CHAPTER X: The general atonement made for all sins once a year:
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness;' meaning ordinary infirmities, that fall out in those that walk most exactly. It had been utterly incongruous that after this he should come in with an if, 'If any man sin,' &c., unless he had intended such kind of sinnings as were not included in those ordinary sinnings that accompany all sorts of believers. It is therefore a special exception of sins committed against light, and with deliberate indulgency of our wills; and also that first of those passages, 'These things I write, that you sin not;' after those his foregone so positive assertions against the perfectionists of that age, is not that you never have no sin in you, for that had been in vain, and contradictory to what God had declared to be a truth, during this life; but in that coherence it hath its scope, that you never sin against your light; and that is attainable in this life, which his fellow-apostle Peter thus utters it, 'That you never fall;' that is, willingly, against the knowledge and dictates of your spirits. And that apostle in that place shews it to be attainable.
Thus much concerning peculiar sacrifices for special sins, and the use our faith is to make of them, which was the first branch.
CHAPTER X
Of the general atonement made for all sins once a year, when the high priest went into the holy of holies.
I come to the second branch, which was the main thing proposed and intended under this head at the beginning of it, viz., that there was a general atonement, when the high priest went into the holiest, for all sins, once a year; which we are to make improvement of, to seek the pardon of all, and any sin whatever throughout our whole lives, from and through our high priest, who is now resident and officiating in the holiest.
The Jews then had indeed, besides those occasional expiations, and this general atonement once a year, 'continual sacrifices,' as the Old
terms them; offered up 'daily,' as the New; twice a day, morning and evening sacrifices, in the first tabernacle, which were offered up also by the high priest, Heb. 7:27, as well as the ordinary priests, Heb.
10:11. And these also were types of Christ, and of his one alone sufficient sacrifice (for he and his one sacrifice were the substance of them all, Heb. 8:3, 4, 5; Heb. 10:1; Heb. 9:11); and they were offered up for their own sins, and the sins of the people: Heb. 7:27, 'Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, then for the people's; for this he did once, when he offered up himself.' And not occasionally only.
But over and besides both these sorts of atonements, God did institute this solemn expiation once a year, upon a solemn day, which is therefore by way of singularity called the day of atonement, and appointed not for this or that particular sin only, as the occasional were, but for all sins whatsoever. And likewise that day's atonement excelled those other daily sacrifices. 1. In the style it bore, in that the day was ὀνομαστικῶς, called 'the day of atonement' throughout Moses. It carried the day from all other days in that respect. Moreover, the killing and offering of that goat that day was in like manner singularly styled, 'the sin-offering of atonements,'
Num. 29:11, whilst yet the ordinary daily sacrifices that were atonements also are made mention of; so that as the day, so the sacrifice proper to the day, is above all other the sacrifice of atonement; as if none had been such, but only it, which shews the eminency of this atonement. And, 2. All the particular solemnities, rites, and sacrifices performed that day, declare as much; for they had all those ordinary sacrifices that were offered up every day, offered up twice on that day also, as duly as on any other day, Num. 29:7–11, Lev. 16:24. And there were, moreover, two extraordinary special sacrifices, of a bullock and a goat, that were proper to that day, killed in the outward sanctuary.
And then their blood was carried into the holy of holies; and no other blood of sacrifices, not any of them was so employed, or made use of to that purpose; no, not the blood of those daily sacrifices, although
offered up on that day, as was said, whereon the high priest did go into the holy of holies, was not carried in by him. But of those only, namely, of the bullock and the goat peculiar to that day. Moreover, it was the bodies of those two which were burnt without the camp on that day, and not the other beasts sacrificed on that day; as in Heb.
13:11, the apostle expressly limits them: 'The bodies of the beasts,' says he, 'whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burnt without the camp.' All which remarks do denote the super-excellency of that day's performances; the lines and shadows thereof being drawn nearer to the life, in setting forth
I. Christ's crucifixion, as a sacrifice in the first tabernacle; which eminent note the apostle puts upon it, ver. 12, 'Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.' As also of Christ's making atonement in heaven, whither he has gone to appear in the presence of God for us; and pleading that his blood, and from thence applying it to our souls, by sprinkling of it upon our hearts and consciences, so as all the substantial parts of his mediation were most conspicuously held forth in that one day's ministry.
II. All this was to signify, as the issue and tendency of all, the extent of that atonement to be universal as to all sins, and the signification thereof to have been the special design of that day, with difference from both occasional and daily sacrifices, and is indeed so expressly notified and inculcated, as makes it seem an appropriate end of it; for I find not to my observation, that of any other of these daily sacrifices it is in express words said, with a note of universality, 'for all sins,' as of this day's sacrifice it is. This honour had this day's work alone, to be the open and public testification of this privilege which we have by Christ's sacrifice, that it is for all sin, it being utterly impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins, as Heb. 10. Here was, I say, a condemning remembrance of all sins past, which came up before God, and in their consciences, every year, and therefore God applied a catholicon or universal outward plaster every year; and yet that did but outwardly skin over the sore
every year in a carnal Jew's heart, but not healed perfectly and thoroughly, but so that it would break forth again. Yea, the very renewing of these sacrifices every year was a real testification that even these yearly sacrifices took not sins away; for why else should they be renewed again and again if the guilt of them did not remain?
Which are the apostle's arguings, Heb. 10:1–4, yet the intention was to publish an universal pardon for sins past at every year's end, when the atonement was made; such as that law could give, but withal in the shadow and type of it, minding them of a perfectly extensive atonement which was to come, which should take away all sins at once. By one thing* God would take away all sins of the comers to worship. Now by the same reason that sacrifices every year served to take away sins past for that year, and therefore are called the sacrifice once a year, by the same reason the sins of the nation, in a like manner coming up in remembrance before God every day, the daily sacrifices served but to signify the atonement of them for that day, and reached no farther; and because a remembrance of them was renewed every day, therefore it was that the sacrifices were renewed every day. But in this day's sacrifice there was a remembrance every year, yet not of that year's sinning only, but of all sins past whatever, to the time of the years then ending; so as there was atonement then made for all sins past whatever.
And if it be said that murder and blasphemy were excepted, I further answer, No. They were not left out from the intent of the significancy of that day's atonement, which was to point them unto Christ's atonement, which should be made by him once for all, for all manner of sins; the intent of his sacrifice not being at all to exempt men from bodily death, which by the judicial laws of supreme governors is due to any crimes. It was not the design of this day's atonement neither to expiate any crime under that consideration, but it was significant of an atonement for the sins of their souls, by a more perfect sacrifice of Christ's to come. There was left this remark of imperfection on it, that it was reiterated every year, thereby to drive them to eye and expect the most perfect sacrifice signified by these, which should perfect for ever them that are sanctified (as in that 10th chapter of
the Hebrews he concludes that his discourse of this type), and he but once for all offered up. If therefore any sins were under the type excepted for any respect, yet that one sacrifice to come was beforehand ordained to take away all at once; as Acts 13:38, 39, Paul told his countrymen, 'Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses;' neither moral, nor ceremonial, nor judicial. And he spoke it to signify this, as far as that present dispensation would bear, that there was an universal atonement for all sins put into the great charter of that day's pardon.
It is not anywhere in express words said, or uttered of any of them, that they were for the forgiveness of all sins; but this honour had this day's work, and issue, alone to be the open and public testification of this privilege, which is the point I drive at for your comfort and direction.
I am loath to make a dispute of it, whether the daily sacrifices were re ipsa instituted to hold out an universal forgiveness of all sins. I rather rest in this as a rule, that the legal ordinances and sacrifices, as they were imperfect shadows in themselves, so wherein their imperfection in their signification should lie is much to be judged of by what we find said, or declared of them, when they are spoken of as to their proper intent and extent; and therefore I think it safest to say, that the difference between the sacrifices of this day, and those daily, may be, that the daily sacrifices eminently pointed at a continual forgiveness of sins as they were every day committed; they were for the errors of that day, as the name imports. But these sacrifices, and the expiation by them once a year, was ordained for all sins past of their whole lives, especially that had been committed that year. They were forgiven by wholesale, by the great and lump, on that day, though even in these sacrifices this mark of imperfection was left upon them, that there was a legal condemning remembrance of sins past.
Now that this universality of pardon of all sins was the great design of this one day's atonements, is in most express words, and not in figures, avowedly declared, and so often repeated, as all men must acknowledge that to have been the eminent scope thereof. For, 1. It is commanded that all the people should 'afflict their souls' for all their sins, Lev. 16:29. I say 'for all their sins,' for so the very next words warrant me, which are the reason annexed to that commandment, ver. 30, 'For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.' And, 2. When the two extraordinary sacrifices were killed, and their blood taken to be carried into the holy of holies, this is the declared intent of both: Lev. 16:15, 16, 'Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat. And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.' Again, 3. When that extraordinary atonement, by those sacrifices, was perfected, and that the high priest came forth from out of the holy of holies, then Aaron took the live goat; ver. 20–22,
'And when he had made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness. And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited; and he shall let go the goat into the wilderness.' Here are still, you see, both all and all sorts of sins in three several words expressed; to the end that all sins whatever might be sure to be comprehended. Again, you have that all inculcated in the last verse, as the special design of that day, ver. 34,
'And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an
atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year.
And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.'
The occasional sacrifices served but for the expiation of particular emergent sinnings, and each served but for one turn, for that one sin, and no more. And if they fell into the like again, a new sacrifice was to be offered for that second, and so a third. And yet in them the believing Jew might spy out another manner of sacrifice, shadowed out for their souls. Again, in the daily sacrifices they might discern the same sacrifice typified, for daily sins committed every day, whilst yet the ritual sacrifice itself reached but to that day's sins. And still there was a remembrance of all these sins every year: Heb. 10:1, 'For the law could never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect;' and ver. 2, 3,
'For then would not they have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.' And this shewed the imperfection of that ritual sacrifice; yet still so as in the type and shadow it adumbrated a universal pardon, through a perfect sacrifice once offered to come: ver. 12, 'But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God;' in which there would be 'no more remembrance of sins,' ver. 17.
And although neither this day's atonement, nor no other of these fore-mentioned legal sacrifices, served not to acquit them from those sins excepted, as murder, adultery, or blasphemy, so far as God, as king of that nation, in his judicial law (as was observed) required bodily death for them, that day's expiation freed them not from that extreme punishment, whether they had been committed afore that solemn day or whether they had been discovered after that day's expiation had passed upon them. They could not have pleaded that day's atonement to free them from death; no, they died without mercy, as the apostle tells us.
But still all these did, in their several significancies, set forth that one perfect and all-sufficient sacrifice, which was the substance and centre of them all. And as these on that great day performed excelled all the other in the significancies of it—they being offered on purpose on that day the high priest went into the holy of holies, thereby, firstly, notifying this our high priest's alone sacrifice immediately afore his entrance into heaven—so especially, and most eminently, they were designed to shadow forth the extent of that of Christ his sacrifice, as reaching to the pardon of all sins, holding out a universal pardon of all sorts of sins, of what kind soever (but only that against the Holy Ghost, which in the 10th chapter the apostle alone excepteth). This was the proper intendment of that day's atonement.
And if in those occasional sacrifices for grosser particular sins, the believers then might understand thereby, that there was a sacrifice for the forgiveness of their souls represented thereby, as well as a present freedom from the punishment of God's either immediately cutting them off from their people, or by the hand of the magistrate, according to any judicial law, threatening bodily death; then for the like reason the sacrifices and atonements of that day being so expressly and loudly proclaimed to be for all their sins whatever, they must be understood to have intended a like universal atonement of sins unto all that come unto this great high priest, confessing their sins, afflicting their souls for them, and seeking to be sprinkled with his blood, and their bodies washed with water, as it hath been explained.
And therefore let it be observed, that the high priest alone performed the whole of that day's service, which was to be done in either tabernacles, whether of extraordinary or ordinary sacrifice, to shew that there was one, and but one, great high priest that was to come, who should 'by one offering perfect for ever those that were sanctified,' Heb. 10:14; in whose sacrifice all the sacrifices concurred and met, as lines in a centre; whether it were those of the high priest once a year, which he had instanced in this Heb. 10 from ver. 1 to ver.
11, or of every priest daily ministering, in ver. 11. These are all swallowed up as shadows into this great body and substance of them.
But especially this day's atonement, instituted to signify this general atonement, is for this cause so largely insisted on, and above all others explained, and exposed to our notice by our apostle in the 9th and 10th chapters; as also chap. 13 ver. 11, 12. And those atonements made by the ordinary priests, but in one passage of chap 10, ver. 11, although their daily services also imported the daily taking away of all sins for every day.
Seek then to Christ, to cause his face to shine upon thee, and his Father's through him. This I mention upon two grounds, proper to our high priest's being in the holy of holies, from the type in Lev. 16.
You read how the high priest took incense, with coals of fire, from off the altar of gold, and then going into the holy of holies, with the censer of gold, with those coals, and casting the incense thereon, he caused a cloud of smoke to ascend: and thereupon God manifested himself in a glory shining on the cloud. For this compare ver. 2d with the 12th and 13th, 'I will appear in the cloud' (so God promiseth, ver.
2); which how it was fulfilled, the 12th and 13th verses tell us, 'He shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercyseat that is upon the testimony, that he die not.' The cloud of incense, or the smoke thereof, typified prayer, as in the Psalms. And answerably, and in allusion unto this, the penner of the 80th Psalm doth in the name of, and for the people, frame his prayer thus, ver. 1:
'Give ear, thou that dwellest between the cherubims' (in which was the holy of holies); 'shine forth;' so, ver. 1. Then, in ver. 3, 'Cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved,' which he repeats twice after in that psalm. His faith then penned that psalm for them, had in his eye that promise of God's appearing in the cloud: as in Lev. 16. Witness the compellation he gives of God, 'Thou that dwellest between the cherubims.' He understood full well, that although himself, nor the people, on whose behalf he made this prayer, did follow God into the holy of holies personally themselves, but the high priest only; and that yet that appearance of God's in the cloud from the mercy-seat
unto the high priest, when he went into the holiest, did signify that unto those that looked by faith unto that mercy-seat, and invocated
God with fervent prayer for grace to help them in their occasional or constant need; that God would shine forth, and appear unto them, in answer unto their prayer graciously, some way or other, especially when it is the face of God himself which they seek, and that their hearts are carried out in prayer to seek the shine thereof.
We must know that the phrase of seeking God's face is more largely used; for seeking his face, that is his favour in any particular request we would obtain at his hands. And it is a wonted speech in Scripture used to that purpose. But it is taken more strictly for seeking the shine of his favour itself to be manifested to a man's soul. It is the character of saints in the Psalms, 'That seek thy face.' And when their hearts are pitched upon that request above all things else, Oh then, he that dwelleth between the cherubims will shine forth according to their desire and his promise; as he often did unto particular persons, amongst them that came to the temple to worship. God shone forth upon their souls whilst they were praying there, which caused David to utter his request in this manner, in Ps. 63:2, 3, 'To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary; because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.' Observe how he says, 'so as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary;' calling to remembrance God's gracious treatings with him in former times, when he used to come there to worship.
There are two things contained in that petition, 'shine forth,' which do thou, when thou conversest with God and Christ in this sanctuary, seek for at their hands.
1. That he would cause the light of his countenance, in his electing love, to shine upon thy soul; that is, to give thee the assurance with a taste of his lovingkindness or special love borne towards thee, in which he at that present doth graciously accept thee in his beloved, and from everlasting had pitched and fixed to manifest towards thee in his Son. This is David's meaning there; for one sight which he
desires to behold him with in his temple, is that of his lovingkindness, which he therefore specifies in the following verse:
'Thy lovingkindness is better than life,' ver. 3. And this is one and a chief part of what my text intendeth, by 'drawing near with a full assurance of faith;' that is, with assurance of our being accepted of him; the shine of which David desired to have from out of his temple, whilst his faith looked to the holy of holies, unto which my text invites us to come in heaven.
The 2nd is to manifest himself to a man's soul: to 'see his glory and his power, as he had seen it in his sanctuary,' ver. 2; that is, to have a view of his personal excellencies and glories. And thus I interpret it; for the wonders of power and glory which God shewed by outward works done for his people were works in the execution of them acted out of doors, as we say. They were transacted abroad, and in the world. The sights therefore which in the temple he sought to see were those of his personal greatness, power, and glory within himself, which were the cause and workers of those wondrous effects from out of his holy temple, as those abroad in the world are said to be.
And if you apply this to the seeking the face of Christ, the direction then is, that thou wouldest seek a view of him, not simply in his high priesthood glory (which is his office), and so what therein thou needest to have from him, to make use of him for, as thou art a sinner, but a view of the glory of his person abstractly from his office; when therefore, Ps. 80:1, he says, 'Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth,' and ver. 3, 'cause thy face to shine,' the highest and furthest intendment of those petitions is, that he would shine in his personal excellencies. For indeed the face of God and Christ are put for the person of each: 1. Of God; 'Thou shalt have no other gods before my face;' 'to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,' that is, myself*. 2. Of Christ; 2 Cor. 4:4. And his face imports, as the lifting up the light of his countenance in his love and favour, so the excellency and glory of his person: as in 2 Cor. 4:4, the glory of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ. The word προσώπῳ is, in the person of Christ. And that which follows shews it is his
personal excellency mainly intended, 'who is the image,' says he, 'of God;' which both in Col. 1 and Heb. 1 are primarily spoken of him in respect to his personal glory. Now, in that 80th Psalm, where it was we founded this head, 'O thou that dwellest,' &c., 'shine forth,' as ver.
1, so he begins; but then in the 3d verse it follows, 'Cause thy face to shine,' which face of his is elsewhere styled his beauty, which denotes the excellency and glory of his person; and is also still spoken of him as shining in and from his temple, and as therein and from thence he was to be viewed, Ps. 27:4, 'To behold the beauty of the Lord, and inquire in his holy temple.' And that beauty is eminently termed his holiness, Ps. 110:3. And as his favour, grace, and love is the light of his countenance shining towards us, so his holiness is the personal glory in himself; as that vision in Isaiah, chap. 6:1, given of Christ when on his throne. That throne is that seat in the holy of holies, whereon (now he is ascended into heaven) he sits at the right hand of God, with his angels about him, worshipping of him as there. And the place or scene of that throne is in the vision made the holy of holies in the temple; for it is said that his glory (that is, the train and gleam that came from it) 'filled the temple,' that is, the rest of the temple from the throne. Now, that glory is that of his person; for Christ himself refers this of Isaiah unto himself, John 12:41. Now, that glory there in Isaiah is said specially to be his holiness, as appears by the angels celebrating him and that his glory with crying out, 'Holy, holy, holy,' therein adorning* him for that, as wherein his glory specially consisted; which, when Isaiah saw, you read how he was affected with it.
Also heaven is the holy of holies, and it is the personal glory there of him doth there appear (who is the most holy, and the Messiah, and the anointed one, Dan. 9), which our Saviour desireth we might behold, John 17:24. And therefore a forehand sight and glimpse by faith of this his personal glory (and so far as faith is capable of it) is of all sorts of actings, or receptions rather, by faith the most desirable and delighting, and fills the soul with glory; whom 'having not seen' (that is, as we shall do), yet so far seeing as faith will capacitate us, and may carry us, this works 'joy unspeakable and full
of glory.' And such sights the primitive Christians were much inured to, 1 Pet. 1:8.
It falls out sometimes that when thou thyself comest to him, and afore him, that himself doth cause some rays of that more mean and little beauty that is in thy soul also (which is the reflection of his shining on thee) to break forth afore him, whilst thou art in his presence. And he, to please himself in thee, draws out thy love to him, and causeth thee to tell him—he thereupon enlarging thy soul that way whilst thou art a-doing it—how well thou lovest him; and to relate to him how holy thou wouldest be, which will in us to be so is our greatest holiness in this life; and herewith do both God and Christ wonderfully delight themselves, as in Ps. 45 it is said both of the Father (for his speech it is) and of Christ the Son, 'He is thy Lord, and worship thou him; so shall the King,' that is, Christ, 'greatly delight in thy beauty.' And, Eph. 5, Christ doth 'present the church to himself.' How, and why, to himself? You have heard how he presents us to God; but here it is said he doth it to himself, as his spouse, for of that he had spoken afore. He takes a view of a soul that comes to him, and is taken with her himself first, and pleaseth himself first in her; and then covereth her all over with his righteousness, and then gives or takes a kiss of her himself, and so presents her to his Father.
Now, therefore, when thou comest afore him, obtain (if possible) ere thou comest off or out from him, a view of his person and of his holiness and beauty; and beg hard, be instant for it. And to that end I counsel thee, let thine eye be fastened on him in what he is in himself. See what thou canst spy out to be in him, or from him, over and besides thy redemption by his priesthood, that should make thy heart more to cleave to him, and more to love him, and delight in him. And when but the first glimpses, and thereupon motion of such affections, do rise and enkindle, follow them, and blow up those sparks to a flame; let thy heart dwell upon such interviews. Likewise every holy strain or disposition of spirit, which he draws forth out of thy heart, out of pure love to him, whilst thou art in his presence, they are so many gleams and lines of beauty in thee, with which his heart is delighted, whether they be brokenness of heart, and
relenting pangs of sorrow for sin, or submission to his will with all cheerfulness, because it is his will, putting thy mouth in the dust, in thy deepest trials and temptations. Or that thou canst, with all that is within thee, fall a-blessing him for what he is in his own blessedness and glory, though thou should not be partaker of it in him, and with him, rejoicing that Christ he is with the Father at his right hand in glory, whatever becomes of thee; which Christ told his disciples, that if they loved him they would have done; because I go to the Father.
These are each so many casts of a gracious beauty in thy soul, with which in thy converses with him he is ravished. These interviews and intercourses of love of the soul to Christ, and of Christ to the soul, you may read of Cant. 7th chapter throughout: both on Christ's part, from ver. 1 to 10; and on the church's part, from ver. 10 to the end.
But to wind up this head, and to bring it back again to the language and signification of the type itself, which we began in, and made the rise of this head.
There were two things in that holy of holies, principally ordained to represent our Lord Jesus Christ: 1. The ark, whose residence was continually therein; 2. The person of the high priest, who came in but once a-year, and then whilst he was in it, did but personate our Lord to come to heaven. The ark itself alone I take (and submit it) typed forth his very person, simply considered. A chest it was, made of plain boards of Shittim wood, covered both within and without with pure gold. The wood signified his humanity, the gold his divine nature, as joined both in one; the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily, and enclosing or encompassing his human nature, with the fulness of itself, Exod. 25:11. And this ark is termed the glory and beauty of God, Ps. 68:71; as also of all Israel, 1 Sam. 4:21. And it was under that style declared of his person, by old men, when but eight days old, Luke 2:32, 'the glory of thy people Israel.' Crowned also it was with a crown of gold, denoting all excellency and right of the dominion; having the testimony or covenant of the law in it, as Christ had the law in his heart, Ps. 40.
The second representative was the high priest, who came in but to perform the works of a priest, who was the type of Christ's office of priesthood, which is but additional to the glory of his person. By these two we are taught to view, and that distinctly: 1. His person, and the glories thereof simply considered, and that of his office in performing the work thereof, as a mediator for us, and as an atoner for our sins. And as the ark was the most eminent, and first bespoke to be made, Exod. 25:10, so is and was the person of Christ first ordained, and is to be esteemed accordingly, in and for his person, the most precious above all other, being 'the most holy,' Dan. 9. And certainly his person is far more excellent than any, or all his offices for us, and accordingly to be sought for by us; and the privilege hereof Christ hath promised to some special favourites of his: John
14:21, 'He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.' Mark how he says, 'I will manifest myself,' having said, I will manifest my love, in those words, 'I will love him,' as distinct from and short of this. Now, to love us, as in his own heart his love is seated in common to all believers, whereas this is uttered as a special favour to them that keep his commands, in a special and intense manner; and therefore is meant of the manifestation of that his love. And then the next words, 'I will manifest myself to him,' is a further additional, beyond that discovery of his love or his Father's; and so of his person, which is usually called himself. And it was a privilege not vouchsafed the apostles until himself was ascended, and poured out his Spirit on them. And then their union with his person, as his with his Father's, was manifested to them, as in the verse afore, ver. 20, 'At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you,' which is expounded by this speech of his in ver. 21. Sure I am (that so I may still express it by the type which hath led me unto this) that the perfection of that glorious state which the saints on earth shall attain unto, is typified forth under the shadow of the holy of holies, in a comparative unto the foregoing states of the church less perfect, described by the model of the outward court; and then the court of the priests, whereof Rev. 11:1, 2, and the last verse gives us the
scheme. But after these two courts are passed in ver. 1, 2, it is said, ver. 19, that 'the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple' (the seat of which was that part of the temple called the holy of holies) 'the ark of the testament.' Oh how will men then more continually rejoice in the contemplation of his person, and above all, love him, value him for what he is in himself, and for himself; whereas now it is a rare privilege vouchsafed to some, and yet attainable, but will not in the height of it be communicated, until these more imperfect and dead-hearted churches, the court of priests which foregoes it, be purged and more refined; and that by the laying dead the two witnesses, which are both the churches themselves, the golden candlesticks, and the persons of the most eminent professors, both of ministers and people. After which, though we with the rest of the New Testament saints are said all to enter into the holiest, when we worship, as in the text; yet God hath provided last for them of those times, after their resurrection and ascension into heaven, that is, a more conspicuous glory of intercourse with Christ; such as is an enjoyment of his person, as the ark in the holy of holies, in comparison unto what is now but as in the court of priests. And yet let every one now seek it, by growing up unto perfect holiness, and keeping his commandments; for unto such that promise is in all times made, and is to be attained by some that seek it, as a forerunning glimpse and pledge of the like, as then more common glory of the saints in those times.
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