680 NECESSITY OF HOLINESS FROM [BOOK V.
sacerdotal actings respect us, and are also of two .sorts: — (1.) Moral, as our justification and pardon of sin. (2.) Real, in our sanctifi- cation and holiness. And hereunto, as God doth design them, so he effecteth hohness in all believers by virtue of the oblation and intercession of Jesus Christ. Wherefore, although the immediate actings of that office respect God alone as their proper object, yet the virtue and efficacy of them extend themselves unto our sanctifi- cation and holiness.
Tit. ii. 14, "He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." His " giving himself for us" is the common expres- sion for his offering himself a sacrifice to God as a priest, Eph. v. 2, And this he did not only that he might "redeem us from all iniquity," from the guilt of our sins, and punishment due unto them, which are regarded in redemption, but also that he might " purify us to him- self," sanctify us, or make us holy and fruitful, or " zealous of good works." His blood, as through the eternal Spirit he offered himself unto God, " purgeth our conscience from dead works to serve the living God," Heb. ix. 14. There is a purging of sin which consists in the legal expiation of it, in making atonement; but the purging of a sinner, or of the conscience, is by real efficiency, in sanctifica- tion, which is declared to be one end of the oblation of Christ, chap. i. 3. So where he is said to " wash us from our sins in his own blood," — namely, as shed and offered for us, — Rev. i. 5, it is not only the expiation of guilt, but the purification of filth, that is intended.
The way and manner how holiness is communicated unto us by virtue of the death and oblation of Christ, I have showed before at large, and shall not, therefore, here again insist upon it. I shall only observe, that holiness being one especial end for which Christ " gave himself for us," or " offered himself unto God" for us, without a jjar- cipation thereof it is impossible that we should have the least evi- dence of an interest in his oblation as to any other end of it ; and as for those who are never made holy, Christ never died or offered himself for them. I cannot understand what advantage it is unto religion to affirm that the most of them for whom Christ died as a priest, or offered himself as an oblation to God, shall have no benefit thereby as to grace or glory, and incomparably the most of them without any especial fault of their own, as never hearing of him. Neither can I find in the Scripture a double design of Christ in giving himself for mankind; — towards some, that they may be re- deemed from all iniquity, and purified to be his peculiar ones; to- wards others, that they may yet be left under the guilt and power of their sins. And it evacuates the force of the motive unto the necessity of holiness from the consideration of the oblation of Christ,
CHAP. IV.] god's sending JESUS CHRIST. 631
■when men are taught tliat Christ offered himself a sacrifice for them who are never made holy. Wherefore, I say, no unholy person can have any certain evidence that he hath an interest in the oblation of Christ, seeing he gave himself to purify them for whom he was offered.
The intercession of Christ, which is his second sacerdotal act, hath also the same end, and is effectual to the same purpose. It is true, he doth intercede with God for the pardon of sin by virtue of his oblation, — whence he is said to be our advocate with God, to comfort us in case of surprisals by sin, 1 John ii. 1, 2, — but this is not all he designeth therein; he intercedes also for grace and supplies of the Spirit, that we may be made and kept holy. See John xvii. 15, 17-
Secondly, As to the 'prophetical office of Christ, the church or men alone are its immediate object, and of all the acts and duties of it. He is therein God's legate and ambassador, his apostle and messenger unto us. Whatever he doth as a prophet, he doth it with us and towards us in the name of God. And there are two parts or works of Christ in this office relating only to the doctrine he taught: — • 1. The revelation of God in his natne and love, in the mystery of his grace, and goodness, and truth, by his promises, that we may believe in him. 2. The revelation of God in his will and commands, that we may obey him. For the first, wherein, indeed, his prophetical office was principally exercised, see John i. ] 8, iii. 2, xvii. 6. The revelation of the preceptive will of God made by Jesus Christ may be considered two ways: — (1.) As he was pecidiarly sent to the house of Israel, the "■ minister of the circumcision for the truth of the promises of God unto the fathers," Kom. xv. 8. (2.) With re- spect unto the whole church of all ages.