the body of the church, was kept. They might not so much as come nigh the pledges of God's presence; it was forbidden them under the penalty of death and being cut off, whereof they sadly complained, Num. xvii. 12, 13.

This state of things is now changed under the gospel. It is one of the principal privileges of believers, that, being made kings and priests unto God by Jesus Christ, this distinction as unto especial gracious access unto God is taken away, Rev. i. 5; Eph. ii. 18; Rom. v. 2. Neither doth this hinder but that yet there are and ought to be officers and ministers in the house of God, to dispense the holy things of it, and to minister in the name of Christ. For in their so doing they do not hinder but promote the approach of the church into the presence of God, which is the principal end of their office. And as this is their peculiar honour, for which they must be accountable, Heb. xiii. 17; so the church of believers itself, ought always to consider how they may duly improve, and walk worthy of this privilege, purchased for them by the blood of Christ.

2. The general foundation of the service of these priests in the sanctuary was, that they went or entered into it; oaoiv. This also itself was a divine ordinance. For this entrance both asserted their privilege, all others being excluded on pain of death, and gave bounds unto it. Hereinto they were to enter, but they were to go no further; they were not to go into nor look into the most holy place, nor to abide in the sanctuary when the high priest entered into it, which the apostle here hath an especial regard unto. They entered into the first tabernacle, but they went no further. Hereinto they entered through the first veil, or the covering of the door of the tabernacle, Exod. xxvi. 36, 37. Through that veil, by turning it aside, so as that it closed immediately on their entrance, the priests entered into the sanctuary. And this they were to do with an especial reverence of the presence of God, which is the principal design of that command, thou shalt reverence my sanctuary, Lev. xix. 30, which is now supplied by the holy reverence of the presence of God in Christ, which is in all believers. But moreover, the equity of the command extends itself unto that special reverence of God, which we ought to have in all holy services. And although this be not confined unto any postures or gestures of the body, yet those that naturally express a reverential frame of spirit are necessary unto this duty.

3. The time of this their entrance into the sanctuary to discharge their service, is expressed. They entered it, dia Tavros, that is, xoovou, δια παντος, quovis tempore; always,' say we; jugiter, that is, 'every day.' There was no divine prohibition as unto any days or times, wherein they might not enter into the sanctuary, as there was with respect unto the entrance of the high priest into the most holy place, which was allowed only once a-year. And the services that were required of them, made it necessary that they should enter into them every day. But the word doth not absolutely signify every day, seeing there was a special service for which they entered only once a-week. But 'always,' is at all times,' as occasion did require. There was also an especial service when the high priest entered into this sanctuary, which was

neither daily nor weekly, but occasional, which is mentioned Lev. iv. 6, 7. For when the anointed priest was to offer a sacrifice for his own sins, he was to carry some of the blood of it into the sanctuary, and sprinkle it towards the veil that was before the most holy place. This he was to do seven times, which is a mystical number, denoting that perfect atonement and expiation of sin, which was to be made by the blood of Christ. But this being an occasional service, the apostle seems to have had no respect to it.

4. The service itself performed by them is expressed, raç λarpɛaç ETTITEλOVVTEC, 'accomplishing the services.' The expression is sacred, respecting mystical rites and ceremonies, such as were the things here intended; officiating in the ministry of the sacred ceremonies. For ETTITEλOUVTEC, is not perfecting or accomplishing only, but 'sacredly ministering,' in discharge of the priestly office, accomplishing the sacred services committed unto them. And these services were of two sorts, 1. Daily; 2. Weekly.

First. Their daily services were two. 1. The dressing of the lamps of the candlesticks, supplying them with the holy oil, and taking care of all things necessary unto the cleansing of them, that their light might be preserved. This was done morning and evening, a continual service in all generations. The service of the candlestick, λarpɛa. 2. The service of the golden altar, the altar of incense in the midst of the sanctuary, at the entrance of the most holy place, before or over against the ark of the testimony. Hereon the priests burnt incense every day, with fire taken from the altar of burnt-offerings, that was in the court before the door of the tabernacle. This service was performed evening and morning, immediately after the offering of the daily sacrifice on the altar of burnt-offerings. And whilst this service was performed, the people gave themselves to prayer without, with respect unto the sacrifice offered, Luke i. 10. For this offering of incense on the sacrifice, and that fired with a coal from the altar, whereon the sacrifice was burned, was a type, as we have declared, of the intercession of Christ. For although they understood it not clearly in the notion, yet were true believers guided to express it in their practice. The time of the priests offering incense, they made the time of their own solemn prayers, as believing that the efficacy and acceptance of their prayers depended on what was typified by that incense, Ps. cxli. 2. These were the daily services. It is uncertain whether they were all performed at the same time or not; namely, those of the candlestick and the altar of incense. If they were, it should seem that they were done by no more but one priest at one time, that is, every morning and evening. For of Zechariah it is said that it was his lot to burn incense in the temple, and no other was with him there when he saw the vision, Luke i. 8, 9, 21-23. Wherefore, whereas it is said in the institution of these things, Aaron and his sons shall do this service: it is intended that some one of them should do it at any one time.

Secondly. The weekly service of the sanctuary was the change of the bread on the table of shew-bread. This was performed every Sabbath day in the morning, and not else. Now all this daily service

was typical. And that which it did represent, was the continual appli

cation of the benefits of the sacrifice and whole mediation of Christ, unto the church here in this world. That the tabernacle itself, and the inhabitation of God therein, was a type of the incarnation of the Son of God, we have shown before. And have also declared that all the utensils of it, were but representations of his grace in the discharge of his office. He is the light and life of the church, the lamp and the bread thereof. The incense of his intercession renders all their obedience acceptable unto God. And therefore there was a continual application made unto these things without intermission every day. And we may thence observe, that,

Obs. I. A continual application unto 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.

VER. 7.-But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and the errors of the people.

The use and service of the second part of the tabernacle or the most holy place, which the apostle designeth principally to apply unto his present argument, are declared in this present verse. And he describes them; 1. By the person, who alone might perform the service which belonged unto this part of the sanctuary. This was the high priest. 2. By that which in general was required unto the other parts of it. 'He went into it.' This is not here expressed, but the sense of it is traduced from the foregoing verse. The other priests entered into the sanctuary; and the high priest into this; that is, he entered or went into it. 3. From the time and season of this his entrance, which was 'once a-year only,' in opposition unto the entrance of the priests into the other part, which was at all times, every day. 4. By the manner of his entrance, or what he carried with him to administer or perform the holy service of the place, expressed negatively; not without blood,' that is, with blood. 5. From the use of the blood which he so carried in with him; it was that which he offered for himself and the errors of the people.'

That which the apostle here respects and describes was the great anniversary sacrifice of expiation, whose institution, rites, and solemnities are at large declared, Lev. xvi. And herein,

1. The person designed unto this service was μovos ¿ αρχιερευς, 'the high priest alone,' and no other person, Lev. xvi. 2, 32. And he was to be so alone, as that none were to attend, assist, or accompany him in any part of the service. Yea, so far was any person from entering with him into the holy place, that no one was allowed to be in the other part of the sanctuary, where he might so much as see the veil opened, or look in after him whilst he performed his service, ver. 17. As all the people were kept out of the sanctuary, and waited at the door whilst the priests entered daily into it; so all the priests were kept without the sanctuary whilst the high priest entered into the most holy place. Hence there was one always provided who was next in succession unto that office, to perform this office in case of the sickness

or occasional pollutions of him who was actually high priest. And he was called the second priest, 2 Kings xxv. 18. From whence in times of disorder and confusion they had afterwards two high priests at once, John xviii. 13, 24. Thus was the presence of God in the holy place made sacredly inaccessible, not only to all the people, but even to all the priests themselves.

Some say, that indeed the high priest went alone into the holy place once a-year only, but with other priests, and on other occasions, he might enter oftener. But this is weak beneath consideration. For the express institution was, that he should go alone, and go but once. And this was that great truth, which in this ordinance God stated unto the church; namely, that there is no entrance into the gracious presence of God but by the high priest. That the true high priest should take along all believers with him, and give them admission with boldness unto the throne of grace, was, as the apostle declares in the next verse, not as yet made known.

2. The way whereby he engaged into this service was that he went into this holy place.' This, as we observed before, is not here expressed, but is necessarily traduced from the foregoing verse. And it is his entrance through the veil that is intended, which also was a part of his service. For it was a type both of the entrance of Christ into heaven, and of our entrance by him unto the throne of grace, ver. 24, ch. x. 19, 20. This was that veil which in the temple was rent from the top to the bottom upon the death of our Saviour, Matt. xxvii. 51. For hereby the way was laid open into the holy place, and the glorious presence of God discovered unto all that come unto him by Christ.

3. The time of this service is expressed, that it was åñaž tov eviavtov, ' once only every year.' The first order unto this purpose was a prohibition or negative precept, that the high priest should not come at all times into the holy place, Lev. xvi. 2, that is, not every day, as he did into the sanctuary; not at any time of his own choice. He might not choose, he might not appoint a time for the service of this holy place; whatever occasion he apprehended of it, or necessity for it. Times of sacred worship are the Lord's, no less than the things of it. Our own stated times are no less disapproved by him, than any other parts of sacred worship of our own finding out, 1 Kings xii. 32, 33. And as this time of the entrance of the high priests into the most holy place, was limited unto once a-year, which our apostle observes; so the precise day of the year was determined by the law. It was fixed unto the tenth day of the seventh month or Tizri, which reckoning from Nisan the beginning of their ecclesiastical year, answers unto our September. This was the great day of atonement, from which important fruits ensued, Lev. xvi. 29.

But whereas it is said that he entered once' every year, the meaning is, that upon one day in the year only he did so, and had liberty so to do. For it is evident that on that day he went twice into it, yea, it is most probable that he did so four times. He had three offerings or sacrifices to offer on the day of expiation. The first was of a bullock and a ram for himself and his household, Lev. xvi. 3. This the apostle notes distinctly, which he offered for himself.' Secondly. A

goat, for a sin-offering, which he offered for the people, 'for the errors of the people,' ver. 9. Thirdly. The service of the scape-goat, which also had the nature of a sacrifice, ver. 10. Of the two first whose blood was offered on the altar, it is said distinctly, that he carried of the blood into the most holy place. He carried in, first that of the bullock and the ram, before he offered the goat for the sins of the people. He killed not the goat until he came out of the holy place, after he had carried in the blood of the sacrifice for himself, ver. 1114. After this he carried in the blood of the goat that was offered for the sins of the people, ver. 15. So that of necessity he must enter twice distinctly on that one day into the most holy place.

Yea, it is most probable, and almost very certain, that he entered into it four times on that day. For before he carried in the blood, he was to go in with the incense to make a cloud over the mercy-seat. And it is evident that he could not carry in the incense and the blood at the same time. For when he went in with the incense, he had in one hand a censer full of burning coals from the altar, and he so carried it, that besides both his hands were filled with incense, ver. 12, so that he could carry no blood with him at that time. For when he carried in the the blood also, both his hands were in like manner employed. For with the finger of one he was to sprinkle the blood upon and before the mercy-seat; whence it is of necessity that he must have the blood which he sprinkled in his other hand. For he was to sprinkle it seven times, which could not be done with the blood that was at once upon the finger, wherewith he sprinkled it. Wherefore this once every year' is on one day only; for that day he entered four times into the holy place within the veil, as is plain in the order of the service according unto its institution.

When all this was done, that there might be a full representation of the atonement to be made by the Lord Christ, and of the plenary remission of sins by his blood, the high priest laid all the sins of the people on the head of the scape-goat, who carried them away into the wilderness of everlasting oblivion, ver. 20-22.

As these institutions were multiplied, to typify the one single sacrifice and oblation of the body of Christ, because of the imperfection inseparable from the nature of earthly things, whereby no one of them could absolutely represent it; so in this distinction and distribution of them, the condescension, love, and grace of God were adorable and glorious. For in the shedding of the blood of the sacrifice, and offering it by fire on the altar, he plainly declared the imputation of the guilt of their sins unto the sacrifice, its bearing of them, and the expiation of their guilt thereby. By carrying of the blood into the holy place, he testified his acceptance of the atonement made and his reconciliation unto the people. And hereon the full remission and pardon of all their sins, no more to be had in remembrance, was manifested in the sending away of the scape-goat into the wilderness. Hence the Jews have a saying, that on the day of expiation all Israel was made as innocent as in the days of creation. How all this was accomplished in and by the sacrifice of Christ, must be afterwards declared.

4. As to the nature of this service, the apostle tells us that it was ov