(4.) The modification of the former proposition belongs unto this
also. “It was necessary” these things should be thus purified: [1.] As that which the holiness of God required, and which therefore in his wisdom and grace he appointed; [2.] As that which in itself was meet and becoming the righteousness of God, Heb. 1,10. Nothing but the sacrifice of Christ, with the everlasting efficacy of his most precious blood, could thus purify the heavenly things, and dedicate the whole new creation unto God. * (5.) The last thing we shall observe hereon is, that it was Suoa that this dedication and purification is ascribed unto. Now Svea is a “slain sacrifice,” a sacrifice as slain; a sacrifice by mactation, killing, or shedding of blood, So is 73% also. Wherefore it is the sacrifice of Christ in his death and blood-shedding that is the cause of these things. Other Svo/« of him there was none, he offered none. For the vindication hereof we must examine the comment of Schlich- tingius on this place. His words are,—
“ Licet enim non sanguinem suum Christus Deo obtulerit, sed se ipsum; tamen sine sanguinis effusione offerre se ipsum non potuit neque debuit. Ex eo verd quod diximus fit, ut auctor divinus Christum cum victimis legalibus conferens, perpetud fugiat dicere Christi sanguinem fuisse oblatum; et nihilominus ut similitudini serviat, perpetud Christi sanguinis fusionem insinuet, que nisi ante- cessisset, haud quaquam tam plena, tamque concinna inter Christum et victimas antiquas comparatio institui potuisset. Ex his ergo ma- nifestum est in illa sancta celestia, ad eorum dedicationem emunda-
VER. 23.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS, 377
tionemque peragendam, victimam pretiosissimam, proinde non san- guinem hircorum et vitulorum, im6d ne sanguinem quidem ullum, sed ipsum Dei Filium, idque omnibus mortalis nature: exuviis de- positis, quo nulla pretiosior et sanctior victima cogitari potuit, debu- isse inferri.”
Ans. [1.] The distinction between Christ offering ‘his blood and offering himself to God (the foundation of this discourse), is coined on purpose to pervert the truth. For neither did Christ offer his blood unto God but in the offering of himself, nor did he offer him- self unto God but in and by the shedding and offering of his blood. There is no distinction between Christ offering of him- self and offering of his blood, other than between the being of any thing and the form and manner of its being what it is, [2.] That “he could not offer himself without the antecedent effusion of his blood,” seems a kind concession; but it hath the same design with the preceding distinction. But in the offering of himself he was Svoia, “a slain sacrifice,” which was in and by the effusion of his blood; in the very shedding of it, it was offered unto God. [8.] It is a.useless observation, that the apostle, in comparing the sacrifice of Christ with the legal victims, doth (as it is said) “carefully avoid the saying that he offered his blood.” For in those legal sacrifices the beasts themselves were always said to be offered, although it was the blood alone wherewith atonement was made on the altar, Lev. xvii. 11, And this the apostle expressly ascribes unto the blood of
Christ, in answer unto the blood of bulls and goats, verses 13, 14. [4] The apostle doth not “ insinuate the mention of the shedding of the blood of Christ only to make up a full and fit comparison with the legal victims,” as is impudently insinuated; but he directly ascribes the whole effect of reconciliation, peace, atonement, remis- sion of sins, and sanctification, unto the blood of Christ, as shed and offered unto God. And this he doth not only in this epistle, where he insists on this comparison, but in other places also, where he hath no regard unto it, Rom. iii. 25; Eph. i 7, v. 2, 25, 26; Tit. ii, 14; Col.i. 20. [5.] Having advanced thus far, in the close of his expo- sition he “ excludes the blood of Christ from any more interest or efficiency in the purification of these heavenly things than the blood of goats and calves;’ which is such an open contradiction unto the whole design and express words of the apostle, as that the assertion of it exceeds all the bounds of sobriety and modesty.
From the words thus opened, we may observe unto our own use,—
Obs. IV. Neither could heavenly things have been made meet for us or our use, nor we have been meet for their enjoyment, had they not been dedicated and we been purged by the sacrifice of Christ.—
. There was no suitableness either in them unto us, or in us unto
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378 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IX.
them, until it was introduced by the blood of Christ. Without the efficiency hereof, heavenly things would not be heavenly unto the minds and souls of men; they would neither please them nor satisfy them, nor make them blessed. Unless they themselves are purged, all things, even heavenly things themselves, would be unclean and defiled unto. them, Tit. i. 15.
Obs. V. Every eternal mercy, every spiritual privilege, is both purchased for us and sprinkled unto us by the blood of Christ.
Obs. VI. There is such an uncleanness in our natures, our persons, our duties, and worship, that unless they and we are all sprinkled with the blood of Christ, neither we nor they can have any accept- ance with God.