ever was in all the worship of Solomon's temple when it was in its glory. Thirdly, Heaven itself, the holy place not made with hands, is also the saints' temple under the gospel. Believers have in their worship an open way into the holiest, made for them by Christ, who entered into it as the forerunner, Heb. vi. 20. opening it to them, also giving admission into it; chap. x. 19-21. And how exceedingly doth this exalt the excellency of the spiritual worship of the gospel? What was the glory of Solomon's temple, to the glory of the meanest star in heaven? How much less was it then in comparison of the glorious presence of God in the highest heavens, whither believers enter with all their worship, even where Christ sits at the right hand of God?

2. The second spring of the beauty of the old worship, which was indeed the hinge upon which the whole turned, was the priesthood of Aaron, with all the administrations committed to his charge. The pomp, state, and ceremonies, that the Papists have invented in their outward worship, or that heap which they have in several parcels borrowed of the heathen and Jews, is a toy in comparison of the magnificence of the Aaronical administrations. The high priest under the gospel, is Christ alone. Now I shall spare the pains of comparing these together, partly because it will be by all confessed, that Christ is incomparably more excellent and glorious; and partly, because the apostle on set purpose handles this comparison in sundry instances in the Epistle to the Hebrews, where any one may run and read it, it being the main subject matter of that most excellent epistle.

3. The order, glory, number, significancy, of their sacrifices, was another part of their glory. And indeed, he that shall seriously consider that one solemn anniversary sacrifice of expiation and atonement, which is instituted, Lev. xvi. will quickly see, that there was very much glory and solemnity in the outward ceremony of it. But now, saith the apostle, we have a better sacrifice;' Heb. ix. 23. We have him who is the high priest, and altar, and sacrifice, all himself; of worth, value, glory, beauty, upon the account of his own person, the efficacy of his oblation, the real effect of it, more than a whole creation, if it might have been all offered up at one sacrifice. This is the standing sacrifice of

the saints, offered ' once for all,' as effectual now any day, as if offered every day; and other sacrifices, properly so called, they have none. I might mention other particulars; but I suppose, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have in some measure manifested the excellency, beauty, order and uniformity, of the spiritual worship of the gospel, and that both absolutely in itself, and in comparison with any other way of worship whatever. From all which it will be easily made to appear, that this may well be reckoned among the unspeakable privileges that are purchased for us by the death of Christ, which was the thing first proposed to consideration.

SERMON XX.

OF WALKING HUMBLY WITH GOD.

And to walk humbly with thy God.-MICAH vi. 8.

THE beginning of this chapter contains a most pathetical expostulation of God, by the prophet with his people, about their sins and unworthy walking before him. Having with an apostrophe to the mountains and hills, ver. 1, 2. stirred up their attention, and raised them to the consideration of his plea with them, in ver. 3-5. he emphatically presses them with the mercies he had of old bestowed upon them, with the patience and love toward them, which he shewed and exercised in his dealings with them.

The conviction being effectual to awaken them, and fill them with a sense of their horrible ingratitude and rebellions, ver. 6, 7. they begin to make inquiry, according as is the custom of persons under the power of conviction, what course they shall take to avoid the wrath of God, which they could not but acknowledge was due to them. And here, as God speaks, Hos. vii. 1. when he would heal them, their iniquity and wickedness is discovered more and more; they discover the wretched principles whereon they were acted in all that they had to do with God.

Indeed convictions, on what account soever, made effectual upon the soul, draw out its inward principles, which are not otherwise to be discovered. Many there are, who have in notion received the doctrine of free justification by the blood of Christ, whom, while they are secure in their ways, without trouble or distress, it is impossible to persuade, that they do not live and act upon that principle, and walk before God in the strength of it. Let any great conviction from the word, or by any imminent or pressing danger, befall these men, then their hearts are laid open; then all their hopes are in their repentance, amendment of life, performance of duties in a better manner; and the iniquity of their selfrighteousness is discovered.

Thus was it with these Jews; their sins being charged home upon them by the prophet, so that they are not able to stand under their weight and burden; he now discovers the bottom of all their principles in dealing with God, and that is this, that having provoked him, something they must do, whereby to appease him, and atone his anger..

In their contrivance to this purpose, they fix on two general heads. First, They propose things which God himself had appointed; ver. 5. 6. Secondly, Things of their own finding out, which they supposed might have a farther and better efficacy to the end aimed at, than any thing appointed of God himself; ver. 6.

First, They look to sacrifices and burnt-offerings for help; they consider, whether by them, and on their account, they may not come before the Lord, and bow themselves before the high God; that is, perform such a worship, for which they may be acquitted from the guilt of their sins.

Sacrifices were a part of the worship of God, appointed by himself, and acceptable to him, when offered in faith according to his mind; yet we find God frequently rejecting them in the Old Testament, whilst yet their institution was in force, and themselves good in their kind. Now this rejection of them was not absolute, but with respect to somewhat that vitiated the service in them. Among these, two were most eminent:

1. When they were rested in, as the matter and cause of their justification and acceptation with God, beyond their typical virtue.

2. When they were relied on to countenance men in the neglect of moral duties, or to continue in any way of sin.

Both these evils attended this appeal of the Jews unto their sacrifices: they did it first to please God, or appease God, that on their account they might be freed from the guilt of sin, and be accepted: and then to countenance themselves in their immoralities and wickedness, as is evident from the prophet's reply, ver. 7. calling them from their vain confidence in sacrifices, to justice, judgment, mercy, and humble walking with God. But,

Secondly, They find this will not do; conscience will not be satisfied, nor peace be obtained by any performance

of these ordinary duties, though they should engage in them in an extraordinary manner; no, though they could bring thousands of rams, and ten thousand rivers of oil. Though men attempt never so vigorously, in never so extraordinary a manner, to quiet their souls, terrified with the guilt of sin, by any duties whatever, it will not do, the work will not be accomplished, therefore they will make farther attempts: if nothing that God hath appointed will reach the end they aim at, because they were never appointed by him for that end, they will invent or use some way of their own, that may appear to be of more efficacy than the other: Shall I give my first-born for my transgression?'

The rise and occasion of such sacrifices as here are mentioned, the sacrificing of men, of men's sacrificing their own children; the use of such sacrifices, throughout the world, among all nations; the craft and cruelty of Satan in imposing them on poor, sinful, guilty creatures, with the advantages which he had so to do, I have elsewhere declared. For the present I shall only observe two things in the state and condition of convinced persons, when pressed with their sins, and a sense of the guilt of them, who are ignorant of the righteousness of God in Christ.

1. They have a better opinion of their own ways and endeavours, for the pleasing of God, and quieting their consciences, than of any thing of God's institution, or the way by him appointed for that end. This is the height that they rise to, when they have fixed on what is most glorious in their own eyes. Tell a Papist, who is convinced of sin, of the blood of Christ, it is folly to him. Penances, satisfaction, purgatory, intercession of the church in the mass, have much more desirableness in them: these Eliabs must wear the crown. The case is the same with innumerable poor souls at present, who hope to find more relief in their own duties and amendment of life, than in the blood of Christ, as to the appeasing of God, and obtaining of peace.

2. There is nothing so horrid, desperate, irksome, or wicked, that convinced persons will not engage to do under their pressure on the account of the guilt of sin; they will burn their children in the fire, whilst the cries of their conscience outcry the lamentation of their miserable infants.