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The blood was also offered for the people, that is, the whole congregation, representing all the elect of God; to offer "for the errors of the people,” is to offer for all their sins, of whatever nature they were, Lev. xvi, 21; and they are thus called, because indeed there is no sin in this world in which there is not a mixture of error; see 1 Tim. i, 13; Mat. xii, 31, 22; here indeed lies the original of all sin. The mind being filled with darkness and ignorance, alienates the whole soul from the life of God.

§9. We shall now proceed to observe,

1. A continual application to God by Christ; and a continual application of the benefits of the mediation of Christ by faith, are the springs of the light, life, and comfort of the church.

2. Spiritual illumination of the mind is indispensably necessary to our walking with God. Those who would be preserved from sin must take care that their spiritual light always bear sway in their minds; and to that end constantly watch against the prevalency of corrupt prejudices. When the light of the mind is solicited by temptations, it should suspend its determination on present circumstances, and know that sin lies at the door; and if error grow strong in the heart, through the love of sin, truth will grow weak in the mind, as to its victorious influence to preserve the soul from its baneful influence; and nothing ought to influence the soul more to repentance, sorrow, and humiliation for sin, than a due apprehension of the shameful error and mistake there is in it.

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VERSE 8.

The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle su yet standing.

$1. Connexion and design. $2. (I.) Exposition of the words, The Holy Gla signifying. $3. The way into the holiest, what. $4 How and when make manifest. $5. What meant by the first tabernacle, and its continuance. (II.) Observation. Divine ordinances are filled with sufficient wisdom. §. Other observations.

§1. THE apostle in this verse enters on a declaration of the use which he designed to make of the descrip tion of the tabernacle, its furniture and utensils, which he had before laid down. Now this was not to give a particular account of the nature, use, and signification of every thing in thein; but, from the consideration of the whole, in its structure, order, and services, he would prove the dignity, pre-eminence, and efficacy of Christ's priesthood and sacrifice: and hence would he manifest the unspeakable advantage of the church in the removal of the one and introduction of the other.

§2. (I.) "The Holy Ghost this signifying;" HE who, by his word and works, teacheth the church as a dizine person; for acts of understanding, will, power, and authority, 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 act and exert.

The way whereby he gave this instruction was, by signifying, declaring manifestly, evidently, openly, the things intended; and this signification was made in the nature and order of the things appointed, the framing of the tabernacle, and the constitution of the services.

§3. That which the Holy Ghost did thus signify, and instruct the church in, was, "that the way into the holiest of all," the way of the holies, "was not yet made manifest."

The apostle by (alwv) holies, intends the same with what he called ver. 3, (alia тwv aliwv) the holy of holies, as he declares in the foregoing verse; only whereas he there speaks of the material fabric of the tabernacle, here he designs what was thereby signified; for he declares not what these things were, but what the Holy Ghost did signify 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 to God by the blood of the atonement, and our peace with him. Wherefore to enter into these holies is nothing but an access with liberty, freedom, and boldness, into the gracious presence of God, on account of reconciliation and peace. The atonement being made and received by faith, conscience being purged, bondage and fear being removed, believers now enter with reverential boldness into this gracious divine presence.

The way into these holies, which was not yet made manifest, is no other than 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, the way for believers to enter by, was only the one true sacrifice which he was to offer: and accordingly, to indicate the accomplishment of the type, when Jesus expired on the cross, having offered himself to God to expiate our sins, "the veil of the temple," which inclosed the holy place, "was rent from the top to the bottom," whereby it was laid open to all, Matt. xxvii, 51.

§4. "Not yet made manifest." 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 (Davepwais) an open manifestation of it. There was an entrance under the Old Testament into the presence of God, as to grace and glory, which was "the virtue of the oblation of Christ;" but this was as yet not made manifest. And this open manifestation of the way into the holiest, which the apostle denies to the Old Testament church, 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 to an access with boldness into the gracious presence of Jehovah.

2. In the full plain declaration of the nature of his person and mediation. The gospel is the declaration and manifestation of this way, and our sole direction how to make use of it, or how to enter by it into the most holy place.

3. In the revelation and establishment of those privileges of gospel worship, whereby believers are led comfortably into the presence of God, as chap. x, 19, 20; for they are full of light and grace, and a guide to all the steps of faith and obedience.

6.

$5. While as the first tabernacle was yet standing " By the "first tabernacle" the apostle understands the whole worship instituted together with it and belonging to it, celebrated afterwards in the temple according to 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.

It was continued "whilst this first tabernacle," or the tabernacle in this sense, "was standing." Having its station; that is, according to the mind of God, it had its state and use in the church-absolutely, until the death of Christ, and no longer; for until then both Christ himself and all his disciples continued to observe 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, by the coming of the Holy Ghost, the foundation of the gospel church, state, order, and worship, was solemnly laid; on which a new way of worship being established, the abrogation of the old was declared. 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 to the death of Christ. Then did he pronounce concerning it, and all things belonging to 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 to him made known.

§6. (II.) From what has been said we observe:

1. 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 in them!

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