In the pouring out of his blood, the heavenly altar of his body was sprinkled, and all heavenly things purified, even with this “better sacrifice,” Heb. ix. 23. Thus is he said to “pour out his soul unto death,” Isa. liii. 12. That expression contains the whole nature of a sacrifice: for his soul is said to be poured out unto death with respect unto the pouring out of the blood; for in it was the life poured out, the blood being given to make atonement because the life was in it.
Thirdly, There was the oblation itself. This in those sacrifices, the sacred performance whereof was accomplished roavwepic, by many parts and degrees, by reason of the imperfection of the sacrificer and sacrificed, followed after the mactation, with the shedding and sprinkling of blood. In this absolutely perfect sacrifice of Christ it was not so. His oblation was at the same time and in the same action with his blood-shedding; for it was his holy, obediential giving up himself unto the will of God, in undergoing what was due unto our sins, making atonement for them thereby. He “ offered himself
SECT. 11.] EXPLAINED AND VINDICATED. 159
unto God through the eternal Spirit,’ Heb. ix. 14. The holy and eternal Spirit of God dwelling in him in all fulness, supporting his faith, confirming his obedience, kindled in him that fire of zeal unto the glory of God and the reparation of his honour, from the reflec- tion cast upon it by the sin, apostasy, disobedience, and rebellion of mankind, with that flame of love unto their salvation, which as it were consumed this sacrifice in its oblation to God. Thus in and by his “giving himself for us,’—that is, in and by his death, which is constantly intended by that expression,—he made himself “an offer- ing and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour,” Eph. v. 2.
Fourthly, Hereon ensued the representation of the whole, in answer to the high priest’s entering into the most holy place with a token, part, representation, and remembrance of the blood that was offered on the altar. This was done by Christ when he entered into the holy place not made with hands, as it were sprinkled with his own blood, or accompanied with the efficacy and merit of his sacerdotal offering, “to appear in the presence of God for us.” This was conse- quential to that offering of himself whereby he made atonement for us; for “he entered into the holy place, aiwvia» Adrpaciw etpdémevos,” Heb. ix. 12,—“having obtained eternal redemption.” His obtaining eter- nal redemption was by the sacrifice of himself in his death; for re- demption was by price and exchange, and the Lord Christ paid no other price for sin and sinners but his own blood, 1 Pet.i. 18,19. And this was antecedent unto his entering into the holy place; for he did so “having obtained eternal redemption.” And it is in vain to ex- cept that sometimes things present are expressed by verbs and par- ticiples of a preterit signification, or in those tenses which denote things past, seeing they are not to be construed so unless the matter spoken of do enforce such a construction, whereof here there is no pretence; nor can any one instance be given of the use of ebpioxw in that way in the whole New Testament. See Heb. ix. 24.
11. This brief account of the analogy that was between the sacer- dotal actings in sacrificing under the law and those of the Lord Christ in offering himself as our high priest unto God, doth fully evince the time, place, and manner of his discharge of this office; whereby the nature of it is also manifested. The sacrifice of Christ, indeed, was not carried on by those distinct, separate steps and degrees which the sacrifices of old were, by reason of the imperfection of the offerer and what was offered, and the necessity of many circumstances in those things which were carnal in themselves and appointed to be carnally visible; yet on the whole, in the transactions that were in- visibly carried on between Christ the high priest and God, unto whom he offered himself, every thing that belonged unto the nature of a true and real sacrifice, or which as such was represented by
160 TRUE NATURE OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST [EXERC. XXXI.
them of old, was, in its proper place, order, and manner, actually accomplished. And I must needs say, that I look upon it as one of the boldest attempts on religion that ever was made by men pre- tending unto any sobriety, namely, to deny that the Lord Christ was a priest whilst he was on the earth, or that he offered himself a sacri- fice unto God in his death; and those who have the confidence to stand and persist in that opinion, against all that light which the nature of the thing itself and the testimonies of Scripture do give unto the truth in this matter, need not fear that on any occasion they shall be wanting unto themselves therein. But of these things I must treat more fully in our ensuing Exercitation.
12. I have only in this place taught the doctrine concerning the nature of the priesthood of Christ, and his discharge of that office, as my design did necessarily require I should do. The testimonies whereby the truth of it is confirmed I have long since urged and vindicated from the exceptions of our adversaries in another treatise.” Here, therefore, I shall only briefly represent some of them, Eph. v. 2:'O Xpioris qydanoey nuts, nul wupsdwxev Eaurdy datp hud xpoopopay xa) Suoiav, TH Oe cig douny edwoiac. It is unavoidable that those ex- pressions, he “ loved us and gave himself for us,” should signify no- thing but what he did in his death; for they are never used in any other sense. So are they repeated, verse 25 of this chapter, ’Hydéqnos Tiy enurnoiay, noid Exvrdy rupsouxev batp abr%s,—that is, to die for it; for this was that whereby Christ expressed his love unto his church, John x. 15; Phil. ii. 6-8. So also speaks our apostle expressly, Gal. ii. 20, “Christ loved me, and gave himself for me;”’ the same with that of John, “Who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,” Rey. 1. 5, which he did when he was “delivered for our offences,” Rom. iv. 25. Taped0dn bik re raparrduara quay is the expression of what was done when capeddixey taurdy trip juav. The subject, there- fore, spoken of is agreed on, or cannot be questioned. Hereof the apostle says that it was spocpopd xa/ Sucia, “an offering and a sacri- fice;” or that in giving himself for us he offered himself to God an offering and a sacrifice. By these two words our apostle expresseth all sorts of sacrifices under the law, Heb. x. 5, from Ps. xl. 7, where they are expressed by 1933 N21; for although “ mincha” be usually applied unto a peculiar thank-offering of meat and drink, yet where these two are joined together, “zebach and mincha,” they denote all sorts of expiatory sacrifices: 1 Sam. iii. 14, “The iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged 222) 313 ,”—by any sort of expia- tory sacrifices. And Svofa, or T3!, is such a sacrifice as consisted in mactation or killing, as we have proved before. This Christ offered in his death, or when out of his love unto us, in obedience unto the