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2. It is our duty with all humble diligence to in quire into the mind of the Holy Ghost in all ordi nances and institutions of divine worship. No creat ures can fall into higher contempt of God, than those who imagine that the old institutions had no regard to things spiritual and eternal; they can see nothing in them but so much gold and silver, and the like, framed into this and that shape, and applied to outward uses; but those who with humility and diligence exercise themselves in such inquiries, shall find plain satisfactory significations of his mind and will respecting those things of which others are utterly ignorant.

$7. Some things we may farther observe, which also tend to a fuller explication of the mind of the Holy Ghost in the text.

1. Although Christ was not actually exhibited in the flesh, yet had believers under the Old Testament access to the divine fayor; they enjoyed the blessing though the cause and means of it were not manifestly declared.

2. The design of the Holy Ghost in all the taberna, cles, its ordinances and institutions of worship, was to direct the faith of believers to what was signified by them.

3. Typical institutions, diligently attended to, were sufficient to direct the faith of the church, to expect the real expiation of sin, and acceptance with God by that means.

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4. Though the standing of the first tabernacle was a great mercy, yet the removal of it was a greater; for it made way for bringing in what was better. 54 5. The Divine Wisdom in revealing the way into the holiest, or of grace and acceptance with himself, is a blessed object of our contemplation.

6. The clear manifestation of the way of redemption, expiation of sin, and peace with God, is the great privilege of the gospel.

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7. There is no access into the gracious presence of God, but by the sacrifice of Christ alone.

VERSES 9, 10.

Which was a figure for the time present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience; which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

$1. Introduction and general design. (2. (I.) Exposition. The tabernacle a parabolical institution 3. For a season. 4. With its offerings. $5. Their insufficiency with respect to the conscience. $6--8 Wherein they consisted. $9. How imposed. $10. Their continuance. §11, 12, (II.) Observations.

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$1. EXPOSITORS have made use of various conjectures in their commentaries on this place. I shall not detain the reader in the examination of them; but shall give that interpretation of the text, which I hope will evidence its truth to those who impartially seek after it, and are in any measure acquainted with the things treated of.

The apostle in these two verses gives a summary account and reason of the imperfection of the first tabernacle and all its services, wherein the administration of the first covenant consisted. This was direct and proper to his present argument; for his design is to prove the pre-eminence of the new covenant above the old, from the excellency of its High Priest, with his tabernacle and sacrifice. To this end a discovery of the imperfections and weakness of the first tabernacle and services, was indispensably necessary.

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$2. (I.) "Which was a figure:" (HT) which; some would refer it to the following word (zapason) figure, and so read, "chich figure was for the time present." But there is no cause of this traduction of the words. The verb substantive (4) was, is deficient, as usual, and is to be supplied as in our translation, "which was;" which, that is (annvn) tabernacle; the structure and parts of it, with all its furniture and services, as before described. (Пapaßoλn) figure, as we render it, is very variously rendered by interpreters, (figura, exemplar, exemplum comparatio, simili tudo, typus, representatio) but the proper sense of the word as used in scripture, is not a figure or likeness but (D) a parable, as it is rendered by the Syriac.

Our Lord expressly opposeth speaking in parables, to a clear, plain, open teaching, so as to be understood of all. See Matt. xiii, 10-13; John xvi, 28, 29. "Now speakest thou openly and no parable." Wherefore the word (zapaßo^n) in this place, is an obscure, mystical, metaphorical instruction. God taught the old church the mysteries of our redemption through Christ by the tabernacle, its fabric, parts, utensils, and services; yet it was but an obscure, parabolical, figurative instruction. So should the word be here rendered, “a figurative instruction;" or else the word "parable" should be retained, as it is in other places.

§3. (Eis Toy naipov тоOV EVEσinиola) to this present time. It served until this present season wherein the gos pel is preached, and all the things signified by it are accomplished. But it is well rendered by our translators, "the time then present;" as if (Tole) then had been in the text. The time then present when the tabernacle was made and erected; for the the apostle, in this whole discourse, not only respects the tabernacle, and

not the temple, but considers the first erection of it in a peculiar manner.

This kind of instruction, whatever it may now seem to us, was very proper for them to whom it was given. And, by the administration of grace in it, was a blessed means to ingenerate faith, love and obedience in the hearts and lives of many to an eminent degree. And we may consider from hence what is required of us to whom the clear revelation of the wisdom, grace, and love of God are made known from the bosom of the Father by the Son himself.

§4. "In which were offered both gifts and sacrifices." (Kab' ov. i. e. ev ) in which time, during which season; for immediately upon the setting up of the tabernacle, Godgaveto Moses, laws and institutions for all the gifts and sacrifices to be offered, with directions concerning the way and manner of offering them.

(כרבנים And the apostle here distributes all the

sacred offerings, into (dupa na busias) unbloody and bloody sacrifices; as he did before, chap. v, 10, &c.

Of them all he affirms, (poεpovia) "they are offered;" not that they were so: for he erects a scheme of the first tabernacle and all its service, at its first instition, and presents it to the consideration of the Hebrews, as if it were then first erected.

$5. "That could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience." This was the end aimed at, this was represented in and by them; and if they could not really effect it, they were weak and imperfect, and so not always to be continued. The end represented was to make atonement for sin, that, his anger being pacified, they might have peace with God. There were two things to be considered in those sins for which God hath appointed that atonement should be made; the first was, the temporal pun

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ishment which was due to them, according to the place which the law or covenant had in their com monwealth. The other, that eternal punishment was due to every sin by the law, as the rule of all moral obedience; for "the wages of sin is death." In the former of these, the person of the sinner in all his outward circumstances, his life, his goods, his liberty, and the like, were affected; in the latter, his "conscience," or the inward man alone was concerned. And as to the first of them, the gifts and sacrifices mentioned being rightly offered, were able (ex opere operato) of themselves to free the sinner from all temporal political detriment: so that his life and inheritance should be continued in the land of Canaan, or his state preserved entire in the commonwealth of Israel; and this the apostle here tacitly acknowledgeth. But as to the latter, wherein conscience was concerned, he denies that they had any such efficacy.

"They were not able," (un duvapɛva) the word agrees in gender only with (via) sacrifices, and not with (Swpz) gifts, which being of the neuter gender, usually regulates the construction in such conjunctions. And I rather think that the apostle confines the impotency he mentions to slain and bloody sacrifices, by which alone atonement for sin was made. The words therefore should be read, "offered gifts, and sacrifices that could not (TEXEIwoα) perfect."

They could not do it (nala cuvaidyow) “as to the conscience" of the sinner before God, chap. x, 2. It will be said then, to what end did they serve? Were they of no use but only to free men from the penalties of the law or covenant, as it was a rule of their commonwealth, and the tenor of their possessions in Canaan? Yes, they were moreover part of the (xapaßoλn) mystical instruction which God granted the church in those

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