may glorify thee, as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." This sort of entreaty must be distinguished from those "supplications which Christ in the days of his flesh offered up to the Father, with strong cries and tears;" (Heb. v, 7.) for by them he intreated to be delivered from anguish, while by the other he asks, "to see his seed whose days should be prolonged, and to behold the pleasure of the Lord which should prosper in his hands." (Isa. liii, 10.)-But, for the faithful, intercession is made, of which the apostle thus speaks, "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US." (Rom. viii, 34.) And, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, he says, "Wherefore 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." (vii, 25.) But Christ is said to intercede for believers, to the exclusion of the world, because, after he had offered a sacrifice sufficient to take away the sins of all mankind, he was consecrated a Great" High Priest to preside over the house of God," (Heb. x, 21.) "which house those are who hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (iii, 6.) Christ discharges the whole of this part of his function in heaven, before the face of the Divine Majesty; for there also is the royal seat and the throne of God, to which, when we are about to pray, we are commanded to lift up our eyes and our minds. But he executes this part of his office, not in anguish of spirit, or in a posture of humble genuflection, as though fallen down before the knees of the Father, but in the confidence of the shedding of his own blood, which, sprinkled as it is on his sacred body, he continually presents as an object of sight before his Father, always turning it towards his sacred countenance. The entire efficacy of this function depends on the dignity and value of the blood effused and sprinkled over the body; for, by his blood-shedding, he opened a passage for himself "into the holiest within the veil." From which circumstance we may with the greatest certainty conclude, that his prayers will never be rejected, and that whatever we shall ask in his name, will, in virtue of that intercession, be both heard and answered.

The sacerdotal functions being thus executed, God the Father, mindful of his covenant and sacred oath, not only continued the priesthood with Christ for ever, but elevated

him likewise to the regal dignity, "all power being given unto him in heaven and in earth, (Matt. xxviii, 18.) also power over all flesh: (John xvii, 2.) a name being conferred on him which is far above all principality, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, (Ephes. i, 21.) angels, and authorities, and powers being made subject unto him," (1 Pet. iii, 22.) that he might be the Christ and the Lord of his whole Israel, KING of Kings and LORD of Lords. By this admirable covenant, therefore, God hath united those two supreme functions in one, even in Christ Jesus, and has thus performed his promise, by which he had sworn that this Priest should be for ever after the order of Melchizedec," who was at once a King and a Priest; and is to the present time" without beginning of days or end of life," because his genealogy is not described in the scriptures, which in this case are subservient to the figure. This conjunction of the sacerdotal and regal functions is the highest point and the extreme clause of all the Divine works, a never-fading token of the justice and the mercy of God attempered together for the economy of our salvation, a very luminous and clear evidence of the most excellent glory of God, and an immoveable foundation for the certainty of obtaining salvation through this royal priest. If man is properly styled "the extreme Colophon of the creation," "a microcosm” on account of the union of his body and soul," an epitome of the whole world," and "the marriage of the Universe," what judgment shall we form of this conjunction, which consists of a most intimate and inseparable union of the whole church of believers and of God himself, "who dwells in the light unto which no man can approach?" and by what amplitude of title shall we point out its divinity? This union hath a name above every name that can be named. It is ineffable, inconceivable, and incomprehensible. If, chiefly in respect to this, I shall say, that Christ is styled "the brightness of the Father's glory," "the express image of his person," and "the image of the invisible God," I shall have expressed its excellency as fully as it is possible to do.

What can be a more illustrious instance of the admixture of justice with mercy than that even the Son of God, when he had "made himself of no reputation and assumed the form of a servant," could not be constituted a King except through a discharge of the sacerdotal functions; and that all those blessings which he had to bestow as a King on his subjects,

could not be asked except through the priesthood, and which, when obtained from God, could not (except through the intervention of this Royal Mediator,) be communicated by his vicarious distribution under God? What can be a stronger and a better proof of the certainty of obtaining salvation through Christ, than that he has, by the discharge of his sacerdotal functions in behalf of men, asked and procured it for men, and that, being constituted a King through the priesthood, he has received salvation from the Father to be dispensed to them? In these particulars consists the perfection of the Divine glory.

III. But this consideration, I perceive, introduces us, almost imperceptibly, to the THIRD and last portion of our subject, in which we have engaged to treat on THE FRUITS OF THE SACERDOTAL OFFICE in its administration by Christ. We will reduce all these fruits, though they are innumerable, to four chief particulars; and, since we hasten to the end of this discourse, we bind ourselves down to extreme brevity. These benefits are, (1) The concluding and the confirmation of a New Covenant;-(2) The asking, obtaining, and application of all the blessings necessary for the salvation of the human race; (3) The institution of a new priesthood, both eucharistic and rayal; and (4) lastly, The extreme and final bringing to God of all his covenant people.

1. The FIRST UTILITY is the contracting and the confirmation of a New Covenant, in which the compendious advantage is directed to solid felicity.

We rejoice and glory, that this has been obtained by the priesthood of Christ. For since the first covenant had been made weak through sin and the flesh, and was not capable of bringing righteousness and life, it was necessary either to enter into another, or that we should be for ever expelled from God's presence. Such a covenant could not be contracted between a just God and sinful men, except in consequence of a reconciliation, which, it pleased God the offended party, should be perfected by the blood of our High Priest to be poured out on the altar of the cross. He who was at once the officiating priest and the Lamb for sacrifice, poured out his sacred blood, and thus asked and obtained for us a reconciliation with God. When this great offering was completed, it was possible for the reconciled parties to enter into an agreement. Hence, it pleased God, that the same High Priest who had acted as Mediator and Umpire in this reconciliation, should, with the very blood

by which he had effected their union, go between the two parties, as a middle-man, or, in the capacity of an ambassador, and as a herald to bear tidings of war or peace ;-with the same blood as that by which the consciences of those who were included in the provisions of the covenant, being sprinkled, might be purged from dead works and sanctified;-with the very blood, which, sprinkled upon himself, might always appear in the sight of God;-and with the same blood as that by which all things in the heavens might be sprinkled and purified. Through the intervention, therefore, of this blood, another covenant was contracted, not one of works but of faith, not of the law but of grace, not an old but a new one,—and new, not because it was later than the first, but because it was never to be abrogated or repealed, and because its force and vigour should perpetually endure. "For that which decayeth and waxeth old, is ready to vanish away." (Heb. viii, 13.) If such a covenant as is described in this quotation should be again contracted, in the several ages which succeed each other, changes ought frequently to occur in it; and, all former covenants being rendered obsolete, others more recent ought to succeed. But it was necessary at length, that a pause should occur in one of them, and that such a covenant should at once be made as might endure for ever. It was also to be ratified with blood. But how was it possible to be confirmed with blood of greater value than that of the High Priest, who was the Son both of God and man? But the covenant of which we are now treating, was ratified with that blood; it was therefore a new one and never to be annulled. For the perpetual presence and sight of such a Great High Priest, sprinkled with his own blood, will not suffer the mind of his Father to be regardless of the covenant ratified by it, or his sacred breast to be moved with repentance. With what other blood will it be possible for the the consciences of those in covenant to be cleansed and sanctified to God, if, after having become parties to the covenant of grace, they pollute themselves with any crime? "There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, if any man have trodden underfoot this High Priest, and counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing." (Heb. x, 29.) The covenant therefore which has been concluded by the intervention of this blood and this High Priest, is a new one, and will endure for ever.

2. The SECOND FRUIT is the asking, obtaining, and application of all the blessings necessary to those who are in covenant

for the salvation both of soul and body. For since every covenant must be confirmed by certain promises, it was necessary that this also should have its blessings, by which it might be sanctioned and those in covenant rendered happy.

(1) Among those blessings, the remission of sins first offers itself, according to the tenour of the New Covenant, “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb. viii, 12.) But the scripture testifies, that Christ has asked this blessing by his blood, when it says, "This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matt. xxvi, 28.) The scripture also proves his having obtained such a blessing by the discharge of the same office, in these words: "By his own blood Christ entered in once into the holy place, HAVING OBTAINED eternal redemption for us." (Heb. ix, 12.) It adds its testimony to the application, saying, “In Christ WE HAVE REDEMPTION through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." (Ephes. i, 7.)

(2) This necessary blessing is succeeded by adoption into sons and by a right to the heavenly inheritance: And we owe it to the Priesthood of Christ, that this blessing was asked and obtained for us, as well as communicated to us, by the Priesthood of our Saviour Jesus Christ. For he being the proper and only begotten Son of the Father, and the sole heir of all his Father's blessings, was unwilling to enjoy such transcendent benefits alone, and desired to have co-heirs and partners, whom he might anoint with the oil of his gladness, and might receive into a participation of that inheritance. He made an offering, therefore, of his soul for sin, that, the travail of his soul being finished, he might see his seed prolonged in their days, the seed of God which might come into a participation with him both of name and inheritance. "He was made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive THE ADOPTION OF SONS." (Gal. iv, 5.) According to the command of the Father, he asked, that the Heathen might be given to him for an inheritance. By these acts, therefore, which are peculiar to his priesthood, he asked for this right of adoption in behalf of his believing people, and obtained it for the purpose of its being communicated to them, nay, in fact, he himself became the donor. "For to as many as believed on his name Christ gave power to become the Sons of God." (John i, 12.) Through him and in regard to him, God has adopted us for sons, who are beloved in him the Son