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heaven, and descended into the lower parts of the earth; was obedient to death, and redeemed his church with his own blood, by means of the human nature he assumed. His divine person can no more really leave the throne of Majesty, that cease to be. He was still in heaven; "the son of man who is in heaven;" even on the throne of Majesty; this being an inseparable property of divine authority.

It is, then, Christ in the human nature that is сараble of this exaltation, by a real addition of glory. Not the manifestation of his glory with respect to his human nature, but the real collation of glory upon him after his ascension, is intended. And though this glory be not absolutely infinite, and essentially divine, (which indeed cannot be communicated,) yet is it not absolutely above, but also of another kind than the utmost of any other created being either hath or is capable of. This exaltation of Christ gives glory to his office; it is also a manifest pledge, and a demonstrative evidence, of the absolute perfection of his oblation; and that by one offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified. By his glorious power he makes all things subservient to the end of his mediation. For he is given to be "head over all things to the church." And he is able to render the persons and duties of believers accepted in the sight of God. To present them to God is the great remaining duty of his office; and that they be so, is their only real concern in this world; and what greater security can they have of acceptance, than the interest and glory which their priest hath in heaven? 1 John ii, 1, 2.

VERSE 2

A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle; which the Lord pitched, and not man.

$1. The general scope of the text, and the subject stated. affirmed of our high priest A minister of the sanctuary. tabernacle. $4 (1) An amplification of what is affirmed.

vations.

2. (1) What is 3. And of the true $5. (III.) Obser

$1. THIS verse contains the second pre-eminence of Christ as our high priest, which the apostle calls over in this summary of this discourse. The words consist of two parts:

1. What is affirmed of our high priest; that he was "a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle."

2. An amplification of what is so affirmed; "which the Lord fixed, and not man."

§2. (I.) "Minister of the sanctuary." It is affirmed that he is (apy) a minister; having declared the glory and dignity which he is exalted to, as sitting down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven; what can be farther expected from him? There he lives, eternally happy in the enjoyment of his own blessedness and glory. Is it not reasonable it should be so, after all the hardships and miseries he underwent in this world? Who can expect that the Son of God should any longer condescend to office and duty? Neither generally have men any other thoughts concerning him. But where then should lie the advantage of the church in his exaltation, which the apostle designs, in an especial manner, to demonstrate? Wherefore to the mention of it he immediately subjoins the continuation of his office; he is still a

public minister for the church. For, be it observed, that it is a name of his priestly office, wherein he acts towards God, and before God on our behalf, according to the duty of a priest. And by virtue thereof, he also communicates all things from God to us; for the whole administration of things sacred between God and the church is committed to him. (Twv aya) of the sanctuary; the inmost part of the tabernacle, which our apostle calls (chap. ix, 3, ayız wy, i. e. p Up) "the holy of holies," the most holy place; and absolutely he calls it (aya) the holies, chap. ix, 8, 12, 24, 25; xiii, 11. And hence the word is rendered by most interpreters, "the sanctuary." And this, in the present application of it, is nothing but heaven itself, as the place of God's glorious presence; the temple of the living God, Psal. cii, 19, "He looked down from the height of his sanctuary, from the heaven did the Lord behold the earth." And so the apostle himself, chap. ix, 24, "Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself." And this is called the sanctuary because there is really what was but typically represented in the sanctuary below. It was a joyful time with the church of old when the high priest entered into the holy place; for he carried with him the blood wherewith atonement was made for all their sins; yet he was again to leave that place and his ministrations. But our High Priest abides in the true sanctuary for ever, always representing the efficacy of that blood whereby atonement was made for all our sins. As no interposition between heaven and us should discourage us, while Christ is there on our behalf, so his being there will draw our hearts and minds thither continually, if so be we are really interested in his holy ministrations.

§3. (Και της σκηνης αληθινης) and of that true tabernacle. Expositors generally agree, that by "true," in this place is intended that which is substantial and abiding, as opposed to that which is umbratile and transitory. The old tabernacle was figurative and typical, denoting somewhat that was to be the "true" and substantial tabernacle of God. So is the expression interpreted, John vi, 32, "Moses gave you not the true bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven," that is, spiritually substantial and abiding, nourishing the soul to eternal life. Most expositors take the tabernacle, as they do the sanctuary, for heaven itself; but by this "true tabernacle," the human nature of Christ himself is intended. For,

1. Of this the old tabernacle was a type. Thence is the expression taken, and to that is the opposition made in the epithet "true." This therefore is our best direction and rule in the interpretation of this expression. Now that tabernacle was not erected to be a type of heaven, nor is any such thing intimated in the scripture: a token, pledge, and means it was of God's presence with his people here on earth, whence also he is said to dwell among them. But this he doth not really and substantially only through Christ: he therefore alone is this true tabernacle. For,

2. In answer to this, when he came into the world, it is said that (onnνwoɛ) “he fixed his tubernacle among us," John i, 14; because the tabernacle of old was the way and means of God's dwelling among the people, in the pledges of his gracious presence.

3. He himself calleth his own body his temple, with respect to the temple at Jerusalem, which was of the same nature and use with the tabernacle, John ii, 19—

22; because his body was that true and substantial temple and tabernacle whereof he was the minister.

4. That is the "true tabernacle" which God truly and really inhabiteth, and on account whereof he is our God. This was the nature, use, and end of the tabernacle of old. God dwelt therein in the signs and pledges of his presence, and was on account thereof the God of the people, according to the terms of the covenant between them, Exod. xxv, 3; Rev. xxi, 3. That, therefore, wherein God dwells really and substantially, and on the account whereof he is our God in the covenant of grace; that, and no more, is the "true tabernacle." But this is in Christ alone; for “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily," Col. ii, 9; thus the human nature of Christ is that true substantial tabernacle, wherein God dwelleth personally.

5. He is the only way and means of our approach to God in holy worship, as the tabernacle was of old. He was in his own person, and what he did therein, to answer all those types of priest, sacrifice, altar, tabernacle, and what belonged thereto. He was the body and substance of them all, Col. ii, 17.

$4. (II.) "Which the Lord pitched, and not man,” (hy εTEŽEV O Kupios) the article (v) which, confines the reference to the tabernacle, and proves that it extends not to the sanctuary mentioned before. Of the true tabernacle which "the Lord pitched" or fixed. It is a word peculiarly proper to express the erection and fixing of a tabernacle. The preparation of the body of Christ is that which is intended. "A body hast thou prepared me:" chap. x, 5. And this body was to be taken down and folded up for a season, and afterwards to be erected again, without breaking or losing any part of it. This property, of all buildings, was pe

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