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Upon this, as well as upon many other most precious and important truths concerning the priesthood of Christ, the apostle dwells, very fully, in his epistle to the Hebrews: shewing, in many respects, the pre-eminence of Christ as the great High Priest over the house of God: and especially in this one point of exaltation above all the high-priests under the law, his continuance in office as the greatest and the last, whom no one shall succeed, but abiding a priest for ever. ·

he was harmless in his disposition | repent, that Christ is a priest for and conduct toward men; and not ever after the order of Melchisedec. merely harmless, but full of goodness and mercy; he was undefiled, he did not contract any defilement of any kind from any source; he was separate from sinners; though he dwelt among sinners and conversed with them, yet he had no communion with them in sin; he was not in the least degree conformed to them in sin. Such was Christ, and such an High Priest became us: it was necessary that he should possess these qualifications for the priestly office. He who was to make atonement for the sins of others, was, himself, The Lord Jesus being so eminentto be without sin, or there could ly qualified for interceding with be no value in his sacrifice. If God for sinners, the prevalency Christ had not been altogether of his intercession is most cerwithout sin, he could not, in his intercession, have had any acceptable sacrifice to plead before God; neither his offering up of himself, nor his appearing before God as an intercessor, would have been of any avail. But it is our happiness, that in the holy, the spotless Jesus, we have such an High Priest as it became us to have, in order to our salvation through his acceptable sacrifice and prevailing in

tercession.

tain; he cannot intercede in vain. Being appointed by God himself to the office of High-priest; having a sacrifice of infinite value to plead; asking nothing of God but what he can in justice as well as in mercy grant, but what is the good pleasure of his will, and to the glory of his name, to bestow; abounding in love, in tenderness, and compassion, toward all for whom he pleads; and being himself perfectly free from all sin; surely his intercession must prove effectual for all the great and blessed ends for which it was appointed; must be honoured by God with the most abundant success.

As

As every believer in Christ needs his intercession till he is brought to glory, and as the church of God will need it in every period 'till the end of time, it is a truth of unspeakable value, that Christ As an interest in the mediation ever lives to make intercession for of Christ is essential to salvation, his people; that he appears in the it is a matter of importance, presence of God for them 'till brethren, to consider who they are they are all in the actual posses- for whom Christ intercedes. sion of their eternal inheritance; all men are not saved, Christ does that his priesthood is unchange-not intercede for all; for, if he did, ble; that the nature and efficacy his intercession, in some cases, of his intercession change not; would prove without effect; which that his eminent qualifications as is what we do not believe of the an advocate with the Father are intercession of the Son of God. not diminished nor altered by time, When on earth he was praying for but will continue in all their glory his disciples, he said to his Father, 'till all the purchase of his blood I pray not for the world: and appear in the realms of bliss; for now, when he appears in the prethe Lord hath sworn, and will not 'sence of God for men, there is a

part of the human race for whom tion, spiritual and eternal, is the he does not intercede with the benefit of Christ's intercession, or, Father. His intercession extends the intercession of Christ is one to all who are included in his part of that mediation of Christ, Father's gift; for when on earth he by which sinners are saved. said to his Father, I pray for them Christ's intercession as the great that thou hast given me. The High-Priest who appears in the Father's gift to Christ are, doubt-presence of God, for his people, less, the elect, the predestinated with his own blood, obtains for unto life, the chosen in Christ them the gift of the Spirit of God," from before the foundation of the with all his gracious and powerful world; all whom Christ redeemed influences; with all the blessings with his precious blood, for whom connected with what he works in he obeyed, suffered and died as their hearts. If, as the fruit of their mediator, surety, and substi- Christ's intercession, the Spirit tute. As Christ laid down his life causes them to believe in the name for the sheep, so he intercedes for of the Son of God: through the the sheep as he loved the Church same intercession is obtained for and gave himself for it, so he ever them, that forgiveness of sins which lives to make intercession for the God has promised to them that Church. The church of Christ is believe; for the Saviour pleads his the house of God, and Christ is blood for that end; that it may be said to be the High-Priest over given them, not only to believe on that house; consequently the sav- his name, but that, believing, they ing benefits of his priesthood are may be justified freely, by God's confined to his church, to that grace, through the redemption that house which is composed only of is in Christ Jesus. When, through the ordained unto eternal life. the intercession of Christ, the From the word of God we learn Spirit of God produces faith in that Christ makes intercession for the hearts of God's chosen, through all who come unto God by him, the same intercession, they receive who approach the eternal God, as that adoption of sons, which is the Father of mercies, by faith in connected with faith in the name Christ Jesus, as the way by whom of Christ: for, says the apostle, we have access, by one Spirit, to ye are all the children of God by the Father. These, then, are cerfaith in Christ Jesus. In a word, tainly blessed with an interest in all the supplies of divine grace Christ's intercession: and all who they receive; all the succours of thus come unto God, who are of divine grace by which they are the true circumcision, who worship saved from the powers of sin, of God in the Spirit, who rejoice in the world, and of Hell; all the Christ Jesus, and have no confi- wonders of divine grace that are dence in the flesh; may take all wrought on their behalf; the grace the comfort of this truth, that that saves them in this life, that Christ ever lives to make interces- saves them from the sting of death, sion for them. that delivers them from death and the grave, from death eternal, and appears in the vast benefits that raises them at last to eternal that are obtained by it, for the life, is all obtained for them by church of God. If the interced- their advocate with the Father, ing grace of the Lord Jesus is es- who is able to save them to the sential to the salvation of the uttermost, seeing he ever lives to church, if it is a part of the divine make intercession for them. We plan for the full and eternal salva-know not, brethren, of any blessing tion of all his chosen, then salva- we pray for, according to the will

The value of Christ's intercession

of God, but what he bestows on us through the intercession of our great High-Priest. Heb. iv. 14-16. It is through him that we enjoy the great benefit of access to God, and praying for the blessings of his mercy and grace: and if we are warranted, in the name of Christ, to pray for all the blessings of God's great salvation, then do all those blessings flow to us through the intercession of Christ. We are informed by an inspired writer that it is because Christ ever lives to make intercession for all who come unto God by him, that he is able to save them to the

uttermost.

ings; and the benefits of it shall prove of eternal duration.

Believing the doctrine of Christ's intercession, as it is set before us in the word of truth, we must be influenced to come unto God by him, to approach the throne of his grace with boldness, and there to pour out our hearts before him; adoring his great name, confessing our sins, giving him thanks for his manifold mercies, and imploring all the blessings of his grace for ourselves and for the whole Church of God. Having such an High Priest, who is ever making intercession for us, should we not highly value, and diligently use, the privilege which it obtains for us, of access to God at all times? Would not the neglect of prayer, secret or social, be making light of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the way is ever open for us to the Father of mercies; who is ever before God to present all our sacrifices that are offered to the Father in his name? There are many consider.

We would not conclnde this address, brethren, without calling your attention to those effects that should be produced in us by the faith of Christ's intercession: for what God has been pleased to reveal in his word upon this, as well as upon many other subjects closely connected with it, he has revealed for the purpose of producing great effects in all them that believe that thereby their spiri-ations that should excite believers tual good might be promoted, that to constant and fervent prayer; they might richly experience the and surely the intercession of abundant grace of God in Christ Christ should be viewed by them Jesus, that they might enjoy their as among the most powerful inmanifold privileges, that they might ducements to pray without ceasrender to God what is due to himing: as among the most animating for all the benefits of his great encouragements to draw near to salvation. It is God who works God continually.-This grace of in his people, by his Spirit, both our Lord Jesus Christ should have to will and to do of his good plea- the most happy influence upon us, sure; but the divine Spirit in per- in our solemn and delightful seaforming this work of grace, makes sons of public worship, as well as use of the doctrines and promises in our secret approaches to God. of that word of truth which is The way is open for us to the spirit and life. throne of divine grace; God is ready, for his dear Son's sake, to do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think; that blood is before the throne that speaks better things than the blood of Abel; God delights to

The intercession of Christ is a blessing of such vast magnitude, that if we believe in it, we must experience much love and gratitude to the God of all grace, and to his dear Son, for the inestimable blessing. It is, in truth, a doc-honour the High-Priest of his own trine of divine grace: it is the fruit of the Father's great love; it is fraught with the richest bless

appointment, the sacrifice that was offered by his own command, the intercession that is made as the

fruit of his own love. May we not then, without presumption, banish from our souls every fear on the ground of past guilt, or the imperfection of present services; assured that our iniquities are not remembered against us, and that our spiritual sacrifices will be acceptable unto God by Christ Jesus? May we not with joyful and thankful hearts, worship the Father of mercies, having confidence in him as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to us, in him, the God of all grace? As the intercession of Christ insures the acceptance of all who come unto God by him, and a gracious answer to all they ask in his name; the belief of his intercession should produce in us, strong confidence in God as the hearer of prayer. It is our privilege to be assured, that whatsoever we ask of the Father according to his will, in the name of Christ, he will do it for us. We give glory to Christ, as our intercessor, when we seek all things, and hope for all things, from the Father of mercies, through the intercession of his beloved Son.

To conclude, may you, dear brethren, abide in the truth as it is in Jesus; contending for the faith once delivered to the Saints: may you grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ: may brotherly love greatly abound among you; and may all the fruits of the Spirit be borne by you may you, as risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God; and when Christ, who is your life, shall appear, may you also appear with him in glory.

THE DUTY OF BEING ZEALOUS

praise-worthy in Christians than a public spirited conduct, or a gene

rous

concern for one another's good, whether as individuals or societies. Indeed there can be no real Christianity without it; and this is the particular duty enforced by the apostle in the words of the text. To enter into the import and meaning of the passage we must consider three particulars, viz. A dissuasive or admonition, "Look not every man on his own things"-an exhortation, to look every man also on the things of others'-and the example by which the duty is enforced Let that mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, &c."

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1. The original words (un xowits) translated Look not, signify, not to aim at, or set up, our own concerns as our mark or end, so as that our whole efforts should be bent to the advancement of our own individual selfish concerns-not absolutely in every respect, but chiefly and in preference to the things of others; for the word "also," in the next clause, implies that our own things are not altogether to be disregarded. There is a primary care which every man owes to himself that cannot be neglected with impunity; but the generality of professors are so little in danger from this source that it would be almost superfluous here to enlarge upon it.

By our own things," we must understand such things as are in themselves lawful; such as honour, ease, safety, or worldly possessions

the things that relate to our private interest and gratification rather than the public good, and in which we have no other aim than merely our own profit, or to please ourselves, without any regard to the advantage of others. So it is said. ver. 21, "All seek their own things," which are opposed to "the things that are Jesus Christ's," ora public concern for the interests NOTHING is more becoming or of his kingdom, which the apostle

IN THE CAUSE OF CHRIST.

"Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Phil. ii. 4, 5.

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denominates caring for their state," ver. 20. We have a similar exhortation, 1 Cor. x. 24, "Let

no man seek his own, but each one that of another." His own here, evidently denotes his own gratification, will, or pleasure; which is the same with "pleasing ourselves instead of our neigh bour for his good to edification. Rom. xv. 1, 2. In opposition to this, it is said of charity that "she seeketh not her own," 1 Cor. xiii. 5, that is, her own private plea sure, honour, safety, or advantage to the neglect of others; on the contrary, she denies herself for their benefit; love being the reverse of a contracted selfish mind. Christians, therefore, must not be so narrow minded as to be absorbed in their own personal concerns; on the contrary,

with you all," ver. 17. Even his own life he counted not dear unto him, that he might look to the things of others, and promote their best interests, Acts xx. 24. Rom. ix. 3. And the same spirit is inculcated upon all the disciples of Christ, 1 John iii. 16. True, they are not called to sacrifice their spiritual interest for the sake of others; but every thing that relates to their present life, and even life itself when it becomes necessary to promote their true happiness, ought not to be with-held. Which leads us to consider,

3. The great example by which the apostle enforces this duty. "Let that mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus-who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no re2. They are exhorted to "Look putation, and took upon him the every man on the things of others" form of a servant, and was made -not as officious intermeddling in the likeness of men; and being busy bodies in their affairs, 1 Pet. found in fashion as a man, he iv, 15. but from a generous and humbled himself, and became affectionate concern for their wel- obedient to death, even the death fare-to consider their peculiar of the cross." This is the pattern circumstances, and endeavour to which the apostle sets before the utmost of their power to pro- Christians for their imitation. As mote their interest whether tem- if he should say, 'Be ye likeporal or spiritual. In this way minded with Christ Jesus, and they are required "to care for follow his example in not looking their state"- "to seek the things to your own things, but every man that are Christ's"-" each to pur- also on the things of others.' To sue the interest of another"-and illustrate this divine example he to " please our neighbour for his presents to their view Jesus Christ good to edification." What a in his threefold state. First, that noble example of this disinterested of his original glory and dignityconduct have we in the case of" He was in the form of God, and Paul himself. When he embraced the gospel, he looked not on his own things, but made a voluntary sacrifice of his religious character, as well as his worldly honour, ease, safety, and advantages, subjecting himself to dishonour, to labours, dangers, poverty, and distress for the elect's sake, on whose account he was willing to spend and be spent ; yea, says he, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice

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accounted it not robbery to claim
equality with God." Here we see
what were "his own things"-that
divine form of majesty, honour
and glory which he possessed be-
fore his incarnation-that equality
with God which belonged to him
without robbery. But what is all
that we can part with when com-
pared to these? Again, he points
them to his state of humiliation
and voluntary abasement.
emptied himself" of his divine

"He

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