X.

his Blood on Earth, nor fhews it in Heaven SERM, for fuch as thefe, who continue in Sin with a blafphemous Expectation that Grace may abound. No; it is only the faithful, penitent, and returning Sinner, whofe Cause our Savi our pleads in Heaven.

On thefe Conditions only are we to place any Hopes in the Priesthood of Jesus: For fuch only will he execute his Office, for fuch only will he intercede. His Prayer now in Heaven is fuitable, certainly, to what he used upon Earth: And here we know, in his mediatory Prayer juft before he suffered, he difclaimed the unbelieving impenitent World: I pray not for the World (faith he) but for them which thou hast given me, John xvii. And of this Number, I befeech pray and endeavour earnestly to be. when by our Lives and Actions we have Reafon to think that we are fo indeed, then,

you,

9.

let us

And

In the third Place, Having, Brethren, Boldnefs, i. e. Confidence, to enter into the Holieft by the Blood of Jefus (from which the Jews were debarred, the Way into the Holieft having not been revealed to them ;) By a new and living Way which Jefus bath confecrated for us, through the Vail, that is to fay (through) bis Flesh, (which was offered up

for

X.

SER M. for our Sins upon the Crofs ;) And having fuch an High Prieft (fo merciful and faithful) over the Houfe of God; Let us draw near with a true Heart, in full Assurance of Faith, that our Services fhall be accepted now, and our Perfons hereafter admitted into his heavenly Prefence, as having our Hearts Sprinkled (not with the Blood of Bulls and Goats, but with the Blood of Chrift) from (the Accufations of) an evil Confcience, and our Bodies washed with (the) pure Water, chap. x. 19-22. (of Baptism, the Laver of Regeneration.)

This Courage and holy Confidence would the facred Penman (from a due Contemplation of our Saviour's Priesthood) infpire into fuch as are qualified to feel the Comfortablenefs of it; it is much the fame, as he had exhorted us to before: Let us (depending on his Power, his Interceffion, and Sympathy with us) come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, (i. e. to the Mercy Seat) that we may obtain Mercy (in the Pardon of our Sins), and find Grace to help in Time of Need, chap. iv. 16. (i. e. feasonable Relief in all our Sufferings for his Sake.) And this, if we are but in a proper Difpofition ourselves, we ought by no Means to diftruft or doubt of from HIM.

For

X.

For we have not an High Priest, who cannot S ER M. be touched with the Feeling of our Infirmities, but (one who) was in all Points tempted (expofed to Sufferings) like as we are, (but) yet without Sin, ver. 15. (without Sin to deferve the least of them, or in yielding to the greateft.) And therefore fince he himself bath fuffered being tempted, be is able, (and willing be very well affured) to fuccour them who (at any Time) are tempted, chap. ii. 18. (or exposed to any Sufferings whatever.) Nay, he is able to fuccour them who fall when they are tempted; who yield to the Temptation, provided that as foon as they perceive themselves fallen through the Inadvertency, or evil Inclination of their own Nature, they endeavour immediately to rife again by the Help of God's Grace. If they fuffer not their Sin to grow into a Habit, but recover themselves from it, and apply to him, or to God through him, for Pardon for it, we have Affurance given us by the Divine St. John, that our heavenly Advocate will obtain our Pardon. If any Man fin (faith he) (i. e. fin through Weakness or Infirmity, or repent him thoroughly of his wilful Sins) we have Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the Righteous, and be is the Propitiation for our

an

X.

SERM. Sins, (i. e. our Atonement to render God propitious in the Forgivenefs of out Sins) and not for ours only, but also for the Sins of the whole World. Be affured therefore, good Chriftians, if you relent for your Offences, though you have been Sinners, you may yet apply with Comfort to your Saviour, for you are the proper Objects of his Mercy and Power. You have finned it is true against a glorious Majefty who dwells in Heaven, whither ye cannot approach yourselves: But you have a Friend there, a Mediator to make your Peace, an Advocate to plead your Caufe, who appears there in your Stead, and intercedes for your Pardon in the heavenly Court * Had God taken Delight in the Death of a Sinner; he would not have admitted any to fpeak for us: Much lefs would he have appointed us fuch an Advocate as has been acquainted with our Infirmities, that he might pity us, and is his own well-beloved Son to engage him; an Advocate peculiarly ftiled the Righteous, as being wholly innocent and without Exception: So that it is not the Interceffion of one Sinner for another; but of one who being feparate from Sinners himself, has made Satisfaction for our Sins ;

Comber, on the Communion Office, p 516.

and

and therefore one who with Authority urges
the Merits of his own Blood, by which God
may preserve his Justice, and yet forgive us.
And is it poffible that fuch a Mediator and
Advocate should be rejected? It is certain,
we did
very ill to offend, nor must we take
Encouragement, from our having fuch an
Advocate, to fin more eafily: Only now,
that we have been deceived, and are exceed-
ingly grieved for it; let us from hence take
Courage to repent, and not fit down under a
fad Defpair. For except we heedlessly go on
in our Sins, how can we perish, who have
fuch an Advocate and fuch a Propitiator?
Faith and Truft in fuch an Atonement, will
banifh our Terrors, and free us from all that
Confternation and Confufion which the Sense
of Guilt, and the Fears of Vengeance natu-
rally create *. This infpires Life and Vigour
into our Undertakings. For nothing is fo
powerful a Motive to be ftedfaft, unmoveable,
always abounding in the Work of the Lord, as
the being perfectly fatisfied that our Labour is
not in vain in the Lord. And this is directly
our Cafe. Live without Sin we could not :
Make Satisfaction to the Justice of God we
could not: And therefore God has done this
* Stanhope, on the fifth Sunday in Lent, p. 421.)

for

SERM.