rious Efficacy which the others wanted. He as the Great High Priest, having shed his precious blood upon the Cross, entered with it into the Holy Place of Heaven, and offered it, not for himself, for he was without sin, and therefore required no atonement, but for the transgressions of the whole world.

Having given himself for us an offer ing and a sacrifice to God," and ascended by virtue of his merits to the presence of his Father, he has taken upon himself the Office of Intercessor, of Mediator between God and Men. "This man," says St. Paul, "because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable Priesthood; wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by hiin, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens ; who needeth not daily, as those High Priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then

*Ephesians, v. 2.

for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the Law maketh men High Priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the Law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore."

Christ was a Priest also in blessing. He began his Sermon on the mount with benedictions. Just before his Ascension into Heaven, “he led his Disciples out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them." And St. Peter testifies, that "God sent Jesus to bless" us," in turning away every one of" us "from his iniquities."+

Christ, moreover, filled the Office of a Prophet. Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, and many others, were prophets; but how inferior were they all to the Great Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee! They delivered the commands of God to a peculiar people; He to all mankind. They, impelled by the Spirit of God, uttered many predictions with a very obscure understanding of the circumstances to

* Hebrews, vii. 24-28.

+ Acts, iii. 26,

+ Luke, xxiv. 50.

which they pointed: He prophesied many events, all of which he foresaw, and knew by the divine prescience that was in him, would come to pass. Some of them occasionally wrought a miracle by the power of God, in confirmation of their prophetic authority; He by his own power, which was the power of God, afforded numberless demonstrations of his mission from above, far surpassing, both in evidence and in glory, any that had ever before been given to mankind. They all had infirmity, and fulfilled not the perfect law; He was ever and altogether free from blemish; he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." They were the sons of men; He, though the Son of Mary, was also the Son of God. In nature, in birth, in doctrine, in precept, in example, in authority, and in power, he infinitely exceeded all other prophets. He was the centre to which all their rays converged; the grand luminary from which they received their light, and reflected it to the world.

1 Peter, ii. 22.

He predicted circumstances of highest concern to mankind. He foretold the treachery of Judas, the denial of Peter, the desertion of his Disciples, the nature of his sufferings, the manner of his death, his Resurrection on the third day, his Ascension to his Father, the Descent of the Holy Ghost, the success of his Gospel, the persecution of his followers, the destruction of Jerusalem within a limited period, and his coming again on the Day of Judg ment, to determine the everlasting destinies of all men. All these sayings, except, of course, the last, have been fulfilled; and the fulfilment has not only established his prophetic character beyond all dispute, but has confirmed beyond all doubt the truth of every word he uttered. Unto this Divine Prophet it is our duty to hearken, and what is more, it is our interest; for if we will not hearken unto him, God will require it of us.

I come now to consider the remaining part of this Article, namely, the relation which Jesus Christ bears to God the Father, and to us.

He is related to God the Father, as

being his only-begotten Son. Angels are termed the Sons of God, and Men are sometimes in Scripture, by way of emipence and distinction, called after the same manner. But neither Angels nor Men are the Sons of God by the same generation as Jesus Christ. They were created by God; He was uncreate. They had no existence before the creation, that made them Angels and Men; He had a real being, before he was conceived by the Holy Ghost; for "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God; all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made," He is not the Father, but the Son; and yet He and the Father are one. He is

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equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead, and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood. He is " appointed" by the Father" heir of all things," and is "the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his per