and the structure in all its parts affords an inex- haustible fund of pleasing and useful instruction. Let us take, for example, the ceremonies observed at the cleansing of the leper; and we shall find that they set forth in a very striking light the most essential doctrines of the Gospel. They teach us more particularly,
I. The ends for which the blood and Spirit of Christ are to be applied to our souls —
It is scarcely needful to observe, that the blood of the sacrifices typically represented the blood of Christ; or that the oil which was used on various occasions with the sacrifices, represented the Spirit of Christ, with which every true Christian is, and must be, anointed3.
The end for which they were put upon the leper is said to be, to "make an atonement for himb." But, in order to understand this aright, we must consider the state of the leprous person : he was banished from the house of God, and from all communion with his dearest friends: but, when he was healed, and the ceremonies appointed for his purification were per- formed, then he was restored completely to fellowship with God, and with his Church. The word atone- ment therefore is here used in a lax sense: strictly speaking, it was the blood of the sacrifice alone that made atonement: but the whole ceremony is said to make an atonement, because it was that which availed for the complete restoration of the leper to the enjoy- ment of all his privileges.
Moreover, he is said " to be cleansed" by these ceremonies, when, in fact, he was healed of his leprosy before any of these ceremonies could be used : so this was not an actual, but a declarative cleansing of his leprosy. Nevertheless it was intended to typify that which is actually effected by the blood and Spirit of
8 2 Cor. i. 21. 1 John ii. 20, 27.
b We might suppose from the concluding words of the text, that the priest was to make some other atonement for him : but in ver. 29. the matter is put beyond a doubt ; for there it is expressly said, that these ceremonies were performed " to make an atonement for him."