A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

3. For his Priestly Office, this shows he ought to be God. Of this there be two Acts, his Oblation, and Intercession.

3. For his Priestly Office, this shews he ought to be God. Of this there be two Acts, his Oblation, and Intercession.

(1.) For his Oblation and Sacrifice; he must offer up himself, one for all, and that but once, and that to expiate Sin, and procure the Favour of God for ever; now who could do this but God? And he must offer up himself; he must be Priest as well as Sacrifice, therefore must have a Power over his own Life, to lay it down, and take it up; and that no Creature hath: for whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. And thus had Jesus Christ an absolute Power of Life and Death over that Nature he assumed: therefore it is said, Heb. 9.14. Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God. Then one must be offered for all, 2 Cor. 5.14. If one died for all, then were all dead. Therefore that Person which suffered, was to be virtually all those for whom he suffered, that is, infinitely as good and better than all. Look as they said to David, Thou art better than ten thousand of us; so Jesus Christ that was given one for all, must be such a Person as is better than all Men. A General given in Ransom will redeem thousands of private Soldiers; so the Worth of Christ's Person made him equivalent in Dignity to the Worth of all those, whose Persons he sustained. In all Ages his Death is a standing Remedy; God had more Satisfaction than if Angels and Men had been made a Sacrifice. And mark, it was done but once. The Wages of Sin was eternal Death; now something there must be to recompense and countervail the Eternity of the Punishment, and nothing could counterpoise this, but the Infiniteness and Excellency of Christ's Person; therefore we are said to be redeemed by the Blood of God: Acts 20.28