Christ Set Forth, Section 5 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
The prevalencie of Chriſts Interceſsion, and the pwoerfull influence it hath into our ſalvation: Demonſtrated, firſt, from the greatneſſe of Chriſt, and his favour with God.
THus we have heard what matter of ſupport to our faith (by way of evidence) this muſt needs afford,The prevalencie of Chriſts Interceſſion, and the influence of it into our Iuſt fication. that Chriſt intercedes. Let us conſider now, what further aſſurance will ariſe to our faith, from the influence which Chriſts Interceſſion muſt needs have, to effect and carry on our ſalvation to an aſſured iſſue. The work of Interceſſion being effectually to procure our ſalvation, and to continue the pardon of our ſins, and hold us in favour with God: therefore the influence and energie it hath herein, muſt needs lie in that potencie and prevalencie which this interceſſion of Chriſt hath with God, to obtain any thing at his hands for us, and ſo to continue his favour towards us.Demonſtrated, Now to raiſe up our apprehenſions, how potent and prevalent this Interceſſion of Chriſt muſt needs be, let us conſider both the Perſon interceding, namely, Chriſt; and the Perſon with whom Chriſt intercedes for this favour, which is, God; the one the Sonne, the other the Father; and ſo the greatneſſe of Chriſt with God, and the graciouſneſſe of God to Chriſt; together with the one-neſſe of wills, and unity of affections duplicate page duplicate page in them both: So that Chriſt will be ſure to aske nothing, which his Father will deny; and his Father will not deny any thing which he ſhall ask.
Now firſt for the greatneſſe of Chriſt the Interceſſor,1. From the greatneſſe of Chriſts perſon, and his intereſt in God who intercedes. that is, his greatneſſe with God the Father. This is often urged in this Epiſtle to the Hebrews, to perſwade confidence in us, in this very point in hand: thus Heb. 4. 14, 16. Seeing we have a [great] High-prieſt, let us come boldly: And whilſt Great and Prieſt are thus joyned together, the more comfort and boldneſſe wee may have, the greater he is: For he is a Prieſt in relation to his dealing with God for our pardon; as he is a Prieſt, he deales in nothing elſe; and the greater the perſon is, who uſeth his intereſt herein, the better, the ſooner he will prevaile. And he is there ſaid to be Great, becauſe great with God, in prevailing with him; and indeed ſo great, as it is impoſſible but he ſhould prevaile. It was the greatneſſe of his perſon, which did and doth put ſuch an influence into his death, that it was (as you heard) a price, more then enough, to ſatisfie Juſtice, even to overflowing: And therefore Who ſhall condemne? It is Chriſt that dyed. And the greatneſſe of his perſon muſt needs have as much influence to make Interceſſion prevalent. In a matter of interceſſion, the perſon that intercedes prevailes more then any other conſideration whatſoever. We ſee what great friends doe procure oftentimes with but a word ſpeaking, even that which money, no nor any thing elſe could have obtained.Demonſtrated by three things: Now Chriſt muſt needs be great with God in many reſpects.
Firſt,1. The neernes of his alliance, that he is Gods naturall Son. in reſpect of the neerneſſe of his alliance to him, He is the naturall Son of God, God of God, and therefore certaine to prevaile with him. This is diligently ſtill put in, almoſt in all places, where this part of his Prieſt-hood (his Interceſſion) is mentioned, in the Epiſtle to the Heb. So in the 4. of the ſame Epiſtle, ver. 14. We have a great High-prieſt entred into the heavens, Ieſus, [the Son of God.] So Heb. 7. 25. and 28. ver. compared, the Apoſtle having ſaid, ver. 25. that He is able to ſave to the utmoſt, ſeeing he ever lives to make Interceſsion) he doth ver. 28. devolve this ability of his to ſave (ultimately) upon his being the Sonne: thus in the 28. verſe, in the end of that diſcourſe, this is made as the Baſis of all: [The Law (ſaith he) makes men Highprieſts which have infirmity] (which infirmity or diſability of theirs, is mentioned in oppoſition unto what he had juſt before ſpoken of the great ability of his our High-prieſt in his interceding, ver. 25. in thoſe words, He is [able] to ſave to the utmoſt.) Thoſe Prieſts whom the ceremoniall Law made, (Aaron and his ſonnes) are unable to ſave, they have infirmity: Now what is it in him that makes this difference, and him ſo able above what they were? The word of the Oath makes the [Son] (ſayes he) who is perfected (as you have it in the Greeke, and margent) for evermore. He mentions this his Son-ſhip principally in relation to his Interceſſion, which there he had diſcourſed of. Interceſſion is a carrying on our ſalvation in a way of grace and favour, as his death was by way of ſatisfaction. How great an influence this hath into Interceſſion to make it prevalent.And anſwerably it may be obſerved in the Scripture, that as the all-ſufficiencie of the ſatisfaction of his death, is ſtill put upon his being God; and ſo upon the greatneſſe of his Perſon conſidered in reſpect of his nature or eſſence, namely, his God-head: So in like manner, that the prevalencie of his Interceſsion is founded upon the neerneſſe of his relation unto God, his allyance to him, and the being his Sonne. Thus for the firſt. When Redemption is ſpoken of, the ſufficiencie of the price is eminently put upon his God-head, [The bloud of God.] Thus alſo Heb. 9. where when he had (ver. 12.) ſhewne how Chriſt had purchaſed and obtained a perfect redemption, he then argues the ſufficiencie of it from his God-head, ver. 13, 14. For if the bloud of Bulls and of Goats, and the aſhes of an Heifer, ſprinkling the uncleane, ſanctifieth to the purifying of the fleſh: How much more ſhall the blood of Chriſt, who [through the eternall ſpirit] offered himſelf, &c. The eternall ſpirit is his God-head. Thus anſwerably when he ſpeaks of the prevailing of his Interceſſion in Heaven, he puts it upon his Sonne-ſhip [Ieſus the Sonne,] he mentions the neerneſſe of the relation of his perſon to God, as being that which draws with it that great reſpect of favour & grace, he being by this great with God, as great in himſelf. All matters of Interceſſion are carried we know by way of favour: And therefore looke how prevalent in a way of merit, his being God makes his death in its kinde; no leſſe prevalent doth his being the Sonne of God, make his Interceſsion in its kinde, namely, in a way of obtaining grace and merciemercy: yea ſo prevalent of it ſelfe it is, that we might build upon it alone, even as much as upon his death. And indeed, Chriſt intercedes not only in the vertue and ſtrength of his ſatisfaction, (though in that alſo) and of his obedience to his Father: but alſo in the ſtrength of his relation as a Sonne who pleads his own grace and intereſt in God, as he is his Sonne; which is a conſideration that doth always actually exiſt and abide: Whereas his obedience (though perfect) was but once offered up, and its exiſtence is but virtuall; but he continues a Sonne for ever, not virtually only, but actually. And therefore it is added in that ſeventh to the Hebrews, ver. laſt, that the Goſpell ordained the Sonne [perfected for ever.] The meaning whereof is, that he is not only a Prieſt perfected in the time paſt by that perfect offering once made, but in that he is the Sonne, he remains a perfect Prieſt for ever, for time to come: whom therefore no imperfection in his office, no failing or miſſing of his ſuits can befall. So as if it could be ſuppoſed that his obedience (becauſe paſt ſo long ago) might be forgotten: yet never this, that he is a Sonne: That for ever abides, and of it ſelfe were enough to prevaile. And how effectuall muſt the interceſſion of ſuch a Son be, who is ſo great a Sonne of ſo great a Father, equall with him, and the expreſſe Image of his Perſon? never any Sonne ſo like, and in ſo peculiarly a tranſcendent manner a Sonne, as the relation of Sonne-ſhip among men is but a ſhadow of it! Chriſt is one with his Father, as himſelfe often ſpeakes; and therefore if his Father ſhould deny him any thing, he ſhould then ceaſe to be one with him, he muſt then deny himſelfe, which God can never do. He is in this reſpect [the Beloved] as he is called, Epheſ. 1. 6. as on whom (originally and primarily) all the beames of Gods love doe fall. Solomon (the type of Chriſt) was the beloved of God, 2 Sam. 12. 24. and had his name from thence, (namely) Iedidiah, that is, beloved of the Lord: And to ſhew how beloved he was, God, whē he came firſt to his kingdome, bade him ask what he ſhould give him, 1 King. 3. 5. Now the like God ſayes to Chriſt when come firſt to his Kingdome alſo, Pſal. 2. 8. Ask of me and I will give thee; namely, when he had ſet him as King on his holy hill, ver. 6. And of him he ſayes, This is my well-beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleaſed, heare him. God bids us therefore and upon that reſpect to heare him; and that ſpeech was but the eccho of his own heart, in that he himſelfe is ſo well pleaſed with him for this that he is his Sonne, as he himſelfe will heare him in every thing, yea, and is ſo pleaſed with him, as that although Chriſt had never died, nor obeyed the Law; yet ſimply, becauſe he is his Sonne, he hath ſo full an acquieſcencie of all deſires in him, and complacencie of delights, that he could deny him nothing. How prevalent then muſt Chriſts interceſſion needes be, though there were nothing elſe to be conſidered?
And that God had indeed this as one maine conſideration,That God had this conſideration of his being his Sonne, when he ordained him a Prieſt to intercede, as that which would fit him for this work. upon which he made him a Prieſt thus to intercede, thoſe words doe teſtifie, Heb. 5. 5, and 6. He that ſaid unto him, Thou art my Sonne, this day have I begotten thee; As he ſaith alſo in another place, Thou art a Prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchiſedech: Theſe latter words are not onelyonly a Paraphraſe (as ſome think) meerly to ſhew that [He] that ſaid, Chriſt was his Sonne, ſaid alſo, He was a Prieſt; but it is to ſhew the foundation of his call to that office. The great conſideration that fitted him for it, was, that he was Gods Sonne; eſpecially that fitted him for that part of his Prieſt-hood, which was to remain for ever, (of which that 110. Pſal. and the Epiſtle to the Heb. doe eſpecially ſpeak.) Neither is the meaning of the fore-cited place onelyonly to ſhew that in that he was Gods Sonne, it was his birth-right to be a Prieſt: ſo as if God would have any Prieſt at all, it muſt be he: And ſo upon that conſideration, he that ſaid to him, Thou art my Sonne, ſaid, Thou art a Prieſt; and that being his right, he therefore called him to it, becauſe he was his Sonne, (for according to the Law of Nature, the eldeſt in the family was to be Prieſt; and ſo Chriſt, even as God-man, being the firſt-borne of every creature, and the naturall firſt begotten Sonne of God, had right to be the prime leader of that great Chorus in that eternall worſhip in heaven:) That (I ſay) is not all the meaning of thoſe words, nor all that God conſidered in it, when he thus ordained him to be a Prieſt; but he had a further and more peculiar reſpect unto this eſpeciall part of his Prieſthood, his Interceſſion, (as that clauſe for ever imports) as for which, he being his naturall Son, ſo neerly allyed to him, would tranſcendtly fit him, and give ſuch an omnipotent prevalencie and effectualneſſe to his requeſts, that he would be the moſt abſolute perfect Prieſt for ever, (in this reſpect) that could be: That as God himſelfe is perfect, and his power irreſiſtible, ſo his Prieſthood through this relation might be perfect alſo, and his requeſts undenyable. Thus did God order it to ſtrengthen our faith. And that indeed God did conſider this relation of his to him to this very end is evident by that of the 2. Pſal. (out of which that ſaying [Thou art my Son] is cited) ver. 7, and 8. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee; and what follows? Ask of me and I will give thee, &c. He connects both theſe together, namely, interceſſion, (that part of his Prieſtly office of asking) with his Son-ſhip, for that is it which moveth God to grant all that he asks. God loves Chriſt as he loves himſelfe, and therefore can deny him nothing, as he cannot deny himſelfe. And ſo by the way, this clears the ground of the Apoſtles quoting thoſe words of the 2. Pſal. in the 5. to the Hebrews as a proofe of Chriſts call to the Prieſthood, which Interpreters have been troubled how to make out; for (as you have ſeene) that ſpeech [Thou art my Son, ask, &c.] is all one as if he had ſaid, Thou art a Prieſt; and ſo was as fit and full a place to prove his being a Prieſt in the holy Ghoſts intent, as is that other quoted with it, out of the 110. Pſal. though uttered in more expreſſe words, Thou art a Prieſt for ever: Both ſpeeches come to one, in both places; the holy Ghoſt eſpecially aiming in both at that part of his Prieſthood in heaven, his Interceſſion; in the one ſpeaking of him after he is ſet upon Gods hill, as King: (So Pſal. 2. ver. 6.) and in the other, after he is ſet downe at Gods right hand: (So Pſal. 110. ver. 1, 2.) Yea, and this his favour with his Father, and Interceſſion alone, might have procured pardon for us ſinners, but that Gods will was to have Juſtice ſatisfied.
And ſecondly,2 His potency with God, from his having been ſo obedient a Sonne. hee intercedes not onelyonly as a Sonne, (and in that reſpect a Prieſt perfect enough for ever) but alſo as a Sonne who hath beene obedient to his Father, and hath done at his requeſt, and for his ſake, the greateſt ſervice for him, and the moſt willingly that ever was done: And you all know how much former ſervices done, doe always forward ſuits. In the 5. of the Heb. ver. 8, 9, 10. it is ſaid, that though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience, and thereby became perfect. The Apoſtle had ſaid in the verſes before, that in reſpect of his being his Son, God had called him to this office, as one that was therby ſufficiently qualifyed to be a Prieſt that might prevaile; and yet in theſe verſes he further adds, that though he was a Son, (and in that reſpect a Prieſt perfect enough) yet he was to bee obedient alſo, and thereby yet to become in a further reſpect a perfect Highprieſt alſo, even in reſpect of ſervice done, and obedience performed. And ſo ſhews that he coms to have a further perfection & power of prevailing in his prieſtly office added to that relation of Sonne-ſhip, ſpoken of ver. 5. And therefore it followes, that he being thus become perfect, namely, through his obedience, he became Author of eternall ſalvation unto all them that obey him, called of God an High-prieſt for ever, &c. That therefore which makes him yet more potent, (that he may be ſure to prevaile) is his obedience, and ſervice done; and this alone alſo were enough to carry any thing. And both theſe conſiderations of his Sonne-ſhip and obedience, as giving an efficacie to his Interceſſion, you have alſo in that Heb. 7. from ver. 26. to 28. he had ſpoken of the power of Interceſſion, ver. 24, 25. how he was able to ſave to the utmoſt; and then in the following verſes he ſhews the ground of it, firſt in his fore-paſt obedience, ver. 26. 1. Active, For ſuch a High-prieſt became us, who was [holy, harmleſſe, undefiled.] And ſuch a Prieſt he was, and therefore able thus to ſave by his Interceſſion: For ſuch an one who was holy, harmleſſe, and no guile found in his mouth, what requeſts come out of ſuch lips, muſt needs be accepted. Then 2. he mentions his Paſsive obedience, ver. 27. He offered up himſelfe once, and thereby made ſo full a ſatisfaction, as he needed not to doe it but once; and in the ſtrength of both theſe he intercedes: for to that purpoſe doth the mention of both theſe there come in. And then he addes that other which we before inſiſted on, that he is the Sonne, which follows in the next words, ver. 28. And accordingly you ſhall finde Chriſt himſelfe urging this his obedience, as the foundation of all thoſe his ſuits and requeſts for us that follow after. So in that laſt prayer, Iohn 17. (which is as it were a pattern or inſtance of his Interceſſion for us in Heaven) I have glorifyed thee on earth, I have finiſhed the worke thou gaveſt me: Two things to be diſtinctly conſidered in his obedience, and both making it prevalent with God.ver. 4. And whereas two things may be diſtinctly conſidered, in that his obedience. 1. The worth of it, as a price in the valuation of Iuſtice it ſelfe; 2. The deſert of favour and grace with God; which ſuch an obedience and ſervice done for his ſake, might in a way of kindneſſe expect to finde at his hands: you may for your comfort conſider, that beſides what the worth of it as a price, which I ſhall urge in the next Chapter, might exact of Juſtice it ſelf betweene two ſtrangers (as we uſe to ſay) he having well paid for all that he asks; he hath moreover deſerved thus much grace and favour with his Father, in that this obedience was done for his ſake and at his requeſt; and this it calls for even in way of remuneration and requitall as of one kindnes with the like: That therefore his Father ſhould heare him in all the requeſts that ever he ſhould make, yea ſo tranſcendent was the obedience which he did to his Father, in giving himſelfe to death at his requeſt, (and it was done at Gods ſole entreaty, Loe I come to doe thy will) as he can never out-aske the merit of this his ſervice. And (which may yet further encourage us herein) he hath nothing at all left to aske for himſelfe ſimply, for he hath need of nothing. So that all his favour remaines entire, for to be laid forth for ſinners, and employed for them: and then adde this thereto, that all he can aske for them, is leſſe, yea farre leſſe then the ſervice which he hath done to God comes to; our lives, and pardon, and ſalvation, theſe are not enough; they are too ſmall a requitall. So that beſides his naturall grace, and intereſt which he hath with his Father, as hee is his Sonne, (which can never be leſſened) this his acquired favour by his obedience muſt needs make him prevaile, ſeeing it can never be requited to the full. Some Divines put ſo much efficacie in this, that they ſay, Chriſts very being in Heaven, who once did this ſervice, and ſo putting God in minde of it by his very preſence, is all that interceſſion, that the Scripture ſpeakes of; ſo ſufficient they thinke this alone to be.