Study the priesthood, the high-priesthood of Jesus Christ, both the
first and second part of it. The first part was that when he offered
up himself without the gate, when he bore our sins in his own body
on the tree.
The second part is that which he executes there whither he is now
gone, even into heaven itself, where the throne of grace is. I say,
study what Christ has done and is doing. Oh, what is he doing now?
He is sprinkling his blood, with his priestly robes on, before the
throne of grace. That is too little thought on by the saints of God:
"We have such a High-priest, who is set down on the right hand of
the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary and of the
true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man." Busy thyself,
fellow-Christian, about this blessed office of Christ. It is full of
good, it is full of sweet, it is full of heaven, it is full of
relief and succor for the tempted and dejected.
The priestly office of Christ is the first and great thing that is
presented to us in the gospel; namely, how he died for our sins, and
gave himself to the cross, that the blessing of Abraham might come
upon us through him. But now because this priestly office of his is
divided into two parts, and because one of them, to wit, this of his
intercession, is to be accomplished for us within the veil,
therefore--as we say among men, out of sight, out of mind--he is too
much as to this forgotten by us. We satisfy ourselves with the
slaying of the sacrifice; we look not after our Aaron as he goes
into the holiest, there to sprinkle the mercy-seat with blood upon
our account.
But since his dying is his laying down his price, and his
intercession the urging and managing the worthiness of it in the
presence of God against Satan, there is glory to be found therein,
and we should look after him into the holy place. The second part of
the work of the high-priests under the law, had great glory and
sanctity put upon it. Forasmuch as the holy garments were provided
for him to officiate in within the veil, also it was there that the
altar stood on which he offered incense. Also there were the
mercy-seat and the cherubim of glory, which were figures of the
angels, that love to be continually looking and prying into the
management of this second part of the priesthood of Christ in the
presence of God. For although themselves are not the persons so
immediately concerned therein as we, yet the management of it, I
say, is with so much grace and glory, and wisdom and efiectualness,
that it is a heaven to the angels to see it. O, to enjoy the odorous
scent and sweet memorial, the heart-refreshing perfumes that ascend
continually from the mercy-seat to the throne where God is, and also
to behold how effectual it is to the end for which it is designed,
is glorious; and he that is not somewhat let into this by the grace
of God, there is a great thing lacking to his faith, and he misseth
of many a sweet bit that he might otherwise enjoy. Wherefore, I say,
be exhorted to the study of this part of Christ's work in the
managing of our salvation for us.
They who are justified by the blood of Christ, should still look to
him for the remaining part of their salvation; and let them look for
it with confidence, for it is in a faithful hand. And for thy
encouragement to look and hope for the completing of thy salvation
in glory, let me present thee with a few things.
1. The hardest or worst part of the work of thy Saviour is over: his
bloody work, his bearing thy sin and curse, his loss of the light of
his Father's face for a time. His dying upon the cursed tree, that
was the worst, the sorest, the hardest, and most difficult part of
the work of redemption; and yet this he did willingly, cheerfully,
and without thy desires; yea, this he did, as considering those for
whom he did it in a state of rebellion and enmity to him.
2. Consider also that he has made a beginning with thy soul to
reconcile thee to God, and to that end has bestowed his justice upon
thee, put his Spirit within thee, and begun to make the unwieldable
mountain and rock, thy heart, to turn towards him and desire after
him, to believe in him and rejoice in him.
3. Consider also that some comfortable pledges of his love thou
hast already received; namely, as to feel the sweetness of his love,
as to see the light of his countenance, as to be made to know his
power in raising thee when thou wast down, and how he has made thee
to stand while hell has been pushing at thee utterly to overthrow
thee.
4. Thou mayst consider also, that what remains behind of the work of
thy salvation in his hands, as it is the most easy part, is so the
most comfortable, and that part which will more immediately issue in
his glory; and therefore he will mind it.
5. That which is behind is also more safe in his hand than if it was
in thine own. He is wise, he is powerful, he is faithful, and
therefore will manage that part that is lacking to our salvation
well, until he has completed it. It is his love to thee has made him
that he putteth no trust in thee: he knows that he can himself bring
thee to his kingdom most surely, and therefore has not left that
work to thee, no, not any part thereof.
Live in hope, then, in a lively hope, that since Christ is risen
from the dead he lives to make intercession for thee; and that thou
shalt reap the blessed benefit of this twofold salvation that is
wrought and that is working out for thee by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Every believer may say, Christ did not only die and rise again, but
he ascended into heaven to take possession thereof for me, to
prepare a place for me. He standeth there in the second part of his
suretyship to bring me safe thither, and to present me in a glorious
manner, "not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." He is
therefore exercising his priestly office for me, pleading the
perfection of his own righteousness and the virtue of his blood.
He is there ready to answer the accusations of the law, the devil,
and sin, for me. Here a believer may through faith look the devil in
the face and rejoice, saying, "O Satan, I have a precious Jesus, a
soul-comforting Jesus, a sin-pardoning Jesus." Here he may listen to
the thunders of the law, and yet not be daunted. He may say, "O law,
thou mayest roar against sin, but thou canst not reach me; thou
mayest curse and condemn, but not my soul; for I have a righteous
Jesus, a holy Jesus, a soul-saving Jesus; and he hath delivered me
from thy threats, thy curses, and thy condemnation. I am brought
into another covenant, under better promises of life and salvation,
freely to comfort me without my merit, through the blood of Jesus;
therefore though thou layest my sins to my charge and provest me
guilty, yet so long as Christ hath brought in everlasting
righteousness and given it to me, I shall not fear thy threats. My
Christ is all, hath done all, and will deliver me from thine
accusations." Thus also thou mayest say, when death assaulteth thee,
"O death, where is thy sting? Thou canst not devour; I have comfort
through Jesus Christ, who hath taken thee captive and taken away thy
strength; he hath pierced thy heart and let out all thy
soul-destroying poison. Though I see thee, I am not afraid of thee;
though I feel thee, I am not daunted; for thou hast lost thy sting
in the side of the Lord Jesus, through whom I overcome thee. Also, O
Satan, though I hear thee make a hellish noise, and though thou
threaten me highly, yet my soul shall triumph over thee so long as
Christ is alive and can be heard in heaven--so long as he hath
broken thy head and won the field--so long as thou art in prison and
canst not have thy desire. When I hear thy voice, my thoughts are
turned to Christ my Saviour; I hearken to what he will say, for he
will speak comfort: he hath gotten the victory and doth give me the
crown, and causeth me to triumph through his most glorious conquest.
"And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne stood a Lamb as it
had been slain." Rev. 5: 6. That in the midst of the throne is our
sacrifice, with the very marks of his death upon him, showing to God
that sitteth upon the throne the holes of the thorns, of the nails,
of the spear; and how he was disfigured with blows and blood when at
his command he gave himself a ransom for his people; for it cannot
be imagined that either the exaltation or glorification of the body
of Jesus Christ should make him forget the day in which he died the
death for our sins; especially since that which puts worth into his
whole intercession is the death he died, and the blood he shed upon,
the cross for our trespasses.
Since Christ is an intercessor, I infer that believers should not
rest at the cross for comfort: justification they should look for
there; but being justified by his blood, they should ascend up after
him to his throne. At the cross you will see him in his sorrows and
humiliations, in his tears and blood; but follow him to where he is
now, and then you shall see him in his robes, in his priestly robes,
and with his golden girdle about him. There you shall see him
wearing the breastplate of judgment, and with all your names written
upon his heart. Then you shall perceive that the whole family in
heaven and earth is named of him, and how he prevails with God the
Father of mercies for you. Stand still awhile and listen, yea, enter
with boldness unto the holiest, and see your Jesus as he now appears
in the presence of God for you; what work he makes against the devil
and sin, and death and hell, for you. Ah, it is brave following of
Jesus Christ to the holiest: the veil is rent; you may see with open
face as in a glass the glory of the Lord.
This then is our High-priest; this is intercession--these the
benefits of it. It lies in our part to improve it; and wisdom to do
so--THAT also comes from the mercy-seat or throne of grace where he,
even our High-priest, ever liveth to make intercession for us. To
whom he glory for ever and ever.