"Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek;" to fulfil the three great offices which were attached to that situation, to offer up sacrifices for their sins, to intercede for them with God, and to pour forth his blessings upon them. We might occupy our time very profitably in the consideration of the manner in which our Lord performed, or does still perform, each of these functions; but I desire to confine myself to the point more immediately before us, which is, THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE SUPERIORITY OF THe priesthood of our Lord, in THE SEVERAL RESPECTS MENTIONED IN THIS PASSAGE. And may the Holy Spirit, who alone can enable us to understand or receive the things of Christ,5 take away the veil from our hearts; and when we look into the things of the law, enable us to see the glory of Christ, if not reflected, at least indistinctly shadowed in it; and incline our hearts to flee to, and to rest on him, as our all-sufficient priest, offering up for us a perfect sacrifice, employing for us a prevailing intercession, and pronouncing upon us an everlasting blessing. FIRST, then, he is spoken of as AN HIGH PRIEST The law itself, we are told in the 1st verse of the 10th chapter, had only "a shadow of good things to come." The whole system of the Jewish economy was designed to show that people, or still more to show us, the method of God's dealings in matters which we cannot see, by the mode in which he dealt with them in such things 5 John xvi. 14. OF GOOD THINGS TO COME. 4 Ps. cx. 4. as were visible. The excluding power of sin; the defilement of it which separated the sinner from the approach to God in his sanctuary below, and also cut off the offender from communication with his people, was, doubtless, designed to show its excluding power from the presence of God and from the assembly of the church of the first-born which is written in heaven;"" that nothing in its defilement can enter there, or join "the spirits of just men made perfect." The manner also in which the temporal disabilities were removed, and restoration was given to the offender by the blood of the sacrifice, and by the application of that blood, was designed to show how the other and spiritual separation could be removed by the blood of the Lamb, and the application of it, -the hand of faith sprinkling that blood upon the conscience of the sinner, and "purging it from dead works," and enabling him "to serve the living God;" restoring him to his communion with him here, and fitting him to appear in his presence hereafter. These restorations, however, were but typical of better things, even spiritual and eternal ones, and were viewed as such by many a pious Israelite. Abraham, for example, saw the day of Christ." They manifested to them indeed God's method of showing mercy in ways appointed by himself, by which all boasting on the part of man was excluded; and in this way the gospel plan dently contained in the law. 6 Heb. xii. 23. 8 Heb. ix. 14. of mercy was evi- 7 Ibid. 9 John viii. 56. speaking, they were temporal mercies only, and were not "good things to come," but good things present. To them the office of the priest only referred; and whatever further was typified by them, the only release he afforded was, in the case of individuals, from their present civil and social penalties; or in the case of the people, from their temporal ruin or destruction. Here then observe the contrast. Jesus was THE HIGH PRIEST OF GOOD THINGS TO COME. here be careful lest we should, in endeavouring to magnify the priesthood of Christ, really detract from its importance, as if there were no present benefit conferred by it. It refers indeed to "things to come,' the full enjoyment of which is future; but it PROMISES AND ASSURES US also of these things Now. In the Levitical dispensation, the benefits were immediate, and in this higher dispensation, the blessings are immediate also. For example, with regard to the remission of sins, and the restoration to God's favour; this, in one sense, is not a "good thing to come," for it is one, the constant enjoyment of which is offered to us, and procured for us. The transgressing Israelite did not doubt that he was restored; by him the legal provisions were complied with, and the specified offerings made; and he at once resumed his former place and position. This did not indeed give him (unless he looked through the type to the antitype) the freedom of a child, as regarded God, but it gave him the full restitution of all his lost privileges, as an Israelite. And so the believer, who partakes of the offices of our High Priest, has instant admission into all the privileges from which sin had excluded him, and is brought into all the enjoyment and liberty of God's children, who are in favour and at peace with him: at least this ought to be its effect; and where it is not, there is a deficiency in our faith, which requires to be narrowly looked into, with earnest prayer. So far then the blessings procured through our High Priest are present blessings; but, unlike the blessings procured by the Levitical priesthood, they are also future. They are "GOOD THINGS TO COME;" good things of which the present are but the pledge and earnest. We have now reconciliation with God; we have now "peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord,"1 but we shall have great and glorious things hereafter; things which are, in some degree, disclosed to us by the Word, and the Spirit, but the full extent of which we shall never know till we have actually entered upon them. These are especially "the good things to come," which believers ought to meditate upon, and encourage themselves with the hope of enjoying. We believe that this is not sufficiently done, and that this is one reason why so many live below their privileges, and therefore inconsistently with the hope of their high as well as holy calling. If the believer's mind was fully sensible of all the good things to come which his great High Priest hath procured, would it not lead him to long after them? would it not show him the sin of putting things which we 1 Rom. v. 1. miscall good in their stead, and preferring the pursuit of such things? My brethren, if you and I could really enter into the full perception of this, "JESUS CHRIST IS COME AN HIGH PRIEST OF GOOD THINGS TO COME," all these great and glorious things are mine, in and through him, is it possible that we could live as too many, nay, as all of us, more or less, do, suffering the vain and often sinful things of this world, to occupy our time and to divide (would that I could not say engross!) our affections? My brethren, there are many, and some perhaps even of those whom I address, with whom the good things to come which Christ hath promised, and which he dispenses, form no part of their meditations, or their desires; whose whole life seems to be a systematic endeavour to keep away all consideration of heavenly things; who perhaps go through the routine of public worship, and are to be seen in the sanctuary of God, but resolve to admit as little of the desire of them into the heart as they can help, lest it should interfere with their present gratification; and who, if any slight impression has been made upon their minds, lose no time in driving the consideration of it, by increased indulgences, from their thoughts. And you, my brethren, such of you as have been led to look forward to these things, is it not the experience of your own souls that you do not look to them as you ought? How many little grievances affect you; how many petty things occupy your mind, and engage your anxious thoughts, which would be powerless, which would exert no more influence |