Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of Jesus as carrying on the great work of mans salvation from first to last / by Isaac Ambrose ...

SECT. III. Of Christ's Prophetical Office.

1. THe Titles of Christ in respect of his Prophetical Office were these: 1. Some∣times he is called Doctor, or Master, Be ye not called Masters, for one is your Master, even Christ. The word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which signifies a Doctor, Moderator, teaching-Master, a guide of the way. 2. Sometimes he is called a Law-giver, There is one Law-giver, who is able to save and to destroy; the Apostle speaks of the internal Government of the Conscience, in which case the Lord is our Judge, The Lord is our Law-giver, the Lord is our King, he will save us: we must hear no voice in our Consci∣ences but Gods, no Doctrine in the Church but Christs; No Offices, institutions, and worship must be allowed, but such as he hath appointed; and therefore when men brought in Forreign Doctrines, it is said that they did not hold the head. 3. Sometimes he is called a Councellor, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Councellor; Counsel is mine and sound Wisdom, saith Christ, I am understanding, and I have strength. Christ by his Office counsels men how to fly sin, and how to please God, and how to escape Hell, and how to be saved. 4. Sometimes he is called the Apostle of our profession, Where∣fore holy brethren, partakers of the Heavenly calling, consider the Apostle, and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. God sent him as an Embassadour to make known his will; he came not unsent, the very word imports a Mission, a sending, How shall they preach except they be sent? let all those who run before they be sent, take notice of this, for this would not Christ do; he was sent, he was the Apostle of our profession. 5. Sometimes he is called the Angel of the Covenant, even the Angel of the Covenant whom ye delight in. Christ was the publisher of the Gospel-Covenant, he declared the Gracious purpose of God towards the Elect held forth in the Covenant; and in this re∣spect he is called a Prophet, Acts 3.22. and the Prophet, John 7.40. and that Prophet, John 6.14. this is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the World; whose Office it was to impart Gods will unto the Sons of Men, according unto the name, Angel. 6. Sometimes he is called the Mediatour of the New-Covenant, for this cause he is the Mediatour of the New-Testament, saith the Apostle; now, a Mediatour is such a one as goes betwixt two parties at variance, imparting the mind of the one to the other, so as to breed a right understanding, and thereby to work a complyance be∣twixt both: and thus Christ is a Mediatour betwixt God and us. By him it is that the mind and will of God is imparted to man, no man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosome of the Father, he hath declared him: and by him it is that we impart our mind unto God, The smoak of the incense which goes with the prayers of the Saints, ascends up before God out of the Angels hand. This was typified in Moses, I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to shew you the Word of the Lord. The Vul∣gar renders it thus, Ego sequestor & medius, I was a Mediatour, a Midler betwixt God and you: and so Christ Jesus he is a Mediatour, a Midler, an Interpreter, an Inter∣messenger betwixt God and his People.

2. The Reasons of Christs being a Prophet, were these: 1. That he might reveal and deliver to his people the will of his Father. 2. That he might open and expound the same being once delivered. 3. That he might make his Saints to understand, and to be∣lieve the same being once opened.

1. As a Prophet he delivers to the people his Fathers will, both in his own Person, and by his Servants the Ministers. In his own Person when he was upon earth as a Mi∣nister of the Circumcision; and by his Servants the Ministers from the beginning of their mission till the end of the World; Thus the Gospel is called, A great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. Christ in his own personal preaching is said but to have begun to teach, Acts 1.1. and the consummate publication was the sending of the holy Ghost to these Select Vessels, who were to carry abroad this Treasure unto all the world; it was begun by the Lord, and it was confirmed by them that were the Disciples of the Lord. In this respect we cannot look on the publishing of the Gospel to the world, but as very glorious; was there not a resemblance of state and glory in the preaching of Christ? You have heard how a forerunner was sent to prepare his way, as an Herald to proclaim his approach, and then was revealed the glory of the Lord; but because the publication was not consummate

till afterwards, Christ carries it on in greater state afterwards than he did before; When he ascended up on high, he then led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, as Princes in time of their solemn inauguration do some special Acts of magnificence and Honour; they proclaim Pardons, open Prisons, Create Nobles, fill Conduits with wine; so Christ to testifie the glory of his Gospel, at the day of his instalment, and solemn read∣mission into his Fathers glory, he proclaims the Gospel, gives gifts unto men for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ.

2. As a Prophet he opens and expounds the Gospel. Thus being in the Synagogue on the Sabbath-day, he opened the book, and he found the place where it was written, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, &c. and then he closed the book—and said, this day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears. And thus joyning himself with two of his Disciples, going towards Emmaus, he begun at Moses, and all the Prophets, and he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself; the Prophesies of Christ were dark and hard to be understood, and therefore Christ came down from Heaven to discover such truths; No man hath ascended up to Heaven, (i.e.) to be acquainted with Gods secrets, but he that came down from Heaven; the gracious purpose of God towards lost mankind, was a secret locked up in the breast of the Father; and so it had been even to this day, had not Christ who was in the bosome of the Father, and one of his Privy Council, revealed it unto us; hence Christ is called the Interpreter of God, no man knoweth the Father save the Son, and he to whom∣soever the Son will reveal him, by his interpretation.

3. As a Prophet he gives us to understand, and to believe the Gospel. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures; and thus was the Case of Lydia whose heart the Lord opened; he that first opens Scriptures, at last opens hearts; He is that true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world: he enlightens every believer, not only with a common natural light, but with a special supernatural light, of saving, spiritual, and effectual knowledge; now there is no Prophet can do this save only Jesus Christ, he only is able to cause our hearts to believe, and to under∣stand the matter which he doth teach and reveal; other Prophets may plant, and water, Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, but he, and only he can give the increase; other Prophets may teach and Baptize, but unless Christ come in by the powerful presence of his Spirit, they can never be able to save any one poor soul. We as lively stones are built up a spiritual house, saith Peter; but except the Lord do build this house, they labour in vain that build it. O alas, who is able to breath the Spirit of life into these dead stones, but he of whom it is written. The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear it shall live? Who can awaken a dead soul out of a dead sleep? And who can give light unto these blind eyes of ours, but he of whom it is written, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

3. The Excellencies of Christ above all other Prophets are in these respects.—

1. Other Prophets were but Types and shadows of this great Prophet; even Moses himself was but a figure of him; A Prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me: saith Moses; these words, Like unto me] do plainly shew that Moses was at the best but an image and shadow of Christ; now as substances do far excel shadows, so doth Christ far excel all the Prophets; they were but shadows and fore∣runners to him.

2. Other Prophets revealed but some part of Gods will, and only at sometimes. God (saith the Apostle) at sundry times, and in divers manners spake in time-past unto the Fathers by the Prophets; (i.e.) he let out his light by little and little, till the Day-star and Sun of Righteousness arose; but in these last dayes he hath spoken by his Son, (i.e.) he had spoken more fully and plainly; in this respect saith the Apostle, the heirs of Life and Salvation were but children before Christs incarnation. As now we see but through a glass darkly, towards what we shall do in the life to come; so did they of old in com∣parison of us; their light in comparison of ours, was but an obscure and glimmering light; Christs discovery of himself then was but a standing behind the wall, a looking forth of the window, a shewing of himself through the lattice.

3. Other Prophets spake only to the ears of men, but Christ spake, and still speaks to the heart; He hath the Keyes of David, that openeth, and no man shutteth, that shutteth, and no man openeth; it is a similitude taken from them that keep the Keyes of a City, or

Castle, without whom none can open or shut; no more can any man open the heart or break in upon the Spirit, but Christ; he only is able to open the eyes of the mind by the secret, kindly, and powerful working of his own Spirit.

4. Other Prophets preached wisdom unto men, but only Christ preacheth men wise; other Prophets warned men by telling them of their sins, and denouncing the judg∣ments of God, but Christ reclaimed them and turned them from sin; hence it is said, that he taught as one having Authority, and not as the Scribes; it came daily and coldly from them, but it came from him as being full of conviction and reproof, full of the evi∣dent demonstration of the Spirit, and of power.

5. Other Prophets might not preach themselves; the Apostle inveighs against self-commenders, We dare not (saith he) make our selves of the number, or compare our selves with some that commend themselves. Yea, Christ himself relating to himself, as a meer man, saith, that his witness is not true if he bear witness of himself. But in ano∣ther place, relating to himself as Mediator, he speaks clean contrary, Though I do bear record of my self, yet my record is true. Here then is a wide difference betwixt other Prophets in respect of their Office and Christs; they might not preach themselves, but he bears witness of himself, because he hath not a greater in the point of our Justification, Sanctification, and Salvation, to bear witness of them himself. And hence are those self-predications of his which we find in Scriptures, as, Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth. Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden. And confer∣ring with the two Disciples, it is said, that beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, he ex∣pounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Surely it commends to us the Prophesie of Christ, that he might preach and commend himself without any blot of Arrogancy, or taking too much upon him.

6. Other Prophets had their Commission and Authority from him, The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened by the Masters of the Assemblies, which are given from one Shepherd, (i.e.) the words of the wise are divine and Heavenly instructions; the Ma∣sters of Assemblies are Gospel-Ministers, and Christ is that one Shepherd from whom these words are given, and from whom these Masters have their Authority; are they not called Embassadours for Christ? and doth not Ezekiel tell us, that he must drop his words towards the South? Now what is the meaning of that dropping? It is a phrase bor∣rowed from rain; as the clouds, from whence the rain descends, have not their water Originally and natively in themselves, but from the Sea; so have not the Prophets a spi∣rit of Prophesie of themselves, but all is drawn up out of Christ, as out of a full Sea of all excellent Wisdom and knowledge. In him are all the Treasures, a Sea, an Ocean of knowledge, and from him all the Prophets derived whatsoever they had.

Notes

• Mat. 23.10.
• James 4.12.
• Isa. 33.22.
• Col. 2, 19. Isa. 9.6. Prov. 8.14.
• Heb. 3.1.
• Rom. 10.15.
• Mal. 3.1.
• John 6.14.
• Heb. 9.15.
• John 1.18.
• Rev. 8.4.
• Deut. 5, 5.
• Rom. 15.8. Heb. 2, 3.
• Eph. 4.8.
• Ver. 12.
• Luke 4.17, 18, 21.
• Luke 24.27.
• John 3.13.
• Mat. 11.27.
• Luke 24.45. Acts 10.14.
• John 1.9.
• 1 Pet. 2.5. Psal. 127.1.
• John 5.25.
• Eph. 5.14.
• Acts 7.37.
• Heb. 1.1.
• Ver. 2.
• Gal. 14.1, 2.
• Cant. 2.9.
• Revel. 3.7.
• John 5.25.
• 1 Cor. 2.4.
• 2 Cor. 10.12.
• John 5.31.
• John 8.14.
• Isa. 45.22. Mat. 11.28. Luke 24.27.
• Eccles. 12.11.
• 2 Cor. 5.20. Ezek. 20.46.