SECT. 6.] OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. 201
which, in what sense soever it be affirmed, is the highest fruit of love, and so the highest act of his sacerdotal office. [2.] The effects of this priestly love and care, they say, consists in the help and aid which he gives unto those that believe on him, whereby they may be preserved from evil. But that he did this also on the earth, be- sides those other instances which may be given thereof, himself also expressly affirms, John xvii. 12, “ While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name; those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost.”
(3.) There belongs nothing more unto the priesthood of Christ, according unto these men, but only a power to act what his love and care do incline and dispose him unto. And this consists in the ac- tual collation of grace, mercy, pardon of sin, and spiritual privileges, on believers. But all these things were effected by him whilst he was in this world. For,—[1.] He had power on the earth to for- give or take away the sins of men; which he put forth and acted accordingly, Matt. ix. 2; Mark ii. 5; Luke v. 20, vii. 48. And the taking away of sin effectually is the great sacerdotal act which they ascribe unto him. [2.] He conferred spiritual privileges upon them who believed on him; for the greatest thing of this kind, and the fountain of all others, is adoption, and unto “as many as received him gave he power to become the sons of God,” Johni. 11,12. [3.] Whatever also Christ doth for us of this kind may be referred either unto his quickening of us with life spiritual, with the preservation of it, or the giving of us right and title to eternal life. But for these things he had power whilst he was on the earth, as he himself ex- pressly declares, John iv. 10, v. 21, vi. 40, x. 28, x1. 25, xiv. 6, xv. 5, xvii. 22. And with respect unto all these things doth he require that we should believe in him and rely upon him.
Besides these three things in general, with what belongs unto them, I do not know what the Socinians ascribe more to the sacer- dotal dignity or power of Christ or the exercise of it, nor what they require more, but that the name and title of’ the high priest of the church may be ascribed unto him in their way,—that is, metaphori- eally; for although they set these things off with the specious titles of expiating or purging our sins, of the offering of himself unto God, of intercession, and the like names, as real sacerdotal acts, yet it is evident that no more is intended by them than we have expressed under these heads. And if they shall say otherwise, let them give an instance of any one thing which they ascribe unto him as a priest, and if we prove not that it is reducible unto one of these heads, we will forego this argument. Wherefore, upon their own principles, they cannot deny but that the Lord Christ was as really and truly a priest whilst he was on the earth as he is now in heaven.
202 OF THE ACTS AND ADJUNCTS [EXERC. XXXII.
7. Secondly, Let it be further remembered, that we plead only Christ to have been a priest and to have offered sacrifice on the earth quoad irugusv, as to propitiation, or the expiation of sin, granting on the other side that he is still so in heaven quoad guganopéy, as to appearance and representation. Wherefore, whatever our adver- saries do or can ascribe unto the Lord Christ as a priest, which in any sense, or by virtue of any allusion, can be looked on as a sacer- dotal act, is by us acknowledged and ascribed unto him. That which is in controversy ariseth from their denial of what he did on the earth, or of his being a high priest before his ascension into heaven; which is now further to be confirmed.
When and where he made reconciliation and atonement for us, or for our sins, then and there he was a priest. I do not know that it is needful to confirm this proposition; for we intend no more by acting of the priest’s office but the making atonement for sin by sacrifice. He that hath power and right so to do is a priest by the call and appointment of God. And that herein principally consists the acting of the sacerdotal power, we have the consent of the common sense of mankind. Nor is this expressly denied by the Socinians themselves. For it was the principal if not the sole end why such an office was ordained in the world, Heb. v. 1. But this was done by the Lord Christ whilst he was on the earth; for he made atone- ment for us by his death. Among other testimonies to this purpose, that of our apostle is irrefragable, Rom. v. 10, “ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” He distributes the mediatory actings of Christ on our behalf into his death and his life. And the life which he intends is that which ensued after his death. So it is said, “He died, and rose, and revived,” Rom. xiv. 9. He was dead and is alive, Rev. i.18. For he leads in heaven a mediatory life, to make intercession for us, whereby we are saved, Heb. vii. 25. Upon this distribution of the mediatorial actings of Christ, our reconciliation unto God is peculiarly assigned unto his death: “When we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son.” Reconciliation is sometimes the same with atonement, Heb. ii. 17; sometimes it is put for the im- mediate effect of it. And in this place [Rom. v.] the apostle declares that our being reconciled and receiving the atonement are the same: Karaudawyivres,..... Thy xararrayny cAdCouev, verses 10,11. But to make atonement and reconciliation is the work of a priest. Unless this be acknowledged, the whole instructive part of the Old Testament must be rejected; for the end of the priest’s office, as we observed, was to make atonement or reconciliation. And that this was done by the death of Christ, the apostle doth here expressly affirm. He