sERM. XIIL HERE AND HHAEABTER.. 233 as our great HighPriest andSurety, to makeus acceptable to God there. Nor should our warmest devotions, nor our highest praises, dare to appear there without him. Remember that the high priest himself among the Jews, was in danger of death, whensoever he went into the holy of holies, to appear before the tokens of the divine presence, if he had not proper garments upo i him, and the blood of atonement with hirrl; (-see E.r xxviii. 35. 43. Lev. xvi. , 13, 74. Let Aaron be so clothed and the blood so sprinkled, saith the Lord, lest he die.) How much more maywe fear destruction, if we rashly, or carelessly, come near and speak to God himself, and yet neglect the garment of righteousness, and the blood of sprinkling, and Christ our great ,M.Ie- diator. Remember, O Christian, that for a sinner to appear before God without the Mediator, is a thing of infinite terror, and not of comfort. A traitor would keep at the farthest distance from the prince, if he bath no friend to speak a word for him there. To come and present yourselves . before God as sinners, without a Saviour, would be but to. awaken his wrath, and put him in mind of your guilt, and his righteous vengeance. Remember therefore to take Christ with you when you corne near to God. See Eph. ii 3. 13, &c. We are bynature chil- dren of wrath, and afar off fromGod, it is he, only can . bring us near: Noman cometh to the Father but by me, John xiv. 6. And as this is the only appointed way for sinners to appear before God, so it has been the sweet experience of ten thousand souls that they have drawn near to God, in this manner, with acceptance and delight.. Hear what many a.child of God can tell you in this case : " When I had the first sight of my guilt and defilements, and beheld God in the terrors of his holiness and justice, as a consuming fire, I was affrighted at the thoughts Of appearing before him; every threatening that I heard, I thought it was pronounced against me, nor could I de- light myself in the blessings of his gospel,, for they were not mine. But when he was pleased to lead and drawme to Christ, I saw such an all -sufficiency ofatonement and »ghteousness in him, that would answer all the demands that divine justice had upon me; I. joyfully accepted of
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