direction in
which we must seek the interpretation of this difficult passage. The
Apostle brushes aside the novel teaching of the Essenes, who, without
becoming Christians, "had broken away from the sacrificial system" of
the Mosaic law and "substituted for it new ordinances of their own,
according to which the daily meal became a sacrifice, and the president
of the community took the place of the Levitical priest." Such teaching
was quite as inconsistent with Judaism as with Christianity. But the
writer of this Epistle rejects it for precisely the same reason for
which he repudiates Judaism. Both are inconsistent with the perfect
separateness of Christ's atonement.

It is well, as St. Paul said, for every man to be fully assured in his
own mind.[399] A doubting conscience enfeebles a man's spiritual vigour
for work. The Essenes found a remedy for morbidness in strictness as to
meats and minute directions for the employment of time. St. Paul taught
that an unhealthy casuistry would be best counteracted by doing all
things unto the Lord. "He that eateth eateth unto the Lord, for he
giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, unto the Lord he eateth not,
and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and none dieth
to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we
die, we die unto the Lord."[400] The author of the Epistle to the
Hebrews considers that it betokens a littleness of soul to strengthen
conscience by regulations as to various kinds of food. The noble
thing[401] is that the heart--that is, the conscience--be stablished by
thankfulness,[402] which will produce a strong, placid, courageous, and
healthy moral perception. The moral code of the New Testament is direct
and simple. It is entirely free from all casuistical crotchets and
distinctions without a difference. Those who busy themselves[403] about
such matters have never gained anything by it.

Do the Essenes repudiate the altar the sacrifice of which may not be
eaten? Do they teach that the only sacrifice for sin is the daily meal?
This is a fatal error. "We _have_" says the Apostle, "an altar of which
the worshippers are not permitted to eat."[404] All these expressions
are metaphorical. By the altar we must understand the atoning sacrifice
of Christ; by "those who serve the tabernacle" are meant believers in
that sacrifice, prefigured, however, by the priests and worshippers
under the old covenant; and by "eating of the altar"