nacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance "." And again: "Christ is not entered into the holy place made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the High Priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once, in the end of the world, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself"." As it is in the verse that follows the text, "who gave himself a ransom (avriλvTpov) for many," that is, in the place of many,— (ἀντίλυτρον) of all mankind, who will not reject this salvation. And yet more, He is not "prevalent only in his own oblation, once offered, but in his constant interces6 Ib. 24-26.

Heb. ix. 11–15.

sion "." Who is he that condemneth?" saith the Apostle: "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is ever at the right hand of God; who also maketh intercession for us." And so our Priest is sacrificed for us, and, through Him, everlasting benediction descends upon our head. If we are humble and obedient we "have an unction from the Holy One'."

But, furthermore, Christ is not only our Prophet to instruct us, and our great High Priest, who, “by his one oblation of himself once offered," made "a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world," but He is also our King to rule and govern us. He is set upon "the holy hill of Zion," and "the government is upon his shoulder." He is the "Prince of Peace." "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even for ever 2." Though He Himself saith his "kingdom is not of this world," yet it is in the world, and He ruleth in the hearts of his people by faith. Them He rules, protects, rewards, -whereas his enemies He covers with shame. The

one He makes " kings and priests unto God and his Father," the other He slays with the breath of his lips. Such is the end of the wicked.

7 Pearson.

8 Rom, viii. 34.

1

2 Isa. ix. 7.

3 John xviii. 36.

By his kingly

1 John ii. 20.

power He established his Church on earth, and commanded the life-giving sacraments. He declared his will by the mouth of apostles, evangelists, martyrs, and confessors. Still further, as a King, He shall go on "conquering, and to conquer,"-not only by subduing the nations under Him, but by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. For his regal power, as a part and parcel of his mediatorship, is to continue till all his enemies are subdued under Him," he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet +."

Then cometh the end. For although Christ, "whose kingdom shall have no end," shall reign for ever, and never be removed from the right hand of God; yet, when all his enemies" "shall be subdued, when all the chosen of God shall be actually brought into his kingdom, when those which refused Him to reign over them shall be slain, that is, when the whole office of mediator shall be completed and fulfilled, then every branch of the execution shall cease.” As therefore there shall no longer continue any act of the prophetical part to instruct us, nor any act of the priestly part to intercede for us, so there shall be no further act of this regal power of mediator necessary to defend and preserve us. The beatifical vision shall succeed our information and instruction; a present fruition will prevent oblation and intercession,

5

See Pearson on the Creed, Art. vi. "And sitteth on the right hand." Vol. ii. p. 427.

66

and perfect security will need no actual defence and protection. As, therefore, the general notion of a mediator ceaseth when all are made one, because “a mediator is not a mediator of one," so every part or branch of that mediatorship, as such, must also cease, because that unity is in all parts complete. Then, as was said, cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, "when he shall have put down all rule, and authority, and power." For "when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all 6."

And thus much on the sense of the word mediator, -the person of our only Mediator "the man Christ Jesus,”—and his varied offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. From all of which it cannot but appear to the careful reader of his Bible, that to seek elsewhere for aid and assistance is altogether vanity. Christ alone exhibits that "vocal blood, and those importunate wounds," which are alone efficacious. The Virgin is "blessed among women," but not as the Papists would have her, "mighty to save." That title belongs only to our true Mediator. And then, for the Romish doctrine of "Invocation of Saints," it is a "fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the word of God,"

61 Cor. xv. 24-28.

8

On this head Tyler's Primitive Christian Worship is most satisfactory. See Part iii. Worship of the Virgin Mary.

8

So that we

as our Article faithfully expresses it. may say, in sorrow, to those misled and deluded, as we read in the book of Job; "Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn 1?"

And now, having considered the doctrine proposed in the text as to its several points, we shall be ill instructed unless we look to the lessons to be learned from it, and which shall make us "wise unto salvation."

First of all, then, the necessity of a Mediator, without whom we could neither be saved, nor, in any efficacious way, draw nigh to God, should impress upon us our own weakness, and inability to true holiness. Our trust is to be "through Christ to Godward,”—and this, because we are not "sufficient of ourselves, to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God?." Such is Scripture truth, and Scripture doctrine; and the moment we leave this sure guide, from that moment we err and stray from the right way, and in the fulness of our sufficiency we find ourselves in straits 3. Let us hear our Saviour's own words to Thomas, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me1." So does He describe his own mediatorial power. And presently after, He makes this declaration, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that

'Art. xxii.

3 Job xx. 22.

1 Job v. 1.

22 Cor. iii. 4, 5.

'John xiv. 6.