[3.] The sublimity of his office. It is an authoritative act. God hath always refused such mediation as is not authorised by himself. When Moses interposed for the children of Israel, said God, Exod. xxxii. 10, ' Let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them ;' because he would reserve this honour for him who alone hath this office under the broad seal of heaven. So it is very notable that Christ refused all mediation to him in the days of his flesh. As of his apostles : Mat. XV. 23, ' His disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us,' &c. But Christ would show that he was solicitous enough for the welfare of sinners, he needed no inter- cessors. So his own mother, when she interposed for the honour of the wedding : John ii. 4, ' Woman,' saith he, ' what have I to do with thee ? ' As if he had said, Cannot I do it without your intermeddling ? In these answers, Christ would show that he would have sinners come of themselves, without any mediation of their fellow-creatures, they being no authorised mediators. God alloweth no other mediator of redemption but Christ, and Christ no other mediator of intercession but himself It is sacrilege in the Papists to set up others ; none is worthy to appear before God but Christ ; and how unworthy soever we are, Christ will have us to come to himself. God hath set him up for this purpose, and no copartners are allowed. As it was said to Uzziah, 2 Chron. xxvi. 18, * It pertaineth not to thee to burn incense, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense.' Incense could be oftered by no other but a priest, and our prayers by none but by Christ : Heb. vii. 28, ' The law maketh men priests which have infirmity; but the word of tlie oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.' Christ is consecrated by an oath to abide overmoi'e in the office, which oath is renewed and confirmed upon his return to heaven : Ps. ex. 4, * The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent. Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedeck;' compared with ver. 1. God will
246 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XII.
never repent of dispensing grace iu and throiigb. him to sinners ; as long as Christ's consecration Lasteth, none must meddle with his office.
[4.] The articles of the covenant, or the jn'omise of being heard. Therefore Christ speaketh veith such confidence : John xi. 42, ' I know that thou hearest me always;' and Ps. ii. 8, 'Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance,' &c. There was a covenant drawn up between God and Christ ; the Lord promised him, as the fruit of his labours and sufferings, that he should obtain all manner of grace for his people. All these things show us the advan- tages of having such a mediator and intercessor.
2. The nature of 'Christ's intercession. It is a part of his priestly office, of which there were two acts — oblation and intercession. Obla- tion was made once on the altar of the cross, and intercession is the continuation of his sacrifice, or the presenting it in heaven. It must be explained by analogy to the priests of the law. The sacrifice was slain without the camp, and then the priests were to enter with the blood within the veil, into the holy of holies, with sweet incense, and so to cause a cloud to arise over the mercy-seat. ' But Christ being come, an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands ; that is to say, not of this building ; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us,' Heb. ix. 11, 12. Jesus Christ having offered up himself upon the cross, where he was both priest and sacrifice, he is gone within the veil, ' Not into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to a[)pear before the presence of God for us,^ Heb. ix. 24. It is not a vocal, but a real intercession. Christ is gone into heaven, and there presents his person, both in our nature and his own, together with his merits, lift- ing up desires which are as a cloud of incense before the mercy-seat, for our comfort and salvation : Rev. viii. 3, ' And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given mito him much incense, that he should ofi'er it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne.' The high priest entered not for himself, but for the people, having the names of the twelve tribes ujjon his breast and shoulders ; so Christ is entered on the behalf of us all, bearing the particular memorial of every saint graven upon his heart. The high priest staid within the sanctuary for a short time, and so came out to bless the peojile ; Christ entered within the veil at his ascension, and we must wait till his coming out to bless us, which will be at the day of judgment. All this while he hath his residence in heaven, and then he will open to us and give us entrance. So that Christ's intercession is ' A constant representation of his merit for the pardon of our sins, and for our acceptance ; together with strong- desires conceived in the human nature for the good of the creature, for all their exigencies and employments, that so his whole purchase may be applied to us, and we may receive grace to help in time of need.' It is a representing of his own merit, the worthiness of his person. As God-man, he is the Son of God, yet the creature's advocate ; and the merit of his obedience and passion : ' I have glorified thee upon the earth ; ' as one that was to plead for his life showed cuhitum sine manUy