comparing the one with the other his former with his later thoughts his Book De Satisfactione with some of his Comments So doing I have found the one clear and candid free from subterfuge or evasion such as whatever hath been assayed by way of reply to it may give full satisfaction to any unprejudiced spirit The other so palpably guilty of both as that they deserve both Censure and Pity And this to me and I suppose it may be the like to others hath been and is no small confirmation of this Truth of God Surely if any one had been able to answer Grotius it should have been Grotius himselfe then whom I know none more able to have done it and as it seemeth none more willing But finding him so foiled by himselfe so unable by all his Artifice to build again what before he had destroyed I cannot but subscribe to that Apocryphall Text 1 Esdras 4.41 Magna est veritas praevalet Great is Truth and mighty above all things May these my poor labours contribute ought towards the clearing and vindicating of this sacred Truth upon which I do freely adventure my own soul not knowing in what other way to look for salvation whilest God hath the Glory and others the Benefit my selfe shall have what I aimed at In the desire whereof I rest Thine in the Service of this blessed Mediatour JOHN BRINSLEY An Alphabetical Table of the chief Points handled in this TREATISE A CHrist an Advocate for his people and how p. 168 Christ an Agent or Lidger Ambassadour in heaven 160 How Christ performeth the office of an Agent in heaven for us on earth 162 Angels whether they have any benefit by Christs Mediation 198 Christ the Head of good Angels 202 To the good Angels Christ is a Mediator of Confirmation 201 Primitive Angel-worship 268 Christ the Annointed how 38 The Greek particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 explained 75 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounded 77 Comfort against fear of totall and finall Apostasie 233 Christs appearing on earth in the end of the world 88 Christ appeareth once upon earth and once in heaven 90 Christ an Arbitrator betwixt God and Man 48 To receive the Attonement what 246 Christ an Atturney for his people and how 170 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 explained 125 B HOw Christ is said to bear our sins 66 The difference betwixt Christs bearing our sins and our sicknesses 67 Sins expiated by Blood 102 Covenant old and new both made with Blood 148 149 C CHrist called to the office of a Mediatour and that by God his Father 34 36 How Christ was called to this Office 37 When Christ was called to this Office 42 Christ a Surety by way of caution 139 Conditions of the new Covenant Faith and Obedience 141 Christ an undertaker for the performance of these Conditions ibid. No cruelty in the Sufferings of Christ 129 Crueltie what and when 130 D DAvid annoynted a type of Christ 38 39 The death of Christ more then a preparatory to his oblation 93 Comfort against Death 239 The Law Deuter. 24.16 against commutations of Punishment explained and cleared 114 Christ the Disposer of his people 193 Christ a Dispenser to his people ib. E SAtan a Mediator of Enmity 28 Mediators of Enmity too many 29 Naturall enmity betwixt God and Man 221 Sense of enmitie preparatory to reconciliation 222 Enmity against God to be laid aside 247 Expiation how understood by the Socinian 98 Christs expiation properly of the guilt of sin ibid. Expiatory Sacrifices under the Law a type of Christs expiation 99 Sacrifices under the Law how they are said to expiate 101 Ezek. 18.20 explained and vindicated 106 F FAith and Repentance subordinate unto Christ and his satisfaction 110 Forgivenesse of sins how consistent with Christs satisfaction 125 126 The Parable of the Kings forgiving his servants Mat. 18.23 explained 127 G A double Garment wherwith Christ cloatheth his Elect 191 The Elect gathered by Christ into his Kingdom of Grace and Glory and how 181 Christs giving himself for us explained and vindicated 74 Christ truly God evinced by Scriptures 10 The God-head of Christ evinced by Argument 12 Christ not Mediator only as God 204 God taken Essentially and Personally 209 Christ as God-man differeth from God and man 210 Christ as God differeth from his Father a threefold difference 211 The God-head of Christ concurred with his man-hood in all the acts of his Mediatorship 213 The God-head concurring with the man-hood in suffering 4 ways 216 Christ a governour generally over the whole world specially over mankind 175 Christs government over the Reprobate world 176 Christs government over the Elect world 180 Christs outward government in his Church 184 Christs inward government in the Hearts of Beleevers 185 The Grace of God consistent with Christs Satisfaction 120 Grace gloriously manifested in Christ his satisfaction in five particulars 121 c. The Grace of God exalted by the Doctrine of Christs satisfaction more then by the Socinian Doctrin 123 The Grace of God in vaine to four sorts af Persons 242 The Grace of God in Christ to be received 246 Guilt under the Law twofold viz. Ceremonial External Morall Eternall 101 H HEarts of men not known by Saints or Angels 269 Hebr. 9.26 opened and glossed upon 88 The Holy Ghost how said to intercede 261 I CHrist took our infirmities how 69 Comfort against daily infirmities 231 Innocent persons may suffer for the nocent and how 115 Christ an Interpreter betwixt God and Man 50 Christ an Intercessor upon earth in heaven 154 156 Intercession made by Christ for his people but against his enemies 157 158 Christs Intercession a necessary Transaction putting life into his death 159 Saints upon earth how Intercessors 259 Neither Saints nor Angels properly Mediators of Intercession 266 Isai 53. a cleer Prophecie concerning Christs Satisfaction opened 63 Isa 53.4 compared with Mat. 8.16 and cleered 66 Comfort against the last Judgment 240 Christs Satisfaction how consistent with the Justice of God 113 Justice twofold Strict Moderated ibid. Justification an act of grace notwithstanding Christs Satisfaction 124 L JAcobs Ladder the mystery of it 46 Christ a Lidger-Ambassadour in heaven and great need he should be so 161 Whether one man may lay down his Life for another 117 Christ an absolute Lord over his own Life 118 Christ gave his Life a ransome for many for a world 119. 126 Gods eternall Love to his Elect what 26 The Love of God demonstrated in appointing and giving Christ to be a Mediator 35 This Love declared in three particulars 225 M MAgistrates though enemies to the truth must be prayed for and why 3 4 Christ true Man but not meet Man 119 Christ Mediatour not onely as Man 204 The Man Christ Jesus why so called 207 Christ a Mediator betwixt God and Men 6 A twofold Mediation of Christ Satistantiall Operative 7 Mediation of Christ how managed and carried on viz. by 5 stops 48 Christ
Annot. ad loc but then they add'd the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord and God A Text speaking so full for the Divinity of Christ that as Beza saith of it All the Arians in the world do but in vaine go about to elude it To this add that other obvious one of the Apostle Rom. 9.5 where speaking of Christ he calleth him God blessed for ever True it is what Erasmus observes Cyprianus lib. adversus Judaeos 2 cap. 5. Hilarius in Psal 12.2 Vide Bezam Graec. Annot. and Grotius sayeth hold of that in citing this Text some of the Ancients as Cyprian and Hilary have left out the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God But that omission saith Beza is to be imputed Librariorum vitio to the writers or keepers of those copies which plainly appears in that the designe of both these Authours in those places is from that Text to prove that the Name of God doth truely and properly agree unto Christ To which purpose also the Greek Father Athanasius in his disputation against the Arians urgeth both that Text and Word To these if need were other Testimonies might be added as that known one Phil. 2.6 where the Apostle speaking of Christ he saith that Hee being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God Which place however obscured by Erasmus and wrested and blanched by Grotius and others yet speaketh fully for the Divinity of Christ as Beza clearly vindicates it Beza Gr. Annot To these adde Tit. 2.13 3.4 Jude 25. 1 John 5.20 And that other Joh. 5.18 where this is laid down for a ground of the Jews malice against our Saviour that he said that God was his father making himselfe equall with God For the seconding of these Testimonies I might subjoyn many Arguments clearly evincing the God-head of Christ By Arguments Five of which a Modern Divine for memories sake hath comprized in one Latine verse Martinius in Symbolum lib. 2. cap. 5. Jova Dei Natus Propriū Dei et Actio Cultus Arg. 1 1 Jova The name of God J his proper name Jehovah is given to him The proper Name of God Jehovah given to Christ So we find it in that place forenamed Jer. 23.6 2. Dei Natus The Son of God So he Arg. 2 is called Luke 1.35 Gal. 4.4 And that not by Creation Christ the Son of God as Angels are said to be Job 1.6 Psal 89.6 And Adam Luke 3.38 Nor yet only by Profession as all the Worshippers of the true God are called Gen. 6.1 Nor yet by the Grace of adoption as all true Beleevers are Joh. 1.12 Rom. 8.14 Gal. 4.5 But the Son of God properly so called his Son by nature by an eternall generation an inexpressable and unconceivable emanation of essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic rectè dicitur quia singulari modo à Deo processit Grot. Annot. ad loc Joh. 1.14 and communication of substance Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psal 2.7 which the Apostle applies and appropriates unto Christ Heb. 1.5 Thus is he the Son of God so as no creature is or can be said to be Thence called the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 3. Proprium Many of the Properties of God Arg. 3 Incommunicable properties are attributed unto him As Divine Properties attributed to Christ 1 Eternity 1. Eternity In the Beginning was the Word saith Saint John Joh. 1.1 speaking of the Messiah that Essential word of whom and by whom God spake unto the Fathers This Word was in the Beginning Not that temporal and determinate beginning in time or with time of which Moses speaks Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God Created the heaven and the earth But indeterminate and eternall so our new Annotation expounds that word Or in the Beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic mos est Hebraeis aeternitatem populariter describere Grot. Annot. ad loc when the world began first to be created then he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam tum erat having a being before it and consequently from Eternity So much we learn from that of the Wise man Prov. 8.23 24 c. where speaking in the person of Christ the Son of God the Essentiall Wisedome of the Father I saith he was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was When there were no depths I was brought forth c. And to the same purpose our Apostle Col. 1.17 describing of Christ He is saith he Before all things viz. all Created things Before the world was So much we learn from our Saviours own mouth Joh. 17.5 Father glorifie thou we with thine own selfe with the Glory I had with thee before the world was Such glory had the Lord Christ with his Father viz. in the heavens and that before the world was This he had not only in regard of Destination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sc Destinatione tuâ Grotius Annot ad loc being predestinated to it by God his Father as Grotius would evade it but in regard of Actuall possession The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way saith Christ the Son of God Prov. 8.22 And as his Father possessed him so he was possessed of the selfesame glory with his Father before the world was from Eternity His goings forth have been from of old from everlasting from the days of Eternity saith the Prophet Micah speaking of the Messiah Mic. 5.2 2. Immensity 2. As Eternity so Immensity to be present in all places Where two or three are met together in my name saith our Saviour there am I in the midst among them Mat. 18.20 viz. by his Eternall spirit A passage as Grotius observes upon it most like unto that trite sentence in use among the Jews Ubi duo consident sermonem habenies de lege Shecinah est inter ipsos Grot. ad loc Where two are sitting together and conferring about the Law there is the Shecinah the divine majesty amongst them 3. As Immensity and Omnipresence so Omnipotency 3. Omnipresence Hee shall change our vile body saith the Apostle that it may be like unto his glorious body according to the mighty working wherby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3. ult 4. As Omnipotency so Omnisciency 4. Omnisciency Lord thou knowest all things saith Peter Joh. 21.17 He needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what wat in man Joh. 2.25 He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a searcher of the hearts knowing the thoughts of men and that before they bewrayed themselves by any outward expression De animis hominum certò judicare solius est Dei Grot. in Act. 1.25 as appears from those known places Mat. 9.4 Luke 16.15 now this is confessedly God 's peculiar God which knoweth the hearts Acts 15.8
able to restore the Image of God in man but he who was the Image the essential and substantial Image of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the expresse Image of his Father's Person as Christ is called Heb. 1.3 None able to reveal and make known the whole mind and will of God unto man but he he who was in the bosome of the Father and is the Word of the Father None able to ingratiate poor sinners with God his Father but he he who was the well beloved Son of God in whom the Father was wel pleased None able to make others Sons by grace the grace of Adoption but he that was the Son of God by nature by an eternall generation none able to performe that threefold office of a King Priest and Prophet to his Church but he In a word none able to effect the salvation of lost mankind but he Neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 No name no other Person or Power whereby salvation can be expected but only by and through the merit and Mediation of Jesus Christ He onely is able to perfome the office of a Mediatour Arg. 4. Again Arg. 4. There needeth no other Mediatour Other Mediator there needeth not He being so every wayes sufficient for all those services which belong to that office Able to satisfie for his people to pay all their debts to receive and present and their prayers and wants to reveal the whole mind of God to them In a word Able perfectly to saved those who come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 You see that it is so why it must be so For further illustration give me leave to clear an Objection or two Object 1. Moses is called a Mediatour Object 1. Is Christ the only Mediatour How then is this attributed to others in particular to Moses in that place fore-alledged Gal. 3.19 The Law was given in the hand of a Mediator meaning Moses Answer Others may be Ministers of the Word but not Authours of the Work of Reconciliation Ans To this is it answered Others may be Ministers of the word but not Authours of the work of Reconciliation Such was Moses an Internuncius an Intermessenger betwixt God the people And such are the Ministers of the Gospel whose office the Apostle sets forth 2 Cor. 5.18 19. They have the ministry the word of Reconciliation committed and given unto them Thus are they Ministers of the word but not Authours of the work This is Christ's peculiar But one Mediatour Object 2. Are not Saints and Angels Mediatours Object 2. But what say we to Saints and Angels Are not they Mediators betwixt God and men though not of Redemption yet of Intercession They being in Heaven pray for the Church upon Earth Do they not Answer Not Properly no not of Intercession Ans To grant this which in the general may not be denyed Saints and Angels in Heaven sympathizing with the Church upon Earth being members of the same mysticall Body they do earnestly desire the welfare of it Those blessed souls which being separated from their bodies have as yet received but a part of their glory and happiness they wait for the Redemption of their own Bodies And whilest they wish well to themselves they are not unmindfull of others who are yet in that militant state and condition upon earth through which themselves have passed being themselves come safe to shore they are not unmindful of those who are yet floating amidst the waves of this troublesome world Both Saints and Angels questionlesse do desire the welfare of all God's Elect the perfecting of his Kingdom of Grace here and the hastening of his Kingdom of Glory hereafter And these desires they may in their way represent unto God About this we will not contend with any adversary But what then shall we hereupon stile them and own them for Mediators Not so no not so much as Mediators of Intercession This I shal clear up unto you anon in the Application To which I shall adjourn it Obj. 3. But what say we to Saints upon Earth Obj. 3. Are not Saints upon Earth intercessors Are not they Mediators Do not they intercede for others Is not this both their liberty their Duty Surely they both may do it and must do it Moses in his time interceded for Israel yea for Pharaoh Samuel for Saul Job for his friends And Paul here in the entrance of this Chapter requires it from all I Exhort that Intercessions he made for all men v. 1 How then do we say that there is but one Mediatour betwixt God and Men Ans A Broad difference betwixt Christs Mediation and theirs A. to this it is answered There is a broad difference betwixt Christs Mediation his Intercestion and theirs They are indeed mutuall and humble suppliants one for another at the throne of grace Not presenting the prayers of others Not suing for any thing in their own names but in the name of Christ not in way of Merit but of Mercy All their confidence of obtaining their desires at the hands of God whether for others or themselves being in the alone Merit and Mediation of Christ as the Priests interceding was by the blood of the sacrifice which he offered up But now Christ in his Intercession for his people presents and tenders his own blood his own Merit unto God his Father by vertue whereof he impetrateth and obtaineth whatever he maketh suit for So as still he is the alone Mediatour properly so called Obj. 4. Is not the Holy ghost an Advocate Obj. 4. But yet in the last place Is this office peculiar unto Christ What say we then to the Holy Ghost doth not he come in as a partner with Christ in this his Mediatorship How else is it that each is stiled a Paraclete an Advocate So Christ is called 1 Joh. 2.1 We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And the same stile is given by Christ himself unto the Holy Ghost Joh. 14.16 I wil pray the Father and he wil give you another Advocate So again v. 26. cap. 15.26 16.7 In all which places the word in the Originall is one and the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Paraclete an Advocate An. The Holy ghost properly a Comforter An. For Answer to this know we that one word signifieth both an Advocate and a Comforter In the former sense it agreeth properly unto Christ in the later to the Holy ghost whose office it is to comfort the hearts of Gods people So our Translation there most fitly renders it a Comforter Rep. But the Holyghost is said to intercede for us So we have it expresly Rom. 8.26 Improperly an Intercessour The Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us A. True it doth so but how why by teaching the faithfull how to make their requests provoking them
name Mediator to be given to any save only to Christ And hereabout he professeth he will not contend with us Neither shall I at the present here enter the lists with him or any other about this subject whether the Name or thing This being a beaten controversie betwixt us and the Church of Rome which many having dealt fully with I may well spare my labour As for us hold we fast this truth of God One Mediator Exclusively which this text fo clearly holdeth forth unto us There is one Mediator betwixt God and men the man Christ Jesus One Exclusively one and but one In this office Christ hath no partners As for the word Mediator we will not much contend about it whether it may in a qualified sense be given to some others As it was to Moses at the giving of the Law so in a like sense it may be given to the ministers of Christ under the Gospel whose office it is to go and deal betwixt God and his people And possibly taking the word in a large sense it may be given to private christians who by way of charity intercede for others in their prayers to God on their behalfe But seeing the Spirit of God in the Scripture is not acquainted with this language therefore we own it not wee approve it not Rather chusing to reserve this as a Title of Honour peculiar unto Jesus Christ He is the One and Only Mediator As for Angels or Saints departed we cannot allow them either name Angels and Saints no Mediators of Intercession or thing As for those forenamed distinctions in asmuch as they find no footing in Scripture we acknowledge them not Sure we are which our adversaries wil not deny properly Mediators betwixt God and men they neither are nor can be no not of Intercession Two requisites in such a Mediator both wanting in them In a Mediator of Intercession there are at least these two things requisite Hee must be designed and appointed by God unto this office or service And he must be acquainted with the condition of those for whom hee is to intercede But neither of these shall wee find agreeing whether to Saints or Angels 1. Their Deputation 1. For their Deputation we know no such office or service designed to either Angels indeed they are appointed to be Guardians unto the Saints upon earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for the good of them which shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1. last But as for Mediators Intercessours betwixt God and men wee know no such office conferred upon them As for Saints upon earth they have indeed a general commission to intercede one for another But what commission the Saints in heaven have to intercede for their Brethren upon earth that we know not which if they had they are not capable of executing and discharging it In as much as in the 2d place 2. They are not privie to the estates of men upon earth 2. They are not privie to the states and conditions of men here below Whatever Angels are sure they are not That of the Preacher seemeth to speak so much Eccles 9.5 6. The living know that they shall dye but the dead know not any thing Not any thing which is done here below So the next verse explains it Neither have they any more portion for ever in any thing which is done under the Sun No their transactions and negotiations are above the Sun As for occurrences here below they are not in an ordinary way privie to them A truth more then probable which if any shall question it may be extorted and made good by way of Argumentation Arg. If Saints departed be acquainted with humane affairs upon earth Evinced by Argument they must have this knowledge either in an Immediate or mediate way Either Immediately by themselves or Mediately from some other But not the former They do not of themselves take immediate cognizance of things here below So much is rightly concluded from that passage 2 Kin. 22. last where the Lord promiseth Josia that hee would gather him unto his fathers in peace and his eyes should not see all the evill which he would bring upon Jerusalem Saints in heaven are neither eye nor eare witnesses of what happeneth upon earth However sure we are they cannot take notice of all persons and all occurrences in all places of the world at the same time This is an infinite perfection which neither Man nor Angell is capable of Nor yet the later They do not attaine this knowledge at the second hand by way of Revelation or Information For if so then they must have it either from God or from Angels or from soules departed But all these are no lesse then ridiculous 1. Such is the first To imagine that God should first reveal our necessities and our prayers to the Saints to the end that they should intercede with him for us How absurd is this circulation what were this but to make God an Intercessour for us to the Saints who are pretended to be Intercessours for us to him 2. And such is the second In as much as Angels themselves neither do nor can take notice of all things which are done here below Besides that in this way they should be our Mediatours to the Saints 3. And such is the third In as much as souls departing do not themselves know all things How should they inform the Saints in heaven of what themselves were ignorant of upon Earth Upon these reasons and grounds we must conclude Saints in Heaven in an ordinary way ignorant of humane affairs here below Doubtlesse thou art our Father saith the Prophet though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not Isai 63.16 The Schoolmen's Speculum Divinum a fancie I am not ignorant of what Bellarmine and others of the School-men here dream of viz. of a Speculum divinum how that Saints and Angels behold all things in God as in a looking Glass which being set before one representeth unto him what is behind him so as he therein beholdeth at once whatever is in the room But this is but a fancie a groundlesse speculation wherewith I shall not trouble you or my selfe Sure we are Neither Saints nor Angels know the hearts of men some things there are which neither Saints nor Angels know as viz. the hearts of men This they cannot do but they must do if they be Intercessours for others How else shall they know the mentall prayers and suits of their Clients How shal they know them to be in the number of true believers such whose prayers shal find audience in heaven surely they wil not as too many Advocates upon earth do undertake a promiscuous solicitation and intercession for all comers for Judas as well as Peter Hypocrites as well as Saints And if not so then they must be able to discern the spirits and to search the hearts of
Thus are the properties of God attributed to him 4. And so in the 4th place is Dei Actio Argu. 4 Divine Actions and Works Divine Actions ascribed to Christ Creation they are attributed and referred to him As viz. Creation All things were made by him Joh. 1.3 By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible Col. 1.16 By whom God made the worlds saith the Authour to the Hebrews Heb. 1.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videtur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic rectè accipi posse pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grot. ad loc not propter quem as Grotius would evade that cleare Text For whom he made the worlds But per quem By whom So the Apostle to to put it out of doubt putteth them together Col. 1.16 All things were created by him and for him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus were the world 's made by him Not onely the New world the intellectuall world the world of mankind which is the chiefest part of the world whom God reformeth and restoreth by the mediation of Christ Dr. Lusshington Comment ad loc Heb. 1.2 by giving him a new state and condition by a new Covenant So indeed I finde a Divine of our own expounding that Text Borrowing his Exposition as I suppose from Grotius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intellige omnia quae ad novam Creationem pertinent Grot. Annot. ad Col. 1.16 Similiter super versum 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et haec vox inquit de veteri creatione ad novam traducitur upon that place forenamed Col. 1.16 who being there put to a straight maketh use of the same shift A miserable subterfuge What world 's the Apostle there speaketh of we may learn by comparing him with himselfe that Text Heb. 1.2 with that other Heb. 12.3 Through faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the word of God These were the worlds which God the Father made by his Son even the whole Vniverse the upper world and the lower world the visible and the invisible world both continuing through severall ages And therefore called in the plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worlds These worlds God the Father made by his Son and that not as an Instrument or inferiour Agent but a concurring cooperating and equall cause having the same efficiency with his Father onely differing in the order of working Providence And as Creation so Providence That we finde also ascribed unto Christ As the Father made the world by him so he governeth it by him So it there followeth Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his Person he upholdeth all things by the word of his Power Thus doth Christ bear up all things continuing to the severall creatures their being ordering and governing them and this he doth by the word of his power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christus verbo potentiae paternae id est jussu regit cuncta Grot. ad loc as Grotius would have it referring it to God the Father by whose order and command saith he Christ governeth the world by the word of his power but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word of his own power i. e. his own powerfull word Verbo illo suo potente Beza as Beza renders it By this word he made the world He spake and it was done And by this word he governeth the world by his own mighty word the word of his Power Both these are divine Actions and being ascribed unto Christ evidence him to be no lesse then God 5. The fifth and last particular is Cultus Arg. 5 Divine Worship That we shall also finde given unto Christ Divine worship given to Christ When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 The Angels who refused divine honour to be given to themselves See thou do it not saith the Angel to John when John fell at his feet to worship him I am thy fellow-servant c. Rev. 19.10 and 22.9 yet they give and must give it unto Christ And so must all others Believing on him Ye believe in God believe also on me John 14.1 The same respect that Christians give unto God the Father they must also give unto the Son believing on him which is an honour due onely to God other creatures Men and Angels may be believed but not believed on rested on This were to make them Gods no lesse then Idolatrie And so invocating him It is the Saints Character they are such as call on the Name of the Lord Jesus Acts 2.21 and 9.14 Now put these together the Name and Titles of God the Son of God the Properties of God the Actions of God the Worship due only to God all these are attributed and ascribed to Christ A full evidence that he is and must be more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dr. Lusshington in Heb. 7.22 meer man or yet a Divine Man as some of them stile him viz. Truely God as well as Man Upon this Subject I shall say no more neither should I at the present have said so much did I not take notice of a generation of men and those none of the meanest for learning and parts Socinians risen up in these shaking times who are not afraid to set their shoulders to this principle of Faith indeavouring to overthrow this main pillar of the Christians hope and of his Religion the Divinity the God-head of Jesus Christ Against them it is for the vindicating of the Truth of God from some of their evasions and false glosses and the confirming and establishing you in the faith which you have received that I have spent this little time and strength The Text cleered from the Socinian glosse Object But yet what say we to the words of the Text which hold forth Christ unto us onely as a Man The Man Christ Jesus Ans True so he is Man True Man Christ true Man but not meer Man but not meer Man Verus sed non merus The word is not to be taken exclusively as denying the Divine Nature No Elsewhere in this Epistle the same pen stileth him God as I have shewn you God manifested in the Flesh So as here is no ground for the Arian or Socinian to cast anchor upon By the like reason the Marcionites or Manichees might conclude against the truth of Christ's Humanity because else-where he is called God God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 Thus is the same Person being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both God and Man sometimes denominated from one nature sometimes from the other Sometimes called God and sometimes man Yet so as he is truely both And in that respect fitly said to be a Mediatour betwixt God and men having an Interest in and participating of both Natures Reas Reason Why
in this those who are his resemble him they are a people willing and obedient Isai 1.19 willingly obeying God for himselfe and those which are set over them under him for his sake 6. Love 6. Love Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us Ephes 5.2 He loved the Church and gave himselfe for it ver 25. Greater love hath no man then this that a man should lay down his life for his freinds John 15.13 This hath Christ done and more While we were yet sinners enemies Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 And herein are those which are Christs conformable to Christ in their measure They are all in a good sense of the Family of Love Such as love God above all with all their heart c and their neighbours as themselves Mat. 22.37 39. The true Christian is one that loveth the Lord Jesus in sincerity Ephes 6.24 One that loveth the Saints and that because they are Saints and so consequently all Saints Ephes 1.15 One that loveth and imbraceth the Image of God where-ever he meeteth with it One that loveth his enemies ready to do good to them that hate him praying for those which despitefully use him Mat. 5.45 Thus the same mind is in those who are engrafted into Christ which was in Christ himself Phil. 2.4 7. Mercy 7. Mercy Jesus Christ was and is a mercifull High Priest Heb. 2.17 In the dayes of his flesh he was ready to shew mercy both to the souls and bodies of all those that sought it from him The like bowels of mercy there are in measure to be found in all that are Christs they are such as have put on bowels of mercy Col. 2.12 The wisdome which is from above is full of mercy Jam. 3.17 8. Contempt of the world 8. Contempt of the world Christ was neither covetous nor ambitious He professeth his Kingdom was not of this world John 18.36 And therefore when a Crown was offered him and forced upon him he refused it John 6.15 Disdaining to do any homage to Satan though it were for all the Kingdoms upon earth Mat. 4.8 In this those which are Christs resemble him They looking upon the fashion of this world as transitory passing away they use it as not abusing it 1 Cor. 7.31 Not suffering their affections to run out inordinately after the things thereof not seeking great things for themselves not placing their happinesse here below 9. Heavenly-mindednesse 9. Lastly Heavenly-mindednesse In this sense though not onely in this as Grotius would have it Christ saith of himselfe that he was in heaven whilest he was upon earth so he tels the Jews Grotius Com. in John 3.13 John 3.13 The Son of man which is in heaven So he was properly according to his Godhead which still kept residence in heaven and so he was according to his Manhood having his affections and his conversation there So much his continuall discourse shewed which from earthly things still ascended up to heavenly And in this those which are risen with Christ resemble him in their measure having their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their cheife negotiation and businesse in Heaven as I shewed you lately from Phil. 3.20 Thus we see how they who are risen with Christ live the life of Christ expressing all the aforesaid vertues in the course of their lives and conversations Now put the Question to our selves Do we this in our measure Are the like fruits to be found in us If so surely these are no other but fruits and consequences of this first Resurrection But if otherwise If our lives carry no such but contrary impressions not expressing the vertues of the second but altogether the vices of the first and old Adam certainly we are as yet under the power of the first bound over unto the second death Many other Shibboleths might I give you whereby those which have any part in this first Resurrection may be differenced from them which have not But these may be sufficient This triall being made two sorts of persons will come now to be dealt withall Such as yet have no part in this first Resurrection Such as have Let me speak to them severally I begin with the former 1. Application to such as are yet in the grave of sin 1. Such as are yet in the grave of sin under the power of a spirituall death strangers to this first Resurrection let me speak unto you in the like language that our Saviour did once to Lazarus John 11.43 Let them awake and arise from the dead Lazarus come forth or as Peter did to Dorcas Acts 9.40 Tabitha arise Come ye forth of that grave of sin wherein your souls lie putrifying and corrupting Arise stand up from the dead So the Apostle cals upon those in your condition Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead Awake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word as both Beza and Grotius note upon it properly signifieth the awakening of a drunken man that is somno vinóque sepultus buried as it were in sleep and wine his coming to himselfe again As it is said of Noah Gen. 9.24 Noah awoke from his wine And so the Prophet Joel speaking to the Drunkards of his time he bids them awake Awake ye drunkards Joel 1.5 In the like language the Apostle there speaketh to the Christians of his time who were corrupted in their judgements with that pestilent errour of Saducaisme denying the Resurrection of the dead affirming the Resurrection mentioned in Scripture to be no other but the renewing of the world by the Gospel and the spirituall Regeneration of the soul by the grace of God an errour hatched in those times and revived in ours even amongst our selves This errour the Apostle there looketh upon as we may do upon all errour as having in it an inebriating property intoxicating and stupifying the souls of them that were possessed with it and thereupon he calls upon them to awake from that drunkennesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Awake unto righteousnesse or righteously that is so awake as that you may henceforth live and walk as becometh Saints in holinesse and righteousnesse The same say I to all habituall and customary sinners such whose souls are cast into this dead sleep in whom custome in sinning hath taken away the sense of sin and I wish I could speak loud enough so speak as you might hear me Awake you Awake from sin unto righteousnesse Awake arise stand up from the dead that Christ may give you light and life Motives to presse this Motion Motive Better never rise then not thus arise I shall not use many Take one for all Except you thus arise better never arise Except you thus arise here better never arise hereafter Unlesse you have your part in this first Resurrection better you should never have your part in the second Resurrection This later you shall have your bodies shall be raised again at the last day O that you may then
Office viz. In his secret purpose and Decree 2. Being thus Elected to it he was also furnished for it Furnished for it Furnished with all requisite Ans 2 Qualifications for the discharge of it So it there followeth Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect one c. I have put my Spirit upon him Isaiah 42.1 that is fitting him for that office to which he was Elected 3. Being thus elected to it and furnished for it he was Invested in it Invested in it This are we to Ans. 3 understand by those phrases even now named of Gods giving his Son John 3.16 His sending his Son Galat. 4.4 Each importing the Investiture of Christ into the office of his Mediatorship Here is the manner of this his calling to this office He was thus designed to it furnished for it Invested in it All which may be conceived to be comprehended in that one word Anointing All comprehended in the word Anointing From whence this our Mediator is called by the name of Messiah or Christ Thou art Christ it is the Divels confession Matth. 16.16 And the Christ We have seen the Messia which is being interpreted The Christ Joh. 1.41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Christ of God Luk. 9.20 i. e. One Anoynted of God Anointed by way of Designation Qualification Inauguration All these three wayes was David Anoynted Thus was David Anointed First by way of Designation Of this we may read 1 Samuel 16.13 Where the story informes us How he was Anointed by Samuel He tooke the horn of oyle and Anoynted him in the midst of his Brethren By that ceremony designing him to the Kingdome And being thus designed to it he was Qualified and furnished for it So it there followeth And the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forwards id est God did indue him with Heroicall gifts in an extraordinary measure and manner as wisdome Magnanimity Courage Grace Holinesse And being thus designed to it and furnished for it then was he Inaugurated and Invested in it And that by a second Anointing in the presence of the people of which we may read 2 Sam. 2.4 Thus was David Anointed And herein may we look upon him as a lively Type of Jesus Christ David herein a Type of Christ the Anointed of the Father Who being after the like manner first designed to this office of his Mediatorship before he undertook it he was then Qualified for it This is that which Peter tells Cornelius and his company Acts 10.38 God Anoynted Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power Thus was he Anointed with the Holy Ghost The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me Isaiah 61.1 Anointed him by a large effusion of the Spirit upon him after an extraordinary measure and manner God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes saith the Psalmist Psalm 45.7 Speaking of the Messiah Of whom Saint John telleth us that God gave not the Spirit by measure unto him John 3.34 This is the Spirit given to all other of the Saints of God unto every one of us is given grace according to the Measure of the gift of Christ Ephes 4.7 But not so to Christ To him not by measure that is plentifully abundantly It pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell Col. 1.19 that is all Perfection of grace wisdome goodness mercy Thus was he Anointed with the Holy Ghost And with Power Having both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given to him might and Authority Christ the Power of God saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 1.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All power is given to me in heaven and in Earth saith our Saviour Matthew 28.18 Thou hast given him power over all flesh John 17.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Authority Thus was he anointed furnished with all Qualifications requisite for the discharge of this his Mediatorship And being thus furnished for it now was he invested in it put upon the undertaking and executing of it Of his Propheticall office The Lord hath Anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me c. Isaiah 61.1 Of his Priestly office The Lord hath sworne and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever Psalm 110.4 Of his Kingly office The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole Psalm 110.1 Which three are the parts of his Mediatorship Thus was the Messiah called to this office Designed to it furnished for it Invested in it All three comprehended under the word Sealing Which three we may again in like manner conceive to be couched under that other word of Sealing Him hath God the Father sealed John 6.27 Sealed 1. by way of Destination Thus do men sometimes set their markes or seals upon things which they design and intend for some speciall use And thus was the Lord Christ Sealed by God his Father with the seal of his Eternall Predestination That Seal which the Apostle speaketh of 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seal God knoweth who are his Thus are all Gods Elect Sealed having an irrevocable decree passed upon them whereby they are Sealed up unto Eternall salvation being predestinated unto life And thus was Christ the Head of the Election sealed predestinated unto this his office of Meditatorship 2. Sealed by way of Qualification Thus are Agents and Ambassadors said to be Qualified by the Seal of the Prince or State that sends him which giveth them Credit and Power to act in their Name so as they are thereby known to be what they are where ever they come And thus hath God the Father sealed his Son Christ by putting his own Image upon him communicating to him the fulnesse of his Spirit Anointing him with the Holy Ghost and with power which is as it were Gods seal whereby Christ was known to be the Messiah the true Mediator And 3. Sealed by way of Investiture Thus are publick officers invested in their places by receiving their commissions under seal which give them Authority to execute that office to which they are called And thus hath God the Father Sealed his Son Christ Authorizing him to undertake and execute the office of a Mediator Thus was this our Mediator called to this office Here is the manner of his calling Question 3 Question But When was he thus called to this office When Christ was called to this office There is the 3d Enquirie To which I shall return Answer briefly Ans He was called to this office Before time Answer Before time In time 1. Before time in respect of Destination He was predestinated hereunto from all Eternity Yea in some sense he may be said to have been a Mediator from Eternity viz. in the businesse of Election So much we may learn from the Apostle in that known place Eph. 1.4
where he telleth beleevers that they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world Chosen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Christ or for Musculus Loc. Com. de Electione Cap. 6. by and through Christ In him as Members in their Head For by and through him as Mediator He being the Head of the Election the first born amongst many Brethren as the Apostle upon another account calls him Rom. 8.29 the first that opened the womb others were Elected in by and through him Thus was he a Mediator before his Incarnation yea before the worlds Creation Then was he a Mediator in the business of Election yea and then was he predestinated to be a Mediator of Reconciliation I was set up from Everlasting saith Wisdome Prov. 8.23 It is spoken of Christ the Wisedome of the Father who was designed and appointed to be a Mediator from Eternity Thus was he called to be a Mediator before time 2. In time 2. In time Then was he invested in this office put upon the undertaking and executing of it Which he did first virtually then actually 1. Virtually 1. Virtually and Inchoately So was he a Mediator even from the fall of Adam When God and Man were fallen at variance by reason of sin so as the First Covenant the Covenant of works was disolved and broken and an enmity through Satans artifice introduced Now did the Lord Christ for the disolving of that work of the Divell and the repayring in measure that breach which sin had made enter upon the exercise of this office of Mediatorship to which he was before designed Now did he undertake that great negotiation of Reconciling God to man and Man to God Now did that promise made unto our first parents being yet in Paradise take place Gen. 3.15 Now did the seed of the woman begin to break the serpents head So as from thenceforth he was a Mediator virtually How ever he was not of many ages after incarnate yet was he an Effectuall Mediator The vertue and efficacie of his Mediation extending it self even unto the first Ages of the world In which respect as also in the former Christ is said to be the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world as that passage is commonly read Revelation 13.8 So he was as in respect of Gods destination being designed before time to be offered up in time so in respect of the Efficacy of that his Sacrifice which extended to the first age of the world as far as Adams fall Even as it was with the Incense offering in the Tabernacle or Temple however it was burnt only in one place viz. upon the golden Altar before the Arke of the Testimony Exod. 11.5 yet the perfume of it extended to every corner of the house Thus the Sacrifice of Christ however it was offered up onely at one time in one age in the End of the world as the Apostle hath it Heb. 9.26 and only in one place upon the Altar of the Crosse yet the vertue and efficacy thereof extended to all places and all ages as well to those who lived before his Incarnation as those who lived after Thus did Christ enter upon the exercise of this office immediately upon the fall of man so soone as there was need of a Mediatour From thence doth this his Mediatourship Commence From that time he was a Mediator vertually 2. Actually 2. Actually Thus was he a Mediator after his Incarnation When he had taken the nature of man upon him and was made man Then was he an Actuall and Compleat Mediator Marke the Text There is one Mediator betwixt God and men the Man Christ Jesus The eternall Son of God being made Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-Man now was he an Actuall and compleat Mediator Being thus manifested in the flesh now he was manifested to be what before he was Now did he act that part visibly upon earth which before he had acted secretly and invisibly in heaven Now was he every way furnished for the office of a Mediator Now was a Body prepared for him so the Apostle Heb. 10.6 following the Translation of the Septuagint citeth that of the Psalmist Psal 40.6 applying it unto Christ A Body hast thou prepared or fitted for me Thereby meaning the humane nature of Christ which was prepared fitted for the work of the Mediatorship Fitted through Sanctification of the Spirit Thus are all believers fitted for their worke of obedience as Saint Peter telleth them 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience And thus was the Lord Christ fitted for his great work of obedience which as Mediator he was to perform here upon Earth viz. through Sanctification of the Spirit the large effusion of the Spirit upon his humane nature And being thus fitted for it now he entred upon it upon the worke of his Active and Passive obedience discharging his Propheticall and Priestly office here upon earth which having done then he entred upon his Kingly administration in heaven But this I shall have occasion to cleare up unto you more fully in resolving of the next Question which now falleth in fitly And that is Question How and in what waies the Question 4 Lord Christ manageth and carrieth on this work of mediation for the effecting of this Reconciliation The Work of Mediation how managed and carried on Answer By divers steps typified by Jacob's Ladder Where Ans A Question of great use high concernment unto all those who desire to be acquainted with the mystery of Christ For the Resolution of it we must know that this work of Mediation it was begun and carried on by divers steps and and degrees not unlike that ladder which the Patriarch Jacob saw in his nightly vision Gen. 28.12 which I look upon as a Type carrying with it a lively representation of this our Mediatour and his blessed Mediation So our Saviour himselfe applieth it John 1.51 That ladder reached from Earth to Heaven uniting the one to the other So doth the Lord Jesus by his Mediation he uniteth Heaven and Earth God and man by the means whereof they come to have a sweet and blessed union and communion each with other So as all graces descend from God unto men upon earth and men come to ascend unto God in Heaven Now in this Ladder there are two things to be taken notice of viz. First The two Extremes or Ends of it the Bottome and the Top. Secondly The intermediate steps or staves betwixt them And the like may we observe in this our Mediatour and his Mediation 1. The two Extremes representing the two Natures in Christ 1. Here may we first take notice of the two Extremes viz. the two Natures of Christ his Humanity his Divinity fitly represented as some conceive it by the two ends of that Ladder the foot whereof was upon Earth and the top in Heaven the one aptly representing the Humanity of Christ
ponunt 70. pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 placare propitiare significat Grot. ad Heb 9.2 The Cherubims shadowed the Mercie-seat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Originall the Propitiatory So called because from thence God shewed himselfe propitious and favourable to his people So he is through Jesus Christ of whom that Mercy-seat was a Type and figure He is the true Propitiation So we find him called by our Apostle Rom. 3.25 whom God hath set forth saith he speaking of Christ by whom we have Redemption as the verse foregoing hath it to be a propitiation through faith in his blood A propitiation the word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Propitiatorie alluding to that Typicall Propitiatorie under the Law Such is Jesus Christ the true Propitiatory the substance of that shadow the means of our Reconciliation with God by whom his anger is pacified and appeased and through whom his mercy and favour is communicated unto us And that through his blood which the Apostle there setteth forth as the meritorious cause of it being apprehended and applyed by faith which is the Instrumental cause wherby it becometh effectuall to that end for which it was shed And in this sense is he there called by Saint John the propitiation In as much as he Reconcileth God to men appeaseth his wrath procureth the exercises of his grace and favour so as God becometh actually propitious unto his people through him Which Christ effecteth 1. as their Surety standing in their room and stead interposing betwixt the wrath of God and the rigour of the Law A mystery excellently represented and shadowed out in the placing of the Mercy-seat betwixt the Tables of the Law and the Majesty of God appearing between the Cherubims Exod. 25.21 22. Shewing how Jesus Christ our Mediatour interposeth betwixt God and the Law in the behalf of his people So as God looking upon the Law through him he beholdeth it as fulfilled by him for their sakes and on their behalf and so becometh propitious unto them And 2ly Opera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 torium Montanus this he doth by Covering their sins That is the proper and primary meaning of the Hebrew word Caphoreth which we render the Mercy-seat it properly signifieth a Covering which the Mercy-seat was to the Ark. And such is Jesus Christ unto his people a Covering covering their sins by his merit so as they appear not in the sight of God to the making their persons guilty before him Hereunto the Psalmist alludes Psal 32.1 Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered viz. by the obedience of Jesus Christ And thirdly This he doth by expiating their sins and making satisfaction for them This are we to understand by that unwonted phrase of the Apostle Heb. 2.17 borrowed from the Prophet Daniel Dan. 9.24 where this is set forth as one principall part of Christ's Priestly Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc quidem loco est purgare à peccato i. e. efficere ne peccetur vires suppeditando pro modo tentationum Grot. ad Heb. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2.17 significat expiatiationem sed eam quae fit placando Grot. de Satisfact cap. 7. To make Reconciliation for the sins of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to expiate and take away their sins To take them away not onely in respect of Power as Grotius comments upon it by giving them strength against them sutable to their tentations and so causing them not to sin but in respect of guilt by the Sacrifice of himselfe making satisfaction unto the Justice of God for them as the same Authour in his better minde expounds it Thus is Christ said to be the Propitiation being the means of reconciling his Elect unto God and that by the offering up of himselfe Offering up of himselfe Christ offered up himselfe That giveth me a hint of one Evidence more which is the Arg. 5 last I shall insist on in this Argument And that I shall take up from the Authour to the Hebrews who in that Epistle maketh frequent mention of this Oblation Christ's offering up himselfe And as else-where so especially in his 9th Chapter where he purposely discourseth of that Subject comparing the Sacrifice of Christ with those Typicall Sacrifices under the Law The summe and substance of which discourse you shall find bound up in one verse ver 26. of that Chapter where speaking of Christ Heb. 9.26 Opened and glossed upon he saith that Now once in the end of the world he hath appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himselfe A passage wherein there is not a word but hath his weight Give me leave briefly to glosse upon each of them Christ hath appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ's appearing on earth Christus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. obtulit se ostendit Deo Patri in Sanctuario coelesti Grot. Com. ad loc Fuerat ante Abrahamum Jesus divinâ constitutione Grot. ad loc he was made manifest appearing not in heaven as the Socinian would have it but upon earth Christ was before Before Abraham was I am John 8.58 Christ was before Abraham not only in respect of God's Ordination as Grotius would elude that Text for in that sense all others were before Abraham as well as he yea Abaham was before himself having a being first in God's Ordination before he had an actuall existence in the World But he was so actually having a being in Heaven according to his Godhead There he was but there he was hidden hidden in the Bosome of the Father But in his Incarnation he was manifested The Son of God was manifested saith Saint John 1 John 3.8 God was manifested in the flesh saith Saint Paul 1 Tim. 3.16 Or He appeared Before he was hidden under those Legal Types and Ceremonies which were as a Vaile overshadowing him But now being incarnate that Vail was taken off from his face and he appeared being made conspicuous under the Gospel so as now all might with open face behold the Glory of God shining in the face of Jesus Christ as our Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 3.18 and 4.6 Thus hath Christ appeared But when did he thus appear That followes In the end of the World In the end of the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is say some when the Jewish State the Temple Vide Grotium ad loc and their Common-wealth drew nigh to an end This is that end which our Saviour speaketh of Mat. 24.6 The end is not yet meaning thereby the finall destruction of the Temple and City of Jerusalem Before this time and not long before it was that Christ was manifested in the flesh that he appeared Or as it is more commonly and as I conceive more properly taken In the end of the world i. e. In the last dayes
as the same Apostle hath it cap. 1.2 the last Time or Times so St Peter cals them 1 Pet. 1.5 20. And St John the last Hour 1 John 2.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last Time or Hour So did the Apostles then look upon the world as drawing towards a period a consummation And that not far from it in their times what then may we do in ours But I passe on Thus Christ appeared in the end of the world and that but Once Once and but once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As for the Priests under the Law they appeared Often before God in the execution of their Ministeriall function The Priest went always say the 6th and 7th verses of this chapter i. e. daily every day into the first Tabernacle the holy place the second court of the Tabernacle or Temple accomplishing the service of God But into the second the Holy of Holies went the High Priest once every year Thus they appeared Often But Christ our High Priest appeareth but Once Once upon Earth and Once in Heaven Once upon Earth before Men Of this speakes the Apostle here in this 26. verse Once in Heaven before God Of this he speakes verse 12. By his own blood he entred in once into the Holy place i. e. Into Heaven Marke it Once he appeared upon Earth and once in Heaven Christ appeareth once upon Earth and once in Heaven As for any such second appearing upon Earth and returning to heaven before his coming to the last and generall Judgment Millenaries confuted as some imagine this our Apostle taketh no notice of it And therefore I dare not avouch it Nay hee tels mee expresly in the last verse of this chapter that Christ having been once offered to bear the sins of Many he shall appear the second time without sin unto Salvation unto them that looke for him Marke it Christ appeareth not twice upon Earth once to suffer and once to reign there personally and twice in Heaven once after his Resurrection and once after the settlement of his supposed Government as some have conceived but Once upon Earth and once in Heaven As for his second Appearing it shall be unto Salvation to the compleat and perfect salvation both of Soul and Body in heaven so Expositors I think universally expound that place of all those who love and look for that Appearing Heb. 5.9 2 Tim. 4.8 In the mean time let it be enough for us that he hath appeared once upon Earth So it may well be if we do but consider what followeth viz. the end of this Appearance which was To put away sin How Christ is said to have put away sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Abrogating abolishing taking away of sin Not taking it out of the world No the world still lyeth in wickednesse 1 John 5.19 Nor yet taking it out of the persons of his redeemed ones so as that it is should have no abiding no inbeing in them No this is a perfection reserved for heaven not to be looked for on Earth But so taking it away as that it shall not be imputed to them nor yet reign in them For both these ends Christ appeared upon Earth for the abolishing of sin in his people both in respect of Guilt and Power It is the former of these that is here properly and principally intended So much will appeare from the next clause which setteth forth the way and means whereby Jesus Christ effecteth this abrogation and abolition of sin viz. By the Sacrifice of himselfe The Sacrifice of Christ himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the Sacrifice which Christ our High-Priest offered Not the Bodies of other creatures as those Legall Priests did but his own body Offered upon Earth Vide D. L. in Heb. 1.3 9. ver 26. himself And this Sacrifice he offered up not in Heaven as the Socinian would have it in presenting himselfe before God his Father but upon Earth viz. in his Passion upon the Crosse There was this Sacrifice offered up Duplex est ut legalium quarundam victimarum ita Christi oblatio prior mactationis altera ostentationis Grot. de satisfact cap. 10. True indeed it was afterwards presented in heaven but it was first offered upon Earth So was it with some Sacrifices under the Law The blood of them was represented by the High Priest in the most Holy place as this our Apostle tels us ver 7. of this chapter but they were offered before viz. in the slaying and sacrificing of them by the Priest So was it in this Sacrifice of Christ How ever it be presented before God in heaven which is an other part of Christs Mediatorship as God willing I shall shew you hereafter belonging to the next branch his Intercession yet it was offered up upon earth viz. in his Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In mactatione Sacrificium Grot. de Satisf cap. 10. Thus were sacrifices said to be offered up when they were slain So profane Authors ever use the word and Scripture the like When God biddeth Abraham go offer his son Gen. 22.2 he addresseth himselfe to slay him ver 10. which because hee had intentionally done though not with his hand yet in his heart he is therefore said to have offered him up Heb. 11.17 Therein was Isaak a Type of Christ who was offered up after the same manner being actually slain There was he truely offered Hence it is that Saint John calleth him onely the Lamb slain Revel 5.6 and 13.8 which Saint Paul renders Sacrificed Offered Christ our Passeover is sacrificed or offered for us 1 Corinthians 5.7 Thus was Christ first offered up upon Earth Neither was this only a Preparation to that oblation which is made in Heaven as the Socinian would have it but a perfect Oblation The death of Christ more then a preparation to his oblation So was the offering made by the Priest in the Holy-place It was more then a Preparation to an offering a true Sacrifice As for the presenting of the blood of the Sacrifice in the Holy of Holies it was not properly a Sacrifice Grotius ibid. but rather the Commemoration of a Sacrifice already made So standeth it betwixt Christ's Oblation and his Intercession The former was done upon Earth There was the Sacrifice offered The later is only a Commemoration of that Sacrifice a presenting it unto God as it were continually to put him in minde of what was done that for the merit thereof hee may bee propitious unto his people And this is the Sacrifice whereby Christ is said to put away sin By this sacrifice Christ putteth away sin Not properly his Intercession in heaven but his Immolation his oblation upon earth in his death upon the cross So the Spirit of God clearly carries it every where ascribing the work of our Redemption the taking away of sin to the death and blood-shed of Christ He
permanent impression upon the soul stamping the Image of God upon it making it partaker of the Divine nature as S. Peter calls the work of Grace which consisteth in those divine Qualities of Holiness and Righteousness 2. Pet 1.4 which is as a mark a Character wherby men may know whose children they are Even as the Spartans or Lacedemonians of old are said to know what stock linage they were of by a mark that was made upon their bodies by the head of a Lance G ot in Rom. 8.16 or Speer as Grotius illustrates it Not only so but besides this there is a more immediate witnesse of the Spirit sealing up that and other benefits unto the soul Thus it testifieth to the spirit and with the spirit of the Beleever The spirit of Christ and his own spirit they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 witnesse together each bearing witnesse with the other His Spirit beareth witnesse with the Spirit of Christ viz. by observing the work of that spirit the work of grace and Sanctification wrought in upon the soul And the spirit of Christ beareth witnesse with his spirit by assuring him as of the truth of that work of Grace so of his Interest in that and all other benefits belonging to the Covenant of Grace Thus doth the Spirit notifie unto the soul of a Beleever it own interest in Christ and his Benefits So saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received the spirit of God that we may know the things which are freely given us of God Those spirituall benefits and blessings which beleevers have by Christ whether in present possession or future expectation the Spirit causeth them to know them To know them not onely in a generall way in the Theory to know what they are but to know their owne right unto them and interest in them assuring them both of the one and of the other And in this respect again as judicious Diodate looketh upon it Christ may be conceived to be called the Surety of the Covenant Diodate annot in Heb. 7.22 in as much as he assureth the Grace of the Covenant the grace of God by his spirit unto the soul And thus you see this other Branch of this point opened and explained unto you How Christ is said to be a Surety on Gods part to Man Assuring him of the performance of the conditions of the covenant on God's part which he doth as you have heard by his Word by his Works by his Blood by his Spirit And thus am I at the length got off from this third Staffe also where we have seen how Christ is a Mediatour betwixt God and man Qua Sponsor as a Surety undertaking for man to God and for God to man Which being the middle and as I conceive the principall staffe of this mysteriall Ladder I have stood upon it the longer Which I have done as not without content to my selfe in the contemplation of these divine and sacred Truths so I trust not without some benefit to you to all you who desire to be clearly and fully informed concerning this great mystery of Christ I shall now in the Name and Fear of God passe on to those two other steps which I shall passe over with what convenient speed I may reserving the Application of all into the close The fourth Staffe of this mysticall Ladder Jesus Christ is a Mediatour betwixt God and men in the fourth place Quà Intercessor as an Intercessour Such a Mediatour was Job for his friends Job 42.8 My servant Job shall pray for you Christ an Intercessour for him will I accept And such a Mediatour is the Lord Jesus for his elect people So he was upon Earth and so he is in Heaven Upon Earth He was so upon Earth Then was he an Intercessour then did he performe a peice of this part of his Mediatorship interceding with God his Father in the behalfe of his elect People This he did in those many sweet and fervent prayers which he poured forth for them from time to time specially in that sacred and solemn one which we have recorded John 17. A prayer so divine so heavenly that whosoever hath ought of the Spirit of Christ cannot but be exceedingly affected and even ravished with it There have we a true Cygnea Cantio a Swan-like Song wherein our blessed Saviour being then to leave the world he commendeth his Elect in the present and succeeding ages to the care and custody of God his Father that he would conferre and bestow upon them all those benefits which himselfe had purchased for them As namely that he would sanctifie them ver 17. Sanctifie them through thy Truth That he would keep them in unity ver 11. Holy Father keep them through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are i. e. joyned in the unity of faith and love one in him and one among themselves That he would deliver them from evill ver 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that evill one viz. Satan their grand Enemy That he would expresse his peculiar love to them ver 23. That the world may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me So again ver 26. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them That he would fill their hearts with inward joy and comfort ver 13. That they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves And finally that in due season he would bring them to the participation of the same eternall glory with himselfe ver 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory And so beholding it might be transformed into it Thus did he then intercede for his Elect Praying for them This he did in his Life and this he did in his Death Even upon the Crosse whilest he was a Sufferer he was also an Intercessour So saith the Prophet Isai chap. 53. ver 12. He bare the sins of many and made Intercession for the transgressours So he did in that prayer of his which he poured out in the Paroxisme of his Passion the midst of his Agony in the behalfe of those that crucified him Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luke 23.34 Thus was he an Intercessour upon Earth And he is the same in Heaven He is so in Heaven There he performeth the same office stil interceding though not after the same manner that he did here upon Earth Grot. Com. in Heb. 7.25 Non submissâ ut olim sed potenti Interpellatione as Grotius citeth it out of Gregory not any longer in a submisse humble way with knees bowed down with hands and eyes lifted up as here he did in his state of humiliation but in a way sutable to his glorified condition In
God interceding for his people in as much as there is one continually interceding against them even that Accuser of the Brethren of whom I made mention even now who accuseth them before God night and day Satan is a Lidger ever at hand to make Intercession against us Great need that Jesus Christ whose designe it is to dissolve and destroy the works of the Divell 1 John 3.8 should be a Lidger also ever at hand at the right hand of God his Father to make Intercession for us Such is Christ's Agency in Heaven a Continuall Intercession which should it cease but for a moment Millenaries confuted what should become of all his people here upon Earth Should Christ cease to appear in Heaven for us as he must do if he shall come and abide here upon earth for a thousand years together as some imagine for he cannot in his Humane Nature appear both in Heaven and Earth at the same time all that time Heaven must be without an Agent without an Intercessour Which of what consequence it would be let it be considerd by those who are wedded to that opinion To go on Christ performeth the offices of a Lidger Ambassador in Heaven for his people on earth Christ appeareth in the presence of God interceding for us as an Agent as a Lidger-Ambassadour And very fitly may he be so called in as much as he performeth the like offices for us in Heaven that a Lidger-Ambassadour doth for those whom he represents upon Earth Of those offices I might reckon up divers I shall only single out three or four of them and those of the most obvious ones The chiefe worke and service of a State-Agent or Lidger-Ambassadour is as I apprehend it 1. To continue Peace and Unity 2dly To maintain Intercourse and Correspondency 3dly To reconcile and compose Emergent Differences And 4thly To procure the welfare of the State which he negotiates for And all these doth Jesus Christ our Mediatour performe on the behalfe of those for whom he appeareth in Heaven 1. Maintaining their peace 1. He continueth their Peace This do Lidgers So long as they continue and keep residence in a Kingdom and appear as Agents in the presence of the Prince with whom they negotiate so long the Confederation the League standeth firm and sure Like benefit have all beleevers by Christs appearing in the presence of God for them Thereby the League and Covenant betwixt God and them is continued and their Peace maintained So much the Apostle insinuateth Ephes 2.14 where speaking of Christ he saith he is our Peace id est the Authour of it of our Peace with God and that as the Purchaser and procurer so the Maintainer of it The one by his Death the other by his Intercession To the same purpose is that of the same Apostle Rom. 5.1 where he saith that Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Christ sitting at the right hand of God his Father as God and Man he maintaineth the Union betwixt God and Man So long as Christ appeareth in heaven there shall be peace for all beleevers upon Earth 2. As he preserveth Peace so he maintaineth intercourse betwixt God and them 2 Maintaining intercourse betwixt God and them This doth a State Agent so long as he resides in a Kingdome and appeareth before the Prince he keepeth Trade and Traffick open and free Like benefit have beleevers upon the Earth by Christs residing and appearing in heaven Hereby they have Intercourse and Communion with God So the Apostle setteth it down Romans 5.2 By whom also we have accesse in to this grace wherein we stand So againe Ephes 2.18 By him we both Jewes and Gentiles have an accesse unto the Father And again Ephes 3.12 In whom we have boldnesse or Liberty and Accesse with confidence by the faith of him In all which three places the word rendred Accesse is one and the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it properly signifieth a Manuduction or leading by the hand Alluding saith Estius to the Custome in Princes Courts where none may come into the Presence Chamber unlesse they be led and brought in by some Favorite or Courtier Thus none have accesse into the presence of God unlesse they be brought in by this Favorite of Heaven the Lord Jesus whose office it is to bring men unto God as S. Peter hath it 1. Pet. 3.18 where stil the word is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might lead or conduct us to God This benefit have all beleevers by and through Christ They have a free intercourse in Heaven so as they may come into the presence of God upon all occasions They come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 They have liberty or Boldnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus By that new and living way which he hath consecrated for them Hebrews 10.19 20. Hither may they come and that boldly Seeing then that we have an High-Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God c. Let us therfore come with boldnesse to the throne of Grace that we may obtaine Mercy and finde Grace to help in time of need Hebrews 4.14 16. Thus Jesus Christ appearing in the presence of God for us not only continueth our peace but maintaines our intercourse and Communion with God 3. And 3ly he reconcileth and taketh up Emergent differences 3 Taking up emergent differences Such differences frequently arise betwixt confederate Princes and States In which case the Agents interpose for the composing of them that so they may not tend to a breach of the League betwixt them And the like office doth Jesus Christ our Agent in Heaven performe for his people upon Earth They through weaknesse and infirmity are subject to manifold failings and Errours which render them obnoxious to Gods just displeasure Which if not looked to might tend to the breach of the Covenant betwixt him and them But here Jesus Christ interposeth making intercessions for the Transgressours as you have it in that place forealledged Isaiah 53. last This did the High-Priest under the Law as the Apostle informes us Heb. 9.7 He went into the second tabernacle the Holy of Holies once every year not without blood which he offered for himself and for the Errours of the people A type of Christ and his Intercession He being entred into the Holy of Holies the Heaven of Heavens there presenting his blood the merit of his death unto God his Father he maketh Intercession for those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Errours of his people Those sins which they are daily subject to fall into through the infirmity of the Flesh so taking up the difference which they make betwixt God and them so as they do not proceed to a Breach of Covenant Fourthly and lastly He procureth their welfare 4. Procuring their welfare So doth a faithfull Agent of the people of
the Prophet Isaiah hath it Isaiah 53.8 viz. the prison of the grave as the next verse explains it ver 9. he was highly exalted having a name given him above every name as the Apostle hath it Phil. 2.9 id est transcendent honor and dignity God the father having raised him from the dead set him at his own right hand far above all Principalities and powers might and Dominion Eph. 1.20 Putting all power into his hand All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth So he tells his Apostles Mat. 28.18 All power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Authority Authority he had before He taught the people as one having authority saith the Evangelist Mat. 7.29 But now after his Resurrection his Authority was compleat and full All Authority was given unto him Which being ascended into heaven and set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high he exerciseth as a Vice-Roy a Deputy Governor under God his Father And this he doth 1. Generally universally over all Creatures 1 Universally over all Creatures in Heaven and Earth All which are upheld by the word of his power Heb. 1.3 Herein doth this our Mediator excel that Typicall Mediator Moses whom we may hear complaning of his charge Num. 11.14 I am not able saith he to bear all this people alone because it is too heavy for me But this doth our Mediatour by the word of his power his powerfull word as he created so he upholdeth all things continuing them in their beings ordering and governing them according to his good will and pleasure Here is his generall Government 2. But besides this he hath a more speciall Government which he exerciseth over mankind 2 Specially over mankind He is a Mediatour betwixt God and Men saith the Text The Mediatorship of Christ doth in some respect extend universally to all Creatures all which are given to him to dispose of at his pleasure But more specially it is exercised about mankind Now mankind is divided as you know into two ranks into two Worlds There is Mundus salvandorum Damnandorum The Elect world and the Reprobate world And to both these doth this Government of Christ extend Directly to the one obliquely and indirectly to the other 1. As for the Reprobate world of wicked and ungodly men 2 Over the Reprobate world of wicked men who were of old ordained to just condemnation for sin Christ ruleth over them or rather amongst them Rule thou in the midst of thine Enemies Psalm 110.2 exercising his Authority and power upon them even as he doth upon the Reprobate Angels hardning them restraining them over-ruling them subduing them judging them All these hee doth and shall do to Satan and his Angels and so in like manner to wicked and ungodly men who are subjects of Satans kingdome 1. Hardning them 1. Hardning them This in his just judgment hee doth giving them up unto a perpetuall obduration a finall impenitency So the Evangelist Saint John expounds that Prophecie of the Prophet Isaiah which he brings in as a Reason why the obstinate Jews could not beleeve on Christ John 12.39 40. Therefore they could not beleeve because Isaias said again he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts c. Hee Who why even Christ himselfe So it followeth These things said Isaias when he saw his glory and spake of him His Glory the manifestation of his Majesty which shined forth in many passages besides his transfiguration here upon Earth This Isaias by his Propheticall eye foresaw even as Abraham is said to have done his Birth-day or the time of his abode in the flesh John 8.56 And foreseeing it foretold what he should do to the Jews who obstinately rejected him And the like judgement he still executes upon the like obstinate sinners hardning them by withholding his grace and giving them over unto Satan and their owne Corruption which by continuance through custome groweth to a Callus a brawnie obduracie and insensible hardnesse 2ly Restraining them bridling them 2. Bridling them so as that they cannot do what they would they cannot go beyond the lists and limits which hee appointeth them Thus dealt hee with Saul who before his conversion was a desperate persecutour breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples Acts. 9.1 Whilest hee was in his full careere posting to Damascus with letters missive to fetch up all that were of that way to bring them unto Jerusalem before the High-Priests Christ meeteth him in the way arrests him dismounts him stayeth his course restraineth his malice and changeth his heart Thus hath he a hooke in the nostrils a bridle in the Jawes of every Leviathan Bee they what they will what for power what for malice yet Jesus Christ restraineth them 3. And restraining their power and malice hee also Over-ruleth 3. Over-ruling them their counsels and indeavours making them subservient to his own designes turning them to his own praise and his Churches good So are wee to understand that somewhat obscure passage of the Psalmist Psal 76.10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee the remainder of wrath wilt thou restraine So doth Christ restrain or gird as the Originall hath it the wrath of his Enemies so keepeth it within compasse as that it shall not breake forth further then may serve for his glory and his Churches good giving his people occasion to praise him 4. And thus over-ruling them he also Subdues and conquers them 4. Subduing them Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in peices like a potters vessell It is a prophecie concerning Christ Psal 2.9 The Lord at thy right hand saith the same Psalmist speaking of Christ sitting at the right hand of his Father ver 1. hee shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath He shall judge among the Heathen he shal fill the places with dead bodies he shall wound the Heads over many countries he shall drink of the brooke in the way like a valiant and hardy Commander who being in the pursuit of his enemies as Calvin and others after him conceive of that expression he doth not sit down to take his repast but borrowing a little water from the brook in the way for his present refreshment followeth on the chafe untill he hath made a full and finall conquest of them Thus shall Jesus Christ deal by all his enemies and the enemies of his kingdome who will not submit to his government As for those mine enemies which would not that I should raign over them bring them hither and slay them before me Luk. 19.31 This will he do if not here yet at that last great and terrible day at which time Fifthly He shall judge them 5. Judging them This is he saith Peter to Cornelius which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead Acts 10.42 God hath appointed a day saith Saint Paul Acts 17.31 in the which he shall
judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained viz. Jesus Christ this Mediatour betwixt God and men Then shall he take vengeance upon all his enemies Such is the Government which this Mediatour exerciseth over the Reprobate World To leave that 2. The Government of Christ as Mediatour is more directly over the Elect World 2 2. Christ a Governour more peculiarly over the elect world his own people who are given to him by God his Father To them is Christ a Mediatour after a peculiar manner and over them he exerciseth a peculiar Jurisdiction Even as it is said of Joseph Acts 7.10 Pharaoh made him Governour of Egypt and all his house Over Egypt in a generall but over his Family in a speciall and peculiar way Such is the Jurisdiction which God the Father hath committed to his Son as Mediatour a generall Jurisdiction over all creatures in Heaven and Earth but a speciall a peculiar Government over his House over his Church This Government he everciseth in divers severall acts I shall single out some of the principall 1. The first is in Gathering the Subjects of his Kingdom into one Body 1. Gathering them into his Kingdom Which he doth first in his Kingdom of Grace then of Glory 1. Of the former speaketh Caiaphas the High Priest in that notable prophecie of his John 11.51 52. where speaking he knew not what he foretels not without a divine direction how that Jesus should die for that Nation of the Jews and not for that Nation only 1. Of Grace but that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad Elect Jews and Gentiles where ever dispersed they are gathered into one one fold one Church one mysticall Body and that as in Christ Ephes 1.10 so by Christ the Head of that Body Those whom God hath before time given unto Christ out of the world he in time gathereth them out of the world Which he doth first by delivering them out of the hands of their enemies as Zacharias hath it in his Song Luke 1.74 viz. Sin and Sathan And then bringing them into the bond of the Covenant according to that Promise Ezek. 20.37 causing them to submit unto his Government Thus doth Christ gather the Subjects of his Kingdome here This was his work when he was upon Earth O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thy children It was the passionate expostulation of our blessed Saviour with and lamentation over that City Matth. 23.37 This he then assayed to do by those externall dispensations coming himselfe and sending his messengers to that people inviting commanding promising threatning And the like he still doth being himselfe in Heaven he setteth up his Standard upon Earth So runs that propheticall promise Isai 49.22 Behold I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles and set up my Standard to the people Thus do Princes gather their people to themselves by setting up their Standards And thus doth the Lord Jesus gather his Subjects together by setting up his Standard viz. the Ministry of the word the preaching of the Gospel which holdeth forth Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 as the Royal Standard doth the Armes of the Prince This is the outward means which Christ maketh use of Which being accompanied with the secret concurrence of his Spirit it is now made effectuall unto that blessed end It now becomes a powerfull attractive to draw men unto Christ Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 When Christ goeth forth accompanying his word with his Spirit this is the day of his power and now his people come and come willingly unto him This is that which Christ foretold that he would do John 12.32 If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me And this he doth being lifted up first upon the Crosse then upon the Throne he draweth all men all belonging to the Election of grace whether Jewes or Gentiles bringing them home to himselfe to receive and acknowledge him as their Saviour and Lord to believe on him to be governed by him Thus he gathereth his Subjects into his Kingdom of Grace 2. And thus he shall gather them into his Kingdome of Glory 2. Of Glory To this end shall he send forth his Angels who with the sound of that great Trumpet shall gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other as you have it Mat. 24.31 But of this again hereafer Here is the first Act of Christ's Jurisdiction in reference to his Church the gathering of it 2. Having gathered it 2. Ruling them he now ruleth and governeth it According to thy word shall all my people be ruled saith Pharaoh to Joseph Gen. 41.40 Such a Ruler is Christ in his Church Such was Moses the Mediatour of the Old Covenant This Moses whom they refused saith Stephen to the Jews him did God send to be a Ruler Acts 7.35 And such is the Mediatour of the New Covenant the Lord Jesus whom the Jews refused This Isaiah foretold concerning him The Government shal be upon his shoulders Isa 9.6 And the chief Priests and Scribes tell Herod building upon the like prophesie Mat. 2.6 Out of thee Bethlehem shal come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel Such a Ruler was and is this our Mediatour Not a temporall one as they dreamed No that he disclaimeth My Kingdom is not of this world John 18.36 Though in the world yet not of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some of the kindred of our Saviour are said to have answered the Emperor Domitian interrogating them concerning his Kingdome of what kinde it was not a Worldly not an Earthly kingdome say they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but an Heavenly but an Angelicall kingdome Such is the Kingdome of Christ upon Earth A Spirituall Kingdome wherein hee ruleth and that both Outwardly and Inwardly 1. Outwardly appointing for them First Outwardly Ordering and Establishing it as the Prophet Isaiah hath it Isai 9.7 And this he doth by appointing Laws Ordinances and Officers in it and for it 1. Laws 1. Lawes and Statutes This do Soveraigns in their kingdomes Every one is a Lawgiver The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Lawgiver from between his feet till Shiloh come Genes 49.10 Such is the Lord Jesus in his Church a Lawgiver Yea the onely Lawgiver There is one Lawgiver saith Saint James James 4.12 And who that is the Prophet Isaiah will tell us Isa 53.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Lawgiver even the Lord Christ He it was that gave the Law at mount Sina though by the ministry of Angels His voice then shooke the Earth Heb. 12.26 and he is still the Law-giver under the Gospell That Law of Love which Saint James calleth the Royall Law Jam. 2.8 and Saint Paul saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fulfilling of the Law Rom.
the office of his Mediatorship onely for man and not at all for the Angels Others more warily they distinguish There is a two-fold Mediation A twofold Mediation of Christ say they the one of Redemption or Reconciliation properly so called Mediatio duplex Alia Redemptionis alia Conservationis Tilen Syntag. de officio Christi Sec. 30. the other of Preservation or Confirmation Now as for the former of these say they it agreeth not unto the Angels Not unto the good Angels they needed it not having never fallen Nor to the evill Angels They indeed stood in need of a Mediatour as well as man but Christ did not undertake this for them So much himselfe insinuates Mat. 25.41 where he saith that Hell fire is prepared for the Divell and his Angels And Saint Jude speaking of them tels us that the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation God hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the judgement of the great day Jude 6. Their fall being with a high hand in a presumptuous way without any previous Tentation it was irreparable irrecoverable Christ never intended them any benefit by his Mediation as Origen of old and some Anabaptists at this day hold In this sense Christ is a Mediatour onely to man-kind not to the Angels whether evill or good not a Mediatour of Redemption or Reconciliation properly so called And in this sense are we to understand the Text. Christ a Mediatour of Redemption onely to men Jesus Christ is Mediatour betwixt God and men yea and onely betwixt them viz. as a Redeemer a Propitiatour So the verse following explains it Who gave himselfe a Ransome for all This he did not for the Angels but for man-kind onely And so may that other Text alledged Heb. 2.6 expounded Hebr 2.16 be most fitly and properly construed Christ took not upon him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Where the word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth apprehendere to sieze upon a thing to catch at it to lay fast hold upon it when it is going from a man Thus you shall find it used in the proper signification of it Mat. 14.31 where it is said that when Peter was ready to sink Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is the same Jesus took hold of him to save him And thus may it most aptly be rendred and construed in this place Christ took not hold of the Angels but the seed of Abraham he took hold of Angels and men being fallen they were all like Peter swimming in the same sea of misery sinking into the bottome of hell the gulfe of everlasting perdition Now the Lord Jesus he took hold not of the Angels but of man-kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hîc est vindecare sive asserere in libertatem manu injectâ Grotius ad loc Hyperius ad locum Vide Leigh Critica Sacra ad verbum suffering the one to sink and perish he redeemed and recovered the other So the word in that place is most genuinely expounded by Hyperius and Grotius and others And indeed the very Context leadeth us unto this sense In the verse fore-going it is said that Christ took the nature of man upon him our flesh and blood that he might deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage This was the end of his Incarnation to save lost man-kind And this he did For verily he took not hold of the Angels but of the seed of Abraham Laying a strong hand upon the one to vindicate and recover their liberty not so on the other Herein Jesus Christ hath expressed his love unto man-kind more then to the Angels being a Mediatour of Redemption to the one not to the other But of Preservation and Confirmation Christ a Mediatour of confirmation to Angels without any danger that I know he may be said to be Thus is he a Mediatour to the good Angels This however they kept their first estate yet being created mutable creatures Quaevis creatura rationalis in puris naturalibus constituta errare ac peccare potest Aquin. Sum part 1. q. 63. Conclus they were subject to fall This some of them had done and the rest were not to be trusted So much we may learn from that passage Job 4.18 Behold saith he God put no trust in his servants and his Angels he charged with folly Though not with Actuall yet with Potentiall Folly He well saw what they were and how ready they might be to do what their fellowes had done if left to themselves though they were not as yet sinfull and miserable yet soon they might have been unlesse they were confirmed and upheld in that state by a power greater then their own And what power should that be but the power of him who upholdeth all things by the word of his power Hebr. 1.3 The power of Jesus Christ by him it was that they were created Col. 1.16 and by him they are upheld The good Angels have benefit by Christ Questionlesse the good Angels have a near and a mysticall relation unto Jesus Christ and are beholding to him though not so much yet as well as man-kind He is a common head to both both meeting together in him So that place of the Apostle is most genuinely expounded Ephes 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fulnesse of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are in earth even in him Angels in heaven and men upon earth make one mysticall Body meeting together in the same Head So Christ is called As the Head of man 1 Cor. 11.3 The Head of every man is Christ So of the Angels Colos 2.10 He is the Head of Principalities and Powers Hence is it that the good Angels are called the Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 Now Christ is the Head of the Election None are elected but in him and for him Ephes 1.4 And thus they are stiled the Sons of God Job 1.6 2.1 38.7 Sons not by nature That is Christ's Prerogative who is the onely begotten Son of God John 1.14 3.16 But by grace the grace of Adoption and that also must be by and through Jesus Christ Ephes 1.5 And thus are they reckoned as a part of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the generall Assembly the Catholick Church Heb. 12.22 And being so they must have some benefit by Jesus Christ viz. the benefit of Preservation and Confirmation By and through him they come to have a more perfect union with God And thus may we understand that very obscure Text of the Apostle Colos 1.20 expounded which Expositors are not a little troubled about Colos 1.20 It pleased the Father c. By him viz. by Christ to reconcile all things to himselfe whether they be things
in heaven or things in earth Where granting what generally is not and I think well cannot be denyed that by things in Heaven are to be understood the Angels the Question is How they are said to be reconciled unto God To this it is answered Properly they are not Where there was no breach Cuicunque creaturae hoc convenit ut peccare non possit hoc habet ex dono gratiae non ex conditione naturae Aquin. Sum. par 1. quaest 63. Art 1. Christi gratiá effectum est ut Angeli Deo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adhaerentes à lapsu immunes perstarens Tilen Syntag pars 2. cap. 10. sec 34. there can be no proper Reconciliation This is peculiar unto man but improperly and analogically they may be said so to be and that by confirming and establishing them in the grace and favour of God taking away all possibility of Defection from him and Enmity with him This benefit the elect Angels may be conceived to have by Christ through his Mediation thereby they are brought to a more perfect adhesion unto God to an inseparable union with him Their peace and amity with him by this means is continued and strengthened And thus you see the former of these two Questions briefly resolved The latter followeth Quest 2. Is Jesus Christ Mediatour onely according to his Humane Nature Or if you will inlarge the question a little Jesus Christ being both God and man partaking of both Question 2 Natures the question now is According to what nature Christ is Mediatour according to which of these his Natures he is said to be the Mediatour betwixt God and men Whether only according to his Divine Nature as God or whether onely according to his Humane Nature as man or according to both as God and man Here are three wayes Which shall we take Answer Ans Take which we will we shall fall with some company A threefold opinion And therefore it behooveth us here to take that counsell which the Lord giveth unto his people Jer. 6.16 to stand in these wayes and see and ask for the old path where is the right way that we may walk therein 1. Christ is Mediatour only as God confuted from the Text. 1. In the first of these we shall find Osiander alone Christ is Mediatour saith he onely according to his Divine Nature as God But this opinion needeth no other refutation then that which it meeteth with in the Text which tels us expresly that the Mediatour betwixt God and man is the Man Christ Jesus so clearly interesting the Manhood of Christ in this Office and Work of Mediatorship Upon this account we leave him 2. Onely as man the opinion of Papists 2. The second path is more trodden Here we find not only Stancarus whom Bellarmine seemeth to undertake as being somewhat too grosse in his opinion this way But even Bellarmine himselfe and most of the Doctours of the Church of Rome who however they acknowledge that that person who was and is Mediatour is both God and Man Deus Humanatus to use Bellarmine's words God made man Bellarminus de Christo Mediatore cap. 1. yet say they he performeth and executeth that office of his Mediatorship not according to his Divine but Humane Nature onely as man So the Master of the Sentences so Bonaventure Nullo pacto convenit Christo esse Mediatorem in quantum Deus est sed in quantum Homo Thom. 3. p. q. 26. Art 2. Concl. so Aquinas have determined it And therein they are followed by the generality of the Romish Perswasion Jesus Christ is Mediatour onely according to his humane Nature not at all as God but onely as man This is their Tenent which they endeavour to make good both by Scripture and Reason For Scripture They have but one Text The Text cleared from countenancing this opinion which they can find that seemeth to speak any thing for them in this cause And that is this we have now in hand There is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and men the Man Christ Jesus In this bulrush they find two knots From hence they take up a double Argument First The Apostle he recalleth this Mediatour the Man Christ Jesus And wherefore so but to expresse and notifie that Nature according to which he is Mediatour And Secondly He plainly distinguisheth here betwixt God and this Mediatour There is one God and one Mediatour And therefore Christ cannot be Mediatour as God but only as man Thus they argue from this Text. But how weakly will soon appear if we come to joyne issue with them Which I shall do with all convenient brevity as not taking delight in controversies or willingly medling with them but where I am necessarily ingaged to it Arg. 1 Arg. 1. For the former The Mediatour betwixt God and man is the Man Christ Jesus The man Christ Jesus Answer Ans True he is so but not onely as man Not onely as man there is a broad difference betwixt these two The Man Christ is Mediatour and He is Mediatour onely as man The Apostle here asserteth the one not so the other He doth not say Jesus Christus Homo Jesus Christ the Man that might have seemed to imply what they contend for But Homo Jesus Christus the Man Christ Jesus id est not any other man not any meer man but that man who was more then man the Man Christ Jesus that Person who was both God man Thus are we here to construe the word Man Chamier de Mediatore cap. 5. sect 5. Non naturaliter sed Personaliter not in the Abstract but in the Concrete not as pointing out unto us only the humane nature of Christ but the whole Person denominated and set forth unto us by and under that nature Like phrases we meet withall elsewhere 1 Cor. 2.8 It is said that the Lord of Glory was crucified not that Christ was crucified in that nature according to which he is most properly said to be the Lord of Glory viz. his divine Nature that was impossible But that Person who being God as well as man was the Lord and God of Glory as he is stiled Acts 7.2 he was crucified So in that obvious place Acts 20.28 it is said that God nourished the Church with his blood Not that the Godhead suffered and died that had no blood of it own to shed but that Person who was truly God as well as man In both places there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Divines call it a Communication of Properties wherein that which is proper to one nature in Christ is attributed not to the other nature as it is by some misconceived but to the person denominated and set forth by the other nature And thus are we to understand that somewhat obscure Text John 3.13 No man saith our Saviour hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of
to be beutifull Rom. 10.15 Loe here then glad tidings of good things as it there followeth So is it to a convicted a condemned Rebell to hear of some speciall favorite who hath undertaken to mediate for him with his Prince to make his peace much more that he hath done it Such are the tidings which the Gospel brings to all selfe-convicted selfe-condemned sinners who being convinced of Enmity desire Reconciliation with God Loe here a Mediatour the great favorite of heaven the onely begotten Sonne of God he hath undertaken to make their peace nay hee hath done it So as there wants no more to the compleating of this Reconciliation but onely that they should come unto him and unto God by him of which I shall speak more anon And therefore let not any in the sense of this Enmity runne away from God as Adam did in the garden If they be but willing to be Reconciled lo here a way a certaine way made for it For this very end is Jesus Christ appointed a Mediatour betwixt God and men This for those who are yet in a state of Enmity 2 To such as are Reconciled 2. For those who are Reconciled unto God all true Beleevers who being by faith made one with Christ have received the Attonement are at one with God by and through him let them with comfort look up to this their Mediatour drawing and drinking water from this well of Consolation Which they may do divers wayes 1. Here is comfort to them against their daily sins their daily infirmities 2. Comfort against daily infirmities which deserve to separate and threaten a breach betwixt their God and them to disolve that agreement which is betwixt them and to make God an Enemy to them again True this they deserve to do and in their own nature they tend to it Never a sin but being a breach of Gods Law tends to a breach betwixt God and the sinner But here is the comfort There is one that interposeth betwixt God and them even this our blessed Mediator the Lord Jesus If any man sin saith Saint John We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2.1 If any man sin viz. of Infirmity being overcome by some temptation not purposing not intending so to do but doth the Evill which he would not as the Apostle saith of himself Rom. 7.19 let such a one know and know it to his comfort He hath an Advocate with the Father a Mediator an Intercessour who is at hand to plead his cause to answer what can be laid to his charge A strong consolation So is it to a pretended delinquent to know that he hath a good Advocate who knoweth how to answer the Law Such an Advocate have all penitent beleeving sinners an incomparable Advocate Jesus Christ the righteous one who by his own perfect obedience hath satisfied the Law already which being by him pleaded stops all further proceedings in way of Justice Such an Advocate have we One who is the Propitiation for all our sins as it there followeth verse 21. One who by that Propitiatory sacrifice offered up upon the altar of the Crosse expiated satisfied for the sinnes of his people And having made that satisfaction upon earth now he pleadeth it in heaven Otherwise he should lose the fruit of his death Having shed his blood upon earth now he presents it in heaven This did the High-Priest under the Law as I have shewen you Heb. 9.7 Having first slain and immloated offered up the sacrifice in the first Tabernacle the outward part of it then he presented the Blood of it in the second Tabernacle the holy place there offering it up for the Errours of the people You know the mystery The former of these was a Type of Christ's Oblation upon the Crosse the other of his Intercession in heaven where he continually presents unto God his Father the merit of that blood which was shed upon the Crosse offering it up for the sins of his people their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Errours their sins of Infirmity which they are continually subject to And by this means doth he maintain that peace which before he had made by the blood of his Cross viz. by Appearing in heaven as a Mediator an Advocate on the behalf of his people A just ground not only of Consolation but of Triumph unto all beleevers so the Apostle maketh it in that place fore-cited Rom. 8.33 34. where he closeth up that his excellent Treatise of Justification with this triumphant Challenge Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen c. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed Yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us So long as we have such a Mediator in heaven we shall not need to fear that our sins of infirmity shall ever make a breach betwixt our God and us 2ly Upon this ground let beleevers strengthen their hearts against the inordinate feare of totall and finall Apostacie 2. Comfort against feare of falling away of falling away from the grace of God True this of themselves they are subject to but this they shall be preserved from by the power and care of this their blessed Mediatour to whose custody they are committed This is a benefit which as I have shown you the Elect Angels are conceived to reap from Jesus Christ the benefit of Confirmation so as they shall never fall from God as the other did And this benefit shall all true beleevers have by this their Mediator Being once given to him and once reconciled unto God by and through him they shall never more fall from his grace and favour againe but they shall now be kept by his power through faith unto salvation So much we may learn from the Apostle Rom. 5. 10. If when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Of the two Reconciliation is a greater work then Confirmation To be brought into grace and favour with God then to be kept in it Now Christ having effected the former hee will not faile in the later they who have received the fruit and benefit of his death let them bee assured of the benefit of his Intercession Being Reconciled by the one they shall be saved by the other Upon this condition it was that God the Father gave his Elect people unto Christ that hee should redeem them and save them This is the Fathers will which hath sent me saith our Saviour that of all which he hath given mee I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day John 6.39 O Christians Can you but evidence this to your own soules that you are given to Christ given to him to believe on him as the verse following explains it ver 40. now doubt not your standing in the grace of
They that are Christs have crucified the flesh Now crucifying as I shewed you is a painfull death Elsewhere we finde it compared to a Plucking out the right eye a Cutting off the right hand Matth. 29.30 Such is the mortifying of the members of the Body of sin inordinate lusts some of which may be as near and dear to a man as his right eye or hand A painfull work Thus doth this death unto sin carry with it a likenesse to the death of Christ Attended with Agonies it is attended with agonies and soul-conflicts Agonies before conversion and after Before it Before Conversion Ordinarily this work is not wrought without some compunction of spirit some pricking of the heart so were the Jews affected at the hearing of Peter's Sermon Acts 2.37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were pricked at their hearts They were inwardly touched and deeply affected with the apprehension of the hainousnesse of that sin of theirs in crucifying the Lord of life and of the wrath of God hanging over their heads for it In like manner the Jaylor in that known place Acts 16.30 What an agonie do we there find him in when he came trembling and fell down at the Apostles feet crying out Sirs what shall I do to be saved Such agonies the beginning of Conversion is ordinarily attended with True indeed it must be acknowledged Which are not alike in all that these Agonies are not alike in all whether for degree and measure or continuance of them yet in an ordinary way true and sound conversion is not without some of them As in the naturall birth so in this new birth all have not the like pains and throws yet none but are in some degree sensible of some of them some soul-conflicts some remorse of conscience for sin whereby the heart is pricked nay rent and broken So it is in true Repentance Rent your hearts and not your garments Joel 2.13 A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51.17 viz. a heart broken and rent with a kindly apprehension of sin and of Gods just displeasure against it such agonies is the soul subject to in the beginning of Conversion And the like afterwards As in the naturall Agonies after Conversion so in this new birth there are after-pains after-throws The Christian though the main work be done though he be delivered of sin in respect of the guilt and reigning power of it yet he hath still some remainders of sinfull corruption left in him which draw many a groane many a sigh from his heart Wee also which have the first fruits of the Spirit saith the Apostle Rom. 8.23 even wee our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption c. We we beleevers which have the first fruits of the Spirit the first degree of Regeneration conferred upon us here as a pledg and assurance of the full crop of perfect Glorification hereafter even wee our selves groane within our selves That which the frame of heaven and earth do by a kind of secret sympathy and instinct we do out of a certain knowledge and well grounded judgement sighing and groaning under the burden of sin which lieth upon us earnestly desiring a full and finall deliverance with a fruition of that glorious inheritance which is entailed upon us in and by our Adoption Such are the groans of mortified Saints Saints dying unto sin like the groans of dying men whose souls being weary of their bodies earnestly desire a dissolution Thus do God's Saints groan within themselves or rather his Spirit within them earnestly desiring to be freed from the body of sin O wretched man that I am saith the Apostle who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 Thus doth he crie out being wearied by continuall conflicts with the remainders of sinfull corruption that body of sin Rom. 6.6 as he calleth it ver 6. of the Chapter foregoing This he there calleth the body of death Corpus mortis i.e. Corpus mortiferum because it was as a death to him to be so infested with it like a living man tied to a dead threatning him with spirituall and eternall death And therefore he earnestly desireth to be freed from it accounting himselfe a wretched and unhappy man so long as he was in any degree so molested by it Thus doth this death unto sin carry with it a conformity to the death of Jesus Christ being as his was a dolorous and painfull death Applic. Which may serve us yet as another touch-stone to discover a great deal of counterfeit Mortification by Counterfeit Mortification discovered Many think they are dead unto sin who are in truth nothinglesse It may be sin is asleep in them It may be it is dead to them but they are not dead to it So much appeareth in that there were no pangs in this death It is a difference betwixt death and sleep There are pangs in the one not so in the other And the like difference there is betwixt a naturall and a violent death In the former when a man dieth according to the course of nature the light of life going out like a lamp when the oile is spent there is no great pain As David speaking of wicked men who sometimes live in pleasure and die with ease he saith they have no bands in their death Psal 73.4 But violent Deaths they have their bands and their pangs And so hath this spirituall death this death unto sin being as I showed you in the last resemblance a violent death it will not be without some pangs or other Sin hath a strong heart and so there will be pangs in this death Examine what Agonies we have felt for or about sin I beseech you bring it home to your selves you that suppose your selves to be thus dead unto sin Examine your own hearts what pangs were there in this death what agonies what soul-conflicts have you at any time felt what compunction of heart what affliction of spirit have you suffered for sin And that not only for the guilt of it That may and often is to be found in a Reprobate we see it in Judas When he had betrayed his Lord and Master what a compunction of spirit did the apprehension of the guilt of that sin work in him But for the power of it This it was that troubled Paul to find the body of sin so vigorous and active in him to find such a law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind and bringing him into captivity to the law of sin Rom. 7 23. And this it is that troubles the Christian Though the guilt of sin be taken away yet is he not wholly freed from the power of it Though it do not rule in him as a Prince yet it tyrannizeth over him oft-times carrying him contrary to the bent of his regenerate mind to the omitting of what he would do the committing of what he would not And this to him is
suppose it be directed to others men dead in trespasses and sins Such exhortations not uselesse to others yet such Exhortations are not uselesse unto them In as much as through those channels God is pleased to convey his grace and spirit wherby he enables them to do what hee requireth from them Thus in raising Jairus his daughter from the death-Bed our Saviour cals to her Talitha Cumi Damosell arise Mark 5.41 And in raising Lazarus from the grave he cries unto him Lazarus come forth Joh. 11.43 not that either the one or the other had power of themselves to do what was commanded but there was a power went forth together with the word like that which went forth with that Creating word at the first God said Let there be light and there was light Gen. 1. There was a power went forth with the word giving a being to that which was not Thus doth God cal things which are not as if they were Rom. 4.17 By his word making things to be what they were not And thus doth be call upon dead souls to awake and arise by and through his word conveying that spirit and power unto his Elect wherby they are inabled to do what of themselves they cannot The first Resurrection is a work of no lesse power no lesse difficulty then the second 5. To these adde in the fifth place Resemb 5. This spirituall resembles the corporall Resurrection in the Indisposition of the Subject In the indisposition of the Subject A dead Corps lying in the grave it hath no disposition no aptitude no inclination to rise again As it cannot raise it selfe so neither can it do any thing in a way of tendency towards its own resurrection It can no wayes fit or prepare it self for it Nay it cannot so much as will or desire it Even such an indisposition is there in a dead soul to this first Resurrection A soul dead in sin as it cannot raise it selfe to the life of grace so neither can it do any thing which tendeth that way Such an Impotency is there in man since the fall All are now by nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without power When we were yet without strength Christ died for us Rom. 5.6 Not able to contribute ought towards this blessed change Not able to do any thing by way of preparation to fit themselves for the receiving of the grace of God no nor yet so much as will and desire it when the grace of God first meeteth with man it findeth him a meer patient like a dead body lying in the grave having only a passive capacity rendring him a subject capable of receiving the impressions of grace and so of having a new life put into him Man hath not only an outward but an inward Impediment to this Resurrection So indisposed is man naturally to the work of God's grace not only having an outward Impediment as Papists and Arminians would have it like a Prisoner as some of them frame the similitude who having fetters upon his legs cannot walk but yet he hath an inward power in himselfe so to do if that outward impediment were removed Not onely so but man hath also an inward impediment Being like a dead carkass lying in the grave which though all the grave-clothes be taken from it yet it cannot move nor stir untill a new life be put into it Until God doth breathe the breath of a new life into the soul the man is whole indisposed unto this blessed change I might go a step further Man not only indisposed but averse to this Resurrection and shew you how he is not onely indisposed to this life but averse to it In which respect the first Resurrection goeth beyond the second The second Resurrection meeteth with a Body which though of it selfe it be indisposed to live again yet it maketh no resistance no opposition against its own resurrection But in the first Resurrection when God cometh to raise up a dead soul from the grave of sin he findeth it not only indisposed but opposite to it making resistance against the work of his grace Ye stiffe-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost As your fathers did so do ye saith Saint Stephen to the Jewes Acts 7.51 To these I might yet add one more 6. This spirituall resembles the corporall Resurrection in the efficient causes of it Resemb 6. The Efficient Causes of it and that both Principall and Ministeriall and Instrumentall In the second Resurrection the Resurrection of the body the Principall Efficient is God himselfe the Ministeriall the Angels the Instrumentall the sound of a Trumpet You have them all together 1 Thes 4.16 The Lord himselfe shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of an Archangel and with the Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall arise Now see a resemblance of all these in the first Resurrection The same Principall Efficient God God quickneth the dead Rom. 4.17 as dead bodies so dead souls The like Ministeriall and Instrumentall Cause Herein God maketh use of his Angels Revel 2. 3. and of his Trumpet His Angels the Angels of the Churches the Ministers of the Gospell whom he now sendeth forth to gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to the other Mat. 24.31 His Trumpet is his word in the mouth of his Ministers A spirituall Trumpet shadowed out by those silver Trumpets under the Law by the sounding whereof the Priests called the people to the publick Assemblies on earth Numb 10.2 Thus do the Ministers of the Gospel by lifting up their voice like a Trumpet as it is given in charge to the Prophet Isaiah Isai 58.1 by preaching and publishing the Gospell they call men to the Kingdom of God Hereby awakening and raising them up The hour is coming and now is saith our Saviour when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they which hear it shall live John 5.25 Men dead in sin hear the voice of Christ in the Ministery of his Word and thereby the Spirit concurring with the Ordinance and giving efficacy to it they are quickned and raised up to a new spirituall and heavenly life Even as dead bodies shall be at the last day raised from their graves by the voice of an Arch-angel and sound of a Trumpet Thus then you see this Generall made out How that the first resurrection the resurrection of the soul from the death of sin to the life of righteousnesse carries with it the resemblance of a Resurrection resembling it in the Order in the Nature in the Integrity in the Difficulty of the work in the Indisposition of the Subject in the Efficient Causes of it both Principall Ministeriall and Instrumentall Now come we in the second place to see how it resembleth the Resurrection of Christ 2. The spirituall Resurrection resembles the Resurrection of Christ So it doth
awake unto life that your Resurrection may be unto you a Resurrection of life awake arise here Many that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake saith Daniel but how some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame and contempt Dan. 12.2 Now I know there is none of you but would willingly have your portion with the former of these to awake in the Morning of the Resurrection unto everlasting life That you may so do awake here Awake and arise from sin unto righteousnesse and holinesse here otherwise never look to awake to life and happinesse hereafter They and only they shal be exempted from the power of the second death who have their part in this first Resurrection Rev. 20.6 To let in the Motion A twofold Evasion met with and answered that it may enter and take place with those whom it concerneth give me leave in the next place to meet with a shift or two whereby men do use to bear off the blow to evade the force of this Exhortation We will awake and arise say some but it is yet too soon We would awake and arise say others but we fear it is now too late Thus while the one presumeth and the other despaireth both lie stil in the same grave To meet with both these briefly Evasion 1. The presuming shift It is too soon to arise 1 For the presuming shift We will awake and arise but it is yet too soon Thus did the people in Haggai's time put off the raising and building of the materiall Temple with a nondum tempus This people saith The time is not come the time that the Lord's house should be built Hag. 1.2 Thus do many put off the raising up of this spirituall Temple They wil arise but the time is not yet come A shift like that which Solomon's sluggard maketh use of Prov. 6. Being called upon to awake and arise verse 9. How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep He replyeth in the next verse vers 10. Yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep He wil arise but not yet Even thus do many poor sinners put off the call of God calling upon them to awake and arise out of the dead sleep of sin Yet a little more sleep c. They wil arise from sin to righteousnesse but not yet Modo modo By and by hereafter It may be they think it is yet early day with them their sun is but new risen It is but the morning of their age their youthful season and they must give youth the swinge They think it is with Men as with Horses If they are broke too soon they are spoiled They are afraid lest that impious Proverb which was never yet verified in any should prove true in them Young Saints old Divels and therefore they wil leave this work to their old age When they have nothing else to do then they wil begin to think of this work to look towards God when they are about to leave the earth then they will begin to think of heaven Ans Fond men Old age the unfittest time for this work Is this the time to begin to live when you are ready to die Is this the time to rise from the grave of sin when you are falling into the grave of the earth Is this the time to rise to righteousnesse when you cannot rise from your bed or couch Is this the time to begin to look towards heaven when you begin to stoop and look downwards towards the earth Of all other old age will be found to be the unfittest time for this work You know whose Exhortation it is Eccl. 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evill dayes come not Such are the dayes of old age evil dayes in respect of the manifold infirmities diseases aylements which attend upon it Ipsa senectus morbus est Old age it self is a disease and being so it is the most improper time for this work of Repentance and Amendment of life How can a man be borne when hee is old saith Nicodemus speaking of himself John 3.4 So may we say of being born again Regeneration deferred to old age is How shall an old sinner be made a young Saint The work of Regeneration being deferred untill old age wil then be found both difficult and suspicious 1. Difficult 1. Difficult The Grave of sin is like the Grave of the earth The longer a man lyeth in it the more difficult will his Resurrection be When Lazarus had lyen four days in the grave Martha thought that Christ came too late that there was no possibility of a recovery Lord saith she By this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four dayes John 11.39 The like we may say of aged confirmed sinners who have lyen not four dayes but it may bee forty sixty eighty years rotting and putrifying in the grave of sin so as they stink already their lives and conversations have been scandalous and offensive to all that have come neere them many a day How do we think that such putrified soules should ever be raised again In such the work of Regeneration cannot but be apprehended to be a difficult work It was the speech of Sarah when the Angell told her shee should conceive and bring forth a son in her old age having been to that day barren What saith she shall I after that I am waxen old have pleasure Gen. 18.12 So may an aged sinner say concerning the work of Regeneration What shall I who am now waxen old gray-headed in sin shall I now have pleasure shall I find delight in spirituall and heavenly things which to mee hitherto have been dry and saplesse Shall the Immortall seed of the word become fruitfull in me Shall the new man be conceived shall Christ be formed in my soul which hath hitherto been as barren as dead as ever Sarahs womb was This though to God it is possible and easie yet to man it will be found a difficult work Women who never had a child till their age oftimes pay deare for it before they see it Aged sinners will finde Repentance to bee bitter the worke of Regeneration difficult 2 Suspicious 2. And as difficult so suspicious True Repentance is never too late but late Repentance is seldome true seldome sincere Aged sinners if they begin to forsake their sins and looke towards God and towards heaven it may be suspected that it is not love to God that draweth them but fear of Hell that driveth them to it Upon these grounds let all be perswaded not to put off the call of God Put not off the call of God Doth Christ by the Trumpet of his word summon you as at this time he doth to arise and come forth of the grave of sin do not say that it is too soone Wil you think thus to put off the
vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to temperance patience to patience godlinesse c as the same Apostle directs 2 Pet. 1.5 6. That so you may come behind in no grace no gift as Paul saith of his Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.7 Then adding one degree of grace to another faith to faith The righteousnesse of God saith the Apostle is revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 that is from one degree and measure of faith to another According as faith is revealed more and more so is the Righteousnesse of Justification more assured unto the soul Labour to get your faith which is the radicall grace the very heart of this new-man confirmed and strengthened daily not neglecting such means as God hath appointed for that end amongst which the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper whereof some of you have this day been made partakers is a chief and principall one Then seek after the like growth and increase in love in humility in patience so in all other graces These are the members of this new man let it be your care that as it is in true Augmentatation which is secundùm omnes partes a proportionable growth in every part every of these may grow and increase with the increase of God Thus do you perfect holinesse in the feare of God as the Apostle exhorts 2 Cor 7.1 Being thus changed into the Image of Christ from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord as you have it v. last of the 3d. chap. of that Epistle 5. In respect of heavenli-mindedness 5. And lastly Rise more and more in respect of Heavenlimindednesse Your hearts are like ponderous bodies still tending downwards towards the Earth And therefore let it bee your daily worke to raise and scrue them upwards by frequent Meditation and Contemplation of Heaven and Heavenly things and in particular of that heavenly Glory to which Christ is raised Beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord saith the Apostle in the place last named 2 Corin. 3. last which Grotius expounds of the Glory of Christ in his Kingdome of Glory This Behold as in a glasse that is saith hee seriously and attentively cosider and contemplate it With all labouring to raise your Affections thither If yee bee risen with Christ c. Set your Affections on things which are above and not on things on the earth Col. 3.1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minde things above and let them have your Hearts your Affections As for the things of this world labour daily to sit more loose to them that so you may bee willing to part with them when ever God shall be pleased to call you hence Thus being Risen yet rise daily more and more Which that you may do still seeke after a further and more intimate Vnion and Communion with the Lord Jesus Christ Still seeking after a more intimate union and full communion with Jesus Christ by whose spirit it is that you are and must be raised That you may more and more participate of that vertue which is in him Paul had no small share in this vertue yet hee desireth that he might still have further experience of it That I may know him and the vertue of his Resurrection Philip. 3.10 Let the same be your desire and indeavour that you may daily feele this divine vertue put forth in you more and more raising you up more and more from the death of sin to the Life of grace here Then rest assured the same vertue shall at the last day raise you up from the death of nature to the Life of Glory Being here made conformable unto Christ in your first Resurrection you shall be also in the second which shall be to you a Resurrection of life And thus I have at the length through the good hand of God leading and conducting me passed thorough this excellent portion of Scripture wherein you have held forth unto you that great Gospel Mystery of the Christians Vnion and Communion with and conformity to Jesus Christ both in his death and Resurrection The sweetnesse of the subject hath drawn forth my meditations beyond the staple which I first intended them May but my labours herein prove acceptable and profitable unto you I have what I aimed at Which that they may be let us Pray FINIS
the other his Divinity his Humanity upon Earth his Divinity in Heaven yet both united together in one Christ by an Hypostaticall Personall Union And here is the foundation and ground-work of Christ's Operative Mediation which was laid in this Substantiall Mediation as they call it in the union of these two natures God and man being at variance this our Mediatour that he might make way to the reconciling of their Persons he first uniteth their Natures being the Son of God by nature he taketh the Manhood into a personall Union with his Godhead Even as one desiring to mediate peace betwixt two dissenting families which are at deadly feude the one with the other he being first clearly allyed unto the one he marrieth into the other that so being related and allyed unto both to the one by consanguinity to the other by affinity he may have the greater advantage for reconciling each to other Thus did our Mediatour the Lord Jesus Being the Son of God by nature he marrieth the nature of man taketh it into a personall and indissoluble union with his Godhead that so being nearly allyed unto both he might be fit to deale betwixt them and might with better successe manage this Work of Reconciliation Here are the two Extremes in this Ladder the Bottom and the Top. 2. Now betwixt these two there were many intermediate staves The intermediate Staves five or steps So there is in a Ladder and so there were in that Ladder how else should the Angels ascend and descend by it as they are said to do And in like manner in this great Negotiation of our Mediatour betwixt God and man we shall find divers steps and degrees whereby he managed and carried on this Work of Reconciliation Of these steps Bellarmine Bellarminus de Christo Mediatore lib. 5. c. 1. reckons up foure Christ in his work of Mediation Five steps in Christ's Mediation is 1. Arbiter an Arbitratour an Vmpire 2. Interpres an Interpreter or Messenger 3. Advocatus an Advocate an Intercessour 4. Sponsor a Surety an Vndertaker And to these to make the enumeration compleat and full Junius Junius Animadvers in Bellarm. ibid. lib. 5. cap. 1. §. 9. adds a 5th Gubernator A Ruler a Governour These are the steps of this Ladder the several operations whereby the Lord Christ manageth this his work of Mediation The first and second whereof belong unto his Propheticall Office the third and fourth to his Priestly Office the fifth and last to his Kingly Office All together rendring him a compleat Mediatour I shall take a view of these particulars severally speaking of them as plainly as clearly as I can Let me crave your best attentions to go along with me 1. The first step Arbiter Christ an Arbitratour or Umpire betwixt God and men Begin with the first of them which is 1. Arbiter an Arbitratour an Vmpire a Judge Such a one may properly be called a Mediatour who layeth his hand upon both parties as Job speaks Job 9.33 judging betwixt them Who made thee a Judge over us saith one of the contending Hebrews unto Moses when he interposed himselfe as a Mediatour betwixt them Exod. 2.14 One that taketh cognizance of the difference what is the ground of it who hath done the wrong then judgeth betwixt them propounding and setting down the tearms of Reconciliation and agreement Such a one may fitly be called a Mediatour And such a Mediatour is the Lord Jesus betwixt God and men One whom God his Father hath constituted and appointed to be an Arbitratour an Vmpire a Judge betwixt him and them committing Judgement unto him The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement unto the Son John 5.22 All Judgement as of Absolution and Condemnation so of Arbitration As to judg men so to judg betwixt God and men This doth the Lord Christ And being the Wisdome of his Father as the Apostle calleth him 1 Cor. 1.24 Christ the Wisdome of God He hath also determined and set down the terms of Reconciliation and Agreement betwixt them as it were drawing up a Covenant betwixt them In which respect amongst others he may be said to be the Mediatour of the Covenant as he is called Heb. 8.6 9.15 12.24 In as much as Conditions of the Covenant were set down by him Missus enim à Patre factus Arbiter reconciliavit Deum Homines c. Ambrosad Textum Thus Ambrose cited to this purpose by Bellarmine conceives of it expounding the word in the Text in this sense Thus saith he is Christ said to be a Mediator betwixt God and men In as much as being constituted by God his Father an Arbitratour he set down in what way and upon what terms Reconciliation should be made betwixt them viz. upon God's accepting the satisfaction which should be made in their behalf Ut Deus ignosceret Homo de caetero in Dei fide maneret Ambros ibid. and of pardoning their sins and their complying with God in the way of Faith and Obedience But to let this passe come we to the second which is 2 Step. Interpres Christ an Interpreter or Intermessenger 2. Interpres or Internuncius An Interpreter an Inter-messenger Such a one may fitly be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Mediatour one that in this nature goeth betwixt two parties at variance imparting the mind of the one to the other so to breed a right understanding and thereby to work a complyance betwixt them And in this sense Jesus Christ may truly and fitly be said to be a Mediator betwixt God and men Though not only in this so indeed the Heretick Socinus would have it Vide Grotium de satisfactione Christi cap. 8. affirming this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render Mediatour whereever we meet with it in Scripture to import and signifie no more but Dei Interpres God's Interpreter And so his followers treading in his steps stil expound the word in the same sense For Christ to be a Mediatour of the Covenant saith one of them Dr. Lusshington Comment in Heb. 8.6 writing upon that Heb. 8.6 is nothing else but to be the Interpreter of God or the Intercessour passing betwixt God and men with mutuall messages to make and finish up the Covenant on both parties By which Inter-messenger God declares and testifies his will unto men and they again being informed in the knowledge of God's will do comply with God and contract with him are reconciled with him and enjoy their peace afterwards But that this is not the whole truth I shall have occasion God willing to shew you hereafter For the present take we up what is truth in it viz. that as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will fitly bear this sense so it may in this sense as fitly be applied unto Christ Such a Meditour is he an Interpreter an Inter-messenger going betwixt God and man imparting the mind of the one to the