vain hath given these further Lights to his people which would have been superfluous if the former had been sufficients we may hence conclude that he did not esteem the Light of Nature sufficient to guide us in the way to Heaven Beside This that might be known of God by the creatures though it might indeed shew us what service and obedience it was reasonable for us to perform unto God yet could it not enable us to perform it aright Some of the Philosophers have observed so much of a depravation in mans nature as hath made them break forth into direful and tragical exclamations concerning the miserable estate of man But the light of Nature could never shew them without the light of the Word of God the original of this Depravation the creation of the Protoplast and the Covenant which God made with him both in behalf of himself and all mankinde the fall of our first Parents and of us all in them from our original Rectitude and Holiness of Nature nor the way and means how to have our Nature reformed and our Persons reconciled unto God and the defects of our obedience supplyed Flesh and blood hath never revealed nor is it in its power to reveal this unto us but the holy Ghost that dictated the Gospel is that alone which reveals unto us Christ and his Merits as our onely propitiation and way to Salvation 2 Pet. 4.12 That there is not Salvation in any other neither is there any other name under Heaven given amongst men whereby we may be saved but onely this name of Jesus Christ This one word Christ-crucified is the Epitome of the Gospel and the end and design of the Law and the Prophets also the substance of all that we ought to preach and the Object both of your and our Faith And that we may the better understand this Foundation of our Belief concerning Jesus Christ as our Mediator I shall begin this discourse with opening these two terms Christ and Mediator which I am therfore induced to do because these terms are used in different significations in the holy Scriptures from whence men of corrupt mindes and who have endeavoured to corrupt others have taken occasion to deduce many Paradoxes The word Christ I presume is so well understood by the most that are Professors of the Christian Religion that it would be needless to spend time in the opening of it In the Old Testament he is called Messiah who in the New Testament is called Christ This name Messiah we meet with in several places of the Old Testament 1 Sam. 2.10 Psal 2.2 and 84.9 and 89.51 Dan. 9.25 26. Hab. 3.13 The name of Christ is so frequent in the New Testament that I shall not stand to instance in particular places Now this name is sometimes used and that most properly to denote the Word made flesh or God manifest in the flesh Jo. 1.14 1 Tim. 3.16 Mat. 1.16 his name is rendred Jesus who is called Christ and he that denyeth Jesus to be Christ is said to be a lyar and an Antichrist 1 Joh. 2.22 Sometimes this word Christ is used by a Metonyny to signifie the Church of Christ as 1 Cor. 12.12 and according to some Divines in Gal. 3.16 Is enim est Christi in Ecclesiam amor c. saith Beza upon the place Such is the love of Christ unto his Church that though he filleth all in all yet is he pleased to esteem himself as it were imperfect without his Body the Church and therefore the Church is called The fulness of him who filleth all in all Eph. 1.23 To which purpose we may refer these Texts Act. 9.4 and Mat. 25.40 45. together with Col. 1.24 where Christ is put for the Church which is his mystical Body Again that we be not deceived about this Word we must take notice of some expressions in the New Testament which have reference to Christ As first To be Christ's signifieth to be a Christian Mark 9.41 2 Cor. 10.7 To be subject to Christ 1 Cor. 1.12 and chap. 3.23 To be truely regenerate Rom. 8.9 1 Cor. 15.23 and Gal. 3.29 and chap. 5.24 Secondly To be with Christ signifies to enjoy blessedness with him as Phil. 1.23 comp 2 Cor. 5.8 Luke 23.43 Col. 3.3 comp John 17.24 So 1 Thes 4.17 Thirdly To be in Christ signifies to be converted to the Faith of Christ as Rom. 16.5 7 11. Gal. 1.22 Phil. 4.21 Col. 1.2 1 Thes 2.14 Sometime indeed it is taken for an outward cleaving to Christ as John 15.2 But more usually it is put for a real conversion of the heart unto Christ as Rom. 8.1 2 Cor. 5.17 1 Pet. 5.14 1 John 2.5 and chap. 5.20 So to be found in Christ signifieth in the Faith of Christ Phil. 3.9 Fourthly To be By Christ signifieth to be redeemed by Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 Fifthly Christ is said to be in them whom he hath sanctified by his holy Spirit and united to himself as Members of his mystical Body John 17.23 26. Rom. 8.10 2 Cor. 13.5 And Christ is said to be with them whom though most unworthy he hath not yet wholly divorced from himself Mat. 17.17 Mark 9.19 and Luke 9.41 Or else with those whom he doth most dearly love and for this cause assist and defend as in Mat. 28.20 Sixthly To be without Christ is to be without the knowledge of Christ as the Gentiles which had not had the Gospel preached unto them are said to be without Christ Eph. 2.12 Sometimes also to be without Christ signifieth to be without dependance upon Christ and assistance from him as John 15.4 5. To this we may add that to be weak in Christ sometimes signifieth to be conformable to those infirmities that were in the humane Nature of Christ 2 Cor. 13.4 To be dead in Christ signifieth to be dead in the Faith of Christ as 1 Cor. 15.18 1 Thes 4.14 16. To speak the truth in Christ is to speak it without ambition and meerly for the glory of Christ as Rom. 9.1 and 2 Cor. 12.2 19. These things I thought necessary to point you unto because many have been apt to wrest these places of Scripture beside the true meaning of them both to the prejudice of themselves by inducing a belief of errours and to the dishonour of Christ by entertaining dishonourable conceits of him through misunderstanding the Scriptures For the word Mediatour it signifieth in general one that interposeth between two or more persons for a Mediator is not of one Gal. 3.20 Now in Scripture we sometime read of a Mediator to carry messages between two parties So Moses is called a Mediator because he delivered the Commands of God to the people and the answer of the people unto God Gal. 3.19 comp Exo. 19.3 c. and chap. 20.19 Deut. 5.5 Besides Divines speak of a Conservatory Mediation which tends to perserve unity and friendship between friends In this sense some do believe Christ to be a Mediator in respect of the
hath made upon the soul Isa 61.2 and to pour in the oyl of Joy and consolation unto them that mourn in Son 12. Prov. 30.1 I may add that some conceive him to be understood by Ithiel and Vcal Ithiel signifieth God with me and so is to the same purpose with Immanuel and may signifie the Union of the Divinity and Humanity in Christ our Mediator Vcal signifieth power and strength and so may note the strength of his humane Nature by virtue of the Hypostatical Union of the Divine Person both to undergo all those sufferings that were to be laid upon it and also to give infinite value to these sufferings that they might make a perfect satisfaction to Gods Justice as I said before and be a sufficient price to purchase Eternal Salvation for us To these I might add divers other names that are given to the Messiah in the Old Testament but these are sufficient and indeed the very name Messiah as it speaks him to be anoynted of God to that threefold Office of Prophet Priest and King to which Offices men used to be set a-part by the ceremony of Vnction so they suppose him to be such a person as should be qualified and made meet for these Offices and to this end it was necessary that he should be God and Man that he might be a middle person between both Having considered his Names Titles let us proceed in the second place to take a view of what the Old Testament speaks of the Offices to which the Messiah was designed by God the Father And there will be the less need to dwell long upon this because I have spoken something of it upon the former Head We commonly believe that Jesus Christ in order to the accomplishing of this great business of our Salvation As he was pleased to stoop so low as to take our Nature into that neer Union with his Divine Person so that he was both truly God of the substance of his Father and truely Man consisting of a reasonable soul and humane flesh So in the hypostatical Union of these two Natures he did perform the office of a Prophet of a Priest and of a King to his Church And that we may see that we neither wrong Christ in imputing that to him which may either be dishonourable or disagreeing to him nor yet our selves or others in entertaining fond and groundless conceits as Articles of our Religion I shall therefore endeavour to shew you that Christ was promised to the Fathers of the Old Testament as one that should undertake and go through with each of these Offices First it was foretold that he should be a Prophet one that should both by his own preaching and the preaching of his Apostles while he was upon the earth and after his Ascension by giving the holy Ghost to his Ministers shew unto us the will of his Father and all things that should be necessary for us to know believe and do in order to our pleasing God in this world and everlasting enjoying of him in the world to come This is evident from that promise which God made by Moses Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God shall raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me and him shall ye hear in all things to which agrees that voice which came from Heaven Mat. 17.5 in our Saviour's Transfiguration This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Again the Prophet Isaiah speaking in the person of Christ saith Isa 61.1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord And this our Saviour when he was upon earth applyed to himself and told the people that they had then seen that Scripture fulfilled before their eyes Luke 4.18 Secondly that he should be our High-priest one that should do that in reality and substance which was done onely typically by all the Oblations enjoyned in the ceremonial Law that he should offer up an expiatory and propitiatory sacrifice to Gods justice even his own body and thereby make an Atonement for us Surely saith that Evangelical Prophet he hath born our griefs Isa 53.4 5 6. and carried our sorrows He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all And again By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many vers 11. for he shall bear their iniquities And further vers 12. He was numbred with the transgressours and he bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressours Of whom the Prophet speaks all this you may hear from St. Philip's exposition of this place to the Eunuch Acts 8.34 35. 1 Pet. 2.22 and from St. Peter's application of it to our Saviour Therefore he is called The Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 and he is said to swallow up death in victory Isa 25.8 and his people are called The ransomed of the Lord Isa 35.10 Thirdly It was foretold that he should be a King not that his Kingdom should be of this World that is after the manner of worldly Kingdoms Joh. 18.36 as the carnal Jews did conceit of which errour himself doth convince them But that he should have such a Kingdom wherein he should Rule his own people as a Shepherd doth his Sheep and his enemies with a rod of Iron so as to restrain their fury against his people to disappoint their devices and to dash in pieces at last those that are his implacable enemies This was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 40.10 11. Behold the Lord shall come with a strong hand and his arm shall rule for him he shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather the lambs in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young And by David Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance Ps 2.8 9. and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a potters vessel So again the Prophet Jerem. Jer. 23.5 Behold a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgement and righteousness And who is this but he whom he calls in the next verse The Lord our Righteousness To this end he is so often called David Ezek. 37.24 25. and said to sit upon the throne of his father David Not in a literal sense as some conceit as if he should come in person to Reign upon earth and set up his Throne in the same place where
the hands be rough like Esau's I hope the voyce will appear to be Jacob's Whatsoever it is it tenders it self to your Lordships acceptance as a Testimony of my canonical Obedience and dutiful Respects to your Lordship as my Reverend Diocesan and much Honoured Patron Whose candid construction of this mean Present will much encourage the Authour and your good Prayers promote the success of this small piece in the ends for which it is designed That I may no longer detain your Lordship from more weighty matters in reading these lines I shall humbly take leave to break off beseeching the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls to double unto your Lordship the abundance of those Graces and Gifts of his Holy Spirit which may render you a common Good in your place here and happy in giving up the accounts of your Stewardship with much joy Which is the hearty prayer of Your Lordships most humble and ready SERVANT Paul Lathom Warmister March 1. 1665. The Contents CHAP. 1. The Soul of man in its first Creation was perfectly free from Ignorance and Errour Errours the Fruit of the Fall of our First-Parents The pernicious nature of Errours in matters of Religion Page 1. CHAP. 2. A right understanding of the Holy Scriptures is our best security against Errours We need not sail to Rome to fetch it thence Two Extreams in the interpreting of Scripture both which do dangerously tend to induce us to Errour Page 10. CHAP. 3. As in vitious Courses so also in erronious Opinions men go from bad to worse The experience of our age hath sadly confirmed this The sad pass that many are come to at this day in matters of Religion Page 25. CHAP. 4. An Introduction to the Doctrine of Christ our Mediatour shewing how far the Light of Nature will lead us toward Heaven and wherein it comes short The various acceptions of the words Christ and Mediator opened page 34. CHAP. 5. The Holy Scripture being owned by all that call themselves Christians we may therefore expect that Arguments drawn from thence should put an end to all strife The Design and Method of the four next Chapters propounded page 45. CHAP. 6. The first Proposition confirmed viz. That God did to the Fathers of the Old Testament promise to send his own Son to be Incarnate and to be a Mediator between God and Man page 49. CHAP. 7. The second Proposition confirmed viz. That the time for the accomplishment of these promises is long since past and consequently the Messiah long since come page 64. CHAP. 8. The third Proposition confirmed viz. That the same Jesus in whom we believe is the true Messiah that was promised to the Fathers page 91. CHAP. 9. The fourth Proposition confirmed viz. That the New Testament doth hold forth to us such a Christ as is truely God and Man and who did truly satisfie Gods justice for our sins page 108. CHAP. 10. Two Cautions drawn by way of Inference from the aforesaid discourses page 121. CHAP. 11. Seasonable Admonitions to those who as yet stand fast in the Faith page 134. CHAP. 12. Seasonable Admonitions to them that are either wavering or fallen from the Faith page 145. Serm. 1. The Nature and Danger of a Misguided Conscience on Act. 26.9 page 161. Serm. 2. The Subtile and Pestilent Nature of Seducers on Eph. 4.14 page 201. Serm. 3. The Properties of Heavenly Wisdom An Assize-Sermon on James 3.17 page 237. ERRATA PAge 31. line 23. for or read and. p. 126. l. 1. f. scutiny r. scrutiny p. 162. l. 23. f. ages r. eyes p. 206. l. 24. f. n Istruction r. Instruction p. 239. l. 3. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 253. l. 18. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 254. l. 2. f. frowing r. frowning Christ Crucified OR The Doctrine of the Gospel ASSERTED Against Pelagian and Socinian Errors Revived under the Notion OF NEW LIGHTS CHAP. 1. The Soul of Man in its first Creation was perfectly free from Ignorance and Error Errors the Fruit of the Fall of our first Parents The pernicious Nature of Errors in matters of Religion THe infinite Wisdom and Power of the Creator of the World did compose all things in the Universe in Number Weight and Measure Gen. 1.26 And in making Man about which the whole Sacred Trinity seems in an especial manner to consult he was pleased to shew a most Exquisite piece of his Workmanship creating him after his own Image so far as a Creature whose Nature speaks him finite was capable of representing his Creator who as he is Infinite in his Being so likewise in all Excellencies and Perfections The soul of man considered in it self as a Spiritual and Immortal substance endued with such admirable Faculties of Understanding Conscience Memory Will and Affections as it gives us great reason to say with the Psalmist Psal 139.14 that we are fearfully and wonderfully made so it affords very ample occasion for breaking forth into the high praises of the God of the spirits of all flesh Num. 27.16 and saying Psal 104.24 O Lord how manifold are thy Works In Wisdom hast thou made them all Our souls are beautiful even in those ruins into which they are fallen by transgressing the command of our Creator But how glorious were these spiritual Beings when they came first out of their Creator's hands Psal 8.5 beautiful as the Morning and little lower than the Angels Then was this little world Man like a well-ordered Kingdom where the Prince commands with singular Prudence and Justice and the people obey with a willing and submissive obsequiousness Then the Understanding did fit at the Stern with singular foresight and exactness to stear our course and the Will and Affections did with as much readiness apply themselves to follow the Dictates of Reason as one Member of our Body doth bestir it self in ministring to the necessities of another Those that fancy that there was a different inclination in the Superiour and Inferiour Faculties of the souls of our first Parents from their Creation and that it is inseparable from the Nature of man as consisting of soul and body From whence they suppose such a Conflict to have been in the soul of man between these different Motions as did dispose him to forsake his own happiness These I say might be better advised if they did duly consider what is meant by Gods making man after his own Image Gen. 1.26 For as the supream Being and first Cause of all things is in his measure that is infinitely and unconceivably perfect in all his Attributes and Works and amongst other Attributes so perfect in Knowledg and Wisdom Psal 104.2 that he is said to cover himself with Light as with a Garment and to be such a Light that in him is no Darkness at all 1 John 1.5 Even so by mans being made after the Image of his Maker we are to