not be obtained without it; that the spiritual promises of the Gospel are thereby procured for the sincere members of the Christian Church, as the blessings of the temporal covenant were conveyed, by the ministry of the high priest, in the earthly tabernacle. Christ is thus really entered, "not into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us ;" and ever liveth to make intercession for us, at the right hand of God. Christ began to exercise this office of intercession for his faithful followers, even while on earth, immediately before he was betrayed. He represents, in that touching appeal to his heavenly Father, that he had finished the work which God had given him to do;" and manifested his name to the men who were X given to him out of the world; praying for them that they might be kept from all evil,' and sanctified through the word of God, which is truth; and he prays not for them alone, but for them also which should believe on Christ through their word; that they might all be made perfect in one, and be with Christ where he is, and behold the glory which God t Heb. ix. 21. * John xvii. x Ver. 7. 1 Ver. 17. Rom. viii. 34. Heb. vii. 25. u Ver. 4. y Ver. 11, 15. has given him, that glory which he had with the Father, before the world was." This prayer, made on earth by our Lord, in behalf of his disciples, may lead us to form some conception of that prevailing intercession, which we are assured he ever offers for his church at the right hand of God. 2. We also really obtain, through Christ, an access to the Father, which otherwise we could not have possessed; as the high priest was the only medium of intercourse between the people in the tabernacle without, which represented the world, and the mercy-seat in the most holy place, the figure of heaven. Through our great High Priest, we "who sometimes were far off, are made nigh."d "He is our peace, who hath broken down the middle wall of partition." Through him we have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Christ is the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by him." е f 3. But the same argument of the apostle, which shews the reality of the intercession and mediation of Christ, and our actual privilege of access to the Father by him, displays also his pre-eminent dignity and the unchangeableness of his priesthood. Unlike those after the order of Aaron, who were appointed without an oath, and had need daily, as for the people, so also for themselves to offer for sins; Christ was made with an oath, after the order of Melchisedec, the surety of a better covenant, having an unchangeable priesthood; "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens." "For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore." h "Of the things" then "which we have spoken, this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." Seeing, therefore, that we have such a great High Priest, let us hold fast our profession. All that has been done for us will be of no avail, if we neglect the means, or despise the grace, which is now afforded us. Through the gospel which has been revealed to the world, the way to heaven has been made known; access to the Father procured; an intercessor placed at h Heb. vii. 26, 28. i Heb. viii. 1, 2. i the right hand of God; the Holy Spirit promised. "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins."* But to the wilfully impenitent, to the slave of passion, and the voluntary servant of sin, this gracious revelation will have been made in vain. They who travail, and are heavy laden with the consciousness of many a sin, and yet endeavour "to go on unto perfection,"1 are invited to "come boldly unto the throne of grace," that they may "obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need; "m "the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God."" But upon those who oppose or slight such proffered mercy, a fearful doom is pronounced. "That which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned."° even as But we, I trust, have not so learned Christ. We have learned to search the Scriptures, to obey his command, to pray for his grace, to trust in his merits; to look up to him as "the High Priest of our profession," who p 1 Heb. vi. 1. n Heb. vi. 7. • Heb. vi. 8. Heb. iii. 1. |