seat. Yes, the vail of the temple, at the time of our Saviour's death, was rent in twain from the top to the bottom: and from that very moment a way of access to him has been open for all the sinners of mankind, without exception. This is the construction put on that event by an inspired Apostle, who says, " Having, therefore, 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, and having an High- Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith^." " The Holy Ghost himself," T say, has taught us this'. And is this no ground for love to divine ordinances? Methinks, the liberty thus accorded to us should produce in us a correspondent liberty of mind in approaching God, and an exquisite delight in drawing nigh unto him.]
2. Our views of him are more clear —
[Even the high-priest himself, when admitted into the sanctuary, could behold nothing but a bright cloud abiding on the ark between the cherubims. But we have access to the true tabernacle, the Lord Jesus Christ, " in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily'^." " He is the image of the invisible God'," " the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person™:" and " in beholding him, we behold the Father himself":" yea, " as with an unveiled face we behold the glory" both of the Father and the Son". We see " God in Clirist reconciling the world unto himselfP," and are enabled to call him our Father and our Friend 'i.
Of the perfections of God, also, we have incomparably clearer views than ever were vouchsafed even to David himself. True indeed, he says, that, in God, " Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each others" But he had not such an insight into that mystery as we enjoy. The full discovery of God, as " a just God, and yet a justifier of ungodly men%" was reserved for us, under the Gospel dispen- sation : we see, not only mercy, but faithfulness and justice, engaged on our side, and pledged for the forgiveness of our sins*.
His purposes, too, how marvellously are they unravelled, and with what distinctness are they exhibited to our admiring eyes ! Things which no eye ever saw, or ear heard, or heart conceived, under the Jewish economy, are revealed unto us by the Spirit : so that, from eternity to eternity, we can behold the designs of God unfolded, first, as they were originally concerted between
h Heb. X. 19—22. * Heb. ix. 7, 8. k Col. ii. 19.
1 Col. i. 15. m Heb. i. 3. " John xiv. 9.
f 2 Cor. iii. 18. p 2 Cor. v. 19. 'i Gal. iv. 6.
^ Ps. Ixxxv. 10. s Rom. iii. 26. ^ 1 John i. 9.