SECT. 1, 2.] OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. 195
wholly out of the Scriptures and of expressions therein used; for it is not an agreement in words and the outward sound of them, but the belief and profession of the same truths or things, that is alone to be valued, all that is beyond such an agreement being left at peace in the province of mutual forbearance. An agreement in words only parrots may learn; and it will be better amongst them than that which is only so amongst men, because they have no mind to act dissenting and contradicting principles. But for men to declare their assent unto a certain form of words, and in the meantime in their minds and understandings expressly to judge and condemn the faith and apprehensions of one another about these very things, is a matter that no way tends to the union, peace, or edification of the church, For instance, suppose a form of words expressing in general that Christ was a high priest; that, the acts of the priesthood being oblation and intercession, Christ in like manner offered himself to God and maketh intercession for us; that hereby he purgeth, expiateth, and doth away our sins, with many more expressions to the same purpose, should be drawn up and subscribed by the Socinians and their adversaries, as they can safely do on all hands; will this in the least’ further any agreement or unity between us, whilst we not only disagree about the sense of all these terms and expressions, but believe that things absolutely distinct and inconsistent with one another, yea, destructive of one another, are intended in them? For so really it is between us herein, as the further consideration of particulars will manifest.
2. First, The oblation ot Christ is that act or duty of his sacer- dotal office whereby he offered himself, his soul and body, or his whole human nature, an expiatory sacrifice to God in his death and blood-shedding, to make atonement for the sins of mankind, and to purchase for them eternal redemption. So that,—(1.) The nature of the oblation of Christ consisted ina bloody expiatory sacrifice, making atonement for sin, by bearing the punishment due there- unto. And, (2.) As to the efficacy of it, it hath procured for us pardon of sin, freedom from the curse, and eternal redemption. (3.) The time and place when and wherein Christ, as our high priest, thus offered himself a sacrifice unto God, was in the days of his flesh, whilst he was yet in this world, by his suffering in the garden, but especially on the cross.
For the application of the effects of this oblation of Christ unto the church, and the completing of all that was foresignified as belonging thereunto, it was necessary that, as our high priest, he should enter into the holy place, or the presence of God in the heavens, there to represént himself as having done the will of God, and finished the work committed to him; whereon the actual effi-
196 OF THE ACTS AND ADJUNCTS [ EXERC. XXXII.
cacy of his oblation or the communication of the fruits of it unto the church, according to the covenant between the Father and Son be- fore described, doth depend.
In all these things the Socinians wholly dissent from us. What they conceive about the nature of the office itself hath been already called unto an account. As for this act or duty of it, they apprehend,— (1.) That the expiatory oblation or sacrifice ascribed unto the Lord Christ, as a high priest, is nothing but his presenting of himself alive in the presence of God. (2.) This, therefore, they say he did after his resurrection, upon his ascension into heaven, when he had revealed the will of God, and testified to the truth of his ministry with his death, which was necessary unto his ensuing oblation. (8.) That his expiation of our sins consists in the exercise of that power which he is intrusted withal, upon this offering of himself, to free us from the punishment due unto them. (4) That this pre- sentation of himself in heaven might be called his offering of him- self, or an expiatory sacrifice, it was necessary that, antecedently thereunto, he should die for the ends mentioned; for if he had not so done there would have been no allusion between his care and power in heaven which he exerciseth towards the church, and the actings of the high priests of old in their oblations and sacrifices, and so no ground or reason why what he did and doth should be called the offering of himself. ‘Wherefore this is the substance of what they affirm in this matter:—“The place of Christ’s offering himself was in heaven, in the glorious presence of God; the time of it, after his ascension; the nature of it, a presenting himself in the presence of God, as one who, having declared his name and done his will, was gloriously exalted by him;—the whole efficacy hereof being an effect of that power which Christ hath received as exalted to deliver us from sin.”
In this imaginary oblation the death of Christ -hath no part nor interest. They say, indeed, it was previously necessary thereunto; but this seems but a mere pretence, seeing it is not intelligible, on their principles, how it should so be: for they affirm that Christ did not offer in heaven that very body wherein he suffered on the tree, but a new, spiritual body that was prepared for him unto that end. And what necessity is there that one body should suffer and die that another might be presented in heaven? The principal issues whereunto these differences between them and us may be reduced shall be declared and insisted on.