ment, confecration, and in his employment. Waving for the prefent, what might be observed, with respect to these rituals of the Aaronical prieft, we only remark, that as high-prieft, it devolved on him to offer facrifices for Ifrael; to pray for them; and to enter into the fanctuary, on the great day of atonement, to blefs the people.

Now, as the believing Ifraelite, in all this, faw the true high-prieft ftrikingly represented, fo may we, who behold all these things as fulfilled, when we compare the shadow with the fubftance, fee a bright display of the wisdom of God. Does the fubftance always infinitely furpass in excellency the fhadow? so Christ, as a high-priest, is one whose glories far tranfcend those with which Aaron was adorned. Aaron was a finful man, who must first atone for his own, before he could make an acceptable offering for the fins of the people: Aaron was a priest, who with ftrange blood entered into the fanctuary: Aaron was a prieft, who, because he could not make an actual fatisfaction for fin, could not say, at any period of his exercifing this office, that his work, as a priest, was at an end, but muft daily repeat his offerings for the people. Aaron was a priest whofe interceffions were imperfect, and whofe bleffings were but wishes. But here, on the other hand, we behold a priest who infinitely excels in all these respects: Chrift, our highprieft, is WITHOUT SIN. Such a high-prieft became us, who was holy, undefiled, and feparate from finners. Heb. vii. 26. wherefore he needed not to offer for himfelf. Chrift, our glorious prieft, hath offered himfelf, and by that one offering hath for ever perfected them that are fan&tified: he hath not fhed the blood of calves, bulls or of goats, but his own blood; that blood Vol. II.

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which fpeaketh better things than the blood of Abel; which does not cry for vengeance, but for pardon: fo that there is no fin fo great, so aggravated, of fuch long duration, but that blood hath efficacy to remove it: yes, Chrift, our high-priest, when he intercedes, demands of his Father to bestow the bleffing-his entreaties reft upon his offering made on the cross; and therefore, the Father always heareth him: yes, he perfumes the imperfect petitions of his people, and makes them rise a fweet fmelling favour unto God. But what must particularly be remarked is, that Chrift, our exalted prieft, LIVES for ever, to intercede for his redeemed; that he opens his liberal hand to dispense to them all spiritual and heavenly bleffings; and that, being made perfect by fufferings, he hath entered into the true holy of holies; not with ftrange, but with his own blood, that thus the way thither might be opened to his people; and that he might always appear in the prefence of God, as their advocate: but,

b. We must alfo MAKE USE of Chrift as fuch a glorious high-priest.

1. By an HABITUAL and DAILY flying to him by faith, as our refuge, and as the only way of falvation, we muft lay upon him the hand of faith, and cast our fins upon him, as the Ifraelites formerly did upon the head of the fin-offering, in order, by that act, to caft upon it the guilt of the people in like manner muft we, coming unto Jefus, fay, Lord, we are oppreffed, undertake for us. Ifaiah xxxviii. 14.

2. We muft, with the SACRIFICE WHICH CHRIST HATH MADE, approach to the throne of grace, and plead on the ftrength of it, as well for the remiffion of daily fins, as for fanctification, faying, "O Father! "hath not thy Son fatisfied divine juftice? Is not his

"blood fhed to pardon our daily deficiencies and de

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partures from thee? It is true, when we furvey all "our infirmities and backflidings, we must stand at a "diftance from thee; but it is our earnest desire to "wash in the blood of thy Son, which always flows; "there we may, unappalled and unabashed, lift up "our faces unto thee: yes, hath not thy Son alfo pro"cured the spirit for fanctification, to cleanse our pol"luted hearts? Was not the very end which he proposed to himself in dying, that we should die unto fin, and live unto righteoufnefs?" 1 Pet. ii. 14.

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3. We must particularly make ufe of Chrift as a priest, who ever liveth to make interceffion for us. Tongue cannot express the satisfaction which the foul experiences when it views Chrift as present in prayer; when it reflects that he is standing before the throne, as the antetypical high-priest; that he bears his people upon his heart; that he is fo compaffionate as to render our imperfect fervices and prayers acceptable unto God; and that he takes the names of his people upon his lips, and fays, "Father, for thefe I have "died; for these fhed my blood; let them not go down "to the pit, for I have found a ranfom for them." Job. xxxiii. 24.

4. We must use Chrift, our glorious high-prieft, as the FOUNTAIN, from which spring, and the channel through which are conveyed all spiritual and heavenly bleffings. For his fake God gives his people all things richly to enjoy, and upbraids them not. We must, therefore, as poor and naked, present ourfelves before him, and open our hearts, that the ftreams of his grace may defcend in their rich variety and abundance.

5. We must endeavour to become spiritual priests. The common priests, under the Old Testament, were

clad in white raiment: fo must we feek to be beauti fied with the garments of falvation, and the robe of righteoufnefs, without which we cannot approach into the prefence of God, nor enter within the holy of holies. As priefts, we must offer up ourselves unto God, and present foul and body a living facrifice, holy and acceptable unto him. Efpecially we must mortify our corruptions, the old man with his lufts, and daily come before him with the incenfe of prayer; and lay it upon Christ, the golden altar of incense, who appears before God for us: and, as the priests under the old economy must be on their guard against being contaminated with ceremonial impurities, fo must we also not only appear with a clean heart and a good confcience towards God; but also we must seek to preserve our external walk from being unfpotted by the world, and keep our garments from being defiled, that thus we give no offence to others who are without. But,

6. Chrift is not only a prophet and high-priest; he is also a KING: of old he was promised as a king, who fhould rule from fea to fea, from the rivers to the ends of the earth. As a king he often appeared before his manifestation in the flesh, as to Ifaiah, chap. 6; and to Ezekiel, chap. 1.-And after his coming into the world, he appeared to John in a vision, as having on his veftment, and on his thigh this name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. Rev. xix. 16. As a king he is exhibited riding in the chariot of the gofpel, and with the arrows of his grace, piercing the hearts of his enemies, to make them fubmit to his authority, that thus they might be the objects of his care, defence, and protection.

But what is the ufe we muft make of this King?
A. We must be impreffed with the deepest RE

VERENCE and respect for him, as one who is invested with glorious majesty, and not only be excited to fing the praises of this king, but endeavour also to move others to extol him in the highest strains. Thus did the Pfalmift, perfonating the bride of Christ, in the 45th. Pfalm, the fentiments of which are beautifully expreffed in the following lines of the poet :

Now be my heart, infpir'd to fing
The glories of my Saviour king,
Jefus the Lord; how heavenly fair
His form! how bright his beauties are.

O'er all the fons of human race
He shines with far fuperior grace;
Love from his lips divinely flows,
And bleffings all his ftate compofe.

Thy throne, O God, for ever stands,
Grace is the fceptre in thy hands;
Thy laws and works are juft and right,
and juftice thy delight.

But

grace

Let endless honours crown his head;
Let every age his praises spread;

While we with cheerful fongs approve

The condefcenfion of his love.

B. We must conftantly own him to be our King. In the obedience of faith we muft fubmit to him; embrace him in love, and worship him. Pf. lxv.

C. We muft, with humble BOLDNESS, approach his throne, as poor and naked in ourselves, to receive those bleffings of grace which he difpenfes to his people; for he is a rich, an almighty and gracious King.