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. LVI.

The Efficacie of Christs Sacrifice, and the Use of his Priest-hood, Two distinct several Things.

Wherein the Exercise of his Priest-hood doth consist. How it was foreshaddowed. Ordina••ces effectual by vertue of Christs Presence. Vertual Presence is a Real presence.

1. SUch as deny the Everlasting Efficacie of Christs Sacrifice may be pre∣sumed likewise to deny the Vse of his Everlasting Priesthood. How∣beit all such as grant the everlasting Efficacie of his Sacrifice cannot hence be concluded to admitt the everlasting use of his Priesthood. For these be Two distinct Points of our Belief. If Belief in Christs death▪ or in the Everlasting Efficacie of his sacrifice, were all that we are bound to believe, we were not bound to acknowledge any other Act of his Priesthood besides the offering up of himself in Sacrifice; But by this one Act of his Priesthood he was consecrated to be an Everlasting Priest. And if he be an Everlasting Priest he still executes the Office or Function of an High Priest. And it is our Du∣tie, the Chief Point of our Religion, to supplicate unto him as to The Onely High Priest of our Soules, that he would make us partakers of his Everlasting Sacrifice, as we say, ex Officio, by exercising the Office or Function of an High Priest.

The Question is, Wherein the Function or exercise of his Priesthood doth consist. To this we answer, First, Negatively, That it doth not consist in the often offering up of himself by his Priests or Ministers here on Earth; For if he were on Earth, saith the Apostle, Heb. 8. 4. he should not be a Priest. This argues, that he exerciseth his Priest-hood in the heavenly Sanctuary, not in Temples made vvith hands. So saith the Apostle more expresly, Heb. 9. 24. Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven it self, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the High priest entreth into the holy place every year, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with bloud 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 ap∣peared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

The truth then is, as you have heard before, that Christ by his bloudy Sa∣crifice upon the Crosse, was consecrated to be an Everlasting Priest. And that this Consecration was not accomplished untill his Resurrection from the dead. For it is not conceivable that he should be an Everlasting Priest before he became an Immortal man, and by his rising, &c, opened the Gate of Ever∣lasting life. After he was thus consecrated by death, and by the resurrecti∣on from the dead, to be an Everlasting Priest after the Order of Melchizedeck, he was not to offer any sacrifice: nor do we read that Melchizedeck offered

any. Wherein then did Melchizedecks Priesthood consist? Only in the dig∣nitie of Authoritative blessing. He was, (saith Moses) the Priest of the most high God, and he blessed Abraham and said, Blessed be Abraham of the most High God possessour of Heaven and Earth. St. Cyril in his Parallel betwixt Christ and Mel∣chisedech, speakes more expressly, and reads the Text more pun∣ctually for the Opinion of Reformed Churches, than we our selves, for the most part, doe.

2. This exercise of Christs spiritual Priesthood in the heavenly Sanctuary, was foreshaddowed by sundry services and sacrifices of the Law, By that Solemn Attonement which the High Priest made in the most holy place: and, as we have often said, by the sacrifice of the Red Heifer also; Albeit that solemnitie did prefigure him likewise in the Act of his Consecration, or designation to his heavenly Sanctuary. This Heifer was slain by another without the Camp, in Eleazars sight, and yet Eleazar the Priest was to sprinkle the bloud of this sacrifice before the Tabernacle of the Congregation, that is, with his face towards the Sanctuary, on which unless he did constantly look, whilest he did sprinkle the bloud, the service was frustrated, as the Jews say. This testifyed that the validity of this Act or the purification intended by it, was to be expected from the Sanctuary; Christ likewise was slain by the hands of sinful men without the City. And yet though slain by them, he offered himself by the eter∣nal Spirit. And whether by This eternal spirit, or by his spirit (as man) or by both; certain it is, that by the Spirit, he sprinkleth the bloud of the new Covenant upon us, and prepareth a way for us to the heavenly Sanctuary. As the people under the Law might not enter into the Congregation, nor the Priests into the Sanctuary untill they had been purifyed from their un∣cleanness by the water of sprinkling: so neither could we or any of Gods people have accesse unto the most holy Place or heavenly Sanctuary untill the way were prepared for us, by the bloud of the Son of God, nor untill we be sprinkled and purifyed with his Bloud. Having therefore brethren boldnesse to enter into the holyest by the bloud of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the vaile, that is to say, his flesh. And having an high Priest, over the house of God, Let us draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience, and our bodies wa∣shed with pure water, Heb. 10. 19, 20, 21, 22. He consecrated the Way it self, by his Bloudy sacrifice upon the Cross: from the very moment in which the Vail did rend asunder, the door was opened and the Way prepared. But we must be qualifyed for walking in this way, and for entring into this heavenly San∣ctuary, by the present exercise of his everlasting Priesthood, which is a Priesthood of blessing, not of sacrifice. And yet he blesseth us by communicating the vertue and efficacie of his Everlasting Sacrifice unto our soules.

This participation, and this Blessing by it, the full expiation of our sinnes, we are to expect from his heavenly Sanctuary.

3. God, saith the Apostle, Hebrews 6. 17. willing more abundantly to shew unto the heires of promise the immutabilitie of his Counsel, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, inter∣posed himself by an oath (or, word by word) he mediated by an Oath. The Tenor of this Oath, as you have heard before, was, That he would requite Abraham as we say in kind; That as Abraham was then willing to offer up his Son, his only Son, Isaac in bloudy sacrifice unto him▪ So he would offer or give His Only Son for Abraham and for all such as should follow his Example of Faith and obedience. It was in the same promise (confirmed by oath) imply∣ed▪ That This only Son of God should be the seed of Abraham; that in this one seed of Abraham all the nations of the earth should be blessed. That for the derivati∣on

of this Blessing upon all the Nations upon earth, this seed of Abraham should be made a Priest after the order of Melchisedek. The hope in this Promise, thus confirmed by oath to Abraham, is by the Apostle in the same 6. Chap. ver. 19. termed, an Anchor of the soule Both sure and stedfast. But why an Anchor, sure, and stedfast? Because it entreth into that within the vaile, to wit, into the Heavenly Sanctuary, which was prefigured by the Most Holy Place within the material Tabernacle or earthly Sanctuary, into which none might come besides the high priest, nor he saveing once a year, and then not without Blood; For he was to purifie or sanctifie it by the blood of the sacrifices which were offered without the Camp or Congregation up∣on the day of the Attonement. And thus The Son of God being crucified without the City of Jerusalem, did by his blood then shed enter into the heavenly Sanctuary, and even purifie it by his blood. Heb. 19. 23, 24. But what doth our hope apprehend within the vail? The Apostle tells us Heb. 6. 20. Even Jesus made an high priest after the order of Melchisedek; that is, an high priest to blesse us in the Name of the Most High God, to make us blessed, e∣ven blessed as the Sonnes of God, or such as he himself, as man, is, that is, Kings and Priests unto our God. That this his Priesthood is a Priesthood of Blessing, and offereth the Blessing promised unto Abraham to all the Na∣tions of the Earth, aswell unto the Gentile as unto the Jew (though in the first place unto the Jew) St. Peter witnesseth, Acts. 3. 25, 26. Te are the Children of the Prophets, and of the Covenant which God made with our Fa∣thers, saying unto Abraham, and in thy seed shall all the Kindreds of the Earth be Blessed. Vnto you FIRST God having raysed up his Son Jesus, sent him to blesse you, in turning away every one of you from his Ini∣quities.

4. Yet seeing he entred not into the heavenly Sanctuary without blood, seeing he purified Even Heaven it self by his Blood; We may not expect the Blessing promised unto Abraham otherwise than by the Vertue of his Blood, nor may we expect that his Blood or Vertue of it should be com∣municated to us, otherwise than by the Exercise or Office of his everlasting Priesthood, unto which he was consecrated by his blood. He now workes the like Cures in our soules by the Vertue of this Priesthood, which he wrought in mens Bodies, whilest he lived here on earth, by the Vertue or presence of his Prophetical Function. We may Baptize with water in his Name, and with water sanctified by his blood: yet unless he baptize with the spirit sent from his heavenly Sanctuary, and say unto every one whome we Baptize, as he did unto the Leper, I will, be thou clean; our washing is but in vain, our whole Action is but a Ceremonie. We his Priests or ministers may upon Confession made unto us either in General or in Particular, Absolve his people from their sinnes; for this Authoritie he hath given us [whose sinnes ye remitt they are remitted, whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained.] Yet un∣less He by his spirit, or sweet influence of Grace, say unto the soule, whom we Absolve, as he some-times did unto the man sick of the Palsy, Be of good chear, thy sinnes be forgiven thee; Our Absolution is but a Complement; although without our Absolution he do not in this sort Absolve his people of∣tentimes from their sinnes. We may Consecrate the Elements ofBread & Wine, and administer them so consecrated, as Vndoubted Pledges of his Bodie and Blood, by which the new Covenant was sealed, and the General Pardon purchased: Yet unless he grant some actual Influence of his spirit, and suffer such Vertue to goe out from his Humane Nature now placed in his Sanctuarie, as he once did unto the woman that was cured of her Issue of

blood; unless this Vertue do as immediately reach our Soules as it did her bodie, we do not Really receive his Body and Blood with the Elements of Bread and Wine. We do not so receive them as to have our sinnes re∣mitted or dissolved by them: we do not by receiving them become of his flesh and of his Bones. We gain no degree of Real Vnion with him, which is the Sole Use or fruit of his Real Presence. Christ might be Locally Present as he was with many here on earth, and yet not Really Present. But with whomsoever he is Vertually Present, that is, to whomsoever he communicates the Influence of his Bodie and Blood by his spirit, he is Really Present with them, though Locally Absent from them. Thus he was really present with the woman, which was cured of her bloodie issue, by touching the hemme of his garment. But not so really present with the multitude that did throng and press upon him, that were locally more present with him. She did not desire so much as to touch his Bodie with her hand, for she said in her self, If I may but touch the Hemme of his garmennt I shall be whole. And yet by our Saviours interpretation, She did touch him more immediately than they which were neerer unto him, which thrust or thronged him. And the reason why she alone did more immediately touch him than any of the rest, was, because Vertue of healing did goe out from him to her alone. It is true then (for our Saviour saith it) her Faith did make her whole, and yet she was made whole by the Vertue which went out from him; this was the fruit or effect of her Faith, or rather the Reward or Consequent of her Faith. In like sort, as many as are healed from their sinnes, whether by the Sacrament of Baptism or the Eucharist, are healed by Faith relatively or instrumentally. Faith is as the mouth or organ, by which we receive the medicine: but it is the Vertual influence derived from the Body and Blood of Christ which properly or efficiently doth cure out soules and dissolve the works of Satan in us.

This woman, as St. Matthew relates the storie, had said within her self, if I may but touch the hemme of his garment I shall be whole: She wanted either the opportunitie or boldness to touch the fore-part of his garment, or to come into his sight or presence. Yet he then knew, not onely, that she had touched the Hemme of his garment, but what she had said within herself, and out of his knowledge of this her faith and humilitie, he did pronounce and make her whole. Now it is but one and the same Act of one and the same Divine Wisdom, to know the hearts and secret thoughts of men a farre off and neere at hand. And therefore a matter as easie, for the Son of God, or for the man Christ Jesus in whom the Godhead dwelleth bodily, though still remayning at the right hand of God, to know the hearts and secret thoughts of all such as present themselves at his Table here on earth, aswell as he knew the secret thoughts of this woman which came behind him. What need then is there of his Bodily Presence in the Sacrament, or of any other presence than the influence or emission of vertue from his heavenly Sanctu∣ary unto our soules? He hath left us the consecrated Elements of bread and wine, to be unto us more than the hemme of his garment. If we do but touch and tast them with the same faith by which this woman touched the hemme of his garment, this our faith shall make us whole, and stanch the running issues (and cleanse or cure the leprous sores) of our soules, as per∣fectly as it did this womans issue of blood.

But of Christ's Presence with us (Especially in the B. Sacrament of his Body and Blood) we shall take occasion to speake somewhat more, in Handling the Article of His Sitting at the Right-Hand of God, which may

perhaps give the Reader some degree of Satisfaction, and Line out the Right Mean betwixt Consubstantiation and Transubstantiation; or between the Romanist and the Lutheran, at least between the Lutheran and other reformed Churches.

A Note relateing to the precedent Chapter; First Paragraph, or Number 1. Those words, St. Cyrill in his Parallels &c.

I Conceive the Author meanes St. Cyrill's Comments (or Strictures) upon Genesis: and in them This Place, or These words, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,—.] and in These words his Eye was fixt upon [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] ex••ulit, or pro••ulit, it is not [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,] obtulit. That is, Melchisedek Brought out, or Caryed forth, not OFFERED Bread and Wine. Cyrill. Alex. Tom. 1. Glaphyrorum Lib: 2. Paris. Edit. 1638. Fol. 47.

To which I may adde, that the same S. Cyrill in the same Book, p. 62. Sayes, That Melchizedek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. i. e. (according to Sylburgius, Suidas, and Hesychius.) Procuravit, Adornavit, Exportavit, Commeatum Commodavit; not obtulit as Andr. Schotus translates it there. And again, p. 63.—〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. i. e. apportantem, afferentem; not offerentem as the same Schotus translates it also. But it is the Roman Ingenie to Catch at this place. So Maldonate, to despight Calvin, corrects the Magnifyed Vulgar Latin, altering it, to,—et erat Sacrificans— but partially, for his Criticism Being given, it will amount to no more, then,—erat mini∣strans—. See this Author's 9. Book. Chap. 10. Where he cites Philo Judaeus. Lib. 2. S. leg. Allegor. Making Melchizedeks Bringing forth Bread and Wine not an Act of Pietie and Religion, but of Hospitalitie; Opposite to Ammons Churlish niggardliness, who afforded not (the posteritie of Abraham in their travel) Bread and Water.

Notes

• See Book 9. Ch 9. and 11:
• See the note at the end of this Chapter.
• Heb. 9. 14.
• See Book. 9. Chapt▪ 19.
• See Book. 8. Chapt. 30. and Book. 9. Chap. 17: