A brief and excellent treatise containing the doctrine of godliness, or living unto God.: Wherein the body of divinity is substantially proposed, and methodically digested, by way of question and answer. And, wherein sundry difficult points, much controverted in these times, are briefly and solidly determined, by that reverend and learned divine, Mr. John Norton, teacher of the church of God at Ipswich in New-England. Feb. 4. 1647. Imprimatur Joseph Caryl.

CHAP. V. Hitherto of the Person: now Of the office of the Lord Iesus Christ.

Q. VVHat is the Mediatorly office of the Lord Jesus Christ?

A. 'Tis that work of mediation committed unto the Son by the Father,* 1.1 accepted readily and freely by the Son, thereby procuring the application of the grace of God to the Elect, and uniting and reconciling the Elect to God, and working all things pertaining to their everlasting good and salvation.

Q. What are the parts of it?

A. Three,* 1.2

• Prophetical
• Priestly
• Kingly

parts thereof.

Q. Why are they mentioned in this number and order?

A. There is a threefold reason of it, in respect of

• Man in whom there is
  • Ignorance
  • Alienation from God
  • Impotency to return
  healed by his
  • Prophetical
  • Priestly
  • Kingly
  Office.
• The ap∣plicatiō of salva∣tion
  • made known
  • Procured
  • Applied
  in his
  • Prophetical
  • Priestly
  • Kingly
  Office.
• The ex∣ecution of this office,
  • He taught
  • He suffered
  • He entred into heaven
  in his
  • Prophetical
  • Priestly
  • Kingly
  Office.

Q. What is the Prophetical part of his office?

A. It is that whereby the Lord Jesus Christ doth reveal to his people the whole counsel of God teaching of them to know the evil that they are faln into,* 1.3 and all the good that God hath provided for them.

Q. How many parts are there of this Prophe∣tical part of his office?

A. Two,

• The external promulgation of the Gospel.
• The effectual illumination of the heart.

Q. What is the Priestly part of his office?

A. That part of the mediatorly office in which he offered up himself a Sacrifice to God,* 1.4 thereby fulfilling the Law, taking away the sins of the Elect, and procuring for them the application of the favor of God.

Q. How many parts are there of this Priestly part of his office?

A. Two,

• The expiation of sin.* 1.5
• The intercession of Christ for the Elect.

Q. How doth he make intercession?

A.

• 1. By presenting his merit to the Father.
• 2. By the application of it by his Word and Spirit.
• 3. By making intercession in our hearts.
• 4. By making of our persons and actions accepted before God.

Q. What is the Kingly part of his Mediator∣ly office?

A. 'Tis that part of the Mediatorly office,* 1.6 in which that which Christ makes known as a Prophet, and purchased as a Priest, he doth now apply and establish by his Spirit as a King to

the Elect; together with the everlasting over∣throw of his and their enemies.

Q. What are the parts of this Kingly part of his office?

A. Two:

• 1. His calling upon all that hear the Gospel by the word of truth;* 1.7 upon the Elect, by the special work of his Spirit; upon others, by his works, and the grace of nature; i.e. the remainder of the image of God abi∣ding with man after the fall.
• 2. His exercising judgement upon all.

Q. How hath this an end?

A.

• 1. In respect of the maner of dispensa∣tion,* 1.8 it hath an end.
• 2. But in regard of the glory due thereby to the Mediator,* 1.9 and the good that comes to the Elect by it, it hath no end.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heb. 5.4, 5, 6. Ioh. 6.27 Iohn 10.16. Phil. 2.6 Isa. 53.10
• * 1.2

  Deut. 18.15. Acts 13.22. Psa. 110.4 Heb. 7.17 Psal. 2.6. Dan. 2.44. Luke 1.33.
• * 1.3

  Heb. 3.1. Mal. 3.1.
• * 1.4

  Col. 1.20.22.
• * 1.5

  1 Pet. 2.24. 1 Pet. 3.18. Rom. 8.34. Heb. 7.25. Heb. 9.20. Heb. 7.25. Ro. 8.26. Rev. 8.3, 4.
• * 1.6

  Rev. 118. 1 Cor. 15.24, 25.
• * 1.7

  Matth. 28.18. Isa. 11.10, 11, 12, 13.
• * 1.8

  1 Cor. 15.24.
• * 1.9

  Dan. 2.44. Luk. 1.33