Page images
PDF
EPUB

unclean, sanctifieth

the flesh :

xi.

And his blood cleanses our conscience from dead works. 63 heifer sprinkling the sprinkled on the persons who were ceremonially SECT. to the purifying of unclean, sanctifieth to the cleansing of the flesh, and hath so much efficacy in consequence of Heb. the Divine institution, as to reconcile God to ix. 13 the whole Jewish people in the former instance, and in the other, to introduce persons to the liberty of approaching him in his sanctuary, which would otherwise have been denied much them: How much more efficacious shall the 14 more shall the blood blood of Christi be, even of that Divine Savthrough the eternal iour, who by the aids of the eternal Spirit, supSpirit offered him- porting the infirmities of his human nature, self without spot to and animating him to the exercise of all those God, purge your con- virtues and graces which shed such a lustre works to serve the around all the infamy of his cross, offered himliving God?

14 How

of Christ, who

science from dead

self, as a most spotless and acceptable sacrifice
to God? How much more, I say, shall that
blood of his avail to cleanse your conscience from
the pollutions ye have contracted by your dead,
unprofitable, and sinful works, that ye may
freely approach, and serve the living God with
acceptance? How surely shall it appease that
consciousness of guilt, which might otherwise
be so painful to us, and introduce us to present
our homage in the Divine presence, with the
hope of the most favourable regard?

IMPROVEMENT.

THE whole progress of the apostle's argument will lead us to reflect on the reason we have for thankfulness, whose eyes are

i How much more shall the blood of by this Spirit. And I have the pleasure Christ.] The argument in these words to find Dr. Owen (on the Spirit, p. 143. seems to consist in this: it was merely by an arbitrary appointment, that blood and ashes, which in themselves are rather defiling, should be the methods of purification; but a death like that of our blessed Lord, has in itself a proper and mighty energy to promote the purification of the soul.

See also his Exposition on the place,) expressing himself to the same purpose; mentioning also, agreeable to the paraphrase, that by this Spirit Christ was strengthened in the exercise of that admirable faith, submission, charity and zeal, which he shewed in his dying moments. But when this Spirit is called eternal, *Eternal Spirit.] Many have under- I can never think with Dr. Patrick, (on stood this of the Deity in general, or the Numb. xix. 4,) that it refers to the durable Divine nature of Christ. But since the nature of the ashes used for purification words may in a very good and consistent under the law; nor with Mr. Hallet, sense be referred to the Spirit, I could not (Notes and Discourses, Vol. I. p. 36,) that acquiesce in any other interpretation. it is opposed to the spirit of brutes, or reBishop Fell considers them in the same lates to the eternal redemption purchased light, and pertinently mentions Christ's by Christ. It seems a plain testimony to being conceived, proclaimed, anointed the eternity, and consequently the Deity for working miracles, and at last volun- of the Holy Spirit.

tarily laying down, and taking up, his life

64

xi.

verse

Reflections on the Jewish sacrifices, and that of Christ.

SECT. directed, not to an earthly sanctuary and its furniture, splendid indeed, yet comparatively dark, mutable, and perishing; but to the holiest of all, the way to which is now clearly manifested. What matter of solid and everlasting joy! that whereas those 9 gifts and sacrifices were incapable of making those perfect who 10 presented them, or attended upon them, and the ordinances of that sanctuary consisted only in meats and drinks, and corporeal 11 purifications and ceremonies; we by faith behold an High Priest of a better and more perfect tabernacle, an High Priest who hath wrought out eternal redemption, and entered once for all into heav 12 en for us! Eternal redemption! who hath duly considered its glorious import? To him, and only to him, who hath attentively considered it is the name of the Redeemer sufficiently dear. But O, what short of the possession of it, can teach us the true value! What, but to view that temple of God above, where through his intercession we hope to be made pillars, and from thence, to look down upon that abyss of misery and destruction from which nothing but his blood was sufficient to ransom us!

13

Let that blood which is our redemption be our confidence. We know there was no real efficacy in that of bulls, or of goats, or in the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean. All that these things could do was to purify the flesh, and to restore men to 14 an external communion with God in the Jewish sanctuary. But the blood of Christ can purify the conscience, and restore its peace when troubled, when tortured with a sense of guilt, contracted by dead works, which render us unfit for, and incapable of Divine converse. To that blood therefore let us look: let the death of Christ be remembered, as the great spotless sacrifice by which we draw nigh unto God; and let those virtues and graces which were displayed in it, under the influences of that eternal Spirit, which was given unto him without measure, concur with that benevolence which subjected him to it for our sakes, to recommend him to our humblest veneration, and our warmest affection.

To conclude, since it is so expressly said, that the Holy Ghost 8 signified in some degree the great and important doctrines of the gospel by the constitution of the Jewish ritual; let us think of that ritual, whatever obscurity may attend it in part, with a becoming esteem; and peruse it with a view to that great antitype, who is in every sense the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believeth; to him, who by fulfilling it hath given it a glory, much brighter than that which was reflected upon it from the face of Moses, or the most splendid magnificence of Solomon's temple.

He is the Mediator of the new covenant :

SECT. XII.

The apostle discourses, by way of digression, on the necessity of shedding Christ's blood, and the sufficiency of the atonement made by it. Heb. IX. 15, to the end.

HEBREWS IX. 15.

AND for this

cause he is the

that were under the

HEBREWS IX. 15.

a

65

xii.

Heb.

I HAVE just mentioned the offering which SECT. Christ made of himself to God by the eterMediator of the new nal Spirit; and it is a subject so delightful and testament, that by means of death, for so important, that I must dilate upon it a little ix. 15 the redemption of more largely. Attend to it therefore, that he the transgressions is in this respect, and for this purpose, the Mefirst testament, they diator of a new and better covenant, far preferwhich are called able to that of Moses; that death being undermight receive the gone, for the redemption and expiation of transpromise of eternal inheritance. gressions against the former covenant, and which could not be removed by it, they who are called to the engagements and benefits of this, might receive the promise of an eternal inheritance, to which that of Sinai had no immediate reference; its promises only relating to an inheritance in Canaan, and to those temporal enjoyments which were there conferred upon those 16 For where a who were obedient to the Divine law: I say, 16 testament is, there it is in consequence of his undergoing death, that he effectually secures these blessings to us by his covenant; for where a covenant [is] answerable to that which typified this of what I now speak, it necessarily imports the death of that by which the covenant is confirmed

must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

Mediator of a new covenant.] This is the only place in the New Testament, where can be supposed to signify a testament or will, rather than a covenant. But the mediator of a testament is a very improper expression; and one cannot suppose the apostle would play on the ambiguity of the word; I therefore think with Mr. Peirce, that it is better here to retain the usual translation of it. Redemp tion in the next clause plainly signifies purchasing the pardon.

Immediate reference.] For the proof of this I must refer my readers to what my learned friend, Dr. Warburton has written, I think, irrefragably on this subject, in his elaborate and ingenious volumes on the Divine Legation of Moses.

с

He

By which the covenant is confirmed.] Mr. Peirce would render it, of that sacrifice which is appointed by God to pacify; and he brings a remarkable instance from Appian where diabusvos signifies pacifier. saith the scope of the writer requires that it should be so translated here; and accordingly in the next verse he renders it, The pacifier can do nothing, as long as he liveth. But I think if diabeμevos be rendered, he by whom it is confirmed, the argu ment will be clearer. Yet I confess considerable difficulties attend both these interpretations; though the connection with what follows appears easier upon that which I have given. The reader will do well, if he consult Dr. Whitby upon this passage, who assigns and vindicates an

66

Which implies the death of that, which confirms it.

17 For a testament

SECT. For you know that sacrifical rites have ever xii. attended the most celebrated covenants which is of force after men are dead otherwise God hath made with men ; so that I may say, it is of no strength at

Heb.

ix. 17

without blood.

ry precept to all the

a covenant [is] confirmed over the dead, so that all, whilst the testait does not avail, nor has any force at all, while tor liveth. 18 he by whom it is confirmed liveth. From 18 Whereupon neiwhence, and on which principle we may ob- ther the first testaserve, neither was the first [covenant] of which ment was dedicated we have been speaking, I mean that of Moses, originally transacted without the blood of an ap19 pointed sacrifice. For when every command 19 For when Mowas spoken and delivered according to the law ses had spoken eveby Moses to all the people, it is expressly said, people according to that taking the blood of calves and goats mingled the law, he took the with water, and dipping into it a piece of scarlet blood of calves and wool, and a bunch of hyssop, he sprinkled the and scarlet wool, and of goats, with water book itself, which contained the covenant, and hyssop, and sprinkled 20 all the people who were to enter into it; Say- both the book and all ing at the same time, This [is] the blood of the the people. 20 Saying, This is covenant which God hath commanded with re- the blood of the tesspect to you, appointing you to declare your tament which God consent to the terms of it, as you desire Divine hath enjoined unto 21 favour and acceptance. And the tabernacle, 21 Moreover, he

you.

the vessels of the

and all the vessels of Divine service with which sprinkled likewise it was furnished, he also sprinkled with the with blood, both the 22 same blood of the sacrifices. And indeed al- tabernacle, and all most all things were under the law purified by ministry. blood in their first consecration; and it was by 22 And almost all blood that they were cleansed from pollution, things are by the law whether general or special. And if any trans- purged with blood: gression had been committed through ignorance or surprise, yet so solicitous was the blessed God to maintain the honour of his law, and the decorum of his administration, that in

interpretation much the same with that which is proposed in this version and paraphrase. The phrase avalan piger Dai, which I have rendered, necessarily imports, is very strong; the death must be produced, it must not only be effected, but also made apparent. Elsner hath shewn, (Observ. Vol. II. p. 361,) that the word op is used in a forensic sense, for what is produced, and proved, or made apparent in a court of judicature.

Scarlet wool, and hyssop.] It is certain that Moses, in his account of this transaction, (Lev. xvi.) does not mention all these circumstances. Probably St. Paul received them from tradition. Ceremonies

of a similar kind are prescribed, Lev. xiv.
4-6; 49-52, as in cleansing the leper.
And it is highly probable, that the sprink-
ling the blood of the sin offering might be
done in this method.
The blood was
mixed with water, to preserve it from
coagulating; and perhaps to this the mix-
ture of sacramental wine with water,
which pretty soon prevailed in the primi-
tive church, might have some intended
reference. It is the opinion of Dr. Owen,
that the ceremony here referred to, was
constantly performed on the day of atone-
ment. But it is certain it is not expressly
prescribed in the account given us of the
ritual of that day.

Yet it was not necessary Christ should suffer often:

67

and without shed- case of such offences, without shedding of blood, SECT. ding of blood is no where an animal sacrifice could be remission.

the heavens should

selves with better

there was no forgiveness of sin.e

procured,

xii.

Heb.

ix. 22

23 It was therefore [It was] therefore necessary, according to the necessary that the Divine appointment, that the tabernacle, and 23 patterns of things in those instruments and utensils belonging to it, be purified with which were the copies or imitations of things in these; but the hea- the heavens, should be purified by the blood of venly things them- these animal victims; but the celestial things sacrifices than these. themselves, with more excellent sacrifices than they, even with the sacred blood of Christ himself, which these offerings were designed to 24 For Christ is typify. And the expedience of this appears 24 not entered into the from the method which God hath in fact taken; holy places made with hands, which for it is plain, that Christ is not entered into an are the figures of the earthly tabernacle, or holy places made with true; but into hea- hands, thoùgh adorned with ever so much art ven itself, now to ap- and expense; [which] at best [were] but the pear in the presence figures, or imperfect copies, of the true: but

of God for us.

high priest entereth

blood of others :

he is entered into heaven itself, now to appear

in the presence of God for us, as our great High Priest, and ever glorious and powerful inter25 Nor yet that cessor. Not that it was necessary he should 25 he should offer him- offer himself frequently, as the High Priest enself often, as the tered into the most holy place yearly on the day into the holy place, of atonement, with the blood of others, that is, of every year with bullocks and goats: For then, as the Jewish 26 sacrifice was often repeated, so it would have he often have suffer. been necessary for him often to have suffered in ed since the founda- many successive periods, from the foundation of tion of the world :) the world, in order to the salvation of good men but now once in the in their several ages and generations; which we know he did not. But now once for all at the conclusion of the ages, he hath been made manifest for the abolishing of sin, and wiping

26 (For then must

end of the world hath

• No forgiveness.] I look upon this as a certain proof, that the sin offerings were not merely tokens of friendship restored between God and the offender; but that the blood was looked upon as the consideration on which the pardon was granted, being an acknowledgment on the part of the offerer that he had deserved death if God had been strict to mark offences

1 The celestial things themselves with more excellent sacrifices.] It may perhaps seem strange, that celestial things should be spoken of as needing to be purified and cleansed. But it is to be considered, that as the sacred dwelling and the vessels were 10

VOL. 6.

esteemed to be polluted by the Israelites, who in various degrees had access to them; so heaven would have been, as it were, polluted by the entrance of such sinners as went into it, had not the blood of Christ intervened. This I think much more natural, than with Bishop Fell, to explain it of some pollutions contracted by the sin of the angels.

8 Conclusion of the ages.] So ouvexed rav avy is most exactly rendered; meaning the last of the dispensations God ever intended to give mankind. See Vol. II. sect. 160. noted.

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »