The Fountain of Life
The Fountain of Life opened up: or, a display
of Christ in his essential and mediatorial glory
by John Flavel
The Nature and necessity of the Priesthood of Christ
"It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things
in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things
themselves with better sacrifices than these." Hebrews 9:23
Salvation (as to the actual dispensation of it) is
revealed by Christ as a Prophet, procured by him as a Priest, applied by him
as a King. In vain it is revealed, if not purchased; in vain revealed and
purchased, if not applied. How is it revealed, both to us, and in us, by our
great Prophet, has been declared. And now, from the Prophetic office, we
pass on to the priestly office of Jesus Christ, who as our Priest, purchased
our salvation. In this office is contained the grand relief for a soul
distressed by the guilt of sin. When all other reliefs have been essayed, it
is the blood of this great sacrifice, sprinkled by faith upon the trembling
conscience, that must cool, refresh, and sweetly compose and settle it. Now,
seeing so great a weight hangs upon this office, the apostle industriously
confirms and commends it in this epistle, and more especially in this ninth
chapter; showing how it was figured to the world by the typical blood of the
sacrifices, but infinitely excels them all: and as in many other most
weighty respects, so principally in this, that the blood of these sacrifices
did but purify the types or patterns of the heavenly things; but the blood
of this sacrifice purified or consecrated the heavenly things themselves,
signified by those types.
The words read, contains an argument to prove the
necessity of the offering up of Christ, the great sacrifice, drawn from the
proportion between the types, and the things typified. If the sanctuary,
mercy-seat, and all things pertaining to the service of the tabernacle, were
to be consecrated by blood; those earthly, but sacred types, by the blood of
bulls and lambs, etc. Much more the heavenly things shadowed by them, ought
to be purified or consecrated by better blood than the blood of beasts. The
blood consecrating these, should as much excel the blood that consecrated
those, as the heavenly things themselves do, in their own nature, excel
those earthly shadows of them. Look, what proportion there is between the
type and anti-type, the like proportion also is between the blood that
consecrates them; earthly things with common, heavenly things with the most
excellent blood.
So then, there are two things to be especially observed
here: First, The nature of Christ's death and sufferings: It had the nature,
use and end of a sacrifice, and of all the sacrifices the most excellent.
Secondly, The necessity of his offering it up: it was necessary to
correspond with all the types and prefiguration of it under the law: but
especially it was necessary for the expiating of sin, the propitiating of a
justly incensed God, and the opening, a way for reconciled ones to come to
God in. The point I shall give you from it is,
DOCTRINE. That the sacrifice of Christ, our High Priest,
is most excellent in itself; and most necessary for us.
Sacrifices are of two sorts, eucharistical, or
thank-offerings, in testification of homage, duty and service; and in token
of gratitude for mercies freely received; and expiatory, for satisfaction to
justice, and thereby the atoning and reconciling of God. Of this last kind
was the sacrifice offered by Jesus Christ for us: to this office he was
called by God, Heb. 5:5. In it he was confirmed by the unchangeable oath of
God, Psalm. 110:4. for it, he was singularly qualified by his incarnation,
Heb. 10:6, 7. and all the ends of it he has fully answered, Heb. 9:11, 12.
My present design is, from this scripture, to open the
general nature and absolute necessity of the priesthood of Christ; showing
what his priesthood implies in it, and how all this was indispensably
necessary in order to our recovery from the deplorable state of sin and
misery.
First then, we will consider what it supposes and
implies; and then, wherein it consists. And there are six things which it
either pre-supposes, or necessarily includes in it.
1. At first sights it supposes man's revolt and fall from
God; and a dreadful breach made thereby between God and him, else no need of
an atoning sacrifice. "If one died for all, then were at dead", 2 Cor. 5:14.
dead in law, under sentence to die, and that eternally. In all the
sacrifices, from Adam to Christ, this was still preached to the world, that
there was a fearful breach between God and man; and even so, that justice
required our blood should be shed. And the fire flaming on the altar, which
wholly burnt up the sacrifice, was a lively emblem of that fiery indignation
that should devour the adversaries. But above all, when Christ, that true
and great Sacrifice, was offered up to God, then was the fairest glass that
ever was in the world, set before us, therein to see our sin and misery by
the fall.
2. His priesthood, supposes the unalterable purpose of
God to take vengeance for sin; he will not let it pass. I will not determine
what God could do in this case, by his absolute power; but I think it is
generally yielded, that, by his ordinate power, he could do no less than
punish it in the person of the sinner, or of his surety.
Those that contend for such a forgiveness, as is an act
of charity, like that whereby private persons forgive one another, must at
once suppose God to part with his right, and also render the satisfaction of
Christ altogether useless, as to the procurement of forgiveness; yes, rather
an obstacle, than a means to it. Surely, the nature and truth of God oblige
him to punish sin. "He is of purer eyes than to look upon iniquity," Heb.
1:13. And beside, the word is gone out of his mouths that the sinner shall
die.
3. The priesthood of Christ pre-supposes the utter
impotency of men to appease God, and, recover his favor by anything he could
do or suffer. Surely God would not come down to assume a body to die, and be
offered up for us, if at any cheaper rate it could have been accomplished;
there was no other way to recover man and satisfy God. Those that deny the
satisfaction of Christ, and talk of his dying to confirm the truth, and give
us an example of meekness, patience, and self-denial, affirming these to be
the sole ends of his death, do not only therein root up the foundations of
their own comfort, peace and pardon, but most boldly impeach and tax the
infinite wisdom. God could have done all this at a cheaper rate: the
sufferings of a mere creature are able to attain these ends: the deaths of
the martyrs did it. But who by dying can satisfy and reconcile God? what
creature can bring him an adequate and proportionable value for sin? yes,
for all the sin that ever was, or shall be transmitted to the natures, or
committed by the persons, of all God's elect, from Adam, to the last that
shall be found alive at the Lord's coming? surely, none but Christ can do
this.
4. Christ's priesthood implies the necessity of his being
God- man. It was necessary he should be a man, in order to his passion,
compassion, and derivation of his righteousness and holiness to men. Had he
not been a man, he had had no sacrifice to offer, no soul or body to suffer
in. The Godhead is immortal, and above all those sufferings and miseries
Christ felt for us. Besides, his being man, fills him with compassion, and
tender sense of our miseries: this makes him a merciful and faithful High
priest, Heb. 4:15. and not only fits him to pity, but to sanctify us also;
for "he that sanctifies, and they that are sanctified, are both of one,"
Heb. 2:11,14, 17. And as necessary it was our High-priest should be God,
since the value and efficacy of our sacrifice results from thence.
5. The priesthood of Christ implies the extremity of his
sufferings. In sacrifices, you know, there was a destruction, a kind of
annihilation of the creature to the glory of God. The shedding of the
creature's blood, and burning its flesh with fire, was but an umbrage, or
faint resemblance of what Christ endured, when he made his soul an offering
for sin.
And lastly, It implies the gracious design of God to
reconcile us at a dear rate to himself in that he called and confirmed
Christ in his priesthood by an oath, and thereby laid out a sacrifice, of
infinite value, for the world. Sins, for which no sacrifice is allowed, are
desperate sins, and the case of such sinners is helpless: But if God allow,
yes, and provide a sacrifice himself, how plainly does it speak his
intentions of peace and mercy? These things are manifestly presupposed, or
implied in Christ's priesthood.
"This priesthood of Christ is that function, wherein he
comes before God, in our name and place, to fulfill the law, and offer up
himself to him a sacrifice of reconciliation for our sins; and by his
intercession to continue and apply the purchase of his blood to them for
whom he shed it:" All this is contained in that famous scripture, Heb. 10:7,
8, 9, 10,11, 12, 13. Or, more briefly, the priesthood of Christ is that
whereby he expiated the sins of men, and obtained the favor of God for them,
Col. 1:20, 22. Rom. 5:10. But because I shall insist more largely upon the
several parts and fruits of this office, it shall here suffice to speak this
much as to its general nature; which was the first thing proposed for
explication.
Secondly, The necessity of Christ's priesthood comes next
to be opened. Touching which, I affirm, according to the scriptures, it was
necessary, in order to our salvation, that such a Priest should, by such a
sacrifice, appear before God for us.
The truth of this assertion will be cleared by these two
principles, which are evident in the scripture, namely, That God stood upon
full satisfaction, and would not remit one sin without it: and that fallen
man is totally incapable of tendering him any such satisfaction; therefore
Christ, who only can, must do it, or we perish.
1. God stood upon full satisfaction, and could not remit
one sin without it. This will be cleared from the nature of sin; and from
the veracity and wisdom of God.
(1.) From the nature of sin, which deserves that the
sinner should suffer for it. Penal evil; in a course of justice, follows
moral evil. Sin and sorrow ought to go together; between these is a
necessary connection, Rom. 6:13. "The wages of sin is death."
(2.) The veracity of God requires it. The word is gone
out of his mouth; Gen. 2:17. "in the day that you eat thereof, you shall
surely die." From that time he was instantly and certainly obnoxious and
liable to the death of soul and body. The law pronounces him cursed, "that
continues not in all things that are written therein to do them," Gal. 3:9.
Now, though man's threatening are often vain and insignificant things, yet
God's shall surely take place; "not one little of the law shall fail, until
all be fulfilled," Matt. 5:18. God will be true in his threatening, though
thousands and millions perish.
(3.) The wisdom of God, by which he governs the rational
world, admits not of a dispensation or relaxation of the threatenings
without satisfaction: for, as good no king, as no laws for government; as
good no law, as no penalty; and as good no penalty, as no execution. To this
purpose one well observes; "It is altogether indecent, especially to the
wisdom and righteousness of God, that that which provokes the execution,
should procure the abrogation of his law; that that should supplant and
undermine the law, for the alone preventing whereof the law was before
established." How could it be expected, that men should fear and tremble
before God, when they should find themselves more scared than hurt by his
threats against sin! So then God stood upon satisfaction, and would admit no
treaty of peace, on any other ground.
Object. Let none here object, that reconciliation upon
this only score of satisfaction, is derogatory to the riches of grace; or
that we allow not God what we do men, namely, to forgive an injury freely,
without satisfaction.
Sol. Free forgiveness to us, and full satisfaction made
to God by Jesus Christ for us, are not "asurata", things inconsistent with
each other, as in its proper place shall be more fully cleared to you. And
for denying that to God which we allow to men, you must know, that man and
man stand on even ground: man is not capable of being wronged and injured by
man, as God is by man, there is no comparison between the nature of the
offences.
To conclude, man only can freely forgive man; in a
private capacity, so far as wrong concerns himself; but ought not to do so
in a public capacity, as he is judge, and bound to execute justice
impartially. God is our Law-giver and Judge: he will not dispense with
violations of the law, but strictly stands upon complete satisfaction.
2. Man can render to God no satisfaction of his own, for
the wrong done by his sin. He finds no way to compensate and make God
amends, either by doing, or by suffering his will.
(1.) Not by doing: this way is shut up to all the world;
none can satisfy God, or reconcile himself to him this way; for it is
evident our best works are sinful; "All our righteousness is as filthy
rags," Isa. 64:6. And it is strange any should imagine, that one sin should
make satisfaction for another. If it be said, not what is sinful in our
duties, but what is spiritual, pure and good, may ingratiate us with God? it
is at hand to reply, that what is good in any of our duties, is a debt we
owe to God, yes, we owe him perfect obedience; and it is not imaginable how
we should pay one debt by another; quit a former by contracting a new
engagement. If we do anything that is good, we are be holden to grace for
it, John 15:5. 2 Cor. 3:5. 1 Cor. 15:10. In a word, those that have had as
much to plead on that score as any now living, have left, and utterly given
up all hopes of appeasing and satisfying the justice of God, that way. It is
like, holy Job feared God, and eschewed evil as much as any of you; yet he
says, Job 9:20, 21. "If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me;
if I say I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. Though I were
perfect, yet would I not know my soul; I would despise my life." It may be
David was a man as much after the heart of God as you; yet he said, Psalm.
143:2. "Enter not into judgement with your servant; for in your sight shall
no man be justified." It is like Paul lived as holy, heavenly, and fruitful
a life as the best of you, and far, far beyond you; yet he says, 1 Cor. 4:4.
"I know (or am conscious to myself) of nothing, yet am I not hereby
justified." His sincerity might comfort him, but could not justly him. And
what need I say more? The Lord has shut up this way to all the world; and
the scriptures speak it roundly and plainly: Rom. 3:20. " Therefore, by the
deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." Compare
Gal. 3:21. Rom. 8:3.
(2.) And as man can never reconcile himself to God by
doing, so neither by suffering: that is equally impossible; for no
sufferings can satisfy God, but such as are proportionable to the offence we
suffer for. And if so, an infinite suffering must be borne: I say infinite,
for sin is an infinite evil, objectively considered, as it wrongs an
infinite God. Now sufferings may be said to be infinite, either in respect
of their height, exceeding all bounds and limits; the letting out of the
wrath and fury of an infinite God: or in respect of duration, being endless
and everlasting. In the first sense, no creature can bear an infinite wrath,
it would swallow us up. In the second, it may be borne as the damned do; but
then, ever to be suffering, is never to have satisfied.
So that no man can be his own priest, to reconcile
himself to God by what he can do or suffer. And therefore, one that is able
by doing and suffering, to reconcile him, must undertake it, or we perish.
Thus you see plainly and briefly the general nature and necessity of
Christ's priesthood.
From both these, several useful corollaries, or practical
deductions, offer themselves.
Corollary 1. This shows, in the first place, the
incomparable excellency of the reformed Christian religion above all other
religions, known to, or professed in the world. What other religions seek,
the Christian religion only finds, even a solid foundation for true peace
and settlement of conscience. While the Jews seek it in vain in the law, the
Mohammedan in his external and ridiculous observances; the Papist in his own
merits; the believer only finds it in the blood of this great Sacrifice;
this, and nothing less than this, can pacify a distressed conscience,
laboring under the weight of its own guilt. Conscience demands no less to
satisfy it, than God demands to satisfy him. The grand inquest of conscience
is, is God satisfied? If he be satisfied, I am satisfied. Woeful is the
state of that man, that feels the worm of conscience nibbling on the most
tender part of the soul, and has no relief against it; that feels the
intolerable scalding wrath of God burning within, and has nothing to cool
it. Hear me, you that slight the troubles of conscience, that call them
fancies and melancholy whimsies; if you ever had had but one sick night for
sin, if you had ever felt that shame, fears horror, and despair, which are
the dismal effects of an accusing and condemning conscience, you would
account it an unspeakable mercy to hear of a way for the discharge of a poor
sinner from that guilt: you would kiss the feet of that messenger that could
bring you tidings of peace; you would call him blessed, that should direct
you to an effectual remedy. Now, whoever you are, that finest away in your
iniquities, that droop from day to day under the present wounds, the dismal
presages of conscience, know that your soul and peace can never meet, until
you are persuaded to come to this blood of sprinkling.
The blood of this sacrifice speaks better things than the
blood of Abel. The blood of this sacrifice is the blood of God, Acts 20:2:7.
Invaluably precious blood, 1 Pet. 1:18. One drop of it infinitely excels the
blood of all mere creatures, Heb. 10:4, 5, 6. Such is the blood that must do
you good. Lord, I must have such blood (says conscience) as is capable of
giving you full satisfaction, or it can give me no peace. The blood of all
the cattle upon a thousand hills cannot do this. What is the blood of beasts
to God? the blood of all the men in the world can do nothing in this case.
What is our polluted blood worth? No, no, it is the blood of God, that must
satisfy both you and me.
Yes, Christ's blood is not only the blood of God, but it
is blood shed in your stead, and in your place and room, Gal. 3:13. "He was
made a curse for us." And so it becomes sin-pardoning blood, Heb. 9:22. Eph.
1:7. Col. 1:14. Rom. 3:26. And consequently, conscience-pacifying, and soul
quieting blood, Col. 1:20. Eph. 2:13, 14. Rom. 3:26. O bless God, that ever
the news of this blood came to your ears. With hands and eyes lifted up to
heaven, admire that grace that cast your lot in a place where this joyful
sound rings in the ears of poor sinners. What had your case been, if your
mother had brought you forth in the deserts of Arabia, or in the wastes of
America! Or that if you have been nursed up by a popish father, who could
have told you of no other remedy when in distress for sin, but to go such a
pilgrimage, to whip and lash yourself, to satisfy an angry God! Surely the
pure light of the gospel shining upon this generation, is a mercy never to
be duly valued, never to be enough prized.
Corollary 2. Hence also be inferred of the necessity of
faith, in order to a state and sense of peace with God: for to what purpose
is the blood of Christ our sacrifice shed, unless it be actually and
personally applied, and appropriated by faith? You know when the sacrifices
under the law were brought to be slain, he that brought it was to put his
hand upon the head of the sacrifice, and so it was accepted for him, to make
an atonement, Lev. 1:4. not only to signify, that how it was no more his,
but God's, the property being transferred by a kind of manumission; nor yet
that he voluntarily gave it to the Lord as his own free act; but principally
it noted the putting off his sins, and the penalty due to him for them, upon
the head of the sacrifice: and so it implied in it an execration, as if he
had said, upon your head be the evil. So the learned observe; the ancient
Egyptians were accustomed expressly to imprecate, when they sacrificed; if
any evil be coming upon us or upon Egypt, let it turn and rest upon this
head, laying their hand, at these words, on the sacrifice's head. And upon
that ground, says the Historian, none of them would eat of the head of any
living creature. You must also lay the hand of faith upon Christ your
sacrifice, not to imprecate, but apply and appropriate his to your own
souls, he having been made a curse for you.
To this the whole gospel tends, even to persuade sinners
to apply Christ, and his blood to their own souls. To this he invited us,
Matth. 11:28. "Come unto me all you that labor, and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest." For this end our sacrifice was lifted up upon the
altar; John 3:14, 15. "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so
must the Son of man be lifted up: that whoever believes in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life." The effects of the law, not only upon
the conscience, filling it with torments, but upon the whole person,
bringing death upon it, are here shadowed out by the stingings of fiery
serpents; and Christ by the brazen serpent which Moses exalted for the
Israelites, that were stung, to look unto. And as by looking to it they were
healed; so by believing, or looking to Christ in faith, our souls are
healed. Those that looked not to the brazen serpent, died infallibly; so
must all that look not to Jesus, our sacrifice, by faith. It is true, the
death of Christ is the meritorious cause of remission, but faith is the
instrumental applying cause; and as Christ's blood is necessary in its
place, so is our faith in its place also. For to the actual remission of
sin, and peace of conscience, there must be a cooperation of all the causes
of remission and peace. As there is the grace and love of God for an
efficient and impulsive cause, and the death of Christ our sacrifice, the
meritorious cause; so of necessity there must be faith, the instrumental
cause. And these con-causes do all sweetly meet in their influences, and
activities, in our remission, and tranquility of conscience; and they are
all (suo genare) in their kind and place absolutely necessary to the
procuring and applying of it.
What is the need that the blood of Christ is shed, if I
have no interest in it, no saving influences from it? O be convinced, this
is the end, the business of life. Faith is the Phoenix-grace, as Christ is
the Phoenix-mercy. He is the gift, John 4:10. And this is "the work of God,"
John 6:29. The death of Christ, the offers and tenders of Christ, never
saved one soul in themselves, without believing application. But, woe is me!
how do I see sinners, either not at all touched with the sense of sin, and
so being whole, need not the physician; or if any be stung and wounded with
guilt, how do they lick themselves whole with their own duties and
reformations! As physicians say of wounds, let them be kept clean, and
nature will find balsam of its own to heal them: If it be so in spiritual
wounds, what need Christ to have left the Father's bosom, and come down to
die in the quality and nature of a sacrifice for us? O if men can but have
health, pleasure, riches, honors, and any way make a shift to still a
brawling conscience, that it may not check or interrupt them in these
enjoyments, Christ may go where he will for them.
And I am assured, until God show you the face of sin, in
the glass of the law, make the scorpions and fiery serpents, that lurk in
the law, and in your own consciences, to come hissing about you, and smiting
you with their deadly stings, until you have had some sick nights, and
sorrowful days for sin, you will never go up and down seeking an interest in
the blood of his sacrifice with tears.
But, reader, if ever this be your condition, then will
you know the worth of a Christ; then will you have a value for the blood of
sprinkling. As I remember it is storied of our crook-backed Richard, when he
was put to a rout in a field-battle, and flying on foot from his pursuing
enemies; he cried out, O now says he, a kingdom for a horse. So will you
cry, A kingdom for a Christ; ten thousand worlds now, if I had them, for the
blood of sprinkling.
Corollary 3. Is Christ your High-priest, and is his
priesthood so indispensably necessary to our salvation? Then, freely
acknowledge your utter impotency to reconcile yourselves to God by anything
you can do, or suffer; and let Christ have the whole glory of your recovery
ascribed to him. It is highly reasonable that he that laid down the whole
price, should have the whole praise. If any man think, or say, he could have
made an atonement for himself, he does therein cast no light reproach upon
that profound wisdom which laid the design of our redemption in the death of
Christ. But of this I have spoken elsewhere. And therefore,
Corollary 4. In the last place, I rather choose to
persuade you to see your necessity of this priest, and his most excellent
sacrifice; and accordingly to make use of it. The best of you have polluted
natures, poisoned in the womb with sin; those natures have need of this
sacrifice, they must have the benefit of this blood to pardon and cleanse
them, or be eternally damned. Hear me, you that never spent a tear for the
sin of nature, if the blood of Christ be not sprinkled upon your natures, it
had been better for you, that you had been the generation of beasts, the
offspring of dragons or toads. They have a contemptible, but not a vitiated
sinful nature, as you have.
Your actual sins have need of the priest, and his
sacrifice, to procure remission for them. If he take them not away by the
blood of his cross, they can never be taken away, they will lie down with
you in the dust; they will rise with you and follow you to the judgement
seat, crying, We are your works, and we will follow you. All your repentance
and tears, could you weep as many as there be drops in the ocean, can never
take away sin. Your duties, even the best of them, need this sacrifice. It
is in the virtue thereof that they are accepted of God. And were it not that
God had respect to Christ's offering, he would not regard, or look towards
you, or any of your duties. You could no more come near to God, than you
could approach a devouring fire, or dwell with everlasting burnings.
Well then, say, I need such a price every way. Love him
in all his offices. See the goodness of God in providing such a sacrifice
for you. Meat, drink, and air, are not more necessary to maintain your
natural life, than the death of Christ is to give and maintain your
spiritual life.
O then, let your soul grow big while meditating of the
usefulness and excellency of Christ, which is thus displayed and unfolded in
every branch of the gospel. And, with a deep sense upon your heart, let your
lips say, Blessed be God, for Jesus Christ!