CHRISTIAN REMEMBRANCER

(Continued from last issue)

BILESSED be God, our gracious Redeemer is to this day the Teacher and the Prophet of his people. He points out to them the way of salvation through his holy word, and opens their understandings, that they may understand the Scriptures. In this respect, the saying is truer than the Rabbins ever meant it, “No prophet, no law;” for, but for Christ the Prophet, the law is a nullity, both in what it reveals, and in what it proposes: and so likewise is the gospel, which is but the consummation or end of the law. Without his blessed teaching, all the means of grace are ineffectual, and even a Paul might plant, and an Apollos water, in vain. He spake as never man spake, when upon earth; and he prophecies or teaches his people as no man can teach, by his Spirit from heaven. He preaches with his ministers, giving by their word demonstration to the mind; and he preaches in his people, applying that word, with saving or reviving efficacy, to their hearts. Both, therefore, should be ever looking to him, the great Prophet, the Shepherd, and Bishop of their souls, for every measure of gift and grace, as well as for the completion of all in everlasting glory. He hath not said to the seed of Israel, Seek ye my face in vain. The weakest believer is welcome to Christ. He that thinks he knows least, and is most sensible of his own ignorance, is the most welcome to Christ. Such shall ever be taught of God: and who (says Elihu to Job) teacheth like him? He makes his people wise unto salvation; for, of God he is made unto them wisdom itself. There is nothing needful for them to know, which they shall not know by him. They may not be more learned than the children of this world; but they are (what is of infinitely greater consequence,) better learned. They know the best things in the best way, and with a knowledge too which not only lasts, but improves for ever. By them the hidden substance or wisdom of things is truly perceived. As the sensual eye of any animal can see the form and whiteness of an egg, while it requires another kind of discernment to understand that this, is due time, shall produce a living creature; so the carnal sense of man may apprehend the shapes and properties of a thousand natural objects, and of the world itself which contains them; but the eye of faith only can look beyond these outward semblances for the inward and eternal purpose to which God hath, in his multiform wisdom, assigned them all, namely, the spiritual benefit of his people and his own admirable glory by Christ Jesus. To a man of the world, the earth seems only a spot for him to eat, drink, and sleep on, with all the little low cares attendant upon these; but to the Christian, all around him not only holds forth the greatness and majesty of God as a Creator, but his wonderful designs and intentions of conveying eternal life and happiness to myriads of creatures, beyond these outward means, for which alone, like a temporary fabric, they were altogether arranged. This should be matter of comfort to the ignorant Christian; to one who is little acquainted with what the world calls knowledge. Let him be assured that his measure of earthly knowledge is according to God’s will; and if it were for God’s glory, he doubtless would have known more. That man knows enough savingly who knows Christ truly; and he that knows nothing of Christ by his Spirit and power (whatever he may have learned beside,) will be found hereafter to have studied a great deal for a very little purpose. His lot (if he depart in this state) will be with the foolish virgins who had no oil of grace in their souls. But the Christian is privileged to please even his very ignorance as an argument of notice with Christ his prophet, and to take up his promises by faith, and lay them in prayer before him. Christ will think it no reproach to be put in mind (as it were) of his promises. He giveth wisdom liberally, and upbraideth not: and his wisdom is not only to be learned as a notion, but to be enjoyed as a substance. It is both the light and the food of the redeemed. No man, that prayed in faith for the wisdom of God unto salvation, ever went without it. He filleth the hungry with good things; the rich alone (those who presume upon their own capacity and knowledge) he sendeth empty away. O then, believer, pray to be emptied more and more of thyself, of thy carnal will, and of all unsanctified knowledge, that thou mayest be filled with Jesus, and with that wisdom which leadeth to the contemplation of God, and to the everlasting enjoyment of him. Neither much nor little human knowledge will hurt thee, if it be thus subordinate in thy soul to that which is divine. Learning is an useful servant, but must never be the master. Let it follow thee to Christ, not lead thee from him. If thou art rightly taught, thou wilt see the shallowness of all human erudition, and how little that deserves the name of science which mortals are proud to know. Thou wilt learn the most difficult and abstruse subject in the world which no man ever could learn without divine instruction; even thine own ignorance — a branch of knowledge which men abhor to be acquainted with, but which, after all, is the summit of their attainments upon earth. He is the solidest Christian who is most acquainted with this, as he was justly esteemed the wisest of the heathens who professed to know nothing beside. All others only resemble our modern balloons, inflated and borne aloft with light and inflammable air. After all, be watchful over every earthly furniture of the mind; because, in this corrupt state, it will naturally bear a close attachment to envy and pride. When thou art sweetly taught of God, thou wilt see aright in what rank thou art to place all human attainments. When thou art led on by Jesus, a few minutes of his instruction will make thee wiser, in reality, than all the pompous knowledge (or rather splendid ignorance) of the schools, acquired in years. So thought that excellent Christian and scholar, Dr. Rivet, upon his death-bed. One lesson from Christ will make thy heart burn for more: he will instruct thee, not only by lessons of wisdom, but also by lessons of love. He hath promised to be with his people always, and to the end of the world: and, therefore, he will be ever with thee, guiding thee by his counsel, till he hath brought thee to his glory. Then thou shalt be with him, through the everlasting ages. O gracious promise of divine felicity! O heavenly wisdom of life eternal! Doth not thy heart pant for some of these precious foretastes of the blessedness of heaven? O, that it may glow with desire now; and it shall soon glow with praise and delight for ever.

Teach me, my incarnate Lord,
By thy living, lively, word;
And, in spirit ever nigh,
That delightful word apply;
Be my prophet, when I call;
Be my light, my life, my all.

“Priest”

The apostle gives a brief definition of the priest’s office, where he says, that every high priest, taken from among men, is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; for which end, he alone was anointed with the holy oil, and was admitted into the most holy place.

The design of this institution was to prefigure the gracious work of Christ in man’s redemption, as well as the means which he would employ, in the fulness of time, to accomplish it. Considered in any other view, the office would have been nugatory, and the slaughter of so many living creatures, as was prescribed in the Jewish economy, bloody and cruel. Had man continued without sin, neither the blood of beasts in the type nor the blood of Jesus in the end, would have been poured out for his sake. The sacrifice of the one and the other was a demonstration, that the blood or life of man was forfeited, and, but for a Substitute, must have been lost, and have perished for ever. The offspring of beasts, which began from the fall, was instituted to commemorate both the forfeiture of all that was good in Adam, and the means by which a recovery was to be obtained through Jesus Christ. For this reason, after Christ was manifested in the flesh, God, by his providence, gradually ordered the removal of these institutions and ceremonies, which were meant to typify of him; and we find, they have been every where discontinued (from the time of the temple’s demolition, Where only they could be duly exhibited,) by those at least who believe either the Old or New Testament, unto this day!

It may not be amiss to draw a brief parallel betwixt the type and the antitype, the high-priest of the Jews, and the great High-priest of all that believe, both Jews and Gentiles. This will explain their mutual relation and the design of this great office in the work of salvation.

The high-priest, under the law, was consecrated to Jehovah, for the purpose of presenting and offering the gifts, the prayers, and services, of the people. Thus Christ presents to God the spiritual oblations of his redeemed; and by taking away the iniquities that cleave to their most holy things, renders their persons and their performances highly acceptable to him.. Thus he is represented in Rev. 8:3. None but a priest could offer incense. Numb. 16:40, Christ, therefore, as the angel of the covenant and as a priest for ever, Ps. HO, will make his people acceptable for ever.

The Jewish high-priest went into the most holy place, once in every year, with the blood of the sacrifice, to expiate typically for the sins of the people. So Christ is entered into heaven itself, of which the most holy place was a shadow, to appear for ever in the presence of God for his people : not by the blood of goats and of calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for them.

The high-priest put off his glorious apparel which manifested the dignity of his person and various particulars of his office, and put on garments of white linen only, when he entered into the holy of holies, on the great day of expiation. And Christ, therefore, of whom the earthly priest was the type and representative, divested himself of all those appearances of power which he had discovered in many ciraculous acts, when he was about to offer himself as the great propitiation; and then changed his raiment, or put off the grossness of his unglorified body, rendering it wholly spiritual, when he was to carry his own blood, or the merit of it, before the Majesty on high.

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