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"wherefore holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." As he pursues the subject he presents him in his priestly glory and mercy, as a great high priest that is passed into the heavens," to execute his office there agreeably to his personal dignity and royalty, his oneness with, and relation to his people. To make this great and interesting subject the more plain and familiar, the writer instances in the person, office, and qualifications of the high priests under the law, as symbolical of Christ: "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 sins. 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." Beloved, so complete is the revelation given us of Christ by the Holy Spirit in the written word, that did we but freely and spiritually apprehend and receive it, all our discouragements arising from guilt and sin would be en

tirely removed from our hearts. Did ministers preach Christ just exactly as he shines forth in the volume of inspiration, you would find ye wanted nothing but faith to receive the same, and your hearts would dance for joy. I cannot, I dare not say I preach Christ thus; but could I get through the Spirit's influence into the right art of preaching Christ, it would then be found, that one grand design of it is to remove all stumbling blocks out of the way, and that the one constant voice of Christ in it to saints and sinners is, "Look unto me, and be ye saved. Behold me, behold me!" As the gospel expresses the mystery of God's love, so the subject of it is truly sublime and spiritual. Yet the whole gospel contains for the substance of it, but this one plain and simple truth that, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." Which truth we are prone to overlook, on account of its spirituality and simplicity. Oh! that God the Spirit may be pleased most graciously to influence

and direct me, whilst I attempt to proceed with my subject and explain the text, which I propose to do in the following order.

First, by considering in a brief manner, the qualifications of an high priest under the ceremonial law, as specified in the words before us, he must be one "who could have compassion on the ignorant, and on such as are out of the way."

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Secondly, by accommodating the passage to Christ; and shew how he was fitted and qualified to exercise himself, in his office, as the true high priest of his church and people.

Thirdly, I will observe what a blessed account is here given us of the heart of Christ in heaven towards his people on earth, of his bowels of mercy exercised towards them under all and every circumstance of sin and misery, which can possibly befal them in this vale of tears.

I am first to consider in a brief manner, the qualifications of an high priest under the ceremonial law, as specified in the words before us: he must be one "who could have compassion on

the ignorant and on such as are out of the way."

This chapter before us thus begins: "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." The very office itself supposes sin, and was appointed on the account of it. Immediately upon the fall, man's sin, and God's method of salvation from it, were set forth in the institution of a sacrifice, which required one to act in the capacity of a priest to offer it. Hereby a stand*ing memorial was kept up under the patriarchal dispensation of man's guilt, pollution, and demerit; and of Christ the immaculate Lamb, who was to take sin away by the sacrifice of himself." Under the Mosaic economy, a constant solemn remembrance of Christ's propitiatory oblation was kept up, and continued every morning and evening; by which the true Israel of God saw in a figure, and beheld by faith, the sufferings, bloodshed, and death of Jesus, with the perfection, virtue and efficacy of the oblation of our ever

blessed Immanuel. At the appointment and by the command of Jehovah, Aarón was elected and consecrated to exercise the office of high priest, which required him to attend in a very particular manner on the yearly day of expiation, to lay his hands on the head of the scape goat, to confess over him all the sins, iniquities, and transgressions of the people of Israel; and then to send the animal thus loaded with iniquities, transgressions and sins, transferred from the people to it, into a land not inhabited. After which, the high priest having the sacrifices, was to appear before the Lord with blood and incense, and fume it between the cherubims of glory, and sprinkle the blood before the mercy seat; and on his coming out of the holy of holies, he was to lift up his hands and pronounce the benediction. All which service was in behalf of the people, considered as in themselves sinful, unclean, and unworthy.. That this solemn service might be performed in a feeling manner by the high priest, he was chosen from among men, a man in himself, and of himself, guilty,