A Light from Christ Leading Unto Christ, Classis 11
The eleventh Claſsis, or Company of Queſtions.
1 Queſtion.
YOu have Anſwered concerning the natures and Perſon of Chriſt: Now what is to be known concerning Chriſts Offices, that we may come with more comfort to the Lords Table?
Heb. 12.24. 1 Tim. 2.5. Pſal. 110.1, 2. Deut. 18.18, 19. Pſal. 2.6. Luk. 1.32, 33. Rev. 19.16.Anſ. That the Lord Chriſt is the Mediator of the new Covenant, the eternall high Prieſt, the eternall high Prophet, and the eternall King of his Church.
Queſt. 2. What are the principle parts or acts of Chriſts Prieſtly office?
Anſ. Chiefly two: Firſt, as a holy and perfect Mediator, Advocate, and High Prieſt of God, not only Originally in his holy nature, and Actually in his life, to keep the whole Law, and fulfill all righteouſneſſe, but paſſively in his death and paſſion, as our ſurety, to ſatisfie the wrath of God, and drink the bitter Cup for our Redemption, Heb. 12.24. and 3.1. Luke 1.35. 1 John 2.1, 2. Mat. 5.17. and 3.15. Iſa. 53.5, 6. 1 Pet. 2.21, &c. Mat. 26.38, 39. Col. 1.23. Gal. 3.13. Rom. 5.10.
Queſt. 3. But how could Chriſt dye, and as a ſurety, and by his death and paſſion make ſatisfaction to Gods Iuſtice for our ſins, ſince he was God and man in one Perſon, and God cannot dye?
Rom. 13.4. & 4.25. Heb. 2, 1, &c.Anſ. As he was Man, he dyed for our ſins, and by the power of his Godhead he roſe again for our Juſtification.
Queſt. 4. But ſince Chriſts death and paſſion were temporall only, and but for a ſhort time; How could that ſatisfie the Iuſtice of God due to our ſins, and free us from torments both of ſoul and body, which ſhould have been Eternall?
Anſ. The ſufferings of Chriſt in his death ahd paſſion,Iſa. 53.2, &c. & 63.2, 3 Lam. 1.12 Gal. 3.13, 14. 1 Pet. 2.23, 24. Mat. 26.38, 39. & 26.48, 42. & 6.74, 75. & 27.20. &c. Luk. 22.41, &c. & 23.46. Acts 20.28. Mat. 17.5 1 Theſ. 1.10. were not only great and bitter, (none like) as in bearing the heavy burden of our ſins, both in his body and ſoul, with the anguiſh of Spirit in ſenſe of the wrath of God, and curſe due to our ſins, witneſſed in his Agony, his bloody ſweat, his deſire that bitter Cup might paſſe from him, and that dolefull cry of Gods forſaking him: But above all, the dignity of his Perſon, being God and Man, united by a Perſonall union; this made his merit of ſo unmeaſurable a vertue, that it was price ſufficient to ſatisfie for a world of ſinners, to pleaſe God the Father, free them from wrath to come, and procure for them Eternall life.
Queſt. 5. But is not Chriſt then inferior to the Father, being thus united to our humane nature, and ſubject to ſuch a paſſion for us, to be our Mediator?
Anſ. Though Chriſt be Gods fellow, and one with the Father as he is God, the ſecond Perſon in Trinity; yet as Man,Zac. 13.7 Ioh. 10.30 and Mediator between God and Men, thus humbling himſelf,Ioh. 14.28. Phil. 3.6 and ſuffering for our ſin, he is inferior to his Father, though he be Mediator as God and Man.
Queſt. 6. Are Chriſts ſufferings ſo great, and of ſuch value, that we need not further to ſatisfie Gods Iuſtice for our ſins, neither in this life, nor after our death and departure hence?
Anſ. The whole ſufferings and ſatiſfaction for our ſins, was performed, and endured, and finiſhed by Chriſt perfectly in his death and paſſion once for all; ſo that there is no more for Gods Children to ſuffer, to ſatisfie the Iuſtice of God, either in this life, or after, God the Father being fully well pleaſed in Chriſt and his blood, cleanſing us from all our ſins, Heb. 10.7. &c. Ioh. 19.28, &c. Col. 2.13. Mat. 3.7. Rom. 8.12. 1 Ioh. 5.8, 9, 10. and 1.7. Luke 16.23. and 23.43. Rev. 14.13
Queſt. 7. If Chriſt hath ſatisfied fully, Wherefore then are Gods faithfull ſervants ſubject to ſo many ſufferings and miſeries both inward and outward in this life, Acts 14 22. 1 Cor. 15.19. 2 Cor. 6.4, 5, 6. 1 Cor. 4.9, &c. 2 Cor. 11.24, &c.
Iſa. 53.10, 11. Dan. 9.24. Eph. 2.8.Anſ. Of all the ſufferings of the Saints, not any for ſatisfaction of Gods Iuſtice for ſin, for that is ſatisfied fully already in Chriſt, and God is well pleaſed;Mat. 17.5 Heb. 10.4, &c. Tit. 3.5. Rom. 3.24, 25. 1 Pet. 2.24. Rom. 8.18. nor are all the ſufferings of this life worthy to be compared with the glory that ſhall be revealed: But the Lord afflicts and ſuffers his Children to be afflicted for other ends.
Queſt. 8. For what ends or cauſes doth the Lord afflict, or cauſe his Children to be afflicted, or ſuffer them many times to loſe their eſtates and lives, by tyrants and wicked perſecutors, as Rom. 8.35, 36, 37?
Anſ. Firſt, God doth this ſometimes, that his Children may be Martyrs, and witneſſes to teſtifie the truth of God and the Goſpel, for the greater condemnation of the wicked, and the glory of the Saints, which God freely giveth them whom he pleaſeth to honour with the Crown of Martyrdome: Thus Abel the firſt Martyr before Chriſt, Gen. 4.8. Thus Steven that great Martyr after Chriſt, Acts 7.55, &c. and 5.41. and 22.17, &c.
Queſt. 9. What is the ſecond end why God ſuffers his Chrildren to be oppreſſed?
Anſ. Sometimes God doth let wicked tyrants and ungodly men go on in oppreſſion,1 Kings 21.29. Rom. 2.17. Mat. 23.34, &c. Rev. 6.10, &c. for the greater manifeſtation of his Iuſtice, in requiring all the blood of his ſervants by ſome fearfull Iudgements upon ſuch bloody men and women.
Queſt. 10. What is the third end why God afflicts or ſuffers his Children to be afflicted, ſince their ſins are ſatisfied for by Chriſt?
Micah 6.8, 9, Deut. 1.23. Gen. 35.1, 2, 3. Iudg. 2.21, 22. Iob. 1.42. Gen. 27.24, 28. Pſal. 119.71. Heb. 12.11. 2 Cor. 15.14.15. Rom. 8.28. & 8.17. 1 Pet. 4.13.Anſ. Sometimes God doth it to teach his Children to walk more humbly with God, or more carefully and circumſpectly in his wayes, or to renew our Covenant of Reformation, or for exerciſe and tryall of Fair and Patience, or other graces, or to fit and prepare them better for other conditions of life for which he intends them; or to make them more ſenſible of puniſhment, which ſin deſerveth, or which Chriſt hath ſuffered for their ſins, that they may prize and love Chriſt more; but alwayes afflictions and theſe tryalls, are for the good of Gods Children, all being ſweetned to them, even death it ſelf, by the death and paſſion, and merits of Chriſt.
Queſt. 11. What is the fruit or benefit of this knowledge of the ſufferings of Chriſt and of Gods Children?
Luke 22.42. Phil. 4.12, 13. 1 Pet.2.…0, 21.Anſ. To teach us in all afflictions to learn and labour by ſtrength from Chriſt, to ſubmit our will to the will of God, patiently to abide Gods pleaſure, and to wait upon God in all good and lawfull means,Mat. 19.29. Heb, 10.32, &c. Luke 18.6, 7, 8. Rev. 6.9, 10, 11. till the Lord be pleaſed to repair the loſſes, and avenge the blood of his ſervants that is ſhed upon the face of the earth.
Queſt. 12. What is the ſecond part of Chriſts Prieſtly office?
Anſ. To be for ever at the right hand of God, and as a holy High Prieſt and Mediator, to make interceſſion for us to his Father, and our Father, and to his God and our God, for the eternall good of his Church, Rom. 8.34. Iohn 20.17. and 14.13, 14. and 16.23, &c. and 17.9, &c. Heb. 7.25, 26, & and 9.24, &c.