ship only; neither were believers then also excluded from heaven after death, any more than now; therefore the privilege mentioned consists in our drawing nigh to God in holy services and worship through Christ, ver. 22, 23.

(Happyσav) boldness. There were two things with respect to those worshippers in this matter;-a legal prohibition from entering into the holy place; and—a dread and fear, which deprived them of all boldness, or holy confidence, in their approaches to God; therefore the apostle expresseth the contrary frame of believers under the New Testament by a word that sig nifieth both liberty, or freedom from any prohibition, and boldness with confidence in the exercise of that liberty; we have a right to it, we have liberty without restraint, and we have confidence without dread.

"To enter into the holiest;" that is, the true sanctu ary, 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 to, even to God himself, in one Spirit by Christ.

§3. (Ev TW aipal Iɛ08) by the blood of Jesus, the procuring cause of this privilege, and which is the same with his sacrifice, or the once offering of his body, By its oblation, all causes of distance between God and believers were removed; 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 to God with boldness. Again, there are not only hindrances on the part of God lying in the way of our access to him, but also the consciences of men, from a sense of guilt, were filled with fear and dread, and durst not so much as desire an immediate

access to God. The efficacy of the blood of Christ being, through believing, communicated to them, takes away all this discouraging fear, being accompanied with the Holy Spirit as a Spirit of liberty.

§4. Having told us that we have, (TV Eσodov) an entrance into the holiest, he now declares by what way we may enter; the way into the holiest under the tabernacle was "a passage with blood through the sanctuary, and then a turning aside of the veil," 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 to believers to the presence of God, which was not yet prepared.

The preparation of this way is by (εynaviopos) a dedication; the word (y) hath a double signification, one natural, the other sacred; which yet are of no affinity to 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 its first erection or making, to sacred services; the latter sense, as in our translation, is here to be embraced, yet so as it includes the former also; for it is spoken in opposition to 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 dedicated, and set apart sacredly for the use of believers, so that there can never be any other way but by the blood of Jesus; and the way itself was moreover-new prepared and made, not being extant before. The properties of this way

are two:

1. It is (porales) new, because it was but newly made and prepared; belongs to the new covenant, and admits of no decays, but is always new, as to its effica

by and use, as in the day of its first preparation; whereas that of the tabernacle waxed old, and so was prepared for a removal; but this way shall never be changed, shall never decay, being always new.

2. It is (owoav) living, not only in opposition to the way into the holiest in the tabernacle, (which was a sure cause of death to any one that should make use of it, the high priest only excepted, and he but once a year;) but also as to its efficacy; it is not a dead thing, but hath a spiritual vital efficacy in our access to God, and effectually leads to life everlasting.

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

$5. "Through the veil;" referring to that between the sanctuary and the most holy place, which we have before described, chap. ix. What this veil was to the high priest in his entrance into that holy place, that is the flesh of Christ to us in our approach to God. He, indeed, entered into it by turning the veil aside, on whom it immediately closed again; but there could be no passage laid open, no general abiding entrance into that holy place, unless the veil was rent and torn in pieces, so that it could close no more. Hence, on our Lord's death, the veil of the temple was "rent from the top to the bottom;" signifying that, by virtue of the sacrifice of Christ, whereby his flesh was torn and rent, we have a full entrance into the holy place, such as would have been of old upon the rending of the veil. This, therefore, is the genuine interpretation of this place; "we enter with boldness to the most holy place through the veil," that is to say, his flesh, "by virtue of the sacrifice of himself, wherein his flesh was rent, and all hindrances taken away." Of all which

hindrances the veil was an emblem, until it was rent and removed.

§6. "And having a great high priest over the house of God." Having is understood from ver. 19. It may be said, notwithstanding the provision of a new way into the holiest, and boldness to enter, yet in our selves we know not how to do it, unless we are under the conduct of a priest, as the church of old was, in its worship. The apostle removes the discouraging thought; "we have a great High Priest," so great, as that he can save us to the uttermost; so glorious, that we ought to apply ourselves to him with reverence and godly fear. "Over the house of God;" intimating what he is and doth after his sacrifice, now he is exalted in heaven; for this was the second part of the high priest's office. He is over the house of God to order all things to his glory, and the salvation of the church. "The house of God," that is, the whole house, the family of heaven and earth, and particularly the church here below, to whom this encouragement is given, that they have a High Priest as a motive of drawing nigh. And it is in the heavenly sanctuary he administereth the house of God above, into which we enter by our prayers and sacred worship; "so is he for ever over his own house."

$7. (II.) The way and manner of using the above privilege. "Let us draw near (рoσeρxoμelα) with a true heart;" the word whereby the whole performance of all solemn divine worship was constantly expressed; for God having fixed the signs of his presence to a certain place, the tabernacle and altar, none could worship him but by an approach to that place; every thing in their worship was an approximation to God. And seeing their tabernacle, temple, altar, &c. were types of Christ, and the gracious presence of God in

him, this "drawing near" containeth all the holy worship of the church, both public and private, or, all the ways of our access to God by Christ."

(Meta aλnding nagdias) with a true heart. God in an especial manner, requireth "truth in the inward parts," in all that come to him, Psal. li, 6; John iv, 24. Now "truth" respects either the mind, and is opposed to falsehood, or respects the heart and affections, and is opposed to hypocrisy. In the first way all false worship is rejected; but the "truth of the heart" here intended, is the sincerity of the heart, which is opposed to all hypocrisy.

§8. (Εν πληροφορια της πιςεως) in full assurance of faith. "Without faith it is impossible to please God;" wherefore faith is required in this access on a twofold account as a qualification of the person; he must be a true believer, all others being utterly excluded from it;—as to actual exercise in every particular duty of access. There is no duty acceptable to God which is not enlivened by faith. "All full assurance of faith.” The word is used only in this place, but the verb (τλ×po@opɛw, Rom. iv, 21; xiv, 5,) signifies a "full satisfaction of mind in what we are persuaded of." Here two things seem to be included in the word:

1. What in other places the apostle expresseth by (Tappyσia) boldness, which is the word constantly used to denote that frame of mind which ought to be in gospel worshippers, in opposition to that of the law; and implies an open view of spiritual glories, which they had not joined with liberty and confidence; liberty of speech and confidence of being accepted; the plerophory of faith is the "spiritual boldness" of it.

2. A firm and immoveable persuasion concerning the priesthood of Christ, whereby we have this access to God, with the glory and efficacy of it, "faith with