^dly, There is required hereunto an influence of power into all the actings of the souls of believers; — an intima,te, efficacious opera- tion with them in every duty, and under every temptation. These all of them do look for, expect, and receive from him, as the king and head of the church. This also is an effect of divine and infinite power. And to deny these things unto the Lord Christ, is to rase the foundation of Christian religion. Neither faith in, nor love unto him, nor dependence on him, nor obedience unto his authority, can be preserved one moment, without a persuasion of his immediate intuition and inspection into the hearts, minds, and thoughts of all men, with a real influence into all the actings of the life of God in all them that believe. And the want of the faith hereof is that which hath disjoined the minds of many from adherence unto him, and hath produced a lifeless carcase of the Christian religion, instead of the saving power thereof
(3.) The same may be said concerning his sacerdotal office, and all the acts of it. It was in and by the human nature that he offered himself a sacrifice for us. He had somewhat of his o^\n to offer, Heb. viii. 3 ; and to this end a body was prepared for him, chap. X. 5. But it was not the work of a man, by one offering, and that of himself, to expiate the sins of the whole church, and for ever to perfect them that are sanctified, which he did, Heb. x. 14. God was to purchase his church " with his own blood," Acts xx. 28. But this also I have spoken to at large elsoAvhere.
This is the sum of what we plead for : We can have no due con- sideration of the offices of Christ, can receive no benefit by them, nor perform any act of duty with respect unto them, or any of them, unless faith in his divine person be actually exercised as the founda- tion of the whole. For that is it whence all their glory, power, and efficacy are derived. Whatever, therefore, we do with respect unto his rule, whatever we receive by the communication of his Spirit and grace, whatever we learn fi'om his Word by the teachings of his Spirit, whatever benefit we believe, expect, and receive, by his sacri- fice and intercession on our behalf; our faith in them all, and con- cerning them all, is terminated on his divine person. The church is saved by his offices, because they are his. This is the substance of
100 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
the testimony given concerning liim, by God, even the Father, 1 John V. 10, 11. "This is the record" that God hath testified concerning his Son, " that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." Eternal hfe is given unto us, as it was wrought out and procured by the mediation of Christ on our behalf. But yet in him it was originally, and from him do we receive it in the discharge of his office ; for this life is in the Son of God.
Hence it is that all those by whom the divine person of Christ is denied, are forced to give such a description of his offices, as that it is utterly impossible that the church should be saved by the dis- charo-e of them.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Faith of the Church imder the Old Testament in and concerning the Person
of Christ.
A brief view of the faith of the church under the Old Testament concerning the divine person of Christ, shall close these discourses, and make way for those that ensue, wherein our own duty with respect thereunto shall be declared.
That the faith of all believers, from the foundation of the world, had a respect unto him, I shall afterwards demonstrate ; and to deny it, is to renounce both the Old Testament and the New. But that this faith of theirs did principally respect his person, is what shall here be declared. Therein they knew was laid the foundation of the counsels of God for their deliverance, sanctification, and salvation. Otherwise it was but little they clearly understood of his office, or the way whereby he would redeem the church.
The apostle Peter, in the confession he made of him, (Matt. xvi. 16,) exceeded the faith of the Old Testament in this, that he applied the promise concerning the Messiah unto that individual person: " Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God " — he that was to be the Redeemer and Saviour of the church. Howbeit Peter then knew little of the way and manner whereby he was jDrincipally so to be. And therefore, when he began to declare them unto his dis- ciples— namely, that they should be by his death and sufferings — he in particular was not able to comply with it, but, saith he, " Master, that be far from thee," verse 22. As " flesh and blood" — that is, his OAvn reason and understanding — did not reveal or declare Him unto Peter to be the Christ, the Son of the living God, but the Father which is in heaven ; so he stood in need of fresh assistance