SERMON II.

HEBREWS 2. 17, 18.

Preached at Seep

Wherefore in all things it behoved him, to be made like unto bis brethren, that he might be a merciful, and faithful HighPrieft, in things pertaining to godlineß, to make reconcili- ney. ation for the fins of the people. For in that He himself bath Maii. 2. Suffered being tempted, he is able to fuccour them that are 1647. tempted.

Have begun to discover from these words, That the Priestly Office of Jefus Chrift, is the great Magazine, and Storehouse, of all that Grace, and Comfort which we have in this world: that whereby we are fuccoured, and relieved against all Temptations. This hath been made good in the General; and in one Particular work of the High-Prieft.

If we now inquire farther, what the work of the HighPrieft was, and is, that accordingly we may addrefs our felves unto Jefus Chrift for fuccour. We hall find, that it is allo, to Pray, and Intercede for the people. To make reconciliation for the fins of the people, (faies the text.) To make Atonement for the fins of the people, (faies the old Teftament.) Which Reconciliation, or Atonement, was made in the times of the old Teftament,not only by offering of a facrifice, but by taking the blood thereof, and prefenting that with Pra8

yers,

yers, and interceffions, unto God, to accept of it for the fins of the people. As we fhall find, in that fame 16. of Liviticus: After the facrifics was kil'd, the Priest was to take the blood of it, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the Mercy Seat; as we reade in the 14. verfe. And at the 12. and 13. He shall take a Cenfer full of burning coals of fire from off the Altar before the Lord, and his bunds full of sweet incenfe beaten fmall, and bring it within the vail; And he shall put the incenfe upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incenfe may cover the Mercy Seat. He was to cause a cloud of Incenfe to arife upon the Mercy-Seat. All which was a great Type of the Prayers, and Interceffions of Jefus Chrift: who having once offered up himself a facrifice for our fins, hath carried the blood, and the vertue of it into Heaven, there fprinkled the Mercy- Seat, and there ftill by his Interceffions does appear for us; As it is proved at large, in the 9. Chapter of this Epiftle to the Hebrews, 11, and 12. verfes: But Chrift being come an High-Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to fay, not of this building: Neither by the blood of goats and calves: but by his own blood be entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And at the 24. verfe: For Chrift is not entered into the holy places made with bands, which are the figures of the true, but into Heaven it felf, now to appear in the prefence of God for us. And if you duely confider this Book of the Hebrews, you will find, that this work of Chrifts Interceffion, is The Effential work of his Priestly Office: it feems rather to go beyond the former, than to fall fhort of it. Hebrews, the 8. Chapter,and the 4. verfe. For if he were on earth, he should not be a Prieft. That is, look as it was in the times of the old Teftament: if the Priest had only offered a Sacrifice, and had not gone into the holy of holieft with the blood thereof, fprinkling the Mercy Seat, praying, and interceding that it might be accepted for the fins of the people, the Priest had not done the work of the Prieft, and fo he had not been a compleat Prieft: So now, ((aies the Apoftle) if Jefus Chrift had only

offered

offred up himself here a Sacrifice, and had not gone into Heaven,the holy of holieft, and carried the power and the vertue of his death thither, to pray and intercade for ns, he had not done the work of the great High-Prieft. Every Prieft might Sacrifice, but every Prieft might not go into the Holy of Holieft, that belonged only to the High-Priest to do. Now therefore, Jefus Chrift going into Heaven,the Holy of Holieft, there to make Interceffion for us, is the great, and the fpecial work of this High-Prieft.

That I may cleer up this myfterious Truth, I fhall deliver my felf these Four waies; by opening,

Firft, Wherein the Interceffion of Chrift confifteth: and what be doth when we fay be intercedes in Heaven for us.

Secondly, How powerful, and prevailing his Interceffions are with God the Father.

Thirdly, That he doth now intercede as our great High Prieft and in a more tranfcendent and eminent way and manner, than ever any High Prieft did before.

Fourthly, This does conduce to our Comfort, and to our Holineß.

First, If it be demanded, Wherein confifteth this Interceffion Quest. of Jefu Chrift?

I Answer.

First it confifts in this: His appearing for us in Heaven, his owning of our Caufe, and of our fouls to God the Fa ther: It is the word that is used in that 9. Chapter of the Hebrews, the 24. verfe. Chrift is not entered into the holy place made with bands, but into Heaven, now to appear in the prefence of God for us. He does not in an ordinary way, and manner appear for us in Heaven; but with an Emphafis,he does openly, and publickly, before all the Saints and Angels, appear for us in the prefence of God the Father. It is a comfort unto a man, fomtimes, to have a good friend at Court, at the Kings elbow, that may own him, and appear for him: but though a man have a friend at Court, fomtimes if there be any danger, he will not appear, and own a man; it may be he will own him, and countenance

Answ.

I.

2.

3.

his Caufe as long as there is no danger, but no longer. But now, here, we have a friend in Heaven, that will appear for us, and own our Caufes, and our fouls, and in all conditions appear for us. That is the first.

Secondly, He doth not only appear for us; but by vertue of his Prieftly Office, he does carry the power, merit, and vertue of his blood into the prefence of God the Father in Heaven, and fprinkles the Mercy-Seat with it feven times. Seven is a note of perfection. Those that Chrift Luffered for, he does intercede for. He takes all their Bonds,and he carries them in unto God the Father, and he faies, Father, I have paid thefe bonds, I have paid this debt, I have fatisfied thy Juftice for thefe poor finners, and now my defire is, that they may be acquitted from thefe bonds, and from thefe debts. This alto is remarkable in that 9. Chapter of the Hebrews, 11, 12. verfes.

Thirdly, He doth not only carry the power, and vertue of his blood, and prefent it to God the Father for our difcharge: but he does alfo plead our Caufe in Heaven, anfwering unto all thofe accufations that are brought againft

us.

And therefore we may reade what the Apostle faies in the 8. of the Rom. 33. ver. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? it is God that justifies, who is be that condemneth? it is Chrift that died, yea, rather that he is rifen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh interceffion for us. Upon this ground the Apoftle fpeakschus; Who fhall condema them? Jefus Chrift is at the right hand of God the Father, to take off all accufations that fhall be brought against them. Let the world condemn, let Mofes condemn, let Satan condemn; Jefus Chrift is at the right hand of God the Father, to take off all accufations that shall be raifed against them. Concerning this there is a cleer and full inftance in that notable Scripture the 3. Chapter of Zachariah, and the 1. verfe, We find Satan ftanding at the right hand of Jofua to refit him. He fhewed me Joshua the High Prieft, fanding before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan anding at his right hand to refift him." It was the caftom of

the

the Accufer, to fland at the right hand of the accufed: Pfalm, 109. ver. 6. Set thou a wicked man over him, and let Satan and at his right band: take the wall of him in his accufation, condemning of him. Now here Satan ftanding at Joshua's right hand, notes his accufing of him. Well, what was the matter that he accufed him of? Ye fhall find that there was matter, verfe the 3. Now Jofhua was cloathed with filtby garments, and food before the Angel. Satan came and accufed him that he had filthy garments; and fo he had: for the Priefts had defiled themfelves in Babylon, in marrying of ftrange wives, as Joshua and his cheldren are charged, in the 10. Chapter of Ezra, and the 18. verle. (Give me leave a little to open this Charge of Satan, that we may fee Satan had matter of Charge, and accufation against Fofbua) And among the fons of the Priefs, there were found that bad taken firange wives: namely of the fons of Joshua. He was High Prieft. So that now, Joshua had defiled his garments: there was then matter of accufation for Satan to work upon. But now, our Lord Iefus Chrift, our great High Prieft fteps in, and takes off this accufation: The Lord faid (at the 3. of Zachariah, 3. verfe) unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath chofen Jerufalem rebuke thee. The word ufed by the Septuagint, is the fame that is ufed for Excommunication. And it is here twice repeated, (The Lord rebuke thee, even the Lord rebuke thee) not only to fhow the fulneffe of Satans rebuke; but to fhow the fulneffe of the Interceffion of Iefus Chrift. Now would we fee the fulneffe of Chrifts apology for Jofbua? Saies the Lord unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, even the Lord rebuke thee: And (faies he at the latter end of the 2. verfe). Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire? Thus it is true Lord, that Joshua hath filthy garments: but yet notwithftanding, Jofbua is but as a brand pluck't newly out of the burning. Take a brand, and pull it newly out of the fire, and there will be duft, afhes, and dirt, about it. Lord (faies he) Jofua is bur newly pul'd out of the burning, and therefore, Lord, he muft needs have fome afhes, and fome