vellers, as they passed along, ark, were drowned: Heb. xii. 2., might see the outside of the tem-" Looking unto Jesus;" and so ple, but only the priests saw the look unto him, as to believe in glory which sparkled within the him, that so Christ may be not temple; only believers, who are only united to our nature, but to made priests unto God, Rev. i. 6., our persons, John xx. 31., "That see Christ's glorious inside, the believing, you may have life Godhead shining through the through his name." manhood. Use 3d. Is Jesus Christ God Use 2d. If Christ be God-man and man in one person? This, in one person, then look unto as it shews the dignity of believ Jesus Christ alone for salvation. ers, that they are nearly related There must be something of the to one of the greatest persons Godhead to fasten our hope upon; that is, Col. ii. 9., " In him in Christ there is Godhead and dwells the fulness of the Godhead manhood hypostatically united. bodily," so it is of unspeakable If we could weep rivers of tears, comfort. Christ's two natures -out-fast Moses on the mount, being married together, the di-if we were exact moralists, vine and human, all that Christ touching the law blameless,—if in either of his natures can do we could arrive at the highest for believers, he will do. In his degree of sanctification in this human nature he prays for them, life, all this would not save us, in his divine nature he merits for without looking to the merits of them. This for the person of him who is God; our perfect holiness in heaven is not the Use 4th. Admire the love of cause of our salvation, but the Christ our Mediator, that he righteousness of Jesus Christ. should humble himself and take To this therefore did Paul flee, our flesh, that he might redeem as to the horns of the altar, Phil. us. Believers should put Christ iii. 9., "That I may be found in in their bosom, as the spouse did, him, not having my own righte- Cant. i. 13., " Lie betwixt my ousness." It is true, we may look breasts." What was said of Igto our graces as evidences of sal- natius, that the name of Jesus vation, but to Christ's blood only was found written in his heart, as the cause. In time of Noah's should be verified of every saint, flood, all that trusted to the high he should have Jesus Christ writhills and trees, and not to the ten in his heart. our Mediator. OF CHRIST'S PROPHETICAL OFFICE. DEUT. Xviii. 15, The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet, &c. HAVING spoken of the person of Christ, we are next to speak of the offices of Christ,-Prophetical, Priestly, Regal. I. Prophetical. "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet." Enunciatur hic locus de Christo,—It is spoken of Christ. There are several names given to Christ as a Prophet: He is called 'the Counsellor', Isa. ix. 6. In uno Christo Angelus faderis completur, FAGIUS. 'The Messenger of the covenant,' Mal. iii. 1. A Lamp,' 2 Sam. xxii. 29. The hearts, they cannot believe there Morning Star,' Rev. xxii. 16. is that evil in them as is, 2 Kings Jesus Christ is the great Prophet viii. 13., "Is thy servant a dog?" of his Church. The woman of Grande profundum est homo, Avg. Samaria gave a shrewd guess, The heart is a great deep, which John iv. 16. He is the best is not easily fathomed. But teacher, he makes all our teach- Christ, when he teacheth, reing effectual, Luke xxiv. 45., moves the veil of ignorance, and “Then opened he their under- lights a man into his own heart standing. He did not only open and now he sees swarms of vain the scriptures, but he opened thoughts,-he blusheth to see their understanding. He teach- how sin mingles with his duties, eth to profit, Isa. xlviii. 17., “I—his stars are mixed with clouds, am the Lord thy God, who teach--he prays, as Austin, that God eth thee to profit." would deliver him from himself. A. 2. The second lesson Christ teacheth, is the vanity of the creature. A natural man sets up his happiness here, worships the golden image; but he that Christ hath anointed with his eye-salve, looks upon the creature in its and unsatisfying, not commensurate to an heaven-born soul. Solomon had put all the creatures into a limbeck, and when he came to extract the spirit and quintessence, all was vanity, Eccl. ii. 11. The apostle calls it a show or apparition, 1 Cor. vii. 31., having no intrinsical goodness. QUEST. How doth Christ teach? Ans. 1. Externally, by his word, Ps. cxix. 105., "Thy word is a lamp to my feet." Such as pretend to have a light or revelation above the word, or contrary to it, never had their teaching hath a spirit of discerning, he from Christ, Isa. viii. 20. A. 2. Christ teacheth these sa-night-dress, sees it to be empty cred mysteries, inwardly, by the Spirit, John xvi. 13. The world knows not what it is, 1 Cor. ii. 14.,The natural man receives not the things of God, neither can he know them." He knows not what it is to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, Rom. xii. 2., or what the inward workings of the Spirit mean; these are riddles and paradoxes to him. He may have more insight into the things of the world than a believer, but he doth not see the deep things of God. A swine may see an acorn under a tree, but he cannot see a star; he who is taught of Christ sees the arcana imperii, the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. A. 3. The third lesson is the excellency of things unseen. Christ gives the soul a sight of glory, a prospect of eternity, 2 Cor. iv. 18., " We look not at things which are seen, but at things which are not seen." Moses saw him who is invisible,' Heb. ix. 27. And the Patriarchs saw a better country, viz. an heavenly, Heb. ix. 16., where delights of QUEST. What are the lessons angels, rivers of pleasure, the Christ teacheth? flower of joy, fully ripe and blown. Ans. 1. He teacheth us to see into our own hearts. Take the most mercurial wits, the greatest politicians that understand the mysteries of state, yet they know not the mysteries of their own QUEST. How doth Christ's teaching differ from other teaching? Ans. Several ways: 1. Christ teacheth the heart. Others may teach the ear, Christ the heart. Acts xvi. 14., "Whose heart the Lord opened." All that the dispensers of the word can do is but to work knowledge, Christ works grace; they can but give you the light of the truth, Christ gives you the love of the truth; they can only teach you what to believe, Christ teacheth how to believe. light of his word, but the rod of his strength, and makes the stubborn sinner yield to him. His grace is irresistible. 4. Christ teacheth easily. Others teach with difficulty. Difficulty in finding out a truth, and in inculcating it, Isa. xxviii. 10., "Precept (must be) upon precept, and line upon line." Some may teach all their lives, and the word take no impression. They complain, as Isa. xlix. 4., "I have spent my labour in vain," ploughed on rocks; but Christ the great Prophet teacheth with ease. He can, with the least touch of his Spirit, convert; he can say, "Let there be light;" with a word he conveys grace. 2. Christ gives us a taste of the word. Ministers may set the food of the word before you, and carve it out to you; but it is only Christ causeth you to taste it, 1 Pet. ii. 3., "If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious;" Ps. xxxiv. 8., " Taste and see that the Lord is good.' It is one thing to hear a truth preached, another thing to taste it; one 5. Christ, when he teacheth, thing to read a promise, another makes men willing to learn. Men thing to taste it. David had got may teach others, but they have a taste of the word, Ps. cxix. no mind to learn, Prov. i. 7., 102, 103., "Thou hast taught "Fools despise instruction;" me: How sweet are thy words they rage at the word, as if a unto my taste! yea, sweeter than patient should rage at the physihoney to my mouth." The apos- cian when he brings him a cortle calls it the savour of know- dial; thus backward are men to ledge, 2 Cor. ii. 14. The light their own salvation. But Christ of knowledge is one thing, the makes his people a willing peosavour another. Christ makes us ple,' Ps. cx. 3. They prize knowtaste a savouriness in the word. ledge, and hang it as a jewel 3. Christ, when he teacheth, upon their ear. Those that makes us obey. Others may in- Christ teacheth, say, as Isa. ii. 3., struct, but cannot command "Come let us go up to the mounobedience; they teach to be hum-tain of the Lord, and he will ble, but men remain proud. The teach us of his ways, and we Prophet had been denouncing will walk in them;" and, as Acıs judgments against the people of x. 33., " We are all here present Judah, but they would not hear, before God, to hear all things Jer. xliv. 17., "We will do commanded." whatsoever goeth out of our own 6. Christ, when he teacheth, mouth, to bake cakes to the doth not only illuminate, but queen of heaven." Men come animate. He doth so teach, as quasi armed in a coat of mail he doth quicken, John viii. 12., that the sword of the word will I am the light of the world;" not enter; but when Christ comes he that follows me shall have to teach, he removes this obsti- lumen vitæ,-the light of life. nacy; he not only informs the By nature we are dead, therefore judgment, but inclines the will. unfit for teaching; who will He doth not only come with the make an oration to the dead? H But Christ teacheth them that | dom both men and angels light are dead, he gives the light of their lamp. life. As when Lazarus was dead, 3. See the misery of man in Christ said, "Come forth," and the state of nature. Before he made the dead to hear, "Laza-Christ come to be their prophet, rus came forth :" so when Christ they are enveloped with ignosaith to the dead soul, come forth rance and darkness. Men know of the grave of unbelief, he hears nothing in a salvifical sanctified Christ's voice, and comes forth, manner; they know nothing as it is the light of life. The philo- they ought to know, 1 Cor. viii. sophers say, calor et lux concres- 2. This is sad. 1. Men in the cunt,-light and heat increase to- dark cannot discern colours: so gether. 'Tis true here, where in the state of nature they cannot Christ comes with his light, there discern between morality and is the heat of the spiritual life grace,-they take one for the going along with it. 1. other, pro dea nubem.-2. In the dark the greatest beauty is hid,— let there be rare flowers in the garden, and pictures in the room, yet in the dark their beauty is vailed over,-so, though there be such transcendent beauty in Christ as amazeth the angels, a man in the state of nature sees none of this beauty. What is Christ to him, or heaven to him? The vail is upon his heart.-3. A man in the dark is in danger every step he goes; so a man in the state of nature is in danger, every step, of falling into hell. Thus it is before Christ teacheth us; nay, the darkness in which a sinner 2. See what a cornucopia, or is, while in an unregenerate state, plenty of wisdom, is in Christ, is worse than natural darkness, who is the great doctor of his for natural darkness affrights, church, and gives saving know- Gen. xv. 12., " An horror of great ledge to all the elect. The body darkness fell upon Abraham," but of the sun must needs be full of the spiritual darkness is not acclarity and brightness, which en- companied with horror,-men lightens the whole world: Christ tremble not at their condition,is the great luminary," in whom nay, they like their condition are hid all treasures of know- well enough, John iii. 19., " Men ledge," Col. ii. 3. The middle loved darkness." This is their lamp of the sanctuary gave light to all the other lamps: Christ diffuseth his glorious light to others. We are apt to admire the learning of Aristotle and Plato Alas! what is this poor spark of light to that which is in Christ, from whose infinite wis Use 1st. Of information. See here an argument of Christ's Divinity: had he not been God, he could never have known the mind of God, or revealed to us those arcana coli, those deep mysteries, which no man or angel could find out. Who but God can anoint the eyes of the blind, and give not only light, but sight? Who but he, who hath the key of David, can open the heart? Who but God can bow the iron sinew of the will? He only who is God can enlighten the conscience, and make the stony heart bleed. sad condition, till Jesus Christ comes as a prophet to teach them, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. 4. See the happy condition of the children of God, they have Christ to be their prophet, Isa liv. 13., "All thy children shall &c. Cathedram habet in cœlo qui be taught of the Lord;" 1 Cor. i. 30., "God is made to us wisdom." One man cannot see by another's eyes; but believers see with Christ's eyes,-"In his light they see light;" Christ gives them the light of grace and light of glory. Use 2d. Labour to have Christ for your prophet; he teacheth savingly, he is an interpreter of a thousand, he can untie those knots which puzzle very angels. Till Christ teach, we never learn any lesson; till Christ is made to us wisdom, we shall never be wise to salvation. "He corda docet in terra. AUG. 1. Jesus Christ is very willing to teach us. Why else did he enter into the calling of the ministry but to teach the mysteries of heaven? Matth. iv. 23., " Jesus went about teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." Why did he take the office prophetical upon him?-Why was Christ so angry QUEST. What shall we do to with them that kept away the have Christ for our teacher? key of knowledge? Luke xi. 52. Ans. See your need of Christ's Why was Christ anointed with teaching. You cannot see your the Spirit without measure?—but way without this morning-star. that he might anoint us with Some speak much of the light of knowledge. Knowledge is in reason improved: Alas! the Christ as milk in the breast for plumb-line of reason is too short the child. O then go to Christ to fathom the deep things of for teaching! None in the gosGod, the light of reason will no pel came to Christ for sight but more help a man to believe, than he restored their eye-sight; and the light of a candle will help sure Christ is more willing to him to understand. A man can work a cure upon a blind soul, no more by the power of nature than ever he was to do so upon a reach Christ, than an infant can blind body. reach the top of the pyramids, or 2. There are none so dull and the ostrich fly up to the stars. ignorant but Christ can teach See need of Christ's anoint- them. Every one is not fit ing and teaching, Rev. iii. 18. to make a philosopher's scholar A.2. Go to Christ to teach of; ex omni ligno non fit Meryou, Ps. xxv. 5., "Lead me in curius; but there is none so thy truth, and teach me." As dull, but Christ can make a good one of the disciples said, "Lord scholar of. Even such as are igteach us to pray," Luke xi. 1.: norant, and of low parts, Christ so Lord, teach me to profit. Do teacheth them in such a manner, thou light my lamp, O thou great that they know more than the prophet of thy church! Give great sages and wise men of the me a spirit of wisdom and revela- world. Hence that saying of St. tion, that I may see things in Augustine, surgunt indocti, et another manner than ever I saw rapiunt cælum,-the unlearned them before; teach me in the men rise up, and take heaven; word to hear thy voice, and in the they know the truths of Christ sacrament to discern thy body. more savingly than the great adPs. xiii. 3., "Lighten mine eyes," mired Rabbies. The duller the your |