A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 90 (Question 25)
SERMON XC.
QUESTION XXV.
HOW doth CHRIST execute the Office of a Prieſt?
ANSWER.
CHRIST executeth the Office of a Prieſt in his once Offering up of Himſelf a Sacrifice to ſatisfy Divine Juſtice, and reconcile us to GOD, and in making continual Interceſſion for us.
THE Doctrine of Chriſt's Prieſted is of great neceſſity to be well underſtand by us, in as much as in it was …id the foundation of our Reconciliation to God; the Price of our Redemption was paid to … Juſtice; and way was made for our diſcharge from the guilt and puniſhment which S… had expoſed us to. We may then b… … under the former, conſider the Nature, Neceſſity, and …minency of this Office of Ch…
1. TOUCHING the Nature of this Office, … may gather it out of the Deſcription here given of the way in which he executes it. We have before obſerved, that the buſineſs of Ch…ſ… … Office is to yeat with God on the … of Sinners, in order to the beinging … a Reconciliation between them. And …. He by it …de way for the exe… this other two Offices. And this was typ…ed … the Levitical Pra… of old, and more …ly by the High Prieſt. Theſe Pre…ſts … were, … abund…, and not as Prieſts, … as C…vil R…ers, or Jed…ges appointed to … Cauſes, and give Judgmen… to the pro…e; they were alſo to … then, Mal. …. but that was as they were ordinary Prophets …ſh ſo that is thoſe Prieſts, eſpecially the light Prieſt, there was a ſhadow of all the … Offices of Chriſt. But the Prieſtly Office is its proper function, had to do with …d for Reconciliation and in that it …ip…od his Office of Chriſt. We hay therefore …d … of Illuſtration from thence. We have … us a …wo…old buſineſs about which this Office of Chriſt is concerned; the … where… accompl…ſhed in his ſtate of Him lia…, and purſues the other in his Exalted … S…ſa…n, and Inter…n: … of which be makes and maintains the Re… … with reſpect unto God. There were … …ribetes in God, which Chriſt had to … with as … Prieſt, for the ato…ing of … to us, viz. his Juſtice and his Mercy; … former of theſe he applyed himſelf to … Satisfaction, the latter he ad…reſſeth …; and in both he compleats … function. We may take a brier account of them ſaverally.
2. THE S…sfation of Chriſt is the first part of this Pr…ed, and by it he made way … has …. Juſtice muſt first be appeaſed, b…f… mercy can be obta…ed for the ſinnet: for there moſt be co claſhing between theſe two A…ibates. Pſal. …5.10. And this can be done is no other way, but by anſwering all its de…nds. For this therefore we obſerved, that Chriſt undertook in the Covenant of …demption: and here he parſees it to …. Which, how he accompliſhed, may be obſerved from the account of it, that is have obſered us. Obſerve then,
(1.) THAT the deſign is end of Chriſts Sa…i… is to reconcile us to God, or rather, as reconcile God to us. For it is certain, that is it Chriſt hath not to do with us immedi…ly, but with God. Or we may ſay, that there are two things in our being reconciled …, viz. if here he is perſon… is to be at pure with us, and we are w…n to be at peace and …. The former of theſe only, belongs as his Prieſthood, the latter is done by his other two Offices. This neceſſarily ſuppoſeth that there is a breach between God and man; that God …ath a controverſy with the creature, and is become his enemy; which muſt … be on the account of ſin for God and …, were once friends; and if they were … fallen out, there would need no Reconciler. And if man had not ſinned, God would … have pickt a quarrel with him. The …s Office ever ſuppoſed man's ſin, and the wrath of God, righteouſly kindled againſt him for it; open which the Prieſt was to put in be…ween God and Sinners, to prevent, of give a ſtop to the execution of that wrath, by appeaſing God's arger. H… …1. but every high Prieſt is here from … is … for men in things per…cting to …, the is may after bo…h …s & ſurfies …. He was to make an anocement for the turning away of divine diſpleaſure, and obtaini…g …vour. On this account, the offerings they preſent …, were ſad to … for them a Chro…. ….21 … this …s appl…ed to Chriſt. Heb. 2.1… Therefore … it be… him to be made …, that he …ght be a … and; … high Prieſt, in things … is God, is made … for the … of the people.
(2.) THE Satis…tion by which Chriſt made this Reconciliation, was gives to the Juſtice of God. And that we may rightly take up this matter are muſt obſerve, that it is the Re…i… Juſtice of God, which is here concerned: which bears a proper reſpect to that Role of proceeding, between God and Man, is his ſpecial Government, which was eſabl…ſhed in the firſt Covenant. In which Covenant, God give Man a Law, according to which he was to order himſelf; and added Sancti…es to it, by promiſing Life to Man upon his perfect Obedience, and threatning h…m with Death on his Diſ…bedience, aſſering him that he muſt ſtand … fall is theſe Terms: as …th bear already made …nt, order, the Doctrine of God's ſpecial Government, and of the Covenant of W…s. Now this was the Juſtice which Chriſt applied himſelf …, and made it his … to ſatisfy it, as a Prieſt. And this is well to be obſerved, He did it not as a private Perſo…, …or himſelf, but as he was our Prieſt; and h…s Prieſthood belongs to h…s med…rerſhip, in which His buſineſs with God is not on his own account, but for his People. Hence the ſatisfaction which he gives to Divi. Juſtice, muſt be ſuch as anſwers the condition of theſe for whom it is given; and that is ſuch who by ſin have forfeited the promiſed bleſſing, and incuried the threatned curſe, Hence, not only was he made under the Law becauſe we were ſo, God. …4. but was alſo made ſin for us, becauſe we were become S…aners, 2 Cor 5.21. He was for this reaſon neceſſitated to anſwer the Covenant in both parts of it, or comply with each function. Which will be ma…teſt in the ſequel.
3. THE …y in which he made this ſatisfaction, was by this offering himſelf up a Sacrifice. And in all this he acted as a Pr…d and fully anſwered the Types of him. For the clearing of this, two things may be … into. 1. What Chriſt did for the …ting …f this Satisfaction? 2. The compleat Satisfaction that was given to the Juſtice of God …ere…?
Q. 1. WHAT Chriſt did for the …king of this Satisfaction?
A. THERE is a two ſold Obedience aſcribed to Chriſt in the Scripture, viz. active and paſſive, and both of theſe refer to the work of Redemption, for they were done by him as he was under the Law, all of which was to redeem us. Now, though our Catechiſm mentions only his paſſive Obedience, yet we are to ſuppoſe that it includes his active. Whatever Chriſt did as our Redeemer, he did it by vertue of one of his three Offices; now that his active Obedience was for us, as well as his paſſive, is certain. He did not do for himſelf, and ſuffer forus; for he took our nature on him on our account, and he tells us, that it becomes him in it to fulfil all Righteouſneſs, Mat. 3.15. And we are told that he is the end of the Law for it, Rom. 10.4. And we are aſſured that he hath purchaſed the Inheritance for us, Eph. 1.14. And it muſt be done by complying with the terms on which it was to be had, and that was by perfect Obedience, which he therefore performed, as he purchaſed us for that by his ſufferings. This then muſt be referred to one of his Three Mediatorial Offices; but it cannot belong either to his Prophetical or Kingly: becauſe in it he treats not with us, but with God, in which his Prieſtly only is concerned: and the Juſtice which he had to do with in it, is either rewarding or revenging. Now rewarding Juſtice refers to the beſtowing of life and happineſs upon man, on account of his perfect active obedience, unto which this reward was accordingly promiſed. Chriſt then as a Prieſt conformed himſelf to the rule. Hence we have him declaring, Pſal. 40.8. Heb. 10.7. Then ſaid I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God. And for this reaſon his holineſs and being without ſin is ſo remarked, 2 Cor. 5.21.1 Pet. 2.22. Who did no ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Heb. 7.26. For ſuch an high Prieſt became us, who is holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners. Not was this meerly to fit him to ſuffer, and anſwer the Type, which required the Sacrifices to be without blemiſh, but to ſignify, that by doing as well as ſuffering, he wro't out a righteouſneſs for us, which might anſwer the juſtice of the law on our account, and ſtand for us, upon God's gracious imputing of it to us. However the greatly celebrated buſineſs of this Satisfaction is ſet forth in Chriſt's poſſive Obedience, wherein he made himſelf a Sacrifice for Sin. Of which we have this account in the Anſwer,
1. THAT Jeſus Chriſt was the Prieſt offering. The Ceremonial law required an order of Prieſthood for the offering of Sacrifices. They were not accepted at every man's hand. No other man might come near to the holy Place left he die. So that the acceptance of the oblation depended on the perſon that offered it. He muſt … deputed Prieſt, Now a Prieſt is a ſacred Perſon ſeparated from the common people, and conſecrated to God, to miniſter before him in holy things. All of this deſcription is ſet forth, in Heb. 5. begin. And this tipified Chriſt, as one appointed by his Father, and ordained to his work by him, ſignifying that it was impoſſible that ſatisfaction could … made, and Salvation be procured for us by any other but him, according to Acts 4.1…. Now Chriſt was a Prieſt according to … natures, this Office reſpected him as Godman. Heb. 5.5, 6, 7. Not only his divine, … his humane Will alſo was active in this a… God called him to this, and ſanctified … to it; for he was called even as Aaron, H… 5.4, 5. And no man taketh this honour … himſelf, but he that is called of God, as … Aaron. So alſo Chriſt glorified not himſelf, … made an high Prieſt: but he that ſaid unto … Thou ort my Son, to day have I begotten …. And therefore our high Prieſt is ſet forth he is man as well as God. Heb. 4.15. F… have not an high Prieſt which cannot be to… with the feeling of our inf…mities, but was … points tempted like as we are, yet without …. God himſelf ſeparated and conſecrated … Pſal. 110.4. The … hath ſworn, and … not repent, th… … Prieſt for ever after … order of Melch….
2. THAT Jeſ… …is;t alſo, was the Seo… offered. What … …eſt without a Sacri… This is his buſi…eis Heb. 5.1. For, being… expiate the wrath of God for ſin, which … Levitical Prieſts did Ceremonially; and that by making ſatisfaction to juſtice: he and have ſomething to give in exchange for the life of the ſinner, which was forfeited, and whoſe blood was a due debt to divine revenge. When therefore, upon the days atonement, he went into the moſt holy, … muſt not go without blood, Heb. 9.7. So … the Son of God his Sacrifice, with which … made an exchange for ſinners, and an … ment for them. The legal Sacrifices went two ſorts, Expiatory, for the appe…ing of God's wrath, and taking away of the … of ſin, and ſo upon the offering them … promiſed to forgive them, Lev. 4.20. And … charistical, or teſtimonies of thankfulneſs … God for his great favour to his people, which alſo they muſt not offer immediately, but … Prieſt muſt do it for them. The former of theſe had reſpect to Chriſt's Satisfaction, the latter to his Interceſſion.
NOW this Sacrifice was no other … Chriſt according to his humane nature. It is true, the Perſon or Chriſt is here confid… but it is according to this nature, … properly of his Perſon, by vertue of the hypoſtatical union, into which he aſſumed it. For, though the divine nature gave value in his Sacrifice, and his Sufferings were therefore ſufficient to anſwer the law for all his People, becauſe they were the Suffering of Him … was the Son of God; yea the divine … could not of it ſelf ſuffer or he ſac… being incapable of ſuffering. The Scri… entitles his humane nature to the con… tion of a Sacrifice. Hence called his Body, … 1.22. His Blood, ver. 20. His Soul, Iſai. 59. … And indeed he was fitted with an human … this end. Heb. 10.5. A body hast thou pre…red me. And it was his whole humane nature conſiſting of Body & Soul, which made … offering. And how it was offered, will …e to be particularly conſidered, under … Humiliation.
3. THAT Chriſt alſo was the Altar on which offered himſelf. The law provided direct…, that there ſhould be an Altar prepared, … the Sacrifice was to be offered upon it; …d ſuch was the uſefulneſs of it, that the …ing was to be ſanctified by it, Mat. 23.19. …od appointed an Altar to be built, and commanded that all Oblations ſhould be brought … it; and he rejected all Sacrifices elſewhere offered, unleſs by ſpecial direction, he … them on extraordinary occaſions to erect … Altar alſewhere. And Chriſt is properly he Altar, according to his divine nature. … was that which put the dignity & worth upon his Oblation. It was his divine nature …hat ſanctifyed his humane to the work of redemption, Joh. 17.19. And for them ſakes ſ…ctiſie my ſelf, that they alſo might be ſanctified through the truth. The value of his blood … from hence, becauſe it was the blood of God. Act. 20.23.
4. THAT Chriſt's ſufferings and death, were deſignedly expiratory. He did not ſuffer, only … ſet us an example, though we have an excellent pattern of paſſive Obedience in it; … was he only a metaphorical Sacrifice, to … the rage of Men & Devils; but he was the a…type of the Sacrifices Levitical, which were to pacify God to Sinners; which they could not do in themſelves, but as they were ſhadows of, and helps to Faith to believe in him, who was the ſubſtance. For this reaſon, he is ſaid to give himſelf a Ranſom for us, in 1 Tim. 2.6. And what is a ranſom, but a full price paid for the redemption of that for which it is paid? As therefore the Prieſt was to lay the Sins of the People on the head of the Sacrifice, ſo did God lay our Sins upon him, Iſai. 53.6. And on this account he is …aid to be made ſin for us, 2. Cor. 5.21. In alluſion to the fin-offering, which was wont to be called in the abſtract. He is for this ſaid to die for our ſins, 1 Cor. 15.3. and to give himſelf for our ſins, Gal. 3.4. and to bear our ſins, Heb. 9.28. which, and many other expreſſions, muſt needs intend that he aimed at the ſatisfying the juſtice of the law hereby, on the account of thoſe whom …e ſuffered for; and to deny this, is highly to derogate from the honour of Chriſt's ſufferings.
5. THAT Chriſt once, and but once, offered himſelf on this account. This article hath Emphaſis in the anſwer, and hath a particular remark put upon it more than once in the … Teſtament, Heb. 7.27. For Chriſt alſo …ce ſuffered for ſins, 1 Pet. 3.18. The ry… Sacrifices, of old, being commemorative … promiſe, and to refreſh their Faith in …tation of the antetype, who was the …ace, whereof theſe were but ſhadows, were on that account often repeated; wherein alſo their imperfection was intimated, as will after be obſerved. But Chriſt who was the Sacrifice to which they all pointed, in fulneſs of time once offered himſelf, & thereby expiated ſin and perfected all that was requiſite on that account, according to, Heb. 10.14. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are ſanctified. And now there needs no more Sacrifice. Which leads us to the next things.
2. THE compleat Satisfaction that was given to the Juſtice of God hereby. For we muſt make this an article of our Faith, elſe we can receive no true conſolation from the Prieſthood of Chriſt. And there are four concluſions on which the fulneſs of this is built.
(1). THERE was room leſt, notwithſtanding the ſeverity of the Covenant of works, for the intervention of a Surety. It is true, that Covenant had no ſuch expreſs reſerve, nor can there be a Surety in it, but it did not exclude the bringing in of a better Covenant. It is ſaid that the Soul that ſins ſhall die, but it did not ſay that God would not, or might not take another to die for him in exchange. Nay, in that Covenant, man was treated with in one common head, or repreſentative, in whom he was to ſtand or fall; which is anſwered by a parallel in the new Covenant, in Chriſt the ſecond Adam, who alſo was ſet to repreſent God's elect. Hence they are compared by antitheſis. 1 Cor. 15.22. For as in Adam all die, even ſo in Chriſt ſhall all be made alive. To puniſh ſin according to the threatning, is an act of Juſtice, to puniſh it in another that is put in his room is an act of Sovereignty, and is not repugnant to Juſtice; and that it was ſo here, the Scripture aſſures us; hence he is called a Surety, Heb. 7.22. and ſaid to bear our iniquities, and to make his ſoul an offering for ſin, Iſai. 53.10. Which leads to,
(2.) THAT the Son of God did become Surety for his elect, and his Father accepted as ſo. Suretiſhip in a criminal caſe, is not a thing that the law requires acceptance of, but it belongs entirely to Prerogative. So that it is not enough to the conſtitution of ſuch an one, that a Perſon offers himſelf to be exchanged, but the Judge muſt conſent to, and receive the offer; upon which the party ſtands related. Thus Chriſt is ſaid, not only to be, but to be made a Surety, Heb. 7.22. And how he was thus made hath been obſerved under the general conſideration of his mediatorſhip: but it is certain, that his Father did accept him as ſo in the everlaſting Covenant, and it was for this reaſon, and meerly on this account that he came to be under the law, and ſeized by juſtice, and brought to ſuffering, to which he elſe had not been liable.
(3.) THAT his active and poſſive obedience were on the account of this Suretiship, or in purſuit of it. That he did obey in both theſe reſpects is certain, yea, he came in our nature to this end that he might obey, and there muſt be ſome reaſon why the eternal Son of God ſhould, in our nature, put himſelf under the law: it could not be for himſelf, for being a divine Perſon he was above law, and owed no perſonal obedience to it, for could it ever have required actual obedience of bin on his perſonal account: but it muſt be with reſpect to ſome relation he bare, and that muſt be as he ſtood in mans place to whom the law was given; much leſs could he owe paſſive obedience to it for himſelf, ſince having fully complyed with the precept, he came under the promiſe of life, and was not obnoxious to the threatning of death. So that it he die for ſin, it muſt not be his own, but ſome other which he bare. Hence that, 1 Pet. 2, 24. Who his own ſelf bare c…r ſins in his own body on the tree. Gal. 2.20.
(4.) THAT this bedience of his was ſafficient to anſwer the Juſtice of the Law, for us, and make full ſatisfaction to it. Chriſt ſaith of himſelf, Mat. 5.17. Think not that I am come to deſtroy, the law or the propiets: I am not come to deſtroy, but is ſulfil. And he did ſo. And there is no unrighteouſneſs in diſcharging the ſinner on account of it. As will appear if we conſider, [1.] The obedience it ſelf. It was no ways detective. In his active obedience, he was without any ſpot; he never ſinned by emiſſion or commiſſion, but ſulfilled the law in all its commands. In his paſſive obedience, he underwent all that was eſſential to the curſe which man was fallen under; even the whole weight of God's wrath which was out againſt ſinners. His one Sacrifice was perfect; how elſe could it perfect the partakers in it? as Heb. 10.14. Which will be ſeen when we come particularly to conſider it. [2.] THE Perſon obeying. He was both God and Man. Now, being Man, he anſwered the law. He was our Brother, and the right of redemption belongs to him. He was Man, and ſo could as a Man anſwer that law which was made for man; and being God, he thereby put an infinite worth into his obedience. There is an emphaſis in calling his blood the blood of God, Acts 20.28. Such a ſacrifice could not but be unconceiveably precious. Hence that, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Foraſmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as ſilver and gold, from your vain converſation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Chriſt as of a lumb without blemiſh and without ſpot. [3.] THE reception which this Obedience of his had with the Father. This abundantly proves, that Juſtice was ſatisfyed with it.
For,
1. His Father gave him a full acquittance as a Surety. The law had him under an arreſt, being engaged to pay our debts, but it could not hold him, but gave him a diſcharge. He was dead and buried, but the Grave had no power over him, becauſe the curſe of death which he took on him for us was expiated, He was delivered out of the hands of Juſtice, raiſed again from the Grace. And we … told, it was for car …, Rom. 4.25. Why it was not p…th…e &c Acts 2.24. but becauſe he had …p t…ted the ſatisfaction
2. GOD hath a…van… … and dignity. And this is not only after he had done and … but as a recompose of it. Phil. 2.7, 8.…. … …rſe… of a reputation, and … ſ…rn d… ſervant, and was made in the …eneſs of …. And being ſound in …ſtion as a … … himſelf, and become … hath, … death of the …r…ys. Wherefore God alſo hath … ly exalted him, and grave him a name what ab… every name. It he had …paid all … debts he had not been diſcharged, much … exalted: as we now ſee him to be by … of ſaith. Heb. 1 3. And it was for this. …k 2.9. But we ſee Jeſuſ, who was mode …de … lower th… arge…s, for the ſ…ing of … …r…ened with glory & … by the g… of God ſhould taſted d…th for …. he hath received this as a … …ce of his Obedience, which he had … come, it it had not been ſatisfactory.
3. HE hath the app…ſation of Eternal … committed to him. T…e Salva… of Si… depended on his Prieſthood if his Sacr… had not been ſufficient, they could not be ſaved. But now he hath Authority to give Eternal Life, to as … y…a… he … 24, 25. And he hath … Son of man. ver. 2…. He … wherefore ſ… gi…e Sins, Mat. 9 6. Which … be each, … he hath ſatisfyed for them.
USE. THIS teacheth as, that our Righteouſneſs or Juſtification muſt need, be by … They that deny the Juſtification of a S… to be by imputation, wholly make …d the Prieſtly Office of Chriſt, in the main, and eſſential part of it, viz. Satisfaction. … Juſtification the man is declared r…st… … curia; the law abſolves him from guilt and declares him righteous. Now the perſon muſt firſt be tried by the law in order a ſuch a proceſs. Now the law curſeth the delinquent, Gal. 3.10. And ſuch will e…y man be found on his perſo all account. So that Inquiry muſt be further made, where the law hath been anſweted for him, and … reparatation made for his tranſgreſſion? And if no ſuch he found, he cannot be juſti…. The ground of Chriſt's Prieſthood was a offer up an expiatory Sacrifice, to apeak the juſtly inc…nſed anger of God againſt the ſinner; becauſe man had offended, and … not of himſelf make ſatisfaction. It is to be obſerved, that the ſubject of Juſtification … a ſinner. Rom. 4 5. But to him that a … not, but believeth on him that juſti…ſ…h … godly, his faith is counted for righteouſneſs. They have no perſonal righteouſneſs of own, being fallen ſhort of the glory … Rom. 3.23. Should they be tried on own account, they could not be juſtified 143.2. Hence in order to their acquitance muſt be …ou…d a righteouſneſs equally …ſive with the c…mma…d, and anſwerable the ſentence of the law: and not being …d in the …, it muſt … in … …ther … for him. Now G…d … being willing to … of this at the ha… of Chriſt out edition. introduced his Prieſtly C…. So …t the Satisfaction which …e … is our …cation. Iſai. …. 11. He … ſee of the …el ſ… ſ…, and …all be … by his …edge ſhall my righteous ſ…r…act and …; for he ſhall …ear …. … Cor. …. For he hath made him to be … for us, not … might that we might be made the righteouſ…ſſ of God in him. Not is it p…ſſible teat ſhould be o… any other way, but by im…. Would we then have the comfort this hope, let us be often viewing this …i…s Satisfaction of our High Prieſt, and …ch o… …arag…ment from it.
[NOVEMBER 16. 1695.]