of Works, God did first accept of the work, and then of the Perfon, the Perfon for the work: But in the Covenant of Grace, God doth firft accept of the Perfon, and then the Work. Now therefore, that our Work, and our Duty may be accepted with God the Father; The Lord Chrift, our High-Prieft, doth first take our Perfon, and our Name, and carries them into the prefence of God the Fa ther. This was plainly fhadowed out unto us, by that of the High Prieft; Who went into the Holy of Holieft, with the Names of all the Tribes upon his breaft. Which the Apofile (peaks out plainly: In whom we have access with Eph.3.12 boldne. The word Acceß, as fome obferve, is Manuduction, Hand leading In whom we have an Hand-leading; or by whom we are led by the Hand, unto God the Father. As a child, having run away from his Father, is taken by the hand of a friend, or of his elder brother, and brought again into the prefence of his Father: So, all we having run away from God, are taken, and led again into the prefence of the Father by the hand of Iefus Chrift. He is that Ladder that Jacob faw, upon whom we do afcend into the bofom of God, and go into Heaven. Our High-Prieft lefus Chrift, doth first take our Perfons, and lead us into the prefence of God the Father.

Secondly, As he doth take our Perfont, and lead, and carry us into the prefence of God the Father: So, when we do perform any Duty, he doth obferve what evil, or failing there is in that Duty, and draws it out, takes it away before he prefents the Duty unto God the Father. A child that would prefent his father with a Nofe-gay, or Pofie, goes into the Garden, and he gathers Flowers,and Weeds together; but coming to his mother, he takes them, and picks out the Weeds, and binds up the Flowers by themfelves, and fo it is prefented to the Father. Thus it is with us: We go to Duty, and we gather Weeds, and Flowers together: But the Lord Iefus Chrift, he comes and picks out the Weeds, and then he prefents nothing but Flowers unto God the Father.

And this we have plainly fet forth unto us, by that of

the

2.

3.

the High-Priest taking away the iniquities of the Holy things of Gods people, in the 28. Chapter of Exodus, Tbou Shalt make a plat-form of pure gold (at the 36. verfe) and grave upon it like the ingravings of a fignet, HOLINES UNTO THE LORD. And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the Mytre; upon the forefront of the Mytre is ball be. Then at the 38. verft, And it shall be on Aarons forehead (that is, the High-Prieft) that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the Children of Ifrael fball hallow in all their boly gifts: and it shall be alwaies upon his forebead, that they may be accepted before the Lord. Thus taking away the iniquity of their holy things. So it is faid concerning our Savior Chrift, in the 3. Chapter of Malachy, the 2, 3, and 4. verses, Who may abide the day of his coming? (plainly understood of Christ, as appears by the firft verfe) Then at the 3. Hefball fit as a refiner, and purifier of filver; and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and filver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then fall the offerings of Judah and Jerufalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the dayes of old. Then fhall their offerings be pleasant ; When? when he hath purg'd their facrifices, and their offerings. This in the daies of his flesh, and now much more. This is the Second thing, That the Lord Chrift, our great High-Prieft doth in offering up our gifts unto God the Father, he takes put the weeds.

Thirdly: As he takes away the iniquity of our holy things; So be obferves what good there is in any of our Duties, or Perfor mances; and with that be mingles his own Prayers and Intercef fions; bis own Incense; and prefents all as one work mingled to gether unto God the Fatber. This we have fo fully in the 8. Chapter of the Revelation, that I need name no other place. Another Angel (at the 3. verfe) food at the Altar, having a golden Cenfer, and there was given unto him much incenfe, that he fhould offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar, which was before the Throne. And the Smoke (at the 4. verfe) of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints, afcended up before God, out of the Angels band. This must

needs

needs be understood of Chrift; for no Angel does intercede but Chrift, who is called, The Angel of the Covenant. 'Tis faid here, He stood at the Altar, having a golden Cenfer: Which none of the High-Priests had and there was given unto him much incenfe, and this he offered with the prayers of all the Saints; and the (moke of the incenfe came with the prayers of the Saints, and afcended up before the Lord. He alludes unto the way, and cuftom of the Jews, and the High Prieft: fhewing, that the Lord Jefus Chrift doth all this for us, as our great High-Pricft: that is the meaning of it. So that this is plain what he doth, when as our great High-Prieft, he offers up our Gifts unto God the Father.

But in the Second place: Suppofe he doth fo, What Favour, Quest. 2 or Acceptance bath this our great High-Prieft in Heaven?

He hath very much: Father (faies he) I thank thee that thou beareft me alwaies. He never fpake a word unto God the Father, but the Father heard him alwaies. We reade (as I remember) but of two places in the new Teftament, where the Lord by an audible voice, gives teftimony of Je (us Chrif his Son: And in both those places, we have the fame words uttered, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleafed: And again; This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. We may know what favour a man hath with another, by the truft that he doth commit to, and repofe upon him: Jofeph had great favour in the eyes of Pharaoh; and how did it appear? It appear'd by this, Becaufe Pharaoh trufted him with fo much. Now God the Father, hath trufted Jefus Chrift, this our great High-Priest, very much. This I fhall evidence in Four Particulars, viz. What a great Truft God the Father hath put upon him.

First, It was an agreement between God the Father, and Chrift, the Second Perfon; before the world was, That in due time, he fhould come into the world, take flesh upon him, and die for finners: and he did fo. But before Chrift came into the world, there were thoufands of fouls faved; How came they to be faved? They came to be faved

Anfw.

I.

3.

2.

4.

by the blood of Christ, and before Chrift had died. So then, God the Father faved them upon Chrifts bare word, That he would come into the world, and die for them. What a mighty Traft was here? That fo many hundred thoufand fouls fhould be faved, upon a bare word of Chrift That he would come into the world, and die for them afterward.

Again, The Truft appears in this: That he was made when he did come into the world, the great Lord-Trea furer of all the Grace, and Comfort, that thould be given out unto the children of men. When Pharaoh trufted Jofeph, all the whol Kingdom was put into his hand, with the Corn thereof, and not a grain was to be given out to any but as Jofeph gave it out: which argued a mighty Traft. So now, That not any Grace, or Comfort, given out to the children of men, but only by the hand of Chrift, it argues a mighty Trust that the Father put upon him.

But yet further, When our Lord and Saviour Christ-died, and afcended unto God the Father to Heaven; as foon as ever he came into Heaven, faith the Father to him, Thou baft now fuffered, Ask of me, and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy poseffion: all the world at one word. Ask of me (faith he) and at the firft word I will give thee the whol world. It was a mighty, and a great Trust that the Father did put upon him.

Yea, as if all this were not enough; The Father did put the Keys of Heaven, and of Hell into his hand the Keys of Heaven and Hell into the hand of Chrift. So we reade in the 1 of Revel. 18. ver. I am be that liveth, and was dead: and bebold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keyes of Hell and of death. There's no man that goes to Hell, but he is lock't in by Jefus Chrift: And there's no man goes to Heaven, but Chrift hath the keyes of Heaven, and he locks him in there unto all Eternity. The Lord Jefus Chrift, he hath the keyes of Hell, and of Heaven; he hath the keyes of all mens Eternities hanging at his girdle. Oh! what

what an infinite Truft is here, that God the Father hath put upon him! Then let us conclude, if that Trust do argue favour; and the Lord Jefus Chrift, our High-Priest, hath fuch a great truft as this put into his hands by the Father; what infinite Acceptance muft he needs have with God the Father.

In the Third place: Suppose that he bave all this favour, Quest. 3. and Acceptance in Heaven, Doth be Improve this bis Favour, and Acceptance for our Acceptance, and for our Favour?

Yes, He Improves all this his favour, and acceptance, Anfw. for our acceptance, and does plant all our Prayers, and Duties, upon his own acceptance. Lord, (faith he unto his Father concerning beleevers) I will, that where I am,they may be alfo Iwill, O Lord, that they may be One, even as thon Father and I am one. He doth not count himself full, and happy, but in the happiness, and fulness of the Church. And therefore, as Chrift is called, The fulness of God the Father: So the Church is called, The fulness of Jefus Christ in the 1. of the Ephefians, and the last verse; Which is bis body, the fulneß of him that filleth all in all. When our Lord and Saviour Christ came to die, and the heart and love of God the Father was let out unto him: Ye fhall find, if ye look upon that 17. of John, and reade it all over, That he fpends his time, not fo much in praying for himfelf: The time was but short, and his prayer short, Father, if it be poffible let this cup passe: if not, yet not my will, but thine be done. But he spends most of the time, in praying, and interceding for thofe that did beleeve, or should after werd beleeve. The favour, and acceptance which the HighPrieft had, in the times of Mofes, was not for himself had a Mitre upon his head, and a golden girdle upon his loynes, Prieftly garments; and he had great acceptance when he went into the Holy of Holieft; but it was not for himself, he did improve it all for the people he was to lay it out all for the people, and not for himself. Our High-Prieft, goes beyond all other High-Prieft in this particular alfo for now, as for other High-Priests though

:

12

he

they