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ing memorial of the priesthood of Chrift, LECT. which taught the people under a figure, that the true prieft fhould do, once for all, what Aaron and his fucceffors did year by year. The law had a shadow of the good things that were to come by the Gofpel; and all its ceremonies and fervices were accommodated to fhew the neceffity and the effects of a better priesthood with better facrifices. For first, the tabernacle itself was a pattern of an heavenly original: the directions given to Mofes for the constructing of it imply that it was no more than a copy; and thus argues the apoftle. The priests, fays he, that offer gifts and facrifices ferve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things; as Mofes ‹was admonished of God (or, according to the Greek, as Mofes was divinely informed of God) when he was about to make the tabernacle; For, fee, faith be, that thou make all things according to the pattern fhewed to thee in the mount. The heavenly fubftance of which this tabernacle was the fhadow and pattern is now exhibited to us under the gofpel; and we may trace the lines of the

LECT. true tabernacle if we attend to the form of

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that which reprefented it. The first part of the tabernacle, in which the daily ministrations were performed, was a figure of this world, in which temporary and mortal priests perform the fervices of God. Beyond the vail there was another tabernacle called the holiest of all, or as the Hebrew fpeaks, the Holy of Holies. This facred place was open only to the high prieft, who entered into it with the blood of the yearly facrifice. When Christ by his death, which rent the vail of the temple, had opened a way into the heavenly fanctuary, then was the truth of this yearly fervice accomplished, and he paffed from officiating as a priest upon carth, to appear with the merits of his blood for us in heaven, before the presence of God. And thus the apoftle explains it. Chrift is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself now to appear in the prefence of God for us. In which words it is plainly implied, that he did truly once for all, what Aaron the high priest

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did every year; therefore what Aaron did LECT. forefhewed what he fhould do; and if fo, the person of Aaron was a figure of his perfon. That it was no more than a figure for the time then present, and that Aaron was not the true interceffor, which the people of God were taught to expect, was evident from the repetition of his facrifices year by year; which fhewed, that of themfelves they were ineffectual: every fucceeding yearly offering and atonement fhewed the inefficacy of what had gone before. Suppofing they had answered the end of propitiation, the apoftle puts the question, would they not then have ceafed to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged Should have had no more confcience of fins*, that is, they might have pleaded in the fight of God the effect of what had passed, if it had been effectual; but it was repeated continually; therefore it was not effectual; it was only defcriptive or exhibitory of that facrifice, which in the fulness of time should be effectual to the putting away of fin. And this reminds us of the difference

* Ch. x. 2.

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between

LECT. between the high priest of the tabernacle,

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and the high priest of the true fanctuary; that the latter was both priest and sacrifice. And it was neceffary he fhould be fo; for the blood of bulls and of goats could not take away fins the cattle upon a thousand hills could not make an atonement for one finner. There is indeed no visible relation, in the eye of human reafon, between the death of a sheep and the pardon of fin: but that Chrift, a perfect man, the accepted and beloved fon of God, should fhed his blood to fave our fouls; in that there is so much fenfe, that it is the very wifdom and the power of God.

It has been made a question, by those who question every thing, whether facrifices were of divine inftitution. But facrifices are descriptive; and as the thing described is the redemption of man by the fhedding of the blood of Chrift, which never could be known but by revelation; the fuppofition, that facrifice could be of human invention, is an abfurdity. we were to imagine, that words

It is as if

could be invented

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invented by thofe, who had no knowledge LECT. of things; or that figns could be brought into use without any prior idea of the things fignified. The knowledge of a redeemer was first given to man; and the obfervation of facrifice was the expreffion of that knowledge by a fignificant act. All mankind were derived from thefe to whom this knowledge was first given; and therefore all nations of the world in all times of the world did in fome form or other retain the obfervation of facrifice, for the putting away of fin.

The third character under which the Son of God was forefhewn to us under the law, is that of a conqueror. As Joshua, whofe name is also called Jefus in the Epiftle to the Hebrews, Chrift was to become the captain of our falvation; to fubdue our fpiritual enemies, and put us into poffeffion of the heavenly Canaan. The person of Joshua, and his acts, and the effects of his commiffion, are all defcriptive of the things to be accomplished by the true Je

fus.

He was the fucceffor of Mofes, as the

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gofpel