all approaches unto the tree of life. Hereby he made reconciliation between them and the elect church of God, Eph. i. 10. Hence have they now a ministry with respect unto the mercyseat, for the good of the heirs of salvation, Heb. i. 14.

Sixthly, He was the bread of life, typified by the manna kept in the golden pot before the mercy-seat. For he alone is the nourishment of the spiritual life of men. The mystery hereof himself at large declares, John vi. 31-34. This were they taught to expect, in the memorial of that heavenly food which was preserved in the sanctuary.

Seventhly, He was that spiritual rock, which was smitten. with the rod of Moses, the curse and stroke of the law. Hereon the waters of life flowed from him, for the quickening and refreshment of the church, 1 Cor. x. 3, 4.

Thus was the Lord Christ all, and in all, from the beginning. And as the general design of the whole structure of the tabernacle, with all that belonged thereunto, was to declare that God was reconciled to sinners, with a blessed provision for the glory of his holiness and the honour of the law, which is in and by Jesus Christ alone; so every thing in it directed unto his person, or his grace, or to some act of his mediation. And two things do now attend all these institutions. 1. As they are interpreted by gospel light, they are a glorious representation of the wisdom of God, and a signal confirmation of faith in him who was prefigured by them. 2. Take them in themselves separated from this end, and they give no representation of any one holy property of the nature of God; nothing of his wisdom, goodness, greatness, love or grace, but are low and carnal, base and beggarly. And that we may have a due apprehension of them, some things in general concerning them may be considered.

1. The whole scheme, frame, fashion, use and service of the tabernacle, with all that belonged thereunto, was a mere arbitrary effect of the sovereign will and pleasure of God. Why he would by this way and by these means declare himself appeased unto the church, and why he would thus graciously dwell amongst them; why he would by them typify and prefigure the incarnation and mediation of Christ, no other reason can be given but his own will, which in all things is to be adored by us. Other ways and means unto the same ends, were not wanting unto divine wisdom, but this in the good pleasure of his will he determined on. In the supreme authority of God was the church absolutely to acquiesce, whilst it was obliged unto the observance of these ordinances; and other reason of them they could not give. And whereas their use is now utterly ceased, yet do they abide on the holy record, as some think the fabric of heaven and earth shall do after the final judgment, to be monuments of his wisdom and sovereignty.

But the principal ends of the preservation of this memorial in the sacred record are two. 1. That it may be a perpetual testimony unto the prescience, faithfulness and power of God. His infinite prescience is testified unto in the prospect which therein he declares himself to have had, of the whole future frame of things under the gospel which he represented therein; his faithfulness and power in the accomplishment of all these things which were prefigured by them. 2. That it might testify the abundant grace and goodness of God unto the church of the New Testament, which enjoyeth the substance of all those spiritual things, whereof of old he granted only the types and shadows. Wherefore,

2. It must be acknowledged, that the instruction given by these things into the mysteries of the will of God, and consequently all those teachings which were influenced and guided by them, were dark, obscure, and difficult to be rightly apprehended and duly improved. Hence the way of teaching under the Old Testament, was one reason for the abolishing of that covenant, that a more effectual way of instruction and illumination might be introduced. This is declared at large in the exposition of the preceding chapter. There was need for them all to go up and down, every one unto his brother, and every one unto his neighbour, saying, Know the Lord;' for the true knowledge of him, and of the mysteries of his will, was by these means very difficultly to be obtained. And now that the Jews have lost all that prospect unto the promised seed, which their forefathers had in these things, it is sad to consider what work they make with them. They have turned the whole of legal institutions into such an endless, scrupulous, superstitious observance of carnal rites in all imaginable circumstances, as never became the divine wisdom to appoint, as is marvellous that any of the race of mankind should enbondage themselves unto. Yea, even now, when all things are plainly fulfilled in Christ, some among ourselves would have the most of them to have represented heaven and the planets, the fruits of the earth, and I know not what besides. But this was the way, which the infinite wisdom of God fixed on for the instruction of the church, in the state then allotted unto it.

3. This instruction was sufficient unto the end of God, in the edification and salvation of them that did believe. For these things being diligently and humbly inquired into, they gave that image and resemblance of the work of God's grace in Christ, which the church was capable of in that state, before its actual accomplishment. Those who were wise and holy among them, knew full well that all these things in general were but types of better things, and that there was something more designed of God in the pattern shewed unto Moses, than what they did contain. For Moses made and did all things for a

testimony unto what should be spoken afterwards,' ch. iii. 5. In brief, they all of them believed, that through the Messiah, the promised seed, they should really receive all that grace, goodness, pardon, mercy, love, favour and privileges, which were testified unto in the tabernacle, and all the services of it. And because they were not able to make distinct, particular applications of all these things unto his mediatory actings, their faith was principally fixed on the person of Christ, as I have elsewhere demonstrated. And with respect unto him, his sufferings, and his glory, they diligently inquired into these things, 1 Pet. i. 11. And this was sufficient unto that faith and obedience which God then required of the church. For,

4. Their diligent inquiry into these things, and the meaning of them, was the principal exercise of their faith and subjection of soul unto God. For even in these things also, did the Spirit testify beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that did ensue. And as the exercise of faith herein was acceptable unto God, so the discoveries of grace which they received therein were refreshing unto their souls. For hereby they often saw the king in his beauty, and beheld the pleasant land which was far off, Isa. xxxiii. 17.

5. That worship which was outwardly performed in and by these things, was full of beauty and glory, 2 Cor. iii. It was also suited to beget a due reverence of the majesty and holiness of God. It was God's way of worship: it was God's order, and so had characters of divine wisdom upon it. Wherefore, although the people were originally obliged unto the observance of it, by the mere sovereign will and pleasure of God, yet the things themselves were so beautiful and glorious, as nothing but the substance of the things themselves in Christ could excel. This made the devil, as it were, steal away so many rites of the tabernacle worship, and turn them unto his own use in the idolatry of the nations.

6. It is a sad instance of the degeneracy of the corrupted nature of man, that, whereas all these things were appointed for no other end, but to signify beforehand the coming of Christ, his sufferings, and the glory that ensued; the principal reason why the church of the Jews rejected him at his coming, was, that they preferred these institutions and their carnal use, above and before him, who was the substance and life of them all. And no otherwise will it fall out with all them, who prefer any thing in religion before him, or suppose that any thing is accepted with God without him. Some things we may also observe in general for our own instruction, from what we have discoursed on this occasion.

Obs. IX. Although the sovereign will and pleasure of God be the only reason and original cause of all instituted worship, yet there is, and ever was, in all his institutions, such an evi

dence of divine wisdom and goodness, as gives them beauty, desirableness and usefulness, unto their proper end.-There is that in them, which unto an enlightened mind will distinguish them for ever from the most plausible inventions of men, advanced in the imitation of them. Only a diligent inquiry into them is expected from us, Psal. cxi. 2, 3. When men have slight considerations of any of God's institutions, when they come unto them without a sense that there is divine wisdom in them, that which becomes him from whom they are, it is no wonder if their glory be hid from them. But when we diligently and humbly inquire into any of the ways of God, to find out the characters of his divine excellencies that are upon them, we shall obtain a satisfying view of his glory, Hos. vi. 3. Obs. X. All the counsels of God concerning his worship in this world, and his eternal glory in the salvation of the church, do centre in the person and mediation of Christ.-The life, glory and usefulness, of all things whereof we have discoursed, arose from hence, that there was in them all a representation of the person and mediation of Christ. Hereunto were they designed by divine wisdom. In him alone is God well pleased, in him alone will he be glorified.

VER. 6, 7.-HAVING given an account of the structure or fabric of the tabernacle in the two parts of it, and the furniture of those several parts distinctly, to complete his argument, the apostle adds in these verses, the consideration of the uses they were designed unto in the service of God. For in the application of these things unto his purpose, and in the argument he designeth from them, both of these in conjunction, namely, the structure of the tabernacle, with its furniture, and the services performed therein, were to be made use of.

VER. 6, 7.-Τέτων δι έτω κατεσκευασμένων, εις μεν την πρώτην σκηνην διαπαντος εισίασιν οἱ ἱερεις, τας λατρείας επιτελεντές εις de την δευτεραν άπαξ τε ενιαυτε μονος ὁ αρχιερευς, 8 χωρις αίματος, ὁ προσφέρει ὑπερ ἑαυτε και των τε λας αγνοημάτων.

6

דהכנא

Τέτων δε έτω κατεσκευασμένων. Vul. Lat. His verò ita compositis; so composed, so framed and put together.' Syr. 77 "pp, Quæ ita disposita erant; which things were so disposed; altering the absolute construction of the words, and carrying on the sense of the former thus far. Others, His verà ila ordinatis; ila præparatis; thus ordered, thus prepared, thus ordained.' Ornatis, adorned.' Beza, Constructis. KaTaσKevala, is the ordering, placing or fixing of vessels or any ma terials prepared for use.

Els Tay Tewny oxyny, Vul. Lat. in priori tabernaculo; for in prius tabernaculum. Syr. 8.72 on, into the outward ta bernacle;' that is, of those parts mentioned by the apostle.

Διαπαντος.

Vul. Lat. Semper, always.' Syr. ¡a boa in omni tempore. Others generally, quovis tempore, at every season,' at any time, as occasion required.

Tas λalgeias ETITEλles. Vul. Lat. Sacrificiorum officia consummantes, perfecting offices of the sacrifices.' But the sacrifices belonged not at all unto the duties of the tabernacle. Syr.

-and they were perfecting their minis * ,,ומשלמין הוו תשמשתהון

try; ritus obeuntes, cultus obeuntes. Beza, Ritus cultus obeuntes, 'performing the rites of sacred worship."

דלגו מנה ,דין

Els de Thy deutigav. Vul. Lat. In secundo autem. Syr. Now ' and into the tabernacle that was within it, or within the other.' In secundum autem, sed in alterum, but into the second, or the other.' 'Aa. Syr. 1771, which Boderus renders substantively; unum est, that inward tabernacle was one.' But the reference is unto what follows, and is better rendered adverbially, semel, once.'

Ou xwgis aiμatos; non sine sanguine. Syr. Cum sanguine ills, with that blood.'

O gr. Vul. Lat. Eras. Quem offert. Syr. which he was offering,' which he offereth.' 'Yig izvrs xai twv ty xax ayνοημάτων. Vul. Lat. Pro sua et populi ignorantia, very corruptly.

for his own soul, and the • חלף נפשה וחלף סכלותה דעמא .Syr

errors of the people,' rightly.

VER. 6, 7.-Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and the errors of the people.

I follow the common translation, but shall take notice of what it seems defective in.. And there is in the sixth verse,

First, A supposition of what was before declared, as the foundation of what he was now farther to assert, Now when these things were thus ordained.' And there is therein, 1. The manner of its inference. 2. The subject spoken of. 3. What is spoken of it.

1. The manner of the inference is the particle ds, which we render now' when ;' vero, but,' now, when,' is included in the tense of the participle.

2. The subject spoken of, TT, these things,' that is, the things spoken of in the preceding verses; namely, the two parts of the tabernacle, and the sacred furniture of them.

3. That which is affirmed of them is, that they were ordained;' and the manner thereof is also added, that they were thus ordained,' «tioxivaμvy. Beza once rendered it by ordinatis, whom I suppose ours follow, rendering it by ordained.' But ordinatis is rather ordered' than ordained." To be ordained,