The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

A SERMON PREACHED UPON

HEBREWS XIII. 10.

We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat, which serve the Tabernacle.

THERE is one that asks our Saviour, Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? Mat. XIX. 16. And another that asks his great Apostle, What must I do to be saved? Act. XVI. 30. The questions mean one and the same thing, but only proposed in different expressions. And the answers tend to one and the same purpose, though proposed in terms very different. Our Saviour answers, If thou wilt en∣ter into life keep the Commandments. The Apostle answers, If thou wilt be saved, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The one proposeth Faith, the other proposeth Good works; not in such contrariety as the Apostle James speaks of Faith and Works, Chap. III. but in such consonancy as that the one is subservient unto the other, keeping of the Commandments towards the bringing on of Faith, and Faith to the breeding and forwarding the keeping of the Commandments, and both to obtain eternal life.

I will speak at present of the absolute necessity of Faith for the obtaining eternal life; and therefore have I chosen these words, which I have read to you, which seem at first sight to be meer strangers to such a subject, but when explained and rightly understood, are very pertinent to such a matter. I say rightly understood, for there are many, the Po∣pish Expositors especially, that understand them exceedingly wrong, and as far from the Apostles meaning as likely can be.

By we have a Altar, they understand the Altar in their Churches, viz. the Table where they administer the Sacrament, and thence they call the Sacrament, The Sacrament of the Altar. A title that hath been too common in England, and which hath cost many a good man very dear. The Lord grant the title be never known here any more. But the title of the Altar is commonly known among us still; and ask many why they call it an Altar, they will be ready to produce this place of the Apostle, We have an Altar. As if the Apostle, who had been crying down the service and sacrifices of the Altar all along this Epistle, and shewed that they were but shadows, and to vanish when the substance appeared, should set them up again, and build up anew, what he had so earnestly set himself to destroy. As if Gedeon that destroyed the Altar of Baal in the night, should fall awork in the morning and build it up again.

But the Altar in the Apostles meaning here is Christ himself. And as he had called him an High Priest, and a Sacrifice along in the Epistle before, so he calls him also the Altar here; shewing that all those things did but represent him, and that he was the substance and reality of those shadows. He shews how he was the Great High Priest in the later end of the fourth, and along the fifth Chapter. He shews how he was the great Sacrifice in the ninth and tenth Chapters; and how he was the great Altar, he shews at this place, We have an Altar.

And that he means Christ by the Altar is apparent by two things, that follow, to omit more, that might be collected by the context.

The first is, in the words immediately following, For those beasts whose blood was brought by the High Priest into the holy place for sin, their bodies were burnt without the Camp. Therefore Jesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. His argumentation is this: The great solemn Sacrifice for sin on the day of attone∣ment was not burnt upon the Altar in the Temple, but was burnt without the City; so

Christ was sacrificed without the gate; so that whosoever will partake of that true Sacrifice for sin, must go to the Altar there, and not to the Altar within the Temple.

And in the next verse but one he shews yet more plainly that he means Christ by our Altar, ver. 13. Therefore by him let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God. As on the Altar in the Temple they offered their Sacrifices and Thank-offerings, so by him, as on our Altar, Let us offer our sacrifice of praise to God.

So that in the words you have an Affirmative assertion, and a Negative. The Affirma∣tive, That we have Christ for our Altar. The Negative, That they that serve the Taber∣nacle have no right to eat of this Altar. The Affirmative comfortable to every true Chri∣stian; the later seems comfortless for every true Jew. The reason of the Negative asserti∣on we may inquire more particularly into afterwards. To the former to speak at present, we take up this Observation from it;

That he that will offer any sacrifice acceptable to God, must go to Christ as the true Altar, on which to offer it. No sacrifice among the Israelites could be accepted if it were not offered on the Temple-altar. And it was Gods special command, Thou shalt not offer thy sacrifice in any of thy Cities, but shalt go to the Altar of the Lord thy God in the place which he shall chuse. Nor can any sacrifice be acceptable to God of any Christian, but what is offered to him upon the Altar of his appointment, the Lord Christ, where alone is attonement for sin∣ners. As Priesthood and Sacrifice were typical, and signified to this purpose, so also was the Altar of the same signification. And whereas there were two Altars at the Temple, one for Sacrifice, the other for Incense, they did both but represent Christ and his acting in his two great works, viz. His offering himself a sacrifice by his death, and his offering the continual incense of his mediation. And how methodically did the representation proceed suitable to the reality? For first the Priest offered the Sacrifice upon the Altar, and then went in within the Tabernacle, and offered incense. So Christ first offered him∣self at his death, and then went into the highest Heaven to make Intercession.

The Papists in their Mass take upon them to offer Christ as a Propitiatory sacrifice for quick and dead. So they are the Altar, and Christ is the offering. But we learn better, to make Christ the Altar, and we our selves, and our services the offering offered upon it.

For the clearing of the thing before us, and to reduce these words of the Apostle to a Doctrine of Faith, whither he intends them, let us premise these four things.

I. That every Christian hath three spiritual Sacrifices to offer to God, Himself, his De∣votions and Religious services, and his good works and Religious walking. 1. Himself, Rom. XII. 1, 2. I beseech you Brethren, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. 2. His prayers, Devotions and Religious services, Mal. I. 11. In every place incense shall be offered unto my Name, and a pure offering. And, 3. His holy walking, 16 ver. of this Chapter, To do good and to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifice God is well pleased. Christ is to be offered to God no more, as Papists take on them to offer him every Mass; but man is to offer himself to God, the only sacrifice that God now requireth. Now,

II. On what Altar is this spiritual Sacrifice to be offered, and presented to God? On some spiritual Altar, as it is a spiritual offering. Those Sacrifices that were earthly and material required an earthly and material Altar; but those that were spiritual must be offered on some spiritual Altar; else the manner of offering them contradicts their nature. Now what the Apostle speaks concerning the Rock in the Wilderness, The Rock was Christ; so we may say concerning the Altar under the Gospel, The Altar is Christ. In the Law the offering was to be put into the hands of a Priest, or it could not be accepted; so our services are to be put into the hands of Christ to be presented to God, else no acceptance. And the sacrifice was to be laid upon the Altar, or it could not be accepted; so must ours be laid on the altar Christ, or no acceptance. For,

III. The Altar must sanctifie the Sacrifice to make it acceptable; and so our Saviour tells, Mat. XXIII. 19. It was not enough that the Sacrifice was a clean Beast, and not un∣clean, nor that it was without fault or blemish to make it an acceptable Sacrifice. But it must be laid upon the Altar, for that to sanctifie it, and to make it a right Sacrifice.

IV. And here I cannot but take up the Jewish Doctors most true and pertinent explica∣tion of that point about the Altars sanctifying the gift, viz. The Altar sanctified that that was fit for it. The Altar could not sanctifie an unclean Beast, a Dog or an Ass, or a Cat, to make it a Sacrifice, but only a Beast that was clean. And if the Beast were a clean Beast in his nature, yet if he had faults or blemishes, the Altar did not sanctifie him for a sit Sa∣crifice; but it sanctified only that that was fit for it.

By all which laid together we may learn and observe the great Doctrine of Faith, about our acceptance with God only by Christ. Which to view particularly, let us begin from this.

First, None can come to God to find acceptance with him, but he must first give him∣self into the hand of Christ to bring him to God for acceptance. The Apostle tells us that all acceptance is in the Beloved, and to be expected no other way, Ephes. I. 6. This is the great mystery of the Gospel. For the want of which duly owned, Turks and Jews are at loss, and are lost from God for ever. They both pretend for Religion, pretend for Hea∣ven; but they both miss the door by which alone they are to enter, and so are excluded eternally, missing of Christ, by whom only we come there. Our Saviour indeed speaks of entring, and getting into the sheepfold some other way than at the door, but he saith, they are thieves and robbers. His meaning is of false teachers, that can find a way to creep into the sheepfold, the Church, to seduce and destroy the sheep, some other way than at the right door. But whosoever will get either into Heaven, or indeed into the true and sincere Religion that leadeth thither, must enter by Christ the Door, or he will never come there. Joh. XIV. 6. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, none can come to the Fa∣ther but by me. Consider of that, I am so the Way that none can come to the Father but by me. Then sure the Papists are out of the way, as well as Turks and Jews, when they think to come to God by the mediation of Saints and Angels. None can come to God but by me, saith our Saviour; but I can come to God, saith a Papist, by the Virgin Mary, by Peter, Paul, and the mediation of other Saints in Heaven. Certainly they must have some nice distinction here, or they contradict Christ to his face, and take his honour and give it to another.

Heb. VII. 25. Christ having an unfailing Priesthood is able to save to the uttermost those that come to God by him. If you come to God you must come by him; and that only is the way to be saved. But if you expect to come to God by any other means whatsoever, you are out of the way and will be lost. 1 Pet. III. 18. Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. If there were any other way to come to God than by Christ, the death of Christ was but to little purpose, and our believing in him to as little. And we may justly say with the Apostle, 1 Cor. XV. 14. Our preaching is in vain, and your faith is also vain. It is said of Christ, that he is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek, Psal. CX. Though he died and offered himself the great Sacrifice for sin∣ners; yet he is a Priest for ever, still offering sacrifice to God; but no more himself, but his peoples sacrifice; And that offering is twofold, viz. offering the persons of his people to God, as an acceptable living sacrifice; and offering their services, as an acceptable spi∣ritual sacrifice to God. Of the former you have testimony from his own words, Isa. VIII. 18. Behold I and the children which the Lord hath given me. Of the later, Revel. VIII. 3. where you read of his offering the prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar, which was before the Throne.

What the manner of Christs mediation is, is too curious to inquire after; but what the matter of his mediation is, these two things make evident, viz. his presenting his people to Gods acceptance; and his presenting their services to the like acceptance. For what acceptance can any soul under Heaven find upon his own account? What can a man do toward his own justification before God? Job VII. 20. I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee? A very pertinent question. A man is so little able to find acceptance with God of himself, that he may rather stand amazed, that ever sinful men do find acceptance. The Apostle accounts it not an ordinary thing, to comprehend with all Saints the bredth and length, and depth and height of this mystery. Ephes. III. 18.

Before Christ, a Mediator, was set up, imagin how Adam could deal with God to find acceptance with him, after he was now become sinful Adam. Nay it is not easie to con∣ceive how he dealt with God, even while innocent. For certainly it was his duty to pray in his innocency; thereby to shew his dependance on God; but upon what interest to pray, when he had no Mediator, is something difficult to apprehend. But after he was fallen, and Christ not yet promised, those three hours that he lay in darkness before the promise of Christ came to him: How could he then pray to God, and upon what account beg his pardon? But I need not to use many words to shew the need of Christ a Mediator.

Secondly, This that we have spoken concerning the Altar may give us some measure and scantling, how to come to Christ and believe in him for acceptance, viz. to relie upon him intirely for our acceptance with God; as the Israelite cast himself intirely upon the Priests offering, and the Altar sanctifying his gift, that it might be acceptable.

If there may be any distinction made betwixt coming to Christ, and believing in him (which indeed may very well signifie the same thing) let us observe it here, and observe it upon the comparison before us about the Altar.

An Israelite comes and brings a sacrifice along with him to the Priest and Altar, and prays him, I pray, Sir, offer this to God for me for acceptance. You must first observe the nature and quality of his sacrifice, whether it be fit for the Priest to meddle with, and for the Altar to receive upon it. I remember a distinction the Jews have in their wri∣tings

concerning a first-born child, viz. that he may be fit for the inheritance, but not fit for the Priest, that is, may have some blemish or defect that he may not be fit to be consecrate to God, as the first-born ought to be; yet may be fit enough to inherit his Fathers land. A man may be fair and fit for this and that employment in earthly things, and very use∣ful in his place and station, when in the mean while he may be little fit for Christs em∣ployment or receiving. An Israelite brings a Dog, Cat, &c. to the Priest, and entreats him to offer that upon the Altar for him. Was this a fit offering for the Altar? Could the Altar with all its holiness sanctifie such a gift as that? Antiochus the wretch when he offered Swines flesh upon the Altar, it was to defile the Altar, and not for the Altar to sanctifie the Sacrifice.

This shews what kind of person he must be that goes to Christ to desire him to pre∣sent his person an acceptable sacrifice with God, and that he may find favour with him. He must bring him a clean sacrifice, or no coming there. In Isa. LXVI. 3. where the Pro∣phet speaking about abolishing the Jewish Sacrifice under the Gospel, he saith, He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a Lamb is as if he cut off a Dogs neck; and he that offereth an oblation as if he offered Swines blood. Think not that when offering of clean beasts is ceased, offering of unclean will be accepted. Men think to ob∣tain acceptance and favour from God through Christ at an easie rate, and with a little ado, when there is more in it than they conceive. They must first be such as are fit for Christ to own, and to present to his Father a sacrifice, fit to be offered to God upon his Altar, and not a Dog or Swine. The Apostle tells us how to come to this our Altar, Heb. X. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. It is the custom in our University, that when any one presents another to the Vice-Chancellor and University for the taking of any degree, he undertakes to them, that he is fit for such a degree. Christ never presented any to his Father to graduate him in his acceptance and favour, but such an one as was qualified and fit for that acceptance. When I say fit, I mean not out of merit, but so qualified as God requires those to be qualified that he will accept.

A thing very well worth the deep consideration of us all, that we be not deceived con∣cerning believing in Christ, as too many are deceived. Who is he among us, but he thinks at one time or other so to believe in Christ as shall serve his turn for salvation; while in the mean while he walks in the clean contrary way to believing? To believe in Christ is indeed to relye upon him for salvation, but it is relying upon him on such con∣ditions as Christ will admit of; not at a mans own pleasure. A man takes on him to get to Christ, through him to find acceptance of God, though his tongue be full of vanity, hands of filthiness, heart of evil, life of profaneness; yet through Jesus Christ our Lord he hopes to speed well enough. It is true indeed, that there is no other name under Hea∣ven, whereby acceptance with God is to be found; but this man does no better than bring a Dog or a Swine to be offered on the Sacred Altar, when he thinks that Christ will present such a filthy beast as he for a person to be accepted of God. No, Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do well. And then come to the Altar, and you may hope for acceptance.

Those that Christ presents to his Father are such, as of whom he is not ashamed, Heb. II. 11. and XI. 16. But would not Christ be ashamed to present a Dog or a Swine, a filthy and ugly sacrifice to his Father, a wretch that is all dirt and filth, and pollution, and wallows in it still, and will not out of it?

He in the Law that must come nigh the Altar, must wash himself in water, and change his garments, or he must not come to offer there. The application is so easie that I need not to insist upon it. And by this very thing we may observe two things.

I. That reliance upon Christ comes not into date, till a man do the best he can to fit himself to be a sacrifice for that Altar. The Altars sanctifying of the gift came not in date, till the offering was fit for the Altar. There must be these concurrents, First, It must be of the clean kinds of Beasts or Birds, Oxen or Sheep, or Goats, Sparrows, Pigeons, or Tur∣tles; not Dog, Cat, Ass, Bear, not a Crow, Raven, Owl, or Vultur. Then it must be viewed by some skilful person, that it be without blemish, as well as that it be clean, viz. That it be not a blind Bullock, or Lamb, that it be not broken, diseased, &c. And lastly, the Offerers free-will and mind in his offering must be concurrent. And thus qualified it was fit for the Altar, and the Altar sanctified it. Now was there all this care about the offering of a beast upon a material Altar of brass or stone; and is not as much at least re∣quired for the offering of a souls own self on Christ the Altar? Must any thing polluted or unclean come near that Altar?

Faith in Christ is not so easie a matter as men take it for; a man must first do all he can in purifying himself, before he can believe. For his believing is his refuging to Christ, to make out for him, when he sees he cannot do it himself.

And by this appears the vast difference 'twixt the believing of a Jew, and the faith of

a true Christian. The Jew as he thought performed the Law, and believed that he should be justified by his performance, and looked no further. A true Christian observes the Law the best he can, but when he hath done all, he finds himself but an unprofitable servant, and that he comes infinitely short of Justification by all he can; therefore casts himself upon Christ to satisfie for him. The sacrifices of God are a broken heart, a broken and a contrite spirit, O God, thou wilt not despise, Psal. LI. 17. Under the Law nothing that was broken or bruised was to be offered; under the Gospel no heart but broken or brui∣sed, is to be offered. And whereupon bruised and broken? not only upon sight of the evil they have committed, but also upon sense how little they can do of good, when they have done their best. And then lay such an heart upon the Altar, Christ and the Altar san∣ctifies the gift, and makes out for it.

Brethren, take heed you be not deceived about Faith, by which you must stand or fall to all eternity. It is more than fancy, or thinking or hoping you shall be saved by Christ, it is more than taking on you to pray in the name of Christ, more than begging mercy for the sake of Christ. It is working and labouring in the way of Gods Commandments till you be weary and heavy laden; and then resting your selves in Christ for safety and refreshing. It is doing your duty all you can, and still leaning on Christ to make out all failings for you. It is that that must bring up the reer of your best endeavours. As Simon of Cyrene was laid hold upon to bear the Cross of Christ after him, when it was too heavy for him. So on the contrary lay hold on Christ, and get him to bear your burthen for you, when you your selves are not able to bear it.

II. By this also we may observe the absolute necessity of keeping Gods Commandments for salvation, as well as the absolute necessity of faith for salvation, and the amicable and indeed unseparable agreement 'twixt these two. It is impossible to find acceptance with God for justification and salvation, unless by faith in Christ we be presented as living sa∣crifices upon him, the Altar. And it is impossible to be fit sacrifices for that Altar, unless by keeping the Commandments of God we be purified and fitted. For as Faith purifieth the heart where it is once come, Act. XV. 9. So keeping the Commandments of God is purifying the heart, that Faith may come. Consider of that, 1 Pet. I. 22. Seeing you have purified your hearts in obeying of the truth. Now what is obeying of the truth, but doing what God in the word of truth directeth and commandeth? and this also purifieth the heart toward believing, as Faith doth, when a man now believes.

And thus believing and obeying are so twisted together, that without keeping of Gods Commandments the best you can, you cannot come by Faith; and Faith when it is come, it cannot be without keeping of Gods Commandments the best you can. For as to the former we may not unproperly apply those words of the Apostle, Gal. III. 23. For before faith came we were kept under the Law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be re∣vealed. And as to the later, that in Jam. II. 26. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

And now to make some Application upon what hath been spoken, and to take up the words in order.

First, From the title here given to our Saviour, that he is our Altar, upon and through whom to offer our selves, and all our services to God, we may observe that the bare of∣fering of Christ himself upon the Cross is not the all that a Christian hath to look after for his salvation, but he himself is also to offer himself through Christ to God. Christ was a dying sacrifice, a Christian must be a living; and as Christ voluntarily offered himself to God, so is he also to do in his place and station. How oft do we find in Scripture that the death of Christ doth challenge our dying to sin, and not living to our selves, 1 Cor. V. 7. Purge out the old leaven that ye may be a new lump, for even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. 2 Cor. V. 15. And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them. And so there are divers other places to the like tenor.

The obedience of Christ does not dissolve the obedience of a Christian, but enhance it. For his obedience was not to disannul our obedience, but to challenge it, to love him who loved us first. His offering himself was to lead us the way, and to teach and engage us to offer our selves also. He to die according to the will of God, and we to live according to his will; that is, to die unto sin, and to live unto righteousness.

Secondly, Now since every one that is accepted of God is to be presented to him as a sacrifice offered through Christ, as the most Sacred Altar, it may give us just cause daily to examine our selves, how fit we are to be presented to that Altar, and from that Altar to God. The Sacrifice under the Law was to be examined, whether it were fit or no, by one that was skilful in such a scrutiny. The work now under the Gospel must be our own; every one to examine his own heart, since the heart should be that that is chiefly offered.

And let our hearts speak to us, if they will but learn to speak truth, how many of us, think we, are fit for the hands of Christ to present us at his own Altar, and to offer us to his Father? Will his pure and most holy hands meddle with any thing that is impure and filthy, to bring us to his Altar? A man is worldly and covetous, filthy and lascivi∣ous, cruel and envious; is such a beast, such an unclean beast fit for Christ to hand to his Altar, to make him a sacrifice to God? Do we believe that ever he will or can say to his Father, Father, I present this filthy man to thee, to be accepted of thee, as a well pleasing sa∣crifice? Who of us would be willing that Christ should present us to God, to take us as we are, and deal with us as we deserve? Who of us can think that we are such, as that Christ may call us Brother or Sister, or Mother, and commend us unto Gods acquaintance and favour under such titles?

Let us compare the case with those the Apostle speaks of here, that have no right to eat of our Altar, viz. those that serve the Tabernacle of the Levitical Priesthood. And why have they no right?

• I. It may be said, they had no right to eat of the sin-offering of attonement; for that was all to be burnt, and nothing to be eaten of it, as the Apostle toucheth immediately after. Now in this regard the parallel will not hold, because Christ was not consumed as that sin-offering was; but he was sacrificed that he might be eaten, or spiritually fed upon.
• II. What the Priests did eat of the Sacrifices, they ate within the verge of the Temple, and might not bring those holy things out of the holy ground. But as the Apostle tells here, Christ was sacrificed without the Gate, whether it was not lawful for them to come to eat any sacrifice. But this, I believe, is not the reason why the Apostle saith, They had no right to eat of the Altar that we have.
• III. The Jews have a tenet, which is considerable, and not impertinent, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Priests eating of the Sacrifices was for expiation of them that offered them. It is very true, that God allowed the Priests such and such parts of the beast sacri∣ficed, for their diet and maintenance. But that was not all, but there was some religious concern in their eating them, viz. for the benefit of the offerer. Now if you take the Apostle speaking in reference to this matter, the Priests that served the Tabernacle could not eat of the Altar or Sacrifice that we have under any such notion. For the offering of Christ, as it was not by men but by himself and God; so the feeding on him cannot bene∣fit either them, or any other, but him only that feeds on him.
• IV. Therefore the Apostles reference is to the Priests very serving in the Tabernacle; that they themselves that stood upon those Sacrifices and services in the Temple, as suffici∣ent enough to attone for sin, by that very conceit outed themselves out of benefit by Christ our Altar, who is the only attonement; and they that can feed upon any other way of attonement have nothing to do with him.

We cannot but be affected with the expression of Having no right to eat of our Altar, as a very doleful accent, which speaks having no right at all to Christ. Which very sound may make a heart to tremble. No right to Christ? No portion in the Son of God? The very mention of the thing may justly move us to the examination of our selves, whether we think we have any portion in him, yea or no. Take heed it be not with too many, as it was with the Church, Rev. III. that said, I am rich, and encreased in riches, and want nothing, whereas she was wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Take heed that we think not we have share in Christ, and have none at all; and that we perish not with such a dead child in our bosoms, such a fancy and delusion in our hearts.

Look upon these men that served the Tabernacle; they are men that are careful and at∣tendant upon their service, blameless in their lives, zealous in their Religion, and servent∣ly looking after attonement and salvation. And yet because they relyed upon their servi∣ces, and thought to be saved by the very works they did, they miss of Faith, and so miss of Christ, and have no right in him; and so perish from him for ever and ever. How many of us have gone so far in a religious way as we may suppose these men to have gone, and sought for justification and salvation so earnestly as they have done, have been so con∣stant in devotion and duty, as they have been? and yet they had no right in Christ. What just fears may this create in us that we also have no right at all in him?