A. D. 63. 8 The Holy Ghoft this fignifying, that the way into the holieft of all, was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet stand. ing: 8. Now, that Moft Holy Place may be an Emblem of Heaven. And the Meaning of the High Priest's being fuffered Alone, and but Once a Year, to enter that folemn Apartment, and the reft of the Priests and People being wholly excluded from it, could be only this, viz. That the true and perfect Manner of Mens Attainment of Heaven and true Happiness, by the full Pardon of their Sins, and the compleat Difpenfation of Religion, was not yet clearly manifefted under the Jewish Oeconomy. 9 Which was a figure for the time * then prefent, in which were offered both gifts and facrifices, that could not make him that did the fervice perfect, as pertaining to the conscience. 10 Which flood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation. 11 But Chrift being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands; that is to 9 & 10. And for the fame Reafon, neither is it fo Now, * under the Temple Service, which is nothing but a more fplendid Continuation of that of the Tabernacle, confifting of External and Figurative Sacrifices and Ceremonies, that have nothing in them to expiate the Guilt, and clear the Confcience of a Sinner; but are only Introductions to that Great Sacrifice, and moft Perfect Difpenfation of Jefus Chrift the Messiah. 11 & 12. For He, indeed, by fhedding his own precious and innocent Blood for us, has perfected that Expiation for our Sins, which the Blood of all the Beasts upon Earth, could no way have obtained: And fay, not of this build by being Exalted into Heaven it self, and become our Interceffor there, He is a High Prieft of that Dignity and ing; 12 Neither eternal * ἥτις παραβολὴ εἰς τᾶτον καιρὸν τὸν ἔνεση κότα. Which Figure remains to This prefent Time. 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves: but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, fprinkling the unclean, fanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; 14 How much more fhall the blood of Chrift, who through the eternal * Spirit, of. fered himself without fpot to God, purge your confcience from dead works to ferve the living God? eternal Prevalency, which the Jewish A.D.63. 13 & 14. For if those merely External and Typical Performances of Sacrificing, Washings, Sprinklings, &c. were allowed fufficient to cleanse the Jews from Legal Defilements, and procure them Readmiffion to the Service of the Tabernacle and Temple, (which was the utmoft they could do ;) How much more available, in Proportion, must be the Sacrifice of Chrift's Blood, a Perfon of the higheft Dignity, and unfpotted Innocence, raised from the Dead by the Power of the Eternal Spirit: The Spirit under whofe Conduct and Direction he was, and by which he was demonftrated to be indeed the Son of God with Power; lived a fpotlefs Life, offering himself an immaculate Sacrifice to God; and then, by the Power of the fame Spirit, was Exalted into Heaven, there prefenting Himself as an Interceffor with the Father, to Expiate for all thofe Sins that render us obnoxious to Death and Mifery, and to make us the true Church and Servants of God, worthy to ferve him here, and to enjoy him in his Heavenly Sanctuary hereafter ? 15 And for this caufe he is the media tor of the new teftament that by means of death, for the Redemption of the trans. greffions that were under 15. Thus is Chrift the Media- do. tor of a New and better Covenant By this Blood. than that of Mofes. By his Death are all thofe Tranfgreffions forgiven, which would have entailed Death upon us, notwithstanding the Expiation of the Jewish Sacrifices; and all true Chriftian S Ver. 14. The Eternal Spirit. See and compare Gen. xlix. 26 Habac. iii. 6. Note alfo, that many MSS. read it ayis The. Holy Spirit; and fo the Vulgar Latin. A. D. 63. under the firft teftament, they which are called, might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16 For where a te- death of the teftator. it is of no strength at A9 as all while the teftator liveth. in the ברת Heb. Chriftian Believers, viz. whether fews under the first Teftament or Covenant, or Gentile Believers under this fecond, are bleft with the Promise of Eternal Life and Happiness. 16 & 17. To his Death, I fay, is all this owing; nor could we enjoy it, till his Sufferings were paft, any more than the laft Will and Tefta ment of any Man can be Valid, till the Teftator be Dead. For thus may the Bleffings of Chriftianity be confidered, either as a || Covenant of God the Father, that was to receive its Ratification by the Blood of Christ: Teftament of Chrift Himfelf, that could and by, his Deathf. Or as the Will and * out blood. 18. And in this it agrees with the Mofaical Covenant, which was Confirmed and Ratified by fprinkling the People with the Blood of Slain Beafts: Thereby figuratively showing the Neceffity of Chrift's Blood for the Redemption of Mankind. 19 For when Mofes had spoken every precept to all the people, according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, let wool, and hyflop, and fprinkled both the book and all the people. with water and fcar. 19 & 20. According to that Account in Exod. xxiv. That after Mofes had read over the Law to the People, He took the Blood of Calves and Goats, mixing the Blood with Water (to keep it from congealing ;) and taking Scarlet Wool (to imbibe ;) and Hyffop (to sprinkle it ;) and with it he fprinkled the Book of the Law, and had it (by degrees*) Sprinkled upon all + Ver. 15, 16, 17, &c. Note, I have here expreffed the two Acceptations whereof the Words Arabian, Covenant or Teftament, and Aat, the Teftator or Pacifier, are capable of in this difficult Paffage. The more critical Reader may confult the learned Mr. Pierce. *Not Dedicated without Blood, iyxmainsai, i. e. Baia. yiyon exupéon. Chryfoftom. So the Syriac Verfion *Jofephus Archaol. Lib. III. p. 89. 20 Saying, This is the blood of the teftament which God hath enjoyned unto you. all the People, at leaft all the chief A.D. 63. Heads and Reprefentatives of them; faying, This is the Blood of the Covenant which God hath enjoined to you i. e. by this Ceremony used in making Covenants and Contracts, God on His Part engages to perform the Promises, and you on your Part to obferve the Laws of this Covenant. 21 Moreover, he 21. In like manner, after the Taberfprinkled with blood nacle was built, he fprinkled the whole both the tabernacle, Tabernacle, and all the Utenfils of Diand all the veffels of vine Service belonging to it*. the ministry. 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood and without fhedding of blood is no remif. 22. And, you know, that accord ing to That Law, all kind of Veffels and Appurtenances of the Tabernacle whatever, were Purified and Confecrated by being sprinkled with Blood (excepting fome Veffels of Metal that would abide the Fire, and Cloaths that were washed in Water.) And that no Perfon whatever was Cleansed, and Legally Abfolved from his Sins or Defilements, without a Bloody Sacrifice. fion. 23 It was therefore neceffary that the paterns of things in the heavens fhould be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better facrifices than these. 24 For Chrift is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but 23. Thus Men obtained Admiffion to that Sanctuary here Below: But as to Heaven it felf, we can gain no Entrance into That, but by Great Sacrifice of Christ, in a Perbeing Redeemed and Purified by the fect and Effectual Manner, as Jewish Things and Perfons were in a Figurative one. 24. And this Chrift has done, by his Afcenfion into Heaven, and becoming our Advocate with the Father there; in Comparison of which, the Entrance of the High Prieft into the Second S 2 * Ver. 21. Sprinkled the Tabernacle. See and compare what is faid in Exod. xxiv. and xl. Chapters; in which laft Chapter, Ver. 9.-11. the Word Sprinkling is not indeed expreffed, but is (moft probably) included in the Phrafes Halloving, Sanctifying, Compare alfo Ver. 12 & 13 of that Chapter with Exod. xxviii. 40, xxix. 1,-20, 21, and Levit, xvi, 16—20, &c. A.D. 63. into heaven itself, now to appear in the prefence of God for us. 25 Nor yet that he fhould offer himself often, as the high prieft entereth into the holy place every year with the blood of others : 26 For then nruft he often have fuffered fince the foundation of the world but now once in the end of the world, hath he appeared to put away fin by the facrifce of himself. Second Tabernacle, the Moft Holy Place, was nothing but a mere Shadow, and a figurative Refemblance. 25 & 26. And fo effectually fufficient is this his Entrance into Hea ven, to prefent himself to God for us, that neither it, nor his Death in order to it, need ever be repeated, as thofe of the Legal Priests were, every Year. For the One Attonement he has made, in this laft and great Difpenfation of the Gospel, by the Sacrifice of Himfelf, is abundantly enough for the Pardon and Salvation of All Mankind. 27 & 28. And thus, fo far, the Death of Chrift is like that of all other Men, viz. That as They Die but Once, and are then to receive an Eternal Recompence for what they have done in this Life; fo Chrift, after Once dying for our Sins, has no more Sufferings to undergo, no further Sacrifice † to make, and is to appear no more upon Earth, till, at the Solemn Day of Judgment, he Reward all his true Difciples. CHAP. * Now in the End of the World: ἐπὶ συντέλᾳ τῶν ἀιώνων, In the laft Age or Difpenfation. Ibid. Ver. 26. Now once: azak, Once for all; in the fame Senfe with apának, it being fo ufed in this, and in many other Paffages of the New Teftament and LXX, with this Emphafis, not taken Notice of by Interpre.ers. Compare 1 Pet. iii. 20. Jude ver. 3. Heb. vi. 4. vii. 27.-X. 10. Pfal. lxxxix. 36. Job. xl. 4. Efther iv. 11. t Appear without Sin; xapic agrias, Without any further Offering for Sin. As in 2 Gor. v. 21. Or elfe referring thefe Words to tendexomérois, Thofe that look for him without Sin, are, good and pure Chriflians, if this be not too hard a Tranpofition. Befide that, xapis agria is naturally connected to c Φλωτέρε, ἂς ἀνενεγκεῖν ἁμαρτίας is to ἅπαξ foregoing. |