the people among whom it was, Lev. xvi. 16. Sin had entered into heaven itself, in the apostasy of angels; whence it was not pure in the sight of God, Job xv. 15. And upon the sin of man, a state of enmity ensued between the angels above, and men below; so that heaven was no meet place for an habitation unto them both, until they were reconciled; which was done only in the sacrifice of Christ, Eph. i. 10. Hence, if the heavenly things were not defiled in themselves, yet in relation unto us they were so; which is now taken away.

The sum is, as the covenant, the book, the people, the tabernacle, were all purified and dedicated unto their especial ends, by the blood of calves and goats, wherein was laid the foundation of all gracious intercourse between God and the church, under the old covenant; so all things whatever, that in the counsel of God belonged unto the new covenant, the whole mediation of Christ, with all the spiritual and eternal effects of it, were confirmed, dedicated unto God, and made effectual unto the ends of the covenant, by the blood of the sacrifice of Christ, which is the spring from whence efficacy is communicated unto them all. And moreover, the souls and consciences of the elect are purified and sanctified from all defilements thereby, which work is gradually carried on in them, by renewed applications of the same blood unto them, until they are all presented unto God, glorious, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. And we are taught, that,

Obs. III. The one sacrifice of Christ, with what ensued thereon, was the only means to render effectual all the counsels of God, concerning the redemption and salvation of the church, - Eph. i. 3-7. Rom. iii. 24-26.

Of these heavenly things, it is said, that they were purified with better sacrifices than these, κρείττοσι θυσίαις παρα ταυτας. Παρά is added to increase the signification. All sober expositors agree, that here is an enallage of number, the plural put for the singular. The one sacrifice of Christ is alone intended. But because it answered all other sacrifices, exceeded them all in dig nity, was of more use and efficacy than they all, it is so expressed; that one sacrifice which comprised the virtue, benefit and signification of all other. The gloss of Grotius on these words is intolerable, and justly offensive unto all pious souls. Ourias, saith he, quia non tantum Christi perpessiones intelligit, sed corum qui ipsum sectantur, unà cum precibus et operibus misericordia. Is it possible that any Christian should not tremble to join the sufferings of men and their works, with the sacrifice of Christ, as unto the same kind of efficacy in purifying of these heavenly things? Do they make atonement for sin? Are they offered unto God for that end? Are they sprinkled on these things for their purification?

4. The modification of the former proposition belongs unto this also. It was necessary these things should be thus purified. 1. As that which the holiness of God required, and which therefore in his wisdom and grace he appointed. 2. As that which in itself was meet and becoming the righteousness of God, Heb. ii. 10. Nothing but the sacrifice of Christ, with the everlasting efficacy of his most precious blood, could thus purify the heavenly things, and dedicate the whole new crea

tion unto God.

The last thing we shall observe hereon, is, that it was Juri that this dedication and purification is ascribed unto. Now 90a is a slain sacrifice, a sacrifice as slain; a sacrifice by mactation, killing or shedding of blood; so is also. Wherefore it is the sacrifice of Christ in his death and blood-shedding, that is the cause of these things. Other Suria of him there was none, he offered none. For the vindication hereof we must examine the comment of Schlictingius on this place. words are,

His

Licet enim non sanguinem suum Christus Deo obtulerit, sed se ipsum; tamen sine sanguinis effusione offerre se ipsum non potuit neque debuit. Ex eo vero quod diximus sit, ut autor divinus Christum cum victimus legalibus conferens, perpetuò fugiat dicere Christi sanguinem fuisse oblatum; et nihilominus ut similitudini serviat, perpetuò Christi sanguinis fusionem insinuet, quæ nisi antecessisset, haudquaquam tam plena tamque concinna inter Christum et victimas antiquas comparatio institui potuisset. Ex his ergo manifestum est in illa sancta celestia, ad eorum dedicationem emundationemque peragendam, victimam pretiosissimam, proinde non sanguinem hircorum et vitulorum, imò ne sanguinem quidem ullum, sed ipsum Dei filium, idque omnibus mortalis natura exuviis depositis, quo nulla pretiosior et sanctior victima cogitari potuit, debuisse inferri. Answ. 1. The distinction between Christ offering his blood, and offering himself to God, (the foundation of this discourse), is coined on purpose to pervert the truth. For neither did Christ offer his blood unto God, but in the offering of himself; nor did he offer himself unto God, but in and by the shedding and offering of his blood. There is no distinction between Christ offering of himself and offering of his blood, other than between the being of any thing, and the form and manner of its being what it is. 2. That he could not offer himself without the antecedent effusion of his blood, seems a kind concession, but it bath the same design with the preceding distinction. But in the offering of himself he was Juria, a slain sacrifice,' which was in and by the effusion of his blood: in the very shedding of it, it was offered unto God. 3. It is an useless observation, that the apostle, in comparing the sacrifice of Christ with the legal victims, doth, as it is said, carefully avoid the saying that he offered his blood. For in those legal sacrifices the beasts

themselves were always said to be offered, although it was the blood alone wherewith atonement was made on the altar, Lev. xvii. 11. And this the apostle expressly ascribes unto the blood of Christ, in answer unto the blood of bulls and goats, ver. 13, 14. 4. The apostle doth not insinuate the mention of the shedding of the blood of Christ, only to make up a full and fit comparison with the legal victims, as is impudently insinuated; but he directly ascribes the whole effect of reconciliation, peace, atonement, remission of sins, and sanctification, unto the blood of Christ, as shed and offered unto God. And this he doth not only in this Epistle, where he insists on this comparison, but in other places also where he hath no regard unto it, Rom. iii. 25. Eph. i. 7. v. 2. 25, 26. Tit. ii. 14. Rev. i. 5. 5. Having advanced thus far, in the close of his exposition he excludes the blood of Christ from any more interest or efficiency in the purification of these heavenly things, than the blood of goats and calves; which is such an open contradiction unto the whole design and express words of the apostle, as that the assertion of it exceeds all the bounds of sobriety and modesty. From the words thus opened, we may observe unto our

Obs. IV. Neither could heavenly things have been made meet for us, or our use, nor we have been meet for their enjoyment, had they not been dedicated, and we been purged by the sacrifice of Christ.-There was no suitableness, either in them unto us, or in us unto them, until it was introduced by the blood of Christ. Without the efficiency hereof, heavenly things would not be heavenly unto the minds and souls of men; they would neither please them, nor satisfy them, nor make them blessed. Unless they themselves are purged, all things, even heavenly things themselves, would be unclean and defiled unto them, Tit. i. 15.

Obs. V. Every eternal mercy, every spiritual privilege, is both purchased for us, and sprinkled unto us, by the blood of Christ.

Obs. VI. There is such an uncleanness in our natures, our persons, our duties and worship, that unless they and we are all sprinkled with the blood of Christ, neither we nor they can have any acceptance with God.

Obs. VII. The sacrifice of Christ is the one only everlasting fountain and spring of all sanctification and sacred dedication; whereby the whole new creation is purified and dedicated to God.

VER. 24. The opposition between the high priests of the law, and their sacrifices, with their efficacy, and the Lord Christ with his sacrifice and its efficacy, is farther carried on in this verse. And this is done in an instance of a dissimilitude between them, as it was shewed in general before, in how many things they did agree. And this dissimilitude consists in the

place and manner of the discharge of their office, after the great expiatory sacrifice, which each of them did offer. The causal connexion of the words doth also intimate, that a farther evidence is given unto what was before laid down; namely, that heavenly things were purified by the blood of Christ. For as an assurance thereof, upon the dedication of the new covenant, he entered into heaven itself. Had he purified the things only on the earth, we could have entered only into an earthly sanctuary, as did the high priest of old. But he is entered, as the apostle now declares, into heaven itself, which, in the gracious presence of God therein, is the spring and centre of all the things purified by his sacrifice.

VER. 24.-Ov γαρ εις χειροποιητα άγια εισήλθεν ὁ Χριστος, αντιτυπα των αληθινών, αλλ' εις αυτον τον ἔρανον, νυν εμφανισθηναι των προσωπω τ8 Θε8 ὑπερ ήμων. Eis dyia, Syr. Nupp nah, into the house of the sanctuary sancla, sacrarium, sanctuarium, sancta sanctorum, the most holy place. Xugoronta, manufacta, manibus extructa, built with

Nipo

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,דאיתוהי דמותא דהו שרירא .hands. Avrirose Tay saiyan, Syr

'which is the similitude of that which is true.' Vul. Exemplaria verorum. Exemplar respondens veris illis, An example answering unto the true,'' a resemblance of the true.' To g Wπw; Syг. 777p, before the face;' faciei, vultui, conspectui, in the presence.'

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VER. 24.-For Christ is not entered into the holy places (the sanctuary) made with hands, the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. There is in the words a dissimilitude between the Lord Christ and the priests of the law, or an opposition between what was done by the one and the other. And one branch of the antithesis, as unto affirmation on the one hand, is included in the negation on the other. For in that he says he is not entered into the holy places made with hands, it is affirmed that the high priest did so of old, and no more.

In the words there is,

First, The subject spoken of, that is Christ.

Secondly, A double proposition concerning him. 1. Negative; that he is not entered into the holy places made with hands.' 2. Affirmative; that he is entered into heaven itself." Thirdly, The end of what is so affirmatively ascribed unto him, to appear in the presence of God for us.'

First, The subject spoken of is, é Xerres, Christ.' 'Jesus,' saith the Vulgar Latin. But all Greek copies, with the Syriac, have Christ. From the 15th verse, he had spoken indefinitely of the mediator of the new covenant, what he was to be, and what he had to do, whoever he were. This mediator, and

the high priest of the church, are one and the same. He makes application of all he had said, unto one singular person, Christ our high priest.

Secondly, That which in general is ascribed unto him, or spoken of him both negatively and affirmatively, is an entrance,' . That which was the peculiar dignity of the high priest of old, wherein the principal discharge of his duty did consist, and whereon the efficacy of his whole ministration did depend, was, that he, and he alone, did enter into the holy place, the typical representation of the presence of God. Wherefore, such an entrance must our high priest have after he had offered himself once for all. This entrance of our high priest as unto the place whereinto he entered, is expressed,

First, Negatively; yag is geminta dia,not into the holy places made with hands.' The place intended, is the sanctuary, or most holy place, in the tabernacle. It is here expressed in the plural number, to answer the Hebrew Dрp; for so the LXX. render their reduplications, wherewith they supply their want of superlatives. These holy places Christ entered not into. A double description is here given of this place. 1. As unto its nature. 2. As unto its use.

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1. As unto its nature, it was goinтa, made with hands,' built by the hands of men. The manner of this building was part of its glory; for it relates unto the framing and erection of the tabernacle in the wilderness. And as this was wholly directed by God himself, so he endowed them, in an extraordinary manner with singular skill and wisdom, by whom the work was wrought. But as unto the thing itself, it is a diminution from its glory, not absolutely but comparatively; that it was still made by the hands of men, and so had no glory in comparison of that which doth excel, namely, heaven itself.

2. As unto the use of these holies, they were «TITURA TWY AHNJLYWY. Αντίτυπο» is sometimes used for πραγμα αντί τε τυπε, 'that which is signified by the type;' and this we commonly call the antitype. So is the word used by the apostle Peter, 1 Pet. iii. 21. the substance of what is typified. Sometimes it is used for τυπος αντι το πραγματος, • the type and resemblance of the thing signified.' So is it here used, and well rendered figures.' And what the apostle calls izdara in the foregoing verse, he here Calls αντίτυπα. They are therefore the same, only they express different respects and notions of the same things. As the delineation and representation of heavenly things in them were obscure and dark, they were imoduara similitudes, resemblances of heavenly things; as that representation which they had and made of them, was a transcript from the original pattern and idea in the mind of God, and shewed unto Moses in the mount, they were arituna, or express figures.'

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And they were thus figures, Tw and, of the true;' that