that the Children of 1ſrac] could not ſtedfaſtly look
jon 1% * ro the end of that which is aboliſhed #.
we have the Hiſtory, ro which this paſſage of the Apoſile rclaterh, in Exod. 34. 33, 35. where we read, that when Mojes had done (peaking, be put 4 veil on his face, The Apoſtle here elegantly rurns that paſſage into an A//egory, and opens to us a Myſtery hidden under that- piece of Hiſtory, Thar ſhining of Moſes his Face in a Type, prefigured the ſhining of him who was tq be the Light of rhe World ; as he was from Eternity the brightneſs of his Father's Glory. Moſes covering himſelf with a Veil, ſignifies God's hiding the Myſtery of Chriſt from Ages. Moſes did not put a Veil on his Face tor that end, that the Children of JFael might not look upon him ; bur this was the Event of it, which alſo prefigured the blinding of the 7ews ; they firſt ſhut their eyes, and would not ſee, then God ju- dicially ſealed their eyes, that they ſhould nor ſee, that Chriſt was the End of the Law for Righteouſneſs, the true Meſſiah, and the Me- diaror berwixt God and Man; they could nor (as the Apoſtle ex- prefſeth ir) ſee to the End of that which was to be aboliſhed; tothe end of the Legal Diſpenſarion, ro the End of all the Types of Chriſt which were in the Levitical Law. Now ( faith the Apoſtle ) we do not do ſo, but make ir our buſineſs ro preach the Goſpel with as much openneſs, and plainneſs, and freedom as 1s imaginable, The whole Hiſtory of the Goſpel juſtifieth what rhis Text affirmeth con- cerning the Jews 3 that they could not ſee, that Chriſt, by his com- ing, had put an end to the Law, and the Righteouſneſs thereof. Wefind upon all occafions how much the Phariſees, and thoſe who adhered to that Sect, ſtuck in the Law, to the hindrance of their receiving of, or believing in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
14 But * their minds were blinded w. For until this day remaineth the ſame veil untaken away x, in the reading of the old Teſtament y: which veil is done away In Chriſt =.
w Here the Apoſtle expoundeth what he meant before by the myſtical Veil, wiz, the blinding of the Eyes of the Jews; of which we | read ofren in the new Teftament, Matt. 13. 14. Mark 4+ 12. Luke 8. 10. Job. 12. 4s. Afts 28. 26. Rom.11. 8. (See the Notes upon all thoſe Texts.) x And (faith the Apcſtle) ro this day the Veil re- maineth not taken away 3 that Veil, which was ſignified by the V+1/ with which Moſes covered his Face. y In the reading of the Old Teſta- ment, is, when the Old Teſtament is read: ſome part of which was wont to be read in the Synagogues every Sabbach-day. Bur we ſhall meer with this in the next Verſe more fully. xz Bur (ſatth he) this Veil 7s taken awey in Chriſt, Tr is really taken away upon the coming of Chriſt ; that is, the Veil, that covered the face of Chriſt, is now truly raken away upon his coming z the Types are fulfilled in him, as their Complement and Anti:ype 3 the Prophecies are ful- filled in him, as he whom they concerned, and of whom the Pro- phets ſpake. Bur the Veil, thar is drawn over mens kearrs, is nor taken away, till they come to receive Jeſus Chriſt, as the End of the Law for Righteouſneſs, to cloſe with him, and to believe in him. God hath raken the Veil off from Chriſt, by ſending him per- ſonally to fulfil all Righteouſneſs 3 bur Chriſt proficeth nothing par- ticular Souls, until they come to believe in him, then ir is taken a- way from their Souls, and not before, Which was the reaſon thar Ir remained ſtil] upon the Jews, amongſt whom he came, as among his own, bur they received him nor.
I5 But even unto this day, when Moſes is read, the yell is upon their heart a. :
a The Veil, myſtically ſignified by the Veil upon Moſes his face, which hindreth them from ſeeing or diſcerning che Meſſiah to be come. But why doth he ſay, Whez Moſes, that is, the Books of Moſes, or rather of the Old Tefiament, are read? Poſlibly he there- by hinteth, that ir was their duty, when in the Synagogues they heard the Chapters of the Old Teſtament read, which contain the Types and Prophecies of Chriſt, they ought to have looked through thoſe veils, and have conſidered Chriſt as the End of thoſe things 3 lo the Law, as a Schoolmaſter, ſhould have led them ro Chriſt: bur 1t was quire otherwiſe When they heard thoſe porrions of the Old Teſtament read, through the Veil xpon their bearts, they could nor ſee through the Veil of thoſe Types, Prophecies, and ritual Performances, but reſted in them as things, in the performance of which they placed their Righteouſneſs, Or, if they betore had ſome little convi&ions upon their ſpirits, yer when they again came in- to the Synagogues, and heard the Law read, the Veil again appear- ed over their hearrs, ſo as they could nor ſee Chriſt,
16 Nevertheleſs, * when it ſhall turn unto the
Lord, * the veil ſhall be taken away 6b.
b When it ſhall turn, may be underſtood of the whole, or of the gereraliry (ar leaſt) of the Jews, when they ſhall be converted to the Faith of Chriſt; Or when any particular perſon ſhall be con- verted ro Chriſt : Then the Veil fall be taken away; not the Vell with which God covered and veiled the Myſteries of the Goſpel, (that was already taken away upon Chriſt's coming in the fleſh) buc the Veil of blindneſs, which they had drawn over their own Souls. Though the light of che Goſpel ſhineth clearly, and Chriſt be un- veiled, yer until men, by a true Faith, receive Chriſt, and turn rom ſinful courſes, to the obedience of the Goſpel, ' they ſee lictle or nothing of Chriſt, The taking away of this Veil, and the tyrs- "ng to the Lord, are things done in Souls at the ſame time; trhere- ore nothing is co be coneluded here, from the Apoſtle's naming
ce reinoral of rhe impediment, after che effe&t of which thar is a auſe,
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit c, and where the Plrit of the Lord # there is liberty d. © The Lord Chriſt was a Man, but not a meer Man 3 but ore who
Il CORINTHIANS.