mandment, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. 19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing

in of a better hope did, by which we draw nigh to 20 God. And in as much as he was not made a priest 21 without an oath: (For those priests were made without an oath, but this with an oath, by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest 22 for ever, after the order of Melchisedeck:) Of so much 23 better a covenant was Jesus made a surety. And they

truly were many priests, because they were hindered by 24 death from continuing. But this, because he continueth for ever, hath a priesthood that passeth not away. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost,

who come to God through him, seeing he ever liveth to 26 make intercession for them. For such a high-priest

suited us, holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sin27 ners, and made higher than the heavens: Who needeth not daily, as those high-priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, then for those of the people; for this he 28 did once for all, when he offered up himself. For the

V. 19. For the law-Taken by itself, separate from the gospel, made nothing perfect-Could not perfect its votaries, either in faith or love, in happiness or holiness; but the bringing in of a better hope-Of the gospel dispensation, which gives us a better ground of confidence, does: by which we draw nigh to God-Yea, so nigh as to be one spirit with him. And this is true perfection. V. 20. And-The greater solemnity wherewith he was made priest, farther proves the superior excellency of his priesthood.

V. 21. The Lord sware and will not repent-Hence also it appears, that his is an unchangeable priesthood.

V. 22 Of so much better a covenant-Unchangeable, eternal, was Jesus made a surety Or Mediator. The word covenant frequently occurs in the remaining part of this epistle. The original word means either a covenant or a last will and testament. St. Paul takes it sometimes in the former, sometimes in the latter sense; sometimes he includes both.

V. 23. There were many priests-One after another.

V. 24. He continueth for ever—In life and in his priesthood: that passeth not away-To any successor.

V. 25. Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost-From all the guilt, power, root, and consequence of sin, them who come-By faith, to God through him-As their priest, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession-That is, he ever lives and intercedes. He died once. He intercedes perpetually.

V. 26. For such a high-priest suited us-Unholy, mischievous, defiled sinners: a blessed paradox! Holy-With respect to God, harmless-With respect to men, undefiled-Without any sin, in himself, separated from sinners-As well as from sin. And so he was, when he left the world, and made-Even in his human nature, higher than the heavens-And all their inhabitants.

V. 27. Who needeth not to offer up sacrifices daily—(That is, on every yearly day of expiation) for he offered once for all: not for his own sins: for he then offered up himself without spot to God.

V. 28. The law maketh men high-priests that have infirmity-That are both weak, mortal, and sinful; but the oath which was since the law-Namely, in the time of David, maketh the son, who is consecrated for ever-Who being

+

law maketh men high-priests that have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

CHAP. VIII. 1. The sum of what hath been spoken is, We have such a high-priest, who is set down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, S which the Lord hath fixed and not man. For every high

priest is ordained to offer up gifts and sacrifices: whence it was necessary that this also should have somewhat to offer. 4 But if he were on earth, he could not be a priest, there 5 being priests that offer gifts, according to the law, Who serve after the pattern and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God, when he was about to finish the tabernacle; for, saith he, *See thou make all things according to the model which was shewed thee in 6 the mount. But he hath now obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much better a covenant he is a Mediator 7 of, which is established upon better promises. For if the first had been faultless, no place would have been sought

* Exod. xxv. 40.

now free, both from sin and death, from natural and moral infirmity, remaineth a priest for ever.

CHAP. VIII. Ver. 1. We have such a high-priest-Having finished his description of the type in Melchisedeck, the apostle begins to treat directly of the excellency of Christ's priesthood, beyond the Levitical; who is set down→ Having finished his oblation, at the right hand of the Majesty-Of God.

V. 2. A minister-Who represents his own sacrifice, as the high-priest did the blood of those sacrifices once a year, of the sanctuary-Heaven, typified by the holy of holies, and of the true tabernacle-Perhaps his human nature, of which the old tabernacle was a type: which the Lord hath fixed-For ever; not man-As Moses, fixed the tabernacle.

V. 4. But if he were on earth-If his priesthood terminated here, he could not be a priest—At all, consistently with the Jewish institutions, there beingOther, priests-To whom alone this office is allotted.

V. 5. Who serve--the temple, which was not yet destroyed, after the pattern and shadow of heavenly things-Of spiritual, evangelical worship, and of everlasting glory: the pattern, somewhat like the strokes pencilled out upon a piece of fine linen, which exhibit the figures of leaves and flowers, but have not yet received their splendid colours and curious shades: and shadow, or shadowy representation, which gives you some dim and imperfect idea of the body; but not the fine features, not the distinguishing air, none of those living graces which adorn the real person. Yet both the pattern and shadow lead our minds to something nobler than themselves: the pattern, to that (holiness and glory) which complete it; the shadow, to that which occasions it. V. 6. And now he hath obtained a more excellent ministry-His priesthood as much excels theirs, as the promises of the gospel (whereof he is a surety) excel those of the law. These better promises are specified, ver. 10, 11. Those in the law were mostly temporal promises.

V. 7. For if the first had been faultless-If that dispensation had answered

8 for a second. But, finding fault with them, he saith, * Behold the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the 9 house of Judah. Not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand, to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them 10 not, saith the Lord : For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they 11 shall be to me a people. And they shall not teach every one his neighbour, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the 12 least even to the greatest. For I will be merciful to

their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities 13 will I remember no more. In saying, a new covenant, he

* Jer. xxxi. 31, &c.

all God's designs and man's wants, if it had not been weak and unprofitable, unable to make any thing perfect, no place would have been for a second.

V. s. But there is: for finding fault with them-Who were under the old covenant, he saith, I make a new covenant with the house of Israel With all the Israel of God, in all ages and nations. It is new in many respects, (though not as to the substance of it,) 1. Being ratified by the death of Christ: *. Freed from those burdensome rites and ceremonies : 3. Containing a more full and clear account of spiritual religion: 4. Attended with larger influences of the Spirit: 5. Extended to all men: and, 6. Never to be abolished.

V. 9. When I took them by the hand-With the care and tenderness of a parent; and just while this was fresh in their memory, they obeyed. But presently after they shook off the yoke, they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not-So that covenant was soon broken in pieces.

V. 10. This is the covenant I will make after those days-After the Mosaic dispensation is abolished; I will put my law in their minds-I will open their eyes and enlighten their understanding, to see the true, full, spiritual meaning thereof, and write them on their hearts-So that they shall inwardly expe rience whatever I have commanded: and I will be to them a God-Their allsufficient portion, and exceeding great reward, and they shall be to me a people -My treasure, my beloved, loving and obedient children.

V. 11. And they Who are under this covenant, (though in other respects they will have need to teach each other to their lives' end, yet) shall not-Need to teach every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me -All real Christians, from the least to the greatest-In this order the saving knowledge of God ever did, and ever will proceed, not first to the greatest and then to the least. But the Lord will save the tents, the poorest, of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David, the royal seed, and the glory of the inhabi tants of Jerusalem, the nobles and the rich citizens, do not magnify themselves, Zech. xii. 7.

V. 12. For I will-Justify them, which is the root of all true knowledge of God. This therefore is God's method. First a sinner is pardoned: then he knows God, as gracious and merciful: then God's laws are written on his heart: he is God's, and God is his.

V. 18. In saying, a new covenant, he hath antiquated the first-Hath shewn

hath antiquated the first; now that which is antiquated and decayed, is ready to vanish away.

CHAP. IX. 1. And verily the first covenant also had 2 ordinances of worship and a worldly sanctuary. For the first tabernacle was prepared, in which was the candlestick, and the table, and the shew-bread; which is 3 called, The holy place. And beyond the second veil, the 4 tabernacle, which is called, The holy of holies, Having the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant, overlaid round about with gold, wherein was a golden pot having the manna, and Aaron's rod that blossomed, and the tables 5 of the covenant: And over it were the cherubim of glory, shadowing the mercy-seat; of which we cannot now 6 speak particularly. Now these things being thus prepared, the priests go always into the first tabernacle, 7 accomplishing their services. But into the second, only

the high-priest, once a year, not without blood, which he 8 offereth for himself and the errors of the people: The

that it is disannulled and out of date: now that which is antiquated, is ready to vanish away-As it did quickly after when the temple was destroyed.

CHAP. IX. Ver. 1. The first covenant had ordinances of outward worship and a worldly-A visible, material sanctuary or tabernacle. Of this sanctuary he treats ver. 2-5: of those ordinances, ver. 6—10.

V. 2. The first-The outward tabernacle, in which was the candlestick, and the table. The shew-bread, shewn continually before God and all the people, consisting of twelve loaves, according to the number of the tribes, was placed on this table in two rows, six upon one another in each row. This candlestick and bread seem to have typified the light and life, which are more largely dispensed under the gospel, by him who is the light of the world, and the bread of life.

V. 3. The second veil-Divided the holy place from the most holy, as the first veil did the holy place from the courts.

V. 4. Having the golden censer-Used by the high-priest only, on the great day of atonement: and the ark or chest of the covenant-So called from the tables of the covenant contained thein: wherein was the manna-The monument of God's care over Israel: and Aaron's rod-The monument of regular priesthood: and the tables of the covenant-The two tables of stone, on which the ten commandments were written by the finger of God; the most venerable monument of all.

V. 5. And over it were the cherubim of glory-Over which the glory of God used to appear. Some suppose, each of these had four faces, and so represented the Three-one God, with the manhood assumed by the second Person: with out-spread wings shadowing the mercy-seat-Which was a lid or plate of gold covering the ark.

V. 6. Always-Every day: accomplishing their services-Lighting their lamps, changing the shew-bread, burning incense, and sprinkling the blood of the sin-offering.

V. 7. Errors-That is, sins of ignorance; to which only those atonements extended.

V. 8. The Holy Ghost evidently shewing-By this token, that the way into

Holy Ghost evidently shewing this, that the way into the holiest was not yet made manifest, while the first taber9 nacle was still subsisting, Which is a figure for the time present, in which are offered both gifts and sacrifices, which cannot perfect the worshipper as to his conscience, 10 Only with meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed till the time of reformation. 11 But Christ being come, a high-priest of good things to come, through a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not 12 made with hands, that is, not of this creation, And not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained 13 eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the un14 clean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God? 15 And for this end he is the Mediator of the new covenant,

*

* Numb. xix. 17, 18, 19.

the holiest Into heaven, was not made manifest-Not so clearly revealed, while the first tabernacle-And its service, were still subsisting-And remaining in force.

V. 9. Which tabernacle, with all its furniture and services, is a figure, or type of good things to come. Which cannot perfect the worshipper-Neither the priest, nor him who brought the offering: as to his conscience-So that he should be no longer conscious of the guilt or power of sin. Observe, the temple was as yet standing.

V. 10. They could not so perfect him, with all their train of precepts relating to meats and drinks, and carnal, gross, external ordinances; and were therefore imposed only till the time of reformation-Till Christ came.

V. 11. A high-priest of good things to come-Described ver. 15, entered thro' a greater-That is, a more noble and perfect tabernacle-Namely, his own body not of this creation-Not framed by man as that tabernacle was. V. 12. The holy place-Heaven; for us-All that believe.

V. 13. If the ashes of a heifer-Consumed by fire as a sin-offering, being sprinkled on them who were legally unclean, purified the flesh-Removed that legal uncleanness, and re-admitted them to the temple and the congregation: V. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ-The merit of all his sufferings: who through the eternal Spirit-The work of redemption being the work of the whole Trinity. Neither is the second person alone concerned even in the amazing condescension that was needful to complete it. The Father delivers up the kingdom to the Son: and the Holy Ghost becomes the gift of the Messiah, being, as it were, sent according to his good pleasure: offered himself Infinitely more precious than any created victim, and that without spot to God; purge our conscience-Our inmost soul, from dead works-From all the inward and outward works of the devil, which spring from spiritual death in the soul, and lead to death everlasting: to serve the living God-In the life of faith, in perfect love and spotless holiness.

V. 15. And for this end he is the Mediator of a new covenant, that they who are called-To the engagements and benefits thereof: might receive the eternal VOL. II.

S