54 AN EXPOSITION OF THE ' [CHAP. VIL.
other priests, and reiterated sacrifices, which make up the worship of the church of Rome? If they rest in the ministry of Christ, why do they appoint one of their own to do the same things that he hath done,—namely, to offer sacrifice unto God ?
Secondly, The proof of this assertion lies in the latter part of these words; “ By how much he is the mediator of a better cove- nant, established on better promises.” The words are so disposed, that some think the apostle intends now to prove the excellency of the covenant from the excellency of his ministry therein. But the other sense is more suited unto the scope of the place, and the na- ture of the argument which the apostle presseth the Hebrews withal. For on supposition that there was indeed another, and that a “ better covenant,” to be introduced and established, than that which the Levitical priests served in,—which they could not deny,—it plainly follows, that he on whose ministry the dispensation of that covenant did depend must of necessity be “more excellent” in that ministry than they who appertained unto that covenant which was to be abolished. However, it may be granted that these things do mutu- ally testify unto and illustrate one another. Such as the priest is, such is the covenant; such as the covenant is in dignity, such i is the. priest also,
In the words there are three things observable :—1. What is in general ascribed unto Christ, declaring the nature of his ministry; he was a “ mediator :” 2. The determination of his mediatory office unto the new covenant; “of a better covenant :” 3. The proof or demonstration of the nature of this covenant as unto its excellency, it was “ established on better promises :”—
1. His office is that of a mediator,—weo/rqs, one that interposed between God and man, for the doing of all those things whereby a covenant might be established between them, and made effectual. Schlichtingius on the place gives this descrip- tion of a mediator: “ Mediatorem foederis esse nihil aliud est, quam Dei esse interpretem, et internuntium in foedere cum hominibus pangendo; per quem scilicet et Deus voluntatem suam hominibus declaret, et illi vicissim divine voluntatis notitia instructi ad Deum accedant, cumque eo reconciliati, pacem in posterum colant.” And Grotius speaks much unto the same purpose.
But this description of a mediator is wholly applicable unto Moses, and suited unto his office in giving of the law. See Exod. xx. 19; Deut. v. 27, 28. What is said by them doth indeed im- mediately belong unto the mediatory office of Christ, but it is not confined thereunto; yea, it is exclusive of the principal parts of his mediation. And whereas there is nothing in it but what belongs unto the prophetical office of Christ,—which the apostle here doth not principally intend,—it is most improperly applied as a deserip-
Mecirns.
VER. 6.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 55
tion of such a mediator as he doth intend. And therefore, when he comes afterwards to declare in particular what belonged unto such a mediator of the covenant as he designed, he expressly placeth it in his “death for the redemption of transgressions,” chap. ix. 15; affirming that “for that cause he was a mediator.” But hereof there is nothing at all in the description they give us of this office. But this the apostle doth in his, elsewhere, 1 Tim. ii. 5, 6, “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all.” The principal part of his mediation consisted in the “giving himself a ransom,” or a price of redemption for the whole church. Wherefore this description of a mediator of the new testament is feigned only, to exclude his satisfaction, or his offering himself unto God in his death and blood-shedding, with the atonement made thereby.
The Lord Christ, then, in his ministry, is called weofrns, the “mediator” of the covenant, in the same sense as he is called zyyuog, the “surety;” whereof see the exposition on chap. vil. 22. He is, in the new covenant, the mediator, the surety, the priest, the sacri- fice, all in his own person. The ignorance and want of a due con- sideration hereof, are the great evidence of the degeneracy of Christian religion.
Whereas this is the first general notion of the office of Christ, that which compriseth the whole ministry committed unto him, and containeth in itself the especial offices of king, priest, and prophet, whereby he dischargeth his mediation, some things must be men- tioned that are declarative of its nature and use. And we may unto this purpose observe,—
(1.) That unto the office of a mediator it is required that there be different persons concerned in the covenant, and that by their own wills; as it must be in every compact, of what sort soever. So saith our apostle, ' A mediator is not of one, but God is one,” Gal. iii. 20; that is, if there were none but God concerned in this matter, as it is in an absolute promise or sovereign precept, there would be no need of, no place for a mediator, such a mediator as Christ is. Wherefore our consent in and unto the covenant is required in the very notion of a mediator.