In the Temple you know there were three Partitions: There was to outward Court; and the Sanctuary, as the Apostle calls it, where the Table of Show-bread was set; and there was the holy Place, the Holy of Holies. Just so in Heaven there are three Partitions; there is the Airy Heaven, and the Starry Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens: The lower Heaven, which answers to the outward Court; the Starry Heaven, which answers to the Sanctuary; and the Heaven of Heavens, which answers to the Holy of Holies, by a fit Analogy and Proportion. Well, In the Holy of Holies, saith the Apostle, there was the Golden Censer, and the Mercy-Seat; Heb. 9, 4. There you find God conspicuously manifesteth his Presence, and give Answers to his People: At the Mercy-Seat, there will I answer thee, saith the Lord, So here, in this Heaven of ⟨p. 122⟩Heavens, there's a Mercy-Seat, there's a Throne of Grace, and there God will answer. We may come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of Need. Heb. 4. 16. Into this Holy of Holies none but the High-Priest did enter, and that once a Year, after the Sacrifice of Atonement for the whole Congregation; then the High-Priest was to come into the Holy of Holies, he as to pass through the Veil with Blood, and with sweet Incense in his hand. Just thus is Jesus entered into the Heaven of Heavens for us; he is gone there to present his Blood and Sufferings, to appear before God for us, to present himself as a sweet-smelling Sacrifice. Heb. 9. 24. Eph. 5. 2. Now the High-Priest, when he went with this Blood into the Mercy-Seat, he went in with the Names of the twelve Tribes upon his Breast and Shoulder; and Jesus also doth appear before God for us, representing our Persons continually before his Father. Now about the Mercy-Seat, there were Cherubims, and Figures of Angels; just about the Ark, there they stooped down, to show, the Angels do attend about the Throne, to dispatch Messages abroad into the World, and convey Blessings to the Saints. There is a Throne of Grace, a Mercy-Seat, a Mediator there, Angels at God's Beck, ready to send up and down, to and fro, for the good of the Saints. And mark, not only hath Jesus this Liberty to enter into this Heaven of Heavens; but all the Saints have a Liberty to enter, and that not only at Death, but in their Life time; for saith the Apostle, Heb. 10. 19.
In the Temple you know there were three Partitions: There was to outward Court; and the Sanctuary, as the Apostle calls it, where the Table of Shew-bread was set; and there was the holy Place, the Holy of Holies. Just so in Heaven there are three Partitions; there is the Airy Heaven, and the Starry Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens: The lower Heaven, which answers to the outward Court; the Starry Heaven, which answers to the Sanctuary; and the Heaven of Heavens, which answers to the Holy of Holies, by a fit Analogy and Proportion. Well, In the Holy of Holies, saith the Apostle, there was the Golden Censer, and the Mercy-Seat; Heb. 9, 4. There you find God conspicuously manifesteth his Presence, and give Answers to his People: At the Mercy-Seat, there will I answer thee, saith the Lord, So here, in this Heaven of ⟨p. 122⟩Heavens, there's a Mercy-Seat, there's a Throne of Grace, and there God will answer. We may come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of Need. Heb. 4. 16. Into this Holy of Holies none but the High-Priest did enter, and that once a Year, after the Sacrifice of Atonement for the whole Congregation; then the High-Priest was to come into the Holy of Holies, he as to pass through the Vail with Blood, and with sweet Incense in his hand. Just thus is Jesus entred into the Heaven of Heavens for us; he is gone there to present his Blood and Sufferings, to appear before God for us, to present himself as a sweet-smelling Sacrifice. Heb. 9. 24. Eph. 5. 2. Now the High-Priest, when he went with this Blood into the Mercy-Seat, he went in with the Names of the twelve Tribes upon his Breast and Shoulder; and Jesus also doth appear before God for us, representing our Persons continually before his Father. Now about the Mercy-Seat, there were Cherubims, and Figures of Angels; just about the Ark, there they stooped down, to shew, the Angels do attened about the Throne, to dispatch Messages abroad into the World, and convey Blessings to the Saints. There is a Throne of Grace, a Mercy-Seat, a Mediator there, Angels at God's Beck, ready to send up and down, to and fro, for the good of the Saints. And mark, not only hath Jesus this Liberty to enter into this Heaven of Heavens; but all the Saints have a Liberty to enter, and that not only at Death, but in their Life time; for saith the Apostle, Heb. 10. 19.
