An exposition of the Symbol or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenor…An exposition of the Symbole or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenour…

Having thus entreated of Christs execution, let us now come to the last point, namely, the excellency of Christs passion, consisting in these two points. I. a sacrifice. II. a triumph. For the first, when Christ died he offered a propitiatory & real sacrifice to his father: & herein his death & passion differeth from the sufferings & deaths of all men whatsoever. In this sacrifice, we must consider 4. things. I. who was the priest. II. what was the sacrifice. III. what was the altar. IV. the time wherein this sacrifice was offered. The priest was Christ himself, as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews proves at large from the third chap. to the 9. and of him we are to consider these 4. points. The first, what is the office of Christs priesthood. Answer. The office of Christs priesthood stands in 3. things. I. to teach doctrine, & therefore he is called the high priest of our profession, that is, of the Gospel which we profess,¹ because he is the author and doctor of the same. II. to offer up himself unto his father in the behalf of man, for the appeasing of his wrath for sin. III. to make request or intercession to God the father, that he would accept the sacrifice which he offered on the cross for us. The second is according to which nature he was a priest: whether in his manhood, or in his godhead, or both together? Ans. The office of his priesthood is performed by him according to both his natures: & therefore he is a priest not as the papists would have him, according to his manhood only, but as he is both God & man: for as he is a ⟨p. 261⟩mediator, so is he a priest: but Christ is a mediator according to both natures: each nature doing that which is peculiar to it, & conferring something to the work of redemption: & therefore he is a priest as he is both God & man. The third point, after what order is he a priest? Ans. The scripture men tioneth 2. orders of priests: the order of Levi, & the order of Melchizedek. Christ was not a priest after the order of Aaron: & yet notwithstanding in that priesthood were many notable rites whereby the priesthood of our Saviour Christ was resembled, & we may note 5. especially.

Hauing thus intreated of Christs execution, let us nowe come to the last point, namely, the excellencie of Christes passion, consisting in these two points. I. a sacrifice. II. a triumph. For the first, whē Christ died he offered a propitiatorie & reall sacrifice to his father: & herein his death & passiō differeth frō the sufferings & deaths of all men whatsoeuer. In this sacrifice, we must consider 4. things. I. who was the priest. II. what was the sacrifice. III. what vvas the altar. IV. the time wherein this sacrifice was offered. The priest was Christ himselfe, as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues prooues at large from the third chap. to the 9. and of him we are to consider these 4. points. The first, what is the office of Christs priesthood. Ansvver. The office of Christs priesthood stands in 3. things. I. to teach doctrine, & therefore he is called the high priest of our profession, that is, of the Gospell which we professe,