patefaciens, notum faciens, manifest.' Και τυφλώ δήλον,

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making known.' Anλes, is openly that which a blind man may see.'

And now, is manifestly, plainly, perspicuously to declare.' Matw repxregwołu. Vul. Lat. Nondum propalatam esse; made palàm, open, manifest.' Syr. boy nibaña ab, not yet revealed.' Manifestata, facta manifesta, not made evidently to appear.'

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Thy Twy άyian idov. Vul. Lat. Viam sanctorum, the way of the holies.' Beza, Viam ad sacrarium, the way into the sanctuary.' Viam in sancta sanctorum,the way into the most holy place.' None suspect as to be of the masculine gender.

Εχέσης στασιν. Vul. Lat. Habente statum, having or continuing its state or condition;' and Gras is sometimes so used. Having its station, adhuc consistente, as yet abiding,' continuing its

state; standing, consisting.

VER. 8.-The Holy Ghost this signifying, (Syr. signifying hereby, evidently declaring), that the way into the holiest of all, (the way of the most holy place, of the holies), was not as yet made manifest, whilst yet the first tabernacle was standing, (kept its station.)

THE apostle in this verse, enters on a declaration of the use which he designed to make of the description which he had given of the tabernacle, of its furniture, and its utensils. In the end of the fifth verse, when he finished his enumeration of these, he had said that it was not his design to give a particular account of the nature, use and signification of every thing in them, affirming that it belonged not to his purpose to treat of them particularly on this occasion. But from the consideration of the tabernacle, in its structure, order, and services, he would prove the dignity, pre-eminence and efficacy of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ, above those which belonged thereunto. And hence would he manifest the unspeakable advantage of the church in the removal of the one, and introduction of the other.

The first inference which he makes unto this purpose, is laid down in this verse. And it is taken from what he had observed immediately before, concerning the time and manner of the high priest's entrance into the most holy place. It was done by him alone, and that only once a-year, and that not without the blood of the sacrifices which he offered. None of the people were ever suffered to draw nigh thereunto; nor might the rest of the priests themselves come into the sanctuary, the place of their daily ministration, whilst the high priest went in, and was in the most holy place. In this order, this disposal of the institutions of divine service, saith he, there was that instruction provided for the use of the church which I shall now declare. And three things he expresseth with respect hereunto.

1. Who gave that instruction; it was the Holy Ghost.' 2. The way whereby he gave it; it was by the manifest signification of his mind,' in and by what he did, appointed, ordered or prescribed.

3. What was the instruction he gave; namely, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, whilst the first tabernacle was standing.' And concerning this we must inquire, 1st, What is here intended by the holiest of all.

2nd, What is the way into this holiest of all, or the way of the holies.

3d, How this way was manifest; and how it was not manifest. 4th, What was the duration of that state wherein this way was not manifest; namely, whilst the first tabernacle was standing.

First, The author of this instruction was the Holy Ghost. To Пvivμatos Ay, the Holy Ghost this signifying; that is, saith Grotius, Deus per afflatum suum Mosi præcipiens. So they speak, by whom the divine personality of the Holy Ghost is denied. But it is not only here supposed, but it may be hence undeniably proved. For he that by his word and works teacheth and instructeth the church, is a person. For acts of understanding, will, power and authority, such as these are, are the acts of a person. We intend no more by a person, but one that hath an understanding, will and power of his own, which he is able to exert. Moreover he is a divine person. For be who by his authority and wisdom disposed of the worship of God under the Old Testament, so as it might typify and represent things afterwards to come to pass, and be revealed, is so and none other. He who doth these things and can do them, is he in whom we believe, the Holy Spirit. And as he is the immediate author and appointer of all divine worship; so there are characters of his wisdom and holiness on all the parts of it.

Secondly, The way whereby he gave this instruction was by the signification of the things intended, to dates, signifying,' declaring manifestly, evidently, openly. He did it not by any special revelation made unto Moses about it, he did not in words declare it, or express it as a doctrinal truth. But this signification was made in the nature and order of the things appointed by him. The framing of the tabernacle and the constitution of the services belonging thereunto, made this declaration. For things in his wisdom were thus disposed, that there should be the first tabernacle whereinto the priests did enter every day, accomplishing the divine services that God required. Howbeit in that tabernacle there were not the pledges of the gracious presence of God. It was not the especial residence of his glory. But the peculiar habitation of God was separated from it by a vail, and no person living might so much as look into it on pain of death. But yet, lest the church should apprehend, that indeed

there was no approach here, nor hereafter, for any person into the gracious presence of God; he ordained that once a-year, the high priest, and he alone, should enter into that holy place with blood. Hereby he plainly signified, that an entrance there was to be, and that with boldness, thereinto. For unto what end else did he allow and appoint, that once a-year there should be an entrance into it by the high priest, in the name of, and for the service of the church? But this entrance being only once ayear, by the high priest only, and that with the blood of atonement, which was always to be observed whilst that tabernacle continued, he did manifest that the access represented was not to be obtained during that season. For all believers in their own persons were utterly excluded from it. And we may hence ob

serve,

Obs. I. That the divine ordinances and institutions of worship, are filled with wisdom sufficient for the instruction of the church in all the mysteries of faith and obedience.-How eminent was the divine wisdom of the Holy Ghost, in the structure and order of this tabernacle! What provision of instruction for the present and future use of the church, was laid up and stored in them! What but infinite wisdom and prescience could order things so in their typical signification! He that considers only the outward frame and state of these things, may see a curious and beautiful structure, a beautiful order of external worship: yet can he find nothing therein, but what the wisdom and contrivance of men might attain unto. At least, they might find out things that should have as glorious an outward appearance. But take them in their proper state, as unto their signification, and representation of spiritual and heavenly things in Christ Jesus, and there is not the least concernment of them, but it infinitely transcends all human wisdom and projection. He alone in whose divine understanding the whole mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, and his mediation, did eternally reside, could institute and appoint these things; and to instruct us to a humble adoration of that wisdom, is the framing of the whole fabric, and the institution of all its ordinances, contained in the sacred record for the use of the church.

Obs. II. It is our duty, with all humble diligence, to inquire into the mind of the Holy Ghost in all ordinances and institutions of divine worship. Want hereof lost the church of Israel. They contented themselves with the consideration of outward things, and the external observance of the services enjoined to them. To this day, the Jews perplex themselves, in numberless curious inquiries into the outward frame and fashion of these things, the way, manner, and circumstances of the external observance of the services of it. And they have so multiplied determinations about them all, and about every minute circumstance

of them, that it is utterly impossible that either they or any living creature should observe them, according to their traditions and prescriptions. But in the mean time, as to the mind of the Holy Ghost in them, their true use and signification, they are stark blind and utterly ignorant. Yea, hardness and blindness is so come on them to the utmost, that they will not believe nor apprehend that there is either spiritual wisdom, instruction, or signification of heavenly things in them. And herein, whilst they profess to know God, are they abominable and disobedient. For no creatures can fall into higher contempt of God, than there is in this imagination; namely, that the old institutions had nothing in them, but so much gold and silver, and the like, framed into such shapes, and applied to such outward uses, without regard to things spiritual and eternal. And it is a great evi. dence 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 rero, 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.

First, What the apostle intends by the holies,' rwy hyım. 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 sub. terranean 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 exposi tors 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 dis courseth 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, chap. 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 inpretation 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 atherias sedes, via eò ducens est evangelium præcepta habens verè cælestia. Eam viam Christus primus patefecit; aditumque fecit omnibus ad summum cælum. Pervenit quidem ed, Abrahamus, Jacobus, ut videre est, Mat. viii. 11. et alii viri eximii, ut videbimus infra, cap. 11. 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