were designed, framed, and disposed in the mind of God, in all their order, causes, beauty, efficacy, and tendency, unto his own eternal glory. This was the whole mystery of the wisdom of God for the redemption and salvation of the church by Jesus Christ. This is that which is declared in the gospel, being before hid in God from the foundation of the world, Eph. iii. 8-10. Of these things did God grant a typical resemblance, similitude, and pattern, in the tabernacle and its services. That he would make such a kind of resemblance of those heavenly things as to their kind, nature, and use, that he would instruct the church by them, was an act of his mere sovereign will and pleasure. And this is that effect of his wisdom, which was manifest under the old testament; whereon the faith and obedience of the church was wholly to acquiesce in his sovereignty. And this their resemblance of heavenly things, which they had not from their own nature, but merely from the pleasure of God, gave them all their glory and worth, which the saints under the old testament did in some measure understand. The present Jews do, as their forefathers did under the degeneracy of their church, conceive their glory to consist in the materials and curious structure of them, things that the wealth and art of men might exceed. But in themselves they were all earthly, carnal, perishing, and liable unto all sorts of corruption. Much inferior they were in nature and glory unto the souls of men, which were conversant in their highest and most noble acts about them. But herein alone consisted their honour, worth, and use; they were patterns of heavenly things. And we may observe, that

Obs. I. The glory and efficacy of all ordinances of divine worship, which consist in outward observance (as it is with the sacraments of the gospel) consist in this, that they represent and exhibit heavenly things unto us. And this power of representation they have from divine institution alone.

2dly. What they were patterns of is expressed; namely, Twv εv ToiS ovpavois, of heavenly things.' What these were in particular must be spoken unto in the exposition of the next proposition, whereof they are the subject; the heavenly things themselves.'

3dly. Of these things it is affirmed, that they were purified, κadaριζεσθαι. peal. The apostle had treated before of a double purification. 1. Of that which consisted in a cleansing from defilements of its own; sprinkling the unclean, and sanctifying to the purifying of the flesh, ver. 13, 22. 2. That which consisted in a dedication unto sacred use. But this also had some respect unto uncleanness. Not unto any that the things so dedicated had in themselves; but because of the uncleanness of them that were to make use of them. This was such as that God would have the intervention of the sprinkling of blood between him and them in all their services; as he declares, Lev. xvi. 15-17. And this he would do that he might teach them the absolute and universal necessity of the purifying efficacy of the blood of Christ, in all things between him and sinners. Of this purification he gives us, in this discourse, two instances. 1st. That which was initial, at the first solemnization of the covenant, ver. 18-20. 2dly. That which was annual, in the sprinkling of the tabernacle and its vessels, because of

the uncleanness of the people, ver. 22. This latter purification is that which is intended.

4thly. The means whereby they were thus to be purified, is, TOUTOLS, 'with these.' In the next proposition, the heavenly things themselves are said to be purified, Svoiais, 'with sacrifices.' But the purification of these patterns was not absolutely confined unto sacrifices. Water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and the ashes of an heifer, in some cases. were required thereunto. With these,' that is, with all those things which were appointed by the law to be used in their purification or dedication unto sacred use.

5thly. If inquiry be made why these patterns were thus purified, the apostle affirms that it was necessary' it should be so; avayкn. This, as it respects both propositions in this verse equally, was spoken unto in general before. The grounds of this necessity, with respect unto these patterns, were these. 1. The will and command of God. This is that which originally, or in the first place, makes any thing necessary in divine worship. This is the only spring of rational obedience in instituted worship; whatever is without it, whatever is beyond it, is no part of sacred service. God would have them thus purified. Yet also was there herein this manifest reason of his will, namely, that thereby he might represent the purification of heavenly things. On this supposition, that God would so represent heavenly things by them, it was necessary that they should be purified. 2. Seeing he would have them purified, there was a meetness that they should be so with these things. For, being themselves carnal and earthly, as were the tabernacle and all the vessels of it, it was meet they should be purified with things carnal also; such as were the blood of beasts, water, hyssop, and scarlet wool. 3. In particular, it was necessary that they should be purified with the blood of sacrifices; because they were types of those things which were to be purified with the only proper expiatory sacrifice. These were the foundations of the whole system of Mosaic rites and ordinances; and on them they stood, until they were removed by God himself. And that which we should learn from hence is,

Obs. II. A due consideration of that respect which we ought to have to the holiness of God in his worship and service. He did manifest it unto us, to beget in us a due reverence of it; he would never admit of any thing therein, but was purified according unto his own institution. All other things he always rejected as unclean and profane. Without a due apprehension hereof, and endeavouring to have both our persons and our services purified by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, neither they nor we can be accepted before him.

The other proposition in the text is, that the heavenly things themselves were to be purified with better sacrifices.'

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Αυτα

The first thing in the words is the subject of the proposition. Aura TA ETOVρavia, the heavenly things themselves; that is, the things whereof the other were the patterns, by which God represented them unto the church. But what these things are, is not easy to determine. Some say that heaven itself is intended, the super-ethereal heavens; the place of the present residence of Christ, and of the souls of them that are saved by him. But, taking the heavens absolutely, especially

for that which is called the heaven of heavens, with respect unto their. fabric, and as the place of God's glorious residence, and it is not easy to conceive how they stood in need to be purified by sacrifice. Some say it is spiritual things; that is, the souls and consciences of men, that are intended. And they are called heavenly, in opposition unto the things of the law, which were all carnal and earthly. And it is certain, they are not to be excluded out of this expression. For, unto their purification, is the virtue of the sacrifice of Christ, directly applied, ver. 14. Yet the whole context, and the antithesis in it between the types and the things typified, make it evident that they alone are not intended.

To clear the mind of the apostle in this expression, sundry things must be observed out of the context.

1. The apostle treats of a double purification, as was immediately before declared. In this application of his discourse, he intends them both. But whereas some things stood in need of the one only, namely, of that of dedication unto God; and some of the other, namely, purging from defilements, as the souls and consciences of men; they are distinctly to be applied to the things spoken of, according to their capacity. Some were purified by dedication; some by actual cleansing from real defilements; both which are included in the notion of sacred purification, or sanctification.

2. These heavenly things must be all those, and only those, whereof the other were patterns or resemblances. This is plain in the context and antithesis. Wherefore,

3. By heavenly things, I understand all the effects of the counsel of God in Christ, in the redemption, worship, salvation, and eternal glory of the church; that is, Christ himself in all his offices, with all the spiritual and eternal effects of them on the souls and consciences of men, with all the worship of God by him according unto the gospel. For of all these things, those of the law were the patterns. He did in and by them give a representation of all these things, as we may see in particular. 1. Christ himself, and the sacrifice of himself, were typified 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 speaks from heaven, 1 Cor. xv. 49; John iii. 13. 2. 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. iii. 1; Eph. i. 3; John iii. 12; Eph. ii. 6. 3. 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. 4. 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.

I

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. answer, that we are to have recourse unto that twofold sense of purification before laid down; namely, of external dedication, and internal

purging; both which are expressed by the name of 'sanctification' in the Scripture. Most of the things that were 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 xvii. 19: and that by the blood of the covenant, Heb. x. 29; even when he was consecrated or made perfect through sufferings, ch. 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 an 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. ii. 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, Job xv. 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 an 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 tabernacle, 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 belonged 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 efficacy is communicated unto them all. And moreover, the souls and consciences of the elect are purified and sanctified from all defilements thereby, which work is gradually carried on in them, by renewed 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, concerning the redemption and salvation of the church, Eph. i. 3-7; Rom. iii. 24-26.

Of these heavenly things, it is said, that they were purified with better sacrifices than these, κρείττοσι θυσίαις παρα ταυτας. Παρα is added to increase the signification. All sober expositors agree, that here is an enallage of number, the plural put for the singular. The

one sacrifice of Christ is alone intended. But because it answered all other sacrifices, exceeded them all in dignity, was of more use and efficacy than they all, it is so expressed; that one sacrifice (which comprised the virtue, benefit, and signification of all other. The gloss of Grotius on these words is intolerable, and justly offensive unto all pious souls. Ovoriais, saith he, 'quia non tantum Christi perpessiones intelligit, sed eorum qui ipsum sectantur, unà cum precibus et operibus misericordiæ.' 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 heavenly things? Do they make atonement for sin? Are they offered unto God for that end? Are they sprinkled on these things for their purification?

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. ii. 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.

The last thing we shall observe hereon, is, that it was Svoca that this dedication and purification is ascribed unto. Now vota is a slain sacrifice, a sacrifice as slain; a sacrifice by mactation, killing, or shedding of blood; so is n also. Wherefore it is the sacrifice of Christ in his death and blood-shedding, that is the cause of these things. Other Svota of him there was none, he offered none. For the vindication hereof we must examine the comment of Slichtingius 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 vero quod diximus fit, ut autor divinus, Christum cum victimis legalibus conferens, perpetuò fugiat dicere Christi sanguinem fuisse oblatum; et nihilominus ut similitudini serviat, perpetuò Christi sanguinis fusionem insinuet, quæ nisi antecessisset, haudquaquam tam plena tamque concinna inter Christum et victimas antiquas comparatio institui potuisset. Ex his ergo manifestum est in illa sancta cœlestia, ad eorum dedicationem emundationemque peragendam, victimam pretiosissimam, proinde non sanguinem hircorum et vitulorum, imò ne sanguinem quidem ullum, sed ipsum Dei filium, idque omnibus mortalis naturæ exuviis depositis, quo nulla pretiosior et sanctior victima cogitari potuit, debuisse inferri.' Answ. 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 himself unto God, but in and by the shedding and offering of his blood. There is no distinction between Christ offering of himself 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 dis