was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. What the nature of his office was, is explained, Acts vii. 38. “this is he.... who received the lively oracles to give unto us," compared with Deut. v. 5. "I stood between Jehovah and you at that time to shew you the word of Jehovah."

In treating of the office of the Mediator, we are to consider his threefold functions as PROPHET, PRIEST and KING, and his manner of administering the same.

HIS FUNCTION AS A PROPHET IS TO INSTRUCT HIS CHURCH IN HEAVENLY TRUTH, AND TO DECLARE THE WHOLE WILL OF

xxiii. 8. 66

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HIS FATHER. Deut. xvii. 15. compared with Acts iii. 22. and vii. 37. "Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee." Isai. lxi. 1. "Jehovah hath anointed me to preach," compared with Luke iv. 18. Ezek. xxxiv. 23. "I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David." Zech. vi. 12, 13. "behold the man he shall build the temple of Jehovah." Matt. one is your master, even Christ." Luke x. 22. no man knoweth who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him." Rev. v. 7. "he took the book." Hence he is called "counsellor," Isai. ix. 6. and lv. 4. "a witness, a leader and commander to the people." John i. 9. "that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." 1 Cor. i. 24. "the wisdom of God." Heb. iii. 1. "the apostle of our profession." xii. 2. "the author and finisher of our faith." xiii. 20. "that great shepherd of the sheep." Rev. i. 5. "the faithful witness." Heb. i. 2. "God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.' John i. 16-18. “ grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.... the only begotten Son.... he hath declared him." iv. 25. "when Christ is come, he will tell us all things." xviii. 37. "to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth." xv. 15. "all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you."

His prophetical function consists of two parts; one external, namely, the promulgation of divine truth; the other internal, to wit, the illumination of the understanding. The former is mentioned Matt. iv. 17. "from that time Jesus began to preach and to say-;" and Mark i. 14. the latter Luke xxiv. 32, 45. "did not our heart burn within us while he opened to us the Scriptures? then opened he their under

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standing, that they might understand the Scriptures." Acts xvi. 14. "the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended unto the things that were spoken of Paul." John viii. 12. "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Christ's prophetical functions began with the creation of the world, and will continue till the end of all things. 1 Pet. i. 10, 11. "the spirit of Christ which was in them.... when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ," &c. iii. 19. "by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.' John i. 10. "he was in the world.... and the world knew him not." Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. go ye therefore and teach all nations.... and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Acts i. 3. "to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion.... speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." 2 Cor. xiii. 3. "since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me.

CHRIST'S SACERDOTAL FUNCTION is that whereby HE ONCE OFFERED HIMSELF TO GOD THE FATHER AS A SACRIFICE FOR SINNERS, AND HAS ALWAYS MADE, AND STILL CONTINUES TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR US.

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CHRIST'S SACERDOTAL FUNCTION. Psal. cx. 4. "thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." Zech. vi. 13. "he shall be a priest upon his throne.' Heb. v. 10. "called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek." See also vii. 17, 20, 21.

ONCE OFFERED; virtually, and as regarded the efficacy of his sacrifice, from the foundation of the world, as above stated; Rev. xiii. 8. actually, in the fulness of time, and that once for all, Heb. vii. 27. ix. 25, 26, 28. "Christ was once offered." x. 10, 12, 14. " by one offering." 1 Pet. iii. 18, "Christ hath once suffered for sins."

HIMSELF AS A SACRIFICE. Isai. liii. 10. "when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin." Psal. xl. 6, 7. "burntoffering and sin-offering hast thou not required: then said I, Lo, I come.' Eph. v. 2. "Christ hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God." Heb. ix. 14. "who through the eternal Spirit offered himself." Being God-man he offered himself in that capacity; "he who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, made himself of no reputation," &c. Philipp. ii. 6, 7. He offered himself, however, more particularly in his human nature, as many passages of Scrip

came....

Son of man

ture expressly indicate. Matt. xx. 28. "the to give his life a ransom for many." Acts xx. 28. "the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." Col. i. 20. "through the blood of his cross." v. 22. "in the body of his flesh through death." Heb. ix. 12. “by his own blood he entered in." x. 10. "through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ." 1 Pet. ii. 24. "who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree." iv. 1. "forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh." 1 John iv. 10. "he sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Rom. iii. 25. "whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness."

FOR SINNERS. Isai. liii. 12. "he bare the sin of many." 2 Cor. v. 21. "he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin.' Gal. iii. 13. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.' Heb. ix. 28. "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." 1 Pet. ii. 24. "who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree." iii. 18. "he hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust." 1 John ii. 2. "he is the propitiation for our sins."

HAS ALWAYS MADE INTERCESSION. Isai. liii. 12. "he made intercession for the transgressors." Jer. xxx. 21. “I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me; for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me?" John xiv. 6, 13. "no man cometh unto the Father but by me.' ." xvii. 9. "I pray for them." Rom. viii. 24. " who maketh intercession for us. Heb. vii. 25. "he ever liveth to make intercession for them." viii. 1, 2. "who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary." He makes intercession, first, by

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appearing in the presence of God for us," Heb. ix. 24. 1 John ii. 1. “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." Secondly, by rendering our prayers agreeable to God. John xiv. 13. "whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do." As to the expressions, Rom. viii. 26, 27. "the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us," and, "he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God," the preceding words of the same verse show in what sense they are to be understood; "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities ;" and Gal. iv. 6. "God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father;" that

is, encouraging and persuading us to address God as our Father through faith. This is easily distinguished from the intercession which Christ makes for us in his sacerdotal capacity.

THE KINGLY FUNCTION of Christ is that whereby BEING MADE KING BY GOD THE FATHER, HE GOVERNS AND PRESERVES, CHIEFLY BY AN INWARD LAW AND SPIRITUAL POWER, THE CHURCH WHICH HE HAS PURCHASED FOR HIMSELF, AND CONQUERS AND SUBDUES ITS ENEMIES.

MADE KING BY GOD THE FATHER. Psal. ii. 6. "I have set my King upon my holy hill." cx. 1. compared with Matt. xxii. 44. "the Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand." Ezek. xxxvii. 25. “ my servant David shall be their prince for ever." Dan. ii. 44. "the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom." vii. 14. "there was given him dominion." Matt. xi. 27. "all things are delivered unto me of my Father." xxviii. 18. "all power is given unto me." Luke i. 32. "the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Eph. i. 20-22. “when he set him at his own right hand.... far above all principality." Rev. i. 5. "prince of the kings of the earth." xix. 16. "King of kings.'

HIS CHURCH. Psal. ii. 6. " yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion." Matt. ii. 5, 6. "thus it is written by the prophet.... out of thee shall come a governor, that shall rule my people Israel." Luke i. 33. "he shall reign over the house of Jacob." Eph. i.22. "who gave him to be the head over all things, to the church. " Col. i. 18. "he is the head of the body, the church."

CHIEFLY BY AN INWARD LAW. Jer. xxxi. 31, 32. compared with Heb. viii. 8. and x. 16. "this is the covenant that I will make with them.... I will put my laws into their hearts." Luke xvii. 21. "behold the kingdom of God is within you." John iv. 23, 24. "in spirit and in truth." xviii. 36. "my kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight." Hence the law of the kingdom, the gift of the Spirit, was given at Jerusalem on the fiftieth day from the crucifixion, as the Mosaic law was given on the fiftieth day from the passover in Mount Sinai, Acts ii. 1. in sign that the old law was superseded by the new, the law of bondage and of the flesh by the law of the Spirit and of freedom. Rom. xiv. 17. "the king

dom of heaven is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." Psal. lxviii. 18. compared with Eph. iv. 8. "he gave gifts unto men," that is, spiritual gifts. Accordingly, the weapons of those who fight under Christ as their King are exclusively spiritual. 2. Cor. x. 4. 1 John v. 4. "this is the victory that overcometh the world." Herein it is that the pre-eminent excellency of Christ's kingdom over all others, as well as the divine principles on which it is founded, are manifested; inasmuch as he governs not the bodies of men alone, as the civil magistrate, but their minds and consciences, and that not by force and fleshly weapons, but by what the world esteems the weakest of all instruments.1 Hence external force ought never to be employed in the administration of the kingdom of Christ, which is the church. GOVERNS AND PRESERVES. Isai. ix. 6, 7. 66 Counsellor ... the Prince of peace of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end." Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. "in his days Judah shall be saved." John x. 28. "neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Heb. vii. 2. "the King of righteousness.... King of peace.”

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OVERCOMES AND SUBDUES HIS ENEMIES. Psal. ii. 9. "thou shalt break them with a rod of iron," namely, at his second coming. Psal. cx. 1, 2. compared with Matt. xxii. 44. Dan. ii. 44. "it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms." The world; John xvi. 33. and 1 John v. 4. Death, and the law, and sin; 1 Cor. xv. 26, 54–57. “the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Satan; Rom. xvi. 20. Luke xix. 27. "those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither." Rev. xxii. 14. "the Lamb shall overcome them." The kingdom of Christ is also styled the kingdom of grace, 9 .... To guide nations in the way of truth

By saving doctrine, and from error lead

To know, and knowing worship God aright,
Is yet more kingly; this attracts the soul,
Governs the inner man, the nobler part;
That other o'er the body only reigns,
And oft by force, which to a generous mind,
So reigning, can be no sincere delight.

by small

Paradise Regained, II. 473.

Paradise Lost, XII. 566.

Accomplishing great things, by things deem'd weak

Subverting worldly strong.