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cepts, which gives us the plain sense and meaning of the apostle; for all agree, that he intends the ordinances of Levitical worship.

§3. Proceeding to the comparison designed between the old covenant and the new, as to the services and sacrifices wherewith the one and the other was established and confirmed, he introduceth the first part of the comparison by way of concession, (μev 8v xai) and then verily; (na) and is emphatical, and increaseth the signification of the other particles, as it is often used. (Ovv) then; most render it by (igitur) therefore; but the connexion with the foregoing discourse is rather real than verbal. It is not an inference made from what was before declared, but a continuation of the same design; "and yet moreover it is granted;" or, therefore it is granted, verily so it was; and so (μEV) indeed, serves to the protasis of the comparison, to which (de) but, answereth ver. 11. "But Christ being come."

The subject spoken of is ( рwn) the first, that is, (Sannn) the first covenant whereof we treat; that made with the fathers at Sinai, and to which the Hebrews as yet adhered. Of this covenant it is affirmed, in general, that it had ordinances of worship,—and a worldly sanctuary;-and their relation to it is, that it had them.

§4. (Exɛ) "it had them;" that is, when that covenant was first made. Then it had these things annexed to it, which were its privileges and glory. For the apostle hath, in the whole discourse, continual respect to the first making of the covenant, and the first institutions of its administrations. They belonged to it as those wherein its administration consisted.

$5. (Anαiwała pin) ordinances, rites, institutions, statutes. What there is of just and right in the signi

fication of the word, respects the right of God in the constitution and imposition of these ordinances. They were appointments of God which he had a right to prescribe, whence their observances of the part of the church was just and equal. (Aalperas) of service; it is originally of a large import, and denotes any service whatever; but here, and constantly in the New Testa ment, as also the verb (λalpeuw) to serve, it is restrained to divine service, Joh. xvi, 2; Rom. ix, 4; chap. xii, 1; and it were better rendered (cultus) "of worship," than "of divine service,"

And this was that part of divine worship about which God had so many controversies with the people of Israel under the Old Testament. The law of this worship was an hedge that God had set about them, to keep them from superstition and idolatry. And if at any time they brake over it, or neglected it, and let it fall, they failed not to rush into the most abominable idolatry. On the other hand, oftentimes they placed all their trust and confidence for their acceptance with God, and blessing from him, on the external obser vance of its institutions. And hereby they countenanced themselves not only in a neglect of moral duties and spiritual obedience, but in a course, of flagitious sins and various wickednesses. To repress these exorbitances, with respect to both extremes, the ministry of the prophets was in an especial manner directed.

§6. It had (To Te aylov noopinor) also a worldly sanctuary. His principal design is to confirm the pre-eminence of the new covenant above the old. To this end he compares them together in their first introduction and establishment, with what belonged to them. And as this in the new covenant was the mediation, priesthood, and sacrifice of Christ; so in the old, it was the

tabernacle with the services and sacrifices belonging to

it.

This ancient tabernacle, with its furniture, was a visible pledge of the presence of God among the people, owning, blessing, and protecting them; Num. x, 35, 36; Ps. lxviii, &c. a pledge of God's putting forth his strength and power in behalf of the people. And according to this institution it was a most effectual means to strengthen their faith, and to inspire confidence in God; for what more could they desire, to that end, than to enjoy such a gracious earnest of his powerful presence among them? But when they ceased to trust in God, and put their confidence in the things themselves, which were no otherwise useful but as they were pledges of his presence, they proved their ruin. Again, it was a fixed seat of all divine worship wherein the truth and purity of it was to be preserved. Here was the book of the law laid up, according to the prescript whereof the priests were obliged in all generations to take care of the public worship. Moreover, it was principally the privileges and glory of the church of Israel, in that this tabernacle was a continual representation of the incarnation of the Son of God; a type of his "coming in the flesh to dwell among us." Hence was that severe injunction, that "all things concerning it should be made according to the pattern shewed in the mount." For what could the wisdom of men do in the prefiguration of that mystery, of which they had no comprehension?

§7. But yet the sanctuary the apostle calls (xonov) worldly; because it was of this world. For the place of it was on the earth; in opposition to which the sanctuary of the new covenant is in heaven, chap. viii, 2. The materials of it, (although durable and costly in

their kind) were but worldly, fading and perishing things; God intimating thereby that they were not to have an everlasting continuance. Gold, and wood, and silk, and hair, however curiously wrought, and carefully preserved, are but for a time. Moreover, all its services and sacrifices, separated from their typical use, were worldly; and their efficacy extended only to worldly things.

On these accounts the apostle calls it "worldly," yet not absolutely so, but in opposition to that which is "heavenly;" all things in the ministration of the new covenant are “heavenly," so is the priest, his sacrifice, tabernacle, and altar; as we shall see in our progress. §8. And we may observe from the whole:

1. There was never any covenant between God and man, but it had some "ordinances," or arbitrary insti tutions of divine worship, annexed to it; which contains both a demonstration of his sovereignty, and affords an especial trial of our obedience in things where of we have no reason but his mere will and pleasure.

2. It is a hard and rare thing to have the minds of men kept upright with God in their observance of instituted divine worship. And the reason of this difficulty is because faith hath not that assistance and encouragement from innate principles of reason, and sensible experience of this kind of obedience, as it hath in that which is moral, internal, and spiritual.

3. Divine institution alone is that which renders any thing acceptable to God. Although the things that belonged to the sanctuary, and the sanctuary itself, were in themselves but "worldly;" yet being divine ordinances, they had a glory in them, and were in their season acceptable to God.

4. God can animate outward carnal things, with an hidden invisible spring of glory and efficacy; so he did

their sanctuary with its relation to Christ; which was an object of faith, that no eye of flesh could behold.

5. All divine service or worship must be resolved into divine ordination or institution. A worship not ordained of God is not accepted of God. "It had ordinances of worship."

6. A "worldly sanctuary" is enough for them whose service is "worldly;" and these things the men of the world are satisfied with.

VERSE 2.

For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shew-bread; which is called the sanctuary.

$1. The subject proposed. 2. (I) The several parts of the word explained. The tabernacle made $3. The candlestick, §4. The table and shew-bread. $5 The altar of incense. $6 (II.) Observations. Every part of God's house s filled and adorned with pledges of his presence. Rules of interpreting these mysteries 7. Signification of the candlestick. §8. The table and shew-bread. $9. Other Observations.

§1. Two things were ascribed to the first covenant in the verse foregoing:

First, "Ordinances of worship;" and

Secondly, "A worldly sanctuary." In this verse the apostle enters upon a description of them both, beginning with the latter.

§2. (I.) The subject treated of is (oxy, that is, pp) the tabernacle; the common name for the whole fabric, as the temple was afterwards of the house built by Solomon. And an eminent type this was of the incarnation of Christ, whereby "the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily;" Col. ii, 9: substantially in the human nature, as it dwelt typically in this tab

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