A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 58. Of the vaile what it se•…•…s forth.

THe meanes whereby in this way we may come to the most holy place, which is heaven, is here stiled a 1.1 the vaile▪ thorow the vaile. In this metaphor the A∣postle alludeth to the divisions of the Tabernacle which were by vailes. By a vaile the most holy place was divided from the holy place: and to that vaile the Apostle hath here especial reference. Of that vaile, see Chap. 6. v. 19. §. 155. and Chap. 9. v. 3. §. 16.

That vaile is distinctly described, Exod. 26. 31, 32, 33. If the matter whereof it* 1.2 was made, the curious work-manship thereof, the pillars and hooks whereon it hung, be duly weighed: we shall find it to be a precious and fair ornament. Well conside•…•… the other parts of the Tabernacle, yea, and of the Temple, and the types that were in them, and they will appear to be very glorious: never was there any externall thing like them.

This was not in regard of any delight that God simply took in the externall things, Hath God eyes of flesh; or seeth he as man seeth, Job 10. 4? Man looketh on the out∣ward appearance, 1 Sam. 16. 7. So doth not God. God ordained them in general, be∣cause man hath an high esteem of such things, and delighteth in them.

More particularly God appointed such precious and glorious types, as were un∣der the law.

• 1. To try, if men would willingly part with their precious things for his service: as, The people in the wildernesse did, upon making the tabernacle, Exod. 36. 5. And in Davids time, towards the Temple, and the things appertaining there∣unto, 1 Chro. 29. 67, &c.
• 2. That therby the excellency of the truth might be more lively typified. The world affords not any thing that could to the life, and to the full, set out the truths of the types: therefore choyce was made of the choycest things that the world had: as, Silkes, Silver, Gold, Pearles, and precious Stones.

Herein appeares the wisdome of God, who deales with people according to their •…•…tate and condition. When the Church was in the Child-hood thereof, and when it needed externall types, the Lord made choyce of the fittest and fairest. Thus deal men with their children. But after the truth was exhibited, because such external thing•…•… would obscure it, he clean removed them: and setteth out those truths in a mor spirituall mannere.* 1.3

That the Apostles mind in this metaphor of the vaile, might be the better discer∣ned, he explaines himself in this phrase, b 1.4 that is to say, whereby he sheweth that types are to be explained: So are other metaphors, parables and obscure words or sentences. Hereof see more, Chap. 7. v. 2. §. 19.

More particularly by this phrase is declared that legal types had their Evangeli∣cal* 1.5 truth•…•…. Hereof see more Chap. 8. v. 5. §. 13.

The particular truth typified by the foresaid vaile, is here said to be c 1.6 the flesh of Christ. Flesh is here Synecdo•…•…hically put, for the whole body of Christ: yea, for the whole humane nature of Christ. For Christ by assuming his humane nature to the unity of his divine nature, became a fit mediatour betwixt God and man. O∣therwise men could have no accesse to God, or entrance into heaven. How fitly* 1.7 the type of a vaile setteth forth the flesh of Christ hath been shewed, Chap. 9. v. 3. §. 16, 17.

By the foresaid type of a vaile, we may learn how to reap benefit by Christs incar∣nation: namely,

• 1. By beholding the glory of God and of his attributes: even of his wisdome, power, truth, justice and mercy, in Christ incarnate.
• 2. By resting on Christ made man, for entring into heaven, and there enjoying everlasting communion with Christ himself, and with his and our Father.

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Velum.
• * 1.2

  Legal types very glorious.
• * 1.3

  Obscure points to be explai∣ned.
• b 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.5

  Types had their truths.
• c 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.7

  The vaile fitly typified Christs flesh.