f 1 Tt is in verse 16 that the translation occurs, but it has no reference to sacri- ce.—Ep,
SECT. 13, 14.] EXPLAINED AND VINDICATED. 163
plications considered by themselves, and to instance in those only at his death, when he might have mentioned those [which he presented ] when, in the course of his life, he continued mighty [nightly?] by himself. What he offered he intended afterwards to declare, and doth so expressly; here he designed only to assert, that, being called to be a high priest, he offered unto God; and that as to the manner of that offering, it was with prayers and supplications, cries and tears, wherein he describes his offering of himself by those adjuncts of it which were also sacerdotal.
14, Heb. i. 3, Al tavrot xadapromiy romodmevos civ &mapridy hwo excebioey ev dekiG rod Spévov rig meyarwodvng ev bpnrors-—“ When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” It is agreed between us and our adversaries that this purging of our sins was the effect of that expiatory sacrifice which the Lord Christ offered unto God as our high priest. The whole question that can remain is when he offered it. And the apostle here expressly declares that this was done before he sat down at the right hand of God; and this is so plain in the words as that no excep- tion can be invented against it. That alone which they have invented for an evasion is, that Christ indeed offered himself at his first entrance into heaven, and on his appearance in the presence of God for us, before he sat down at the right hand of God. This Crellius insists upon, cap. x. part. xxxi. p. 537,538. But this will yield them no relief, neither according to the truth nor according to their own principles; for,—(1.) Although we may have distinct apprehensions of Christ’s entering into heaven and his sitting at the right hand of God, yet it is but one state of Christ that is intended in both, his entrance into heaven being only the means of his sitting down at the right hand of God; and therefore they are never mentioned to- gether, but sometimes the one, sometimes the other, is made use of to express the same state. So his sitting down at the right hand of God is expressed as immediately ensuing his suffering, it being that state whereunto his resurrection, ascension, and entrance into hea- ven, were subservient: “ He endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God,” Heb. xii. 2. The whole is, that he “ passed through the heavens,” chap. iv. 14, and was thereon “ made higher than the heavens,” chap. vii. 26; that is, he “suffered,” and so “entered into his glory,” Luke xxiv. 26. Nor doth the Scripture anywhere give the least intimation of any mediatorial act of Christ interposing between his entrance into heaven and sitting down at the right hand of God. (2.) This answer hath no consistency with their own principles in this matter: for they contend that the expiation of our sins consists in the taking of them away, by freeing us from the punishment which is due unto them. And this must be done by virtue of the power which Christ
164 TRUE NATURE OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST [EXERC. XXXI.
received of God after his obedience ; but this his receiving of power belongs unto his sitting at the right hand of God, so as he can in no sense be said to have purged or expiated our sins before it. And if they will allow that Christ expiated our sins anywhere in heaven or earth antecedently unto our actual freedom in present pardon or future complete deliverance, then doth not the expiation of sins con- sist in our actual deliverance from them, as they contend that it doth. 15. To the same purpose speaks the apostle, Heb. ix. 12, Ar& rod iiov alwarog, eiojAbey epdrak sig re dyin, aioviay AUrpwo supdevos-— “ By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.” This entrance of Christ “into the holy place” was his entrance into heaven. Antecedently hereunto he is said to have “obtained eternal redemption.” This “redemption _ we have through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins,” Eph.i.7; and this forgiveness, or the putting away of sin, was “ by the sacrifice of himself,’ Heb. ix. 26. Wherefore, the sacrifice of Christ, whereby he obtained redemption, or put awaysin, was by his blood-shedding. And this was, as it is here expressed, antecedent unto his entrance into the holy place. Crellius, in answer to this testimony, p. 536, engageth into a long discourse to prove that things present, or not perfectly past, are sometimes expressed by the aorist, or sign of the time past; as if our argument from hence were built merely on that form of the word, on supposition of a general maxim that all words in that tense do necessarily signify the time past. But we proceed on no such supposition. We say, indeed, and contend, that there must be some cogent reason to interpret that of the time present or to come which is expressed as past and done. Jor this we say there is none in this place, nor is any pretended but the false hypothesis of our adversaries, that Christ offered not himself until his entrance into heaven, which they judge sufficient to oppose unto the clearest testi- monies to the contrary. For whereas the words of the apostle sig- nify directly that the Lord Christ first obtained eternal redemption, and then entered into heaven, or the holy place not made with hands, they will have his intention to be the direct contrary,—that he first entered into heaven, and then obtained eternal redemption; for that offering of himself which they suppose was consequential unto his entrance into the holy place. But we argue from the scope of the words. It is said that “Christ by his own blood entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.” I desire to know how or by what means he did so obtain, or find, or acquire it. Is it not plain that it was “by his own blood,” and that which he shed before he entered into the sanctuary? 16. Moreover, Christ is said to “offer himself once,” Heb. vii. 27, ix. 28, x. 10, 12, 14. His offering was one, and once offered. An