2. His offices. His general office is but one, to be mediator or redeemer ; but the functions which belong to it are three — to be king, priest, and prophet; for all these belong to the anointed Saviour. Note, one of these concerns his mediation with God, the other his dealing with us. We are to consider him in both parts : Heb. iii. 1, ' Consider the Lord Jesus, the great high priest and apostle of our profession.' The work of a high priest lieth with God, the work of an apostle with man. Now some look so to his mediation with God that they scarce observe his dealing with man ; others so look to his mediation with man that they overlook his mediation with God. Nay, in his very priesthood, or dealing with God, some so observe his sacrifice that they make light of his continual intercession, and do not apprehend what a comfort it is to present our suits by such a worthy hand to God ; yet both are acts of the same office.
[1.] Let us deal with these first, these that cry up his sacrifice and intercession, so that they make light of his doctrine and government. They look so much to the saviour that they forget the teacher and lord. You may observe that their whole religion runneth upon depending on Christ's merit, without any care of his laws or holy doctrine, by believing and obeying of which they are interested in the fruits of his merit and righteousness. The scriptures direct us to another sort of religion, and do not make one office destructive of the rest ; but represent Christ under such terms as do not only intimate privilege to us, but bespeak duty and obedience; as Acts ii. 36, ' Therefore let all the house of Israel know, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.' He is lord and supreme governor, as well as Christ an anointed saviour ; not only a saviour to bless, but a lord to rule and command. So again, Acts v. 31, ' Him hath God anointed to be a prince and saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins unto Israel.' Still the compounded terms occur, because of his double work, to require and give. Christ is such a saviour that he is also a prince, such a prince that he is also a saviour ; and in this compounded notion must we represent him to our souls. So Eph. v. 23, ' Christ is the head of the church, and the saviour of the body.' On the one side, as Christ saveth his people from sin and misery, so he doth also govern and rule them ; and on the other side, Christ's dominion over the church doth tend unto, and is exercised in, procuring and bringing about the church's salvation. The usual carnal part of the world catch at comforts, but neglect Christ as a teacher and lord. A libertine yokeless spirit is very natural to us : Ps. ii. 3, ' Let us break his bonds asunder, and cast his cords from us.'
308 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS T. [SeR. XII.
They stick at his reign : Luke xix. 19, Nolumus hunc regnare, ' We will not have this man to reign over us.' If he will come as a saviour, lie shall be welcome. He may have customers enough for his benefits, for pardon and glory, but we cannot endure to hear of his laws and strict doctrine, that he will be sovereign and chief. Men would not willingly obey him.
[2.] Some so cry up his mediation with man that they forget his mediation with God. They are of two sorts —
(1.) Some that cry up his doctrine, that they forget his giving of the Spirit, as if objective grace did all. No ; they must be taught and drawn, John vi. 44, 45. But men are apt to run into extremes ; they cannot magnify one thing but they depress, depreciate, and extenuate another ; as if the Spirit's work and all-conquering force did signify little, and his business did only lie in inditing scriptures, not in open- ing hearts, Acts xvi. 14.
(2.) Others urge him as a lawgiver, that they forget him as a foun- tain of grace. It is said, Acts viii. 35, that ' Philip preached Jesus to the eunuch.' The Greek word is, eviyyyeXlo-aTo avr& rbvlrjaovv, he evangelised Jesus, not legalised Jesus ; as the Samaritans had a temple at Mount Gerizim, but they had no ark or mercy-seat. They turn Christianity into mere legislation ; they cry up the rule of the gospel and the example of Christ, but they depreciate his merit and satisfac- tion, do not represent Christ as a fountain of grace who worketh all in us.
Thirdly, The covenant must not be disordered, which, as David telleth us, is in all things ordered and sure, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. There God hath so ordered all things that they may not hinder one another. None shall have any part in the covenant unless he take the whole bargain. The order of the covenant chiefly appeareth in the right stating of privileges and conditions, means and ends, duties and comforts.
1. Of privileges and conditions. He offereth pardon and life, but to the penitent and obedient believer : John iii. 36, ' He that belie veth on the Son, hath everlasting life ; and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.' Is not this a condition which excludeth the infidel and includeth the penitent believer? Without it we cannot, by it we may, obtain life. So John xiii. 8, ' If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.' Unless cleansed from the guilt and filth of sin by Christ, we can have no part in him or with him, that is, in his benefits. So Heb. v. 8, ' He is the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him.' Christ would contradict his own method, not act according to the covenant stated and agreed between him and us, if he should dispense his grace upon other terms. Now there are two extremes in the world ; some trust in their own external superficial righteousness, as if that were the only plea to be brought before God : Luke xviii. 9, ' He spake this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous.' The other extreme is of those who teach men to look at nothing in them- selves, neither as evidence, condition, nor means, and think the only plea is Christ's satisfaction, righteousness, and merit, and no considera- tion is to be had of faith, repentance, and new obedience. Do you