Christ Set Forth, Section 5 · Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP. I.
A connection of this with the former: and how this adds a further ſupport. Two things out of the Text propounded to be handled. Firſt, The concurrencie of influence that Chriſts interceſsion hath into our Salvation. Secondly, The ſecurity that Faith may have there-from for our Juſtification.
WE have ſeene Chriſt ſitting at Gods right hand as a Judge and King, having all authority of ſaving or condemning, in his own hands; and having all power in Heaven and Earth, to give eternall life to them that believe: And the confidence that this giveth us.
Let us now come to his Interceſsion, and the influence which it hath into our Iuſtification and ſalvation; which as it ſtrikes the laſt ſtroake to make all ſure; ſo, as great a ſtroake as any of the former: therfore (as you have heard) that there was an Allſufficiencie in his Death [Who ſhall condemne? it is Chriſt that dyed:] a Rather in his Reſurrection: [yea rather is riſen again,] a much rather [foreign] that he lives and is at Gods right hand; Rom. 5. 10. The Apoſtle riſeth yet higher to an foreign [a ſaving to the utmoſt,] put upon his interceſsion; Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able to ſave to the utmoſt, ſeeing he ever lives to make interceſsion. So that if you could ſuppoſe there were any thing which none of all the former three could doe or effect for us, yet his interceſſion could do it to the utmoſt: for it ſelfe is the uttermoſt and higheſt. If Money would purchaſe our Salvation, his Death hath done it, which he laid downe as a price and an equivalent ranſome, (as it is in 1. Tim. 2. 6.) If Power and authority would effect it, his ſitting at Gods right hand, inveſted with all power in Heaven and Earth, ſhall be put forth to the utmoſt to effect it. If favour and entreaties added to all theſe (which oft times doth as much as any of thoſe other) were needefull, he will uſe the utmoſt of this alſo, and for ever make interceſsion. So that if Love, Money, or Power (any of them, or all of them) will ſave us, we ſhall be ſure to bee ſaved, ſaved to the utmoſt [foreign] all manner of wayes, by all manner of meanes; ſaved over and over.
For the cleering of this laſt generall head, The Interceſsion of Chriſt, (and the influence and ſecurity it hath into our faith and juſtification) I ſhall handle two things, and both proper to the Text.
Firſt, Shew how unto all thoſe other forementioned Acts of Chriſt for us, this of Interceſsion alſo is to be added by him for the effecting our ſalvation, and the ſecuring our hearts therein. This that particle [Alſo] in the Text calls for: Who alſo maketh Interceſsion for us.
Then Secondly to ſhew the ſecurity that faith may aſſume and fetch from this Interceſſion of Chriſt: or his praying for us in heaven; Who ſhall condemne? it is Chriſt, that maketh interceſsion for us.
CHAP. II.
The firſt Head explained by two things. Firſt, Interceſſion one part of Chriſts Prieſthood, and the moſt excellent part of it.
TOwards the Explanation of the firſt of theſe, two things are to be done.
Firſt, To ſhew how great, and neceſſary, and how excellent a part of Chriſts Prieſthood, his Interceſsion, and praying for us in heaven is.
Secondly, To ſhew the peculiar influence, that Interceſſion hath into our ſalvation: and ſo the reaſons for which God ordained this worke of Interceſsion for us, and that in heaven, to be added to all the former.
For the firſt, I will proceede therein by degrees.
Firſt, It is one part of his Prieſt-hood. You muſt know, that Chriſt is not entred into heaven ſimply, as a fore-runner (which hath been explained) to take up places for you, but as a Prieſt alſo: Made a Prieſt, after the order of Melchiſedec; which is more then ſimply a Forerunner. Yea, his ſitting at Gods right hand is not onelyonly as a King armed with power and authority to ſave us; but he ſits there as a Prieſt too: Thus Heb. 8. 1. We have ſuch an High Prieſt who is ſet downe at the right hand of the Majeſty on high.
In the old Leviticall Prieſt-hood,Two parts of the High-Prieſts office. the High-Prieſts office had two parts, both which concurred to make them High-Prieſts.
Firſt, Oblation, or offering the Sacrifice.
Secondly, Preſentation of it in the Holy of Holies, with Prayer and Interceſſion unto God, to accept it for the ſinnes of the people. The one was done without, the other within the Holy of Holies. This you may ſee in many places; eſpecially Levit. 16. 11, 15, 16. where you have the Law about the High Prieſts entring into the Holy of Holies; he was not to come into the holy place, till firſt he had offered a Sacrifice for himſelfe and the people, ver. 11. and 15. and this without. Then ſecondly, when he had killed it, he was to enter with the bloud of it into the Holy of Holies, and ſprinkle the MercieMercy-ſeat therein with it, ver. 14, 17. and to go with Incenſe, and cauſe a cloud to ariſe over the MercieMercy-ſeat: And this you have alſo, Heb. 13. 11. it is ſaid, that The bloud of thoſe beaſts that were burnt without the Camp, was brought into the Sanctuary by the High-Prieſt: And in that 16. of Levit. you ſhall finde the Atonement made as well by the bloud, when brought into the Holy place, ver. 16. as by the killing of the beaſt, ver. 11. Both theſe were acts of the High-prieſthood for Atonement.
And this was done in a Type of the Prieſtly office of Chriſt, and the parts thereof: So Heb. 9. 23. he cals all thoſe tranſactions under the Ceremoniall Law, the [patterns] of things heavenly; inſtancing in this part of Chriſts office, ver. 24. For Chriſt (ſayes he) is not entred into the Holy places made without hands, (as that was) which are [the figures of the true,] but into heaven it ſelfe, to appear in the preſence of God for us. Now then in anſwer to this Type, there are two diſtinct parts of Chriſts Prieſthood:
Firſt,1. Chriſts offering up himſelfe. the offering himſelfe a Sacrifice up to death, as Heb. 9. 26. which anſwers to the killing of the Sacrifice without the Holy of Holies: for anſwerably he was crucified without the City, Heb. 13. 12.
Secondly,2. Entring into the Heavens to Intercede. he carryed this his bloud into the Holy of Holies, namely, the Heavens, Heb. 9. 12. where he appeares, ver. 24. and there alſo prayes in the force of that bloud. And the Type of thoſe prayers was that cloud of Incenſe made by the High-Prieſt; ſo it is expreſly interpreted, Rev. 8. 3. &c. The Angel Chriſt is ſaid to have had much Incenſe, to offer it with the prayers of all the Saints: Which Incenſe is his owne prayers in heaven, which he continually puts up when the Saints pray on earth, and ſo perfumes all their prayers, and procures all bleſſings for them.
Both theſe parts of his Priſt-hood the Apoſtle Iohn mentions in his firſt Epiſtle,Both proved. Chap. 2. ver. 2. where, as he cals Jeſus Chriſt a propitiation for our ſins; (that is, an Oblation, or Sacrifice offered up for us:) So likewiſe he cals him our Advocate: both going to make up this his office. And indeed, this latter of Interceſſion, and bringing his bloud into the Holy of Holies, (or heaven) is but the ſame action continued. That bloud which he offered with tears and ſtrong cryes on the Croſſe, (where he likewiſe interceded,) the ſame bloud he continues virtually to offer up with prayers in the heavens, and makes Atonement by both; onelyonly with this difference: On earth, though he interceded, yet he more eminently offered up himſelfe; In heaven, he more eminently intercedes, and doth but preſent that Offering.
Secondly, this was ſo neceſſary a part of his Prieſt-hood, that without it he had not been a compleat Prieſt. Without Interceſſion he had not been a perfect Prieſt.Thus Heb. 8. 4. If he were on earth, he ſhould not be a Prieſt: That is, If he ſhould have abode on earth, he ſhould not have been a compleat Prieſt. Paul ſaith not, that if he had offered that his ſacrifice on earth, he had not been a Prieſt, for that was neceſſary; but that if he had ſtaid ſtill on earth, after he had offered it, he had not been a Prieſt, that is, a perfect Prieſt; for he had then left his office imperfect, and had done it but by halves, ſeeing this other part of it (the work of Interceſſion) lay ſtill upon him to be acted in heaven. Thus the High-prieſt, his Type, if he had only offered Sacrifice without the Holy of holies, had not been a perfect High-Prieſt: For to enter into the Holy of holies, and to act the part of a Prieſt there,This the peculiar work of the High-Prieſt, who was in this Chriſts Type. was the proper, peculiar work of the High-Prieſt, as ſuch. Which ſhews, that Chriſt had not been an High-Prieſt, if he had not gone to heaven, and Prieſted it there too, (as I may ſo ſpeak) as well as upon earth. Yea, if Chriſt had not gone to heaven, and were not now become a Prieſt there, then the Leviticall Prieſt-hood were ſtill in force, and ſhould ſhare the honour with him; and the High-prieſt muſt continue ſtill to goe into the Holy of holies. To this purpoſe you may obſerve, that ſo long as Chriſt was on earth, though riſen, the Types of the Law held in force, and were not to give way, till all the truth ſignified by their Miniſtery, was fully accompliſht; and ſo, not untill Chriſt was gone into heaven, as a Prieſt, and there had begun to doe all that which the High-prieſt had done in the Holy of holies, and as his Type foreſignified. And this is plainly the meaning of what follows (in that Heb. 8. ver. 4.) as the reaſon or demonſtration why that Chriſt ſhould not have been a Prieſt, if he had not gone to heaven, (not onelyonly as a King, but as a Prieſt too, as he had affirmed, ver. 1.) Seeing (ſayes he) that there are Prieſts upon earth, that doe offer gifts according to the Law. The force of the Reaſon lyes thus: There are already Prieſts, and that of a Tribe he was not of, that offer gifts on earth, before he came into the world. And therefore if that had beene all his Prieſt-hood, to be a Prieſt on earth, they would plead poſſeſſion before him, having been Prieſts before him. And then he further backs his reaſon by this, that thoſe Prieſts ſerved (as it follows ver. 5.) unto the example and ſhadow of heavenly things. And therefore it is onelyonly a reall Prieſt-hood in Heaven which muſt put them out of place; and till ſuch a Prieſthood comes, they muſt ſerve ſtill, for the truth (which theſe ſerved to ſhadow out) is not till then fulfilled. This you have alſo, Ch. 9. 8. The firſt Tabernacle was to ſtand untill a Prieſt went into Heaven, and did act that office there: ſo that if Chriſt will be a Prieſt alone, he muſt become a Prieſt interceding in heavē: or elſe High-prieſts muſt come up again, and ſhare that office with him; and ſo hee ſhould as good as fall from his office, and loſe all that he had done.
Yea, thirdly, this part of his Prieſthood, is of the two the more eminent, yea, the top, the height of his Prieſthood; And this is held forth to us, in the Types of both thoſe two orders of Prieſthood that were before him, and figures of him; both that of Aaron and Melchiſedec: 1 This was typified out in that Leviticall Prieſthood of Aaron and his fellows: The higheſt ſervice of that office, was the going into the Holy of Holies, and making an atonement there: yea this was the height of the High prieſts honour, that he did this alone, and did conſtitute the difference between him (as he was High prieſt,) and other Prieſts: For they killed and offered the ſacrifices without as well as he, every ordinary Prieſt did that: But none but the High Prieſt was to approach the Holy of holies with bloud, and this but once a yeere. Thus Heb. 9. 6, 7. The Prieſts (namely thoſe inferiour Prieſts) went alwayes (that is, daily, morning and evening) into the firſt Tabernacle, (or Court of Prieſts, which was without the Holy of holies) accompliſhing the ſervice of God; namely, that offering of the daily ſacrifice: But into the ſecond, (namely, the Holy of holies) went the [Highprieſts] alone every yeere: So then this was that high and tranſcendent prerogative of that HighPrieſt then, and which indeed made him Highprieſt; and anſwerably the highth of our Highprieſts office (although he alone alſo could offer a ſatisfactory ſacrifice, as the Apoſtle ſhews, Heb. 9. and 10. yet comparatively) lay in this, that he entred into the heavens by his bloud, and is ſet downe on the Majeſty on high, and in the vertue of his ſacrifice there doth intercede. I know but one place that calleth him the Great Highprieſt, (higher before then Aaron) and that is, Heb. 4. 14, 16. And then it is in this reſpect, that he is paſſed into the Heavens, as it follows there.
2. The excellency of this part of his Prieſthood was likewiſe typified out by Melchiſedechs Prieſt-hood, which the Apoſtle argueth to have been much more excellent then that of Aarons, in as much as Levi, Aarons Father, payed Tythes to this Melchiſedech in Abrahams loyns. Now Melchiſedech was his type, not ſo much in reſpect of his oblation, or offering of Sacrifice, (that work which Chriſt performed on earth) but in reſpect of that work which he [for ever] performs in Heaven: therefore that ſame clauſe (for ever) ſtill comes in, in the quotation and mention of Melchiſedechs prieſthood in that Epiſtle; becauſe in reſpect of that his continuall interceſſion in Heaven, Melchiſedech was properly Chriſts type. And accordingly you may obſerve, Pſal. 110. when is it that that ſpeech comes in [Thou art a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedech] but then, when God had him ſitting at his right hand, ver. 1. So that as the tranſcendent excellencie of Chriſts Prieſthood was typified out by Melchiſedechs rather then Aarons, as being the better prieſthood of the two; ſo this, the moſt excellent part thereof, was typified out thereby, namely, that wch Chriſt for ever acteth in heaven.
And 3.This the chief argument of the Epiſtle to the Heb. To confirm this, you ſhall find this to be made the top notion of this Epiſtle to the Heb. and the ſcope of it chiefly to diſcourſe of Chriſts eternall Prieſthood in heaven; & to ſhew how therein Melchiſedech was a type of him. This is not onelyonly expreſſed both in Heb. 7. 21. and 25. where this ſame [for ever] is applyed to his Interceſſion, ver. 25. but more expreſly in Chap. 8. 1. where the Apoſtle puts the emphaſis upon this part of his Prieſthood, ſaying, That of the things which we have ſpoken, or which are to be ſpoken, (for the word foreign. will beare either) this is (ſayes he) the ſumme or argument of all: the word is foreign, and ſignifies as well The head, the chiefe, the top of all, and above all, as it doth the ſum of all: And what is it that he thus profeſſeth to be both the maine ſubject and argument of this Epiſtle, and the top and eminent thing in Chriſt he intends to diſcourſe of? It follows, That We have [ſuch an High-Prieſt] as is ſet down at the right hand of the throne of the Majeſty in the heavens. And of the Prieſtly office he alone diſcourſeth both before and after; and in the following verſes calleth his Miniſterie or office, (in reſpect to this) A more excellent Miniſterie, ver. 6. he being ſuch a Prieſt as was higher then the heavens, as he had ſet him out in the latter part of the former Chap. And therefore you may obſerve, how in his Preface to this Epiſtle to the Heb. in the firſt Chap. ver. 3. he holds up this to our eye, as the argument of the whole, ſaying, When he had by himſelf purged our ſins, he ſat down on the right hand of the Majeſty on high.
Yea,His oblation elſe would have beene ineffectuall. to conclude this, All his Prieſthood would have been ineffectuall, if he had not acted the part of a Prieſt in heaven, by Interceſsion there: for by his death he did but begin the execution of his office; in heaven he ends it: and if he had not fulfilled his office in both, the worke of our ſalvation had not beene fully perfected: it was therefore as neceſſary as oblation it ſelf. Not but that his Death was a perfect oblation: it was perfect for an oblation, to which as ſuch nothing can be added. There needed no more, nor anyother price to be paid for us; by that one offering, he perfects us for ever; as Heb. 10. 14. and became himſelfe perfect thereby, Heb. 5. 9. And in the 9. Chapter ver. 12. By his own bloud he entred into the Holy place, [having obtained] eternall redemption for us. Mark how before he entred by his bloud into heaven, he had fully [obtained] a redemption, and that eternall, that is, for ever ſufficient; which done, he became through his Interceſſion in heaven an applying cauſe of eternall ſalvation, a Heb. 5. 10, 11. hath it. So that as in his death he paid the full ſumme of all he owed: unto which payment nothing can be added, (no not by himſelfe; though he would come and die again, it was made at that [once] as perfect (that is, for an oblation) as ever himſelfe could make) But yet ſtill by Gods ordination there remained another further action of another kind that was to be added to this of oblation, and that is Interceſsion, or praying for us in Heaven: otherwiſe our ſalvation by his death were not perfected: for if his Prieſthood be imperfect, our ſalvation then muſt needs be ſo. The preſenting of that his Sacrifice in heaven, was the conſummation of his Prieſthood, and the performance of that part there, the perfection of it.