Matthew Poole and continuators on Hebrews 9:14

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ r, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God , purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God .

Who in his Immortal Soul obeying all God's Will in Suffering, did through his own Eternal God-head, to which both Body and Soul were united, and which sanctified the Body offered, as the Altar the Sacrifice, Matth. 23.19. which is called the Spirit of Holiness, Rom. 1.4. and gave value and virtue to the Sacrifice, offer up his Body a Sacrifice for Sin, when he died on the Cross, not Sheep, Bulls, Goats, Turtles, Pigeons, &c. Not Man, nor the life of Angels were his Sacrifice, but himself, pure, holy and unpolluted, an innocent, harmless person, 2 Cor. 5.21. How much beyond his Types for Innocency and Purity, Levit. 22.20, 21. Numb. 19.2.

The offended injured Creator and Judge of Sinners, who constituted him to this whole Work; and was by this most perfect Sacrifice propitiated; his Justice was satisfied, his Law obeyed, and himself set fully free to pardon and forgive Sinners without Injustice; and to be just, as well as gracious and merciful, in doing of it, Rom. 3.25, 26. and they might be put in possession of his favour, presence and person again, as their own God, 1 Pet. 3.18.

Though the Sacrifice be over, the virtue and excellent causality of it doth abide, purging now as ever, not only justifying and absolving of a penitent believing Sinner, but purifying and sanctifying the Soul, procuring the Holy Spirit to renew it, and take away inherent Corruption, and infuse Holiness into it, Ephes. 4.24. and making willing in the beauties of it, Psal. 110.3. 1 Cor. 6.11. Titus 3.5, 6. Making Body, Soul and Spirit one frame of Holiness to God; 1 Thes. 5.23. So as the most quick, lively, and sensible part of the Immortal Soul, conscious of Sin, is freed from the guilt, filth and fears of Sin that did cleave to it; this thus purged, no consciousness of guilt remains, nor fear of punishment, but it is filled, from the interest it hath in this Blood, and the work on it of this Spirit full of Joy and Peace and Righteousness by believing, Rom. 5.1, 2, 5, 11.

All operations of Sin, which come from spiritually dead Souls, and work Eternal Death, Ephes. 2.1. of which they are as insensible as dead Men; all sorts of Sin which do taint, pollute, and defile the Soul, Much more Contagious, Pestilent, and Polluting the Soul than any of those things forbidden to be touched by Moses's Law could the Flesh, Numb. 19.18. they are as offensive to God, and more than Carcases are to us, and Pestilential things, though themselves keeping Souls from any Communion with him.

As under the Law there was no coming to the Congregation of the Tabernacle without legal purifying, Numb. 19.13, 20. So by this purifying correspondent to the Type, Souls are quickned, have boldness and confidence Godward in point of Duty, present themselves living Sacrifices, Rom. 12.1. Aim at him through their whole Life, that he delights to keep up Communion with them proportioned to himself, till he fit them for their compleat serving and enjoying of him in the Holy of Holiest in Heaven.

The question supposeth an unexpressible difference between Christ's purifying, and the legal Sacrifices. The Blood with which he pierced within the Vail to the Throne in the highest Heavens, on which sate the Just God, the proper, precious, powerful Blood of God the Son incarnate.

Marginal references: 1 Pet. 1.19. 1 Joh. 1.7. Rev. 1.5.; Or, fault.; Luke 1.74. 1 Pet. 4.2.