That this propitiatory work of Christ was real, and not meta- phorical, is evident from the fact that it superseded the temple services, which were only typical of it. A type and shadow necessarily presupposes a literal substance, Heb. ix., 10-12, and x., 1 ; Col. ii., 17.
18. What part of his priestly work did Christ execute on earth, and what part in heaven ?
On earth he rendered obedience, propitiation, intercession, Heb. v., 7-9, and ix., 26, 28 ; Kom. v., 19.
In heaven he has presented his sacrifice in the most holy place, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, Heb. vii., 24, 25, and ix., 12, 24.
19. In what respects did the priesthood of Christ excel the Aaronic ?
1st. In the dignity of his person. They were mere men. He was the eternal Son. They were sinners who had first to make atonement for their own sin, and afterwards for the sin of the people. He was holy, harmless and undefiled, Heb. vii., 26, 27. He was perfect man, and yet his access to God was infinitely nearer than that of any other being, John x., 30 ; Zech. xiii., 7.
2d. In the infinite value of his sacrifice. Theirs could not cleanse from sin, Heb. x., 4, and were repeated continually, Heb. x., 1-3. His sacrifice was perfectly efficacious, and once for all, Heb. x., 10-14. Thus theirs were only the shadow of his, Heb. x.,1.
3d. In the manner of their consecration. They without, he with an oath, Heb. vii., 20-22.
4th. They, being many, succeeded each other by generation. He continue th for ever, Heb. vii., 24.
5th. Christ's priesthood is connected with a "greater and
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more perfect tabernacle/' earth the outer court, heaven the true sanctuary, Heb. ix., 11-24.
6th. Christ's intercession is offered from a throne, Rom. viii., 34, and Heb. viii., 1, 2.
7th. While several of the Old Testament servants of God were at once both prophet and king, as David ; and others both prophet and priest, as Ezra ; Christ alone, and that in divine perfection, was at once prophet, priest and king. Thus his divine prophetical and kingly perfections qualified and enhanced the transcendant virtue of every priestly act. — Zech. vi., 13.
20. In what sense was Christ a priest after the order of Mel- chizedec ?
The Aaronic priesthood was typical of Christ, but in two principal respects it failed in representing the great antitype.
1st. It consisted of succeeding generations of mortal men. 2d. It consisted of priests not royal.
The Holy Ghost, on the other hand, suddenly brings Mel- chizedec before us in the patriarchal history, a royal priest, with the significant names " King of Righteousness" and " King of Peace," Gen. xiv., 18-20, and as suddenly withdraws him. Whence he comes and whither he goes we know not. As a pri- vate man he had an unwritten history, like others. But as a royal priest he ever remains without father, without mother, without origin, succession, or end ; and therefore, as Paul says, Heb. vii., 3, made beforehand of God, an exact type of the eter- nity of the priesthood of Christ, Ps. ex., 4. The prophecy was, " Thou shalt be a priest/or ever," or an eternal priest " after the order of Melchizedec."
The similitude of this type, therefore, included two things : 1st, an everlasting priesthood ; 2d, the union of the kingly and priestly functions in one person. — Fairbairn's Typology, Vol. II., Part III., Chap. III.
21. Hoiv can it be proved that the Christian ministry is not a priesthood ?
1st. Human priests were ever possible only as types, but types are possible only before the revelation of the antitype. The pur-
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pose of the Aaronic priesthood was fulfilled in Christ, and there- fore the institution was for ever abolished by Christ, Heb. x.,
I, 9, 18.
2d. Christ exhaustively discharges all the duties and pur- poses of the priestly office, so that any human priest (so called) is an antichrist, Heb. x., 14 ; Col. ii., 10.
3d. There can be no need of any priest to open the way for us to Christ. Because, while the Scriptures teach us that we can only go to G-od by Christ, John xiv., 6, they teach us no less emphatically that we must come immediately to Christ, Matt, xi., 28 ; John v., 40, and vii., 37 ; Kev. hi, 20, and xxii., 17.
4th. No priestly function is ever attributed to any New Tes- tament officer, inspired or uninspired, extraordinary or ordinary. The whole duty of all these officers of every kind is comprised in the functions of teaching and ruling, 1 Cor. xii., 28 ; Eph. iv.,
II, 12 ; 1 Tim. iii., 1-13 ; 1 Pet. v., 2.
5th. They are constantly called by different designations, ex- pressive of an entirely different class of functions, as " messengers, watchmen, heralds of salvation, teachers, rulers, overseers, shep- herds, and elders." — See Bib. Eepertory, Jan., 1845.
22. In what sense are all believers priests ?