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First. He will see Christ to be one who may be approached by him. He will feel that he cannot see God and live. Nay, such is the weakness of man since the fall, that even the sight of a created angel has made some of the most eminently holy men exceedingly fearand tremble. But there is not this dread of approaching one who, like ourselves, is clothed in flesh.

Second. The person of Christ, thus consisting of the divine and human nature united, appears eminently fitted for undertaking the work of reconciliation between offended God and offending man. He is equally interested in both parties. Being God, he fully knows what God demands of sinners; and being man, he knows what is man's condition and wants. In Christ, therefore, the sinner finds a " daysman," to whom he may go with confidence.

Third. He sees also, in Christ Jesus, one who is touched with the feeling of his infirmimities; and one who has wisdom and power to improve to our advantage his sense of our misery. "Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh;" this the convinced sinner views with admiration. The divine seems brought down to the human nature, and the human elevated to the divine,

affording at once the assurance of power to deliver and of willingness to save, while justice and mercy, both fully satisfied and united in delightful harmony, concur in the sinner's salvation.

II. The Lord Jesus Christ is clothed with a threefold office, for the benefit of believers.

First. Christ is a Prophet. He was predicted as such by Moses; "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren." "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." That this Prophet is indeed the Lord Jesus Christ, is proved by the words of Peter; Acts iii. 22; where this prophecy of Moses is repeated and applied to Christ. The passage contains a full account of Christ's prophetical office. There is his call to that office; 66 I will raise them up a Prophet:" that is, I will call one, and set him apart for the work. The passage also describes his fitness for the work: "I will put my words in his mouth." It shows what his work is.

We

"He shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." We see, also, to whom this prophet is sent; they are sinners, who are sensible that they cannot approach God without a mediator, and live. This circumstance made them cry out: "Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not." may farther see that the design of Christ's prophetical office was, to satisfy the desires and necessities of convinced sinners. This will be evident, if we examine Deut. xviii. 15, 16. The Lord promises Christ to be a Prophet; and then adds, that it was according to their desire in Horeb. We may notice, finally, the qualifications of this Prophet, who was promised to Israel. He was to be one of themselves; and one who would faithfully declare to them all that the Lord commanded him.

Second. The Lord Jesus Christ is " a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedec," God having made him such by an oath. Not to discourse at large upon this office, we may notice two things, which are peculiarly suited to the sinner's wants; namely, oblation and intercession. The first is the foundation of the second.

The being to whom he offers sacrifice, or

oblation, and with whom he intercedes, is God only, the just God, who has declared that he "will by no means clear the guilty." Before sin entered the world, there was no place for sacrifice. Under the first covenant there was no sacrifice required; Adam had whatever was needful for his happiness without it. But sin cut him off from expecting the blessings of the first covenant, and threatened him with destruction from the presence of the Lord, unless there could be some one to interpose as priest in his behalf.

The persons for whom he offers sacrifice are therefore sinners.

This shows us what must be the character of the interposing priest; he must be acceptable * to God. "Such an high-priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." One who was himself a sinner could answer no purpose as prevailing intercessor between God and sinners. Again, he must be capable of being affected with the feeling of our infirmities, that he might have compassion upon

us.

"Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high-priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people: For that he himself

hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." "For we have not an high-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." In fine, he must be called of God, as was Aaron; for no man can take to himself this office. Now in Christ, and him alone, are found all these qualifications. He is "the Apostle and High-Priest of our profession."

But what sacrifice does this High-Priest of our profession offer? Some offering is indispensable. "For every high-priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer." Another passage from the epistle to the Hebrews will show what this sacrifice is. "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God?" The sacrifice which he offered, then, was the sacrifice of himself.

What has now been said shows us the con

dition of man. He has sinned, and by sin

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