If by being made an High Priest, only a Solemn Declaration of being made so, is intended, these things may pass well enough. For we allow that in the Scripture, then a thing is oft-times said to be, when it is first manifested or declared. So was the Lord Christ determined to be the son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the dead. But if it be intended, as the words will scarce admit of any other Interpretation, that then the Lord Christ was first made an High Priest after all this was performed, the whole real Priesthood of Christ, and his proper Sacrifice is overthrown. For it is said he was not made an High Priest until after that he had offered his one sacrifice. And if it were so, then he was not a Priest, when he so offered himself. But this implies a contradiction, for there can be no sacrifice, where there is no Priest. And therefore the Socinians who make the consecration of the Lord Christ unto his Sacerdotal Office to be by his entrance into Heaven, do utterly deny his Death to have been a Sacrifice, but only a Preparation for it, as they fancy the killing of the beast to have been of old. And the Truth is, either the Lord Christ was a Priest before and in the Oblation of himself on the Cross, or he was never any, nor needed so to be, nor could he so be; for after he was freed from death, he had nothing to offer. And it is a strange order of things, that the Lord Christ should first offer his only Sacrifice, and after that be made a Priest. But the Order, Time, and manner of the Call and Consecration ⟨p. 254⟩of the Lord Christ unto his Priesthood I have elsewhere declared. Wherefore,
If by being made an High Priest, only a Solemn Declaration of being made so, is intended, these things may passe well enough. For we allow that in the Scripture, then a thing is oft-times said to be, when it is first manifested or declared. So was the Lord Christ determined to be the son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the dead. But if it be intended, as the words will scarce admit of any other Interpretation, that then the Lord Christ was first made an High Priest after all this was performed, the whole real Priesthood of Christ, and his proper Sacrifice is overthrown. For it is said he was not made an High Priest until after that he had offered his one sacrifice. And if it were so, then he was not a Priest, when he so offered himself. But this implies a contradiction, for there can be no sacrifice, where there is no Priest. And therefore the Socinians who make the consecration of the Lord Christ unto his Sacerdotal Office to be by his entrance into Heaven, do utterly deny his Death to have been a Sacrifice, but only a Preparation for it, as they fancy the killing of the beast to have been of old. And the Truth is, either the Lord Christ was a Priest before and in the Oblation of himself on the Cross, or he was never any, nor needed so to be, nor could he so be; for after he was freed from death, he had nothing to offer. And it is a strange order of things, that the Lord Christ should first offer his onely Sacrifice, and after that be made a Priest. But the Order, Time, and manner of the Call and Consecration ⟨p. 254⟩of the Lord Christ unto his Priesthood I have elsewhere declared. Wherefore,
