1. That which first occurs, is the note of inference, or dependance on the former discourse; *, therefore.' It hath an equal respect unto both parts of the assertion. And it is not the being of the things, but their manifestation, that is intended. From what hath been said concerning the legal purification of all things, and the spiritual purification that is by the sacrifice of Christ, these things are evident and manifest.

2. Of both the things affirmed, it is said, that avafxn, it was necessary they should be so; that is, it was so from God's institution and appointment. There was no necessity in the nature of the things themselves, that the patterns of heavenly things should be purged with these sacrifices; but on supposition that God would, in and by them, represent the purification of the heavenly things, it was necessary that they should be thus purged with blood. And on the supposition of the same divine ordination, that the heavenly things themselves should be purified, it was necessary that they should be purified with better sacrifices than these, which were altogether insufficient unto that end.

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3. The subject of the first proposition is, the patterns of things in the heavens." The To Tois Ougavos, are the Ta sougain the next words. Things in the heavens, are heavenly things. And they are the same with arritura Twy mλrdırwe, in the next verse; figures of the true things.' The things intended, are those which the apostle hath discoursed of; the covenant, the book, the people, the tabernacle, with all the ves sels of its ministry.

1st, These he calls data, which we well render patterns.' And patterns are of two sorts, 1. Such as are goTU, exemplaria; those from and according unto which any other thing is framed. That is, the pattern of any thing, according unto which it is contrived, made and fashioned. So a scheme or frame drawn and delineated, is the pattern of an edifice. 2. Such as are exemplata, Tuña; that are framed according to other things, which they do resemble and represent. These also are data. The things mentioned, were not patterns of the heavenly things in the first sense; the heavenly things were not framed by them, to answer, resemble and represent them; but they were so in the latter only. And therefore, in the first constitution of them, those which were durable and to abide, as the tabernacle, with all its utensils and vessels, with the positure and disposal of them, were made and erected according unto an original pattern shewed in the mount. Or they were framed according unto the idea of the heavenly things themselves, whereof he made a representation unto Moses, and communicated a resemblance of them unto him, according unto his own good pleasure.

This is the order of these things. The heavenly things

383 themselves 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, των εν τοις κρανοις, 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, *aagd. 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 consist

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

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4thly, The means whereby they were thus to be purified, is, TSTOIS, with these.' In the next proposition, the heavenly things themselves are said to be purified, vonis, 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; vafx. 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 purifica tion 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.' The first thing in the words, is the subject of the proposition. Αυτά τα επερανία, AUTα Tα STYGAVIa, 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 be tween 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 VOL. VI.

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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. I. 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.

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. I answer, that we are to have recourse anto 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, chap. 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