201 SERMON XII. THE THRONE OF GRACE. HEB. iv. 16. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." THE generality of mankind, little sensible of the reality and the extent of their spiritual wants, give themselves but little concern about the supply of them. The least temporal want is keenly felt, and prompts to immediate exertion : but, under the completest possible destitution of a far more serious nature, they remain at ease and inactive. Unimpressed, for the most part, with any adequate idea either of their guilt before God, or of their inability to do of themselves what is well-pleasing in his sight; they are strangers to anything like anxiety to obtain pardon and assistance from on high; and are disposed to regard such exhortations as that of the text, with the most frigid unconcern and indifference. But not so they, who have obtained juster views of their own state and character. Led by the word and by the Spirit of God to some suitable apprehension of their exposure to his wrath, and to see how unable they are even to think a good thought without the aid of his Spirit; such persons will deem nothing more worthy of their most serious and devout attention, than an encouragement to come boldly to a throne of grace, to obtain mercy, and to find grace to help in time of need. In discoursing on this subject I propose to consider, I. What is meant by the THRONE here mentioned; II. The MANNER in which we are to approach it; and, III. The BLESSINGS for which we are there to present our supplication. I. There are several thrones of God mentioned, or referred to, in his word. There is, for instance, the throne of his providential government, on which he sits judging right; (Ps. ix. 4;) and ordering all things both in heaven and on earth with the most consummate wisdom and righteousness. There is, too, the throne of his glory, to which the apostle refers when he speaks of him, as dwelling in that light which no man can approach unto. (1 Tim. vi. 16.) There is, yet again, the throne of judgment, before which the dead, small and great, will, at the last day, be summoned to stand, in order to receive their final doom. (Rev. xx. 11, 12.) And there is, once more, the throne of grace, mentioned in the text. It is obvious that it is a Person, to whom we are here encouraged to come; one who is seated on this throne. Who this Person is, we are not expressly informed. It clearly, however, is not the Lord Jesus Christ, who is here intended for he is mentioned in the verses which precede the text, as the great High Priest, through whose mediation we are to approach this throne. He is not the object set before us in the text, to which we are to come; but the means by which we are to make our approach, and our encouragement to do so. It is through him that we have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (Eph. ii. 18.) It is through his undertaking, atonement, and appearance in the presence of God for us, that we may approach with confidence to the presence of the Most High. The Person, then, who is seated on this throne, is God the Father, as willing to receive those who come to him in the name of Christ. It is a God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. (2 Cor. v. 19.) In the Jewish tabernacle, as afterwards in their temple, there was, in the most holy place, a mercy-seat upon the ark of the covenant, over which appeared the symbol of God's gracious presence with his people; and before which the high priest presented himself once a year with the blood of the sacrifices, and with the cloud of incense. And, in like manner, now, in the real sanctuary above, there is God the Father seated on a mercy-seat, in other words, on a throne of grace, ready to hear and answer the petitions of all those who approach him, relying on the merits and the intercession of that great High Priest, who, having entered in once into the holy place, for ever appears before that throne in behalf of all his supplicating disciples. Having seen, then, what is meant by the throne of grace here mentioned, we are next to notice, II. The manner in which we are to approach it. "Let us therefore come boldly." We are en couraged to approach this throne of grace with boldness. But this is clearly not the boldness of irreverence and presumption. This kind of boldness may well be checked, nay absolutely crushed, by such passages of Scripture as the following: "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him." (Ps. lxxxix. 7.) "This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified.” (Levit. x. 3.) "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth." (Eccles. v. 2.) And again, "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire." (Heb. xii. 28, 29.) The consideration, too, of the nature of the blessings, for which we are to come to this throne, namely, mercy and grace, is surely sufficient to annihilate anything like an irreverent boldness. It shows us that the boldness, referred to by the apostle, must be ever accompanied with a sense of guilt, and corruption, and weakness; and that it must be the boldness, not of a hasty and |