ANSW. Christ executeth the office of a Prophet, in his revealing to
the church, in all ages, by his Spirit and word, in divers ways of
administration, the whole will of God, in all things concerning
their edification and salvation.
That which may be first observed, before we consider the parts of
Christ’s prophetical office, and the manner of his executing it, is the
order in which it is mentioned, as set before his priestly and kingly
offices, which may give us occasion to enquire whether it be executed
before them.
1. If we consider the natural order of his executing his three offices,
or the dependence of the execution of them, one on the other, then it
must be observed, that he first executes his priestly office, and,
pursuant hereunto, his prophetical and kingly; for sinners must first be
redeemed by his blood, before they can be brought to a saving knowledge
of him, or an entire subjection to him; therefore he first deals with
God as a Priest, in our behalf, and thereby prepares the way of
salvation, and lays the foundation thereof, in his oblation and
intercession, and then, as a Prophet and King, he deals with men, and
thereby brings them to God. In this respect, therefore, if these three
offices were to be laid down in their natural order, we must say, that
Christ executes the office of a Priest, Prophet, and King.
2. If we consider the order in which our Saviour executed these offices,
in the exercise of his public ministry, we may say, he first produced
his commission, or proclaimed the end of his coming into the world, and
proved himself to be the Messiah, and so discovered himself to his
people, as the great Prophet of his church; and, after that, he laid
down his life, as a sacrifice for sin, as a Priest, and then he
conquered his enemies, spoiled principalities and powers, and exerted
the exceeding greatness of his power, in the application of redemption,
as a King. It is in this respect that the offices of Christ are
generally treated of, in the same method in which they are here laid
down; so that his prophetical office is first mentioned, which is what
we are now to consider. And,
I. We shall shew how Christ is described, in scripture, as the Prophet
of his church. There are many expressions whereby his prophetical office
is set forth: Thus he is styled, _a Teacher come from God_, John iii. 2.
and he calls himself our _Master_, Matt. xxiii. 8. or the Lord of our
faith, and, as such, is distinguished from all other teachers, some of
which affected very much to be called Rabbi, and would persuade the
world, by an implicit faith, to believe whatever they said: But our
Saviour advises his disciples to refuse that title; for, says he, _One
is your master, even Christ_.
Again, he is called, _a law-giver_, Mat. xxxiii. 22. or, the one and
only lawgiver; and, it is added, that he differs from all other
law-givers, in that he is _able to save, and to destroy_, James iv. 12.
he is also called, _The Angel_, or _Messenger of the covenant_, who
reveals the covenant of grace to us; and brings these glad tidings, that
is, in him, reconciling the world to himself.
He is also called, _The apostle_, as well as the high Priest, _of our
profession_, Heb. iii. 1. as he was first sent of God to publish peace,
before he appointed others, who are called apostles, or inferior
ministers to him, to pursue the same design. He is also styled, _A
witness to the people_, their _leader_ and _commander_, Isa. lv. 4. and
he is farther described, as a _faithful witness_, Rev. i. 5.
And he is set forth by several metaphorical expressions, which denote
the execution of this office, _viz._ _The light which shineth in
darkness_, John i. 5. Thus the prophet Isaiah describes him, when he
says, _Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is
risen upon thee_, Isa. lx. 1. He is likewise compared to the sun, the
fountain of light, and so called, _The Sun of righteousness_, that was
_to arise with healing in his wings_, Mal. iv. 2. and, _The bright and
morning star_, Rev. xxii. 16. by which, and many other expressions to
the same purpose, this prophetical office of Christ is set forth in
scripture.
II. We shall now consider what Christ does in the execution of his
prophetical office, as he is said to reveal the will of God to his
church. And,
1. How he was qualified for this work, which supposes him to have a
perfect knowledge of the divine will. We have before observed, that the
Socinians, agreeably to the low thoughts they have of him, as a mere
creature, suppose, that he was unacquainted with the will of God till he
entered on his public ministry; and, in order to his being instructed
therein, that he was, soon after his baptism, taken into heaven, and
there learned, from the Father, what he was to impart to mankind, which
they suppose to be the meaning of those scriptures, that speak of him,
as _coming down from heaven_, or _coming forth from the Father_, into
the world, John vi. 38. compared with chap. xvi. 28. and his _speaking
as the Father had taught him_, or _what he had seen with his Father_,
chap. viii. 28, 38. But, since we have shewn the absurdity of this
opinion elsewhere, when speaking in defence of our Saviour’s deity[140],
and have considered that those scriptures, which mention his coming down
from heaven, plainly refer to his incarnation, and that the mode of
expression is the same, as when God is said, in other scriptures, to
come down into this lower world, by his manifestative presence here,
which is not inconsistent with his omnipresence; therefore I shall only
add, at present, that those scriptures, which speak of Christ’s being
taught the things which he was to impart to the church, as they do not
overthrow the omniscience of his divine nature; so they give no
countenance to this supposition, that his human nature was taken up into
heaven to be taught the will of God. In this nature, indeed, he needed
instruction, and had no knowledge but what he received by communication;
and it is plainly said of him, that he _increased in wisdom_, as he
advanced in age: But the knowledge which he had, as man, which was
sufficient to furnish him for the execution of this office, proceeded
from a two-fold cause, namely, the union of that nature with his divine
Person, the result whereof was, his having all those perfections that
belong to it, of which the knowledge of divine things is one; for it
would have been a dishonour to him, as God, to be united to a nature
that had the least blemish or defect, or was unqualified to perform the
work which he was therein to engage in. And, besides this, our Saviour
had an unction from the Holy Ghost, which, as has been already observed,
implies not only his receiving a commission, but, together therewith,
all necessary qualifications to discharge the work he was engaged in,
which include in them his knowing the whole will of God; as it is said,
_God gave not the Spirit by measure unto him_, John iii. 34. that is, he
gave it in a greater measure to him, than he ever did to any other, as
the work, that he was to engage in, required it.
2. Let us now consider what is the will of God, which Christ reveals.
This includes in it every thing that relates to our salvation, or that
is necessary to be known and believed by us, in order thereunto, viz.
that God had an eternal design to glorify his grace, in the recovery of
a part of mankind from that guilt and misery, in which they were
involved, and putting them into the possession of compleat blessedness;
and that, in order hereunto, each of the Persons in the Godhead designed
to demonstrate their distinct Personal glory, that, in this respect,
they might receive adoration and praise from men; the Father, as sending
our Saviour, to be a Redeemer; the Son, as taking that character and
work upon him; and the Spirit, as applying the redemption purchased by
him.
Moreover, he was to make a public proclamation that salvation was
attainable; and that the way to attain it, was by sinners coming to him
as a Mediator, by whom they might have access to the Father; and to
invite them to come to him by faith; as he often does in the gospel. He
was also to let them know, that this faith is the gift of God, and in
what way they may expect to attain it, to wit, in a constant attendance
on the ordinances of his own appointment; and, to encourage them
hereunto, that there are many great and precious promises, which are all
put into his hand, to apply and make good to his people. These, and many
other things, which contain in them the sum and substance of the gospel,
are what we understand by the will of God, which Christ communicates, as
a Prophet, to his church. As it may be observed, that these doctrines
are such as are matter of pure revelation, which could not have been
known without it, as well as of the highest importance, and therefore
worthy to be made known by so excellent a Person. And this leads us to
consider,
III. The persons to whom Christ reveals the will of God, namely, the
church; to them the lively oracles of God are committed; and they are
built on the foundations of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ
himself being the chief Corner-stone. As for the world, which is
sometimes opposed to the church, it is said, that, _by wisdom it knew
not God_, 1 Cor. i. 21. that is, not in such a way as he is revealed in
the gospel; but the church, which Christ loved, and for which he gave
himself, is said to be _sanctified by the word_, Eph. v. 26. and _to
them it is given, to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to
others it is not given_, Matt. xiii. 11. so that the church is the seat,
and the object of the execution of Christ’s prophetical, as well as of
his other offices; _They are taught by him as the truth is in Jesus_,
Eph. iv. 21.
IV. We are now to consider the way and means by which Christ reveals the
will of God to the church; there are two ways by which this is done.
1. Objectively, which is an external method of instruction, the effect
and consequence whereof is our hearing of him by the hearing of the ear,
or as the apostle calls it, our _having the form of knowledge, and of
the truth in the law_, Rom. ii. 20. This instruction Christ is said to
give by the word: And this he did; first, by publishing the glad tidings
of salvation in his own Person, which he mentions, as one great end for
which he was sent into the world, as he says, _I must preach the kingdom
of God, for therefore am I sent_, Luke iv. 43. and accordingly he styles
himself, _The Light of the world_, John viii. 12. and it is said, that
_he was anointed to preach good things unto the meek, sent to bind up
the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening
of the prison to them that are bound_, Isa. lxi. 1. and when he is
represented, as complying with the call of God, and _delighting to do
his will_, he adds, _I have preached righteousness in the great
congregation; lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest, I
have not hid thy righteousness within my heart, I have declared thy
faithfulness and thy salvation; I have not concealed thy
loving-kindness, and thy truth, from the great congregation_, Psal. xl.
9, 10. And as Christ preached the gospel in his own Person, so, when he
left the world, he gave commission to others to preach it, and his
Spirit to instruct them what they should deliver, by whose inspiration
his word was committed to writing, which is the fountain of all truth;
and, by this means, the church attains, as at this day, the knowledge
thereof.
2. Our Saviour reveals the will of God to his people, in a subjective
way, which is internal, whereby he deals with their hearts, which he
disposes and fits to receive the truth: Hereby he opens the eyes of the
understanding, to see a beauty and glory in the gospel, and inclines all
the powers and faculties of the soul to be conformed to it; and this he
does more especially in those in whom he executes his prophetical office
effectually, unto salvation. This is styled, in this answer, Christ’s
executing his prophetical office by his Spirit, as distinguished from
the execution thereof by his word. We read sometimes of the Spirit’s
teaching us, in scripture as our Saviour tells his disciples, that He,
viz. the Spirit, _would guide them into all truth_, John xvi. 13. and of
believers _having their souls purified, in obeying the truth, through
the Spirit_, 1 Pet. i. 22. and at other times of Christ’s teaching by
his Spirit. Now there is no essential difference between Christ’s
teaching as God, and the Spirit’s teaching, since the divine glory of
the Son and Spirit, to which this effect is attributed, is the same: But
Christ’s teaching by his Spirit, only denotes, as was before observed
under a foregoing answer, the subserviency of the Spirit’s acting
herein, to Christ’s executing this branch of his prophetical office,
whereby he demonstrates his personal glory[141].
V. We are now to consider the various ages in which Christ is said to
execute this office. That he did this after his incarnation; first, in
his own Person, and then, by taking care that his gospel should be
preached in all succeeding ages, until his second coming, has been
already considered. We may also observe, that Christ executed his
prophetical office before his incarnation: Thus it is said, that, _by
his Spirit, he preached unto the spirits in prison_, that is, to the
world before the flood, who are represented in the words immediately
following, as _disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited
in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing_, 1 Pet. iii. 19, 20.
so that Noah who was a prophet, was his inferior minister, raised up,
and spirited by him, to preach to the world, which upon that account, is
called Christ’s preaching, and accordingly herein he executed his
prophetical office. And he is also said to have given the law from mount
Sinai, as the apostle’s words seem to intimate, when he says, _Whose
voice shook the earth_, Heb. xii. 26. to wit, mount Sinai, which
trembled when he gave the law from thence; and that this refers to our
Saviour, appears from the words immediately foregoing, wherein it is
said, _See that ye refuse not him that speaketh_, namely, Christ; _for
if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth_, to wit, from
mount Sinai, or when he spake on earth, _much more shall not we escape
if we turn away from him, that speaketh from heaven; whose voice then
shook the earth_, &c. ver. 25.
Moreover, that he executed his prophetical office before his
incarnation, and thereby led his church into the knowledge of divine
truth, is evident, from the account we have, in scripture, of his
appearing to them in the form of a man, or an angel, which he more
frequently did, before the word of God was committed to writing, and
afterwards occasionally in following ages: Thus he appeared to Moses in
the burning bush, and sent him into Egypt to demand liberty for Israel,
and afterwards he led them through the red sea, as appearing in the
pillar of the cloud and fire; and he is described, as _the angel which
was with Moses in the church in the wilderness which spake to him in
mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the lively oracles_,
Acts vii. 38. which is a farther proof of what was before mentioned,
that he gave the law from thence; and while they travelled through the
wilderness, he _led them about_, or went before them, in the pillar of
cloud, and _instructed them_, Deut. xxxii. 10. so that all the knowledge
of divine things, which they attained to, was the result of the
execution of his prophetical office unto them. And when at any time they
opposed Moses, his under-minister, he appeared in Person and vindicated
him; as in that particular instance, occasioned by Aaron’s and Miriam’s
speaking against him, wherein it is said, _The Lord came down in a
pillar of a cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and said, If
there be a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will make myself known unto
him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream; my servant Moses is
not so, who is faithful in all mine house_, Numb. xii. 5-7. which is a
farther intimation, that Christ then executed his prophetical office, by
inspiring the prophets, who were raised up at that time.[142]
To conclude this head, we may observe the difference between Christ’s
executing his Prophetical office, before and after his incarnation. In
the former of these, as was but now hinted, he occasionally assumed the
likeness of the human nature, that he might the better converse with
man, but was not really incarnate; in the latter, he delivered the mind
and will of God, as dwelling in our nature. Before this, he discovered
what was necessary to be known by the church at that time, and gave them
those promises which related to the work of our redemption, to be
performed by him: but, in the present execution of his Prophetical
office, he opens a more glorious scene, and represents all those
promises, as having their accomplishment in him, and displays the divine
perfections, in bringing about our salvation, in their greatest beauty
and lustre.
Footnote 140:
See Vol. I. Page 347-350.
Footnote 141:
See Vol. I. Page 291, 292.
Footnote 142:
_The force of this argument, and the application of these and several
other scriptures to Christ, depend upon this supposition, which, we
take for granted, and, were it needful, might easily be proved, that
whenever a divine person is said, in scripture, to appear in the form
of an angel, or to appear in a cloud as a symbol, or emblem of his
presence, this is always meant of our Saviour._ But compare Watts’s
Works, 5 vol. 381, and Edwards’s Works, 4 vol. 491.
Quest. XLIV.