A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 92 (Question 25 cont.)
SERMON XCII.
I. WE proceed to confider of the Neceſſity of Chriſt's Pri… Office. And this will be ſeen by … ſerving the de…en…e that ſe… … …al… to … hath upon it. And the g…ed of this neceſſity …s laid in the Relation which not b…rs … the Law r…yn…nt of it …ks, and the ex…neſs or ſeverity of that Covenant. …ef account whereof may be taken in the folling Concluſions,
1. THERE was a rule of Juſtice fixed by God in … Covenant, according to which man was to is h…py…r …ſcrable. That is to be accounted … of Juſtice, when there are righteous precepts gives, and thoſe are ratified, with the promiſe of reward to thoſe that obſerve them, and threa…ning of pu…ment to ſuch as viol…ce them; by one that hath authority ſo to …and, and appoint ſuch Sanctions. And then the Supe…io…t is hound to fulſil theſe factions, according to the tenor of them; and the l…feriour ſtands engaged to obedience … theſe terms: it now amounts in a Covenant, in which the proceedure of Juſtice is … or determined. For here is a mutual …igation between theſe two parties. Now ſuch a Rule was conſtituted in the firſt Cove… between God and man. For God both … man what he ought to do, gave him a …, wherein he was made to underſtand what … expected of him; ſignified what he ſhould …tive if he thus did. Rom. 10.5. That the … which …oth theſe things, ſhall live by them. And what be muſt ſuffer if he re…e…ed o… did … wiſe. Gen 2.17. For … …y that … e…ſt thereof, thou from ſere… ….
2. Man is … ſix … of th… r… of …u…e. And …ere … the … H…g… Pr…ſt. The Law indeed was the … of man's apoſtacy and miſery. …t … was not the … N…er the role not the thr…ing of …, w…uld have … in the left, it he had not … againſt it, and broken b…ſelt upon it, by his …; but contrarily, i… he had hope cloſe to it, it would have mode him happy. The law … for …e, but ſin mode it become death Rom 7.10. The law was g…rea… c…m … com…ce between God and … in …ri…g … …e would have pleaſed God and to God would have …ld comm… with him, … made him bleſſed in that communion; not could there … thing ha…e interpoſed to ſeparate him from the Fountain of bleſ…dreſs Iſ… 56.2.
3. GOD ſtands freely and … ſ…ly …b…ged to has … Law. He not only … was to his duty, but with it be engaged himſelf, either to reward or …iſh …a…, according as he ſhould He…ave himſelf with relation to his duty. The conſequents of the cond…tio…s of the firſt Co…e…a…t were not left arbitrary by God, but were ratiſyed and made ſure, by God's aſſerting both to the promiſe and threatning. God poſitively threat…d diſo… d once with death, Gen. 2.17. For … the day that thou …are… thereof thou ſtain ſare…y d…. The words carry the term of a vehement aſſeveration in them. S…a…s that they may with the more ſeeming reaſon deny Chriſt's Satisfaction, have left the conditional threat…ing in the firſt Covenant a…bl…tary; ſad ſay, tho' ſin expoſed man to it, yet Got was not obliged by it. And ſome Orthodox in oppoſition to them, have ſought to make the puniſhement of ſin, natural & neceſſary to God. But both theſe are extreams. God's holineſs indeed naturally loaths ſin. … 1.13. But to pe…ſli…or pard on ſinners are the reſults of his free Will, and both conſiſtent with his holineſs. But having in a Covenant be and himſelf to peniſh ſin, and in that way to manifeſt his relative Juſtice, He cannot now go bic…, becauſe he is not a man that he ſhould lie.
4. GOD is reſolved upon the S… … ſome Sinners. And this alſo goes in to make it neceſſary, that there ſhould be an High Preſt. For the neceſſity is not abſolute but by p…thetical. If God had ſeen meet to have left all Adam's poſſerity, under the ſentence of the Law, which they had procured to themſelves, to have ſuffered in their own perſons the penalty of the breach of it forever, there had been no occaſion for the Pri…l…od or Chriſt. Execation might have paſted from God immediately, as a Lawgive, and a Judge; not was there any neceſſity for him to do otherwiſe. His happineſs had no dependence on man's Salvation. But in his free good will to men, he is reſolved that he will not leave all that …e…able company to be and dye in their … and to ſuffer the …engeance of …ell, but purp…th to being …cs a number of them to be made partakers in ever…al Glory. This perpe… of his is therefore here to be ſuppoſed, 1. Theſ. …2. For God … app…ed … ha… is … by our Lord …eſ… C….
5. IN … S…i…e a d…ry is to be made of … the … God. There are the two Attributes which God deſigned … …rancement of now man, and he w…ll …are both of theſe be exalted and ad…ed in theſe that are ſared. H… be only …del the re…elation of his Mercy, is the Salvation of the ſomer, be might have ſaved how without a …i…dia…; a free pardoe, beſtowed upon a creature ſo highly …ending, would have been a wonderful illuſtrative of that. But becauſe he had firſt eſtabliſhed a rule of relative Juſtice; this Jeſtice n…w ſteps is, and makes a demand of its …ght, before the Mercy which ſ…es the ſinner may be proceeded unto. It was God's pleaſure, that his juſt ha…ed of ſin ſhould be made known, as well as his undeſe…red love to the ſi…er. And hence though he will be more …ul, yet he will minifeſt o… declare it, in a way of equity. He will be hath juſt, &c Rom. 2.2…. Hence ſuch an expreſſion is uſe…, 1 Joh 1. …. … and juſt to ſ…gi…e as … fi…. To be juſt, and yet ſi…g…e; yea to be juſt to forgive, or in forgiving, this is the myſtery of …edemption; the not recarding of which hath made Chriſt's Satisfaction, ſo little ſet by in the world.
6. THAT Mercy …ay appear in g…y, without …ſſcring any whence to ſ… …e…ic… of God it is …ig…ſ…e that all the demands of the raie of Juſtice be ſully anſwered for all theſe …e are part …ers in this mercy. If the firſt Corenant be not ſatisfied for fallen man, it is impoſſible that his Salvation ſhould conſiſt with the relative Juſtice of God. That Covenant was a reſul…ancy of infinite Wiſdom; and hence the rule of it was ſo accommodated to the nature of man, that is was equal in its demand…, and juſt in his threatnings. And for that reaſon it is not to be earned out of doors with diſgrace; but to be highly honoured in man Salvation. And that it may ſo be it muſt be accompliſhed. And therefore Chriſt tells us Mat. 5.17. Think not that I am come to deſtroy the l…r the prophets: I am not come to deſtroy, but to ſu…f…l. To the fulfilment whereof two things are neceſſary,
(1.) THAT the condition of happineſs be performed. In that Covenant perfect obedience, & a conſtant life of bleſſedneſs were connected. Rom. 10.5. Man cannot be conducted to eternal life, according to the tenor of that Covenant, but on the account of perfect obedience to the la…y of it; for the leaſt failure in any article of it, at any time, brings him under the curſe, Gol. 3.10. This was the rule of Juſtice at the firſt; and it was never diſanulled or repealed.
(2.) THAT, in caſe of diſobedience, the pe…ky of a be f…y ſ…ford. Time, ha… … reta…ed his primitive ingegrity, this put had been altogether needleſs. The th…ing could have none, but thoſe that brought themſelves under it. But becauſe man is bec… gailty of ſea and diſo…ed …ace, be is now ſullen under the ſentence. The corſe hath ful… upon him, the law demands its ſr…i… of him, and it …ſt have it, or the … of Juſtice would be violated. The Law faith, the Sinner muſt …. And it is juſt that it ſhould be ſ…. And therefore death muſt be …u…, for the law muſt be fulfilled in every a…i… of it. Ma…. 5.18.
7. HENCE be that will e…k mercy of God… the …er, and ſ…ed in his pe…n…e, … be … is preſent … ſack a Right… of a the is, which muſt …e the S…t… Right… … by …active …, of not redly. It … either that which be hath done himſelf, … that which is done for him. And this is … and properly the Sacrifice which is o…d up for Sinners. On this account it is … Chriſt is ſa…d to be m…de ſin for … C…. And to bear … Chriſt …jements. Iſai. 53.7. … till a fair way be opened, that Mercy any ſhew it ſelf in a righteous way, the…e is … town of place for Mercy at all. For God u… r… glor…ly …e Attribute to the … of another.
8. SINFUL men it …ter'y at …ie to … for himſelf. He can do neither the o…e, not the other to God's Satisfaction, and his owns … tation. He hath no perſonal righ …e… left him, not can be obey the Law peri…t…, not yet ſo ſuffer the penalty of Sin, as …de able to take out an acquit…ance from it, but it would be forever taking this Satisfiction… him; which is the very reaſon of the e…e… of the torments of the damned. Hence the riches of Grace is heightned by the exp… of its coming at ſuch a ſeaſon. Rom. 5.6. F… we … yet without ſtrength, in d…e ti… Chriſt died for the u…g…dly. So that if there … way be found to remove the guilt of ſ…n … the Sinner, and impute it to another … is able to bear it, and to expiate it, and ſo …s take the obdience of another, and impo… to the Sinner, there is no room left for … Salvation. And he that is ſuch a Peſ… ſtanding for Sinners under ſuch a relation, is properly a Prieſt for them.
9. HE only that hath done all this is … pear before God for Sinners, to demand that … b… fit of it be applied to them. He only that can ſatisfy, yea that hath done it, is … i…ercede. None elſe can carry that … and Incenſe into the moſt holy Place, that … make the atonement for them. How … he make the challenge, who hath … to ground it upon? And it can have so … foundation but this. And if there he … he ſpeak this, and ſo procure the appli… of it to us, what hope were there for us, … go to that God, who is a conſuming … all thoſe who have no Prieſt to interpoſe … them. This is our encouragement, that … have ſuch a… Advocate, 1 Joh. 2.1.
10. NONE but Chriſt, who is God and men. … be all thus … as, and therefore if …e had … …g…ged an, and per…ormed it, at … had … per…ed forever. It was when none … appeat to be a Sav…out, that he ſlept in … …der… the work. Iſea. 63.16. So that … of the …gh… of Chriſt; Pr… …, … to thus much. viz. If God be … …ed to fallen man, there is no Salvation can be expected for him. If Juſtice … appeaſed, there is no rec…nciling him, … …ing of his Mercy to look towards the … with a propitious eye. If there he not … was can by his active and puſſ…re obedience, anſwer of the Law to the full of its demands, it cannot be ſatisſion, but remains in is fury againſt the Sinner. Now there was … but the S… of God in our nature, that … tide to after ſuch a Sacrifice and thereupon to be able powerfully to intercede for … So that, had not he been our High Prieſt, … muſt have been laſt, and periſhed for …, by ab…ding under the wrath of God, which would have wrought our eternal ruin.
II. NOW let us obſerve the great Ex…e…lleney of Chriſt Priel…b…d. or wherein be exceeded of the Typer that ever were of it. We read, … 110.4. that be is ſaid to be Frieſt for … ofter the order of Mel…biſedeck. And the Ap…le i…fi…ts upon it, Hob. 7. begin. And it …uſed to expreſs ſomething in his Prieſthood … …ment, than that of Aaron. Touching the Perſon of Mel…biſdick, we have no …ther account than what is given, Gen. 14. …, …9, 20. And touching the order, we had … nothing at all, had not the Apoſtle … Chapter explained it to us: which I ſuch … farther comment upon than to ſet ſuch the excellency of Chriſt's Prieſtly Office. Plese let us obſerve. That A…ron was a Type of Chirſt, and whatſoever did truly belong … a Prieſt it him, was truly accompliſhed by Chriſt as the Antitype: and wherein any thing was more excellent in Alelchiſedeck's Pri…hood, therein was Chriſt after the ori… of him. And there are more eſpecially … things to be obſerved in it.
1. THE legal Prieſthood seas confirmed, by the …vention of an humane ordination, a holy anction, and other ceremonies attending …. We have a particular account of them in the law of Moſes. Whereas Chriſt's hi…hood was conferred on him after an …dinary manner, by an immediate call …ſemation, being anointed to it by the ſpi…it; as hath been before obſerved. We … of no ceremonies in the call and inſtal… of Melchiſedeck, but only that he was Chriſt of the moſt high God. We have therefore this account of him in the illuſtration … Type, Heb. 7.15, 16. And it is yet far …evident: for that after the ſimilitude of …ſodee there ariſeth another Prieſt. Who is … not after the law of a carnal commond…, but after the power of an endleſs life. In which he is oppoſed to the other.
2. THE legal Prieſthood was changeable. It was capable of being altered; whereas the Prieſtood of Chriſt, was …hangeable. And there were two ways in which the Prieſthood might be altered, which His is not to…ched withal.
(1.) ONE was cape…e of being diſl…ced, and another being put is his r…. For the Aaronical Prieſts were in ſubjection to the civil powers, and might be ſo criminal as to forſeit their place; thus we find that Solomon put by Atia…h…r, and ſubtituted Z…dock in his room; 1 Kings 2.27, with 35. But Chriſt hath no Subſtitute, can never forfeit his Office, being a Prieſt forever.
(2.) THE high Prieſt by his death was diſpleced, and leſt his Office to another. A…ron dies, and the Prieſts robes are put upon Eleazer. Death unavoidably put an end to the high Prieſts Service, and ſo, as many generations as there were, ſo many changes there came; but Chriſt is a continuing Prieſt, he dies not to give place to another, but as by his death he accompliſhed one part of his Office, viz. Satisfaction: ſo in an endleſs life he purſues the deſigns of the other, viz Interceſſion: Heb. 7 23, 24, 25. And this was darkly ſhadowed in Melchiſodeck, ver. 3. It was a myſterious Providence, that neither his extract, birth, nor deſth, ſhould be mentioned in Scripture, that the ſilence that is there about it, might be typical of the extraordinary and andleſs Prieſthood of Chriſt.
THE legal Prieſts were imperfect ſinful men, and ſo they flood in need themſelves of being puriſed. On this account they were to offer up Sacriſices for their own Sins, as well as for the ſins of the people; yea, there were offerings to be ſacrificed for them at their conſecration to their Office, to ſignify that they themſelves were impure, & needed cleanſing: whereas Chriſt was pure, ſpotleſs, endefiled, he needed no Sacrifice for himſelf, no offering to preſent on his account, to ſatisfy for his offences, ſpotleſs and rigorous juſtice could lay nothing to his charge, he never did harth, or offended either God or man; Heb. 7.26, 27. For ſuch an high Prieſt became us, who is holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſ…aners, and made higher than the heavens. Who needeth not daily at thoſe high prieſts, to offer up ſacrifice firſt for his own ſins, and then for the people's: for this be did once, when be offered up himſelf He was a Lamb without blomiſh, and thereupon was capable of being the Sacrifice as well as the Prieſt.
4. THE legal Prieſts ſerved in a periſhable houſe, an earthly tabernocle and temple; but be in an unperiſhable and heavenly. Now that was periſhable on a double account.
(1.) IT was liable to decay & ruin. Hence we read how often there was coſt laid out to repair it. And at length the temple and ordinances, & Prieſts Services were all broken up, and laid waſte by the Babylonians, at the ſacking of Jeruſalem, the Houſe of God was burnt with fire, and ſome of the Prieſts ſlain, and the other led captive. But Chriſt is eatred into the Heavens after he had done his work here, and that is an eternal Houſe, a Temple that is diable to…no caſualty.
(2.) THAT Houſe is Prieſthood, and Services to…re all to be ab…lſhed. they were but temp…raty and trauſlent: the Taber…acle was to be taken down, who prieſthood to be antiquated, and the whole method of external in…ituted worſhip to be changed, by the introduction of another Heb. 7.12. For the Frieſthood bring changed… there in made of…neat…s… a change alſo: of the …. But Chriſt's Prieſthood is Ameb…rg canbe, murd… Becauſe tie ſhall never give place to another. A…o…s was typical and ſhadowy, and ſo when the antitype and ſubſtance came, the ſhades fled away a Herther…fore abides u Prieſt, v. 2.
5. THE legal Prieſthood their many Sucriſion, They ware tain to be often reiterating their oblations and once every year there was a return of the great expiasion, and fin-offetings were dailys preſented …: ſacrificed; But Chriſt;s excellency as a Prieſt lies in this, that at once be affered one Sacrifice, which onſ…ved the Low comple…, and was entirely ſufficient for then expiation of the guilt of his whole Church on genetal, and every Soul in particulor for whom he undertooks Heb, 9.2 &c.
6. AS the…gal Prieſthood was imperfect in itſelf, ſo it trude nothing ſur…ect, but …eft all things under imperfection. What could ſhadows do? And this was the reaſon, of bringing in the Meleniſedeckia. Heb. 7.11. If abeseſore Perfection were by that evi…cal Prieſthood (for under is the people received the into) what further need was there that another Prieſt ſhould riſe after the order of Melchiſedeck, and was called after the order of daron? That Prieſthood might have ſtood if it could have given perfection to what it ſhadowed, and not been a…rered: but it could not. The end of Prieſthood is to take away ſin; but there was nothing in that order that could do it. The Prieſts-wese ſinful men, the Sac…fices in feriour things. Hed to begin. But Chriſt's is a perfect Prieſthood; & b…ings perfect Sanctification with it ver. 10, 11. and compleat Saivation. Heb. 7.25.
7. THE legal Prieſts were confirmed with-but an Oath, but Chriſt with an Oath. Heb. 7.20, 21, 22. The Solemaity of Chriſt's Inauguration, is a ſtrong Argument to prove the Excellency of his Office. We do not uſe great Solemnities about triffing matters. It ſhews therefore that his Office was of infinitely more concernment than theirs. The buſineſs of his, and the benefits flowing to his People from it, were thus ratined with the moſt glorious and infallible confirmation that could he, viz. An Oath of God Himſelf. And thus Chriſt appears to be every way, a moſt excellent and incomparable High Prieſt.
USE I. LEARN we hence, how miſerable our condition is by nature Chriſt's Prieſtbood is a clear glaſs, in which fallen man may diſcover his woful miſery. A text from which he may read to himſelf a Lecture of his undone eſtate. That man ſtands in need of a a prieſt to interpoſe between God and him to ſatisfy for him, and plead his cauſe frien…, that there is a fearful controverſy between God and him; elſe there w…uld be no occaſion for a Prieſt. We read of no ſuch Office before man's apoſtaſy. A Prieſt is to ma… atonement, and if ſo, then God is certa… angry with us, and if ſo, we are in a foo… ſtate; for as His love is our felicity ſo … wrath is our undoing. Pſal. 767. It alſo re… as that we are not able of our ſelves to … up the breach, and temove the contror…ly for if we could, there would not have … another to do it for us. God is angry i…deed, when without a Sacrince & Satisfaction, … will not be reconciled to man, but there a… ba a Third. Perſon, an High Prieſt to ſtep …, and ſatisfy for him: and that man wams… Prieſt, that none …l…e can be ſufficient … anſwer for him. Had it been a ſmall br…, why might not ſome Argel have ſtept …, and gotten an act of oblivion for him? Of …ly might not. Man have ſatisfied for him… Mich. 6.6, 7 Wherewith ſhall I come b…fore the Lord, and bow m…ſ…l… before th… moſt … God? ſhall I come before him with burm af… ings, with calves of a year …d? Will the … be pleaſed with thouſands of rams, or with … thouſands of rivers f…oy…? ſhall I give my … b…rn for my tranſgreſſion, the frail of my body for the ſin of my ſoul. That n…ne would … but the Lord from Heaven, the Prince of Glory that he muſt put on our nature, and rud… him to be our Prieſt or el…s;e no Redemp… And that there muſt be ſuch a Sacrifice … atonement offered: that the bl…od of ba… … goats will not do; That ſilver and … contemptible things: That the Blood of … could only expiate. 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. …low dreadfully miſerable! &c.
USE II. BE we all Exh…rted to ſeek & ſu… an interest in this High Prieſt and his Obl…. This is our great Concern. we muſt all … long appear before God's Tribunal of Juſtice As out ſtare ſhall then be found, ſo … go wir… us to all Eternity. The Law… the be magnified, and if that hath any … to lay to our charge, we muſt needs be … demned to ſuffer everlaſting miſeries, and there will be no eſeaping. And we are …y one of us tranſgreſſors of that Law, it our natural ſtate, and: eld faſt under the … of it Except then we have a Prieſt … i… Sacrifice to ſatisfy this Juſtice, we ſhall … ſtand in that day. And theſe is no … Prieſt but Chriſt, no other Sacrifice b…t is Obedience, that can anſwer for us. But … is Alſufficient for this, and can do all … that we want on the account. His … his Sacrifice, &c. His Entertainment as … Interceſſor, &c. and He is exceeding … He invites, &c. Come then away to … make haſte, uſe no delays. Juſtice … avenger of blood, that is, purſuing as, … death; Get into this City of refuge, and … ſhall be well for ever.
[JANUARY 21. 1695.]