the lowest degree of it, that they were accepted, except in two cases of injustice, where, however, a compensation was required for the injury received, before the atonement could be admitted. Hence it

was inferred, that the purpose of these atonements was to preserve the intercourse between God and his people in public worship, by removing such disqualifications, as rendered them unfit to appear before the visible manifestation of his glorious presence.

But the manner of religious worship established by Christ is very different from that, which was instituted by Moses. The Jews were allowed to worship God publicly in one place only; but Christians may worship him every where. Undeṛ this spiritual and universal constitution of religion there is no propriety in, or room for, ordinances relating to ceremonial impurities or corporal defilement, such as those, which rendered the Jews unfit to appear before the symbol of the divine presence, or in the courts of the majesty of God, nor for either stated or occasional atonements to be made for like purposes as those, by which the Jews were restored to, or confirmed in, the privileges and right of attending on public worship under the law. Agreeably to the spiritual genius and purposes of the Gospel, we are taught, that spiritual impurities only, i. e. evil dispositions and wicked practices, render us defiled, and unacceptable in the sight of God: and with regard even to these spiritual de

filements, Christians are not cut off by them from their relation to God, or privilege of worshipping him; but upon a spiritual purification, i. e. upon repentance and amendment, and the cultivation of better dispositions, particularly of meekness, mercifulness, and forgiveness of those who have injured us, we are encouraged and taught to hope for the forgiveness of our sins.

Jesus Christ, having in compliance with the will of God voluntarily offered himself to death, was rewarded for this act of obedience by being authorised and enabled to publish the Gospel, containing these spiritual and gracious principles, to all the world, to Gentiles as well as Jews, and to unite them into one church and kingdom under his own administration. Hence it is, that the apostle compares Jesus Christ to the Jewish high priest, and the services performed by him in publishing the Gospel, which allows us free access to God at all times, to those performed by that minister in making atonement for the people; for the Jewish high priest was the minister, by whom the people, when duly qualified according to the law, held communion with and worshipped God, by whom they presented their offerings to him with acceptance, and derived favour and blessings from him; and Christ performs for us the like services, by giving us a religion which admits us to worship God at all times. It is on this ground, that Christ has bestowed upon us this privilege by the Gospel, that the apostles likewise

encourage us to come with confidence to God in prayer. Thus the writer to the Hebrews says; (x, 19-25), 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 veil, that is to say, his flesh, and having a 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." They also draw hence an argument for encouraging our stedfastness in the profession of the Gospel, and diligence and comfort in religious worship according to the institutions of the Gospel; for the same writer adds immediately, "let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for he is faithful that promised), and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is." In another part of this epistle, chap. xiii, 15, after having stated, that Jesus has sanctified us with his blood, in the same manner as the children of Israel were sanctified or consecrated for the worship of God by the blood of the sin offering, he says, By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually," that is, the fruit of our lips, "giving thanks to his name:" where we find the apostle deduces an exhortation to diligence in performing religious worship in his name from

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the representation of him, as having made atonement for us with his own blood.

This manner of representing the unrestrained li berty which is granted to us to assemble together at any time, in any place, and under any circumstances, to offer unto God the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, which alone are required from us, in the name of our great high priest, who appeareth always in the presence of God for us, was well calculated to make a deep impression on the minds and hearts of the Jews, to whom the epistle to the Hebrews was addressed, and to recommend so gracious a constitution to their thankful acceptance. For they had felt severely the inconveniences of being confined to one place of solemn congregation for religious worship, the trouble and expense of being obliged to assemble there from all parts of the country, and even of the earth; the costliness of the sacrifices, the many circumstances which excluded them from the house of God, and the charge of the atonements required to restore them to a capacity of attending there.

With like allusions to the sacrifical atonements appointed to cleanse the people from these defilements, which rendered them unfit to appear before God, to the ministration of the high priest in the holy place for that purpose, and to the recovery and confirmation to them of the privilege of partaking in the public services of the tabernacle, the apostle John also expresseth the full and uninterrupted

ye

liberty of holding communion or fellowship with the Father, the Son, and the whole church of Christ, and the removal of all incapacities for that purpose, arising from any sins already committed, which is granted to all penitent sinners by the Gospel, which is published to the world in consequence of the death of Christ; John i, 3. "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” Here he glories in the privilege which he enjoyed as a Christian, of conversing with God, and of being ranked in the same society with Jesus Christ; and again, v. 7, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." Under the law of Moses, there were va rious things which excluded them from the taber. nacle, and therefore prevented them from having society in public worship with one another; but under the Gospel there was nothing to cause their exclusion from the society of Christians in public worship. Even their sins would not exclude them from this principle; for the blood of Christ, for shedding which he was rewarded with the honour of publishing the Gospel, removed every disqualification which could arise from that source, and answered hereby every purpose that could be attained by the blood of the sin offerings under the law. He refers probably to the same subject, when he