4. There are (as is out of controversy) three offices which the Lord Christ, as the mediator and surety of the new covenant, beareth and exerciseth towards the church, namely, those of king, prophet, and priest. And these, as they are distinctly assigned unto him, so they are distinct among themselves, and are names of diverse things, as really, so in the common notions and sense of mankind. And in
SECT. 4.] EXPLAINED AND VINDICATED. 149
these offices, where there is an affinity between them, or any seem- ing coincidence, in their powers, duties, and acts, the kingly and prophetical do make a nearer pass unto each other than either of them do unto the sacerdotal, as shall afterwards be more fully evinced; for the nature of these two offices requireth that the ob- ject of their exercise be men. As in general it doth so, so in parti- cular in those of Christ. He acts in them in the name of God, and for God, towardsmen. For although aking be the name of one who is invested with power absolute and supreme, yet is it so only with respect unto them towards and over whom he is a king, As denot- ing an infinite, absolute, independent power, of necessity it belongs to God alone essentially considered. This office in Christ is con- sidered as delegated by the Father, and exercised in his name: “ The head of every man is Christ ;” but “the head of Christ is God.” He anoints him king on his holy hill of Zion, Ps. ii. 6; and he rules in the name and majesty of his God, Mic. v. 4 Wherefore the whole exercise of the power and duty of this office is from God, and for God towards men. In his name he rules his subjects and sub- dueth his enemies. None can fancy God to be the object of any of the acts of this office.
It is so in like manner with his prophetical office. God raised him up from among his brethren to be the prophet of his church, to reyeal his will; and by him he spake to us. See Exposition on Heb. i. 1, 2. His whole work as a prophet is to reveal the will of God, and therein to teach and instruct us. Men, therefore, are the immediate object of the powers, duties, and acts of this office.
And that which we further observe from hence is this, that there is no one thing that the Lord Christ acts immediately towards the church, but that it belongs unto and proceeds from one or the other of these powers or offices. If any one be otherwise minded, let him prove the contrary by instances, if he be able. The Scripture affordeth none to that purpose. It followeth hence, therefore, that God is the object of the actings of Christ in his priestly office. For if he be not so, then,—(1.) There is no room nor place in his whole mediation for any such office, seeing all he performs towards us be- longs unto the other. And therefore those by whom this is denied do upon the matter at length contend that indeed he hath no such office. And if this be so,—(2.) It doth not belong unto Christ as mediator to deal with God in any of the concerns of his people; for he must do so as a priest, or not at all. And then we have no advocate with the Father; which is utterly abhorrent from the common faith, of Christianity. And this absurd supposition shall be afterwards re- moved by express testimonies to the contrary. Take away this fun- damental principle, that Christ as mediator deals with God for us, and
150 TRUE NATURE OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST [EXERC. XXXI.
you overthrow the faith of all Christians. (3.) This would render the whole instruction intended for the church in the Aaronical priest- hood and sacrifices useless and impertinent, nothing of the like nature being signified thereby ; for that, as we have proved, openly respected God in the first place. And on this supposition the accommodation of it unto the priesthood of Christ by our apostle would be altogether vain. (4.) It is contrary to the common notion of the nature of the priesthood amongst mankind; for none yet ever owned such an office in things religious, but apprehended the use of it to be in doing the things with God that were to be done on the behalf of men. And hereby, as was observed, would the faith and consolation of all be- lievers, which are resolved into what the Lord Christ hath done and doth for them with God, be utterly overthrown.
5. Again; the same truth is undeniably evinced from the na- ture of sacerdotal acts and duties. These are, as it is stated by common consent, those two of oblation and intercession. And both these are expressly ascribed unto the Lord Jesus Christ as he is a. high priest, and nothing else immediately as he is so, The actual help and aid which he gives us is the fruit and effect of these sacer- dotal actings. The sole inquiry, therefore, in this matter is, What or who is the immediate object of oblation and intercession? Is this God, or man? Did Christ offer himself as a sacrifice unto God, or unto us? Doth he intercede with God for us, or with us only? A man would suppose that the absurdity of these imaginations, so ex- pressly contrary to the Scripture and the common sense of mankind, should even shame our adversaries from the defence of them. But they are not so obtuse or so barren in their invention as to want evasions at any time. “Quid si manifesto tenentur? anguilla sicut elabentur.” They therefore tell us, “It is true, if you take oblation and intercession in their proper sense, then God, and none other, must be their immediate object; but as they are ascribed unto Christ they are used only metaphorieally, and do indeed denote such actions of his towards the church as have some allusion unto oblation and in- tercession properly so called.” But I say,—(1.) There was never such a metaphor heard of before, as that one thing should be called by the name of another, between which there is no peculiar similitude, as there is none between offering unto God and giving grace unto men. (2.) Who hath given them this authority to turn what they please into metaphors ; by which means they may, when they have a mind to it, make an allegory, and consequently a fable, of the whole Scripture? It is expressly affirmed that the Lord Christ is a high priest. Nothing is in the notion of that office, taken properly, that is unworthy of him, no more than in those of king and prophet. No intimation is given us, directly or indirectly, that this office is ascribed