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