Ist. Christ himself, and the sacrifice of himself, were typed out by these things. To prove this, is the principal purpose of the apostle. They were the “shadow,” he the “body” or substance, as he speaks elsewhere. He was “the Lord from heaven;” “who is in heaven,” “who speaketh from heaven,” 1 Cor. xv. 47; John iti. 18; Heb. xii. 25. 2dly. All spiritual and eternal grace, mercy, blessings, whereof the souls of men are made partakers by the mediation and sacrifice of Christ, are “ heavenly things,” and are constantly so called, Heb. ii, 1; John ui. 12; Eph. i. 3, i. 6. 3dly. The church itself and its worship are of the same kind; the things principally to be purified by these sacrifices. It is God’s heavenly kingdom, Eph. v 25, 26. 4thly. Heaven itself is comprised herein, not absolutely, but as it is the mansion of Christ and the redeemed in the presence of God for evermore.
(2.) Hereon the inquiry will be, how these things are said to be “purified;” for of real purification from uncleanness not one of them is capable but only the church,—that is, the souls and’ consciences of men. I answer, that we are to have recourse unto that twofold sense of purification before laid down, namely, of external dedica- tion, and internal purging; both which are expressed by the name of “sanctification” in the Scripture. Most of the things that were
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VER. 23.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 375
purified by the blood of the sacrifices at the giving of the law were so in the first sense, and no otherwise. The covenant, the book of the law, and the tabernacle with all its vessels, were purified in their sacred dedication unto God and his service. Thus were all the heavenly things themselves purified. Christ himself was sanctified, consecrated, dedicated unto God, in his own blood. He “ sanctified himself,” John xvi. 19; and that by “the blood of the covenant,” Heb. x. 29; even when he was “consecrated” or “ made perfect through sufferings,” chap. ii. 10. ~ So was the church and the whole worship of it dedicated unto God, made holy unto him, Eph. v. 25,26. And heaven itself was dedicated to be a habitation for ever unto the mystical body of Christ, in perfect peace with the angels above, who had never sinned, Eph. i. 10; Heb. xii. 22-24.
But yet there was, moreover, a real purification of the most of these things. The church, or the souls and consciences of men, were really cleansed, purified, and sanctified, with an internal, spiritual purification, Eph. v. 25, 26; Tit. 11.14. It was washed in the blood of Christ, Rev. i. 5; and is thereby cleansed from sin, 1 John i. 7. And heaven itself was in.some sense so purified, as the tabernacle was because of the sins of 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, Jobxv. 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 a 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 taber- nacle, 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 be- longed 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 effi- cacy is communicated unto them all. And moreover, the souls and consciences of the elect are purified and sanctified from all defile- ments thereby; which work is gradually carried on in them, by re- newed 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 con-
376 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. Ix.
cerning the redemption and salvation of the church. Eph. i, 3-7, Rom. ii. 24-26. (3.) Of these heavenly things it is said, that they were purified “with Kpuleroe better sacrifices than these,”—xpe/rroor Suciasg rapa rav- Qoriaus mapr rag. Iapé is added to increase the signification, All ratras, sober expositors agree that here is an enallage of num- ber, the plural put for the singular. The one sacrifice of Christ is alone intended. But because it answered all other sacrifices, ex- ceeded them all in dignity, was of more use and efficacy than they all, it is so expressed. That one sacrifice comprised the virtue, benefit, and signification of all others, The gloss of Grotius on these words is intolerable, and justly offensive unto all pious souls: Ovotais, saith he, “quia non tantum Christi perpessiones intelligit, sed eorum qui ipsum sectantur, und cum precibus et operibus mise- ricordiz.” 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 hea- venly things? Do they make atonement for sin? Are they offered unto God for that end? Are they sprinkled on these things for their purification ?