gospel, which therefore he was to have an immediate respect to.

$5. The sense of the words must be determined from the apostle himself. And it is evident,

1. That the heavenly things, to the resemblance of which the legal priests did minister, and the pattern shewed to Moses in the mount, were the same. Hereon depends the whole force of his proof from this testimony.

2. These heavenly things, he expressly tells us, were those which were consecrated, dedicated to God, and purified by the sacrifice of the blood of Christ, chap. ix, 23.

3. That Christ by his sacrifice did dedicate both himself, and the whole church and its worship to God. From these things it follows,

4. That God did spiritually and mystically represent to Moses, the incarnation and mediation of Christ, with the church of the elect, and its spiritual worship, which was to be gathered thereby; and how the tabernacle, with all that belonged to it, represented the

same.

That the tabernacle which Moses made was a sign and figure of the body of Christ, we have before proved, ver. 2, and it is positively affirmed by the apostle, Col. ii, 17. And the tabernacle was but to represent "the real substantial inhabitation of the Godhead in the body, or human nature of Christ."

§6. It will be said, that what was shewed to Moses on the mount was only (nn TUTOç) a likeness, similitude, and type of other things. This therefore could not be Christ himself and his mediation, which are the substance of heavenly things, and not a resemblance of them. I answer,

1. All representations of Christ himself, antecedent to his actual exhibition in the flesh, (as his appearances in the human shape of old) were but resemblances and types of what should be afterwards.

2. His manifestation to Moses is so called not that it was a type of any other things above, but because it was the prototype of all that was to be done below. This was the foundation of the faith of the church of Israel in all generations. Their faith in God was not confined to the outward things they enjoyed, but on Christ represented by them. They believed that they were only resemblances of him and his mediation, and when they lost the faith of that, they lost all acceptance with God, in their worship. The relation of their ordinances to him, as their prototype and substance, was the line of life, wisdom, and beauty, that ran through them all. This being now taken away, they are all as a dead thing. When Christ was in them, they were the delight of God, and the joy of his saints. Now he hath unclothed himself of them, and left them to be rolled up as the garments he thought meet to wear in the immature age of the church, but which are now of no more use. Who now can see any beauty, any glory in the old temple administrations should they be revived? Where Christ is, there is glory, if we have the light of faith to discern it; and we may say of every thing where he is not, be it never so pompous to the eye of flesh, "Ichabod," where is the glory of it?

Jude tells us of a contest between Michael and the devil about the body of Moses, ver. 9. It is generally thought that the devil would have hindered the buri al of it, that in process of time it might have been the

occasion of idolatry among the people. But, however that was, what was signified hereby, what was the contest he made to keep the body of Moses, the whole system of Mosaical worship and ceremonies, from being buried, when the life and soul of it was departed. And this hath proved the ruin of the Jews to this day. $7. (II.) From the words and preceding exposition we may observe,

1. God alone limits the signification and use of all his own institutions. He hath instituted his holy sacraments, and hath put this virtue into them, that they should exhibit to the faith of believers the grace he designeth by them; but men have not been contented with this, and therefore they will put more into them than God hath furnished them with. They will have them to contain the grace which they exhibit, and to communicate it to all who are partakers of them. Thus some would have baptism to be regeneration itself, and that there is no other evangelical regeneration; nothing can be invented more pernicious to the souls of men. On the other hand, some suppose it to be such a distinguishing or rather separating ordinance that the administration of it in such a way, or such a season, is the fundamental rule of all church fellowship and communion; whereas God never designed it to any such end.

In the supper of the Lord, the church of Rome, in particular, is not contented that we have a representation and instituted memorial of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the signs of his body as broken, and his blood as shed for us, with an exhibition of grace in the word of promise, or the gospel; but they will have the natural body and blood of Christ, his flesh and his bones, to be contained therein, and to be eaten or devoured by all that partake of the outward

signs. This is to put that into an ordinance which God never put into it; to turn the wisdom of faith into carnal imagination. It requires the light of faith to apprehend the general exhibition of Christ to us in the sacraments.

2. It is an honor to be employed in any sacred service that belongs to the worship of God, though it be of an inferior nature. This was the greatest honor that any were made partakers of under the Old Testament, that they served only to the example and "shadow of heavenly things."

3. So great was the glory of heavenly ministration in the mediation of Jesus Christ, that God would not at once bring it forth in the church, until he had prepared the minds of men by types, shadows, examples, and representations of it. This was the end of all legal institutions of divine worship and service; and well is it for us, if we have a due apprehension of the glory of the heavenly ministration of Christ now it is introduced.

4. That our utmost care and diligence in the consideration of the mind of God, is required in all that we do about his worship.

The generality of men have been stupidly negligent herein, as if it were a matter wherein they were not at all concerned. When once men come to such an unconcernedness in the worship of God, as to engage in it they know not why, and to perform it they care not how, all manner of impiety will ensue in their lives, as is manifest from experience beyond the evidence of a thousand arguments.

It were no hard thing to demonstrate, that the principal way and means whereby God expects we should give glory to him in this world, is by a due observance of the divine worship he hath appointed. For herein

do we in an especial manner ascribe to him the glory of his sovereignty, of his wisdom, of his grace and holiness; when in his worship we bow down our souls under his authority alone. And when we see such an impress of divine wisdom on all his institutions, as to judge all other ways folly in comparison of them; when we have experienced of the grace represented and exhibited thereby, then do we glorify God aright.

VERSE 6.

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant: which was estab lished upon better promises.

$1. Connexion of the words, and the subject stated. 2. First, the comparative excellence of the ministry of Christ. $3. Secondly, the proof the assertion. §4. (1.) Christ is a Mediator. $5, 6. (II) Of a better covenant. $7. (III.) Established on better promises. 8, 9. Whether the two covenants are really distinct, or only differ in administration. $10. To what end did the old cove. hant serve? $11. How it came to be a special covenant to Israel? $12. Wherein the two covenants differ? $13. The Socinian gloss refuted. §14—16. (IV.) Observations.

§1. In this verse begins the second part of the chap

ter, concerning the difference between the two covenants, the Old and the New, with the pre-eminence of the latter above the former; and of the ministry of Christ above the High Priests upon that account. There are two parts of the words:

First, The excellency of the ministry of Christ asserted, by way of comparison; "He hath obtained a more excellent ministry: and the degree of that comparison; by how much also."

Secondly, He annexeth the proof of this assertion; in that he is the "Mediator of a better covenant, established on better, or more excellent, promises."

§2. First, The excellency of the ministry of Christ asserted by way of comparison. "But now hath he