Such an high priest it becommeth us to have, which is wholy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than heaven. Which needeth not daily (as yonder high priests) to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's sins. For that did he at once for all, when he offered up himself: For the law maketh men priests, which have infirmity: but the word of the oath that came since the law, maketh the son priest, which is perfect for evermore.
The .viij. Chapter.
Of the things which we have spoken, this is the pith: that we have such an high priest that is sitten on the right hand of the seat of majesty in heaven, and is a minister of wholy things, and of the very tabernacle, which God pyght, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity, that this man have some what also to offer. For he were not a priest, if he were on the earth where are priests that according to the law offer gifts, which priests serve unto the ensample and shadow of heavenly things: even as the answer of God was given unto Moses when he was about to finish the tabernacle: For take heed (said he) that thou make all things according to the patrone shewed to thee in the mount.
Now hath he obtained a more excellent office, in as much as he is the mediator of a better testament, which was made for better promises. For if that first testament had been such a one that no man could have found fault with it: then should no place have been sought for the second. For in rebuking them he saith: Behold the days will come (saith the lord) and I will finish upon the house of Israhel, and upon the house of Iudah, a new testament: not like the testament that I made with their fathers at that time, when I took them by the hands, to lead them out of the land of Egypt, for they continued not in my testament, and I regarded them not saith the lord.
For this is the testament that I will make with the house of Israhell: After those days (saith the lord:) I will put my laws in their minds, and in their hearts, I will write them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying: know the lord: For they shall know me, from the least to the most of them: For I will be merciful over their iniquities: and on their sins and on their unrighteousness, will I not think any more. In that he saith a new testament, he hath abrogate the old. Now that which is disannulled and waxed old, is ready to vanish away.
The .ix. Chapter.
That first tabernacle verily had justifyings, and servings of God, and worldly holiness. For that first tabernacle was made, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shew bread, which is called wholy. Within the second veil was the tabernacle, which is called holiest of all, which had the golden censer, and the ark of the testament overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot with Manna, and Aaron's rod that sprung, and the tables of the testament. Over the ark were the cherubims of glory shadowing the seat of grace. Of which things, we will not now speak particularly.
When these things were thus ordained, the priests went allways into the first tabernacle and executed the service of God: Into the second went the high priest alone, once every year: but not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the ignorance of the people: The holy ghost this signifying, that the way of holy things was not yet opened, while as yet the first tabernacle was standing, which was a similitude of {for} this present time, in which gifts and sacrifices are offered, which can not make them that minister perfect, as pertaining to the conscience, with meats only and drinks, and divers washings, and justifyings of the flesh, which were ordained until the time of reformation.
But Christ being an high priest of good things to come, came by a greater, and a more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands: that is to say, not of this manner building, neither by the blood of goats, and calves: but by his own blood, he entered once for all into the wholy place, and found eternal redemption. For if the blood of oxen, and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, when it was sprinkled, purified the unclean, as touching the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ (which thorow the eternal spirit, offered himself without spot to God) purge our {your} consciences from dead works, for to serve the living God?
And for this cause is he the mediator of the new testament, that as sone (as his death was fulfilled for the redemption of those transgressions that were in the first testament) they which were called, might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For wheresoever is a testament, there must also be the death of him that maketh the testament. For the testament taketh authority when men are dead: For it is of no value as long as he that made it is alive. For which cause also, neither that first testament was ordained without blood. For when all the commandments were read of Moses unto all the people, he took the blood of calves, and of goats, with water and purple wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying this is the blood of the testament, which God hath appointed unto you. Moreover, he sprinkled the tabernacle with blood also, and all the ministering vessels. And almost all things, according to the law, are cleansed with blood, and without effusion of blood, is no remission.