them; whom the Heaven muft receive, SER M. until the times of reftitution of all things.

THE Office which our Saviour executes during this his continuance in Heaven, is fignified to us in the Text under the character of High Prieft: We have fuch an High P.ieft, who is fet on the right hand of --the Majefty in the Heavens. And the explication of the Nature of This Office, as applied to our Lord, is the principal fubject of this whole Epistle. Upon which account, the words of the Text are thus introduced by the Apoftle: Of the things which we have spoken, This is the Sum: We have fuch an High Priest, who is fet on the right hand of the Throne of the Majefty in the Heavens. As, among the Jews, the High Prieft in the Temple entred once a year into the Holy Place, with the Blood of Others; fo Chrift having once in the End of the World put away Sin by the Sacrifice of Himfelf, it was neceffary that He with his Own blood should enter once likewife into the Holy Place, into That within the Veil, having obtained eternal redemption for us: That is, it was VOL. V.

A a

necef

XV.

SER M. neceffary that he should ascend into Hea

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ven, to finish and prefent his most acceptable oblation before God, for the propitiation of the Sins of the World. For fo the Apostle interprets it: Chrift (fays he) is not entred into the Holy Places made with hands, which are only the Figures of the True; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the prefence of God for

us.

THE firft and immediate Effect of this his Appearing in the Presence of God for us, was the Miffion of the Holy Ghoft Before our Saviour's Exaltation, the Holy Ghoft, fays the Evangelist, (speaking comparatively,) was not yet given, because that Jefus was not yet glorified, Joh. vii. 39. And our Lord himself: I tell you the Truth, fays he; it is expedient for you, that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you: But if I depart, I will fend him unto you; and------he will guide you into all Truth. Accordingly, at the Pentecoft after Chrift's Afcenfion, the Holy Ghoft fell upon the Apoftles in a fingular and moft miracu

lous

lous manner, beyond the Examples of S ER M. former Inspirations. And by the conti- XV. nual affiftance and ordinary operations of the fame Spirit, has our Lord promised to be with us his true Difciples, to be in the midst of them where-ever two or three are gathered together in His Name, even unto the End of the World.

BUT further: The Scripture represents this our Great High Priest, as continually interceding for us at the right hand of God, from the time of his Afcenfion till his final coming to Judg

ment.

We have an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our Sins: For our Sins; that is, for the Sins of all thofe who truly repent and effectually amend their Lives, according to the gracious Terms of the Gospel; and who are therefore accordingly reprefented as having washed their robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. For perfons of This difpofition, our Saviour is a perpetual and effectual Advocate, to obtain perfect forgiveness of their past Sins, and to VOL. V. A a 2 cleanse

SER M. cleanse them by the perpetual affiftance XV. of his Spirit, from all unrighteousness. They have an High Prieft, not who cannot be touched with the feeling of their infirmities, but who was himself tempted in all points like as They are, yet without Sin. And he is able alfo, as well as willing, to fave them to the uttermoft, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for them, Heb. vii. 25. And because he thus lives for ever, and has an unchangeable Priesthood, therefore he is faid in Scripture to be a Priest, not after the Order of Aaron, which was a perpetual Succeffion of Priests not fuffered to continue by reafon of death; but after the Order of Melchifedec, who was both Prince and High Prieft, and of whom is recorded neither Predeceffor nor Succeffor, that he might be a Type and Emblem of Him who ever liveth to make Interceffion for us.

SOME Unbelieves there have been in All Ages, and still are, who, in oppofition to this Great Doctrine of Chriftianity, alledge, that God being always Omni

prefent

present and ready to hear the Prayers SER M which every one offers for himself, there- XV. fore there was no need of appointing a Mediator; and that God always acting, in his own nature, according to the exact Right and Reafon of the Cafe; therefore he cannot be changed, or have Any Affection moved, by the interpofition of Any Interceffor whatsoever. But in This matter they greatly mistake. For if God's being himself every where prefent, were a fufficient reason why no Mediator should be appointed to intercede for Men; it would by the fame argument be alfo a fufficient reason, why men should neither pray nor intercede for themselves: For God knows their Wants as perfectly, even without their ever praying for Themselves, as without a Mediator interceding for them. If therefore, notwithstanding God's Omniprefence and Omniscience, it be still reasonable to require that men should pray for Themselves; in order to keep up in their Minds a conftant fense of God, and that they may make continual Acknowledgment of their Dependence upon