3. It supposeth the accomplishment of the work of the redemp- tion of the church. His words in this appearance before God are expressed, John xvii. 4, “I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do; and now I come unto thee.” He was sent of God into the world on this great errand, for this great work; and he returned not unto him, he ap- peared not in the presence of him that sent him, until he had fulfilled it, and was ready in all things to give an account of it unto the
eternal glory of God,
“Lortp nude
384 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [cHap, Ix.
4, In this his appearance he presents himself unto God as a Lamb that had been slain, Rev. v. 6. He is now alive, and lives for ever. But there must, as unto efficacy in this appearance, be a representation of his sacrifice, his suffering, his death, his blood,—of himself as a Lamb slain and offered unto God. And this was to be so in answer unto the blood of the expiatory sacrifice which the high priest carried into the holy place. For he was himself both the priest and the sacrifice, the offerer and the lamb. And as that blood was sprinkled before the ark and the mercy-seat, to apply the atonement made unto all the sacred pledges of God’s presence and good-will; so from this representation of the offering of Christ, of himself as “a Lamb that had been slain,” in this his appearance before God, doth all the application of its benefits unto the church proceed.
5. He thus appears for us. He is therein, therefore, the great representative of the church, or he represents the whole church of his redeemed unto God. There is more in it than merely for our good. It is as it were the appearance of an advocate, a law-appear- ance in the behalf of others. So is it declared 1 John ii. 1,2. He will at the end of all present his whole church unto God, with the whole work of his love and grace accomplished towards them. He first so presents it unto himself, and then to God, Eph. v. 26, 27. Now he presents them as the portion given unto him of God out of fallen mankind to be redeemed and saved; saying, ‘“ Behold I and the children which thou gavest me; thine they were, and thou gavest them to me.” I present them unto thy love and care, holy Father, that they may enjoy all the fruits of thine eternal love, all the benefits of my death and sacrifice.’
6. This is the great testumony of the continuation of his love, care, and compassion towards the church, now he is in the height of his own glory. love, care, and compassion, belong unto him in an especial manner as he is a high priest; which we have declared on many occasions. They are the spring of all his sacerdotal actings, And they are all witnessed unto in his perpetual appearance in the presence of God for us.
7. This also compriseth his being an advocate. He is hereby in a continual readiness to plead our cause against all accusations, which is the especial nature of his work as an advocate; which is distinct from his intercession, whereby he procures supplies of Sa and mercy for us.
8. This account of the appearance of Christ before God on the throne of grace gives direction into a right apprehension of the way of the dispensation of all saving grace and mercy unto the church, The spring and fountain of it is God himself, not absolutely con- sidered, but as on a throne of grace. Goodness, grace, love, and
VER. 24.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 385
mercy, are natural unto him; but so also are righteousness and judgment. That he should be on a throne of grace is an act of his sovereign will and pleasure, which is the original spring of the dis- pensation of all grace unto the church. The procuring cause of all grace and mercy for the church, as issuing from this throne of grace, is the sacrifice of Christ, whereby atonement was made for sin, and all heavenly things purified unto their proper end. Hence he is continually represented before this throne of God, “as a Lamb that had been slain.” The actual application of all grace and mercy unto the church, and every member of it, depends on this his ap- pearance before God, ae the intercession wherewith it is accom- panied.
Schlichtingius grants on the place, that Christ doth indeed “ soli- citously take care of the salvation of the church;” but “yet God,” saith he, “doth grant it of mere mercy, without any regard unto satisfaction or merit; which,” saith he, “we exclude.” And the only reason he gives for their so doing is this, that “ where there is satisfaction or merit, there is no need of oblation, appearance, or intercession.” But this fancy (opposed unto the wisdom of God in the dispensation of himself and his grace) ariseth from their corrupt notion of these things. If the oblation of Christ, with his ap- pearance in heaven and intercession, were nothing but what they imagine them to be,—that is, his appearance in heaven with all power committed unto him, and the administration of it for our good,—his satisfaction and merit could not directly be thence proved. Yet also on the other hand are they no way disproved thereby ; for they might be antecedently necessary unto the exercise of this power. But the argument is firm on the other hand. There is in the dispensation of grace and mercy respect had unto satisfaction and merit, because it is by the blood and sacrifice of Christ, as it is the design of the apostle to declare. For whereas he was therein an “ offering for sin,” was “made sin for us,” and “bare our sins,’ undergoing the penalty or curse of the law due unto them, which we call his satisfaction or sufferings in our stead; and whereas all that he did antecedently unto the oblation of himself for the salvation of the church, he did it in a way of obedience unto God, by virtue of the compact or covenant between the Father and him for our salvation unto his glory, which we call his merit: unto these there is respect in the dispensation of grace, or the Lord Christ lived and died in vain.