A commentary on the whole Epistle to the Hebrews. By M. John Calvin. Translated…A commentarie on the vvhole Epistle to the Hebrevves. By M. Iohn Caluin. Translated…

The sprinkling, whereof Moses makes mention, was once a figure of this. Although there be more to be understood in these words, than Moses expresseth. For ye hear him not say that the book was sprinkled, but the people: neither makes he any mention at all of goats, or of wool died in purple, nor of hyssop. Now as touching the book, although it cannot be plainly proved that it was sprinkled, yet there is some probable conjecture of it, whereby we may gather that it is so, because it is said, that Moses took the book before all the people and read it in their hearing, after the sacrifice was ended: ¹to the end the people might enter into an obligation unto God, answering to the solemn covenant pronounced by the mouth of Moses. As touching the rest, it seems to me the Apostle hath intermingled divers purgations, of which we may give the same reason. And surely no inconvenience is in it; seeing he handles a general point touching the purgation of the old Testament, which was made by blood. Now whereas they made a sprinkle of hyssop, and of purple wool, we need not doubt but they represented the mystical sprinkling which is made by the holy Spirit. ²We know that Hyssop hath a singular virtue to purge and to digest superfluous humours: so Christ useth his spirit as a water-sprinkle to sprinkle us with his blood, when as he giveth a lively feeling of repentance, §1when he consumes the perverse affections of our flesh, §2and when he dieth us with the rich and noble colour of his righteousness. §3For we must not imagine that God ordained these things for nothing. David also in the 51. Psalm alludes to this when he saith; Purge me O Lord with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Those who will be sober in searching out the meaning of these things, will content themselves with that which we have touched upon this place, and will spare their labour to go search out higher speculations.

The sprinkling, whereof Moses makes mention, was once a figure of this. Although there bee more to be vnderstood in these words, than Moses expresseth. For ye heare him not say that the booke was sprinkled, but the people: neither makes he any mention at all of goates, or of wooll died in purple, nor of hysope. Now as touching the booke, although it cannot bee plainly prooued that it was sprinkled, yet there is some probable coniecture of it, whereby wee may gather that it is so, because it is said, that Moses tooke the booke before all the people and read it in their hearing, after the sacrifice was ended: