XVIII. ON THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST.

Christ, after his resurrection, ascended into heaven. After his ascent he received and bestowed the Holy Ghost. Pentecost. Christ officiates in heaven as the High Priest. His ascent into heaven essential to his priesthood. The perpetuity of his priesthood. The manner of his intercession. Christ the only Mediator between God and man. There can be only one Priest, under the Christian dispensation, viz. Christ. The priesthood of the Papal Church, of Mormonism, &c., a piece of mockery, and, in some cases, of wickedness. The supposed origin of human priesthoods. The order of priests in the Church of England inconsistent. None but Christ can be considered a priest under the Christian dispensation.

THE work of redemption was not fully and absolutely completed until Christ actually ascended into heaven and officiated as High Priest or "Mediator of a better covenant." Heb. viii. 4-6; ix. 6-12, 23, 24.

1. That Christ, after his resurrection, did actually ascend to heaven, is a fact of which the apostles were eye-witnesses. It is true that their bodily eyes could not see him enter into the highest heavens, for "a cloud received him out of their sight." But it is a fact worthy of our notice, that, while they stood gazing towards heaven, in the way which he went, "two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."

Acts i. 10, 11. These "two men," whoever they might be, were sent by divine authority, to assure the disciples of Christ that he had actually ascended "into heaven;" and afterwards his disciples saw him in visions, in his glorified state, in heaven.

St. Stephen, just before he was stoned, said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." Acts vii. 56. And when St. John saw him in his glorified state, "His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength;" and he says: "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Rev. i. 17, 18. Hence, we have satisfactory evidence, that when Christ ascended, he entered into heaven, and was glorified.

2. As a proof of his ascent into heaven, and that he is "glorified with the Father," he received and bestowed the Holy Ghost. This was according to the promise which he made to his disciples while he was with them on earth; and also a striking fulfilment of divine prophesy :" If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." John xvi. 7. The Psalmist predicted the glorious conquest of Christ, as manifested in his resurrection and ascension, where he says: "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men ; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them." Psalm lxviii. 18. This prediction was fulfilled when Christ," by the right hand of God, was exalted."

Having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he shed it forth on his disciples on the day of Pentecost. On this day the Jews held a grand festival unto the Lord, in commemoration of the giving of the law from Mount Sinai; which was 50 days after the Passover. It is worthy of remark, that as Christ was slain at the feast of the Passover, which was first kept by the Hebrews the same night on which they marched out of Egypt, so the Holy Spirit descended like fire, and indicated his powerful presence by a sound from heaven as of a mighty rushing wind, and sent forth the gospel with amazing power and success, of which these phenomena were symbols, the very same festal day as that on which God descended in fire amidst thunder and lightning, and the sound of a trumpet, upon Mount Sinai, and delivered the law. Hence, as the law came from Sinai at the first Pentecost, the gospel, more powerfully but with milder glory, came from Zion on the same festive solemnity, fifty days after the true Lamb of God was slain. This was a significant manifestation that he had ascended to the Father, and a ratification that he had entered upon his intercessory work, as the High Priest of the new and everlasting covenant. His fiery conflict is now over; the great and glorious end for which he assumed our nature is accomplished; the work of redemption is finished-ordered in all things and sure; and the Holy Ghost is bestowed to qualify the immediate disciples of Christ with extraordinary power, to prove the divinity of their mission, and to establish Christianity upon the earth; and bestowed to endow others with his ordinary gifts and graces, and put them in possession of the most indubitable evidence of the genuineness of the

Christian system. The same spirit, in a measure, is communicated to every individual Christian in our day. For, "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Romans viii. 9. Hence, by this Spirit all true believers are enlightened, quickened, regenerated, sanctified, and comforted-have the knowledge of their adoption, the earnest of their inheritance, and are sealed unto the day of redemption. Eph. i. 17, 18; John iii. 5; 2 Thess. ii. 13; 1 Peter i. 2; Rom. v. 5; viii. 15, 16; Gal. iv. 6; Eph. iv. 30.

3. Christ ascended into heaven, and took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, that he might officiate as High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary; and in that capacity consummate the work of atonement, by either virtually or actually pleading the infinite efficacy of his blood on behalf of sinners for whom he died. On this interesting subject many able works have been written, and thousands of sermons preached. It would therefore be superfluous, and incompatible with the design of this work, to enlarge upon it. But, as it forms an essential part of the Christian system, we cannot with any consistency, pass over it without making a few remarks illustrative of what appears to be comprehended in that which is termed "The Priesthood of Christ."

1. Christ, in order to become the High Priest of his Church, in the proper sense of the expression, must ascend into the "holy place made without hands." We are expressly told, that "if he were on earth, he should not be a priest; that is, he could not complete the service answerable to his appointment as High Priest; and the reason is given by the apostle in the following words:

"Seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things," (Heb. viii. 4, 5); that is, the temple, with all pertaining thereto, where the high priest performs the superior service, is the pattern of things in heaven. (See Heb. ix. 2, 23.) Under the Mosaic economy, the law appointed but one earthly priesthood, and it was restricted entirely to the tribe of Levi and the order of Aaron (Exodus xl. 15; Numbers xvi. 40). And as Christ was not of Aaronic descent, but sprang from the tribe of Judah, he had no appointment to the service of the earthly sanctuary, and so could not be an high priest on earth. He suffered on earth as a sacrifice for sin; but the mere slaying of the sacrifice did not complete the atonement, even under the law. Before the work was completed, the blood of the sacrifice (or a portion of it) was brought within the vail, into the holiest of all, and there sprinkled upon the mercy-seat, after the offering of the incense. This was a service peculiar to the high priest. (Leviticus xvi. 15.) Now, Jesus could not thus officiate upon earth, there being no holy place appointed for him, in which he might offer his gift and sacrifice, after the manner of the high priest under the law. But, nevertheless, the Son of God is an High Priest, consecrated by the word of the oath for ever. (Heb. vii. 28.) And the apostle, discussing Christ's unchanging priesthood, says: "Now, of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." Heb. viii. 1. And in chapter ix. 11, 12, he says: "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater