Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc06/v06950

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 9KB | 158 lines

06955
 #7-13 The superior excellence of the priesthood of Christ, above
 that of Aaron, is shown from that covenant of grace, of which
 Christ was Mediator. The law not only made all subject to it,
 liable to be condemned for the guilt of sin, but also was unable
 to remove that guilt, and clear the conscience from the sense
 and terror of it. Whereas, by the blood of Christ, a full
 remission of sins was provided, so that God would remember them
 no more. God once wrote his laws to his people, now he will
 write his laws in them; he will give them understanding to know
 and to believe his laws; he will give them memories to retain
 them; he will give them hearts to love them, courage to profess
 them, and power to put them in practice. This is the foundation
 of the covenant; and when this is laid, duty will be done
 wisely, sincerely, readily, easily, resolutely, constantly, and
 with comfort. A plentiful outpouring of the Spirit of God will
 make the ministration of the gospel so effectual, that there
 shall be a mighty increase and spreading of Christian knowledge
 in persons of all sorts. Oh that this promise might be fulfilled
 in our days, that the hand of God may be with his ministers so
 that great numbers may believe, and be turned to the Lord! The
 pardon of sin will always be found to accompany the true
 knowledge of God. Notice the freeness of this pardon; its
 fulness; its fixedness. This pardoning mercy is connected with
 all other spiritual mercies: unpardoned sin hinders mercy, and
 pulls down judgments; but the pardon of sin prevents judgment,
 and opens a wide door to all spiritual blessings. Let us search
 whether we are taught by the Holy Spirit to know Christ, so as
 uprightly to love, fear, trust, and obey him. All worldly
 vanities, outward privileges, or mere notions of religion, will
 soon vanish away, and leave those who trust in them miserable
 for ever.
06962
 * The Jewish tabernacle and its utensils. (1-5) Their use and
 meaning. (6-10) These fulfilled in Christ. (11-22) The
 necessity, superior dignity, and power of his priesthood and
 sacrifice. (23-28)

 #1-5 The apostle shows to the Hebrews the typical reference of
 their ceremonies to Christ. The tabernacle was a movable temple,
 shadowing forth the unsettled state of the church upon earth,
 and the human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom the
 fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily. The typical meaning of
 these things has been shown in former remarks, and the
 ordinances and articles of the Mosaic covenant point out Christ
 as our Light, and as the Bread of life to our souls; and remind
 us of his Divine Person, his holy priesthood, perfect
 righteousness, and all-prevailing intercession. Thus was the
 Lord Jesus Christ, all and in all, from the beginning. And as
 interpreted by the gospel, these things are a glorious
 representation of the wisdom of God, and confirm faith in Him
 who was prefigured by them.

06967
 #6-10 The apostle goes on to speak of the Old Testament
 services. Christ, having undertaken to be our High Priest, could
 not enter into heaven till he had shed his blood for us; and
 none of us can enter, either into God's gracious presence here,
 or his glorious presence hereafter, but by the blood of Jesus.
 Sins are errors, great errors, both in judgment and practice;
 and who can understand all his errors? They leave guilt upon the
 conscience, not to be washed away but by the blood of Christ. We
 must plead this blood on earth, while he is pleading it for us
 in heaven. A few believers, under the Divine teaching, saw
 something of the way of access to God, of communion with him,
 and of admission into heaven through the promised Redeemer, but
 the Israelites in general looked no further than the outward
 forms. These could not take away the defilement or dominion of
 sin. They could neither discharge the debts, nor resolve the
 doubts, of him who did the service. Gospel times are, and should
 be, times of reformation, of clearer light as to all things
 needful to be known, and of greater love, causing us to bear
 ill-will to none, but good-will to all. We have greater freedom,
 both of spirit and speech, in the gospel, and greater
 obligations to a more holy living.

06972
 #11-14 All good things past, present, and to come, were and are
 founded upon the priestly office of Christ, and come to us from
 thence. Our High Priest entered into heaven once for all, and
 has obtained eternal redemption. The Holy Ghost further
 signified and showed that the Old Testament sacrifices only
 freed the outward man from ceremonial uncleanness, and fitted
 him for some outward privileges. What gave such power to the
 blood of Christ? It was Christ's offering himself without any
 sinful stain in his nature or life. This cleanses the most
 guilty conscience from dead, or deadly, works to serve the
 living God; from sinful works, such as pollute the soul, as dead
 bodies did the persons of the Jews who touched them; while the
 grace that seals pardon, new-creates the polluted soul. Nothing
 more destroys the faith of the gospel, than by any means to
 weaken the direct power of the blood of Christ. The depth of the
 mystery of the sacrifice of Christ, we cannot dive into, the
 height we cannot comprehend. We cannot search out the greatness
 of it, or the wisdom, the love, the grace that is in it. But in
 considering the sacrifice of Christ, faith finds life, food, and
 refreshment.

06976
 #15-22 The solemn transactions between God and man, are
 sometimes called a covenant, here a testament, which is a
 willing deed of a person, bestowing legacies on such persons as
 are described, and it only takes effect upon his death. Thus
 Christ died, not only to obtain the blessings of salvation for
 us, but to give power to the disposal of them. All, by sin, were
 become guilty before God, had forfeited every thing that is
 good; but God, willing to show the greatness of his mercy,
 proclaimed a covenant of grace. Nothing could be clean to a
 sinner, not even his religious duties; except as his guilt was
 done away by the death of a sacrifice, of value sufficient for
 that end, and unless he continually depended upon it. May we
 ascribe all real good works to the same all-procuring cause, and
 offer our spiritual sacrifices as sprinkled with Christ's blood,
 and so purified from their defilement.

06984
 #23-28 It is evident that the sacrifices of Christ are
 infinitely better than those of the law, which could neither
 procure pardon for sin, nor impart power against it. Sin would
 still have been upon us, and have had dominion over us; but
 Jesus Christ, by one sacrifice, has destroyed the works of the
 devil, that believers may be made righteous, holy, and happy. As
 no wisdom, learning, virtue, wealth, or power, can keep one of
 the human race from death, so nothing can deliver a sinner from
 being condemned at the day of judgment, except the atoning
 sacrifice of Christ; nor will one be saved from eternal
 punishment who despises or neglects this great salvation. The
 believer knows that his Redeemer liveth, and that he shall see
 him. Here is the faith and patience of the church, of all
 sincere believers. Hence is their continual prayer as the fruit
 and expression of their faith, Even so come, Lord Jesus.
06990
 * The insufficiency of sacrifices for taking away sin, The
 necessity and power of the sacrifice of Christ for that purpose.
 (1-18) An argument for holy boldness in the believer's access to
 God through Jesus Christ, And for steadfastness in faith, and
 mutual love and duty. (19-25) The danger of apostasy. (26-31)
 The sufferings of believers, and encouragement to maintain their
 holy profession. (32-39)

 #1-10 The apostle having shown that the tabernacle, and
 ordinances of the covenant of Sinai, were only emblems and types
 of the gospel, concludes that the sacrifices the high priests
 offered continually, could not make the worshippers perfect,
 with respect to pardon, and the purifying of their consciences.
 But when "God manifested in the flesh," became the sacrifice,
 and his death upon the accursed tree the ransom, then the
 Sufferer being of infinite worth, his free-will sufferings were
 of infinite value. The atoning sacrifice must be one capable of
 consenting, and must of his own will place himself in the
 sinner's stead: Christ did so. The fountain of all that Christ
 has done for his people, is the sovereign will and grace of God.
 The righteousness brought in, and the sacrifice once offered by
 Christ, are of eternal power, and his salvation shall never be
 done away. They are of power to make all the comers thereunto
 perfect; they derive from the atoning blood, strength and
 motives for obedience, and inward comfort.