17 SALVATION OF hNAN BY CIIRIST. Faith applies this salvation to us, or secures tous an inter- est therein, byour humble acceptance of Jesui Christ, for such a Mediator as God has proposed hiin in his word. Now this acceptance of him as our Mediator, implies in it an earnest desire of reconciliation to God by him, as St. Paul beseeches the Corin- thians to be willing to be reconciled: It is an inward and hearty approbation of what Christ has done, and what he does for our reconciliation in hismediatorial offices, attended with sincere repentance for past offences, and a submission to God for time to come, which is necessarily, and in the very nature of things required of all that would be reconciled to God, by the media- tion of Christ*, andhereby we become partakers of those bles- sings- of pardon, peace and grace, which are procured byour great Mediator. LII. Christ is set forth as our high -priest in the New Testa- ment, as he was typified under that character in the Old Testa.. ment ; and especially in the epistle to the Hebrews, chapters iv. viii. and it. Now in fulfilling this office, he offered a sacrifice acceptable to God upon earth, even a sacrifice ofatonement, or propitiation by his own blood, and he ascended to heaven tó pre- sent it there before the throne of God ; Heb. viii. 3. and ix. 12, 22, 24. He went thither, not without blood, to appearfir us in the presence ofGod, and to intercede for us in the virtue of his sacrifice, chapter vii. 25. which, in the language of scripture, is represented as carrying his blood into heaven, and ash were appearing with it there before the throne of God :" All which was shadowed out by the high -priest carrying the blood of the sacrifice into the holy, of holies, and sprinkling it there at the. mercy-seat. Our salvation under this character is called also peace, . pardon or remission of sins, reconciliation and eternal redemption, and the promise of the eternal inheritance; Heb. ix. 12, 15. Faith entitles us to the saving benefits of the priesthood of Christ bythe acceptance of him, as our high-priest and intercessor, to make our peace with God, by appearingbefore God for us in the virtue ofhis sacrifice, and -making intercession for us there. Or faith may be represented as our coming to God the Father by Jesus Christ, as our high-priest, or applying to the throne ofgrace for mercy under the umbrage and encouragement of Jesus our high- priest, who is gone thither for us ; lieb. iv. 14-,-l6. IV. Our Lord Jesus Christ is described not only as oúr high-priest, but he himself was also the very sacrifice ofpropiti atioa oratonement, to take away our sins ; Heb. ix. 12, 211. He * The personal ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, was repent and believe the gospel; Mark i. 15. The message withwhich he sent his apostles to the Jews was the same ; Mirk vi. I'S. Luke ix. 6. and the business of St. Paul among the Gentiles, was to te.!'y to then repentance toward God, and faith inour Lord Jesus; !lets xx. 61. -
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