For when God came to reveal this counsel of his will, this branch and part of the eternal compact between him and his Son, and to represent unto the church what had been transacted within the veil, for their faith and edification, as also to give them some previous in- sight into the manner of the accomplishment of these his holy coun- sels, he did it by the institution of a priesthood and sacrifices, or a sacred office and sacred kind of worship, suited and adapted to be a resemblance of this heavenly transaction between the Father and the Son; for the priesthood and sacrifices of the law were not the original exemplar of these things, but a transcript and copy of what was done in heaven itself, in counsel, design, and covenant, as they were a type of what should be afterwards accomplished in the earth. Now, although the names of priests and sacrifices are first applied unto the office mentioned under the law and their work, from whence they are traduced under the new testament and transferred unto Jesus Christ, that we may learn thereby what God of old in- structed his church in, yet the things themselves intended and signi- fied by these names belong properly and firstly unto Jesus Christ,
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SECT. 21.] | NECESSITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST, ETC. oF
upon the account of this his undertaking; and the very names of priests and sacrifices were but improperly ascribed unto them who were so called, to be obscure representations of what was past, and types of what was to come.
21. The sum is, The Son of God, in infinite love, grace, and con- descension, undertaking freely; in and of his own will, to interpose himself between the wrath of God and sinners, that they might be delivered from sin with all its consequents, and saved, unto the glory of God, according to the terms of the covenant explained, his offering and giving up of himself unto the will of God in suffering and dying, in answer unto his holiness, righteousness, and law, was, in the revelation of this counsel of God unto the church, represented by his institution of a sacred office of men, to offer up, by slaying and other rites of his own appointment, the best of other creatures, ealled by him a priesthood and sacrifices; these things in the first place belonging properly unto the accomplishment of the fore-men- tioned holy undertaking in and by the person of that Son of God. And if it be mquired wherefore things were thus ordered in the wisdom and counsel of God, we answer, that, with respect unto the holiness, righteousness, and veracity of God, it was absolutely and indispensably necessary that they should be so disposed; for on the supposition of the sin of man, and the grace of God to save them who had sinned, the interposition of the Son of God described on their behalf was indispensably necessary, as shall be proved in the ensuing Exercitation.
EXERCITATION XXIX.
THE NECESSITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST ON THE SUPPOSITION OF SIN AND GRACE.
1. The necessity of the priesthood of Christ, of what nature and on what grounds asserted. 2. The general nature of justice or righteousness. 3. The na- ture of the righteousness of God, as declared in the Scripture—The uni- yersal rectitude of his nature. 4. Right of rule in God, whence it proceeds. 5. The righteousness of God in particular exercise. 6. “ Justitia regi- minis ” in God, the nature of it. 7. Sundry things supposed to the necessary exercise of vindictive righteousness. 8. The necessity and special nature of the priesthood of Christ founded thereon. 9. Some attributes of God pro- duce the objects about which they are exercised, some suppose them with their qualifications—Vindictive justice no free act of God’s will—The righteousness of rule exerted in the prescription of a penal law—Punishment, as punish- ment, necessary; not the degrees of it—God not indifferent whether sin be punished or not, but free in punishing; yet is it necessary that sin should be
punished. 10, Justice and mercy not alike necessary as to their exercise. 11. The opinion of the Socinians, in opposition to the justice of God, declared. VOL. XIX.
98 NECESSITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST [EXERC. XXIX.
12. Positions to be proved. 13. First argument taken from the holiness of God, Hab. i. 13—Of God’s jealousy, Josh. xxiv. 19—In what sense com- pared to a consuming fire, Heb. xii. 29. 14. God the supreme judge and governor of the world, Gen. xviii. 25. 15. The sum of what hath been pleaded concerning the righteousness of God. 16. Opposition made to this righteousness of God, by whom. 17. The arguments of Socinus examined —Justice and mercy not opposite. 18. The twofold righteousness assigned unto God by Socinus examined. 19, 20. The righteousness of God in the punishment of sin further vindicated against him; 21. And against the ex- ceptions in the Racovian Catechism; 22. As also those of Crellius, who is further refuted.
1. Iv appears from the precedent discourse that the priesthood of Christ was founded in sundry free acts of the will of God. Into that, therefore, is it principally to be resolved. The actual appoint- ing of him also unto this office was a free act of the sovereign will and pleasure of God, which might not have been. The redeeming of man was no more necessary on the part of God than his creation. Howbeit on this supposition, that God, in his infinite grace and love, would save sinners by the interposition of his Son, there was something in the manner of it indispensable and necessary; and this was, that he should do it by undergoing the punishment that was due unto them or their sins who should be saved, or offer himself a sacri- fice to make atonement and reconciliation for them. This God did require; nor could it have been ordered otherwise, but that an in- consistency with the glory of his holiness, righteousness, and veracity, ‘ would have ensued thereon. The priesthood of the Son of God was necessary, not absolutely and in itself, but on the supposition of the law and entrance of sin, with the grace of God to save sinners.