with the Blessing of eternal Life His Priestly Actions after the Order of Aaron were his Consecration to his everlasting blessed Priesthood after the Order of Melchisedeck Without these Sufferings he could neither be a faithful nor a merciful high Priest nor satisfy his Father's Justice nor have a full feeling from Experience of the Creatures Misery Well then as Christ was consecrated at his Death so is a Christian who runneth Parallel with Christ in all his Offices As Christ had an Inauguration into that Priesthood he executed upon Earth at his Baptism So hath a Christian for his spiritual Priesthood as soon as washed in the Laver of Regeneration but for his everlasting Priesthood at Death 2. My next Argument is This suteth with the other Privilege of Kings We are made Kings as well as Priests Now as our Kingly Office is not perfect till we come to Heaven so neither our Priestly and therefore it mainly respecteth our Ministration in the heavenly Temple How is a poor Christian a King here unless in a Riddle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he vanquisheth the Devil the World and the Flesh As it is a Princely thing to be above inferiour things and to trample them under our Feet The Heathen could say Rex est qui metuit nihil Rex est qui cupit nihil He is a King that is above the Hopes and Fears of the World that feareth nothing and desireth nothing This is indeed in a Metaphor a Kingly Spirit to have our Hearts in Heaven and to look upon all sublunary things as beneath our Care and Affections Christ's Kingdom is not of this World neither is a Believer's Here upon Earth we reign only in a spiritual way But the Privilege cometh fully to be verified when we tread Satan under our Feet and triumph over Enemies and reign visibly and gloriously sitting upon Thrones with Christ at his Coming judging the World and Angels themselves Matth. 19.28 Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye shall also sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luke 22.29 30. I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Psal. 49.14 The upright shall have Dominion over them in the Morning And 1 Cor. 6.2 Know ye not that we shall judg the World And ver 3. Know ye not that we shall judg Angels Neither will this Kingdom be terminated and ended at the Day of Judgment but they shall be Kings eternal in Heaven Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom 2 Tim 2.12 If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him that is in Heaven With respect to this Title Right and Interest we are said to be made Kings Now proportionably the other Privilege of being made Priests must be expounded also We are spiritual Priests upon Earth we have our Sacrifices of Prayers Praises and Alms and devoting our selves to God But this Office is not compleated till we come to Heaven and do immediately minister before the Lord. Then we have Entrance into the holiest Heb. 10.19 Having therefore Brethren Boldness to enter into the holiest by the Blood of Iesus Not in Spirit but in Person For if the chief Part of our Kingly Office be yet behind why not the chief Part of our Priestly Office also 3. Then we are qualified and prepared Sanctification must go before Consecration and the more sanctified the more consecrated And when our Sanctification is finished then our Consecration is consummated and not till then Now in this World our Justification and Sanctification is imperfect we are not got above our legal Fears and Grace is very weak in us You know before we can serve the living God our Consciences must be purged from dead Works Heb. 9.14 As the High Priest was not to approach God without his Washings lest he die And we are bidden to draw nigh to God with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water Heb. 10.22 If we have the Privilege of Priests we must perform the Duties of Priests Now we are not perfect as appertaining to the Conscience nor are we fully cleansed and sanctified till the Vail of the Flesh be removed and we be presented to God without Spot and Wrinkle Somewhat is begun indeed that will tend to and end in perfect Sanctification enough to qualify us for our Ministration at this Distance from God There is enough done on Christ's Part by way of Impetration and Merit Heb. 10.14 For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified or consecrated he hath payed the Price but as to the Application that is by Degrees The Priest under the Law was seven Days in consecrating this figured all the time that interveneth before we enter upon the everlasting Sabbath Our whole Life is the time of Consecration which goeth on by Degrees and will be made compleat both for Body and Soul at the Resurrection for then shall we be made fit to approach the Throne of Glory and serve our God in a perfect manner in the eternal Temple of Heaven In this Life our Consecration is not yet finished we cannot come so near God we are qualified indeed to come to the Throne of Grace but not qualified to come to the Throne of Glory But the Work is a-doing and in time it will be accomplished 4. We have not the full Privileges of Priests till then which is Intimacy full Communion Nearness of Access to God and Ministration before him This is the Privilege we have as Priests The Apostle telleth us Heb. 9.8 The Holy Ghost signifieth that the way to the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing How did the Holy Ghost signify this I answer by the whole Oeconomy and Frame of that Dispensation God kept State and Majesty then and his People must not come too near him The common Israelite must not come too near the Sanctuary they were not to camp or pitch their Tents round about it but only the Levites lest they die Numb 1.52 53. And the Children of Israel shall pitch their Tents every Man by his own Camp and every Man by his own Standard throughout the Host. But the Levites shall pitch round about the Tabernacle of Testimony that there be no Wrath upon the Congregation of the Children of Israel It was a dangerous thing for the common Israelites to be too near the Symbols of God's Presence to teach us the Distance between God and Men and their Unworthiness to come near him and his holy things But though the Levites might encamp near it yet none but the Priests must
Objects of Pity and Compassion rather than of Passion and Anger Eph. 1.32 Be ye kind one to another tender hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Consider what God hath done to you that you may do the same to them Secondly The next consideration of this Prayer of Christ is as a Tast and Pledge of his Mediation and Intercession So it is Prophecied Isa. 53.12 He was numbred with the transgressors and he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors Christ was placed in the midst of Thieves as the first Clause is explained Mark 15.28 and he made Intercession that is prayed for his Persecutors The whole Chapter is a Prophetical Narration of the Acts and Sorrows of Christ upon the Cross. In this publick Sense and Consideration let us see what may be gathered out of the Clause Father forgive them 1. It is an Instance of Christ's Love and Bowels to Sinners he loved Mankind so well that he Prayed for them that Crucified him Look on the Lord Jesus as Praying and Dying for Enemies and improve it as a ground of Confidence Upon the Cross he would give us an Instance of his Efficacy in converting the Thief and of his Affection in praying for his Persecutors We were as great Enemies to Christ and as deep in the Guilt of his Passion as they Rom. 5.10 When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son The Enemies of his Kingdom are every way as bad as the Enemies of his Person if Christ did not say Father forgive what would become of us You will say we are Christians But scandalous Sinners renew his Sufferings and put him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 Oh! let us Adore God for these Experiences it is a mighty ground of Hope that Christ hath put in for a Pardon he would not die till he had expressed his Reconciliation with his Enemies 2. See what is the Voice and Merit of his Sufferings Father forgive them This is the Speech that Christ uttered when he was laid on the Cross. The Apostle compareth Christ's Blood and the Blood of Abel Heb. 12.24 And to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel Abel's Blood was clamorous in the Ears of God Gen. 4.10 The voice of thy brothers blood crieth to me from the ground And so in the Conscience of Cain it crieth Avenge Avenge me Christ's Blood hath another Voice it speaketh to God to pacifie his Wrath and to Pardon us if penitent and believing Sinners it speaketh to Conscience to be quiet God hath found out a Ransom The Blood of Christ may speak against us as well as against the Iews for by our Sins we made Christ to die Oh! be not quiet till it speak Peace in your Consciences Christ's Blood was spilt in Malice as Abel's was and might have cried for Vengeance on the Actors who were not only the Iews but we and it yet speaketh as Abel's did Heb. 11.4 By it he being dead yet speaketh It is a speaking Blood and is yet speaking The speaking of the Blood is interpreted according to the Words in their Mouth wherewith they died Mat. 23.35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zecharias the son of Barachias whom ye slew between the porch and the altar Our Lord gathers it from Zecharias his saying The Lord look upon it and require it 2 Chron. 24.22 So the Words of Christ interpret his Death 3. In the Mediatory Consideration it hinteth the coupling of his Intercession with his Satisfaction On the Cross there he dieth and there he prayeth he was both Priest and Sacrifice The High-Priest under the Law was not only to slay the Sacrifice but to intercede for the People first the Beast was slain without the Camp and then the Blood was carried into the Holy of Holies and there Prayer was made with Incense but before that Aaron when he was going into the holy Place before the Lord was to cause the sound of his Golden Bells to be heard under pain of Death Exod. 28.35 To this I parallel this Action of Christ upon the Cross. This Prayer was as the sound of the Golden Bells he would make his Voice to be heard by Prayer and then he goes into the Holy of Holies the Lord Jesus Christ when he shed his Blood before the Tribunal of God he sendeth forth a Prayer God would have our Salvation carried on in a way of Mercy and Justice and Christ was to mingle Intreaty with Satisfaction as Lev. 16.14 the High-Priest was to bring the Blood within the Vail and to sprinkle it upon the Mercy-Seat He must satisfie Justice and make an Address to Mercy that we that have sinned with both hands may take hold of God with both hands Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ it is freely and yet through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ these two sweetly accord 4. This is a Pledge of his constant Intercession in Heaven The Ceremonies of the Old Law were not only Types of Christ but his visible Actions were a kind of Types and Pledges of his Spiritual Actions 1 Iohn 2.1 If any man sin we have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous He that could pray for Enemies will pray for Friends and he that got our Pardon by his Intercession will promote our Salvation Certainly Christ's Glorified Soul looseth no Affection he is as earnest with the Father for his Friends as ever he was upon the Cross for his Persecutors Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Christ doth appear as our Advocate in Court not only in our Name but in our stead 5. It shews the Nature of his Intercession It not only implies the everlastingness of his Merit that his Blood doth continue to deserve such things at the hands of God as we stand in need of but it is a continual representation of his Merit it is not a Metaphor but a solemn Act of his Priesthood Again it is not by Verbal Expressions such as he used here upon Earth Father forgive them this became the state of his Humiliation but now he intercedes Non voce sed miseratione Not by Voice but by Pity What is it then Partly his appearing in Heaven as God in our Nature Heb. 9.24 Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands c. but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us He is said to appear before God for us as the High-Priest came and presented himself before God with the Names of the twelve Tribes engraven on his Breast-plate Partly in his expressing an actual Willingness or the
of the Saints to shew that now they do but begin in the Work which they shall compleat hereafter 7. The Scriptures do plainly express that our Service is not ended with our Lives but as we still stand in the Relation of Creatures to God so we still glorify him and serve him Rev. 7.14 15 16. And he said unto me These are they which came out of great Tribulation and have washed their Râ—bes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb Therefore they are before the Throne of God and serve him Day and Night in the Temple And he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them and they shall hunger no more nor thirst any more c. There is the Explanation of the Mystery of being washed in Christ's Blood and made Kings and Priests unto God This Office they chiefly perform when they come to enjoy their Happiness before the Throne of God and in the heavenly Temple And what is the Work there They serve him Day and Night They do not their Service then by Fits and Starts but constantly A Type whereof were the Priests under the Law who in their Courses were admitted Day and Night to be in the Temple Psal. 134.1 Bless ye the Lord all ye Servants of the Lord which by Night stand in the House of the Lord. But what was done by many in their turns is now done by the same Persons continually for they are never weary and there is no Intermission in their Service And God always dwelleth amongst them they shall not be at a distance from God nor he at a distance from them but they shall still enjoy his Company as dwelling in one House with him For there shall not be Sin nor Sorrow any more and then shall they praise God chearfully This will be our Work when we are admitted into the most holy Place 8. As Heaven hath the Notion of a Place a Temple so our Estate in Heaven hath the Notion of a Day or Time wherein our Priesthood is to be solemnly exercised For it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sabbath or Rest Heb. 4.9 There remaineth therefore a Rest to the People of God A Sabbath is for holy Rest not a time of Idleness but to be religiously imployed So this glorious eternal Rest which is prepared for and promised to Believers is not passed over in Ease and Idleness but in Acts of Worship and Adoration It is a Rest from Toil and Labour but not from Work and Service On the Sabbath-day the Sacrifices were doubled the Priest had more to do upon that Day than any other So in our everlasting Sabbatism we serve God after a more perfect manner than now we do On the Sabbath a special Delight and Rejoycing in God was to be raised Isai. 58.13 14. If thou turn away thy Foot from the Sabbath from doing thy Pleasure on my Holy-Day and call the Sabbath a Delight the Holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own Ways nor finding thine own Pleasure nor speaking thine own Words Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high Places of the Earth and feed thee with the Heritage of Jacob thy Father for the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it So in our eternal Rest shall we delight our selves in his Presence Vse 1. It informeth us 1. That our Service is an Honour and Worship a Privilege for it is not only a Way to Heaven but a Beginning of Heaven Our Work there is a part of our Reward The Priestly Ministration is so the Work of Heaven that it is also a Reward for our present Diligence Well then it is the most blessed Life we can live upon Earth to be serving God and ministring before the Lord and to be imployed in any Nearness about him his People desire no sweeter Work Alas what is the Work of all the World to this but a toilsom Drudgery or base Servility Go to the brutish World what is the Work of the Drunkard Glutton Gamester or Fornicator compared with that of the Spiritual Priest They are Priests to feed the Belly that base Dunghil-God Phil. 3.19 Whose God is their Belly Their Business is to provide for and please the Flesh. Nay go to the more refined part of the World The Covetous and Ambitious Worldlings they aim at nothing beyond this Life but the Spiritual Priest continueth for ever his Service is begun and will ever last his Work is his Wages 2. That it is no easy matter to be familiar with God and to draw nigh to him in Worship We are stupid and therefore not sensible of it You see what Distance God kept under the Law and what Distance he yet keepeth as to his immediate Presence Surely God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to be had in Reverence of all that are about him Psal. 89.7 The Redeemed are honoured to have Access to God with Boldness yet they ought to be humbly sensible of the Privilege Every nearer Approach to God is an Enlargement of Honour We must keep an even hand between natural Bondage and Irreverence Natural Bondage We are sometimes afraid to come into God's Presence and doubt of Access being so unworthy to come before the Lord but we are privileged by our Calling Christ by his Death hath made us Kings and Priests The Priests were sanctified to draw nearer unto God than the common People and to be imployed in his most Holy Service So if we be cleansed by the Blood of Christ we are separated from the ungodly World and may acquaint him with all our Desires Griefs and Fears On the other side against Irreverence It is no easy matter to come before the Lord as we ought to do and we must be sure to bless and thank the Redeemer for this Favour that we are made Priests of God and Christ that we are freed from the Fears of the second Death Rev. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no Power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and we may hope for a more solemn Service Vse 2. To exhort the Children of God First To long and hope for the time of their Ministration in the heavenly Temple When the time of our Consecration is finished then we shall be admitted into this blessed Estate O comfort your selves with the Fore-thought of it There are many Reasons to induce us 1. Because then we shall see him whom we worship and stand before his Throne This is often promised Psal. 17.15 As for me I shall behold thy Face in Righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy Likeness 1 John 3.2 When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is So 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see through a Glass darkly but then Face to Face John 17.24 Father I will that