Instead of smoothing over our guilt, under the flefh-pleafing epithet of unavoidable infirmity; we confefs its finfulness, and have our only confidence in that blood which cleanseth from all fin. Instead of thinking we are already perfect; we prefs towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God. We obey, not to patch up and prefent to God an imperfect obedience (common language, though a perfect contradiction) but, because our heart is won over and powerfully attached to righteoufnefs by the Gospel of Jefus. We walk worthy of the vocation with which we are called, because we efteem it our reasonable fervice; it is not the flavish, fervile fear of damnation, which leads us to act, as if we ftrove to please one we thought a hard master, but the love of Chrift conflraineth us to be followers of God as dear children. The grace which bringeth falvation teacheth us, that denying ungodliness and aworldly lufts, we should live foberly, righteously, and godly, in this prefent world; looking for that bleffed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jefus Chrift: who gave himself a ransom for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.. D. E. THE THREEFOLD OFFICE OF CHRIST. It is ufual for profeffors of the Gospel to speak of the Lord Jefus Chrift, as holding with refpect to his church, those three great offices of Pro phet, phet, Prieft, and King. The language is juft and confonant to Scripture, and bleffed are all they that believe the truths which it avows. But among the many who hold that language, of how few may it be faid that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth Speaketh! How few know and are perfuaded of what they confefs with their tongues! May the great Saviour, whofe dignity we defire to affert, acknowledge what we are now about to offer upon this fubject, by giving his word accefs into the hearts of them that read, and explaining to them by his Spirit, what is written concerning himself in the law, in the prophets, in the pfalms, and in the New Teftament. 1. Chrift was foretold under the Jewish difpenfation, as one that fhould be a Prophet, when the Lord faid unto Mofes: I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he fhall fpeak unto them all that I shall command bim. The promised Chrift was to preach righte oufnefs in the great congregation, and to declare JEHOVAH'S faithfulness and his falvation. The LORD teftified that he gave him as a light to the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes and therefore faith Ifaiah, in the perfon of the Meffiah, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings, &c. And of the fame it was faid, He fhall feed his flock like a fhepherd-he will seek that which was loft, and bring again that which was driven awayand feed them in good pafture, to foreshew that He was to difpenfe unto his people the word of. God; for therein alone do finners find food for their fouls, even that bread of life-which came down from heaven, that the ftarving and ready to perish perifh might eat and live for ever (Comp. John vi.). Accordingly, when the defire of all nations came, he proclaimed himself the light of the world-the good Shepherd, who caufed his fheep to hear his voice, and who came to feek and to fave that which was loft. While He was with them in the world, He manifefted unto his disciples the name of God, and in that name he kept them. Continually, as occafion presented itfelf, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself, and opened their understandings that they might understand their teftimony. Now we obferve him reproving falfe profeffors, and fhewing them to be deftitute of the love of God. Now we find him giving commandments to his real followers for the regulation of their daily conduct. At all times, and amidst all descriptions of men, we hear him Speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Nor let any fuppofe, that this character ceased to be his, when, the days of his flesh at an end, he fat down at the right hand of God. His commiffioned and infpired minifters preached him as the ftill-existing Prophet of his people, the Apostle of their profeffion,-the Shepherd and overfeer of their fouls. Neither let it be imagined, that believers are now deprived of his inftructions, and that the Holy Ghoft was given only to the first disciples; for it was his gracious word, when on earth, that the Spirit of Truth should come, to teach them all things, and bring all things to their remembrance, whatfoever he had faid unto them; and thus, although he went to the Father-and the world faw him no more, yet well did he fay to his flock: I will come to you. YE fee me. And he promised, that that Spirit fhould abide with them FOR EVER; which promife, as the context evinces, refpected not Him as the author of miraculous influences, nor them as the infpired ambaffadors of God; but is an affurance to all who believe, of the never-failing presence of light, and guidance, and comfort from above. After this manner doth Jesus now communicate, what once fell from his own lips. He fendeth forth his Spirit, not to give new lights and private revelations; but to explain and make known the grand one already given in the external word; and fo to open the minds of the ignorant, that the light of his Gofpel may fhine unto them. Thus much concerning the Prophetic office of Chrift. 2. We learn from the Scriptures, that Chrift is the great perpetual High Priest to all the people of God. Unto Him JEHOVAH hath sworn (and he will not repent); Thou art a Prieft for ever after the order of Melchifedek. To Him alfo the prophet Zechariah bore teftimony, faying; He fhall build the temple of JEHOVAH, and he fall bear the glory, and shall fit and rule upon his throne, and he shall be a Prieft upon his throne, and the counfel of peace fhall be between them both. Moreover the apoftolic record at large declares Jefus to be the true proprietor of that office in the ceconomy of redemption, whereof the Levitical Priesthood was but a type; and the comparison there drawn between the fhadow and the subftance, at once eftablishes the neceffary refemblance, and marks the fuperiority of the latter over the former. As the Jewish High Priest was ordained to his minifterial office, and no man took this honor to himself, but he that was called of God, as was Aaron: so alfo Chrift glorified not himfelf, to be made an High Priest, but He that faid auto bim, Tu art my fon, this day have I begotten thee. thee. As the Jewish High Priests were of a certain order, of the tribe of Levi; fo Jefus was constituted a Priest, after the order of Melchifedek; an order proved (Heb. 7.) to be fuperior to that of Levi, upon this undoubted principle that the lefs is bleffed of the better; seeing that Levi, in the loins of Abraham, received bleffing from Melchifedek. And inafmuch as not without an oath he was made priest (whereas thofe priests were made without an oath), by fo much was Jefus made a furety of a better covenant. The Jewish High Prieft was ordained for men-that he might offer both gifts and facrifices for fins: fo Chrift gave his life a ransom for many, an offering and a facrifice to God. But the former was compaffed with infirmity; and was therefore obliged as for the people, fo alfo for himself, to offer for fins: whereas the latter was a lamb without blemish; though in all points tempted as we are, yet without fin; and thus He offered himself without spot to God,—the just for the unjust, needing not to prefent any thing in his own behalf. It was alfo neceffary from the mortality of the human creature, that the High Priesthood, in the Jewish economy, should be conferred upon a number of men in fucceffion: But this man, because he continueth ever, bath an unchangeable priesthood;—having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, HE abideth an High Priest continually. Further, in the Jewish facrifices there was a remembrance again made of fins every year, by which it was manifefted that they could never make the comers thereunto perfect (for indeed it is not poffible that the blood of bulls and of goats, fhould take away fins); but the offering of Jefus needs not to be repeated, for thereby He hath made an end of fin, and brought in everlasting righteousness, and so, perfected for |