Greeks (from
whose Customes, and Daemonology, and from the doctrine of the Cabalists,
their Religion became much corrupted): In such sort as nothing can be
gathered from their confusion, both in State and Religion, concerning
the Supremacy in either. And therefore so far forth as concerneth the
Old Testament, we may conclude, that whosoever had the Soveraignty
of the Common-wealth amongst the Jews, the same had also the Supreme
Authority in matter of Gods externall worship; and represented Gods
Person; that is the person of God the Father; though he were not called
by the name of Father, till such time as he sent into the world his Son
Jesus Christ, to redeem mankind from their sins, and bring them into his
Everlasting Kingdome, to be saved for evermore. Of which we are to speak
in the Chapter following.

CHAPTER XLI. OF THE OFFICE OF OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR

Three Parts Of The Office Of Christ

We find in Holy Scripture three parts of the Office of the Messiah: the
first of a Redeemer, or Saviour: The second of a Pastor, Counsellour,
or Teacher, that is, of a Prophet sent from God, to convert such as God
hath elected to Salvation; The third of a King, and Eternall King, but
under his Father, as Moses and the High Priests were in their severall
times. And to these three parts are corespondent three times. For our
Redemption he wrought at his first coming, by the Sacrifice, wherein
he offered up himself for our sinnes upon the Crosse: our conversion
he wrought partly then in his own Person; and partly worketh now by his
Ministers; and will continue to work till his coming again. And after
his coming again, shall begin that his glorious Reign over his elect,
which is to last eternally.

His Office As A Redeemer

To the Office of a Redeemer, that is, of one that payeth the Ransome of
Sin, (which Ransome is Death,) it appertaineth, that he was Sacrificed,
and thereby bare upon his own head, and carryed away from us our
iniquities, in such sort as God had required. Not that the death of one
man, though without sinne, can satisfie for the offences of all men,
in the rigour of Justice, but in the Mercy of God, that ordained such
Sacrifices for sin, as he was pleased in his mercy to accept. In the old
Law (as we may read, Leviticus the 16.) the Lord required, that there
should every year once, bee made an Atonement for the Sins of all
Israel, both Priests, and others; for the doing whereof, Aaron alone was
to