such shapes, and applied to such outward uses, without regard to things spiritual and eternal. And it is a great evidence of the apostate condition of any church, when they rest in, and lay weight on, the external parts of worship, especially such as consist in corporeal observances, and neglect spiritual things contained in them, wherein are the effects of divine wisdom in all sacred institutions.

And whereas the apostle affirms that this frame of things did plainly signify, (as the word imports,) the spiritual mysteries which he declares, it is evident with what great diligence we ought to search into the nature and use of divine institutions. Unless we are found in the exercise of our duty herein, the things which in themselves are plainly declared, will be obscure to us, yea, utterly hidden from us. For what is here said to be clearly signified, could not be apprehended but by a very diligent search into, and consideration of the way and means of it. It was to be collected out of the things he ordained, with the order of them, and their respect to one another. Most men think it not worth while to inquire with any diligence into sacred institutions of divine worship. If any thing seem to be wanting or defective therein, if any thing be obscure and not determined as they suppose in the express words, without more ado they supply it with somewhat of their own. But there are many things useful and necessary in the worship of God, which are to be gathered from such intimations of the mind of the Holy Ghost, as he hath in any place given of them. And those who with humility and diligence do exercise themselves therein, shall find plain satisfactory significations of his mind and will, in such things as others are utterly ignorant of.

Thirdly. That which the Holy Ghost did thus signify and instruct the church in the Touro, this,' in the words, was, that the way into the most holy place, the way of the holies, was not yet made manifest.' And for the explication hereof, we must consider the things before proposed.

των

First. What the apostle intends by the 'holies,' Twv ȧywv. It is generally supposed by expositors, that it is heaven itself which is hereby intended. Hence some of the ancients, the schoolmen, and sundry expositors of the Roman church, have concluded, that no believers under the Old Testament, none of the ancient patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, or David, were admitted into heaven whilst the first tabernacle stood, that is, till the ascension of Christ. Hereon they framed a limbus for them in some subterranean receptacle, whither they suppose the soul of Christ went, when it is said that he descended into hell, where they were detained, and whence by him they were delivered. But whatever becomes of that imagination, the most learned expositors of that church of late, such as Ribera, Estius, Tena, Maldonat, A Lapide, do not fix it on this text. For the supposition whereon it is founded, is wholly alien from the scope of the apostle, and no way useful in his present argument. For he discourseth about the privileges of the church, by the gospel and priesthood of Christ in this world, and not about its future state and condition. Besides, he says not that there was no entrance to the holies during that season, but only that the way of it was not yet manifest. Wherefore they might enter into it,

although the way whereby they did so was not yet openly declared; for they had but a shadow, or dark, obscure representation of good things to come. And this is the interpretation that most sober expositors do give of the words. Heaven with eternal blessedness was proposed to the faith, hope, and expectation of the saints under the Old Testament. This they believed, and in the hopes of it walked with God, as our apostle proves at large, ch. xi. Howbeit the way, that is, the means and cause of communicating the heavenly inheritance to them, namely, by the mediation and sacrifice of Christ, was but obscurely represented, not illustriously manifested, as it is now, life and immortality being brought to light by the gospel. And as these things are true, so this interpretation of the words being consonant to the analogy of faith, is safe; only we may inquire, whether it be that which is peculiarly intended by the apostle in this place or not.

The comment of Grotius on these words is, that the apostle signifies, super ætherias sedes, via eò ducens est evangelium præcepta habens verè cœlestia. Eam viam Christus primus patefecit; aditumque fecit omnibus ad summum cœlum. Pervenit quidem eò, Abrahamus, Jacobus, ut videre est, Matt. viii. 11, et alii viri eximii, ut videbimus infra, cap. xi. 40. Sed hi eò pervenerunt quasi per machinam, non viam; extraordinariâ quâdam et rarâ Dei dispensatione. But these things are most remote from the mind of the Holy Ghost, not only in this place, but in the whole Scripture also. For,

1. How far the gospel is this way into the holiest, shall be declared immediately. That it is so, because of the heavenly precepts which it gives, that is, which were not given under the Old Testament, is most untrue. For the gospel gives no precepts of holiness and obedience, that were not for the substance of them contained in the law. There is no precept in the gospel exceeding that of the law, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself.' Only the gospel adds new motives unto obedience, new encouragements and enforcements of it, with directions for its due performance.

2. That Christ should be no otherwise the way,' but only as he revealed and declared the gospel and the precepts of it, is not only untrue and injurious unto the honour of Christ, but directly contrary unto the design of the apostle in this place. For he is treating of the sacerdotal office of Christ only, and the benefit which the church doth receive thereby. But the revelation of the doctrine, or precepts of the gospel, was no duty of that office, nor did it belong thereunto. That he did, as the prophet of the church. But all his sacerdotal actings are towards God, in the behalf of the church, as hath been proved.

3. That the ancient patriarchs went to heaven by a secret engine, and that some of them only in an extraordinary way, is plainly to deny that they were saved by faith in the promised seed; in other words, it is to affirm, that they were not saved by the mediation of Christ, which is contrary unto the whole economy of God in the salvation of the church, and to many express testimonies of the Scripture. These Socinian fietions do not cure, but corrupt the word of God, and turn away the minds of men from the truth unto fables. We shall therefore

yet farther inquire into the true meaning of the Holy Ghost in these words.

The apostle by άγιων here, ὁδον των ἁγιων, intends the same with what, ver. 3, he called âyia rwv ȧywv, 'the holy of holies;' the second part of the sanctuary, whereinto the high priest alone could enter once a-year, as he declares in the foregoing verse. Only whereas he there spake of the material fabric of the tabernacle, and the things contained in it, here he designs what was signified thereby; for he declares not what these things were, but what the Holy Ghost did signify in and by them. Now, in that most holy place, were all the signs and pledges of the gracious presence of God; the testimonies of our reconciliation by the blood of the atonement, and of our peace with him thereby. Wherefore, to enter into these holies, is nothing but to have an access with liberty, freedom, and boldness, into the gracious presence of God, on the account of reconciliation and peace made with him. This the apostle doth so plainly and positively declare, ch. x. 19-22, that I somewhat admire so many worthy and learned expositors should utterly miss of his meaning in this place. The holies then is the gracious presence of God, whereunto believers draw nigh, in the confidence of the atonement made for them, and acceptance thereon; see Rom. v. 1-3; Eph. ii. 14-18; Heb. iv. 14, 15, x. 19. The atonement being made and received by faith, conscience being purged, bondage and fear being removed, believers do now, under the gospel, enter with boldness into this gracious presence of God.

Secondly. We must consider what is the 'way' into these holies, which was not yet made manifest. And here also expositors indulge in many conjectures very needlessly, as I suppose. For the apostle doth elsewhere expressly declare himself, and interpret his own meaning, namely, ch. x. 19, 20. This way is no other but the sacrifice of Christ, the true high priest of the church. For by the entrance of the high priest into the most holy place with blood, the Holy Ghost did signify that the way into it, namely, for believers to enter by, was only the one true sacrifice which he was to offer, and to be. And accordingly, to give an indication of the accomplishment of their type, when he expired on the cross, having offered himself unto God for the expiation of our sins, the veil of the temple which inclosed and secured this holy place from any entrance into it, was rent from the top to the bottom, whereby it was laid open unto all, Matt. xxvii. 51. And an evidence this is, that the Lord Christ offered his great expiatory sacrifice in his death here on earth, a true and real sacrifice, and that it was not an act of power after his ascension, metaphorically called a sacrifice as the Socinians dream. For until that sacrifice was offered, the way could not be opened into the holies; which it was immediately after his death, and signified by the rending of the veil. This is odos Twv aytwv, the only way whereby we enter into the most holy place, the gracious presence of God, and that with boldness.

Thirdly. Of this way it is affirmed, unw Tεpaveρwoda, 'that it was not yet made manifest,' whilst the first tabernacle was standing. And a word is peculiarly chosen by the apostle to signify his intention.

He doth not say, that there was no way then into the most holy place; none made, none provided, none made use of. But there was not a φανέρωσις, an open manifestation of it.' There was an entrance under the Old Testament, into the presence of God, as unto grace and glory, namely, the virtue of the oblation of Christ; but this was not as yet made manifest. Three things were wanting thereunto.

1. It was only virtually, and not yet actually existent. The Lord Christ had not yet actually offered himself unto God, nor made atonement for sin. Howbeit, by virtue of the eternal agreement that was between the Father and him, concerning what he should accomplish in the fulness of time, the benefit of what he was so to do, was applied unto them that do believe, they were saved by faith even as we are. Hence is he called, a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;' that is, in and from the giving of the first promise.

2. Although the coming of his person was promised, and his sacrifice variously shadowed out, or represented unto the church, yet their perception and understanding thereof was weak and dark, proportionate unto the means of its revelation. Hence, whatever were its virtue and efficacy, yet was it not in itself and its own nature made manifest.

3. There were many blessed privileges that attended the opening of this way, in the actual existence of it, in the oblation of Christ, which the church of the Old Testament was not acquainted with, nor made partaker of. And although these things belonged not unto the essence of the way, yet they did so as unto our entrance into it. We could not without them, that is, the administration of the Spirit in gospelordinances, make use of this way, though prepared and set open, unto the glory of God, and our own spiritual advantage.

Wherefore the plain open manifestation of the way into the holiest, which the apostle denies unto the church under the Old Testament, consists in these three things.

1. In the actual exhibition of Christ in the flesh, and his sacrifice of himself, making atonement for sin; for hereby alone was the way laid open unto an access with boldness, into the gracious presence of God. Without this, the law and its curse were like the cherubim and flaming sword, that turned every way to keep sinners from drawing nigh unto God. Hereby were they removed, a new and living way being consecrated for our access unto him.

2. In the full plain declaration of the nature of his person, and of his mediation. And therefore, although the gospel be not this way in the precepts of obedience which it gives unto us, yet is it the declaration and manifestation of this way, and it is our sole direction how to make use of it, or how to enter by it into the most holy place. This they enjoyed not under the Old Testament, but were limited to typical institutions, directing the priests how to enter into the sanctuary made with hands, which were but an obscure representation of these things.

3. In the introduction or revelation and establishment of those privileges of gospel-worship, whereby believers are led comfortably into the presence of God, as our apostle declares, ch. x. 19, 20. For they are full of light and grace, and a guide unto all the steps of faith and obedience in this way. Hereunto may be added all those things which

we have declared to belong unto that perfection or consummation of the church-state, which the law could not bring it unto; on ch. vii. 11. In these things consisted that manifestation of the way into the most holy place, which is here denied unto the Old Testament.

Fourthly. The continuance of this state is added: TnS TOWING OKNVNS, 'whilst the first tabernacle was standing.'

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1. By the first tabernacle,' the apostle understands not that first part of the tabernacle into which the priests entered, continually accomplishing the divine services, which before he had so called. But he intends the whole tabernacle, with respect unto the true tabernacle of the body of Christ, which succeeded into its room. Neither yet doth he understand precisely that tent or tabernacle which was erected in the wilderness, which was not in itself of any long continuance, nor designed thereunto: for it was only suited unto the service of the church, whilst it was in an unsettled condition. But he intends the whole worship instituted together with it, and belonging unto it, celebrated afterwards in the temple, according unto the laws of that tabernacle. For there was the same worship, and the same order of things, in the one and the other; and so the same signification made at first by the Holy Ghost in the constitution of the tabernacle, was still continued under the temple also.

2. It was continued whilst this first tabernacle, or the tabernacle in this sense, ET Exovons σtativ, was standing.' Having its station, that is, according unto the mind of God, it had its state and use in the church. This it had absolutely until the death of Christ, and no longer; for until then, both the Lord Christ himself, and all his disciples, continued the observance of all its services, according to the mind of God; for he was made under the law of it whilst it was in force. Declaratively it continued until the day of Pentecost; for then, in the coming of the Holy Ghost, the foundation of the gospel church-state, order, and worship, was solemnly laid, whereon a new way of worship being established, the abrogation of the old was declared. And this was yet farther made known, by the determination put unto the observance of it by the Holy Ghost among the Gentile converts, in the council of the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. Actually it continued until the destruction of the temple, city, and people, some years after. Its first station it had in God's appointment, the second in his connivance, and the third in his patience.

It is the first of these that is here intended. The tabernacle, that is, the laws and service of it, preserved its station and use in the church, by God's ordinance and appointment, unto the death of Christ. Then did he pronounce concerning it, and all things belonging unto it, 'It is finished.' Then was the veil rent, and the way into the holiest laid open. Then was peace with God publicly confirmed by the blood of the cross, Eph. ii. 14, 15, and the nature of the way of our access unto him made known. And some things we may hence observe, which also tend unto the further explication of the mind of the Holy Ghost in the

text.

Obs. III. Although the Lord Christ was not actually exhibited in the flesh, under the Old Testament, nor had actually offered himself