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there to receive, and from thence to reveal to his Church on earth, something that could not be made manifest but from this holy oracle. There, therefore, he is with the two tables of testimony in his heart, as perfectly kept; he also is there with the whole fulfilling of the ceremonial law in his side, showing and pleading the perfection of his righteousness and the merit of his blood with his Father; and to receive and to do us good, who believe in him, how well pleased the Father is with what he has done in our behalf.

6. "Into the most holy place." By these words is showed whither also the ark went when it went to take up its rest. And in that this ark was a type of Christ in this, it is to show or further manifest that what Christ doth now in heaven, he doth it before his Father's face. Yea, it intimates that Christ even there makes his appeals to God concerning the worth of what he did on earth-to God the Judge of all: I say, whether he ought not, for his suffering's sake, to have granted to him his whole desire as Priest and Advocate for his people.

"Wilt thou," said Festus to Paul, "go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?" Why, this our blessed Jesus was willing, when here, to go up to Jerusalem to be judged; and being misjudged there, he made his appeal to God; and is now gone thither, even into the holy place, even to him that is judge of all, for his verdict upon his doing, and whether the souls for whom he became undertaker, to bring them to glory, have not by him a right to the kingdom of Leaven.

7. "Under the wings of the cherubims." This doth further confirm our words; for, having appealed from earth to heaven, as the ark was set under the wings of the cherubims, so he, in his interceding with God and pleading his merits for us, doth it in the presence and hearing of all the angels in heaven.

And thus much of the ark of the covenant and of its antitype. We come next to speak of the mercy-seat.

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1. The length and breadth of the mercy-seat is the same with that of the ark, perhaps to show us that the length and breadth of the mercy of God to his elect is the same with the length and breadth of the merits of Christ. Ex. xxv. 10, 17.

Therefore, we are said to be justified in him, blessed in him, even according to the purpose which God purposed in him.

2. But in that the mercy-seat is without measure as to the height, it is to show that would God extend it, it is able to reach even them that fall from heaven, and to save all that ever lived on earth, even all that are now in hell. For there is not only bread enough for them that shall be saved, but bread enough and to spare. Luke xv. 17.

"And thou shalt," says God, "put the mercyseat above upon the ark." Thus he said to Moses, and this was the place which David assigned for it.

Now, its being by God's ordinance placed thus, doth teach us many things:

1. That mercy's foundation to us is Christ. The mercy-seat was set upon the ark of the testimony, and there it rested to us-ward. Justice would not, could not, have suffered us to have had any benefit by mercy had it not found an ark, a Christ, to rest upon. "Deliver them," saith God, “from going down into the pit: I have found a ransom."

2. In that it was placed above it doth show also that Christ was of mercies ordaining a fruit of mercy. Mercy is above, is the ordainer; God is love, and sent of love his Son to be the Saviour and propitiation for our sins. John iii. 16; 1 John iv. 10.

3. In that the mercy-seat and ark were thus joined together, it also shows that without Christ mercy doth not act. Hence, when the priest came of old to God for mercy, he did use to come into the holy place with blood; yea, and did use to sprinkle it upon the mercyseat, and before it, seven times. Take away the ark, and the mercy-seat will fall, or come

LXIII. Of the Mercy-Seal, and how it was placed greatly down at least; so take away Christ,

in the Holy Temple.

The mercy-seat was made in the wilderness, but brought up by Solomon after the temple was built, with the rest of the holy things. 2 Chron. v. 2-10.

The mercy-seat, as I have showed of the ark, was but low: "Two cubits and a half was the length, and a cubit and a half the breadth

and the floodgate of mercy is let down and the current of mercy stopt. This is true; for so soon as Christ shall leave off to mediate will come the eternal judgment.

4. Again, in that the mercy-seat was set above upon the ark, it teacheth us to know that mercy can look down from heaven, though the law stand by and looks on; but then it must

be in Christ, as kept there and fulfilled by him for us. The law out of Christ is terrible as a lion; the law in him is meek as a lamb. The reason is for that it finds in him enough to answer for all their faults that come to God for mercy by him. "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness;" and if that be true, the law for that can look no further, whoever comes to God by him. The law did use to sentence terribly, until it was put into the ark to be kept; but after it was said, "It is there to be kept," we read not of it as afore.

5. Let them then that come to God for mercy be sure to come to him by the ark, Christ. For grace, as it descends to us from above the mercy-seat, so that mercy-seat doth rest upon the ark. Wherefore, sinner, come thou for mercy that way, for there, if thou meetest with the law, it can do thee no harm; nor can mercy, shouldst thou elsewhere meet it, do thee good.

Come, therefore, and come boldly to the throne of grace, this mercy-seat, thus borne up by the ark, and “obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Wherefore, the thus placing of things in the holiest is admirable to behold in the word of God; for that indeed is the glass by and through which we must behold this glory of the Lord. Here we see the reason of things; here we see how a just God can have to do, and that in a way of mercy, with one that has sinned against him it is because the law has been kept by the Lord Jesus Christ; for, as you see, the mercy-seat stands upon the ark of the covenant, and there God acts in a way of grace towards us.

come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim." Nor was the spring, wherever was the first appearance of these holy waters, but in the sanctuary, which is the holiest of all, (Ezek. xlvii. 12,) where the mercy-seat stood, which in Revelations is called "The throne of God and of the Lamb." Ch. xxii. 1, 2.

This also is that which the prophet Zechariah means when he says, "Living waters shall go forth from Jerusalem, half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea," &c. They are said to go forth from Jerusalem, because they came down to the city from out of the sanctuary, which stood in Jerusalem.

This is that which, in another place, is called a river of water of life, because it comes forth from the throne, and because it was at the head of it, as I supposed, used in and about temple worship. It was with this, I think, that the molten sea and the ten lavers were filled, and in which the priests washed their hands and feet when they went into the temple to do service; and that also in which they washed the sacrifices before they offered them to God; yea, I presume all the washings and rinsings about their worship was with this

water.

This water is said, in Ezekiel and Revelations, to have the tree of life grow on the banks of it, (Ezek. xlvii.; Rev. xxii.,) and was a type of the Word and Spirit of God, by which both Christ himself sanctified himself in order to his worship as high priest; and also this water is that which heals all those that shall be saved, and by which, they being sanctified thereby also, do all their works of worship and service

LXIV. Of the Living Waters of the Inner acceptably, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Temple.

Although, in the holy relation of the building of the temple, no mention is made of these waters, but only of the mount on which, and of the materials with which, the king did build it, yet it seems to me that in that mount, and there too where the temple was built, there was a spring of living water. This seems more than probable by Ezek. xlvii. 1, where he saith, "He brought me to the door of the house, and behold waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward; for the fore-front of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar."

So again Joel iii. 18: “And a fountain shall

This water, therefore, is said to go forth into the sea, the world, and to heal its fish, the sinners, therein; yea, this is that water of which Christ Jesus our Lord saith, "Whosoever shall drink thereof shall live for ever."

LXV. Of the Chains which were in the Oracle or Inner Temple.

As there were chains on the pillars that stood before the porch of the temple and in the first house, so like unto them there were chains in the holiest, here called the oracle.

These chains were not chains in show, or as carved on wood, &c., but chains indeed, and that of gold; and they were prepared to make a partition "before the oracle within.” 1 Kings vi. 21; 2 Chron. iii. 16.

then shall be, like him as to his manhood, yea, and shall be like him also as being glorified with his glory, yet he shall transcend, and go beyond us, as to degree and splendour, as far as ever the highest king on earth did shine above the meanest subject that dwelt in his kingdom.

I told you before that the holiest was called | head, and us; for though now we are, and also the oracle; not because, in a strict sense, the whole of it was so, but because such answer of God was there as was not in the outward temple; but I think that the ark and mercy-seat was, indeed, more especially that called the oracle; "for there will I meet with thee," saith God, "and from above that will I commune with thee." When David said, "I lift my hands towards thy holy oracle," he meant not so much towards the holiest house as towards the mercy-seat that was therein. Or, as he aith in the margin, "Toward the oracle of thy sanctuary."

1. When, therefore, he saith "before the oracle," he means these chains were put in the most holy place, before the ark and mercy-seat, to give Aaron and his sons to understand that an additional glory was there; for the ark and mercy-seat were preferred before that holy house itself, even as Christ and the grace of God is preferred before the highest heavens. "The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory is above the heavens."

So, then, the partition that was made in this house by these chains, these golden chains, was not so much to divide the holy from the place most holy, as to show that there is in the holiest house that which is yet more worthy than it.

The holiest was a type of heaven, but the ark and mercy-seat were a type of Christ, and of the mercy of God to us by him; and I trow any man will conclude, if he knows what he says, that the God and Christ of heaven are more excellent than the house they dwell in. Hence David said again, “Whom have I in heaven but thee?" For thou art more excel- | lent than they.

For though that which is called heaven would serve some, yet, though God himself was out of it, yet none but the God of heaven will satisfy a truly gracious man: it is God that the soul of this man thirsteth for; it is God that is his exceeding joy.

These chains, then, as they made the partition in the most holy place, may teach us that when we shall be glorified in heaven we shall yet, even then and there, know that there will continue an infinite disproportion between God and us. The golden chains that are there will then distinguish the Creator from the creature.

For we, even we which shall be saved, shall yet retain our own nature, and shall still continue finite beings; yea, and shall there also see a disproportion between our Lord, our

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Chains have of old been made use of as notes of distinction, to show us who are bondmen and who free; yea, they shall at the day of judgment be a note of distinction of bad and good, even as here they will distinguish the heavens from God, and the creature from the Creator. 2 Pet. ii. 4; Jude 6.

True, those are chains of sin and wrath, but these chains of gold; yet these chains, even these chains also, will keep creatures in their place, that the Creator may have his glory, and receive those acknowledgments there from them which is due unto his majesty. Rev. iv.; v. 11-15.

LXVI. Of the High Priest, and of his Office in the Inner Temple.

When things were thus ordained in the house most holy, then went the high priest in thither, according as he was appointed to do his office, which was to burn incense in his golden censer, and to sprinkle with his finger the blood of his sacrifice for the people upon and above the mercy-seat. Ex. xxx. 7, 10.

Now for this special work of his he had peculiar preparations:

1. He was to be washed in water.

2. Then he was to put on his holy garments. 3. After that he was to be anointed with holy oil.

4. Then an offering was to be offered for him, for the further fitting of him for his office.

5. The blood of this sacrifice must be put, some of it upon his right ear, some on the thumb of his right hand, and some on the great toe of his right foot.

This done, some more of the blood, with the anointing oil, must be sprinkled upon him and upon his garment, for after this manner must he be consecrated to his work as high priest. Ex. xxix.

His being washed in water was to show the purity of Christ's humanity.

His curious robes were a type of all the perfections of Christ's righteousness.

The holy oil that was poured on his head was to show how Christ was anointed with the Holy Ghost unto his work as priest.

The sacrifice of his consecration was a type of that offering Christ offered in the garden, when he mixed his sweat with his own blood, and tears, and cries-when "he prayed to Him that was able to save him, and was heard in that he feared;" for with his blood, as was Aaron with the blood of the bullock that was slain for him, was this blessed one besmeared from head to foot, when his sweat, as great drops or clodders of blood, fell down from head, and face, and whole body to the ground. Luke xxii. 44; Heb. x. 20.

When Aaron was thus prepared, then he offered his offering for the people and carried the blood within the veil. Lev. xvi. The which Christ Jesus also answered when he offered his own body without the gate, and then carried his blood into the heavens and sprinkled it before the mercy-seat. Heb. xiii. 11, 12.

For Aaron was a type of Christ; his offering a type of Christ's offering his body; the blood of the sacrifice, a type of the blood of Christ; his garments, a type of Christ's righteousness; the mercy-seat, a type of the throne of grace; the incense, a type of Christ's praise; and the sprinkling of the blood of the sacrifice upon the mercy-seat, a type of Christ's pleading the virtue of his sufferings for us in the presence of God in heaven.

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Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; and seeing we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession; for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin; who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

"This then is our high priest; and he was made so, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life: for Aaron and his sons were made priests 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.

"By so much was Jesus made the surety of

a better testament; and they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death, but this man, be cause he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

"For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people; for this he did once when he offered up himself. For the aw maketh men high priests which have infirmities; but the word of an oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

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Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest who is set down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary and of the new tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer sacrifices; wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be an high priest; seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law, who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed thee in the mount.

"But Christ being an high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of bulls and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemp tion for us. For if the blood of goats, bulls. and ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, whe through the eternal Spirit offered himsein without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

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have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacritice of himself. And as it is appointed to men once to die and after this the judgment, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. And to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

LXVII. Of the High Priest's going into the Holiest alone.

As it was the privilege of the high priest to go into the holiest alone, so there was something of mystery also, to which I shall speak a little: "There shall," saith God, "be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when Aaron goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he comes out and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel."

The reason is, for that Christ is mediator alone; he trod the wine-press alone; and of the people there was none with him to help Lim there. Isa. Ixiii.; 1 Tim. ii. 5.

Of the people there was none to help him to bear his cross, or in the management of the first part of his priestly office; why then should there be any share with him in his executing of the second part thereof? Besides, he that helps an intercessor must himself be innocent, or in favour upon some grounds not depending on the worth of the Intercessor. But as to the intercession of Christ, who can come in to help upon the account of such innocency or worth? Not the highest angel, for there is none such but one, wherefore he must do that alone. Hence it is said he went in alone, is there alone, and there intercedes alone. And this is manifest not only in the type Aaron, but in the antitype Christ Jesus.

I do not say there is no man in heaven but Jesus Christ, but I say he is there to make intercession for us alone. Yea, the holy text says

more.

"I go," saith Christ, " to prepare a place for you; and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also." This text seems to insinuate that Christ is in the holiest or highest heavens alone; and that he there alone must be until he has finished his work of intercession; for not till then he comes again to take us to himself.

Let us grant Christ the pre-eminence in this, as also in all other things, for he is intercessor for his Church, and makes it for them in the holiest alone. 'Tis said he is the light that no man can approach unto.

LXVIII. Of the High Priest going in thither

but Once a Year.

As the high priest went into the holiest, when he went in thither, alone, so to do that work he went in thither but once a year. "Thou shalt not come at all times," saith God to him, "into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat, which is upon the ark, that thou die not."

And as he was to go in thither but once a year, so not then, neither, unless clothed and adorned with his Aaronical holy robes. Then he was to be clothed, as I hinted before, with the holy robes, the frontlet of gold upon his forehead, the names of the twelve tribes upon his breast, and the jingling bells upon the skirts of his garment; nor would all this do unless he went in thither with blood. Ex. xxviii.; Lev. xvi.

Now, this once a year the apostle taketh special notice of and makes great use of it. "Once a year," saith he, "this high priest went in thither; once a year-that is, to show that Christ should once in the end of the world go into heaven itself to make intercession there for us. For by this word "year" he shows the term and time of the world is meant; and by "once" in that year he means once in the end of the world.

"Not," saith he, "that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entered into the holy place every year with the blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world. But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."

And having thus once offered his sacrifice without the veil, he is now gone into the holiest to perfect his work of mediation for us; not in the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.

Now, if our Lord Jesus is gone indeed now to appear in the presence of God for us, and if this now be the once a year that the type speaks of, the once in the end of the world, as our apostle says, then it follows that the people of God should all stand waiting for his bene

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