to God with a true heart, we may also approach him with full assurance of faith"."]
Let us see here,
1. How highly we are privileged under the Chris- tian dispensation —
[The Jews were privileged, and highly too, in comparison of all the nations of the earth, in that they had ordinances of divine appointment, in the due observance of which they might find favour with God. But how infinitely are we distinguished above the Jews themselves! We have not to seek the inter- vention of a man, a sinful man, yea, and a dying man, who must soon leave his office to another, and be followed by an endless succession of sinners like himself. We have an High-Priest, who is " Emmanuel, God with us;" " who needed not to offer first for his own sins, and then for the people's;" and " who, having an unchangeable priesthood, continueth for ever," and "is consecrated for evermore0." Moreover, we are not like the Jews, to whom all access to God in their own persons was prohibited; and who, if they had presumed to invade the priestly office, would have been made monuments of God's vengeance on the very spot. No: we may draw nigh to God, every one of us for himself: even to God's throne may we go, and offer him our sacrifices with a certainty of acceptance. The way prepared for us is " a new and living way:" and whilst going to him in that way, " we may ask what we will, and it shall be done unto us;" yea, even " before we ask, he will answer; and whilst we are yet speaking, he will hear p." Reflect on these privileges, Brethren, and be thankful for them ; and improve them diligently in the way prescribed ]
2. What a holy people we should be unto the Lord —
[What the priests were in their attendance on the altar, yea, what the Lord Jesus Christ himself is before the throne of God, that should we be, to the utmost of our power. We should be ever delighting ourselves in the exercise of prayer and praise, and dedicating our whole selves to the sendee of our God. Let our " lamps" be ever kept burning bright before the Lord. Let us obtain " from the sacred olive- branches fresh supplies of golden oil through the golden pipes " of his word and ordinances'1; and let our whole deportment shew, that we correspond with the description given us, "a people near unto the Lordr" ]
n Heb. x. 22. ° Heb. vii. 23 — 28. P Isai. Ixv. 24.
i Zech. iv. 11, 12. r Ps. cxlviii. 14.