed to Christ, the sum and substance of all types,
shadows, and sacrifices, and in whom alone perfection is.