"Now of the things which we have fpoken this is the fum: we have fuch an high priest, who is fet down on the right hand of the throne of the Majefty in the heavens: a minifter of the fanctuary, and of the rew tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer facrifices, wherefore it is of neceffity that this man have fomewhat alfo to offer. For if he were on earth, he fhould not be a high priest, feeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who ferve unto the example, and fhadow of heavenly things, as Mofes was admonifhed, when he was about to make the tabernacle ; for fee, faith he, that thou make all things accord. ing to the pattern fhewed to thee in the mount."

"But Chrift being an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, that is to fay, not of this building, nei. ther by the blood of bulls and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of goats, bulls, and ashes of an heifer fprinkling the unclean, fanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more fhall the blood of Chrift, who through the eternal Spirit offered himfelf without fpot to God, purge your confciences from dead works, to ferve the living God."

"For Chrift is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the prefence of God for us. Nor yet that he fhould offer himself often, as the high priest entered into the holiest every year with the blood of others, for then muft he often have fuffered fince the founda. tion of the world. But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away fin by the facrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment; fo Christ was ence offered, to bear the fins of many,

and to them that look for him fhall he appear the fecond time, without fin, unto falvation, Heb. iii. 1, 2. chap. iv. 14, 15. chap. v. 1. 2. chap. vii, 16. -29. chap. viii. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. chap. ix. 10, to 29,

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CHA P. LXVII.

Of the High Prieft's going into the Holieft alone. Sit was the privilege of the high priest to go into the holieft alone, fo there was fome. thing of mystery alfo; to which I fhall fpeak a li tle; "There fhall, fays God, be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when Aaron goeth in to make antonement in the holy place, until he comes out, and have made an atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the con gregation of Ifrael," Lev. xvi. 17, &c.

The reafon is, for that Chrift is mediator alone, he trode the wine prefs alone; and of the people there was none with him to help him there, Ifaiah Ixiii. 3. 1 Tim. ii. 5.

Of the people there was none to help him to bear his cross, or in the management of the first part of his priestly office: why then fhould there be any to fhare with him in his executing of the fecond part thereof? Besides, he that helps an interceffor, muft himself be innocent, or in favour, upon fome grounds, not depending on the worth of the interceffor. But as to the interceffion of Chrift, who can come in to help, upon the account of fuch innocency or worth? Not the highest angel, for there is none fuch but one, wherefore he must do that alone. Hence it is faid, he went in alone, is there alone, and there intercedes alone, And this is manifeft, not only in the type Aaron, but in the antitype Chrift Jefus, Heb. vi. 19, 20. chap. ix 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 23, 24.

I do not ay that there is no man in heaven but

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Jefus Chrift; but I fay, he is there to make inter ceffion for us alone. Yea, the holy text fays more.

"I go, faith Christ, to prepare a place for you; and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and take you to myfelf, that where I am there ye may be also," John xiv. 1, 2, 3, 4.

This text feems to infinuate, that Chrift is in the holiest or highest heavens alone; and that he there alone must be until he has finished his work of interceffion; for not till then, he comes again to take us to himself.

Let us grant Chrift the pre-eminence in this, as also in all other things; for he is interceffor for his church, and makes it for them in the holieft alone. It is faid, he is the light that no man can approach

unto.

CHA P. LXVIII.

Of the high Priest's going in thither, but once a

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Year.

As the high priest went into the holieft, when

he went in thither alone; fo to do that work, he went in thither but once a year. Thou fhalt not come at all times, faid God to him, into the holy place, within the vail, before the mercy-feat, which is upon the ark, that thou die not," Lev.

xvi. 2.

And as he was to go in thither but once a year, fo not then neither, unless clothed and adorned with his Aaronical holy robes. Then he was to be clothed, as I hinted before, with the holy robes, the frontier of gold upon his forehead, the names of the twelve tribes upon his breast, and the jing. ling bells upon the fkirts of his garment; nor would all this do, unless he went in thither with blood, Exod. xxviii. Lev. xvi.

Now, this once a year the apostle taketh special notice of, and makes great ufe of it. Once a year, faith he, this high prieft went in thither:

once a year, that is, to fhew that Chrift fhould, once in the end of the world, go into heaven itfelf to make interceffion there for us. For by this word, year, he fhews the term and time of the world is meant; and by once in that year, he means, once in the end of the world.

"Not, faith he, that he should offer himself often; as the high priest entered into the holy place every year with the blood of others: for then muft he often have fuffered, fince the founda. tion of the world. But now, once in the end of the world, hath he appeared to put away fin, by the facrifice of himfelf, Heb. ix.

And having thus once offered his facrifice with out the vail, he is now gone into the holieft, to perfect his work of mediation for us: Not into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself; now appearing in the prefence of God for us..

Now, if our Lord Jefus is gone indeed, now to appear in the prefence of God for us, and if this now be the once a year that the type fpeaks of, the once in the end of the world, as our apoftle fays; then it follows, that the people of God fhould all ftand waiting for his benediction, that to them he fhall bring with him, when he fhall return from thence. Wherefore he adds, Chrift was once offered, to bury the fins of many and to them that look for him fhall he appear the fecond time, withqut fin, unto falvation.

This therefore fhews us the greatness of the work that Chrift has to do at the right hand of God, for that he ftays there fo long, He accomplished all the first part of his priesthood in less than forty years, if you take in the making of his holy garments and all; but about this fecond part there. of, he has been above in heaven above feventeen hundred years, and yet has not done.

This therefore calls for faith and patience in faints, and by this he alfo tries the world; fo that

they, in mocking manner, begin to fay already, Where is the promise of his coming? (2 Pet. iii. 4.) But I fay again, we must look and wait.

If the people waited for Zacharias, and wondered that he ftaid fo long, because he ftaid in the holy place fomewhat longer than they expected; no marvel, if the faith of the world about Chrift's coming is fled and gone long ago; yea, and that the children alfo are put to wait, fince a fcripture little while doth prove fo long; for that which the apostle faith, Yet a little while, doth prove to fome to be a very long little, John xvi. Heb. x. 37.

True, Zacharias had then to do with angels, and that made him ftay fo long, O but Jefus is with God, before him, in his prefence, talking with him, fwallowed up in him, and with his glory, and that is one caufe he ftays fo long. He is there also pleading his blood for his tempted ones, and interceding for all his elect, and waits there till all his be fitted for, and ready to enter into glory: 1 fay, he is there, and there must be till then: And this is another reason why he doth ftay the time we count fo long.

And indeed it is a wonder to me, that Jefus Chrift our Lord fhould once think, now he is there, of returning hither again, coofidering the ill treatment he met with here before. But what will not love do? Surely he would never touch the ground again, had he not a people here that cannot be made perfect, but by his coming to them. He also is made judge of quick and dead, and will get him glory in the ruin of them that hate him,

His people are as himself to him. Can a loving hufband abide to be always from a beloved fpoufe? Befides, as I faid, He is to pay the wicked off, for all their wickedness, and that in that very plat where they have committed it. Wherefore the day appointed for this is fet, and he will, and fhalt come quickly to do it.

For however the time may feem long to us, yet