comes to her, saying, "Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night." But she indulged carnal sloth, saying, "I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?" which provoked him to withdraw, till she is brought to regret her folly.

4. Beware of every thing that has a tendency to degrade you, or to make the King cast down his countenance upon you; for although he "hates putting away," yet you may provoke him to cover his face, and to turn to you the back of his throne: yea, you may provoke him to carry towards you in such a way, that the very remembrance of him will be a trouble to you. Sometimes his own dearest favourites have so grieved his Spirit, that he has carried the quarrel to the gates of hell against them; as we see in the case of David, "Thine arrows stick fast in me," says he, "and thy hand presseth me sore: this grief I have, because of my sin." You may by untenderness bring yourself to that pass, as to be made to cry, "The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps." And therefore beware of every thing that may be offensive to your King. Beware of pride, for " he beholds the proud afar off;" he thrusts the proud away from him, when they venture to come near his throne. Beware of unbelief, for that is what he cannot endure. How unsuitable is it for his subjects and children to call him a liar! This is a sin which turns you away from the Lord, and turns him away from you. Do not entertain jealousies of his kindness, after he has given the tokens of it to your souls; for it is a grieving of the Spirit of God to have his love-tokens called in question. Beware of untenderness: if there be not a close walking with God in the way of holiness, you need not expect to have the King's countenance; for "without holiness no man shall see the Lord:" it is they that have clean hands, and a pure heart, that shall stand in his holy hill, and have a place in his tabernacle.

5. Be very observant of the King's commandments. As the acts of grace, of which I was speaking, are the measure of faith, so the law of commandments is the measure of practice. Do not think that the court of grace, or the throne of grace, gives any indulgence to a detestable licentiousness: they are indeed carnal gospellers, and Antinomians with a witness, who entertain such a notion. No; the moral law of the ten commandments is supported with the authority of the King, whose name is gracious and merciful. As the law, considered as a covenant of works, issues from a throne of justice; so the same law, considered as a rule of obedience, is

issued forth from a throne of grace, as is plain from the preface of the ten commandments, "I am the Lord thy God;" that is, I am unto thee a God of grace in Christ, a saving and a redeeming God: "therefore, thou shalt keep all my commandments." O sirs, the law, even as a rule of duty, is supported with the best authority in heaven or earth; and "the grace of God," issuing from this throne, "teaches us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts." Mic. vi. 8: "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

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6. Keep company with the loyal subjects of the King, and beware of associating yourselves, or saying, "A confederacy" with rebels against the King's crown or government. My delight," says David, "is with the saints, the excellent ones of the earth." But as for those who live in rebellion against the Lord, their company was a burden to him: "Wo is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar. My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace."

7. Be sure to pay the tribute that is due to this throne; do not withdraw from it its revenues. The King has imposed a tax of praise to be levied upon all his subjects; and "he who offereth praise, glorifieth" him. O praise is comely for the upright." "This people have I formed for myself, that they may show forth my praise." Do not withhold this revenue, but let the high praises of a God of grace be continually in your mouth. And, to engage us to a cheerful payment of this tribute of praise, let us always remember the glorious liberties and privileges which we enjoy under the auspicious government and administration of grace; which are so great and many, that "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive;" which made the psalmist David to express himself, as we have it, Psal. xl. 5: Many, O Lord, my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."

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8. Lastly, Contend for the royalties and prerogatives of this throne, which are many ways invaded at this day. Attempts are made to rob the King of his equality with the Father, while they would strip him of his independence and self-existence. Others invade his government, by appointing ceremonies in his worship, which were never ordained in his word: others, by wresting the rights of his subjects from them, particularly in the free choice and election of their pastors: others, by tolerating doctrines inconsistent with the eternal

truths of his word. Now, I say, it is incumbent on all the loyal subjects of this King, to contend for the dignities of the crown, and the liberties of his kingdom, against all that do invade the same; following the,exhortation of the apostle, Gal. v. 1: Let us "stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free," that we "be not entangled again with any yoke of bondage."

SERMON XI.

THE ASSURANCE OF FAITH, OPENED AND APPLIED.

[BEING THE SUBSTANCE OF SEVERAL DISCOURSES ON HEB. X. 22.]

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart, IN FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH, &c.-HEB. X. 19-22.

CHAPTER I.

Containing an Introduction to the main Purpose, with the Method of the following Discourse.

THESE Verses contain the apostle's transition from the doctrinal to the practical part of the epistle. Having at great length discoursed upon the priestly office of Christ, in the foregoing part of the epistle, he sums up, in a few words, the scope and substance of all he had been saying, ver. 19—21, and then deduces a very natural inference from the whole, ver. 22: Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith. Like a wise builder, he first digs till he comes to the foundation, and then calls himself and others to build upon it with confidence.

That we may have the more distinct view of the words, it is expedient that we observe in general, the apostle here very elegantly expresses New Testament privileges, in an Old Testament style and dialect. The highest privilege of fallen man, is to have access to the presence of God, his offended Lord and Sovereign: the only way of access is Christ, of whom the temple of Solomon was an illustrious type. And, with allusion to that typical temple, Christ is presented to our faith under a threefold view, ver. 19-21.

1. As a gate or door, by which we may enter into the holiest, and that with boldness, by virtue of his atoning blood, ver. 19. Under the Mosaic dispensation, Aaron alone, and not the Israelities could enter into the holy of holies, and that but once a year, with the blood of beasts sacrificed for himself and them. But now, under the New Testament, through the death and satisfaction of the Son of God, the way of access to friendship and fellowship with a holy God, both here and hereafter, is made open and patent to every sinner, who by faith comes in under the covert of the blood of Jesus. No sooner had Adam sinned, but the door of access to the majes ty of God was bolted against him, and all his posterity; the cherubim with the flaming sword stood in his way. But now the flaming sword of justice being quenched in the blood of the Surety, the door of access is again wide opened. I remember, the woman of Tekoah, 2 Sam. xiv. 14, in her parabolical address to David, on Absalom's behalf, makes use of this argument with David, to persuade him to bring home his exiled Son, "God," says she, "doth devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him." This is remarkably true in the case in hand: God, in his infinite wisdom, has devised a way how his banished may be brought home again to his presence; and that is, through the blood and satisfaction of Christ, John x. 9, John xiv. 6.

2. To encourage us in our approaches to God through Christ, he is presented to us under the notion of " a new and living way, consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh," ver. 20. The inner veil, that separated between the holy place, and the holiest of all, in the temple of Jerusa lem, was a type of that body of flesh assumed by the Son of God, by which his Deity was veiled; and through the breaking or rending of this by his death on the cross, the way to God and glory becomes open and patent. And this is called a "new way," either in opposition to Adam's way by a covenant of works, which is shut up ever since the fall of man; or because it never waxes old, but is ever fresh, green, and fragrant, to the believing soul. And it is called a "living way," because, though Christ was once dead, yet now he is alive, and lives for evermore, to give life to every soul that comes to God through him. And then, he is a way consecrated for us ;" he is dedicated for the use of sinners in their dealings with God: "For their sakes," says he, "do I sanctify myself." And O what can be more encouraging to a lost sinner, to make use of Christ by faith, than to know that he is just devoted for this work of saving that which was lost! 3. Whereas the sinner might object, That though the door be opened, and the new and living way consecrated; yet he

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is either so ignorant, that he knows not this way; or so impotent, that he cannot walk in it; or so guilty, that he dares not venture to go into the holiest: therefore, to obviate all these, Christ is presented to us, "a great high priest over the house of God," ver. 21. What noble encouragement is here for believing! Christ, as a High Priest, "is ordained for men in things pertaining to God," Heb. v. 1. And seeing he is ordained for men, may not men make use of his mediation with confidence and boldness? Heb. iv. 14, 16. And then, by his office, he is obliged to execute the duties of his office toward every soul that employs him in it: he is obliged, as a High Priest, to instruct the ignorant, to strengthen the weak, to confirm the feeble, and to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." And, therefore, let us take courage to employ and improve him, especially considering that he is both "a merciful and faithful High Priest," Heb. ii. 17; and also a 66 High Priest" who is "over the house of God;" that is, he has full power and authority from his eternal Father, to negotiate our affairs, and to render both our persons and performances acceptable to him. In a word, the whole management of the "offspring and issue," and of all the "vessels of cups and flagons," is committed to him; yea," all the glory of his Father's house hangs upon him, as upon a nail fastened in a sure place," Is. xxii. 24. And, therefore, "seeing we having a High Priest," of such authority and interest," let us come boldly onto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need," Heb. iv. 14,

Whenever we have any business with God, whenever we would enter into the secret of his presence, or enjoy fellowship with him, let us go in at the back of our great High Priest, who has led the way before us, and is appearing in the presence of God for us.

Now, I say, the apostle having thus presented Christ under the most encouraging views, as the object of our faith, trust, and confidence in our dealings with the majesty of God, proceeds to recommend and inculcate a correspondent duty in the words of my text, ver. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH, having our hearts sprinkled, &c.

Before we proceed to the more particular consideration of the words, it is very much worthy of our notice, to observe the apostle's order and method of doctrine, and how he knits the believer's privilege and duty together. He would have the privilege first believed, and then the duty performed: he would have us first believe, that "the door of the holiest is opened by the blood of Jesus," that there is " a new and living way consecrated for us," that "we have a High Priest over