critical discourse upon it in the epistle to the Hebrews; of which he himself gives us this as the sum: we have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.

The intercession of Christ as a priest in heaven was signified yearly in the service of the tabernacle, when the high priest went on the great day of atonement into the inner tabernacle, or holy of holies, with the blood of a sacrifice. From whence the same apostle argues, that Christ as our high priest should enter, not into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself,now to appear in the presence of God for us*. The holy place of the tabernacle is applied in the same manner to the residence of God in the invisible heavens in the 24th psalm: Who shall descend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? he that hath clean hands, &c. this allude to the ceremony pre

may

scribed, for the high priest to wash himself with water + before he entered the holy place. Then follows a description of the majestic ascension and entrance of the king of glory into the everlasting doors of the heavenly places; and this psalm is accordingly appointed by the church.

as

* Heb. ix. 24.

+ See Lev. xvi. 4.

as one of the proper psalms for the feast of the ascension. A sign was given that the heavenly places were opened, for himself first, and for all believers after him, in consequence of his overcoming the sharpness of death. The vail of the temple, by which the holy place was separated from the worldly sanctuary, or first tabernacle, was rent miraculously at his crucifixion, and that figure of the heaven was laid open, into which none but the high priest might enter: which circumstance is thus applied for us in the epistle to the Hebrews: having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water*. These last words allude, as the correspondent ones before in the 24th psalm, to the custom of the high priest washing his flesh with water, before he was permitted to enter into the holy place: which ceremony is applied in the psalm to the purity of the great high priest himself; but in the language of the apostle with equal propriety to all Christians,

Heb. x. 22, &c.

Christians, who are to partake of the benefits of his ministration in heaven, and to follow a pure high priest with purity of conscience.

:

Another rite pertaining to the priesthood, and of great signification in the scripture, is that of the high priest's consecration with the anointing oil; a sign of grace and authority from the spirit of God and in virtue of this anointing, the high priest had power to heal the leprosy and other unclean diseases*, that the parties so cleansed might be fit to attend upon the service of the sanctuary, for which they were disqualified and in a state of excommunication†, so long as their uncleanness lasted. Thus in the new testament we read, that Jesus was anointed of God with the Holy Ghost and with power; in consequence of which he went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him ‡. A leper, who had faith in his power, came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. When this man was cleansed of his leprosy, he was commanded to shew himself to the priest, and to make the accustomed offering, for a testimony unto them and as it was the office of the priest to cure this disease, this cure was a legal proof and testimony to the

* Ley. xiv. 11.

+ Lev. xv. 31.

priesthood

+ Acts x, 38.

priesthood of the time, that there was a greater than themselves amongst them; who, though not literally anointed to the ministry, had the true anointing from the spirit of God, which had descended upon him after his baptism; and who should supersede them in their office; but it doth not appear what inference they made from the case.

As the gift of the spirit was communicated at the anointing of the high priest, and the spirit is the author of love and unity to the church, who are to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace: we find a beautiful allusion, with an application of this rite to its mystical sense, in the 133d psalm: Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity: it is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard, even unto Aaron's beard, and went down to the skirts of his garments. It was always an undoubted truth in every state of the church, that unity is from the spirit of God; beginning in those of superior authority, and spreading itself with a progress of descent from the highest to the lowest members of the community: but the thing is most evident to us under the gospel; who are taught, that the church is the body of Christ; that he himself is the head of it; and that the divine

spirit first shed upon him, is from thence diffused to all orders of Christians, to the least and lowest members of the church.

The scripture has numberless other references to the sacrifices and priesthood of the law, more than the plan of these lectures will admit: for I do not undertake to explain all that is referred to in the law: my meaning is to shew, by several examples, in what manner the scripture itself applies the institutions of the law; and by so doing, I put a light into the hands of those who read the bible, with which they may go farther, and examine things for themselves. Yet, among the offerings of the tabernacle and temple, there are two more for which I shall have room in this discourse; I mean the first fruits and the burning of incense.

In 1 Cor. xv. Christ, as risen from the dead, is called the first fruits; but now, saith St. Paul, is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. From the term thus applied he confirms, and opens in a wonderful manner, the doctrine of the Resurrection; and therefore it is proper we should have a right understanding of it. When the harvest was ripe, and ready for the sickle, a first sheaf was reaped and carried into the temple, where the priest waved it before the Lord to be accepted;

and