Again, Let us confider feriously Serm. 9. with our felves, what a mean and fcandalous thing it is to be faid of us, that our deprav'd and irregular affections fhould get the better of our reafon and our faith: and let us forthwith fet our felves with all our might, to cultivate, improve and firenghthen thefe, that fo they may, as they ought to do, correct, fubdue, and entirely keep under, thofe.

Once more, let us be no longer wavering and doubtful in our Minds, dividing our felves betwixt Earth and Heaven: but let Heaven, which defervs, have us all: that is, principally and before every other thing. Here is our true Treasure: here therefore let our hearts be. Then will the bufinefs of Religion go on cheerfully, the Salvation of our Souls fecurely.

Laftly, Let us often call to mind, what a vile and wretchedly wicked World we live in, and how ill therefore it will become us to be conformed to it, and befides how folemnly we have all promis'd the contrary. Let us dare to be fingular, in order

to

Serm.

to be happy. Let us dare to keep on, in our way towards Heaven, tho' we cannot meet with fo much as one, to bear us company in it. Nay, tho' Men fhould revile us, and perfecute us, and fay all manner of evil against us, upon this account, yet still let us take heart and manfully go on, always remembring who it is that has faid to fuch, Great is your reward in Matt. 5.11. Heaven. And, yet a little while, and Heb.10. be that fhall come will come, and his 27. reward is with him.

Revel, 22.

Serm.io.

c. 3.12.

SERMON X,

Preach'd before the QUEEN, in
Paffion week, 1702. at St. James's.

Chrift, once offer'd, the Chriftians
All-fufficient facrifice.

Hebrews 9. 26. the latter part of the verse.

But now once, in the end of the world, hath he appear'd to put away fin, by the facrifice of himSelf.

TH

HIS Epiftle being written to the Jewish Converts to Chriftianity, who, as appears from the

c.6. v.4, frequent cautions given in it against relapfing and Apoftafy, and the mani

$. 6.

fold

c. 3.13.

35.

fold Exhortations to conftancy and perfeverance, were in fome danger of Serm.10. revolting from their Chriftian Pro- C. 10.25, feffion, to the Law of Mofes: the 26, 27, 28, Author of it fpends the greatest part 29.38. of it, in reprefenting to them the c.4.14. excellency and advantages of the Chri- c. 10. 23, ftian Difpenfation, above the Mofaical; as the propereft Argument which he could poffibly use, to keep them from hankering any more after the Law, and to make them firm and immoveable, in their adherence to the Gofpel. With this Topic he begins his Epiftle, and clofely perfueth it, throughout his ten firft Chapters : proving by uncontroulable Authorities, taken from the Law, the Pfalms, and the Prophets, of the Jews themselves, the perfection of the Gospel above that of the Law ; and this, not in one or two, but, in every refpect. For as Jefus Chrift, the Mediator of the new Covenant in the Gospel, was, both in his own nature, and likewife upon account of thofe offices and honours, with which God invested him, a much more excellent perfon than Mofes, or even than the Angels, by whom the Law

was

G. 1. 2,3.

was spoken; fo the Covenant of the Serm.10. Gospel it felf was a much better Co

C. 7. 19.

c. 7. 11.

14, 16, 20,

C. 9.24..

venant, than that of the Law, tend8.6. ing more to perfection, founded upon better promifes, and bringing in a better hope: its Priesthood of a more 21, 24, 28. noble order, Royal, Immortal, Unchangeable, eftablish'd upon the Oath of God, which the Levitical, that is the Jewish Priesthood was not, and the Privileges belonging to it fuch, as theirs never enjoy'd or could hope for, which was for the High Priest to enter, once for all, into the true Holy 7.25. of Holies, the Highest Heavens, there to fit down for ever at the right hand of God, and to fave to the uttermoft all them, that come to God by him: its High Priest fo qualify'd, as the Jews could never boaft of any one .7.26, amongst theirs, holy, harmless, undefil'd, feparate from Sinners, and therefore not needing, as theirs did, firft to make atonement for his own fins, before he could be fit to make atonement for thofe of the people: its Tabernacle a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, even the Heavenly Sanctuary it felf, of which the Jewish Tabernacle was but a very faint and imperfect

27.28.

C. 9.11.