Obs. I. And this serves unto the direction and encouragement of faith—When we apply ourselves unto Christ to seek for aid for the subduing and destruction of our spiritual adversaries by his ruling power,—that mighty power “ whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself,”—we consider him on the throne of majesty, in the full possession of “all power in heaven and in earth,” Hereby is faith
382 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IX.
, both encouraged and directed in its acting or approach unto him, And when we go unto him for relief under our temptations, with a sense of the guilt of sin, which requires tenderness and compassion, we consider him as in the temple of God, appearing as our high priest before the throne of grace, Heb. iv. 14-16.
Obs. II. This representation is the spring of all spiritual consola- tion—God on a throne of grace, the Lord Christ before it im the exercise of his office with faithfulness, compassion, and power, is the spring and centre of all the comforts of the church.
Schlichtingius affirms on this place, that these things are spoken of Christ only in “a neat and handsome metaphor, under which he is compared unto the priests of old.” And the whole of his discourse tends unto this, that it is a comparison framed or coined by the apostle for the illustration of what he intends. But this is not to interpret the meaning of his words, but directly to oppose his whole design. For it is not a fancied, framed comparison that the apostle insists on, but a declaration of the typical significancy of legal imsti- tutions; and his purpose is to manifest the accomplishment of them all in Christ alone.
Thirdly. The end of this sacerdotal entrance of Christ into heaven is expressed: “Now to appear in the pre- sence of God for us.”
A further degree of opposition between our high priest and those of the law is expressed in these words. They entered into the holy place, to appear for the people, and to present their supplications unto God; but this was only in an earthly tabernacle, and that before a material ark and mercy-seat. In what is here ascribed unto Christ there are many differences from what was so done by them.
1. In the time of what he did or doth; viv, “now,”—at this pre- sent season, and always. What those others did was of no continuance; but this “Now” is expressive of the whole season and duration of time from the entrance of Christ into heaven unto the consummation of all things. So he declares it in the next verse. He never departs out of the sanctuary to prepare for a new sacrifice, as they did of old. There is no moment of time wherein it may not be said, ‘ He now appeareth for us.’
2. In the end of his entrance into this heavenly sanctuary; guga- uobyver,—that is, st¢ 6; “to appear.” Absolutely his entrance into heaven had other ends, but this is the only end of his entering into heaven as God’s temple, the seat of the throne of grace, as our high priest. And the whole discharge of the remaining duties of his sacerdotal office are comprised in this word, as we shall immediately demonstrate.
3. In that he doth thus appear +& tpocwrw rod @cotd,—* vultui,”
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VER, 24.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 383
“conspectui,” “faciei Dei;” that is, the immediate presence of God, in opposition unto the typical symbols of it in the taber- nacle, before which the high priest presented himself, in ae The high priest appeared before the ark, the che-
rubim and merey-seat, composed into the form of a throne: Christ enters into the real presence of God, standing in his sight, before his face; and this expresseth his full assurance of his success in his undertaking, and his full discharge from that charge of the guilt of sin which he underwent. Had he not made an end of it, had he not absolutely been freed from it, he could not have thus ap- peared with confidence and boldness in the presence of God,
4, This is said to be done iaip quav,—“for us” This refers only to “appear,’—‘“ to appear for us;” that is, as we shall see, to do all things with God for us at the throne of grace, that we may be saved,
The words being opened, the nature of the thing itself, namely, of the present appearance of Christ in heaven, must be further inquired into. And it may be declared in the ensuing observa- tions :—
1. It is an act of his sacerdotal office. Not only he who is our high priest doth so appear, but he so doth as the high priest of the church, For such was the duty of the high priest under the law, whereby it was typified and represented. His entrance into the holy place, and presentation of himself before the mercy-seat, was in
the discharge of his office, and he did it by virtue thereof. And this is one principal foundation of the church’s comfort, namely, that the present appearance of Christ in the presence of God is a part of his office, a duty in the discharge of it.
2. It is such an act and duty of our high priest as swpposeth the offering of himself a sacrifice for sim antecedently thereunto; for it was with the blood of the expiatory sacrifices offered before on the altar that the high priest entered into the holy place. It hath therefore regard unto his antecedent sacrifice, or his offering himself in his death and blood-shedding unto God. Without a supposition hereof he could not, as our high priest, have entered into the sanctuary and have appeared in the presence of God. Wherefore,—