to the church to be a Saviour, Isa. xix. 20. And this he tells the church, that they may gather and know from his love and care, namely, that the Lord God "had sent him," Zech. ii. 8, 9. that he was his Legate, his Apostle. And because God had promised from the foundation of the world, thus to send him, this became a periphrasis or principal notation of him, “He whom God would send," that is, his great Legate. Hereunto Moses seems to have had respect in these words, Exod. iv. 13.

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Send now I pray thee by the hand of him * ,,שלח נא ביד תשלח

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whom thou wilt send;" namely, to be the deliverer and saviour of thy people. Hence in the old church, he became to be emphatically called, sexus, he that was to come,' that was to be sent. So when John sent his disciples to Jesus to inquire whether he was the Christ, he doth it in these words, cv uó sgχόμενος, "art thou he that was to come ?" that is to be sent of God, Mat. xi. 3. John xi. 27. And thence the ancient Latin translation renders hw, Shilo,' Gen. xlix. 10. qui mittendus est, he that is to be sent;' it may be, deriving the word by a mistake from now, to send.' But it well expresseth the common notion of him in the church, after the giving of the first promise," He that was to be sent." And in the gospel he doth not himself more frequently make mention of any thing than of his being sent of God, or of being his apostle. "He whom the Father sent," is his description of himself, John iii. 34. and Him he calls Toy Cara, him that sent him,' or made him his apostle, Mat. x. 40. And this is most frequently repeated in the gospel by John, that we may know of what importance the consideration of it is: see chap. iii. 17. 34. iv. 34. v. 23, 24. 30. 36

-38. vi. 29. 38-40. 44. 57. vii. 16. 28, 29. viii. 16. 18. 29. 42. ix. 4. x. 36. xi. 42. xii. 44, 45. 49. xiv. 24. xv. 21. xvi. 5. xvii. 3. xviii. 21. 23. 25. xx. 21. Two things are then included in this expression or title. First, The authority he had for his work he came not of himself, but "was sent of God," even the Father, and therefore spake in his name, and fed the church "in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God," Micah v. 4. And as he became the Apostle of the Father by his being sent of him, so by his sending of others in his name, he made them his apostles, John xx. 21. As the love therefore, so the authority of the Father is much to be considered in this matter. Secondly, His work itself, which is here included, and elsewhere largely declared. It was to reveal and declare the will of the Father to the children of men, to declare the Father himself, John i. 18. and his name, xvii. 3. 6. 26. that is the mystery of his grace, covenant, and whole will concerning our obedience and salvation, Heb. i. 1, 2. For this end was he the Apostle and Ambassador of the Father, sent into the world by him, Mal. iii. 1. In brief, the propheti

cal office of Christ, with respect to his immediate authoritative mission by the Father, is intended in this title. And it is a title of honour as well as of office that is here given him. Hence the impious Mahometans, when they would persuade or compel any one to their sect, they require no more of him, but that he acknowledge Mahomet to be Resul Ellahi, the apostle of God.' In this sense then is the Lord Christ called "the Apostle of our profession," in that he was sent of God to declare his mind and will in his name, and with his authority, as ambassadors are wont to do in reference to them that send them.

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But whereas our Lord Jesus Christ was in an especial manner, as to the time of his conversation in the flesh, and his personal revealing the will of God, sent to the Jews, and therefore says, Mat. xv. 24. " that he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," that is, as to his personal ministry on the earth. And our apostle affirms, that he was a "Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers," Rom. xv. 8. and being only in this place to the Hebrews called an Apostle. I leave it to consideration whether there may not be some especial respect to his peculiar mission, in his person and ministry to them intended in this name and title, here only given him.

Hereunto is added, Tor Agxg, the high priest.' Both in one, as the kingdom and priesthood are also promised, Zech. vi. 13. Both the Hebrews and we are now to look for all in him. These offices of old were in several persons, Moses was the apostle or ambassador of God, to declare his will and law to the people. And Aaron was the high priest, to administer the holy things in the worship of God. This was the poverty of types, that no one could so much as represent the work between God and the church. I will not deny but that Moses was a priest in an extraordinary manner, before the institution of the Aaronical priesthood. But his officiating in that office, being but a temporary thing, which belonged not to the condition of the Judaical church, it was not considered by our apostle in his comparing of him with Christ. To manifest therefore to the Hebrews how the Lord Christ hath the pre-eminence in all things, he instructs them that both the offices, that of an apostle which of old was executed by Moses, and that of the high priesthood committed to Aaron, were vested in him alone; intending afterwards to evince how far he excelled them both, and how excellent were his offices in comparison of theirs, though they came under the same name.

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Thirdly, The limitation adjoined is, s poroyias news,' of our profession," "The Apostle and High Priest of our profession." The words may be taken objectively and passively the Apostle and High Priest whom we profess, that is, believe, declare, and

own so to be. Or they may actively denote the Author of our profession. The Apostle and High Priest who hath revealed and declared the faith which we profess, the religion which we own, and therein exerciseth in his own person the office of the priesthood. In this sense he is called "the Author and Finisher of our faith," chap. xii. 2. Our faith objectively and our profession are the same. Our profession is the faith and worship of God which we profess. This is our hoy, even the gospel, with the worship and obedience required therein. And the Lord Christ was and is the Apostle of this profession, as he revealed the will of God to us in the gospel; as he brought life and immortality to light thereby, teaching and instructing us in the whole will of God, as Moses did the Jews of old. He is also the High Priest of our profession, inasmuch as he himself offered the one and the only sacrifice, which in our religion we own and profess; and continues alone to perform the whole office of a priest therein, as Aaron and his successors did in that of the Jews. It belonged not to the office of the high priest to institute and appoint any thing in the worship of God, but only to execute his own duty, in offering sacrifices, and interceding for the people. So the Lord Christ, who, as the Apostle of our profession, instituted the whole worship of God to be observed therein, as our High Priest doth only offer the sacrifice of the church, and intercede for the people.

The word our,' is added by way of discrimination, and is regulated by the compellation and description foregoing, "Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling;" he is the Apostle and High Priest of our profession. Whatever by others he be esteemed, he is so to us; and our inestimable privilege and honour it is, that he is so.

This is the present exhortation of the apostle. That which he finally aims at, is to prevail with these Hebrews to hold fast the beginning of their confidence to the end. To this purpose he exhorts, warns and chargeth them by all bonds of mutual love and endearedness, by the greatness of the privilege which they are made partakers of, and the inexpressibleness of their concernment therein, that they would fix themselves to a diligent consideration of him, in whom all those offices now in our profession, which of old were shared amongst many, in a low carnal administration of them, are gloriously vested; and how useful this would be to them, and wherein this consideration doth consist, shall afterwards be made to appear. For the present we shall make some observations on the passages of the text that have been opened.

VIII. The business of God with sinners, could be no way transacted, but by the negotiation and embassy of the Son.He must become "our Apostle," that is, be sent to us. He

did indeed at sundry times send servants and messengers into the world about his affair with us; but whereas they could never accomplish it, "last of all he sent his Son," Mat. xxi. 37. Heb. i. 1. There was a threefold greatness, in this matter, which none was fit to manage but the Son of God.

evermore.

I. A greatness of grace, love and condescension.-That the great and holy God should send to treat with sinners for the ends of his message, for peace and reconciliation, it is a thing that all the creation must admire, and that to eternity. every way in himself, holy, good, righteous and blessed for He stood in no need of sinners, of their service, of their obedience, of their being. But he was justly provoked by them, by their apostasy and rebellion against him, and that to an indignation beyond what can be expressed. His justice and law required their punishment and destruction, which, as he could have inflicted to his own eternal glory, so they did not in any thing, nor could by any means, seek to divert him from it. Yet in this condition God will send a message to these poor perishing rebels; an embassy, to treat with them about peace and reconciliation. But this now is so great a thing, includes such infinite grace, love and condescension in it, that sinners know not how to believe it. And indeed who is fit to testify it to them? Objections that arise against it are able to shake the credit and reputation of any angel in heaven. Wherefore God commits this message to his Son, his only Son; makes him his apostle, sends him with these tidings, that they may be believed and accepted, 1 John v. 20. "The Son of God came, and gave this understanding." It is true, that God sent others with some parts of this message before, "for he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets from the beginning of the world," Luke i. 70. But yet, as the first promise was given out by the Son of God himself, as I have elsewhere declared; so all the messages of the prophets in or about this matter, depended on the confirmation of them, that he was afterwards to give in his own person. So saith our apostle, Rom. xv. 8. "Now I say, that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers." The truth of God in this matter delivered by the prophets, was further to be attested by Jesus Christ, to whose testimony they referred themselves. And with respect hereunto, he tells the Pharisees, that if he had not come and spoken to them they had had no sin. If the sealed book of prophecies, concerning the judgment of God in the Revelation, was of so great concernment, that none in heaven, nor in the earth, nor under the earth, that is, that no creature" was able to open it, or look therein," Rev. v. 3. until the Lamb himself undertook it, ver. 6-8.; how much less was any creature meet or worthy to open the eternal secret

counsels of the bosom of the Father, concerning the whole work of his love and grace, but the Son only. The grace of this message was too great for sinners to receive, without the immediate attestation of the Son of God.

II. There is a greatness in the work itself, that is incumbent on the apostle of God, which requireth, that the Son of God should be engaged therein. For,

1. As the ambassador or apostle of the Father, he was perfectly to represent the person of the Father unto us. This an ambassador is to do, he bears and represents the person of him by whom he is sent. And no king can more dishonour himself, than by sending a person in that employment, who, by reason of any defect shall be unmeet so to do. God had, as was said, sent other messengers unto the children of men, but they were all but envoys of heaven, ante-ambulones, some that ran before as particular messengers, to give notice of the coming of this great apostle or ambassador of God. But themselves were not to represent his person, nor could so do. See Mal. iii. 1. Indeed he once, in a particular business, made Moses his especial legate, to represent him to Pharaoh, and therefore he says to him, he Tnn, Exod. vii. 1. That is, instead of God, one that may represent me in my terror and severity unto him. But this was in one particular case and business. But who could fully represent the person of the Father unto sinners in this great matter? None certainly but he, who is in himself," the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person," Heb. i. 3. and so represents unto us, the holiness, the goodness, the grace, the love of the Father by whom he was sent. Hence he tells his disciples, that he who hath seen him, hath seen the Father," John xiv. 9. And that because he is so in the Father, and the Father in him, that he represents him fully unto us, ver. 10. He is "the image of the invisible God," Col. i. 16. That is, the Father, who in his own person dwells in light, whereunto no creature can approach, hath exhibited and expressed the glorious properties of his nature unto us in the person of his Son, as our apostle expresseth it, 2 Cor. iv. 4. None then was fit to be this great apostle but he, for he only could fully represent the Father unto us. Any creature else undertaking this work, would or might have led us into false notions and apprehensions of God. And the great wisdom of faith consists in teaching us to learn the Father, his nature and will, his holiness and grace, in the person of the Son incarnate, as his apostle and ambassador unto us. For beholding his glory, the glory of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth, we behold the glory of his Father also: so he and the Father are one.

2. The greatness of the work requires, that he who under