of the PERSON Of CHRIST. 179. none of our prayers, praifes, or thankfgivings would ever have accefs'into the pretence of God, or unto the throne of grace. Bleffed be God for this relief, under the confideration of the weaknefs and imperfeftion of them: Wherefore in him and by him alone, do we prefent all our defiires and prayers, and whole worfhip to God, And herein, in all our worship do we our felves enter into the moll holyplace, Heb. x. 19. We do it not meet- ly by faith, but by this efpecial exercifeof it, in putting our prayers into thehand of this high prieft. There are three things in all our worship that wouldhinder its accefs un- toGod, and acceptance with him, as alfokeep off comfort and peacefrom our confciences. The frft is the fin or iniquity that cleaves unto it; fecondly, the weaknefs or imperfeftion that at belt is in it ; and thirdly, the unworthinefs of the perfons by whom it is performed. With reference unto thefe things the law could neverconfummate or perfeft theconfciences ofthem that came into God by the facrifices of it. But there are three things in the facerdotal miniftration of Chrift, that remove and take them all away whereon we have accefs with boldnefs unto God. And they are, FirffvThe influence of his oblation. Secondly, Theefficacy ofhis interceilion; and Thirdly, The dignity of his perfon. Through the firff of thefe he bears and takes away all the iniquity of our holy things,; as Aaron did typically of old, by virtue ofthe plate of gold, with the name of God (a figure of Chrift) on lais forehead, Exod. xxviii. 36, 37, 38. He hash made attonement for them in the blood ofhis oblation, and they ap- pear not in the prefence of God. Through the fecond, or efficacy of lais intercetlion, he gives acceptance unto our prayers and holy wor- fhip, with power and prevalency before God. For this is that incenfe wholefmoak or fweet perfume comes up with the prayers of all faints unto the throne of God. Through the third, or the dignity of his perfon, wherein he appears as the reprefentative of his whole myftical body, he takes away from our confciences that fenfe of ourown vilenefs and unwor- thinefs, which would not fuffer us to approach with boldnefs unto the throne of grace. In thefe things confifts the life of the worship of the church, of all believers, without which as it would not be acceptable unto God, fo we could have neither peace nor confolation in it our felves. 4. Herein hath the church that is triumphant, communion' with that which is yet militant. The affembly above have not loft their concern- ment in the church here below. As we rejoycesin their glory, fafety and happinefs, that having paffed through the florins and tempfts, the tempta- tions, fufFerings and dangers of this life and world, as they are harboured in eternal glory unto the praife of God in Chrift ; fo are they full of af- feftions towards their brethren exercifed with the faine temptations, dif- ficulties and dangers which they have paffed through, with earneft delires for their. deliverance and fafety. Wherefore when they behold the Lord Jefüs Chrift, as the great high prieft over the houfe of -God, prefenting their prayers, with all their holy worfiiip unto him, rendering them acceptable by the incenfe of his own interceíiìon, it fills them with fatisfaftion, and continually excites them unto the affignation of praife, and glory, and honour unto him: This is the Rate ofthe faints above, with refpeft unto the church here below. This is all which may behere- in afcribed -unto them, and this may fafely be fo. What force have fan- cied about their own perfonal interceífion, and that for particular perfons, is derogatory unto the honour of Jefus Chrift, and inconuftent with their prefent condition. But in thefe things confift their communion with the church here below. A love they have unto it, from their union with it in the fante myftical body, Ephef. i. to. A fenfe they have of its con dition
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