And the following words, to the end of the chapter, do make it yet more plain and evident. Sundry things doth the apostle, upon the account of this their access unto God, speak of the Gentiles.
First, Negatively, — that they are no more " strangers and foreign- ers," verse 1 9 ; that is, that they are not so in respect of the worship of God, as in that state and condition wherein they were before their calling, through a participation of the reconciliation made by the blood of Christ. The apostle had declared, verses 11, 12, they were the un- circumcision, aliens, foreigners; that is, men who had no share in, nor admittance unto, the solemn worship of God, which was empaled in the commonwealth of Israel. " But now," says he, " ye are so no more;'
OF GOSPEL WORSHIP. 55
that is, you have a portion and interest in that worship wherewith God is well pleased.
Secondly, Positively, the apostle affirms two things of them: — first, That they are " fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the house- hold of God," verse 19; secondly, That they were built up to be "an holy temple," or " an habitation to God," verses 20-22. Both which relate to the solemn worship of God under the gospel. The first asserts them to be now members of the church ; — the latter, that by and among them God was worshipped with that divine service which came in the room of that which was appointed in the temple, now by Christ removed and taken away.
This being the design of the Holy Ghost in this place, I shall pre- sent it in this one proposition unto you : —
That it is an eminent effect and fruit of our reconciliation unto God and among ourselves, by the blood of Christ, that believers enjoy the privileges of the excellent, glorious, spiritual worship of God in Christ, revealed and required in the gospel.
I shall, in the prosecution of this subject, — I. Briefly prove that we obtain this privilege as a fruit, and upon the account of the recon- ciliation made by the blood of Christ. II. Show that the worship of the gospel is indeed so beautiful, glorious, and excellent, that the enjoyment of it is an eminent privilege: which I shall principally manifest from the text; and, in so doing, open the several parts of it.
I. That believers enjoy this privilege as a fruit and effect of the death and blood of Jesus Christ, I shall confirm only with one or two places of Scripture, Heb. ix. 8, compared with chap. x. 19-22. Whilst the first tabernacle was standing, before Christ by his death had re- moved it, and the worship that accompanied it, — which was the parti- tion-wall mentioned that he brake down, — there was no immediate admission unto God ; — the way into the holiest not made with hands, which we now make use of in the gospel worship, was not yet laid open, but the worshippers were kept at a great distance, making their application unto God by outward, carnal ordinances. The tabernacle being removed, now a way is made, and an entrance is given to the worshippers, into the holiest, in their worship. How is that obtained '( by what means? Chap. x. 19-22, It is " by the blood of Jesus Christ," ■ — by the rending of his flesh. This privilege of entering into the holiest, which is a true expressing of all gospel worship, could no otherwise be obtained for nor granted unto believers, but by the blood of Christ. We " enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus," by which he prepared, perfected, or " consecrated for us a new and living way " into it. Peter also gives us the same account of the rise of this privilege, 1 Epist. ii. 4, 5. That which is ascribed unto be- lievers is, that they offer up " spiritual sacrifices, acceptable unto God
56 THE NATUEE AND BEAUTY
by Jesus Christ." That is the worship whereof we speak. To fit them for, and enable them hereunto, they are ': made a spiritual house, a holy priesthood ; " — they are both the temple wherein God dwells by his Spirit, and they are the priests that offer acceptable sacrifices unto him. By what means, then, do they attain this honour? By their " coining unto Christ," and that as he was " disallowed of men, and chosen of God." Herein the apostle includes the whole mystery of his death and blood-shedding, wherein he was most openly rejected of men, and most eminently owned of God in his accomplish- ment of the work of reconciliation.
I shall not farther confirm the first part of the proposition, but proceed to evidence, —
II. That the worship of God under the gospel is so excellent, beautiful, and glorious, that it may well be esteemed a privilege, pur- chased by the blood of Christ, which no man can truly and really be made partaker of but by virtue of an interest in the reconciliation by him wrought. For " through him we have an access by one Spirit unto God."
This, as I said, I shall evince two ways: — First, Absolutely. Se- condly, Comparatively, in reference unto any other way of worship whatever.