The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, Book 1 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Containing reasons to prove that the oblation and intercession of Christ to be one entire meanes respecting the accomplishment of the same proposed end, and to have the same personall object.
OUr first reason is taken from that a1 From their perpetuall conjunction in the scriptures.powerfull union which the Scripture maketh of both these, almost alwayes joyning § I them together, and so manifesting those things to be most inseperable, which are looked upon as the distinct fruits and effects of them: By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many for he shall beare their iniquities, Isa. 53. 11. the actuall justification of sinners, the immediate fruit of his Intercession, certainely follows his bearing of their iniquities. And in the next verse, they are of God so put together, that surely none ought to presume to put them asunder; he bare the sinne of many (behold his oblation) and made intercession for the transgressors: even for those many transgressors, whose sinne he bears, And there is one expression in that Chapter v. 5. which makes it evident, that the utmost Application of all good things for which he Intercedes, is the immediate effect of his passion, for by his stripes we are healed: our totall hearing, is the fruit and procurement of his stripes, or the oblation consummated thereby, so also, Rom. 4. 25. he was delivered for our offences, and rose againe for our justification; for whose offences he dyed, for their justification he rose: and therefore if he died for all, all must also be justified, or the Lord faileth in his aime & designe, both in the death and resurrection of his sonne, which though some have boldly affirmed, yet for my part I cannot but abhorre the owning of so blasphemous a fancy. Rather let us close with that of the Apostle, grounding the assurance of our eternall glory, and freedome from all accusations, upon the death of Christ, and that because his intercession also for us doth inseperably and necessarily follow it; Who (saith he) shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect, (it seemes also that it is onelyonly they for whom Christ dyed) it is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died: (shall none then be condemned for whom Christ dyed? what than becomes of the generall ransome?) yea rather who is risen againe, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Rom. 8. 33 34. here is an equall extent of the one, and the other: those persons who are concerned in the one, are all of them concerned in the other, That he died for all, and intercedeth onelyonly for some, will scarcely be squared to this text, especially considering the foundation of all this which is v. 32. that love of God, which moved him to give up Christ to death, for us all, upon which the Apostle inferres a kind of impossibility in not giving us all good things in him, which how it can be reconciled with their opinion, who affirme that he gave his sonne for millions, to whom he will give neither grace nor glory, I cannot see: but we rest in that of the same Apostle, when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly, so that being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath by him: Rom. 5. 6. 9. the same between the oblation and intercession of Christ, with their fruits and effects, being intimated in very many other places.
To offer and to intercede, to sacrifice and to pray, are both acts of the same b2. Their inseprablenesse from the same office of Priest hoodsacerdotall office, and both required in him § II who is a Priest, so that if he omit either of these, he cannot be a faithfull Priest for them; if either he doth not offer for them, or not intercede for the accesse of his oblation on their behalfe, he is wanting in the discharge of his office by him undertaken. Both these we finde conjoyned (us before) in Jesus Christ. 1 John 2. 1, 2 if any man sinne we have an Advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is a propitiation for our sinnes: he must be an advocate to intercede, as well as offer a propitiatory sacrifice, if he will be such a mercifull High Priest over the house of God, as that the children should be incouraged to go to God by him. This the Apostle exceedingly cleares, and evidently pr…ves in the Epistle to the Hebrews describing the Priest-hood of Christ in the execution thereof, of offering up himselfe in, and by the shedding of his bloud, and interceding for us to the utmost; upon the performance of both which, he presseth an exhortation to draw neere with confidence to the throne of grace, for, he is come an High-Priest of good things to come, not by the bloud of goats and calves, but by his owne bloud he entred into the holy place, having obtained for us eternall redemption chap. 9 11. 12. his bloody oblation, gave him entrance into the holy place not made with hands, there to accomplish the remaining part of his office: the Apostle comparing his entrance into heaven for us, with the entrance of the High-Priest into the holy place, with the bloud of Bulls and Goats upon him. v. 12. 13. (which doubtlesse was to pray for them in whose behalfe he had offered, v. 1.) so presenting himselfe before his father that his former oblation might have its efficacy: and hence he is said to have foreign because he continueth for ever Heb. 7. 24. so being able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by him, wherefore we have boldnesse to enter into the holyest by the blood of Jesus Chap. 10. 19, 20, 21, 22. so then it is evident that both these are acts of the same priestly office in Christ, and if he perform either of them for any; he must of necessity perform the other for them also: for he will not exercise any act or duty of his priestly function in their behalf, for whom he is not a Priest. And for whom he is a priest, he must perform both, seeing he is faithfull in the discharge of his function to the utmost, in the behalf of the sinners for whom he undertakes. These two then Oblation and Intercession, must in respect of their objects be of equall extent, and can by no means be separated. And here by the way (the thing being by this argument in my apprehension made so clear) I cannot but demand of those who oppose us about the death of Christ, whither they will sustain that he intercedeth for all or no; if not, then they make him but half a Priest; if they will, they must be necessitated either to defend this errour, that all shall be saved; or owne this Blasphemy that Christ is not heard of his Father, nor can prevail in his Intercession; which yet the Saints on earth are sure to doe, when they make their supplications according to the will of God: Rom. 8. besides that of our Saviour, it is expressely said that the Father alwayes heareth him. Joh. and if that were true, when he was yet in the way, in the dayes of his flesh, and had not finished the great work he was sent about, how much more then now, when having done the will, and finished the work of God, he is set down on the right hand of majesty on high, desiring and requesting the accomplishing of the promises that were made unto him upon his undertaking this work, of which before.
The nature of the intercession of Christ, will also prove no § III lesse than what we assert, requiring an unseparable conjunction, between it, and his oblation; for as it is now perfected in heaven, c3 The nature of Intercession.it is not an humble dejection of himself, with cries, tears and supplications, nay it cannot be conceived to be vocall, by the way of intreaty, but merely reall, by the presentation of himself sprinkled with the blood of the Covenant before the throne of Grace in our behalf. For Christ (saith the Apostle) is not entered into the the holy place made with hands, but into heaven it self, now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 24. his Intercession there, is an appearing for us in heaven in the presence of God, a demonstration of his sacred body, wherein for us he suffered. For (as we said before) the Apostle in the ninth to the Heb. compares his entrance into heaven for us, unto the entrance of the High Priest into the holy place, which was with the blood of Buls and Goats upon him v. 12. 13, our Saviours being with his own blood, so presenting himself, that his former oblation might have its perpetuall efficacy, untill the many sons given unto him are brought to glory. And herein his Intercession consisteth, being nothing (as it were) but his oblation continued. He was a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Revel. 13. 3. now his Intercession before his actuall oblation in the fulnesse of times, being nothing but a presenting of the engagement that was upon him for the work in due time to be accomplished, certainely that which follows it, is nothing but a presenting of what according to that ingagement is fulfilled, so that it is nothing but a continuation of his oblation, in postulating by remembrance and declaration of it, those things which by it were procured. How then is it possible, that the one of these should be of larger compasse and extent than the other? Can he be said to offer for them for whom he doth not intercede when his Intercession is nothing but a presenting of his oblation in the behalf of them for whom he suffered, and for the bestowing of those good things which by that were purchased.
Again e4. the same end aymed at and intended by bothif the Oblation and death of Christ procured and obtained that every good thing should be bestowed, which is actually § IV conferred by the intervening of his Intercession, then they have both of them the same aym, and are both means tending to one and the same end. Now for the proof of this supposall, we must remember that which we delivered before, concerning the compact & agreement, that was between the father and his sonne, upon his voluntary engaging of himself unto this great work of redemption: for upon that ingagement the Lord proposed unto him as the end of his sufferings, and promised unto him as the reward of his labours, the fruit of his deservings, every thing which he afterwards intercedeth for. Many particulars I before instanced in, and therefore now to avoid repetition will wholly omit them, refering the Reader to Chap. for satisfaction: onelyonly I shall demand, what is the ground and foundation of our Saviours Intercession, understanding it to be by the way of intreaty, either virtuall or formall, as it may be conceived to be either reall or orall, for the obtaining of any thing, must it not rest upon some promise made unto him? or is there any good bestowed, that is not promised? is it not apparent that the intercession of Christ doth rest on such a promise, as Psal. 2. 8. Ask of me and I will grant thee the heathen to be thine inheritance, &c. Now upon what consideration was this promise and engagement made unto our Saviour, was it not for his undergoing of that about which the Kings set themselves, and the Rulers took counsell together against him, ver. 3. which the Apostles interpret of Herod and Pontius Pilate with the people of the Jews, prosecuting him to death, and doing to him whatsoever the hand and counsell of God had before determined should be done, Acts 4. 27. 28. the intercession of Christ then, being founded on promises made unto him, and these promises being nothing but an engagement to bestow, and actually collate upon them for whom he suffered, all those good things which his death and Oblation did merit, and purchase, it cannot be but that he intercedeth for all, for whom he dyed, that his death procured all and every thing, which upon his Intercession is bestowed, and untill they are bestowed, it hath not its full fruits and effects, for that which some say, viz. that the death of Christ doth procure that which is never granted, we shall see afterwards, whether it do not contradict Scripture, yea and common sense.
Further, what Christ hath put together, let no man presume to put asunder, distinguish between them they may, but separate § V them they may not. Now these things concerning which we treat eBeing joyned in one by Christ himself, and(the oblation and intercession of Christ) are by himself conjoyned, yea united John 17. for there, and then he did both offer and intercede, he did then as perfectly offer himself in respect of his own will and intention, v. 9. as on the crosse: and as perfectly intercede as now in heaven, who then can divide these things, or put them asunder? especially considering that the Scripture affirmeth that the one of them without the other would have been unprofitable 1 Cor. 15. 17. for complete remission and redemption could not be obtained for us without the entring of our high priest into the most holy place. Heb. 9. 12.
Lastly, a f6. In a separation. yielding no consolation.separating and dividing of the death and intercession of Christ, in respect of the objects of them, cut off all that consolation § VI which any soule might hope to attaine by an assurance that Christ died for him: that the doctrine of the generall ransome is an uncomfortable doctrine, cutting all the nerves and sinews of that strong consolation which God is so abundantly willing that we should receive, shall be afterwards declared: for the present I will onelyonly shew, how it tendeth upon our comfort in this particular, the main foundation of all the confidence and assurance whereof in this life, we may be made partakers, (which amounts to joy unspeakable, and full of glory) ariseth from this strict connexion of the oblation and intercession of Jesus Christ, that by the one he hath procured all good things for us, and by the other he will procure them to be actually bestowed; whereby he doth never leave our sinnes but follows them into every court, untill they be fully pardoned, and clearly expiated, Heb. 9. 26. he will never leave us untill he hath saved, to the uttermost, them that come unto God by him: his death without his resurrection would have profited us nothing, all our faith in him had been in vain, 1 Cor. 15. so that separated from it with the Intercession following, either in his own intention, or in the severall procurements of the one or the other, it will yield us but little consolation, but in this connexion it is a sure bottome for a soul to build upon, Heb. 7 25. What good will it do me to be perswaded that Christ died for my sinnes, if, notwithstanding that, my sinnes may appeare against me for my condemnation, where? and when Christ will not appear for my justification? if you will ask with the Apostle, who is he that condemneth, it is Christ that died? Rom. 8. 34. It may easily be answered; why, God by his Law may condemne me, notwithstanding Christ dying for me! yea but saith the Apostle, he is risen again, and sitteth at the right hand of God, making intercession for us, he rests not in his death, but he will certainly make intercession for them, for whom he died, and this alone gives firm consolation, our sinnes dare not appear, nor any of our accusers against us, where he appeareth for us. Cavilling objections against this text, shall be afterwards considered, and so I hope I have sufficiently confirmed and proved what in the beginning of this Chapter I did propose, about the identity of the object of the oblation, and intercession of Jesus Christ.