An exact collection of the works of Doctor Jackson ... such as were not published before : Christ exercising his everlasting priesthood ... or, a treatise of that knowledge of Christ which consists in the true estimate or experimental valuation of his death, resurrection, and exercise of his everlasting sacerdotal function ... : this estimate cannot rightly be made without a right understanding of the primeval state of Adam ...

CHAP. XLIX.

That The Forraigne mainteiners of the more then Fatal Irrespective Rigid Decree make Christ Iesus rather a meere Sacrifice Then a True Everlasting Priest acting for us, and daily working out our Reconciliation to God. So do such as teach [That The Sinnes of some were Remitted before they were Commit∣ted.] Of the Super-Excellency of Christs Priesthood and one Sacrifice in comparison of The Aaronical Pr. and the many Services thereof.

1. BUt here I must expect this or the like Reply from some Interimists or such peaceable men as desire a reconciliation betwixt Ours and the Romish Church:

If to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass, that is, So to offer up Christs body and Blood or whole Christ upon the Altar, be a branch of Antichristianism or an implicit denyal of Christs Everlast∣ing Priesthood: will you undertake to acquit the reformed Churches (as you term them) from the like sin or Sacrilegious opinions, or from rob∣bing Christ of his Greatest Honours as He is Man, which are, to be King, Priest, and Judge?

For any intire Reformed Churches or Christian Sove∣raigntie, whose Publick Confessions or authorized Catechismes it hath been my hap to Read, I know not one that is this way faulty: Nor do the bitterest adversaries of the Gallican, Swizterland, or German Churches lay Antichristi∣anism to the charge of their autorized Canons or Constitutions, Albeit they indict a great number of private writers, Pastors or Teachers in Germanie, France, & Switzerland, many in England and more in Scotland for being de∣voted Members of the Eastern Antichrist; the height of whose Haeresie or Infidelitie, they place in the Maintenance of That more then Fatal irrespective Decree, in respect of Which all things (Christs death it self not excepted) be said, so to fall out, as that they could not fall out otherwise or be prevented.

2. For such private writers as have gone too far in the Poynts mentioned, in what Christian Church soever they be, I leave them to answer for themselves and for those whose doctrin they Follow. My purpose is onely to request my Brethren of the Church of England (however for the present they stand affected in these poynts) to take it into more deep and Logical Considera∣tion then hitherto it hath been taken by English Preachers or Writers;

Whether, According to Forrain Rigid Tenets of Predestination, or of Gods absolute irrespective Decree for Election and Reprobation, (which came to us English at the third hand, as from Zwinglius &c. which They had at the first, from some antient Romish Schoolemen,) it be possible for us or them to maintain by any rational way; That our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ either now is, or hath been a true Priest or Sacrificer, rather then a meer Sacrifice predestinated from eternitie for takeing away the sinnes of the Elect onely? Or whether such, as They Term Elect from Eternitie, needed any Priest at all besides God the Father who did destinate his Onely Son to be a Sacrifice or a mean necessary (though subordinate) for effecting

the principal or utmost end of his Decree; to wit, his own Glory by the salvation of the Elect?

My poor Capacitie for these 34. yeares wherein I have lived a Minister, or Priest, of the Church of England, could never, nor yet can find any tolerable answer, or Evasion, to free, such as main∣taine the often-mentioned Rigid Decree, from these Two Imputations. The One, That they cannot truely or by any rational way acknowledge Christ to be a Priest after the order of Melchisedec: The Other, That they cannot acknowledge him to be properly instyled such a Judge, as in our Creed we profess him to be. They will at length be enforced to borrow a more fit expression of his Office from our Sister-Nation, and instyle him to be the Doomester or Doomesman of the Quick and of the Dead; that is, an Infe∣rior Officer, which hath no hand or Vote in the course of Justice for Life and Death, but onely a power or delegated authoritie to read or pronounce the sentence which the Judge or Cheif Officer of State had written before; though not so long before or in such indeleble Characters, as the Doom, which our Saviour Christ shall pronounce upon Every man at the Great day of his appearance, was written in the Life-books of life and death everlast∣ing. My exhortation, unto every man amongst us which beleive in his name, shall be, that of the Learned and pious Hemingius:

That we seek not our assurance of Faith or hope in Parcarum Tabulis, which were irreversibly written before any part of the world was made (if we may beleive some heathen poets or Stoicks,) but in, Gods promises made to Abraham, and to be performed by Jesus Christ as he is now our High-Priest and King, and as the Supream Judge of Quick and Dead.

3. Having thus farr endeavoured to sever the dross or wipe off the Aspersions (or such meaner stuffe) as have been cast upon, or mingled themselves with that Golden Foundation layd by our Apostle Hebr. 9. My next Addressment must be to Dilate or Diduct the Precious Metal contained in it, or in the Third Parallel proposed. The Parallel was between the anniversarie Sacrifices of Attonement, the Sacrifices of the Red Cow; and the One Sacrifice offered Once for all by our Everlasting High-Priest. His Sacrifice is truely instyled Everlasting, not for this reason alone, that it was of Infinite Value, or a full price for purchasing the Everlasting Redemption of man-kind; but in this respect also, that it hath an Everlasting Efficacie for the dayly re∣mission of actual sinnes, for purifying the Hearts and Consciences of all such as in Faith dayly pray unto the Father in the name and mediation of his only Son, who is likewise rightly instyled an Everlasting Priest, not in regard onely that he is now altogether immortal; but more especially▪ in that he Perpetually executeth the Office of the High Priesthood, by making Conti∣nual Intercession for us, & by accomplishing our Reconciliation unto the God∣head. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the Ministerie of reconciliation: to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath commited unto Vs the word of reconciliation. 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19. This Reconciliation Quâ Deus nos sibi reconciliavit, was wrought by Christ whilest he went about on earth doing good, and by his sufferings upon the Cross &c. The Other part of our Reconciliation, or reconciliation taken in the Passive Sense, Quâ nos Deo reconciliamur, is dayly wrought in true Beleivers by this our High-Priest; and so wrought, by the continuated par∣ticipation of his Spirit, by the interposed renovations or nourishments of that Grace, which immediatly descendes to us from the sweet influence of this Sun of righteousness, now sitting more Glorious (by much) in his

heavenly Tabernacle then the visible Sun in its Sphere. And of This Part of Reconciliation, or of Reconciliation in the Passive Sense, must that of our Apostle be understood.

Now then we are Embassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God. For he hath made him, to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 20, 21.

4. He that desires to guesse aright at the Eminencie of Christs Priest-hood and Sacrifice, in respect of the Aaronical or Legal Services, or to take such an indefinite Estimate of both, as may advance his Meditations upon The know∣ledge of Christ crucified, and ascended into the heaven of heavens, may follow the Scale set by Astronomers betwixt the space of Local distances on earth, and the space of the highest Coelestial Orbes or Spheres, which answer in propor∣tion to them; alwaies allowing a greater Excesse of Proportion between the Excellencie of Christs Priesthood, beyond Aarons or Melchisedecks, then Astro∣nomers allot betwixt the space of so many Degrees in the heavens and so many miles on earth.

5. The Legal Priests or sacrificers were, at the same time and by successi∣on, Many, their Sacrifices or Services were, both for their kinds or matter, and for the solemn manner of their offerings, More. The several kinds of their sacrifices and Solemnities, I leave unto the Readers search, this being an Argument whereof many have written copiously enough in most modern Churches. It will be enough for me to observe or call thus much to the Readers Remembrance, that all the Offices or Services of Legal Priests were fully accomplished in the Consecration of the Son of God to be our Everlasting High Priest; That all their Offerings and Sacrifices (whether bloudy or un∣bloudy, whether of Vegetables as of herbs, or green Eares of Corn, of meal, of Loaves; whether anniversary, or upon special occasions) were more then accomplished in his Own Once offering of himself. The All-suf∣ficiencie of this his Oblation of himself will best appear from the due Consi∣deration of the Multiplicitie of the former sacrifices, and the often Reiteration of them. Of bloudie sacrifices some were reiterated Every day, others Every year, or in Sett Festivals, or upon Special Occasions for private Persons: And this last sort of sacrifices or Offerings were to be reiterated so often as Occasions or occurrences did interpose. No one sacrifice could purifie the same par∣ty, though peccant only against the Law of Ceremonies, from his Legal Un∣cleannesse for any more Turns then One. Every Recidivation or Relapse into the same sin or error was to have a new Purification.

6. Now if it were possible to calculate, First, The multitude of sinnes, and of sinners against the Moral Law of God, in comparison of such as did sinne against the Law of Ceremonies; Secondly, The excessive number of sinnes committed by every particular Christian man; and bear this truth in mind, that there needs no other sacrifice either for sinne or sinners besides That One of Christ himself upon the Cross, the Influence of whose infinite value is daily and hourly communicated to all such as seek salvation by him: The Super∣excellencie of this our high Priest, and of his sacrifice, in respect of all Legal Priests and services, will farre surmount the compasse of the Highest Hea∣vens or Orbes imaginable, in comparison of the least sensible part of the Earth.

7. But some New-started Opinions there be, which take away much matter of Admiration in this great Subject of Divine Meditation, and dull the spirits of otherwise wel-minded men in the search after the virtue of Christs Everlast∣ing

Sacrifice and Priest-hood. Of these new Opinions, One special One is (for I must not here touch upon the rest) [That the sinnes of some men, of all the Elect, were remitted before they could be comitted:] An Opinion voyd of all Reference to any pious use or practise; A Speculation most untrue, prodigiously absurd. For no actual sin by whomsoever commit∣ted, can be remitted to men living here on earth, otherwise then by some new Influence from the Everlasting Sacrifice of Christ, or (as our Apostle speakes) without the sprinkling of that bloud, Which speaketh better things then that of Abel. Heb. 12. 24. As much as I here intimate, that passage of St. John (if it be rightly scanned) will clearely evince. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we ly, and do not the truth; But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with an∣other; and the blood of Jesus Christ his son, cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us. 1 Iohn. 1. 6, 7, 8.

8. So then, even such as walk in the light, stand in need of Cleansing by the blood of Christ. And with Reference to this place (as I conceive) that Maxim of S Austin, well approved of by the best Reformed writers, was first conceived by him [Our Justification consists in the perpetual Remission of sin.] But an errour there is, which I know not when it did first creep into the world, but creep it did by the Incogitancie, or indistinct Notions of some Late writers [That Iustification is but one Act, never to be resumed or reiterated.] This Assertion may be true in respect of That Justification, Quâ Deus nos justificat, or of Justification taken in the Active Sense as it concerns God; For, no act of his can be resumed or reiterated, nor admitt any interpositions or Interims of time. But if we speak of Justification in the Passive Sense, or as it is an Effect wrought in our soules by the spirit of Christ, there may be and are many Acts, many Resumptions or Renovations of the same Act or Effect; All being wrought in us by Interpositions or several Interims of time. Our Natural bodyes do not require so many Refections of meat and drink for continuation of life, of health, and strength, as the Faith by which the just do live, and other spiritual Graces which accompanie Faith in the Purifica∣tion of our soules, do admitt▪ yea require Refections spiritual. Of these refections or refreshments of Faith or other Graces, some are obtained by our dayly Prayers: others, being like extraordinary feasts or banquets, are wrought in the participation Christs Body and Blood, so often as we receive that blessed Sacrament as we ought to do. But the most of us which enjoy the Libertie of Christian Lawes do not receives it so often as we ought; Fewer as they ought. And whosoever receives it unworthily receives it too often, if he so receive but once. Unto the worthy Receivers of the Sacramental pledges of Christs Body and Blood, how often so ever and how many so ever receive them, the Blood of Christ, though but once shed, be∣comes a Perennal unexhaustible Fountain of life everlasting. But of the right interpretation of our Saviours Testament or Institution of this blessed Sa∣crament, more at large, by Gods assistance, in the Article of the Holy Catho∣lick Church. In the mean time Two Prayers there be commanded by the Church our Mother to be used in the Uisitation of the Sick at the Administrati∣on of the Sacrament unto them; Both which, mutatis mutandis, I would Com∣mend to every piously minded Christan's Meditations (or to every professed Christian that desires to be such) both before and after he present himself at the Lords Table, though he so present himself in perfect health of body and mind.

1. O Lord look down from heaven, behold, visit, and relieve this thy Ser∣vant. Look upon him with the Eyes of thy mercie, give him comfort▪ and sure confidence in thee, defend him from the danger of the Enemie, and keep him in perpetual peace and safety, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And 2. O Most Merciful God which according to the multitude of thy mercies dost so put away the sins of those which truely repent, that thou re∣membrest them no more, open thine Eye of mercie upon this thy servant, who most earnestly desireth Pardon and forgivenesse. Renew in him (most lo∣ving Father) whatsoever hath been decayed by the Fraud and malice of the Divel, or by his own carnal will and frainess. Preserve and continue this sick member in the unitie of the Church, consider his contrition, accept his teares, asswage his pain as shall be seen to thee most expedient for him. And forasmuch as he putteth his whole trust only in thy mercy, impute not unto him his Former sins, but take him unto thy Favour through the merits of thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Notes

• Justification Consists not in one indivi∣sible Act.