than now. Therefore, the privilege mentioned, is that which belongs unto the gospel church in its perfect state in this world. And the exercise and use of it, doth consist in our drawing nigh unto God in holy services and worship through Christ, as the apostle declares, ver. 22, 23.

There is then a two-fold opposition in these words, unto the state of the people under the law. 1. As unto the spirit and frame of mind in the worshippers. Or, 2. As unto the place of the worship, from whence they were excluded, and whereunto we are admitted.

1. The first is in the word, ini, boldness.' There were two things with respect unto those worshippers in this matter. 1. A legal prohibition from entering into the holy place, whereon they had no liberty or freedom so to do; because they were forbidden on several penalties. 2. Dread and fear, which deprived them of all boldness or holy confidence in their approaches unto God; therefore, the apostle expresseth the contrary frame of believers under the New Testament, by a word that signifieth both liberty, or freedom from any prohibition, and boldness with confidence in the exercise of that liberty. I have spoken before of the various use and signification of this word app, which the apostle, both in this and other epistles, useth frequently to express both their right, and liberty, and confidence unto, and in their access unto God, of believers under the New Testament, in opposition to the state of them under the Old. We have a right unto it, we have liberty without restraint by any prohibition, we have confidence and assurance without dread or fear.

2. This liberty we have, us Ty vicodor; #gocaywyn, aditus, introitus; Twy yw, that is, the true sanctuary,' the holy place not made with hands.' See chap. ix. 11, 12. The immediate gracious presence of God himself in Christ Jesus. Whatever was typically represented in the most holy place of old, we have access unto, that is, unto God himself we have an access in one spirit by Christ.

Obs. II. This is the great fundamental privilege of the gospel, that believers, in all their holy worship, have liberty, boldness and confidence, to enter with it and by it, into the gracious presence of God.

God set

or break He hath title and There is

1. They are not hindered by any prohibition. bounds unto Mount Sinai, that none should pass through into his presence in the giving of the law. set none to Mount Sion, but all believers have right, liberty to approach unto him, even unto this throne. no such order now, that he who draws nigh shall be cut off, but on the contrary, that he that doth not so do, shall be destroyed. 2. Hence there is no dread, fear, or terror in their minds, hearts, or consciences, when they make those approaches unto

God. This was a consequent of the same interdict of the law, which is now taken away. They have not received the spirit of bondage unto fear, but the Spirit of the Son, whereby with holy boldness they cry, Abba Father; for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty; they have freedom unto, and confidence in their duties, and therein consists the greatest evidence of our interest in the gospel and privileges thereof.

3. The nature of gospel-worship consists in this, that it is an entrance with boldness into the presence of God. However men may multiply duties, of what sort or nature soever they be, if they design not in and by them, to enter into the presence of God, if they have not some experience that so they do, if they are taken up with other thoughts, and rest in the outward performance of them, they belong not unto evangelical worship. The only exercise of faith in them, is in an entrance into the presence of God.

4. Our approach unto God in gospel-worship, is unto him, as evidencing himself in a way of grace and mercy. Hence it is said to be an entrance into the holiest, for in the holy place were all the pledges and tokens of God's grace and favour, as we have manifested upon the foregoing chapter. And as the taking off of the old prohibition, gives us liberty, and the institution of the worship of the gospel, gives us title unto this privilege; so the consideration of the nature of that presence of God whereunto we approach, gives us boldness thereunto.

5. The procuring cause of this privilege, is in the next place expressed; we have it v T air. Intov, by the blood of Jesus,' say we. It is the procuring cause of this privilege, that is intended, which is often so proposed. The blood of Jesus Christ is the same with his sacrifice, the offering of himself, or the offering of his body once only. For he offered himself in and by the effusion of his blood, whereby he made atonement for sin, which could not be otherwise effected. And it is here opposed, as also in the whole preceding discourse, unto the blood of the legal sacrifices. They could not procure, they did not effect any such liberty of access unto God in the holy place. This was done by the blood of Jesus only, whereby he accomplished what the sacrifices of the law could not do. And it is a cause of this privilege on a two-fold account. 1. In its respect unto God, in its oblation. 2. In respect unto the consciences of believers, in its application.

1. By its oblation, it removed and took away all causes of distance between God and believers. It made atonement for them, answered the law, removed the curse, broke down the partition-wall, or the law of commandments contained in ordinances, wherein were all the prohibitions of approaching unto God with boldness. Hereby also he rent the vail which inter VOL. VI.

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posed and hid the gracious presence of God from us. And these things being removed out of the way by the blood of the oblation, or offering of Christ, peace being thereby made with God, he procured him to be reconciled unto us, inviting us to accept and make use of that reconciliation, by receiving the atonement. Hence believers have boldness to appear before him, and approach unto his presence. See Rom. v. 11. 2 Cor. v. 18-21. Eph. ii. 13-18. Hereon was it the procuring, the purchasing cause of this privilege.

2. It is the cause of it with respect unto the consciences of believers, in the application of it unto their souls. There are not only all the hindrances mentioned, on the part of God, lying in the way of our access unto him, but also the consciences of men from a sense of the guilt of sin, were filled with fear and dread of God, and durst not so much as desire an immediate access unto him. The efficacy of the blood of Christ being through believing communicated unto them, takes away all this dread and fear. And this is done principally by his bestowing on them the Holy Spirit, which is a Spirit of liberty, as our apostle shews at large, 2 Cor. iii. Wherefore we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, on these three ac

counts.

1. In that atonement is made thereby for sin, and peace with God, so as that he is reconciled unto us; all that anger being turned away, that did deter us from any such approach.

2. Fear, dread, and bondage are taken away, so as the acting of faith on God through the blood of Jesus, doth expel them, and remove them out of our mind.

3. We receive the Holy Spirit therewithal; who is a Spirit of liberty, power, holy boldness, enabling us to cry Abba Father. Obs. III. Nothing but the blood of Jesus could have given this boldness, nothing that stood in the way of it, could otherwise have been removed, nothing else could have set our souls at liberty from that bondage, that was come upon them by sin.

Obs. IV. Rightly esteem, and duly improve the blessed privilege which was purchased for us at so dear a rate.—What shall we render unto him! How unspeakable are our obligations unto faith and love!

Obs. V. Confidence in an access unto God not built on, not resolved into the blood of Christ, is but a daring presumption which God abhors.

VER. 20. Having told us that we have Today, an entrance into the holiest,' he now declares what the way is whereby we may do so. The way into the holiest under the tabernacle was a passage with blood through the sanctuary, and then a turning aside of the vail, as we have declared before. But the whole church was forbidden the use of this way, and it was

appointed for no other end but to signify, that in due time there should be a way opened unto believers unto the presence of God, which was not yet prepared. And this the apostle describes, 1. From the preparation of it; which he hath consecrated.' 2. From the properties of it: it was a new and living way.' 3. From the tendency of it, which he expresseth, 1st, Typically, or with respect unto the old way under the tabernacle: it was through the vail.' 2dly, In an exposition of that type; that is, his flesh.' In the whole, there is a description of the exercise of faith in our access unto God by Christ Jesus. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh.'

First, The preparation of this way is by an yaiviques, by a dedication.' The word hath a double signification, one in things natural, the other in things sacred, which yet are of no affinity unto one another. In things natural, it is to make new, so as to be ready for use. In things sacred, it is to dedicate or consecrate any thing at the first erection or making of it unto sacred services. The latter sense of the word, which we receive in our translation, is here to be embraced, yet so as it includes the former also. For it is spoken in opposition unto the dedication of the tabernacle, and way into the most holy place, by the blood of sacrifices, whereof we have treated in the ninth chapter. So was this way into the holy place consecrated, dedicated, and set apart sacredly for the use of believers, so as that there never is, nor ever can be, any other way but by the blood of Jesus. Or there is this also in it, that the way itself was new prepared and made, not being extant before.

Obs. VI. The way of our entrance into the holiest, is solemnly dedicated and consecrated for us, so as that with boldness we may make use of it. He hath done it for us, for our use, our benefit, and advantage.

Secondly, The properties of this way are two.

1. That it is, or paros, new.' 1st, Because it was but newly made and prepared. 2dly, Because it belongs unto the new covenant. 3dly, Because it admits of no decays, but is always new, as unto its efficacy and use, as in the day of its first preparation. Whereas that of the tabernacle waxed old, and so was prepared for a removal; this way shall never be altered nor changed, never decay, it is always new.

2. Zasav, it is living. This epithet is placed by apposition, without any note of distinction or conjunction. And it is said

to be living, 1. In opposition unto the way into the holiest under the tabernacle, which was, 1st, By death. Nothing could be done in it, without the blood of the sacrifices. 2dly, It was the cause of death unto any one that should make use of it, the

high priest only excepted, and he but once a-year. 2. It is liv ing as unto its efficacy, it is not a dead thing; it is that which hath a spiritual vital efficacy in our access unto God. 3. It is living from its effects; it leads to life, and effectually brings us thereunto, and is the only way of entering into everlasting life. Obs. VII. All the privileges we have by Christ, are great, glorious and efficacious, all tending and leading unto life.

This new and living way of our approach unto God, is nothing but the exercise of faith, for acceptance with God by the sacrifice of Christ, according unto the revelation made in the gospel.

Thirdly, He shews which way it thus leads to the holiest, or what is the tendency of it; δια το καταπετασματος, it is, through the vail. The apostle shews here expressly what he alludeth to, in the declaration he makes of our entrance into the holiest. The vail here intended by him, was that between the sanctuary and the most holy place, of which a description is given in ch. ix. For there was no possible entrance thereinto, but through that vail, which was turned aside, when the high priest entered. What this vail was unto the high priest, in his entrance into that holy place, that is the flesh of Christ unto us in ours, as in the last place is described in exposition of this type, TYTETTI TAS σugxos dure, that is, his flesh.'

For the opening of these words, and the vindication of the apostle's application of this type, we may observe,

1. The flesh of Christ, the body of Christ, the blood of Christ, Christ himself, are all mentioned distinctly, as the matter of his sacrifice. See ch. ix. 14. 25. 28.

2. This is done on various respects, to express either the dignity, or the efficacy of the nature, and manner of his offering. 3. In the sacrifice of Christ, the flesh was that which suffered peculiarly, as the great token and evidence of his real sufferings.

4. The whole efficacy of his sacrifice, is ascribed unto every essential part of the human nature of Christ, in that which is either acted, or suffered therein; to his soul, Isa. liii.; his blood, ch. ix. 14.; his body, ver. 10.; his flesh, as in this place. For these things were not distinctly operative, one in one effect, another in another, but all of them concurred in his nature and person, which he offered once wholly to God. So that where any of them is mentioned, the whole human nature of Christ, as unto the efficacy of it in his sacrifice, is intended.

5. Yet were these things distinctly typified and fore-signified in the sacrifices and service of old. So was the flesh of Christ by the vail, as his whole nature by the tabernacle, his soul by the scape-goat, his body and blood by the sin-offering on the day of expiation, when the sacrifice was burnt without the camp.