1. It is vota, 'a slain or bloody sacrifice,' whereof he treats, as he expressly calls it, ver. 25, 26. But there is no shedding of blood in the appearance of Christ in heaven: nor, according to these men, any such thing appertaining unto his nature.

2. These things are distinguished in the Scripture from their different natures and effects, 1 John ii. 1, 2.

3. His sacrifice, or the offering of himself, is so affirmed to be one, as to consist in one individual act. It is not only said that it was one offering, but that it was once only offered, ver. 26, 28. This is no way reconcileable unto his continual appearance in the presence of God.

4. His offering is mentioned by the apostle as that which was then past, and no more to be repeated. 'He hath by one offering perfected them that are sanctified.'

5. His oblation was accompanied with, and inseparable from suffering; so he declares in the next verse; proving that he could not often offer himself, because he could not often suffer. But his presentation of himself in heaven, is not only inconsistent with actual suffering, but also with any obnoxiousness thereunto. It belongs unto his state of exaltation and glory.

6. The time of the offering himself is limited unto the end of the world; now once in the end of the world;' in opposition unto the season that passed before; denoting a certain determinate season in the dispensation of times; of which, afterwards.

7. This imagination is destructive of the principal design and argument of the apostle. For he proves the imperfection of the sacrifices of the law, and their insufficiency to consummate the church, from their annual repetition; affirming, that if they could have perfected the worshippers, they would have ceased to have been offered. Yet was that sacrifice which he respects repeated only once a-year. But, on this supposition, the sacrifice of Christ must be offered always, and never cease to be actually offered, which reflects a greater imperfection on it than was on those which were repeated only once a-year. But the apostle expressly affirms, that the sacrifice which could effect its end must cease to be offered, chap. x. 2. Whereas, therefore, by one offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified, he doth not continue to offer himself, though he continues to appear in the presence of God, to make application of the virtue of that one offering unto the church.

The expositors of the Roman church do raise an objection on this place, for no other end but that they may return an answer unto it perniciously opposite unto and destructive of the truth here taught by the apostle; though some of them do acknowledge that it is capable of another answer. But this is that which they principally insist upon as needful to their present cause. They say, therefore, that if Christ cease to offer himself, then it seems that his sacerdotal office ceaseth also; for it belongs unto that office to offer sacrifices continually. But there is no force in this objection. For it belongs to no priest to offer any other, or any more sacrifices but what were sufficient and effectual unto the end of them and their office. And such was the one sacrifice of Christ. Besides, though it be not actually repeated, yet it is virtually applied always; and this belongs unto the present discharge of

his sacerdotal office : so doth also his appearance in heaven for us, with his intercession; where he still continues in the actual exercise of his priesthood, so far as is needful or possible. But they have an answer of their own unto their own objection. They say, therefore, that Christ continueth to offer himself every day in the sacrifice of the mass, by the hands of the priests of their church. And this sacrifice of him, though it be unbloody, yet is a true real sacrifice of Christ, the same with that which he offered on the cross.

It is better never to raise objections, than thus to answer them. For this is not to expound the words, but to dispute against the doctrine of the apostle; as I shall briefly evince.

1. That the Lord Christ hath, by the one offering of himself, for ever perfected them that are sanctified, is a fundamental article of faith. Where this is denied or overthrown, either directly or by just consequence, the church is overthrown also. But this is expressly denied in the doctrine of the frequent repetition of his sacrifice, or of the offering of himself. And there is no instance wherein the Romanists do more expressly oppose the fundamental articles of religion.

2. The repetition of sacrifices arose solely from their imperfection, as the apostle declares, ch. x. 2. And if it undeniably proved an imperfection in the sacrifices of the law, that they were repeated once every year in one place only, how great must the imperfection of the sacrifice of Christ be esteemed, if it be not effectual to take away sin, and perfect them that are sanctified, unless it be repeated every day, and that, it may be, in a thousand places!

3. To say that Christ offereth himself often, is expressly and in terms contradictory to the assertion of the apostle. Whatever, therefore, they may apprehend of the offering of him by their priests, yet most certain it is, that he doth not every day offer himself. But, as the faith of the church is concerned in no offering of Christ but that which he offered himself, of himself, by the eternal Spirit, once for all; so the pretence to offer him often by the priests is highly sacrilegious.

4. The infinite actings of the divine nature in supporting and influencing of the human, the inexpressible operation of the Holy Ghost in him, unto such a peculiar acting of all grace, especially of zeal unto the glory of God and compassion for the souls of men, as are inimitable unto the whole creation, were required unto the offering of himself a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God. And how can a poor, sinful, mortal man, such as are the best of their priests, pretend to offer the same sacrifice unto God?

5. An unbloody sacrifice is, 1. A contradiction in itself. Ovσia, which is the only sacrifice which the apostle treats of, is victimæ mactatio, as well as victimæ mactatæ oblatio. It is a sacrifice by death, and that by blood-shedding; other voia there never was any. 2. If it might be supposed, yet is it a thing altogether useless; for without shedding of blood there is no remission. The rule, I acknowledge, is first expressed with respect unto legal sacrifices and oblations: yet is it used by the apostle by an argument drawn from the nature and end of those institutions, to prove the necessity of blood-shedding in the sacrifice of Christ himself for the remission of sin. An unbloody sacrifice

for the remission of sin overthrows both the law and the gospel. 3. It is directly contrary unto the argument of the apostle in the next verse; wherein he proves that Christ could not offer himself often. For he doth it by affirming, that if he did so, then must he often suffer, that is, by the effusion of his blood; which was absolutely necessary in and unto his sacrifice. Wherefore, an unbloody sacrifice, which is without suffering, whatever it be, is not the sacrifice of Christ. For if he be often offered, he must often suffer, as the apostle affirms. Nor is it unto any purpose to say, that this unbloody sacrifice of the mass receiveth its virtue and efficacy from the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross, as it is pleaded by the defenders of it; for the question is not what value it hath, nor whence it hath it, but whether it be the sacrifice of Christ himself or not.

To sum up the substance of this whole controversy; the sacrifice or offering of Christ was, 1. By himself alone through the eternal Spirit. 2. Was of his whole human nature as to the matter of it. He made his soul an offering for sin. 3. Was by death and blood-shedding, whereon its entire efficacy as unto atonement, reconciliation, and the sanctification of the church do depend. 4. Was once only offered, and could be so no more, from the glory of his person, and the nature of the sacrifice itself. 5. Was offered with such glorious internal actings of grace, as no mortal creature can comprehend. 6. Was accompanied with his bearing the curse of the law, and the punishment due unto our sins; which were taken away thereby. And in all this the human nature was supported, sustained, and acted by the divine in the same person, which gave the whole duty its efficacy and merit. That pretended in the mass is, 1. Offered by priests without him, or those which call themselves so; who, therefore, rather represent them by whom he was crucified than himself who offered himself alone. 2. Is only of bread and wine, which have nothing in them of the soul of Christ, allowing their transubstantiation. 3. Can have no influence into the remission of sins, being confessedly unbloody; whereas, without the shedding of blood there is no remission. 4. Is often offered, that is every day, declaring a greater imperfection in it than was in the great expiatory sacrifice of the law, which was offered only once a year. 5. Requires unto it no grace in the offerer, but only an intention to do his office. 6. Doth in nothing answer the curse of the law, and therefore makes no atonement. Wherefore, these things are so far from being the same sacrifice, as that they are opposite, inconsistent, and the admission of the one is the destruction of the other.

Some observations we may take from the text.

Obs. I. Such is the absolute perfection of the one offering of Christ, that it stands in need of, that it will admit of, no repetition in any kind. Hence the apostle affirms, that if it be despised or neglected, there remains no more sacrifice for sin. There is none of any other kind, nor any repetition to be made of itself; as there was of the most solemn legal sacrifices. Neither of them are consistent with its perfection. And this absolute perfection of the one offering of Christ ariseth, 1st. From the dignity of his person, Acts xx. 28. There needs no new offering after that, wherein he who offered, and who was offered,

was God and man in one person. The repetition of this offering is inconsistent with the glory of the wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and grace of God, and would be utterly derogatory to the dignity of his person. 2dly. From the nature of the sacrifice itself-1. In the internal gracious actings of his soul; he offered himself unto God through the eternal Spirit. Grace and obedience could never be more glorified. 2. In the punishment he underwent, answering and taking away the whole curse of the law; any farther offering for atonement is highly blasphemous. 3. From the love of the Father unto him and delight in him. As in his person, so in his one offering, the soul of God resteth and is well pleased. 4. From its efficacy unto all ends of a sacrifice. Nothing was ever designed therein, but was at once accomplished by this one offering of Christ. Wherefore,

Obs. II. This one offering of Christ is always effectual unto all the ends of it, even no less than it was in the day and hour when it was actually offered.-Therefore it needs no repetition, like those of old, which could affect the conscience of a sinner only for a season, and until the incursion of some new sin. This is always fresh in the virtue of it, and needs nothing but renewed application by faith, for the communication of its effects and fruits unto us. Wherefore,

Obs. III. The great call and direction of the gospel is to guide faith, and keep it up unto this one offering of Christ, as the spring of all grace and mercy.-This is the immediate end of all its ordinances of worship. In the preaching of the word, the Lord Christ is set forth as evidently crucified before our eyes; and in the ordinance of the supper especially is it represented unto the peculiar exercise of faith.

Secondly. But we must proceed to a brief exposition of the remainder of this verse. The one offering of Christ is not here proposed absolutely, but in opposition unto the high priest of the law, whose entrance into the holy place did not put an end unto his offering of sacrifices, but his whole service about them was to be annually repeated. This sacrifice of the high priest we have treated of before, and shall therefore now only open these words wherein it is expressed.

1. The person spoken of is the high priest; that is, any one, every one that is so, or that was so in any age of the church, from the institution of that priesthood unto the expiration of it: ώσπερ ὁ αρχιερευς, 'as the high priest;' in like manner so he did.

2. It is affirmed of him, that he entereth,' EPXeral, in the present tense. Some think that respect is had unto the continuance of the temple-service at that time. He entereth, that is, he continueth so to do. And this the apostle sometimes admits of, as ch. viii. 4. But in this place he intends no more but the constitution of the law. According unto the law he entereth. This is that which the law requires. And hereby, as in other instances, the apostle lays before their consideration a scheme of their ancient worship, as it was at first established, that it might be the better compared with the dispensation of the new covenant, and the ministry of Christ.

3. This entrance is limited unto the holy place,' aç Ta ȧyia. The most holy place in the tabernacle or temple, the holy place made with

hands.

4. There is the season of their entrance, кaT' EVIAVTOV, 'yearly.' Once in an annual revolution, or the day fixed by the law, the tenth day of the month Tisri, or our September.

5. The manner of his entrance was, ev aiuari adλorpup, with the blood of others;' blood that was not his own, as the Syriac expresseth it. The blood of the sacrifice of Christ was his own. He redeemed the church, δια του ιδιου αίματος, Acts xx. 28. Hereunto αλλοτριον is opposed; D, other blood,' the blood of others; that is, the blood of bulls and goats offered in sacrifice; in for cum, say most expositors, which is not unusual. See 1 John v. 6; Gen. xxxii. 10; Hos. iv. 3. The meaning is, by virtue of the blood of others,' which he carried with him into the holy place.

That which is denied of Christ the antitype is the repetition of this service, and that because of the perfection of his sacrifice, the others being repeated because of their imperfection. And we may observe, that,

Obs. IV. Whatever had the greatest glory in the old legal institutions, carried along with it the evidence of its own imperfection, compared with the thing signified in Christ and his office.-The entrance of the high priest into the holy place, was the most glorious solemnity of the law. Howbeit, the annual repetition of it was a sufficient evidence of its imperfection, as the apostle disputes in the beginning of the next chapter.

VER. 26. Επει εδει αυτον πολλακις παθειν απο καταβολης κοσμου νυν δε άπαξ επι συντελείᾳ των αιώνων, εις αθέτησιν ἁμαρτίας, δια της θυσίας αύτου πεφανέρωται.

κοσμου.

Ena is properly causal; quia, quandoquidem, quoniam. But it is generally rendered in this place by all expositors, alioquin, by concession;' if it were so that he would offer, offer himself; for otherwise.' Edel, Syr. 2, 'he would have been a debtor;' it would have been due from him. Oportebat, oportuisset, he ought.' Пoλλakıç wadeiv, Vul. frequenter pati. Others, sæpe, sæpius passum fuisse, 'to have suffered often, more often, frequently;' that is, once every year. Syriac, 17, many times,' and not once only. Απο καταβολης Kоσμоν. Vul. ab origine mundi; others, à condito mundo, 'from the foundation of the world; that is, after the entrance of sin. E OVVTEdag wv vv, Syr. by п, in the end of the world.' Vul. in consummatione seculorum; sub consummationem seculorum, 'towards the consummation of all things,' in the fulness of time.' Eis adernoiv åμaptias, ad peccatum abolendum, ad abolitionem peccati. Vul. ad destitutionem peccati. Rhem. 'the destruction of sin.' IIɛpaveρwraι, apparuit; patefactus est, he was made manifest. Svolaç avrov; the Vulgar renders the words, per hostiam suam apparuit; which the Rhemists translate, he hath appeared by his own host; most absurdly both as unto words and sense. Syr. 'at one time he offered his soul, by the sacrifice or immolation of himself.' What Tepavεowra doth relate unto, we must inquire in the exposition of the words.

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