Prieftly office of Jefus Chrift? What is the whole body of Anti-chriftianifme, but an invafion upon this priestly Of fice of Chrift? What is the Popish Maffe, (that unbloody fa crifice,) but a derogation from the Sacrifice of Jefus Chrift once upon the Croffe, and fo á derogation from his Priestly Office? What are all thofe Popish Penances, and fatisfactions injoyn'd, but a derogation unto the fatisfaction of Jefus Chrift, and fo unto the Prieftly Office of Chrift? What is all their praying to Saints, and Angels, but a derogation unto the Interceffion of Jefus Chrift, and fo unto the Priefly Office of Chrift? What does the Pope call himfelf? He calls himself, the High Priest, the very Title Asxeger's that our Lord, and Saviour takes unto himself. So that the whole body of Anti-chriftianifme, is a great invafion upon the Priefly Office of Jefus Chrift. Now that which is ufually oppofed moft by the men of the world, that Excellency, and that Attribute of Chrift is of all other the most comfortable, and beneficial unto Gods people. The truth is, This Prieftly Office of Jesus Christ, is an Office of meer love, and tender compaffion; erected, and fet up on purpose, for the reliefe of poor diftreffed finners; and there is no mixture of terroar with it: there is a mixture of terrour with the other Offices of Chrift. The Lord Chrift, he is King, and he hath a Kingly Office, and by his Kingly Office he rules over the Churches, and rules over all the world: But all do not obtain mercy that he rules over. As for those mine Enemies, that will not fubmit, will not have me to Reign over them, bring them, and flay them before mee. The Prophetical office of Jefus Chrift, it extendeth unto many that fhall never be faved: Light Shines in darkneß and darknese comprehendeth it not. He came unto his own, and bis own received him not. But now, where ever the Prieftly Office of Jefus Chrift is let forth upon a foul, that foul fhall certainly be faved for ever.

What was the great relief amongst the Jewes against their Lins? The Jewes, you fhall obferve they had many reliefs: when they were in the wilderness, and were ftung with the

Quest.

Answ.

fiery ferpents, then they had a brafen-ferpent for to look upon, as a reliefe against that diftreffe. When they wanted water, they had the water out of the Rock, as a reliefe against that diftreffe. When they wanted Bread, they had Manna from Heaven, as a reliefe against that diftrefs. Bat when they finned, whither did they go? Then they took a facrifice, and went unto the Prieft, and he was to offer for them. So that the Prieftly Office then, was the only relief they had againft fin.

And fo now, the Prieftly Office of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is that great fuccour, and relief which Chriftians have againft all Temptations under Heaven.

You will fay unto me, But generall things affect not: let us fee it in fome Particulars, wherein this Priestly Office of Chrift, is the great Magazin, and Storehouse of all our grace and Comfort.

For Anwfer, hereunto, I will begin this exercife with one Particular of the Friefly Office of Chrift, in fhewing what a relief, and fuccour it is unto a Chriftian against all Temptations, and what a bottome of Comfort, and special means of Grace and Holiness.

The text faies, That the work of the High Prieft is, To make reconciliation for the fins of the people. In the times of the old Teftament, the High Prieft made an Atonement for the peole in cafe any man had finned, he brought a facrifice,and his fins were laid upon the head of the facriffcc. Once evry yeear, the High Prieft did enter into the holy of holiest, and with the blood of the Sacrifice, did fprinkle the Mercy-Seat, and laid the fins of the people upon the head of the fcape-goat and fo made an atonement for the people. All wich will cleerly appear, in that, 16: of Leviticus, at the 14. verfe. He fball take of the blood of the bullock, and fprinkle it with his finger upon the Mercy-Seat caft-ward: and before the Mery-Seat fhall he fprinkle of the blood with his finger feven times. And at the 21.verf. And Aaron fball lay both his hands upon the bead of the live goat, and confesse over him all the iniquities of the chil

dren

ebildren of Ifrael, and all their tranfgreffions, in all their fins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and fball fend him away by the band of a fit man into the wilderneß, and fo be shall make an atonement, as in that Chapter. This was the work of the High priest, in cafe any had finned, to make an atonement, and fatisfaction (by way of Type) for the fins of the people.

Now for the better proof of this great Gospel-Truth that I have propounded, I fhall infift on thefe Five things.

Firft, That when the Lord Jefus Chrift died upon the Croffe, be did offer up Himself a facrifice unto God the Father.

Secondly, That when this facrifice was upon the Altar, then the fins of all beleevers, past, prefent, and to come,were all laid up on Jefus Chrift.

Thirdly, That when these fins were thus laid upon Chrift, he did thereby give full fatisfaction unto God the Father, unto Divine Justice.

Fourthly, That all this be did as our great High-Prieft, and in a more Transcendent, and Eminent manner, then ever any High Prieft did before him.

Fifthly, How all this dotb conduce to our Comfort, and to our Holineß.

First, When our Lord Jefus Chrift died upon the Croß. He did offer up bimfelf a facrifice unto God the Father. He did not as the Socinians fay) die only as an example for to teach us how to die; but he offered up himfelfa facrifice unto God the Father then. Yea, as if all facrifices were met in him; all thofe titles that are given unto other Sacrifices, they are given unto him. There were Three forts of Sacrifices: fome were living; others were not living, and those were either folid, as bread and the like; or elfe,they weae liquid, as wine and oyle. There was alwaies, Destructio rei oblatia, A deftroiyng of the thing offered. If it were a living thing that was facrificed, then it was faid to be flain: In answer to that, Jefus Chrift is faid to be a Lamb flain from the beginning of the world. If it were a dead thing, that was offered up, as bread, or corn, a solid thing, then the facri

fice, or offering was said to be bruised. I answer to that, our Lord and Saviour Chrift is faid to be bruifed for our iniquities. If it were a liquid thing that was offered up to God, as wine, or oyl, then it was faid to be powred out. In answer to this, it is faid of our Lord and Saviour, That his foul was powred out unto death. Thus all Sacrifices meeting in him. Behold the Lamb of God (laies John the Baptift when he faw Chrift.) He does not fay, Behold the Bull of God, or the Goat of God; and yet Buls,and Goats were facrificed. Why does he rather fay, behold the Lamb of God, than the Bullock, or the Goat? For when the High-Prieft went into the Holy of Holieft, and fprinkled the Mercy-Seat, he did not fprinkle the Mercy-Seat with the blood of the Lamb, but with the blood of a Goat; and yet notwithstanding, it is not faid, Behold the Goat of God, but, Behold the Lamb of God: Why fo? Not only because that Chrift was of a lamb-like, and meek difpofition (as fome would have it :) Nor only because, that the great Type of Chrift, was the Pascal-Lamb, (though thefe be reafons.) But there was a dayly facrifice in the Temple; whether men brought any offering or no, there was a fanding facrifice in the Temple, morning, and evening, and that facrifice was a Lamb. Now therefore, to shew, that Jefus Chrift is the dayly facrifice, therefore he cries oùt, and faies, Behold the Lamb of God, and not the Goat of God? for the Goat was not facrificed every day as the Lamb was.

For proof of this, take the Apoftles Exhortation, Ephe. 5.2. Walk in love, as Chrift hath loved us and hath given himfelf for us an offering and a facrifice to God. Here are Three things confiderable. Firft,He does not fay, Who bath redee med us but, to fhow his great love unto us, Who bath given himself for us: He doth not fay, Who bath given himfelf for our fins: Yet he saies fo, in Gal. 1. 4. Who Self for our fins? But Who gave him felf for us, gave him. Why? To fhew, who they were that he gave himself for: He gave himself for us, as finners. Again, He faies here, He gave

himself.

himself for us,an offering,and a facrifice, not only an offe ring,but a facrifice too. So that this first Propofition is cleerly proved, That our Lord Jefus, when he died upon the Crof be did offer up himself as a facrifice unto God the Father.

Secondly, As he did offer up himself a facrifice unto God the Father: So when he was upon this Altar, this facrifice; the fins of all Beleevers were then laid upon Jefus Chrift: thofe that do now beleeve, or fhall hereafter beleeve, they were all then laid upon Jefus Chrift. Look into the 53. of Ifaiah, ver. 6 All we like sheep have gone aftray, and have turned every one to bis own way,and the Lord bath laid on him the iniquities of wall. That which God laies on fhall never be taken off, no man fhall take it off: The Lord hath laid on him the ini quities of us all.

Yea, Our iniquities are not only faid to be laid on him, but (to use the fame word that is uied for the facrifice) it is faid, he bare our fins upon the Croffe; as the Goat bare the fins of the people: So faies the Apofile, He himself bare our fins upon the Croß.

Moreover, He did not only bare our fins upon the Cross: but (faies the Apoftle) He was made fin for us. 'Tis not faid, He was made a finner,or accounted a finner only for us, but he was made fin for us. All our iniquities were laid on him; he bare our fins, and he was made fin for us upon the Croffe. Thus briefly the Second Propofition is cleered, That when be did thus offer up himself upon the Cross as a facrifice, the fins of all Beleevers were then laid on him.

Thirdly, When the fins of Beleevers were laid on him, then he did make full fatisfaction unto God the Father, and Divine Jufice for all our fint. This is a bottom of much comfort. For if the Lord Jefus Chrift our furety had not fatisfied to the utmoft farthing, our great Creditor, God the Father, for all our debts, God the Father might come upon us the Debtors. But our Surety, the Lord Chrift, hath given full fatisfaction unto God the Father, that no more demands can be made upon us: And indeed elfe, how could our Surety ever have come out of prifon : He was under ar

reft

2.

3.