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they make him but half a priest; if they will, they must be necessitated either to defend this error, that all shall be saved; or own this blasphemy, that Christ is not heard of his Father, nor can prevail in his intercession; which yet the saints on earth are sure to do, when they make their supplications according to the will of God; Rom. viii. 27. Besides that of our Saviour, it is expressly said that the Father always heareth him; John xi. 42. and if that were true, when he was yet in the way, in the days of his flesh, and had not finished the great work he was sent about, how much more then now, when having done the will, and finished the work, of God, he is set down on the right hand of Majesty on high, desiring and requesting the accomplishing of the promises that were made unto him upon his undertaking this work of which before.

The nature of the intercession of Christ, will also prove no less than what we assert, requiring an inseparable conjunction between it and its oblation; for as it is now perfected in heaven, it is not a humble dejection of himself, with cries, tears, and supplications; nay, it cannot be conceived to be vocal, by the way of entreaty, but merely real, by the presentation of himself sprinkled with the blood of the covenant, before the throne of grace in our behalf. For Christ,' saith the apostle, 'is not entered into the holy place made with hands, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;' Heb. ix. 24. His intercession there is an appearing for us in heaven in the presence of God, a demonstration of his sacred body, wherein for us he suffered. For (as we said before) the apostle in the ninth to the Hebrews compares his entrance into heaven for us, unto the entrance of the high priest into the holy place, which was with the blood of bulls and goats upon him; ver. 12, 13. Our Saviour's being with his own blood so presenting himself, that his former oblation might have its perpetual efficacy, until the many sons given unto him are brought to glory. And herein his intercession consisteth, being nothing (as it were) but his oblation continued. He was a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;' Rev. xiii. 3. Now his intercession before his actual oblation in the fulness of times, being nothing but a presenting of the engagement that was upon him for the work in due time to be accomplished, certainly that which follows it, is nothing but a presenting of what ac

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cording to that engagement is fulfilled, so that it is nothing but a continuation of his oblation, in postulating by rememE brance and declaration of it, those things which by it were : procured. How then is it possible, that the one of these should be of larger compass and extent than the other? Can he be said to offer for them for whom he doth not intercede, when his intercession is nothing but a presenting of his oblation in the behalf of them for whom he suffered, and for the bestowing of those good things which by that were purchased.

Again, If the oblation and death of Christ, procured and obtained that every good thing should be bestowed, which is actually conferred by the intervening of his intercession, then they have both of them the same aim, and are both means tending to one and the same end. Now for the proof of this supposal, we must remember that which we delivered before, concerning the compact and agreement, that was between the Father and the Son, upon his voluntary engaging of himself unto this great work of redemption; for upon that engagement the Lord proposed unto him as the end of his sufferings, and promised unto him as the reward of his labours, the fruit of his deservings, every thing which he afterward intercedeth for. Many particulars I before instanced in, and therefore now to avoid repetition will wholly omit them, referring the reader to chap. iii. for satisfaction: only I shall demand, what is the ground and foundation of our Saviour's intercession, understanding it to be by the way of entreaty, either virtual or formal, as it may be conceived to be either real or oral, for the obtaining of any thing, must it not rest upon some promise made unto him? or is there any good bestowed that is not promised? Is it not apparent that the intercession of Christ doth rest on such a promise, as Psal. ii. 8. Ask of me, and I will grant thee the Heathen to be thine inheritance,' &c.? Now upon what consideration was this promise and engagement made unto our Saviour? Was it not for his undergoing of that, about which 'the Kings set themselves, and the rulers took counsel together against him ;' ver. 3. which the apostles interpret of Herod and Pontius Pilate with the people of the Jews, prosecuting him to death, and doing to him whatsoever the hand and counsel of God had before determined should be

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done; Acts iv. 27, 28. The intercession of Christ then, being founded on promises made unto him, and these promises being nothing but an engagement to bestow, and actually collate upon them for whom he suffered, all those good things which his death and oblation did merit and purchase, it cannot be but that he intercedeth for all for whom he died, that his death procured all and every thing, which upon his intercession is bestowed, and until they are bestowed, it hath not its full fruits and effects; for that which some say, viz. that the death of Christ doth procure that which is never granted, we shall see afterward whether it do not contradict Scripture, yea, and common sense.

Farther, What Christ hath put together let no man presume to put asunder; distinguish between them they may, but separate them they may not. Now these things concerning which we treat (the oblation and intercession of Christ) are by himself conjoined, yea united John xvii. for there and then he did both offer and intercede; he did then as perfectly offer himself in respect of his own will and intention, ver. 9. as on the cross; and as perfectly intercede as now in heaven, who then can divide these things, or put them asunder? especially considering that the Scripture affirmeth that the one of them without the other would have been unprofitable; 1 Cor. xv. 17. For complete remission and redemption could not be obtained for us, without the entering of our high priest into the most holy place; Heb. ix. 12.

Lastly, A separation and dividing of the death and intercession of Christ, in respect to the objects of them, cut off all that consolation which any soul might hope to attain by an assurance that Christ died for him; that the doctrine of the general ransom is an uncomfortable doctrine, cutting all the nerves and sinews of that strong consolation which God is so abundantly willing that we should receive, shall be afterward declared: for the present I will only shew, how it tendeth upon our comfort in this particular; the main foundation of all the confidence and assurance, whereof in this life we may be made partakers (which amounts to joy unspeakable, and full of glory), ariseth from this strict connexion of the oblation and intercession of Jesus Christ; that by the one he hath procured all good things for us, and by the

other he will procure them to be actually bestowed; where by he doth never leave our sins but follows them into every court, until they be fully pardoned and clearly expiated; Heb. ix. 26. He will never leave us until he hath saved to the ut termost them that come unto God by him; his death with out his resurrection would have profited us nothing, all our faith in him had been in vain; 1 Cor. xv. So that separated from it, with the intercession following, either in his own intention or in the several procurements of the one or the other it will yield us but little consolation; but in this connexion it is a sure bottom for a soul to build upon; Heb. vii. 25. What good will it do me to be persuaded that Christ died for my sins, if notwithstanding that my sins may appear against me for my condemnation, where and when Christ will not appear for my justification? If you will ask with the apostle, 'Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died;' Rom. viii. 34. It may easily be answered; Why, God by his law may condemn me, notwithstanding Christ died for me! Yea, but saith the apostle, 'He is risen again, and sitteth at the right hand of God, making intercession for us;' he rests not in his death, but he will certainly make intercession for them for whom he died, and this alone gives firm consolation; our sins dare not appear, nor any of our accusers against us, where he appeareth for us. Cavilling objections against this text shall be afterward considered, and so I hope I have sufficiently confirmed and proved, what in the beginning of this chapter I did propose, about the identity of the object of the obla

tion and intercession of Jesus Christ.

CHAP. VIII.

Objections against the former proposal answered.

By what was said in the last chapter, it clearly appeareth, that the oblation and intercession of Christ are of equal compass and extent, in respect of their objects, or the persons for whom he once offered himself, and doth continually intercede, and so are to be looked on, as one joint means for the attaining of a certain proposed end: which, what it is comes next to be considered; but because I find some objections laid by some against the former truth, I must remove them before I proceed, which I shall do as a man removeth dung until it be all gone.

The sum of one of our former arguments was, that to sacrifice and intercede belong both to the same person as high priest, which name none can answer, neither hath any performed that office, until both by him be accomplished. Wherefore, our Saviour being the most absolute, and indeed only true high priest, in whom were really all those perfections which in others received a weak typical representation, doth perform both these in the behalf of them for whose sakes he was such.

An argument not unlike to this I find by some to be undertaken to be answered, being in these words proposed, 'The ransom and mediation of Christ is no larger than his office of priest, prophet, and king; but those offices pertain to his church and chosen, therefore his ransom pertains to them only.'

The intention and meaning of the argument is the same with what we proposed, viz. that Christ offered not for them for whom he is no priest, and he is a priest only for them, for whom he doth also intercede. If afterward I shall have occasion to make use of this argument, I shall by the Lord's assistance give more weight and strength to it, than it seems to have in their proposal, whose interest it is, to present it as slightly as possible, that they may seem fairly to have waved it; but the evasion, such as it is, let us look upon.

'This,' saith the answerer, 'is a sober objection;' which

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