especially at first; and this makes him better judge what grace, in the
nature of grace, is, than others can that are not sensible of what
guilt is. What it was to be saved, was better relished by the jailor
when he was afraid of and trembled at the apprehensions of the wrath of
God, than ever it was with him all his life before (Acts 16:29-33).
Peter then also saw what saving was, when he began to sink into the
sea: ‘Lord, save me,’ said he, I perish (Matt 14:30). Sin is that
without a sense of which a man is not apprehensive what grace is. Sin
and grace, favour and wrath, death and life, hell and heaven, are
opposites, and are set off, or out, in their evil or good, shame or
glory, one by another. What makes grace so good to us as sin in its
guilt and filth? What makes sin so horrible and damnable a thing in our
eyes, as when we see there is nothing can save us from it but the
infinite grace of God? Further, there seems, if I may so term it, to be
a kind of natural instinct in the new creature to seek after the grace
of God; for so saith the Word, ‘They that are after the flesh, do mind
the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things
of the Spirit’ (Rom 8:5). The child by nature nuzzles in its mother’s
bosom for the breast; the child by grace does by grace seek to live by
the grace of God. All creatures, the calf, the lamb, &c., so soon as
they are fallen from their mother’s belly, will by nature look for, and
turn themselves towards the teat, and the new creature doth so too (1
Peter 2:1-3). For guilt makes it hunger and thirst, as the hunted hart
does pant after the water brooks. Hunger directs to bread, thirst
directs to water; yea, it calls bread and water to mind. Let a man be
doing other business, hunger will put him in mind of his cupboard, and
thirst of his cruse of water; yea, it will call him, make him, force
him, command him, to bethink what nourishing victuals is, and will also
drive him to search out after where he may find it, to the satisfying
of himself. All right talk also to such an one sets the stomach and
appetite a craving; yea, into a kind of running out of the body after
this bread and water, that it might be fed, nourished, and filled
therewith. Thus it is by nature, and thus it is by grace; thus it is
for the bread that perisheth, and for that which endureth to
everlasting life. But,
Second. As nature, the new nature, teaches this by a kind of heavenly
natural instinct; so experience also herein helpeth the godly much. For
they have found all other places, the throne of grace excepted, empty,
and places or things that hold no water. They have been at Mount Sinai
for help, but could find nothing there but fire and darkness, but
thunder and lightning, but earthquake and trembling, and a voice of
killing words, which words they that heard them once could never endure
to hear them again; and as for the sight of vengeance there revealed
against sin, it was so terrible, that Moses, even Moses, said, ‘I
exceedingly fear and quake’ (Heb 12:18-21; Exo 19; 2 Cor 3). They have
sought for grace by their own performances; but alas! they have yielded
them nothing but wind and confusion; not a performance, not a duty, not
an act in any part of religious worship, but they looking upon it in
the glass of the Lord, do find it spaked[21] and defective (Isa
64:5-8). They have sought for grace by their resolutions, their vows,
their purposes, and the like; but alas! they all do as the other,
discover that they have been very imperfectly managed, and so such as
can by no means help them to grace. They have gone to their tears,
their sorrow, and repentance, if perhaps they might have found some
help there; but all has either fled away like the early dew, or if they
have stood, they have stunk even in the nostrils of those whose they
were. How much more, then, in the nostrils of a holy God!
They have gone to God, as the great Creator, and have beheld how
wonderful his works have been; they have looked to the heavens above,
to the earth beneath, and to all their ornaments, but neither have
these, nor what is of [or resulting from] them, yielded grace to those
that had sensible want thereof. Thus have they gone, as I said, with
these pitchers to their fountains, and have returned empty and ashamed;
they found no water, no river of water of life; they have been as the
woman with her bloody issue, spending and spending till they have spent
all, and been nothing better, but rather grew worse (Mark 5). Had they
searched into nothing but the law, it had been sufficient to convince
them that there was no grace, nor throne of grace, in the world. For
since the law, being the most excellent of all the things of the earth,
is found to be such as yieldeth no grace—for grace and truth comes by
Jesus Christ, not by Moses (John 1:17)—how can it be imagined that it
should be found in anything inferior? Paul, therefore, not finding it
in the law, despairs to find it in anything else below, but presently
betakes himself to look for it there where he had not yet sought it—for
he sometimes sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the
law (Phil 3:6-8)—he looked for it, I say, by Jesus Christ, who is the
throne of grace, where he found it, and rejoiced in hope of the glory
of God (Rom 9:29-31, 5:1-3). But,
Third. Saints come to know and distinguish the throne of grace from
other thrones, by the very direction of God himself; as it is said of
the well that the nobles digged in the wilderness—they digged it by the
direction of the lawgiver, so saints find out the throne of grace by
the direction of the grace-giver. Hence Paul prays, that the Lord would
direct the hearts of the people into the love of God (2 Thess 3:5).
Man, as man, cannot aim directly at this throne; but will drop his
prayers short, besides, or the like, if he be not helped by the Spirit
(Rom 8:26). Hence the Son saith of himself, ‘No man can come to me,
except the Father which hath sent me draw him’ (John 6:44). Which text
doth not only justify what is now said, but insinuates that there is an
unwillingness in man of himself to come to this throne of grace; he
must be drawn thereto. He setteth us in the way of his steps, that is,
in that way to the throne by which grace and mercy is conveyed unto us.
Fourth. We know the throne of grace from other thrones, by the glory
that it always appears in, when revealed to us of God: its glory
outbids all; there is no such glory to be seen anywhere else, either in
heaven or earth. But, I say, this comes by the sight that God gives,
not by any excellency that there is in my natural understanding as
such; my understanding and apprehension, simply as natural, is blind
and foolish. Wherefore, when I set to work in mine own spirit, and in
the power of mine own abilities, to reach to this throne of grace, and
to perceive somewhat of the glory thereof, then am I dark, rude,
foolish, see nothing; and my heart grows fat, dull, savourless,
lifeless, and has no warmth in the duty. But it mounts up with wings
like an eagle, when the throne is truly apprehended. Therefore that is
another thing by which the Christian knows the throne of grace from all
others; it meets with that good there that it can meet with nowhere
else. But at present let these things suffice for this.
[MOTIVES FOR COMING BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE.]
FIFTH. I come now to the motives by which the apostle stirreth up the
Hebrews, and encourageth them to come boldly to the throne of grace.
FIRST. The first is, because we have there such an high priest, or an
high priest so and so qualified. SECOND. Because we that come thither
for grace are sure there to speed, or find grace and obtain it.
[The first motive, because we have such an high priest there.]
FIRST. For the first of these, to wit, we have an encouragement to move
us to come with boldness to the throne of grace, because we have an
high priest there; because we have such an high priest there. ‘For we
have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without
sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace.’ Of this
high priest I have already made mention before, to wit, so far as to
show you that Christ Jesus is he, as well as he is the altar, and
sacrifice, and throne of grace, before which he also himself makes
intercession. But forasmuch as by the apostle here, he is not only
presented unto us as a throne of grace, but as an high priest
ministering before it, it will not be amiss if I do somewhat
particularly treat of his priesthood also. But the main or chief of my
discourse will be to treat of his qualifications to his office, which I
find to be in general of two sorts. I. LEGAL. II. NATURAL.
[THE LEGAL qualifications of Jesus Christ for the office of high
priest.]
I. LEGAL. When I say legal, I mean, as the apostle’s expression is, not
by ‘the law of a carnal commandment,’ but by an eternal covenant, and
‘the power of an endless life’ thereby; of which the priesthood of old
was but a type, and the law of their priesthood but a shadow (Heb 7:16,
9:15,24). But because their law, and their entrance into their
priesthood thereby, was, as I said, ‘a shadow of good things to come,’
therefore where it will help to illustrate, we will make use thereof so
to do; and where not, there we will let it pass (Heb 10:1). The thing
to be now spoken to is, that the consideration of Jesus Christ being an
high priest before the throne of grace, is a motive and encouragement
to us to come boldly thither for grace: ‘Seeing then that we have a
great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of
God, let us hold fast our profession,’ and ‘come boldly unto the throne
of grace’ (Heb 4:14,16). Now, how he was made an high priest; for so is
the expression, ‘made an high priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedec’ (Heb 6;20).
First. He took not his honour upon himself without a lawful call
thereto. Thus the priests under the law were put into office; and thus
the Son of God. No man taketh this honour to himself, but he that is
called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be
made a high priest, but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today
have I begotten thee. Wherefore he was ‘called of God an high priest
after the order of Melchisedec’ (Heb 5:4-6,10). Thus far, therefore,
the law of his priesthood answereth to the law of the priesthood of
old; they both were made priests by a legal call to their work or
office. But yet the law by which this Son was made high priest
excelleth, and that in these particulars—
1. He was made a priest after the similitude of Melchisedec, for he
testifieth, ‘Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec’
(Heb 7:17). Thus they under the law were not made priests but after the
order of Aaron, that is, by a carnal commandment, not by an everlasting
covenant of God.
2. And, saith he, ‘inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest,
for those priests were made without an oath, but this with an oath, by
him that said unto him, The Lord sware, and will not repent, thou art a
priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec’ (Heb 7:20,21).
3. The priesthood under the law, with their law and sacrifices, were
fading, and were not suffered to continue, by reason of the death of
the priest, and ineffectualness of his offering (Heb 7:23). ‘But this
man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood’ (v
24). ‘For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity, but the
word of the oath which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is
consecrated for evermore’ (v 28). From what hath already been said, we
gather, (1.) What kind of person it is that is our high priest. (2.)
The manner of his being called to, and stated[22] in that office.
(1.) What manner of person he is. He is the Son, the Son of God, Jesus
the Son of God. Hence the apostle saith, ‘we have a great high priest,’
such an high priest ‘that is passed into the heavens’ (Heb 4:14). Such
an high priest as is ‘made higher than the heavens’ (Heb 7:26). And why
doth he thus dilate upon the dignity of his person, but because thereby
is insinuated the excellency of his sacrifice, and the prevalency of
his intercession, by that, to God for us. Therefore he saith again,
‘Every’ Aaronical ‘priest standeth daily ministering and offering
oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but
this man,’ this great man, this Jesus, this Son of God, ‘after he had
offered one,’ one only, one once, but one (Heb 9:25,26), ‘sacrifice for
sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth
expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering
he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified’ (Heb 10:11-14).
Thus, I say, the apostle toucheth upon the greatness of his person,
thereby to set forth the excellency of his sacrifice, and prevalency of
his intercession. ‘Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly
calling, consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ
Jesus’ (Heb 3:1). Or, as he saith again, making mention of Melchisedec,
‘consider how great this man was’ (Heb 7:4), we have such a high
priest, so great a high priest; one that is entered into the heavens:
Jesus the Son of God.
(2.) The manner also of his being called to and stated in his office,
is not to be overlooked. He is made a priest after the power of an
endless life, or is to be such an one as long as he lives, and as long
as we have need of his mediation. Now Christ being raised from the
dead, dies no more; death hath no more dominion over him. He is himself
the Prince of life. Wherefore it follows, ‘he hath an unchangeable
priesthood.’ And what then? Why, then ‘he is able also to save them to
the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make
intercession for them’ (Heb 7:24,25). But again, he is made a priest
with an oath, ‘the Lord sware, and will not repent, thou art a priest
for ever.’ Hence I gather, (a) That before God there is no high priest
but Jesus, nor ever shall be. (b) That God is to the full pleased with
his high priesthood; and so with all those for whom he maketh
intercession. For this priest, though he is not accepted for the sake
of another, yet he is upon the account of another. ‘For every high
priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to
God,’ to make reconciliation for the sins of the people (Heb 5:1,2).
And again, he is entered ‘into heaven itself, now to appear in the
presence of God for us’ (Heb 9:24). God therefore, in that he hath made
him a priest with an oath, and also determined that he will never
repent of his so doing, declareth that he is, and for ever will be,
satisfied with his offering. And this is a great encouragement to those
that come to God by him; they have by this oath a firm ground to go
upon, and the oath is, ‘Thou art a priest for ever,’ shalt be accepted
for ever for every one for whom thou makest intercession; nor will I
ever reject any body that comes to me by thee; therefore here is ground
for faith, for hope and rejoicing; for this consideration a man has
ground to come boldly to the throne of grace.
Second. But again, as Christ is made a priest by call and with an oath,
and so, so far legally; so he, being thus called, has other preparatory
legal qualifications. The High Priest under the law was not by law to
come into the holiest, but in those robes that were ordained for him to
minister in before God; which robes were not to be made according to
the fancy of the people, but according to the commandment of Moses (Exo
28). Christ our high priest in heaven has also his holy garment, with
which he covereth the nakedness of them that are his, which robe was
not made of corruptible things, as silver and gold, &c., but by a
patient continuance in a holy life, according to the law of Moses, both
moral and ceremonial. Not that either of these were that eternal
testament by which he was made a priest; but the moral law was to be
satisfied, and the types of the ceremonial law to be as to this
eminently fulfilled; and he was bound by that eternal covenant by which
he is made a mediator to do so. Wherefore, before he could enter the
holiest of all, he must have these holy garments made; neither did he
trust others, as in the case of Aaron, to make these garments for him,
but he wrought them all himself, according to all that Moses commanded.
This garment Christ was a great while a-making. What time, you may ask,
was required? And I answer, All the days of his life; for all things
that were written concerning him, as to this, were not completed till
the day that he hanged upon the cross. For then it was that he said,
‘It is finished; and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost’ (John
19:28-30). This robe is for glory and for beauty. This is it that afore
I said was of the colour of the rainbow, and that compasseth even round
about this throne of grace, unto which we are bid to come. This is that
garment that reaches down to his feet, and that is girt to him with a
golden girdle (Rev 1:13). This is that garment that covereth all his
body mystical, and that hideth the blemishes of such members from the
eye of God, and of the law. And it is made up of his obedience to the
law, by his complete perfect obedience thereto (Rom 5:19). This Christ
wears always, he never puts it off, as the [former] high priests put
off theirs by a ceremonial command. He ever lives to make intercession;
consequently he ever wears this priestly robe. He might not go into the
holy place without it, upon danger of death, or at least of being sent
back again; but he died not, but lives ever; is not sent back, but is
set down at God’s right hand; and there shall sit till his foes are
made his footstool (John 16:10).
This is that for the sake of which all are made welcome, and embraced
and kissed, forgiven and saved, that come unto God by him. This is that
righteousness, that mantle spotless, that Paul so much desired to be
found wrapt in; for he knew that being found in that he must be
presented thereby to God a glorious man, not having spot, or wrinkle,
or any such thing. This therefore is another of the Lord Jesus’ legal
qualifications, as preparatory to the executing of his high priest’s
office in heaven. But of this something has been spoken before; and
therefore I shall not enlarge upon it here.
Third. When the high priest under the law was thus accomplished by a
legal call, and a garment suitable to his office, then again there was
another thing that must be done, in order to his regular execution of
his office; and that was, he must be consecrated, and solemnly ushered
thereunto by certain offerings, first presented to God for himself.
This you have mention made of in the Levitical law; you have there
first commanded, that, in order to the high priest’s approaching the
holiest for the people, there must first be an offering of consecration
for himself, and this is to succeed his call, and the finishing of his
holy garments (Exo 29:5-7,19-22). For this ceremony was not to be
observed until his garments were made and put upon him; also the blood
of the ram of consecration was to be sprinkled upon him, his garments,
&c., that he might be hallowed, and rightly set apart for the high
priest’s office (Lev 8). The Holy Ghost, I think, thus signifying that
Jesus the Son of God, our great high priest, was not only to sanctify
the people with his blood; but first, by blood must to that work be
sanctified himself; ‘For their sakes,’ saith he, ‘I sanctify myself,
that they also might be sanctified through the truth’ (John 17:19).
But it may be asked, When was this done to Christ, or what sacrifice of
consecration had he precedent to the offering up of himself for our
sins? I answer, It was done in the garden when he was washed in his own
blood, when his sweat was in great drops of blood, falling down to the
ground. For there it was he was sprinkled with his blood, not only the
tip of his ear, his thumb, and toe, but there he was washed all over;
there therefore was his most solemn consecration to his office; at
least, so I think. And this, as Aaron’s was, was done by Moses; it was
Moses that sprinkled Aaron’s garments. It was by virtue of an agony
also that his bloody sweat was produced; and what was the cause of that
agony, but the apprehension of the justice and curse of Moses’ law,
which now he was to undergo for the sins of the people.
With this sacrifice he then subjoined another, which was also
preparatory to the great acts of his high priest’s office, which he was
afterwards to perform for us. And that was his drink-offering, his
tears, which were offered to God with strong cries (Exo 29:40; Num
28:7). For this was the place and time that in a special manner he
caused his strong wine to be poured out, and that he drank his tears as
water. This is called his offering, his offering for his own acceptance
with God. After ‘he had offered up prayers and supplications, with
strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him,’ he ‘was
heard’ for his piety, for his acceptance as to this office, for he
merited his office as well as his people (Heb 5:7). Wherefore it
follows, ‘and being made perfect,’ that is, by a complete performance
of all that was necessary for the orderly attaining of his office as
high priest, ‘he became the author of eternal salvation, unto all them
that obey him’ (Heb 5:9).
For your better understanding of me as to this, mind that I speak of a
twofold perfection in Christ; one as to his person, the other as to his
performances. In the perfection of his person, two things are to be
considered; first, the perfection of his humanity, as to the nature of
it; it was at first appearing, wholly without pollution of sin, and so
completely perfect; but yet this humanity was to have joined to this
another perfection; and that was a perfection of stature and age. Hence
it is said that as to his humanity he increased, that is, grew more
perfect. For this his increasing was, in order to a perfection, not of
nature, simply as nature, but of stature. ‘Jesus increased in wisdom
and stature’ (Luke 2:52). The paschal lamb was a lamb the first day it
was yeaned; but it was not to be sacrificed until it attained such a
perfection of age as by the law of God was appointed to it (Exo
12:5,6). It was necessary, therefore, that Christ as to his person
should be perfect in both these senses. And indeed ‘in due time Christ
died for the ungodly’ (Rom 5:6).
Again, as there was a perfection of person, or of nature and personage
in Christ, so there was to be a perfection of performances in him also.
Hence it is said, that Jesus increased in favour with God (Luke 2:52);
that is, by perfecting of his obedience to him for us. Now, his
performances were such as had a respect to his bringing in of
righteousness for us in the general; or such as respected preparations
for his sacrifice as a high priest. But let them be applied to both, or
to this or that in particular; it cannot be, that while the most part
of his performances were wanting, he should be as perfect as when he
said, ‘The things concerning me have an end’ (Luke 22:37).
Not but that every act of his obedience was perfect, and carried in it
a length and breadth proportionable to that law by which it was
demanded. Nor was there at any time in his obedience that which made to
interfere one commandment with another. He did all things well, and so
stood in the favour of God. But yet one act was not actually all,
though virtually any one of his actions might carry in it a merit
sufficient to satisfy and quiet the law. Hence, as I said, it is told
us, not only that he is the Son of God’s love, but that he increased in
favour with God; that is, by a going on in doing, by a continuing to do
that always that pleased the God of heaven.
A man that pays money at the day appointed, beginning first at one
shilling, or one pound, and so ceaseth not until he hath in current
coin told over the whole sum to the creditor, does well at the
beginning; but the first shilling, or first pound, not being the full
debt, cannot be counted or reckoned the whole, but a part; yet is it
not an imperfect part, nor doth the creditor find fault at all, because
there is but so much now told; but concludes that all is at hand, and
accepteth of this first, as a first-fruits: so Christ, when he came
into the world, began to pay, and so continued to do, even until he had
paid the whole debt, and so increased in favour with God. There was
then a gradual performance of duties, as to the number of them, by our
Lord when he was in the world, and consequently a time wherein it might
be said that Christ had not, as to act, done all, as was appointed him
to do, to do as preparatory to that great thing which he was to do for
us. Wherefore, in conclusion, he is said to be made perfect, ‘and being
made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation to all them
that obey him’ (Heb 5:9).