ii. 3. Christ was more capable, by infinite degrees, of the fulness of the Holy Ghost than mere men were or could be; and his employment being also infinitely beyond the employment of men, the measure of the Holy Ghost's fulness in him must needs be accordingly beyond all measure. Hence, by way of emphasis, Christ is called the anointed one of God,' John xii. 15; Acts iii. 22, 23. The kings, priests, and prophets among the Jews, who were anointed, were in their unction but types of Christ, who is the great king, priest, and prophet of his church, and anointed above them all, yea, and above all the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, and believers under the new testament ministration. In Christ there is all kind of grace, and it is in him in the highest and utmost degree, that he might be able to manage all his offices, and finish that work which God gave him to do,' John xvii. 4; and God hath filled him with his Spirit, that he might successfully bring about the redemption and salvation of sinners. But,

Secondly, God the Father promiseth to invest Jesus Christ with a threefold office, and to anoint him and furnish him with whatever was requisite for the discharge of those three offices-viz., his prophetical, priestly, and kingly offices, Isa. lxi. 1-3, and xxxiii. 22. Christ never forced himself into any of these offices, he never intruded himself into any one office, he never run before he was sent, he never assumed any office till his Father had signed and sealed his commission, John vi. 17. Whatever Jesus Christ had acted without a commission under his Father's hand had been invalid and lost, and God would one day have said to him, 'Who hath required this at thy hand ?' Isa. i. 12. In order to our spiritual and eternal recovery out of sin and misery, it was absolutely necessary that whatever Christ did act as a priest, prophet, or king, he should act by the authority of his Father, by a commission under the broad seal of heaven: Heb. v. 5, 'So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high-priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son.' These two conjunctions, ouтw Kaì, ' so also,' being joined together, are notes of a reddition, or later part of a comparison, which is the application thereof. This application may have reference either to the general proposition, thus, As no man taketh this honour unto himself,' so also, nor Christ; or to the particular instance of Aaron, thus, As Aaron took not to himself that honour; so, nor Christ.' Both tend to the same end. The high-priesthood was an honour; for Christ to have taken that to himself, without a commission from his Father, had been to glorify himself, by conferring glory and honour upon himself. This negative, that Christ glorified not himself,' is a clear evidence that Christ arrogated no honour to himself. Christ would not arrogate honour to himself, but rather wait upon his Father, that he might confer upon him what honour he saw meet. Christ glorified not himself to be made a high-priest; but his Father glorified him, in ordaining or commissionating him to be the high-priest. In short, to be made a high-priest is to be deputed or appointed

1 Melchizedek was a king and a priest; Christ was more-a priest, a prophet, and a king; Samuel was a priest and a prophet; David was a king and a prophet: but never met all three in any but in Christ alone.

and set apart to that function; and thus was our Lord Jesus Christ made a high-priest. He had never undertaken that office had he not been ordained to it by his Father. But, that you may see Christ's threefold commission to his threefold office, consider,

[1.] First, that God the Father promiseth to Jesus Christ an excellent, royal and eternal priesthood: Heb. vii. 21, 'For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec;' Heb. ii. 17, 18; Ps. cx. 4. Among the Jews, in the times of the old testament, they had a high-priest, that was in all things to stand between God and them; and in case any sinned, to make an atonement for them. Now look, as the Jews had their high-priest, so the Lord Jesus Christ, he was to be, and he is, the apostle and the high-priest of our Christian profession, as Aaron was of the Jews' profession. The priestly office of Jesus Christ is erected and set up, on purpose for the relief of poor distressed sinners.1 The work of the high-priest, is to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. In the times of the old testament, the high-priest made an atonement for the people. In case any man had sinned, he brought a sacrifice, and his sins were laid upon the head of the sacrifice. Once every year, the high-priest did enter into the Holy of holies, and with the blood of the sacrifice, did sprinkle the mercy-seat, and laid the sins of the people upon the head of the scape-goat, and so made an atonement for the people, as is clear in that, Lev. xvi. 14, He shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger, upon the mercy-seat eastward: and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times;' and at ver. 21, Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, and all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness; and so he shall make an atonement.' This was the work of the high-priest, in case any had sinned, to make an atonement and satisfaction, by the way of type, for the sins of the people The main scope of the apostle in that, Heb. vii., is to advance Christ his priesthood above the Levitical priesthood, in order to which he premiseth this, that those 'priests were made without an oath,' ver. 20. The apostle's third argument to prove the excellency of Christ's priesthood above the Levitical, is taken from the different manner of instituting the one and the other. Christ's institution was more solemn than the

1 Heb. iii. 1. By the way, you may take notice that the whole body of Antichristianism is but an invasion upon the priestly office of Christ. What is the popish mass, that unbloody sacrifice, but a derogation from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, once upon the cross; and so a derogation from his priestly office? What are all those popish penances and satisfactions enjoined, but a derogation unto the satisfaction of Christ; and so unto the priestly office of Christ? What is all their praying to saints and angels, but a derogation unto the intercession of Christ; and so unto the priestly office? God deputes Christ to his priestly office, as God and man; yet papists say that Christ is a priest only in his human nature. God saith to his Son, Thou art a priest;' yet they make many priests. God makes his Son a priest for ever; yet they substitute others in his room. God gave Christ to offer up but one sacrifice, and that but once; but they every day offer up many sacrifices in the mass. God gave Christ to offer up himself; but they offer up bread and wine, upon pretence that it is the body and blood of Christ. Christ's sacrifice was a bloody sacrifice; but they style theirs an unbloody sacrifice.

Levites'; their institution was without an oath, Christ's institution was with an oath. The argument may be thus framed that priesthood which is established by an oath, is more excellent than that which is without an oath; but Christ's priesthood is with an oath, and theirs without, ergo. . . . It is here taken for granted that Christ was most solemnly instituted a priest, even by an oath; yea, by the oath of God himself, which is the greatest and most solemn manner of institution that can be. God's oath imports two things:-(1.) An infallible certainty of that which he sweareth; (2.) A solemn authority and dignity conferred upon that which he instituted by oath. Great and weighty matters of much concernment use to be established by oath. Hereby it appeareth that Christ's priesthood is a matter of great moment, and of much concernment. This will appear the more evident, if we consider the person who was made priest, viz., our Lord Jesus Christ, who was the greatest person that could be; Heb. vii. 28; therefore he is fitly called a great high-priest,' Heb. iv. 14. Or if we consider the ends of Christ's priesthood, which were very weighty, and that in reference both to God and man; to God, for the manifestation of his perfect justice, infinite mercy, almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and other divine attributes, which never were, nor ever can be so manifested, as in and by Christ's priesthood; to man, that God's wrath might be averted, his favour procured, man's sin purged, and he freed from all evil, and brought to eternal happiness. Or if we consider the benefits of Christ's priesthood, which are answerable to the foresaid ends. Jesus Christ was appointed and made by the Father, The apostle and high-priest of the church's profession:' Heb. iii. 1, 2, 'Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high-priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him.' Christ had a divine call to the execution of all those offices, which he sustained as our mediator, he did not run before he was sent, he did not act without a commission and warrant, he was lawfully constituted by him who had power to undertake that great charge he hath over the church; this we shall find asserted of all his three offices. As for his priestly office, he was made a priest by an immediate call and ordination from God, Heb. v. 4-6. The scope of the apostle is to set out the excellency of Christ's priesthood, by comparing it with the Levitical. His priesthood had a concurrence of all things necessary to the Levitical; and it had many excellencies above that. Now among other things required in the priesthood of Aaron, this was one, there must be a divine regular call. This was in the priesthood of Christ; He was called of God, a high-priest, after the order of Melchisedec.'1 That Ps. cx. 4, is God's sure and irrevocable promise to Christ, touching that excellent and eternal priesthood, whereby the recovery of his seed was to be meritoriously obtained. This priestly office of Christ is sure, because it is confirmed by God's oath, of which before as well as his promise. The promise makes it sure, the oath doubly sure, irrevocable; and certainly the Lord neither can nor will

1 Ps. cx. 4. The Hebrew is, Thou a priest,' &c., i.e., Thou shalt be a priest for ever;' it being the manner of the Hebrew tongue, sometimes for brevity sake, to leave out a word, which is to be understood and supplied.

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ever repent himself of this promise and oath. The priesthood of Christ is the most noble part of all his mediation. In the priesthood of Christ, and in that especially, lies the latitude and longitude, the profundity and sublimity of God's love towards us; and in respect of this especially, is the whole mystery of our redemption by Christ called μeyaleia Toû eoû, the magnificent works of God. Christ as man, and as mediator between God and man, was, by his Father, deputed unto his priestly office. Concerning the dignity and excellency of Christ's priestly office, above the Levitical priesthood, I have spoken elsewhere. But,

[2.] Secondly, God the Father promises to Jesus Christ to make him a prophet, a great prophet, yea, the prince of prophets. Christ is a prophet, in way of eminency and excellency, above all other prophets; he was the chief, the head of them all. Christ was made a prophet by an immediate call and ordination from God. Christ, in respect of his prophetical office, can plead the authority of his Father; he can shew a commission for this office, under his Father's own hand. Deut. xviii. 18, 'I will raise them a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command them.'1 Christ does not raise himself up to the prophetical office, but God the Father raises him up to this great office. He was anointed of God to preach glad tidings. Weigh that, Isa. xlii. 6, 'I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from their prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.' The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me, to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,' &c., Luke iv. 18. Thus you see that this prophetical dignity of Christ, that he is the grand doctor of the church, is built upon the authority of his Father, who hath authorised and commissionated him to that great office: Isa. 1. 4, The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning; he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.'" Thus you see that God the Father promiseth to invest Christ with a prophetic office for the opening the eyes of the blind, &c. This great prophet is richly furnished with all kinds of knowledge; In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.' They are hid in him as gold and silver are in suo loco, as the philosopher speaks, hid in the veins of the earth.Treasures of knowledge, that is, precious knowledge, saving knowledge; Treasures of knowledge,' that is, plentiful knowledge, abundance of knowledge; 'Treasures,' that is, hidden and stored knowledge, was laid up in him. All the angels in heaven, and all the men on earth, do not know all that is in the heart of God; but now Jesus Christ, who lies in the bosom of the Father,' John i. 18, he knows all that is in his Father's heart. All those secret mysteries, that were laid up in the bosom of eternity, are fully known to this great prophet of the church; John v. 20, The Father loveth the Son,

1 See Acts iii. 22, and vii. 37; Deut. xviii. 15; Isa. Ixi. 1.

Christ displaces all Rabbis, by assuming this title to himself, 'one is your doctor and master, even Christ,' Mat. xxiii. 8-10.

and sheweth him all things that himself doth,' by a divine and unspeakable communication. God the Father shews to Jesus Christ all things that he doth. God's love is communicative, and will manifest itself in effects, according to the capacity of the party beloved; so much appeareth in that unspeakable love of the Father to the Son, "The Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things,' &c., or communicateth his nature, wisdom, and power, for operation with him; which is expressed in terms taken from among men, because of our weakness and ought to be spiritually, and not carnally conceived of. And therefore these terms of the Father's shewing,' and the Son's 'seeing,' are made use of to prevent all carnal and gross conceptions of this inexpressible communication from the Father, and participation by the Son. In the blessed Scripture, Jesus Christ is sometimes called 'the' prophet, and 'that' prophet; because he is one that came from the bosom of the Father, and lives and lies in the bosom of the Father, and understands the whole mind, will, heart, counsels, designs, ways, and workings of the Father. Jesus Christ is anointed by God the Father to be the great prophet and teacher of his elect; and accordingly Jesus Christ has taken that office upon himself. God the Father has laid a charge upon Jesus Christ, to teach and instruct all those that he has given him, in his whole mind and will, so far as is necessary to their salvation, edification, consolation, &c. Moses was faithful as a servant, but Christ as a Son,' Heb. iii. 2, 5, 6. Christ cannot be unfaithful in his prophetical office. Those that God the Father hath charged him to teach and instruct, he will teach and instruct, in the great things of their peace; and no wonder, for the knowledge that is communicated to Jesus Christ, the great prophet of his church, is not by dreams, or visions, or revelations of angels, as to the prophets of old, but by a clear, full, intimate view, and beholding of the Godhead, the fountain of all sacred knowledge; Rev. v. 6, 'And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.'1 The lamb slain The lamb slain opens the prophecies, and foretells what shall befall the church, to the end of the world. The discovery of the secrets of God in his word, are the fruit of Christ slain, ascended, and anointed as the great prophet of the church. The lamb wanted neither power nor wisdom to open the seven seals, and therefore he is said to have seven horns and seven eyes.' Seven is a number of perfection. Horns signify power, eyes signify knowledge or wisdom; 2 both joined together, argue a fulness and perfection of power and wisdom in Christ; so that we have here a lively representation of the threefold office of Christ: his sacerdotal or priestly office in the lamb as slain, his royal or princely office in the horns, and his prophetical office in the eyes. But,

[3.] Thirdly, God the Father promises to make him a king, yea, a mighty king also. The kingly office speaks might and power. Christ is a king above all other kings; he is a king higher than the

1 The Lamb stands, because (1.) prepared to perfect the work of redemption; (2.) to help; (3.) to judge; (4.) to intercede.

* Dan. vii. 24; Isa. xxxv. 5; Mat. xxviii. 18; Col. ii. 3, 9.