EMMANVEL OR THE LOVE of CHRIST Explicated and Applied in his INCARNATION Being made under the LAW AND HIS SATISFACTION IN XXX Sermons Preached by JOHN ROW Minister of God's Word AND Published by SAMUEL LEE LONDON Printed for Francis Tyton Book-seller at the Three Daggers near the Inner Temple-Gate in Fleetstreet 1680. TO THE PIOUS READER THIS Treatise here presented to thine eyes first sounded in the ears of a gracious Society by that Gospel-Trumpet Mr. John Row It was a Darling-child brought forth from a judicious head and a sanctified heart The Ancients compared John to the Eagle in the Vision of Cherubims because soaring high in the contemplation of our Lords Divinity Our John as if he had lain in the bosom of that John who lay in the bosom of our Saviour hath sweetly attempted to descant upon the Song of Angels about the Vnion of Heaven and Earth God and man together Luk. 2.10 The heavenly Host answered in a heavenly Anthem to that single Angel who brought the good Tydings of great joy for all people to the Shepherds of Bethlehem and behold here one of the Shepherds of Zion sings his Epiphonema to theirs Glory to God in the highest Indeed the union of two Natures in one Person and of three Persons in one Essence are Mysteries unaccountable by Angels but the joy of its influence shall never forsake the Harps of Angels or Saints to all Eternity None but who is assumed into that glorious Vnion can exhaust the Treasury of Divine Wisdom Rev. 5.5 John the beloved Disciple could not unloose the seven Seals of these Mysteries but must weep at the foot of the Lamb to do it Yet what is to be believed admired adored may and ought to be the subject of our most profound Meditations and delight What God hath revealed let none presume to count impertinent to dive into though they can feel no bottom they will find more amiable Gemms than Pearl and Coral adhering to the sides of the adamantine Rocks in this unfathomable Abyss True none can fully explain this Vnion but he that injoys it To delineate some glittering rays that stream from it requires deep communion with the person in union We are not able to conjecture what pleasures flow in upon the palates of Angels as they stand drinking of the beams of the Divine Essence neither can they transfuse or pour out those Paradise-rivers into our broken cisterns How far this holy man hath added to the point I rather leave to the Candidates of these Mysteries than determine Each may see deeper into their own Notions than others and it is far easier to conceive than express and yet there is infinitely more left for all Ages in the remainder of the Spirit than ever was uttered or can be thought of Yet I think with respect had to others he hath rendred some things more intelligible and many things more applicable and useful to common capacities The Cherubims that stood looking down upon the crowned Mercy-seat might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 25.11 1 Pet. 1.12 but could not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they might gaze upon it but not through it It was not transparent Gold like the streets of Jerusalem Rev. 21.21 but too thick a plate of Ophir for an Angels eye to pierce They may pry into the state of Saints in Glory but not the contrivance of Grace to bring Saints thither Much less can man and man fallen receive or sustain wings strong enough to fly into the depth of this amazing Firmament What God bath made on the back-side of the exteriour Heavens hath a terminating bound because a Creature though it pose Astronomy it self to measure and square the Circle of the Heavens so what God hath written is infinitely true though our finite and crooked thoughts can never unfold or draw a parallel what Scripture reveals though it do not fully unveil it is our duty both to study and embrace Divine love say the Platonists made the Vniverse and therefore more capacious and were it not more comprehensive than all created love it would never take a Saint He finds a bottom in all created joy and not like the Sea the fresher at the bottom but sometimes more salt and bitter but uncreated love hath no shoars nor centre but the bosom of God and the depth is upward still higher and sweeter These things are reserved for such as pass Kidron and Olivet let us a while step into the Sanctuary and study to grow in the Mystery of the Father and of Christ and pray that the Spirit would reveal in us what the Son hath revealed to us from the Father Joh. 1 1◠and then draw spiritual and sweet consequences from above Did the Son of God come down from Heaven to earth was it not to take the sons of men from earth to Heaven Did not the second Person partake of the humane Nature that we might partake of the Divine He took not the persons of Enoch or Abraham or Paul that they only might be happy but the nature of the first Adam that all who by faith are united to the second Adam in Grace may triumph in Glory Did not he lye in Davids Inn at Bethlehem that we might lye in the Son of Davids mansions that are above in that Zion of Zions Was not he made of a woman in Canaan to restore us to a better Paradise than what was lost by the woman of Eden Was not he made under the Law that we might be new born under Grace Was not he exalted on the Cross this Josephs Son to speak with reverence to erect a more firm and sublime Ladder into Heaven than Jacob's That Patriarch saw only a Vision of Angels by star-light but we by this Ladder ascend up to the Angels themselves that are singing in the Noon of Glory Was not his most precious Blood poured out as a Ransom for many to the remission of sins that ours might not be poured out like oyl to feed the perpetual Lamps in the flames of Hell Did not the Father make his love honourable as the Prophet speaks by his Son 's more honourable obedience and justifie his Justice by his Son's Righteousness and quench his anger in the Ocean of his Son's love Thus doth our blessed Author from the Son's Deity proceed to the great Doctrine of his most meritorious Sufferings and full Satisfaction for the sins of all the Elect. The Father by his Eternal love made way for his Temporal anger to his beloved Son that he might redeem his adopted sons from eternal wrath and made a way through the heart of his Son for them to pass into eternal love This point he no less sweetly than substantially clears against the Socinians venom who aim by darkning the Deity of Christ to extinguish the glory and honour of his Satisfaction Act. 20.28 For if it had not been the Blood of God it could never have purchased the Church But it is that
shall open that in several particulars 1. In that the Son of God came into a nature so inferiour to his own What comparison is there between God and the creature That the eternal God should joyn himself so nearly to the nature of his own creature this is admirable This was that made Bernard say When I consider the person of him who comes Dignationis magnitudinem expavesco I cannot comprehend the excellency of his Majesty when I consider to whom he comes I tremble at the greatness of his condescension To whom was it that this great person came He came to us poor men who dwell in houses of clay And will God indeed dwell with men Yea he dwells with man The Word was made flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and dwelt among us Joh. 1.14 He pitched his Tent and Tabernacle in a part of our nature he did not only converse familiarly and was seen among men but he pitched his Tent and Tabernacle in a part of our nature Without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God manifested in the flesh God was in that very flesh which the Son of God assumed God was in that flesh that was once seen here on earth and was afterwards given as a Sacrifice for the life of the world yea so in it as to dwell personally in it Therefore doth the Son of God call the flesh he assumed his own flesh Joh. 6.53 Now consider it what a disproportion is there between God and our flesh Yet the eternal Word is made flesh he who was with God in the beginning and who was God this very Word is made flesh Joh. 1.14 It is a notable expression one useth to illustrate this Although it was not suitable to humane flesh according to the condition of its own nature to be united to God in the unity of person yet this was becoming God in the infinite excellency of his own goodness It was nothing but infinite goodness could move God to condescend so low as to take a part of our flesh and cloath himself with it 2. The condescension of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this in that the Son of God took a part of our nature after humane nature had been infected and when the whole mass of humane nature lay infected with original sin Let none mistake here that part of humane nature which was united to the person of the Son of God had no taint or pollution of sin in it but thus we ought to conceive of it The mass of humane nature out of which this part or particle of humane nature was taken was infected with original sin and in the same moment that the Word the second person in Trinity joyned himself to our nature that part or parcel of humane nature that was joyned to his person was sanctified by the Holy Ghost so that in the same moment or instant the union was made that part of humane nature which was assumed was sanctified by the Holy Ghost neither was it sanctified before assumed nor assumed before sanctified but both were done in the same instant as soon as there was flesh so soon was it the flesh of the Word We must not suppose any instant of time when that part of humane nature that was joyned to the Son of God should have a subsistence of its own before it was united to his person no but at the same time it was flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the same time it was the flesh of the Word but this is that which commends the love of Christ and his great condescension that he should take part of our nature when the whole mass of it lay under the contagion of original sin God who was Purity and Holiness it self might justly have loathed and abhorred such impurity as ours he might justly have disdained to have sought out a habitation for himself among such polluted creatures None of the children of Adam was exempt and free from the contagion of original sin no not the Virgin her self who was the Mother of our Lord now that God should seek out and prepare for himself a habitation out of such an impure sink as our nature was by reason of sin this is that which greatly commends the love and condescension of the Son of God 3. The greatness of Christs love in his Incarnation with respect to his condescension appears in this in that he took our nature together with its infirmities He was in all things made like to us sin only excepted The Son of God did not only take flesh but he took passible mortal flesh such a nature as was subject to suffering and death this was a great commendation of his love For we must know the Divinity inhabiting in Christs humane nature could have prevented all suffering and death the Godhead which was personally united to the humane nature could have made the humane nature impassible and above suffering Therefore it is observed by a Learned man It was by the good pleasure of the Divine will Beneplacito Divinae voluntatis permittebatur carni pati operari quae propria that it was permitted to the humanity to do and suffer the things which were proper to it self The great end why the Son of God assumed our nature was that he might satisfie for the sins of men Now one is then said to satisfie for the offence of another when he takes upon himself the punishment that is due for such offences now suffering and death was the punishment due for sin By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin Rom. 5. Therefore the Son of God out of his great love to us was not only willing to take our nature but also the infirmities of our nature Isa 53.4 He hath born our griefs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and carried our sorrows That which was not assumed was not healed if Christ had not born our infirmities our infirmities had not been healed 4. The greatness of Christs condescension in his Incarnation appears in this in that he suffered the glory of his Divinity to be hid and veiled for a time in our nature after he had assumed it This is that which the Scripture calls his emptying himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.7 We read it He made himself of no reputation in the Original it is He emptied himself How did Christ empty himself The former words compared with those that follow do acquaint us He was in the form of God Now that he that was in the form of God should take upon him the form of a servant should be made in the likeness of men and was found in fashion as a man there was his emptying himself He might always have continued in the form of God only without taking to himself the form of a servant or if he will take the form of a servant he might presently and immediately shew forth the glory of his Divinity in that humane nature which he
assumes but this he doth not do he is made in the similitude of man and found in fashion as a man that is as Austin expounds it Habitu inventus est ut simplex homo he was found in fashion habit and appearance as a meer man He did for a time keep in and hide the glory of his Divinity and did not display the brightness of it as he might have done Non potuit Christus abdicare se Divinitate sed eam occultam tenuit It was not possible for the Son of God to divest himself of his Divinity but he hid his Divinity and kept it secret The Son of God when incarnate and become man when he was in the form of a servant did not cease to be the Son of God and true God but for as much as the Divinity lying hid in that flesh of his did not manifest it self presently nor at all times nor in all things nor so clearly nor perfectly as afterwards therefore he is said to empty himself as Zanchy observes therefore our Translation renders it He made himself of no reputation He did not obtain that reputation of the generality of men as to be thought to be what he was he was in the form of God true God equal with the Father but taking upon him the form of a servant being found in fashion as a man he was called the Carpenters Son and owned by the generality of men as no other but the Son of Joseph and Mary Look as the light and glory of the Sun is hid and veiled by some dark cloud interposing so the humanity was as a cloud that veiled his Divinity the Divinity repressing and keeping in its own rays from breaking forth so illustriously In the time of his humiliation when the Lord Jesus did but let forth some beams of his Divinity in his Transfiguration the Evangelist tells us That his face did shine as the Sun and his raiment was white as the light Mat. 17.20 Now he that appeared in that glory at one time might have appeared so always if he pleased This sight was so glorious that the Disciples who were with him could not behold it long but they fell upon their face and were sore afraid This is an argument that he contained and kept in the beams of his glory at other times It is true the Lord Jesus did upon occasion let forth the glory of his Divinity in his Miracles and otherwise and those who were spiritually illuminated and had familiar converse with him beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 But they were but a few in comparison that had this knowledge in the days of his flesh here on earth The Son of God did so far contain and keep in his glory that it may be truly said he made himself of no reputation that is he was not seen and acknowledged to be what indeed he was by the generality of men Hence are these expressions of the Prophet Isa 53.2 He hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Now this is a great Argument of the condescension of the Lord Jesus that when he might have let forth the glory of his Divinity in such a way that he might have convinced all men that he was true God yet he was pleased so far to repress and keep in his own glory that he might accomplish the work of his Mediatorship and thereby our Salvation If he had not hid and kept in as it were the glory of his Divinity he could not have suffered and dyed and if he had not suffered and dyed what had become of our Salvation The day is coming when the Lord Jesus shall appear in the glory of his Divinity in the humane nature he hath assumed so as that he shall be acknowledged to be God by all creatures Phil. 2.11 Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father How is this to the glory of God the Father Why thus we ought to conceive of it When Christ shall come to Judgment he shall come in the glory of his Father Mat. 16.27 The glory of the Son and the Father is but one and the same glory the Divinity of the Son and the Father is one and the same therefore when the Son comes in the glory of the Father he shall come in the glory of his own and his Fathers Divinity What is it to appear in the Divinity of himself and Father What is it for the Son to come in the glory of his own and the Fathers Divinity Certainly it is to manifest the glory of his Divinity in and by the humane nature assumed there shall be so clear a manifestation of God in the person of the Son when he comes to Judgment that all men shall know that Jesus Christ is true God as well as true Man Now that which Christ will certainly do when he comes to Judgment viz. he will manifest the glory of his Divinity to all men in and by the humane nature assumed he could have done if he had pleased whilst he was on earth but here lay the greatness of his condescension That he was pleased to hide and keep secret in a great measure the glory of his Divinity that he might accomplish the work of our Salvation And here we may cry out with the Apostle Oh the heights c. Behold stand and wonder at this love Man out of the pride of his heart will be as God Ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.5 God out of the greatness of his love will become man and though he continues to be God still when he is become man too yet such is the humility of God incarnate that he is content to lay aside the glory of his Divinity that he might exalt man that laboured to dethrone and depress him Should not this love overcome us Oh what dull and stupid hearts have we that these wonders do not affect us The end of the third Sermon SERMON IV. Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge 4. THE greatness of the love of Christ in his Incarnation may be seen in the nearness of the Union that is made between the two Natures the humane and the Divine nature in the person of the Son of God The humanity of Christ by virtue of this union is become the Spouse as it were of the Divinity God hath married himself to our nature the Son of God hath given his own person to it the Divine nature hath drawn the humane nature into that most excellent unity of the Divine person so that now there is but one and the same person of the Divine nature and the humane nature assumed so that the humane nature as it is well exprest by one is by means of this union rooted
in the Divine stock To understand this we must know that the Son of God was a person before his Incarnation and subsisted in the Divine nature by the work of his Incarnation the humane nature having no subsistence of its own hath the Divine person of the Son communicated to it and so subsists in and by that person so that now here is one and the same person that subsists in two natures The same person who subsisted in the Divine nature only before his Incarnation after his Incarnation subsists in both natures the Divine and humane nature All this is implied in that great Scripture Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh The Evangelist speaks of Christ the Son of God the eternal Word The Word was made flesh that is the Son of God the second person in Trinity was made flesh or became man That Christ was a person and had his subsistence in the Divine nature before his Incarnation that the Evangelist had shewn us in the two first verses In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Here the Evangelist shews us plainly that Christ had his subsistence before his Incarnation he subsisted in the Divine nature he subsisted with the Father in the same Divine Essence Now after he comes to acquaint us that this very person whom he calls the Word and who did first of all subsist in the nature of God only did afterwards become man and was made flesh and after his Incarnation subsists in both natures the nature of man as well as the nature of God who before his Incarnation subsisted in the nature of God only The Word was made flesh How is this to be understood made flesh Not by any conversion in the natures as if so be the Divinity was absorpt by or turned into the humanity or as if so be the humanity was swallowed up into the Divinity but the Word is made flesh thus we ought to conceive of it the Word that is the eternal Word the second person of the Trinity who was a person before draws the humane nature into the Vnity of his own person so that the natures remain distinct and unconfounded but the person is but one The Word who was a person before his Incarnation assumes and takes the humane nature destitute of any personal subsistence of its own into the unity of his own personal subsistence so that now by means of the Incarnation of the Word there is one and the same person of the Word and the humane nature assumed This is in short the sum of that Doctrine which we call the Hypostatical or personal Union which is therefore called the Hypostatical or personal Union because both the natures the Divine and the humane nature are united into that one Hypostasis or person of the Son of God Now consider the greatness of Christs love in this Union This union the union of the two natures in that one person of Christ is the greatest of all unions next to the union of the three persons of the Sacred Trinity which indeed may not so properly be called a Vnion as a Vnity Summa illa TrinÃtas nobis hanc exhibuit Trinitatem The highest Trinity hath exhibited to us this Trinity that these three the Word the flesh and humane soul of Christ should be one one not by any confusion of substance but one in person In the Sacred Trinity the persons remain distinct but the nature is one in the personal Vnion the natures remain distinct but the person is but one Now this is the highest of all unions next that of the three persons in the Trinity in one and the same Essence namely that a created nature as the humane nature in Christ is should be made one person with the Son of God who also himself is God By this union God communicates himself after the highest manner that was possible unto the creature and the nature of the creature is united to God in the most perfect manner as it was possible for the creature to be united to God In the Incarnation of the Son of God man who is the last creature in Creation is joyned with his first Cause and Principle in such a union as that there is none greater under God To illustrate yet farther the greatness of this union that is made in the two natures in the person of Christ consider There is a presence of God and an inhabitation of his Spirit in the Saints but this falls far short of the personal Vnion which we are now speaking of for notwithstanding the mystical Union notwithstanding the inhabitation of the Spirit in Believers yet a Believer remains a true person the person of a Believer and the person of Christ remain distinct persons though Christ and Believers be one mystically and spiritually The Scripture He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit There is a mystical spiritual Union between Christ and Believers yet Christ and Believers remain distinct in their persons but in this other union the personal union the union of the two natures in the person of Christ the humane nature of Christ hath no subsistence of its own but subsists wholly in and by the person of the Son of God who was a person from Eternity and gives his own person to the humane nature destitute of any personality of its own so that could we suppose it were possible for the humane nature to be deserted by the Divine person that supports it it would be reduced to nothing so that here is a vast difference between this union and all other unions Yet a little farther to illustrate this It is the observation of a Learned Divine this Union is so near individual inseparable indissoluble that the Divine nature of the Son will not cannot ought not to be thought on sought for apprehended out of this union which it hath with the humane nature but it ought to be thought of sought for apprehended in that most near union and conjunction it hath with the humanity and the humane nature which is assumed ought not not to be thought of conceived or apprehended out of but within the most intimate embracings of the second person in Trinity who assumed it And that God is not to be sought for any where but in Christ is clear from that passage 1 Joh. 5.20 The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we might know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God The sum of this Scripture saith Calvin is this When once we have Christ then we have the true and eternal God because God is to be sought for no where else The Son of God hath so assumed a part of our nature as that he hath made it his own proper flesh so
truth of a thing more vehemently and strongly The Apostle lays much weight and stress upon this Verily he took not upon him the nature of Angels It is as much as if he had said Truly herein is our nature advanced above Angels in that the Son of God did take part of our nature and did not assume Angelical nature If we look upon Angelical nature in it self and consider the nature of Angels simply so Angelical nature is superiour a nature superiour to our nature therefore is it said that man is made a little lower than the Angels Humane nature simply considered in it self is inferiour to Angelical nature but then look upon our nature as it is advanced in Christ the Head of the Church and so it is preferred above Angels therefore is it said that Christ is exalted far above principalities and powers might and dominion and every name that is names not only in this world but in that which is to come Eph. 1.20 21. The Apostle in that place is speaking of Christ-man Now Christ-man is exalted above Principalities and Powers that is above the Angels yea and above every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come hence is it that the Angels are commanded to worship Christ Heb. 1.6 Now although it be true that the Divine nature in Christ is the proper and formal object of worship yet the Angels are commanded to worship the Son of God in our nature to worship the Son of God cloathed with our nature Therefore is it said When he brings in his first-begotten Son into the world he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him The Angels were not only to worship the Son of God before his Incarnation but after his Incarnation The Son of God when incarnate and cloathed with our flesh did not cease to be the natural coessential Son of God he was the Son of God and God before he took the nature of man upon him In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God Joh. 1.1 This is spoken of him before his Incarnation therefore as the Angels were to worship him before he was cloathed with our nature so they were to worship him after he was cloathed with our nature 2. The second Consideration is this The advancement of our nature by the work of Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation a part of our nature is joyned to the second person in Trinity continueth in personal union with him so that the Son or that Person whom the Scripture calls the Word with the humane nature assumed is and continues to be the second person in Trinity We have already heard how that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God we come to have communion with the whole Trinity That which I have to add in this Proposition is to shew what that near relation is which the humane nature assumed hath unto the Trinity and how that by means of the personal union the humane nature assumed hath a nearer relation unto the Trinity than any creature whatsoever It is a Position and a Maxime both of ancient and modern Divines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum proprià sua carne socunda persona Trinitatis Chemnit lib. de duabus in Christo Naturâ—s That that person of the Trinity whom the Scripture calls the Word with his proper flesh is the second person of the Trinity Now we must understand this aright when Divines say The Son or the Word with his proper flesh is the second person of the Trinity 1. we must not suppose that hereby is intended any conversion in the natures as if so be the humane nature assumed were taken into the substance or essence of the Trinity for that is impossible we must still remember how that the two natures the Divine and humane nature after this union is made in the person of the Son always remain essentially different and distinct that is the Divinity doth always remain to be the Divinity and the humanity to be the humanity that is it remains true humane nature after the personal Union 2. Neither must we suppose that the Son of God assumes a humane person but a humane nature for if the Son of God had assumed a humane person then there had been a Quaternity not a Trinity four persons not three any longer and this the doctrine of the Gospel is most abhorring from For the Gospel tells us That there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 5.7 The Gospel speaks but of three and this the Gospel speaks of after the Incarnation of one of these persons namely after the Incarnation of the Word which is the second of these three for when John wrote this Epistle the Word was made flesh and had carried that nature assumed of his into Heaven and yet notwithstanding the Apostle saith there are but three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost so that the Word with his own proper flesh is but one and the same person There is a new person added to the Trinity by the Word 's being made flesh as he is said to be Joh. 1.14 But that person whom the Scripture calls the Word or the Son of God I say the Word assuming humane nature is and continues to be the second person of the Trinity therefore we ought to conceive of it thus The humane nature in Christ subsists not of it self or by it self neither doth the humane nature constitute any peculiar person by it self but the humane nature is taken into the unity of the person of the Word and subsists wholly in and by the person of the Word who is the second person in Trinity The Word who was a person from Eternity and subsisted in the Divine nature only before the Incarnation by reason of the Incarnation subsists in both natures the Divine and humane so that the Word which the humane nature assumed is and remains to be the second person in Trinity Mark the Word's assumption of humane nature doth not make him cease to be a person in the Trinity which he was before the Incarnation That he was a person in the Trinity before his Incarnation is clear from Joh. 1. Neither doth the Word's assuming of humane nature make an addition of any new person to the Trinity but thus we ought to conceive of it One and the same person who subsisted in the Divine nature only before his Incarnation by means of his Incarnation subsists in both natures so that we may truly say The Word with his proper flesh that is the Word with the humane nature assumed is and remains to be the second person in Trinity It is a speech which Austin hath Homine assumpto non auctus est numerus personarum Trinitatis sed eadem Trinitas mansit When the nature of man was assumed by
same glory as the Father had from Eternity now he prays that that glory which he had as the Son and as God might be manifested in and by the humane nature therefore we must remember the Divine nature received nothing but only a new manifestation of the glory it had before in and by the humane nature assumed but the humane nature is that which hath properly Power and Authority given to it Hence is that speech of one of the Ancients Vthomo accepit quod ut Deus habebat Theodor. Christ received that as he was man which he had always as he was God As he was God he always had Power and Authority invested in him now he received that as man which he had always in him as God The Son as he was God did always reign with the Father before his Incarnation And hence that speech of Christ My Father worketh hitherto and I work Joh. 5.17 But although the Son did reign before his Incarnation yet it was then as God nakedly and simply considered as God not as yet cloathed with our flesh Vt Deus sine carne but since his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven he reigns as God manifested in the flesh Aâ—tè regnabat ut Deus nudus seu suâ tantùm gloriâ in latus at pòst ut Deus carne nostrâ etiam vestitus Before his Incarnation saith a Learned Divine he reigned with the Father as God nakedly and simply considered as cloathed with his essential glory but after his Incarnation he reigned as God cloathed with our nature That is says he God the Father did not account the Son unworthy of this Honour and Authority although covered with our vile flesh and admitted him as the Son incarnate into a Copartnership with him in his Kingdom casting this honour upon the humane nature because it was joyned to his own Son in personal Union Just as if a Kings Son had taken some old garments to himself and cloathed himself therewith far inferiour to the dignity of that Relation he bears unto his Father and his Father should admit him with those garments to sit down with him in his Throne so the Son of God though cloathed with our nature covered with our flesh is not divested of his Government but he together with the Father governs this World This was that which made one of the Ancients use this expression That he who is God should sit with God that he who is the Son should reign with the Father is no such wonderful thing for he that hath the sameness of nature may well have the same power and dominion but that a part of our nature should have the same honour with him that assumed it this is that which exceeds all wonder But when Divines say whole Christ that is Christ not only as God but as man hath power over all creatures or the humane nature in the person of the Son of God reigns over all creatures we must understand this aright We must not suppose that Christ considered as meer man without his Divinity or that the humanity separate and abstract from the Divinity hath this Soveraignty and supreme Dominion over all creatures for supreme Power Dominion and Soveraignty over all creatures is proper to God only it is such a Dignity as is proper to God only therefore is it said Isa 45.22 I am God and beside me there is no other and what follows To me every knee shall bow every tongue shall swear He must needs be God to whom every knee must bow and every tongue must confess therefore it is not compatible to any creature simply and by it self considered to have dominion over all things But we ought thus to conceive of it The humanity of Christ is to be lookt upon as an Instrument that is conjoyned with the Deity the Son of God because he hath the humane nature united to him exercises all Rule Power and Authority by the humanity as by an instrument conjoyned with him The Power remains in the Divine nature primarily radically and fundamentally and this Power is exercised by the humane nature secondarily and ministerially that is to say whatsoever Christ wills by his Divine will the same doth he will by his humane will whatsoever he doth in the Church as God he doth it also as man Not that the humane nature is omnipotent but the person who subsists in the humane nature as well as in the Divine is omnipotent and there is a concourse of both natures in every action the person working by each nature what is proper to each nature We come now to make some use of what hath been opened there are several Uses will arise from the Doctrine that hath been delivered We may learn from what hath propounded Vse 1 that there is a vast difference between Christ and Believers Believers have Union with the Father and the Son yet the humane nature in Christ or Christ as he is man hath a preheminence above all Believers and that will appear by reflecting a little upon what hath been spoken 1. Consider this the humane nature in Christ hath that relation to the Trinity that no Believer in the world hath It is a Maxime with Divines The humanity of Christ belongs personally to the Trinity Humanitas Christi personaliter pertinet ad Trinitatem Now when Divines say That the Humanity of Christ belongs personally to the Trinity their meaning is not that the humanity of Christ brings in a new person for then there would be a Quaternity four persons instead of three but when they say the humanity of Christ belongs personally to the Trinity their meaning is the humanity of Christ belongs and hath relation unto the Word who is one of the persons in the Trinity and that it stands in personal Union with him so that the second person in Trinity subsists personally in the humane nature assumed which he doth not in any other creature whatsoever So that none of the Elect hath that kind of relation to the Trinity which the humane nature in Christ hath for the humane nature in Christ doth not subsist of it self out of the second person in Trinity but the second person in Trinity takes the humane nature into the subsistence of his own person so that the humane nature in Christ hath that relation to one of the persons in the Trinity to whom in person it is united and thereby to the whole Trinity that no other creature whether Angels or men ever had or shall have 2. The humane nature in Christ is the Temple of the Divinity God manifests himself to us in and by that humanity which the Son hath assumed This cannot be said of Believers For though it be said of Believers that they are the Temple of the Holy Ghost and that the Spirit of God dwells in them yet it is no where said of Believers Col. 2.9 that the fulness of the Godhead dwells in them bodily It is a
he expresseth it thus Of his fulness we receive and grace for grace which expression intimateth thus much That the humanity of Christ is the first receptacle of all grace To understand this we must know that our nature had lost original righteousness our nature was deprived of the image of God was alienated from the life of God and the way was barred and shut up as to our reception of grace for our iniquities had separated between God and us as the Prophets expression is Isa 59.1 The Son of God therefore by his Incarnation hath so united the Divine nature to the humane that he hath brought down and deposited as it were the whole fulness of the Godhead in the humane nature assumed that so grace life salvation from which we were estranged and alienated by sin might be brought near to us again and grace being now deposited in a part of our nature from this part of our nature which is taken into personal union with the Son of God which is a nature consubstantial with ours and near akin to us grace life salvation might be derived to us from his fulness we might receive grace for grace Heb. 2.14 Because the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same Now saith the Apostle elsewhere No man ever as yet hated his own flesh He that is a brother indeed it is no grief to him to part with some of his substance with some of the goods he is possessed of to his own brethren who are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone It is a great Scripture yet farther to illustrate this As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of man Joh. 5.26 27. Calvin observes from that expression because he is the Son of man Christ was therefore ordained by the Father to be the Author of life that so we might not have life to seek afar off Christ received nothing for himself as if he needed any thing for himself but he received that wherewith he might inrich us and the sum of these two verses he makes to be this That is laid open to us in Christ man which did before lye hid in God because the Majesty of God as it is at a great distance from us is like to a spring that lyes hidden and latent Habemus promptum expositum fontem ex quo haurire licet Calvin therefore God hath displayed himself openly to us in Christ We have in Christ a fountain that is near and ready at hand and that which lyes open to us from whence we might receive all grace 10. The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God grace is not only brought near to us but it is made most firm and sure That which a meer man received might be taken away and lost as it was in Adam therefore grace was deposited in the hands of one who was God as well as man that so grace might be made most sure and firm The best of creatures are mutable things and subject to change hence is that expression Job 4.18 Behold he puts no trust in his servants and his Angels he chargeth with folly The Angels themselves which are the highest rank of creatures are subject to change the good Angels who never sinned yet might have sinned and fallen had they not been confirmed by Divine grace And that they might have done so it appears plainly by the instance of the evil Angels The evil Angels were created at first in the same state of dignity and glory as the good Angels were but they being left to the mutability of their own will fell from God whereas the good Angels were confirmed by grace It is a wise speech of Austin God Deum sic ordinâsse Angelorum hominum vitam ut in ea priùs ostenderet quid posset liberum arbitrium deinde quid posset gratiae suae beneficium Aug. saith he hath so ordered and disposed concerning the life of Angels and men that he hath shewn first of all what free-will could do and then what the benefit of his grace could do Free-will both in Angels and men discovered it self to be a mutable thing therefore that grace might be laid sure it was laid in the hands of one who was God as well as man Austin observes Christ was predestinated to be Head of the Church and we are predestinated to be his members Now grace in the Head of the Church is laid most sure The Godhead in Christ is an indeficient never failing Principle of grace So that the humane nature of Christ had not only created habits in it as Adams soul had but the Godhead was personally united to it so that unless we could suppose a dissolution of the Hypostatical or personal Union it is impossible that the humane nature in Christ should cease to be filled with Divine grace Hence is that expression of Christ Joh. 6.57 As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father It is as much as if our Saviour had said The Godhead is a living spring a living fountain of grace It is usual with Christ when he speaks of those things which belong to the Divine nature which is common to him and the Father to attribute them to the Father therefore he saith I live by the Father The Father is the first person in the Deity and although the Son be possessed of the same Deity yet when Christ speaks of such things as belong to the Deity or the Divine nature he useth the name of the Father in which expression his own Divinity is comprehended So Joh. 14.10 The Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works his meaning is the Divine nature The Divine nature is common to him and the Father but he expresses it thus The Father in me doth the works Now saith he As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father his meaning is the Divinity which is united to my flesh is a living Spring and fountain of grace my humanity receives all grace life and virtue from the Divinity inhabiting in it The Divine nature in the person of the Son holds the humane nature in the nearest closest and most indissoluble union and being so nearly and strictly united to the humanity fills the humanity with all grace So that the firmness and sureness of grace to the Elect depends upon a treble Basis or foundation 1. It depends upon the firmness and indissolubility of the Union that is between the two Natures in Christ 2. It depends upon the Indeficiency of grace and the inexhaustible Fulness that is in the Godhead 3. It depends upon a Believers Union with Christ 1. If the personal Union can never be dissolved then the humane nature which always abides in the nearest union
us to himself by Jesus Christ And that passage of our Saviour is most remarkable to this purpose Joh. 17.7 where he makes this to be the property of the Elect They have known that all things that thou hast given me are of thee The Saints do know that whatever Christ is that God himself is to them by Christ so that as God hath brought himself near to us in that way in the first place to make himself more facile and easie to be apprehended by us and to render himself more sweet and kind for us to approach to him so God in Christ doth actually communicate and give himself to us and God in Christ is the Author of our salvation and doth all that is done in the business of our salvation 13. The thirteenth Proposition for the clearing of this great Mystery is the love of Christ in his Incarnation is seen in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God as God is brought near to us so we are brought near to him Christ is the bond of our union unto God Nexus unionis nostrae ad Deum Christus est Cyril Quod homo est Christus esse voluit ut homo posset esse quod Christus est Cyprian Christ is he that ties the knot between God and us Christ as man is united unto us Christ as God so he is naturally united to the Father It was a good speech of Cyprian Christ would be that which man is that man might be that which Christ is This will be illustrated by considering that great Scripture Joh. 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you These words are some of the most mysterious words in all the Book of God and I remember Cyril saith of this Text It is a difficult Text and prays for Divine grace to help him to understand it I shall modestly give as I am able the interpretation of this Text here are three great Vnions insinuated in this Text. 1. The essential Union 2. The Incarnation of the Son of God the Vnion of the two Natures in the person of Christ 3. The mystical Union All these three great Unions are held forth to us in this Text. 1. The essential Union the Union of the Son and Father in the self-same Essence In those words In that day you shall know I am in my Father that is you shall know that I am the natural Son of God and that the Father hath communicated all his perfections unto me by eternal Generation Joh. 16.15 All that the Father hath is mine You shall know that I am in the Father by the unity of the Divine Essence Inspecto Christo videtur illa unitas essentiae ac gloriae Patris ac Filii Or else as another Learned Divine expounds this Phrase You shall know that I am in the Father Christ being once looked upon and beheld by the eye of faith the unity of the Essence and the glory of the Father and the Son is seen both at once You shall know that I am in the Father that is you shall know me to be the Son of God true God of one and the same Substance Essence and Divinity with the Father 2. There is the Union of the two Natures in Christ implied in these words You shall know that you are in me Percipietis Divinae meae incarnationis mysterium that is as a Learned man expounds those words You shall perceive the Mystery of my Divine Incarnation by means of which the humane nature is united to my Divinity and taken into unity of person with the Son of God by means of which you also after a sort may be said to be in me To understand this we must know although it be true that the Son of God assumed humane nature not the whole mass or lump of it but in a certain part and particle of it and hereupon that part of humane nature which is taken into personal union with the Son of God hath a nearer relation to the Trinity than any creature whatsoever yet the Son of God assuming a part of our nature into personal union with himself all the Elect being united to Christ by faith are included in Christ as Members relating to the Head and so injoy the benefit of his Incarnation Heb. 2.14 For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same So that although the union be personally made in one part of humane nature viz. that part which was personally united to the Son of God yet all the seed have benefit by Christs Incarnation and being implanted into Christ by faith are made members of his body Sicut membra in capite sicut contentum in continente sicut palmes in vite sicut effectus in fontali principio of his flesh and of his bone and are comprehended in him as in their Head You shall know that you are in me that is as one explains this Phrase As the members are in the head as the thing contained in the thing containing as the branches in the Vine as the effect is in its fontal Principle This interpretation is further confirmed by that Scripture Eph. 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one in Christ The word in the Original is an emphatical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Chrysostome interprets thus To reduce all things under one head All the Elect are reduced and brought under Christ as their common Head and thus we are said to be in him You in me We are in him as members in the head And it is observed further by a Learned man That the Elect are said to be in Christ in respect of both his natures 1. As Christ is man Per communionem naturae ut in causa servante conservante sicut in ultimo fine so we are said to be in him by communion of nature 2. As Christ is God so we are in him as in the saving and conserving cause and as in the last end Hence are those expressions Preserved in Jesus Christ Jude 1. Col. 1.16 All things were created by him and for him 3. Here is the Mystical or Spiritual Union set down and I in you As Christ is in the Father by Vnity of Essence we in Christ as being taken in to be members of his body and standing related to him as a Head so Christ is in us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 6.16 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit This is another part of the love of Christ in his Incarnation that by this means we are brought near to God as one of the Ancients expression is Consummati sumus reductique ad unionem Dei Patris mediatione Salvatoris Cyril We are consummated and brought back again into union with God the Father by the mediation of Christ our Saviour This
and help us True indeed God is love in himself his name is the Lord gracious merciful long-suffering pardoning iniquity transgression and sin but God being at such a distance from us and also a God of such infinite Purity and Majesty we are apt to doubt whether God will take any notice of such vile and sinful worms as we are therefore in a way of condescension God is come down into our nature that so faith may have the greater incouragement that since God dwells in the nature of man he will not shut up his own bowels against them who are his own brethren and kindred Christ is akin to us nearly allied to us in respect of his humanity one in nature with us in respect of his humanity as he is nearly allied to his Father and one in nature with him in respect of his Divinity Heb. 2.11 The Apostle here speaks of Christ and his Members He that sanctifies and they that are sanctified are of one that is they are one and the same nature of one and the same common nature We may well suppose that part of our nature which Christ wears will put him in mind to be kind to us if he were not otherwise inclined unto us There is a common Law of humanity which commands some compassion in all men even in those who are most degenerate by sin the Law of common humanity will force some bowels from the worst of men to them that are in great distress How powerful then is this Law where the force of it is not abated by any allay from sin but where this Law is heightned and elevated by the greatest measures of grace and the presence of the Divinity inhabiting in the humanity Thus it is in Christ Christ hath the greatest perfection of grace in him and the presence of the Divinity inhabiting in his humanity Hence it is our Saviour comforts the hearts of his Disciples upon this account Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me It is as much as if he should say You take this for granted this is a confessed Principle among you you ought to believe in God now you believe in God believe also in me Our Saviours meaning is this Look upon God come down into a part of your nature behold God in my humanity Ye believe in God believe also in me Faith in Christ is no prejudice to faith in God the Father at the same time we believe in Christ we believe in God the Father for the Divine Essence is one and the same in all the three persons at the same time we believe in the Son we believe in the Father Now our Saviour to incourage us to believe would have us to behold God in the glass of his humanity You believe in God believe also in me As much as if he should say I that am now speaking to you am God and man in one person you cannot think that I your Lord and Master who have been conversing with you so long and of whose tenderness and compassion you have had so much experience should want any bowels or tenderness in me to do you good now I am God as well as man if you think I am inclined to pity you as I amman I want no power to help and relieve you as I am God 15. The love of Christ in his Incarnation is seen in this In that by means of his Incarnation there is a foundation laid for the work of his Mediatorship in general and also for executing those three great Offices of Prophet Priest and King in particular My design is not at present to treat of Christs Mediatorship at large nor to speak largely of his Offices but only to shew how Christs Incarnation or his taking of our nature lays the foundation for his undertaking the work of Mediatorship in general and also of executing those three great Offices in particular of a Prophet Priest and King and also to shew how his love is demonstrated to us in this 1 Christs undertaking the Office of Mediatorship is the great demonstration of his love to us for Christ as Mediator brings us back to God we were at variance with God now we being at a distance from God and at enmity with him by reason of sin there was need of a Mediator to reconcile the difference and bring God and us together Now here was the great demonstration of the love of Christ that the Son of God would undertake the Office of Mediator and that he might do so he was willing to take up our nature in his Incarnation that he might perform the Office of Mediator in it Hence is that expression of the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediator between God and man the man Jesus Christ The Apostles intention in using this expression the Man Christ Jesus is not to exclude the Divine nature from the person of the Mediator for it is here observed by Calvin when the Apostle calls him Man he doth not hereby deny him to be God for this is a sure Rule in Divinity The person of the Mediator accomplisheth the work of Redemption according to both natures so that the work of Redemption is the work of the person working in both natures that which is proper to each nature Hence is it that a Judicious Divine observes By a wonderful temperament it is so ordered that the Hypostatical union of the two natures is made in the person of Christ Vt esset mediatrix humana Divinitas Divina humanitas August that he who is our Mediator should be Man-God and God-man therefore we ought thus to conceive of it Christ took up our nature that he might perform the Office of Mediator in it and this is expressed by the Apostle Heb. 10.5 When he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me When he comes into the world Christ came into the world by his Incarnation by his Assumption and taking up of our nature and wherefore did he come into the world It was to perform the Office of a Mediator to reconcile us to God to offer up the great Sacrifice for sin Other Sacrifices would not serve the turn and therefore the Son of God would offer the great and true Sacrifice namely the Sacrifice of himself and by this means reconcile us to God Now what must Christ do that he may perform the Office of Mediator and reconcile us to God He must take a true humane body Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me The Son of God must assume mans nature if he will be a Mediator between God and man It is the office of a Mediator to conjoyn and unite those between whom he is a Mediator The extremes are united in some middle and he that is Mediator had need to have some interest in both parties to be reconciled Christ therefore being to reconcile us to God and to unite
us to him that he might be a fit Mediator takes upon him the nature of man that so being God and man in one person and having interest in both parties he might bring God and man together Hence is it that the Mediator hath this appellation of Christ given to him Luk. 2.17 Vnto you is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Christ you know signifies the anointed Under the Old Testament Kings Priests and Prophets were wont to be anointed Now Christ being to undertake the office of Mediator in general and those three Offices in particular of Prophet Priest and King he also is anointed Christs Vnction or Anointing properly belongs to his humane nature Act. 10.38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost For although it be true that Christ is the name of the person subsisting in both natures and the name of Christ doth not only agree to Christ as he is man but as he is God manifested in the flesh yet Christs anointing properly respects his humane nature As God he needed not any anointing for he had all fulness in himself therefore he was properly anointed as man If it be asked what this anointing of Christ was I answer It is that plenitude and fulness of the gifts of the Holy Ghost yea the fulness of the Godhead which dwells personally in the humane nature assumed whereby he is qualified to perform the office of Mediator Christ being to undertake the Office of Mediator hath his humanity filled with all habitual grace and also the presence of the Divinity inhabiting personally in his humane nature So that Christs assumption of our nature anointing it with the Spirit of all grace lays the foundation for the great work of his Mediatorship It is well observed by a Judicious Divine That we may more firmly believe Chemnitius that the benefit of Redemption doth belong to us therefore did the Son of God assume a nature that was of the same substance with ours and near akin with us by which in the virtue of the Divinity he might accomplish our Redemption that as by humane nature in Adam sin and death entred into the world so by the same nature in Christ righteousness and life might be restored to the world 2. As the Incarnation of Christ lays the foundation and prepares the way to the work of Mediatorship in general so by the Incarnation Christ is fitted and prepared as it were to enter upon the execution of those three great Offices of his the Office of a Prophet Priest and King 1. The Lord Jesus assuming mans nature performs the office of a Prophet to the Church in the humane nature assumed The great work of the Prophets of old was to be the Messengers of God to the people the Interpreters of Gods mind and will they were to reveal Gods mind and will to the people The Lord Jesus undertaking our nature is the great Messenger of the Covenant the Interpreter of the Fathers counsels he hath revealed the whole will and mind of the Father to us Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Joh. 15.15 All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Should God speak to us immediately from Heaven we should be affrighted at his presence and terrified with his Majesty as they were when they heard God speaking to them from Mount Sinai and said Let not God speak to us but let Moses speak to us Exod. 20.19 Therefore hath the Son of God assumed our nature and appeared visibly in flesh and conversed among men like one of us that we might receive the Law at his mouth The humanity of Christ is the Organ of the Divinity And this is one great commendation of the office of the Ministry as Peter Martyr hath observed That the Son of God who was God over all blessed for ever was pleased to take up humane nature that he might perform the office of a Minister in it Therefore is Christ called Rom. 15.8 A Minister of the Circumcision that is to the Jewish Church There is some Controversie among Divines concerning the knowledge that was in the humane soul of Jesus Christ but this is certain Christ as man had all things made known to him that did concern our salvation now whatsoever the Lord Jesus as man received from the Father that as the great Prophet of the Church he hath faithfully revealed to his people Joh. 17.8 I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me Christ as man receives all from the Father and he gives out all to the Church Thus his Incarnation prepares him for the execution of his Prophetical Office 2. The Son of God by assuming mans nature is prepared for the execution of his Priestly Office Two great works were incumbent on the Priests under the Law 1. To offer Sacrifices and make atonement for the people 2. To intercede and pray for the people 1. One Office of the Priest was to offer Sacrifice and make atonement So Heb. 8.3 Every High-Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices 2. Another office of the Priest was to pray for the people Therefore saith Samuel God forbid that I should cease to pray for you Now the Son of God by assuming our nature is qualified to perform both these works of a Priest 1. Christ by his Incarnation is fitted to offer Sacrifice God took no delight in the Sacrifices of beasts and cattle Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wouldst not therefore did the Son of God take a true humane body and offered himself for a Sacrifice Heb. 9.26 Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Christ is Priest Altar and Sacrifice Christ is the Sacrifice that is offered so vers 28. Christ was offered to bear the sin of many Christ is the name of the person subsisting in both natures so that there is a concourse of both natures the Divine and humane nature in the work of Satisfaction The humane nature was the nature suffering and the Divine nature that sanctified the sufferings of the humanity The Divinity was in the humanity in the time of its offering that body which hung upon the Cross which suffered and dyed was the body of him who was God it was filled and replenished with God the Godhead did personally inhabit in it in the time of its suffering Although the Godhead did not put forth its operation as it might have done but did rest and suspend its operations for a time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it might give liberty to the humane nature to suffer for if the Godhead should have put forth its operation as it might it could have hindred all passion and suffering in the humane nature yet the personal union always remained the Son of God did always retain and keep the humane nature in the bond of personal union in the height of his sufferings and he
my God why hast thou forsaken me He was deprived of the sense and comfort of his Fathers love Secondly Christ suffered natural death his humane soul was truly separated from his body Now Christ having satisfied that Law In the day that thou eatest thou shalt dye the death by suffering the penalty of that Law hath fully delivered his people from the curse Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us A Learned man observes Because according to the sentence of the Divine Judgment in that day Adam fell and sinned humane nature ought to have been punished with eternal perdition therefore the Son of God offered himself to assume humane nature and afterwards did assume it that so man might not dye the death And the same Learned man hath another expression to the same purpose Because humane nature was depraved and lost so that it became the body of sin and death therefore the Son of God in lieu thereof was pleased in the humane nature assumed to condemn sin and abolish death and in his own person restore humane nature to righteousness life and happiness Christ having dyed for sin once dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 10. Our nature as it is in Christ it is above death and the fear of death O let us think of these things these things are the most solid grounds of comfort Our nature in Christ is above death and the fear of death it is possessed of life and immortality and brought to perfect happiness Hence is that expression 2 Tim. 1.10 Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel Christ hath already brought life and immortality into our nature Christ doth already stand possessed of immortality in his own person And this is the singular comfort of Believers that they may see a part of their own nature set above sorrow misery and death and brought to the greatest happiness they can wish or long for and that they may be assured they shall be possessed of the same happiness in their measure which Christ their Head is possessed of This Christ assures them of Joh. 17.22 The glory which thou hast given me I have given them Christ had glory with the Father from Eternity as he was his natural and coessential Son this he speaks of vers 5. Glorifie me with thy self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Now besides this there is a glory which is given to him the glory which thou gavest me I have given them Christ had a glory given to him as man and Mediator Now the glory which was given to Christ as man and Head of the Church is given to the Elect so that all the Elect do participate and share in it in their measure The glory which thou hast given me I have given them Calvin observes upon that Text The Samplar or pattern of perfect happiness is so exprest and set forth in Christ that nothing is confined to Christ only but Christ was therefore inriched that he might inrich Believers the glory which thou hast given me I have given them Christ and his Members share in glory in common only reserving the difference between Head and Members Christ hath the glory of the Head Believers have glory as Members Christs glorification is the surest pledge of our glorification for how is it possible that he who is our Head and is now in glory with the Father should leave us to those miseries we are now obnoxious to whenas we are so nearly related to him we being members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit The Church being so nearly related to Christ and Christ being in glory how is it possible Christ should leave them under those miseries they are now subject unto 17. The greatness of Christs love in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation all the Elect shall have a standing Monument before their eyes wherein they may see and behold the infiniteness and transcendency of the love of God to all Eternity And the reason of this Proposition is this Because the Hypostatical or personal Union shall not be dissolved in Heaven the humane nature shall remain and abide united to the Divinity to all Eternity As in Heaven we shall be admitted to the sight of God we shall see the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity we shall see the Unity of the Essence and the three persons Father Son and Spirit subsisting in this one Essence of God so in Heaven we shall see the great Mystery of the personal Union the Mystery of the two Natures in the person of Christ more than now we can And this will be one part of the happiness of Heaven that we shall see our nature united to the Divinity in the person of the Son of God and by this means we shall come to understand the greatness of the love of God by seeing how near our nature is taken unto God in the person of our Head The Hypostatical or personal Union is the foundation of the mystical Union viz. of our union and communion with God God hath taken a part of our nature into personal union with himself and by means of this we have union and communion with him Now in Heaven we shall have a clear sight what that glory is which Christ our Head is advanced unto by the personal union And this I take to be carried in that great Text Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me The happiness of Heaven will be to gaze upon the glory of Christ as a Learned Divine expresseth it That they may behold my glory as if so be this would be Heaven enough for the Elect to see the glory their Head is possessed of And what glory is this That they may behold my glory certainly the glory of his Divinity Christ had glory with the Father before the foundation of the world Joh. 17.5 He was in the form of God saith the Apostle now all the Elect shall see and behold his glory that is they shall see the glory of his Divinity and how so They shall see and behold the glory of his Divinity shining forth through his humanity The humane nature is united to the Divinity in the person of the Son now the Elect in Heaven shall see that person who hath assumed their nature to be true God and to have all the glory of the Divinity in him As the second person in Trinity is true God and hath all the glory of the Divinity in him so the Elect in Heaven shall see the humane nature united to the Divinity in the person of the Son Therefore is it added in the close of the verse For
is it said Every one That so Christ himself saith he might not be excluded Christ who was blessed in his own Righteousness was yet accursed for our sins The curse prevailed so far as to take away Christs life to separate his soul from his body It is true the curse could not prevail so far as to separate either from his person to separate his soul or his body from his person the Person of the Son of God the second Person in Trinity remained united to the soul and body of Christ even when his body and soul were separated each from other and it is our greatest happiness that it was so viz. that the curse could not reach the Person of Christ if I may so express it that is reach his Person so as to dissolve the Union of the two Natures for if the curse could have reached the Person of Christ in the sense I am now speaking of that is if the curse could have extended it self to the Person of Christ so as to dissolve the Union of the two Natures this would have made the death of Christ ineffectual if death could have dissolved the personal Vnion Christs death would have been no more than the death of a meer man of a just man and so his death could not have been meritorious and have satisfied for the sins of the world But though the curse could not take hold of Christs Person so as to dissolve the union between his Person and our nature yet the curse took hold of our nature united to Christs Person The curse did prevail so far as to separate his humane soul from his body To understand this a little more clearly let us consider the Divine nature in Christ was above the Law and above the curse the curse could not reach his Divine nature it could not possibly hurt that but now Christ having assumed our nature and voluntarily made himself subject to the Law and to the curse in our nature the Law hath to do with our nature in Christ We being under sin and under the curse the curse had dominion over us therefore the Apostle tells us That sin reigned unto death Rom. 5.21 Now Christ being our Surety and the Law finding our nature in Christ and that Christ had transferred the guilt of our sins upon himself the Law armed with the curse deals with Christ as a sinner and it proceeds so far as to make the utmost breach upon our nature that it can it rends his holy soul from his pure body And thus for a time the curse seems to triumph over our nature as it stood in Christ Hence is that of the Apostle Rom. 6.9 Christ being dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him This plainly intimates that death and the curse had dominion over Christ for a time and the curse proceeded so far as to the extinction of his natural life his soul was separated from his body though the union between the two natures was not dissolved I come to the third and last Particular and that is this How it was possible for this to be Christ was most blessed in himself how then was it possible for him thus to be made a curse The curse implies anger wrath displeasure in him that pronounceth and inflicts it as hath been shewn how then was it possible for Christ to suffer the wrath of God that was always beloved of God To this several things are to be answered 1. Consider Christ in himself and so he was always beloved of God Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Isa 42.1 Behold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth And Christ as he was man had more titles than one to his Fathers love 1. Christ had a title to his Fathers love as his Humanity is taken into so near a relation to the natural Son of God The humane nature in Christ is made one in person with the natural Son of God so that there is not another subsistence of the second Person in Trinity and the humane nature but there is one subsistence to the second Person in Trinity and to the humane nature therefore the humane nature being taken in as it were to have its subsistence in the person of the natural Son of God being taken into the unity of the same person must needs be beloved of the Father upon that account above all creatures 2. Christ is beloved of the Father as he is a just and an innocent person and he must needs be beloved of the Father upon that account Isa 46.8 The Lord loveth the righteous Christ being a just and a righteous pâ—â—son the Father could not but love him as considered in himself 3. The Father loved Christ upon the account of his obedience Joh. 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life for my sheep and in the next verse This commandment have I received of my Father Christ obeying his Father in laying down his life for his sheep is one title he hath to his Fathers love therefore consider Christ in himself so he was always beloved of the Father 2. Christ suffered the wrath of God as he was our Surety and as he stood in our stead 1 Pet. 4.1 Christ hath suffered for us 1 Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered for sin the just for the unjust This is a clear Text Christ was a just person in himself and as he was a just person so he was always beloved of God and could not but be beloved of him But now as he that was a just person in himself gave himself to suffer for the unjust so it was that he bare the wrath of God The wrath of God was due to the unjust Tribulation and anguish indignation and wrath upon every soul of man that doth evil Rom 2. Therefore if the just will suffer for the unjust in their room and stead he must then suffer what they must have suffered It is a true speech of Austin Mors Christi fuit conditionis non criminis Aug. The death which Christ underwent was not in respect of any crime or offence that he himself had committed but it was in respect of the condition that he brought himself into that is Christ suffered the wrath of God not for any crime or offence of his own but in the condition of a Mediator because of our sins Hence is it said That he was delivered up for our offences Rom. 6. ult So in that of the Prophet Isa 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him Christ took upon him the discharge and payment of our debt therefore though he was always beloved of God in himself yet as personating and representing us who were sinners so it was that he sustained the wrath of God All we like sheep have gone astray saith the Prophet and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Isa 53.6 We
themselves cannot be supposed to be infinite for the habits cannot exceed the capacity of the subject if the humane soul of Christ be but a created thing then the habits of grace which are in it are not simply infinite yet notwithstanding this the love which is to be found in Christs humane nature is exceeding great and a love surpassing the love of men or Angels and the reason is the humane soul of Christ hath the Divinity inhabiting in it now as the Son receives all the Father hath in the eternal Generation the whole substance of the Father is communicated to the Son in the eternal Generation there is no perfection that is in the Father but it is to be found in the Son therefore by consequence it follows that the love of the Father must necessarily be communicated to the Son and doth reside in the Son and there is but one and the same Divine love both in the Father and in the Son Now the Son the second person in Trinity taking our nature both the love of the Father and the Son for as an Holy man observes Sweet is this contemplation doth in some sort abide and reside in our nature therefore the humane Soul of Christ being inflamed and set on fire with the fire of Divine love which is so near it which inhabits and dwells in it must needs be fuller of love than any creatures heart ever was The humane nature of Christ by means of its Union and Conjunction with the Divinity takes in the influence of the Divinity and the Divinity thus personally united to the Humanity must needs fill his soul with that love that no creature was ever filled with therefore we must necessarily suppose there was the greatest love imaginable in Christs humane soul the greatest as was possible there could be in any created nature The Godhead dwelling in Christ bodily that infinite love of God must be supposed in some sense to dwell in the heart of Christ Man How loving how tender how affectionate must that heart be that hath all the love of the Father and the Son poured out into it For consider it the Son receives all from the Father by eternal Generation the Son takes up our nature and dwells in it the humane nature united to the Son takes in the influence of the Fathers and the Sons love by means of its personal Union with the Son And thus the humane nature is not only warmed but wholly set on fire by the Divinity inhabiting in it Therefore it is well observed by one of the Ancients There is some warmth some heat that comes from Christ the eternal Word into all the Saints hearts In hac anima ipse ignis divinus substantialiter requievisse credendus est Orig. but in Christs humane Soul the very fire of Divine love dwells substantially there it rested substantially for in him the fulness of the Goahead dwells bodily Col. 2.9 Therefore there is the greatest love imaginable to be found even in the humane Soul of Christ More particularly the love that was in the humane Soul of Jesus Christ may be described and set forth under three considerations 1. The heart of Christ-Man was filled with the most sweet tender merciful compassionate dispositions that ever any heart was filled with Hence is it that we have those expressions that he is a merciful and a faithful High Priest Heb. 2.17 that he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 3.15 We read also of the bowels of Christ the meekness the gentleness of Christ 2 Cor. 10.1 Never were there such words of love and sweetness spoken by any man as by him never was there such a loving and tender heart as the heart-of Jesus Christ Grace was poured into his lips Psal 45.3 Certainly never were there such words of love sweetness and tenderness spoken here upon this earth as those last words of his which were uttered a little before his Suffering and are recorded in the 13 14 15 16 17 Chapters of John Read over all the Books of love and friendship that were ever written by any of the sons of men they do all come far short of those melting strains of love that are there expressed So sweet and amiable was the conversation of Jesus Christ that it is reported of the Apostle Peter in the Ecclesiastical History that after Christs Ascension he wept so abundantly that he Quoties recordaretur illius suavissimae conversationis Christi was always seen wiping his face from the tears and being asked why he wept so he answered He could not chuse but weep as often as he thought of that most sweet conversation of Jesus Christ 2. The love of Christ as Man or which was in his humane nature may be seen in the compliance of his humane will with the Divine will in point of suffering It is true it was the Divine will that gave up the humane nature to suffer Joh. 6.51 The bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world It was the Divine will that gave up the humanity to suffer yet his humane will complied with the Divine will Father not as I will but as thou wilt There is a will and a will in Christ a Divine will and a humane will and the humane will complies with the Divine will Father save me from this hour nevertheless for this cause came I to this hour Joh. 12.27 Hence is it that the Apostle tells us he was obedient unto the death Phil. 2.8 The Lord Jesus knew right-well how great a burden the weight and pressure of his Fathers wrath was and yet he was content to undergo this burden for our sakes The cup which my Father hath given me to drink shall not I drink of it Joh. 18.11 I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Luk. 12.50 It is true had he not been God he could never have stood under such a burden as the burden of Divine wrath and had not his love been more than a created love had his love been the love of a meer creature he would never have undertaken such a work But being supported by the Godhead he was inabled to undergo his Sufferings and also his humane will influenced by the Deity was made willing to suffer therefore it is said For their sakes I sanctifie my self Joh. 17.19 There was a concurrence of his Divine and humane will in his suffering the Divine will in the person of the Son sanctifies and sets apart the humane nature to suffer the humane will concurs with the Divine and is made willing to suffer Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life The person that lays down his life is the Son of God incarnate the life which he lays down is the life of his Humanity for the life of his Divinity could never be laid down Now the Divine person had the
which is in the Divine nature is the fountain and spring of all the love that is in the humane nature and it was meet we should contemplate a little the love that was in Christs humane nature that by this consideration we might rise up to contemplate the love of the Divine nature which is the fountain and head-spring Now to help us a little to conceive of the love which is in the Divine nature of Christ I shall propound you three considerations to illustrate it 1. All the love of the Father resides and is to be found in the Divine nature of the Son The Scripture when it speaks of the love of God doth all along commend and set forth the love of God the Father Behold what manner of love the Father hath shewed us 1 Joh. 3.1 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God c. 2 Cor. 16.14 The love of God that is the love of the Father for when Christ and God are set in distinction by God we are to understand the first person of the Trinity the Father So Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that is God the Father Still we see the Scripture describes the Father to us as the fountain of love As the Father is the Fountain of the Deity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he is the fountain of love Now then if all the love of the Father resides and is to be found in the Son then certainly the Divine nature of the Son must needs be full of love but so it is the whole intire love of the Father is to be found in the Divine nature of the Son and the reason is because there is but one and the same Divine nature in the Father and in the Son Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father and the Son are not of alike Essence but they are of the same Essence and because of the sameness of the Essence in the Father and in the Son there is the same love in the Father and in the Son Love is an essential property belonging to the Essence of God there being the same Essence both in the Father and the Son there must needs be the same love in both The Father communicates all he is and hath to the Son in the eternal Generation Joh. 16.15 All that the Father hath is mine therefore the Son receiving all from the Father in the eternal Generation the whole intire love of the Father is communicated to him and resides in him Therefore he is called the express image of his person the brightness of his glory Heb. 1.3 The whole nature of the Father is to be seen and is made conspicuous in the person of the Son Therefore if we conclude that there is the highest and most immense love in the Father we must necessarily conclude there is the same love in the Son who is the express image of his person Hence is that expression of our Saviour Joh. 14.21 If any man love me he shall be loved of my Father and I will love him Observe it my Father will love him and I will love him We may not conceive there is a twofold love one of the Father and another of the Son but both Father and Son do love with the same love There is but one and the same Divine love in the Father and the Son It is true if we understand it as some do of the love that is in Christs humane nature then we may suppose a twofold love and so there is a Learned man that gives this sense My Father will love him and I will love him i. e. I will love him not as God only for so the Father and the Son love with one love but I will love him as man also Quomodo Pater sine Filio aut Filius sine Patre diligeret quomodo cùm inseparabiliter operentur separabiliter diligant Aug. But I incline rather to understand it as Austin of the Divine Love there is but one and the same Divine love in the Father and the Son It is Austins Exposition upon the Text How is it possible the Father should love without the Son or the Son without the Father How is it possible when the Father and the Son work inseparably their love should be divided and separated The Son having all the Fathers love in him and the Scripture describing the Father to be the fountain of all love the Divine nature of the Son must needs be full of love We come now to make a little Use of what hath been opened Vse We have heard a little of the sweetness of Christs love not only in the properties of it but as this love is to be found in both his natures Behold here matter for new wonder Well may we cry out with the Apostle O the heights and depths and breadths and lengths of the love of Christ Here is love the most glorious love in both the natures of the Lord Jesus in his humane and in his Divine nature 1. Great was his love in his humane nature his humane nature was filled with that love that no creature was filled with great are the affections that are seated in his humane heart never so much sweetness kindness tenderness compassionateness to be found in any heart as his Never any thing so sweet so lovely so amiable in the whole Creation of God as the Humanity of Jesus Christ Thou art fairer than the sons of men Psal 45.2 The humane soul of Christ was composed and made up all of love and sweetness yea the humane nature was the receptacle as it were into which the Divinity poured forth all its love In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 It is not a particle or some small portion of the Divinity but the fulness of the Godhead and if all the fulness of the Godhead then all the fulness of Divine love dwells in the humane nature assumed Not that the love of the Humanity is formally and essentially the same with the Divine love or that the love which immediately flows from his humane will and affections is simply infinite as the Divine love is although it is a far greater love than ever was found in the heart of any creature but thus we may conceive of it The Humanity is as it were the seat of the Divine person in this humane nature that person who is love it self dwells Gods nature is love now in the humane nature assumed that very person who is love it self dwells and takes up his abode how sweet how full of love must the heart of Christ be that hath love it self dwelling and inhabiting in it 2. Here is the love of the Divine nature and how great that love is no heart can conceive no tongue can express A few words from hence to Sinners and to the Saints of God O that poor Sinners would be perswaded to look after a share in this love
yet thus we ought to conceive of it God being love love being his very nature and essence God loves the creatures freely indeed but yet he loves according to the condecency or becomingness of his own goodness What so proper to Love as to love God is love Bonum est sui ipsius diffusivum and therefore he loveth us The more good any thing is the more diffusive it is of it self God is good by nature and essence there is no one good but God Mat. 19.17 Creatures are good by participation but they are not originally essentially good but the Essence of God is goodness therefore God being goodness it self it is most agreeable to his nature to impart and communicate good to the creature 3. The third Consideration The love that is in the Godhead or Divine nature in Christ is the cause of all the love that is to be found in his humane nature The humane nature indeed is the glass in which the perfections of the Divine nature do shine forth but the Godhead is the source and spring of all Gods love is most visible to us in the effects of it that God should be incarnate and become man that the Law should be fulfilled for us that the pains and torments of Hell should be suffered and undergone for us that our nature should be carried into Heaven and filled with glory there these are the effects of Divine love and these effects of love are made visible and conspicuous in the humane nature but the Divine nature is the principal Efficient in all these For mark it it is the Divine nature in the person of the Son which sanctifies the humanity and assumes it into unity of person that carries forth the humanity as to all actions and sufferings so that if these be demonstrations of the highest love for God to dwell in our nature to see the Law fulfilled for us to see the torments and pains of Hell undergone for us to see Divine Justice satisfied for us we ought to behold and contemplate the love of the Divine nature as the first root of these things for it is the Divine nature that is the principal efficient cause of all God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. 1 Joh. 3.16 There was the love of the humanity which did concur in Christs laying down his life for us That the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave me commandment even so I do Joh. 14.31 Christ as man loved the Father and having received a commandment from the Father he laid down his life for the sheep He was willing even as man out of love to the Father and to the sheep to lay down his life but notwithstanding this the love that was in his Divine nature was the principal therefore doth John say Hereby we perceive the love of God that he laid down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 Therefore we ought not to terminate our thoughts or to stick meerly in the consideration of the actions and sufferings of Christ-man but we ought to contemplate the love of the Divine nature in all these things for it was the Godhead was the primary and principal cause Habuit rationem causae minùs principalis ministrae and the humane nature is to be considered as the less principal cause and as the servant to the Divinity So that whatsoever is sweet or amiable in Christ as man consider all his actions and sufferings in the humane nature and whatsoever may make him amiable in that respect we ought to look to the Divine nature as the principal cause and to the humanity as acted by the Divinity the humanity is the Organ of the Divinity in all these things Thus have we passed over the second Consideration there are heights and lengths and depths and breadths in the love of Christ if we consider the love of Christ distinctly as it is to be found in both his natures in his Divine and humane nature 3. I proceed in the third place to speak something of the effects of Christs love As the love of Christ hath heights depths lengths and breadths and all manner of dimensions in it if we consider it in the properties of it and as it is to be found in both his natures so it hath the same dimensions in it if we consider the effects of his love The effects of Christs love are most admirable 1. The first effect of Christs love is his Incarnation O that God would give us an heart to listen to the great Mysteries of God that are contained herein as the weight of these things requires that the Word should be made flesh that God should assume a part of humane nature and become true man here are heights breadths lengths Opus mirabile opus singulare inter omnia super omnia opera sua and depths of love indeed Bernard calls the Incarnation of Christ a wonderful work a singular work among all the rest of Gods works yea above all the rest of his other works The work of Incarnation is the greatest of all the works of God it is a greater work than the creation of Heaven and Earth for God to make all creatures out of nothing this is a work suitable to the Majesty of God but for God to come into the nature of his own creature after he hath made it this is more wonderful Quid potentius quà m conjungere Creatorem creaturam Creator ac Dominus omnium unus voluit esse mortalium qui manens in forma Dei fecit hominem idem in formaservi factus est homo Leo. Non miror miracula mundi miror Deum in utero Virginis What greater Argument of power than to joyn the Creator and the creature in one Phil. 2.7 8. Made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man They are melting expressions to any one that weighs them and considers what the meaning of them is For the God of Heaven to be made in the likeness of men and to be found in fashion as a man this will overcome and swallow him up that understands a little what the meaning of that is Heb. 4.15 This work of Christs Incarnation is a stupendious work the greatest work that ever was done the greatest that ever shall be done The glorification of all the Saints in Heaven is not so much as this for the Godhead to dwell personally in our nature This was that made Cyprian to say I do not wonder at the other miracles that are in the world I wonder at this that God should be in the womb of a Virgin that God who is incorporeal should cover himself with the covering of our flesh that he who is invisible should after a sort make himself visible that he who is the immortal God should become a mortal man that he who is infinite and uncircumscribed should take to himself a finite nature these
that that body which he hath assumed is not the body of any other person or individual but it is the proper body of the Son of God therefore is it called the Temple of his body Joh. 2.21 elsewhere it is said Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Act. 20.28 And we have that expression The body of his flesh Col. 1.22 That particle or parcel of our nature which the Son of God assumed and took up was so individually inseparably indissolubly united to him that it became his own proper flesh therefore is it said The bread I will give is my flesh Joh. 6.51 To sum up this particular what love is this that the Son of God so great a person as we have heard should take up a part of our nature joyn it to himself in the bond of near union and doth wear it and will wear it to all Eternity 5. The admirableness of the work of Christs Incarnation appears in this in that by means of the Incarnation all the Trinity are brought near to us and by the Son incarnate we come to have communion with all the Trinity Hence is that expression of the Apostle John 1 Joh. 2.24 If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father By continuing in the Son we come to continue in the Father This is the order we must continue in the Son if ever we mean to continue in the Father He had said before He that denies the Son the same hath not the Father now he saith By abiding in the doctrine of the Son we shall continue in the Son and in the Father What is the doctrine of the Son which if we continue in we shall continue in the Son and in the Father The doctrine of the Son is That the Word is made flesh Compare this with 1 Joh. 4.2 and 2 Joh. 7. and we shall see it clear that the doctrine concerning the Son is That the Son is come into the flesh or that the Word is made flesh Now by continuing in this doctrine we shall continue in the Father by continuing in the doctrine of the Son incarnate we shall continue in the Father How so He that hath the Son hath the Father The Divinity of the Father is brought down to us in the person of the Son incarnate It is a great speech of a Learned Divine Divinitas in una sui hypostaseâ—â—â— tota nobis communicavit The whole Divinity hath communicated it self to us in the Incarnation of one of the Persons To understand which we must know although the Son only be the person who is incarnate not the Father or the Spirit yet both the Father and the Spirit are to be found in that one person of the Son who is incarnate and the reason is because the Divine persons although they are distinct yet they have an inbeing in each other Joh. 14.10 The Father is in the Son and the Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Son so that in the person of the Son who only is incarnate the other persons are to be found Hence is that speech of Luther and it is a great speech Vbi ille Deus Christus Jesus est ibi est totus Deus seu tota Divinitas ibi invenitur Pater Spiritus S. Luther Where that God Christ Jesus is there is whole God or the whole Divinity there the Father and the holy Spirit is found The Son hath assumed our nature now the Father is in the Son and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son therefore in the Son incarnate all the Trinity are represented to us We begin first of all at the flesh of Christ we conceive first of all of the humanity of Christ and from thence we ascend to the contemplation of the Divinity of the Son inhabiting and dwelling in the humane nature and by that means we come to communion with the whole Trinity This may be illustrated further to us by two Considerations 1. At the same time we apprehend the Divinity of the Son we do also apprehend the Divinity of the Father Joh. 14.9 He that hath seen me hath seen the Father There is one and the same undivided Divinity Trium personarum una eadem individua est Divinicas Essentia Omnipotentia Sapientia Essentia unius personae est essentia alterius Essence Omnipotency Wisdom of all the three persons therefore when we apprehend and conceive of the Divinity of the Son we do at the same time apprehend the Divinity of the Father and Spirit which is common to all the three persons The essence of one person is the essence of another We must not fancy or imagine because we speak of more persons than one in the Deity therefore there are more Deities as if there were as many Deities as persons no all the three persons are but one and the self same Deity or Godhead and when we apprehend the Divinity or Deity of one of the persons we apprehend the same Deity that is common to them all 2. By the apprehension of the person of the Son we are led into communion with the Father so that we may say with the Apostle 1 Joh. 1.3 Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ The Divinity of the Father and the Son is the same so that when we apprehend the Divinity of the one we must necessarily apprehend the Divinity of the other Yet there is a distinction between the Father and the Son the distinction is not in point of Essence for there is one and the self same Essence or Divinity common to them both Therefore if there be a distinction between the Father and the Son and that distinction be not in point of Essence the distinction must necessarily be conceived to be as to the person of the one and of the other each person includes the whole Essence and when we conceive of one person we must conceive of the whole Essence Yet thus we ought to take it the same Essence is to be conceived after a distinct manner of subsisting in the Father and the self same Essence is to be conceived after a distinct manner of subsisting in the Son Or we may take it in other words thus One and the self same God after such a manner of subsisting is the Father one and the same God after such a manner of subsisting is the Son For that which we call a person in the Godhead is nothing else but the Divine Essence it self distinguished by some proper manner of subsisting as for instance When we conceive of the Father we conceive of him as the first person in the Deity who is of himself and from no other and gives being to the Son as the Son this is his manner of subsisting When we conceive of the Son we conceive of him as the second person in the
standing in such near relation to Christ as to be his body a part of himself this is the reason that Christ hath preserved it and will preserve it to the end of the world Mat. 18. I will build my Church See here he calls it his Church he challengeth a peculiar interest in it Feed the Church of God which he hath redeemed with his own blood Act. 20.28 Therefore the Church standing so nearly related to Christ no wonder Christ takes such care of it Learn from hence to whom to attribute all the deliverances of the Church it is our faithful omnipotent sympathizing compassionate Head that hath been the Author of all the preservations and deliverances we have seen and upon him we must depend for the time to come Lastly Vse 5 This may serve as a ground to confirm our faith touching the certian glorification of the Saints A part of our nature is already in the Head of the Church Christ man who is the Head of the Church is exalted to the highest state of glory God hath highly exalted him c. Phil. 2.9 Now though it be true Christ must be allowed his preheminence the head hath a preheminence above the members yet the members shall follow the head they shall have their measure of glory though not the same degree of glory In Heb. 6. ult we read how Christ is entred into heaven as our fore-runner If Christ be in Heaven the Saints who are members of his body shall certainly follow after It is the last passage in that last prayer of our Saviour That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them Joh. 17. ult It is the inestimable priviledge of the Saints saith Calvin upon this Text that Christ was beloved of the Father for our sakes that we might be partakers of the same love If the Father hath glorified Christ he will certainly glorifie us if we be his members Only we must consider what is spoken in the last clause of all and I in them As we expect to be comprehended in that love with which our Head is embraced we must be sure to be in him We must see that we be in Christ and Christ in us we must have true and real union with him and if we be thus united to him then the love wherewith the Father hath loved him shall be communicated to us therefore let us endeavour to make sure of our Union with Christ and in-being in him and then as the Father hath commended his love to him the Head of the Church in glorifying him he will also commend his love to us in glorifying us in like manner The end of the fifth Sermon SERMON VI. Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by saith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge 7. THE seventh Particular to demonstrate the greatness of the Love of Christ in the work of his Incarnation is this The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God our nature as it is in the Head of the Church is restored to its ancient purity integrity and perfection It is a good observation of one of the Ancients Filius Dei naturam nostram sibi conjunxit ut eam in se primò per seipsum ad pristinam pulchritudinem restitueret Cyril The Son of God hath joyned our nature to himself that first of all he might repair our nature in himself and by himself restore our nature to its ancient beauty To understand this we must know that Adam had lost original Righteousness infected and corrupted mans nature with the contagion and taint of Original sin Now the Son of God by his Incarnation hath repaired our nature and restored it to its primitive beauty and perfection The first Adam by his Fall left our nature under the contagion of Original sin the Son of God in his Incarnation took up our nature without sin and as the second Adam represents our nature in himself pure and spotless Such an High-Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Heb. 9.26 So that this is the singular priviledge of Believers although they be poor sinful creatures in themselves groaning under the body of sin and death yet they have this to glory in that their Head the Lord Jesus is without sin and presents their nature pure and spotless before the Throne of God In him is no sin 1 Joh. 3.5 He doth not say In him was no sin that is true indeed for in him was no sin neither was there any guile found in his mouth But the Apostle saith here In him is no sin It is as much as if he should say As Christ was without sin here on Earth so he is without sin in Heaven he presents our nature pure and spotless before the Throne of God This is the singular priviledge of Believers that they may glory in Christ their Head when they have nothing to glory in of their own Hence is it that which the Apostle faith We glory in Christ Jesus or we boast in Christ Jesus c. Phil. 3.3 as much as to say We do not boast in our selves we do not glory in our own righteousness but we glory in the Righteousness of Christ we glory and boast in this that we have that righteousness and perfection in our Head which we have not in our selves 8. The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God there is a foundation laid for our acceptance with God This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3. ult This is spoken of the Son incarnate after he was made man God the Father delights in the Son when incarnate To understand this we must know as he was the eternal Son the express image of the Fathers person proceeding from the Father by eternal Generation so he was eternally his delight This is clear from Prov. 8.30 I was daily his delight Now that which we are farther to consider is As the Father delights in the Son as his eternal Son so he delights in the Son when incarnate when made man he delights in the Son when cloathed with our nature the eternal Son being the object of his Fathers delight and complacency and the Son taking our nature into personal Union with himself the love delight and complacency of the Father redounds and overflows if I may so express it unto the humane nature assumed Joh. 3.35 The Father loveth the Son And how doth he love him Not only as the Son simply considered but he loves him as the Son incarnate he loves him as the Son come into our nature he loves him as he is Mediator To open this a little
further we may consider that the humane nature by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God hath its standing as it were in the Divine Person yea I find how some of the Ancients go further 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suae personae Damasc Pertinet ad integritatem Verbi incarnati Chemnit Damascene's expression is That the humane nature is a part as it were of his person And a modern Divine observes The humane nature belongs to the integrity and compleatness of the person of the Word incarnate Yet to prevent all mistakes we must understand this cautiously That person whom the Scripture calls the Word or the Son which is the second of those three the Scripture speaks of There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit was a Person from Eternity and the humane nature is not properly and strictly a part of his person neither doth it add any thing to the compleating of his person simply considered but on the contrary the humane nature having no personal subsistence of its own receives personality from the Word or the Son of God who was a person from Eternity Hence is it that Divines observe That the person of Christ in one respect may be called a Person that is simple and uncompounded look upon Christ simply as the second person in Trinity and so his person is most simple and uncompounded and his humanity adds nothing to it but in another respect look upon him as he is Mediator in a way of Dispensation and so they say Christs person is a person that may be said to be compounded that is to say in plain terms consider Christ under the notion of Mediator so the humane nature is not to be excluded from the person of the Mediator it is not to be excluded from the consideration of Christ as Mediator For Christ is not Mediator according to one nature meerly not according to his Divine nature meerly nor according to his humane nature meerly but Christ as Mediator is Mediator according to both natures and is to be considered as Mediator according to both natures Christus est ex duabus naturis in duabus naturis Christ as Mediator is to be considered as consisting of both natures and as subsisting in both natures It is a passage of one of the Ancients It is a thing of equal danger to believe Christ to be God only without believing him to be man or to believe him to be man only without believing him to be God for the Mediator is to be believed to be both God and man the Mediator is both God and man in one person Now to return to what was first proposed The Mediator being both God and man the love of the Father extends it self to the whole person of the Mediator who is man as well as God and all the complacency and delight of the Father is taken up in him so that a part of our nature being taken into unity of person with the Son of God there is a foundation laid for the Fathers delight and complacency in us Hence it is said He hath made us accepted in the beloved Eph. 1.6 Christ is first beloved and we are beloved in him The Father hath a part of our nature always before him which is ever in his eye which stands in personal union and communion with his own Son and Christ man hath no sin in him but is perfectly pure and righteous and being so is perfectly pleasing and delightful to the Father and he being Head of the Church all that are members of his body are looked upon in him and are accepted in him To understand this more clearly we must consider that our nature by sin is alienated and estranged from God lyes under wrath and the curse but now by the Incarnation of the Son of God our nature is again brought near to God The Son incarnate and made man is perfectly the object of the Fathers delight and our nature being represented pure and spotless before the Thone of God in the person of the Son of God the Father reflecting on our nature as it stands in personal union and conjunction with his Son accepts of us and delights in us through his Son so that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God there is a foundation laid for our acceptance with God 9. The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God Grace is brought down deposited and lodged as it were in our nature as in a fountain near at hand that we may know where to go and have recourse for all grace The Godhead it self is the original spring and fountain of all grace it is proper only to God to create grace therefore is it we have that expression The God of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 But look upon the Divinity or Godhead simply or absolutely considered and so it is as a spring that is more remote and kept hidden and secret from us but in the Incarnation of the Son of God God is manifested in the flesh and so the Godhead which is the Original and head-spring of all grace is brought near unto us With thee is the fountain of life Psal 36.9 Now in Christ the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily therefore the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in Christ bodily by necessary consequence the fulness of life and grace must necessarily dwell in Christ The Divine nature empties it self as it were into the humanity of Christ and from God in Christ we receive all grace Hence is it said Joh. 1.14 The Word is made flesh and what follows upon that full of grace and truth Immediately upon the Words being made flesh the humane nature which the Word assumed comes to be replenished with grace and truth Observe the order or gradation that is here set down first the Word the second person in Trinity assumes our nature the Word is made flesh what follows upon this The Word being made flesh he having the Godhead in him fills the humane nature with all grace Hence is that expression The Word is made flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth What follows upon this Out of his fulness we receive grace for grace The Word incarnate the Word made flesh the Son of God becoming man he is now the proximate and next fountain of grace to us The Godhead of the Son which is one and the same with the Godhead of the Father is the original fountain of all grace and the Son in our nature is the proximate and next fountain of grace to us and hence is it that the Ancients call the humanity of Christ the Receptacle of grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The humanity of Christ is the first receptacle of all grace Of his fulness we receive and grace for grace The Evangelist doth not say Of him we receive grace for grace that is true but
with the Divine must always partake of the power virtue and efficacy of the Divine 2. If the spring of grace which is in the Divine nature do never fail or be dryed up then the grace in the humane nature which is always fed and maintained by this spring can never cease 3. Believers standing in union and conjunction with their Head as members of his body must needs partake of the virtue and influence of their Head 1 Cor. 6.17 Eph. 5.30 1.23 I shall conclude this particular with a passage of one of the Ancients Those things which a meer man received might be taken away from him as they were from Adam that therefore grace and the gifts of God may remain firm therefore Christ who is God and man received power as he was man which he had always as he was God that his humanity receiving all things those things might be delivered over to us out of his humanity to be firmly and surely possessed by us Learn from what hath been spoken Vse 1 what it is that must comfort us in reference to the ruines of the Fall Man was a glorious creature an excellent piece as first he came out of the hand of God but what ruine what deformity hath sin brought upon this glorious and excellent creature Who is there that turns his eyes in and upon himself and hath not cause to lament the sad and miserable ruines sin hath made there The understanding is full of darkness the will perverse and wholly carried off from God the chief good the affections wholly bent and set upon sensible objects the whole man depraved and out of order lying under the sad effects of original sin What is it that may comfort us in reference to these ruines and this sad deformity sin hath brought but only the consideration of the Incarnation of the Son of God By the Incarnation of the Son of God our nature is restored to its ancient beauty and perfection let us turn our eyes upon the Head of the Church and there we may see Holiness shining forth in its greatest beauty and perfection there we may see our nature without sin a mind full of Divine light and knowledge a will exactly conformed to the Divine will affections most pure and regular Now our nature being thus repaired and restored to its ancient purity in our Head we have this assurance it shall be repaired in us We have in Christ an instance what we may expect if we be his members for God hath predestinated us to be conformed to the image of his Son and he is the first-born among many brethren Rom. 8.29 Vse 2 By way of Exhortation to poor Sinners that are in a natural condition O labour to get into Christ You are by nature children of wrath unlovely unacceptable in the sight of God if ever you be taken from being children of wrath to be children of God if ever you be made sons and daughters of God you must first of all be implanted by faith into him who is the natural Son of God if ever your persons be made lovely and acceptable in the sight of God you must be accepted in him who is the beloved Son of God This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased There is not one drop of Gods love runs out of Christ all the love of the Father descends upon the Son incarnate and it is conveyed and let down by him upon the sons of men If you be found out of Christ you cannot expect to see or taste one drop of the love of God towards you O labour to get into Christ Is it not sad to lye under Divine wrath to be alienated and estranged from God to be able to lay no claim to God as your God and your Father to have no ground for the acceptation of your persons Till you get into Christ and be implanted into him this is your condition you are under Divine wrath you are alienated and estranged to God you are able to lay no claim to God as your God and Father you have no ground for the acceptation of your persons For this is the beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased The Father looks upon none with a favourable eye but whom he looks upon in the beloved Son if you have nothing to do with the beloved Son you have nothing to do with the Fathers love Let this press such as are yet strangers to Christ to give themselves no rest day nor night till they get into Christ By way of Exhortation to Believers Vse 3 to exhort them to keep close to Christ It is the interest and concernment of Believers to labour to keep close to Christ and to see that Christ dwell in their hearts by faith yet more and more The Apostle prays for the Ephesians Eph. 3.17 that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith The more Christ dwells in our hearts by faith the greater sense we shall have of our Adoption and the acceptation of our persons The Son of God taking our nature lays the foundation for our Adoption and the acceptation of our persons therefore the more firmly we embrace the Son of God cloathed with our nature in the arms of our faith the greater sense we shall have of our sonship and acceptation Christ is the natural Son of God if we embrace him and adhere to him by faith the greater evidence shall we have that we are the adopted sons of God by faith in him Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus That which makes us sons at first will be the means to continue the sight and comfort of this sonship to us It is faith makes us the sons of God therefore if we would have the comfort of our sonship let us look to this that Christ dwell in our hearts by faith When Christ promises to manifest the Fathers love to us how is it that he will do it He saith I in them Joh. 17.26 Let us consider it well the way by which Christ manifests the Fathers love to the Elect is by his being in them If ever we expect the manifestation of the Fathers love Christ must be in us and we in him Let us take heed therefore how we let our eye go off from Christ we can expect no love from the Father but as he looks upon us through the Son and we cannot expect to have the sense of the Fathers love let in upon us through the Son but as we take hold of the Son The more possession we have of Christ in our hearts by faith the greater sense and manifestation of the Fathers love will be let in upon us Learn from what hath been opened Vse 4 where to go for all supplies of grace We have a fountain near at hand we have grace brought down into a part of our own nature grace is lodged in the Son of God incarnate as in its proper fountain there may we repair and
fetch as much grace as our souls need Joh. 7.38 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink There is a spring of grace opened to us in a part of our own nature here may we come and be supplied Col. 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink If you thirst for grace it is but turning your eyes upon the Lord Jesus who is God in your nature and there is a fountain of grace set open Vse 5 See the ground of the perseverance of the Saints and why none who are true Believers and are implanted into Christ can fall from grace The reason is because grace is kept sure and safe in the Head of the Church the fountain of grace the Lord Jesus Adam indeed had a stock committed to him but he being a creature and therefore mutable did not keep that stock committed to him the Lord Jesus Christ the second Adam the Head of the Church is God as well as man and grace being deposited in him it is now lodged in a sure hand Joh. 14.19 Because I live ye shall live also As much as if our Saviour had said Your life depends upon my life when my life fails your life may fail but while my life continues your life shall continue And our Saviour tells us The salvation of the Elect depends upon his and his Fathers power A great Scripture Joh. 10.27 28 29. he is there speaking of his sheep and of them he says None shall pluck them out of my hand my Father is greater than all and none shall pluck them out of my Fathers hand The sum of our Saviours asseveration is this That if he and his Father be able to keep the sheep from perishing and bring them to eternal life then they shall never perish never fail of eternal life therefore are we said to be kept by the power of God to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 So that if the Divine power can preserve the Saints they shall be preserved to eternal life Let us labour to be in the number of Christs sheep such as truly follow him and he hath undertaken to keep us from perishing and to bring us safe to eternal life The end of the sixth Sermon SERMON VII Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge WE now come yet to some other Propositions for the opening of this great Mystery to shew the greatness of the Love of Christ in the work of his Incarnation 11. The eleventh Proposition is this The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God there is a foundation laid for our Adoption and being made the sons of God It was a speech of Irenaeus The Son of God was made the Son of man Filius Dei factus est filius hominis ad hoc ut homo fieret filius Dei Irenaeus for this very end that man might be made the son of God Rom. 8.29 Christ is said to be the first-born among many brethren Peter Martyr observes from that expression So good is God that when as God had a Son and such a Son whom he took perfect delight and complacency in yet he was pleased to adopt more sons of the stock of mankind among whom Christ is the first born and whereas it is said He was the first-born among many brethren this must be understood in respect of his humane nature assumed for as to the Divine nature Christ is not so properly called Primogenitus as Vnigenitus the first born as the only begotten Son of the Father Christ is the Head of all the Elect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore he is said to be fore-ordained before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1.20 that is before the foundation of the world he was ordained to be the Head of the Church Sicut praedestinatus est ille unus ut caput nostrum esset ita multi sumus praedestinati ut essemus ejus membra Aug. Deus Christum ipsum quatenus homo est primum omnium praedestinavit in quo caeteros servaret It is Austins expression As Christ was that one only who was predestinated to be our Head so we being many are predestinated to be his members Hence is that expression we have Eph. 1.6 Having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ. The Original of our Adoption is Gods Predestination having predestinated us the foundation of our Adoption is in Jesus Christ having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ God did first of all predestinate Christ himself as he was man that in him he might save all the rest of the Elect. To understand this we must consider That Christ was the natural Son of God the only begotten Son of God from Eternity therefore is he said to be the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father Joh. 1.18 Now the natural and only begotten Son of God being pleased to assume a part of our nature he is and remains to be the natural Son of God in and with the humane nature assumed Christ did not cease to be the natural Son of God by his Incarnation and taking our nature upon him As he was the natural Son of God before his Incarnation so he is after his Incarnation Now the natural Son of God being come into our nature the humane nature assumed is one in person with the Son of God and Christ remaining to be the natural Son of God after his assumption of our nature makes way for us to be the adopted sons of God The Civil Lawyers observe that no one can obtain the Right and Priviledge of Adoption but by leave of him who is the natural son If there be a natural son none can be an adopted son without the leave of the natural son Christ is the natural Son and he being come into our nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave this Right or Power that we should become the sons of God even to as many as receive this natural Son by faith into their hearts Joh. 1.12 They who receive the natural Son by faith are made adopted Sons Hence is it said Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ It is an excellent expression Zanchy hath upon that Text Eph. 1.5 Having predestinated us to the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ. For this very end did Christ assume our nature being made our Brother according to the flesh that we having his Spirit given to us might be made the sons of God and the brethren of Christ and for this cause is he said to be the first-born among many brethren 12.
concerning this point Qui scrutando volet non errare nec à Majestatis gloria opprimi is fide tangat apprehendat Filium Dei in carne manifestatum Luther with which I shall close this Use He that in searching would not erre nor be overwhelmed by the glory of the Divine Majesty let him by faith touch and apprehend the Son of God incarnate the Son of God manifest in the flesh In another place he saith Let us not hear them who say the flesh profits nothing let us rather invert the words and say Without the flesh God profits nothing our eyes ought to be fastened upon the flesh of Christ and we ought to say We neither apprehend nor know any God out of that flesh Dei Filius incarnatus est illud involucrum in quo Divina Majestas cum omnibus suis-donis se nobis offert Luther out of that humanity The Son of God incarnate is that covering in which the Divine Majesty offers himself to us with all his gifts This is that only aspect of the Divinity which in this life is facile and possible for us here is no seeing God out of Christ If we would conceive of God aright let us direct our faith to God in Christ If by means of the Incarnation we are brought near to God Vse 3 learn from hence to labour that our faith may be deeply rooted in Christ Our happiness lies in this In being taken into Christ in being comprehended in him in being made members of his body Our nature by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God is brought near to God Now if we would be brought near to God we must be implanted into Christ by faith and made members of his body Par◠prays for himself Phil. 3.9 That I may be found in him An emphatical expression found in Christ Paul would not for a thousand worlds be left out of Christ no he would be found in him And for the Ephesians he prays That Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith Eph. 3.17 Our happiness lies in conjunction with our Head standing and abiding in relation to Christ as our Head in being comprehended in Christ as it were this is our happiness This is the misery of the fallen Angels and all Unbelievers they have nothing to do with Christ as their Head and this is the great happiness of all the Elect they are gathered under him as their Head Behold I and the children which God hath given me Heb. 2.13 Wherefore let us see that our faith take deep rooting in Christ and then we are on a safe bottom Christ is the Captain of the Salvation of the Elect and by him many sons are brought to glory Heb. 2.10 If our faith hath taken deep rooting in Christ then are we safe then are we comprehended in him and where the Head is there the members shall be also The end of the seventh Sermon SERMON VIII Eph. 3. vers 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge SEveral Propositions have been mentioned already to illustrate the greatness of Christs love in the work of his Incarnation I shall add three or four more and so I shall finish this subject 14. The love of Christ in his Incarnation is seen in this In that Christ becoming true man and wearing a part of our nature the consideration of his humanity may be a great help and strengthening to our faith to assure us of his propension and readiness to supply us in all our wants and also to sympathize pity and compassionate us in all our afflictions Hence it is that one of the Ancients brings in Christ speaking thus Ego corpus illorum gesto I do wear their body and carry about with me a part of their flesh Christ wears as it were the flesh of the Elect Now no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth it and cherisheth it as the Lord the Church Eph. 5.29 That common humanity wherein Christ shares with us cannot but incline him to be most kind sweet benign to his own kindred who participate of the same nature with him Because the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same Heb. 2.16 Christ was a man of sorrows therefore he knows how to pity us in our sorrows Christ was deserted therefore he knows how to pity us in our desertion Christ was tempted in all points like to us sin only excepted therefore he knows how to succour us in our temptations Christ in the humane nature assumed hath felt the same miseries and afflictions that we are subject unto and therefore he knows experimentally by what he himself hath felt and endured how to pity us The Apostle sets this down as one great fruit of the Incarnation Heb. 2.16 17. Because the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same What is the fruit and advantage of this Why was it that Christ took a part of our nature The next verse tells us It was that he might be a merciful and a faithful High-Priest Calvin observes upon this Text When all sorts of miseries do oppress us we ought to remember there is nothing befals us which the Son of God hath not experienced in himself neither ought we to doubt but he is so present with us to help and pity us as if he himself were afflicted with us The experience of our miseries doth so bend and incline Christ to compassion that he is exceeding solicitous of obtaining help from God for us Hence is it said in the last verse For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Christ having been exercised with the same miseries and afflictions that we are is most propense and ready to afford help and relief to us Christ now he is in Heaven hath not forgotten his own sorrows and sufferings here on earth and the remembrance of his own sufferings cannot but incline him to pity and compassionate his people who are a part of his own nature in the like sufferings It is true Christ as he is God wants no love neither needed Christ to have known what sufferings and afflictions were experimentally to have inclined him to a merciful disposition for God is love God is so in his own nature and it was the love that was in the Divine nature that inclined him to assume our nature but because we could not be otherwise perswaded that there was so much kindness in his heart therefore in condescension to our infirmity and for the strengthening of our faith Christ would become man and taste of sufferings and affliction that having done so we might be the better assured he would be the more ready to pity
thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world Let us take heed how we mistake here the Love of the Father was not the cause of the Divinity of the Son although the Son be begotten of the Father yet the Generation of the Son proceeds not from an act of Gods will the Father did not first love the Son and then beget him but the Generation of the Son was natural the Father begets the Son from Eternity and cannot but beget him God doth necessarily understand himself therefore his eternal Son is his natural Image Therefore in this last clause For thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world Christ speaks of himself as man the humanity of Christ was beloved of the Father from Eternity above every creature that humanity of his was so chosen and beloved above all creatures as to be united to the Divinity Now in Heaven the Elect shall see that Christ is in the possession of that which he was elected and chosen unto from Eternity And this will be one singular demonstration of the love of God to them that they shall see themselves taken so near to God in the person of their Head For although it be true there will always remain a vast difference between Christ the Head and the Elect that are Members to him none of the Elect have or can have that personal union which his humanity hath to the Divinity yet all the Elect in the glory of their Head shall see and behold the greatness of the love of God to themselves for it was for their sakes he took part of their nature into personal union and a part of their nature being united to God all the Elect are confirmed in their Head and by means of their Head are brought into the nearest communion with God they are capable of So that I say this will be matter of wonder to the Elect to Eternity to see a part of their nature placed so near to the Divinity yea to see a part of their nature so intimately united to the Divinity in the bond of personal union and to become the seat and Temple of the Divinity to all Eternity Vse And now I shall winde up all in one short word of Application From all that hath been said let us learn to admire and adore the infinite and transcendant love of Christ in his Incarnation Here may we cry out with the Apostle O the heights and lengths and depths and breadths that are in the love of Christ in his Incarnation I have shewn you in seventeen Propositions how great the love of Christ is in the work of his Incarnation and when we have dived never so much into this Mystery it is but little that we do understand of the glory of it in comparison of what it is in it self O study more this great work of the Incarnation of the Son of God this is the greatest of all the works of God the greatest work that ever he hath done or that ever he will do The Incarnation of the Son of God is more than the glorification of all the Saints in Heaven O therefore study this Mystery the more we study it the more will our hearts be ravished with it and the reason why we are no more affected with it is because we know and understand so little of it And let us not only labour to understand the greatness of the thing it self but also of what importance this work of the Incarnation of the Son of God is to our salvation The work of the Incarnation is that which hath laid the foundation of the whole work of Redemption The Son of God therefore took our nature and became true man that he might transact the business of our Salvation in the humane nature assumed Vnigenitus venit in hominem propter hominem Hoc Deus in nobis salvavit quod pro nobis accepit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are memorable passages which the Ancients have The only begotten Son of God came into the nature of man for man If the Word had not been pleased to have become flesh no flesh could have been saved God hath saved that in us which he hath assumed and took for us And it is a common saying among the Ancients That which was not assumed was not healed If Christ had not assumed the whole of our nature our whole nature had not been healed and restored We have heard somewhat of the Mystery of Christ in his Incarnation let us meditate on what we have heard Our work will be to meditate on these Truths all our days The best of us have arrived but to a little understanding in the Mystery of Christ The Apostle prays for the Saints Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Let us pray for great affection to Christ Great love to the Person of Christ will procure great manifestation of Christ So Christ hath promised Joh. 14.21 He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him The more you love Christ the more fond you are of his person if I may so speak the more will Christ discover himself to you The more you love him the more will Christ lead you into the understanding of those Mysteries concerning his Person Divinity the Union of his Natures his Offices his Grace which the rest of men are little acquainted with They that love most shall know most Love Christ much and then Christ will manifest and discover himself much to you and the more Christ discovers himself to you the more sweet will you find the knowledge of Christ to be from day to day The end of the eighth Sermon SERMON I. Gal. 4. vers 4. But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law THat which hath been in my desire hath been to unfold as I am able some part of the Mystery of Christ and to speak something concerning the great dimensions of the Love of Christ And as a bottom to build upon I pitched upon that Text Eph. 3.18 19. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Now to shew what these dimensions of Christs love were I propounded to speak to three things 1. To shew the Properties of Christs Love 2. To shew that this love of Christ is surpassing great as it is to be found in both his Natures in his humane and in his Divine nature And here we considered the love of Christ distinctly the love that was found in his humane nature and in his Divine nature 3. To shew that the love of Christ is surpassing great if we consider the great
great difference between these two Propositions to say That the humane nature in Christ is a creature and to say that Christ is a creature for Christ is the name of the person that subsists in both natures Therefore though it be true Christus est nomen personae in duabus subsistentis naturis that one of the natures in Christ is a creature yet the person is Divine and no creature and therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 9.5 that Christ though he came of the fathers concerning the flesh yet he is over all God blessed for ever Although Christ as to the flesh and in respect of his humanity came of the Fathers and we say truly and properly his humanity is a creature yet his person is Divine and Christ is still God blessed for ever 2. We must know that the humane nature of Christ never in any moment of time subsisted of it self or by it self but always had its subsistence in the Divine person and the reason is this If we should suppose the humane nature at any time subsist in it self out of the Divine person that would necessarily infer there were two persons in Christ which is most contrary to the Doctrine of the Scriptures Therefore although we do suppose the humane nature simply in it self considered to be a creature and in a state of subjection yet considering that the humanity was always personally united to the Divinity and the humane nature never subsisted out of the Divine person we must conclude that Christ was no otherways in a state of subjection than what he brought himself into by his voluntary condescension Therefore the Apostle tells us He emptied himself and took upon him the form of a servant and became obedient As it was part of his condescension he would take upon him the form of a servant so this was another part of it he would become obedient for our sakes 3. We must consider it was a voluntary act in Christ to assume our nature Christ took our nature indeed but he was not bound to it it was his own free and voluntary act that he did assume it 4. We must also consider that Christ did not lose the Digniey of his person by his assumption of our nature He was the Son of God before his Incarnation and so he was after he was God before he took mans nature and so remained still It is true Christ in the state of his Humiliation was content to have the Glory of his Divinity hid and obscured for a time and this is that the Apostle calls his emptying himself But yet Christ did not neither could he divest himself of his Divinity neither did he lose the essential Dignity of his person He was the Son of God and God after as well as before his Incarnation 5. Christ might if he had pleased without running such a course of obedience here on earth have glorified the humane nature when first he assumed it For this is granted by Divines That Christ by virtue of the personal Union had a natural right unto Glory The Son of God incarnate and become man continues to be the Son of God yea the natural Son of God And hence is it the School-men do truly say That Christ-man is the natural Son of God Therefore the Apostle tells us That Christ is more excellent than the Angels because he hath obtained a more excellent name by inheritance than they Heb. 1.4 And what name is this to be the Son of God Consider vers 5. To which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Now the Apostle tells us Christ had this name by inheritance that is he was naturally the Son of God and therefore naturally an Heir to all the Father was possessed of Now as he was the Son of God before his Incarnation so he did not cease to be the Son of God by his Incarnation Therefore Christ had a natural right to Glory and might if he had pleased have glorified the humane nature when he assumed it Now then as the result of all that hath been said follows That Christ would become and put himself into a state of subjection and obedience this was for our sakes and it was his voluntary condescension so to do Nay the Apostle tells us expresly in the Text He was made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law So that it was for our sakes Christ put himself into this state of subjection and it was his voluntary condescension so to do We may not suppose Christ was necessitated to be in this state of subjection True indeed it is said of Christ as man and Mediator That the Father is greater than he Joh. 14.28 and Christ as man is under God as his Head 1 Cor. 11.3 The head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man and the head of Christ is God But then we must still remember 1. It was at Christs liberty whether he would have become man yea or no. He was not bound to take our nature till he did freely of his own accord ingage to do so 2. Remember inequality of Office makes no inequality of Person or Essence although Christ as Man and Mediator be inferiour to the Father in a state of subjection to the Father yet that makes him not to be inferiour to him as to his Person or Essence Consider Christ as the second Person in Trinity he accounts it no robbery to be equal with God that is with the Father Consider him as God so he and the Father are one Now that he who was equal with God and so above all Authority should take upon him the Office of Mediator and put himself into a state of subjection this was marvellous condescension O stand and admire this love How great was his love that would come to serve and obey who was Lord of all and had all obedience of right due to him from all creatures 2. The greatness of Christs love in being made under the Law appears in this That although Christ was free from the Law yet by his own voluntary condescension he made himself subject to the Law as much as any of us This the Apostle sets forth Heb. 2.11 12 13. For both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren Saying I will declare thy Name unto my brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee And again I will put my trust in him and again Behold I and the children which God hath given me Christ doth here put himself into the rank of his brethren and he performs the same duties in common with them To praise God in the Congregation to trust in God to obey God all these are moral duties now Christ having assumed our nature performs these duties in common with the rest of his brethren 3. The third Proposition is
weigh and ponder these things you may well cry out O the depths O the depths of Christs love 3. The third Particular is this The Heart of Christ was much in this work As Christ was ready and prepared to dye and what he did was free and voluntary of his own accord without any necessity compelling him thereunto but what he voluntarily brought himself under so the heart of Christ was much set upon this work of laying down his life for us Lo I come to do thy will O God Heb. 10.7 I have a Baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Luk. 12.50 The Heart and Spirit of Christ as he was man was most intent upon this work yea there was the concourse of both his Wills his Divine and humane will in laying down his life for us Here I shall shew a little how there was the concourse of both Christs Wills his humane and Divine will in this work 1. Christ as man according to his humane will was willing to suffer and dye for us For though he prayed Father save me from this hour Joh. 12.27 and thereby shewed the verity and truth of our nature in him and the greatness of the sufferings he was to undergo yet presently he adds in the very next words Nevertheless for this end came I to this hour hereby plainly declaring that although the Verity of humane nature which was in him had a natural aversness in it from suffering yet such was his love to the Father and to our Salvation that that love overcame that inclination of nature if I may so call it or that natural aversness rather which was in humane nature from suffering Save me from this hour for this end came I to this hour Though Nature would have abhorred suffering and spared it self take it as to its natural inclination and tendency yet such was his love to his Father and us that it made him lay aside the inclinations of Nature and to break through that natural aversness that was in humane nature from suffering 2. Christ who was God as well as true man according to his Divine will was willing to dye and suffer even in that nature of ours which he had assumed The Divinity did not suffer could not suffer but the person who was God as well as man according to his Divine will as well as according to his humane will was willing to suffer and dye in that nature of ours which he assumed Joh. 17.19 For their sakes sanctifie I my self For what was it that Christ was sanctified he sanctified himself to be a Sacrifice for our sins he sanctified himself by his Death and Sufferings so is this Text generally expounded by Divines I sanctifie my self to suffer well but how did Christ sanctifie himself he sanctified himself in that nature in which he suffered and dyed he suffered in the humane name therefore it was in that nature that he sanctified himself O but who was the person sanctifying all this while It was I I sanctifie my self None but God can say I sanctifie my self no meer creature can say I sanctifie my self Christ therefore that was God could say I sanctifie my self Christ therefore as he was God or according to his Divine will sanctifies himself as man to be a Sacrifice for our sins Hence is it that we have that expression Heb. 10.10 By the which will we are sanctified even by the offering up the body of Jesus once for all By the which will we are sanctified The will here spoken of is the will of God the Father as is plain by the Context Now then this will of the Father and Christs will as he is God is one and the same for as the Father and the Son have but one Essence so they have but one Will. Now by the Divine will which is one and the same in the Father and the Son are we sanctified By the which will we are sanctified by the offering up of the body of Jesus once for all saith the Apostle It was the Divine will that the body of Jesus should be offered up and Christ according to his humane will was willing to offer himself up for the Son being in our nature speaks to the Father after this sort Lo I come to do thy will so that as I said there was the concourse of both wills in Christ the humane and Divine will in offering up himself in laying down his life for us And this I speak to shew how willing how infinitely willing Christ was in this work of offering himself and that his heart lay wholly in this work both his wills his will as God and his will as man was ingaged in this work of laying down his life for us 4. The fourth Particular is this As Christ was ready and willing to give up his life for us so he did actually lay down his life for us Eph. 5.24 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that is he gave himself actually for the Church It was not only in the purpose and intention of his heart to do it but he gave himself actually for the Church Christ did actually offer up his life a Sacrifice for us Eph. 5.2 Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour In every Sacrifice there is the thing sacrificed the Altar the Priest and the Oblation or the offering up of the Sacrifice Now Christ did actually offer up himself a Sacrifice for us It was not enough that the beast to be sacrificed was brought to the Altar but he must be slain there and offered up upon the Altar Thus Christ gave his body to be crucified and he actually offered himself to Divine Justice for us hence is it said that He was delivered up for our offences 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered up that is delivered up to death delivered up to death and suffering by the Fathers will and pleasure and by his own voluntary offering up of himself Hence is it that we read of the offering up of the body of Jesus once for all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.10 By the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ made an offering or oblation of himself to the Father Heb. 9.26 Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself The meaning is Christ hath appeared in our nature to destroy and abolish sin by offering up himself a Sacrifice for sin 5. The fifth and last Particular is this That Christ in laying down his life for us intended it as a price and ransom to expiate and take away the guilt of our sins The Socinians the great Adversaries to Christian Religion cannot bear this They will not admit that Christ laid down his life as a price or ransom or by way of satisfaction to atone God for the sins we have committed They tell
punishment because he was able to satisfie the Justice of God by his sufferings without suffering to Eternity 2. As for that which we call the Worm of Conscience which is one thing in the punishment of the Damned Christ could not undergo that and the reason is because that which is called the worm of conscience is an inseparable adjunct of sin inhering in the person in whom it is now Christ was most free from sin in his own person it is true he had sin imputed to him the guilt of our sins was imputed to him but he had no guilt of his own and therefore he could not have this worm of conscience for that which we call the worm of conscience is nothing else but conscience reflecting upon a mans actions and tormenting him upon the account of the obliquity and deformity that hath appeared in them Now Christ having done nothing that was contrary to the Law He had done no violence neither was guile found in his mouth as the Prophet speaks Isa 53. it was not possible he should undergo the worm of conscience because this supposeth sin in the person that underwent it which Christ was most free from 3. As for that of Despair some Divines are of opinion that despair is not properly in the Damned and the reason they give is this As hope in the godly after the last Judgment shall cease because hope shall then be swallowed up in fruition so they suppose that despair shall cease in the wicked because that perdition and destruction is then actually come upon them which before they feared But it may be said Do not the Damned see that they are miserable and that they shall be miserable for ever and doth not this cause them to despair To this they answer It is true the Damned see themselves in that misery from which they shall never be delivered but yet it may still be doubted whether this may be called Despair yea or no and the reason is say they because despair supposeth a sense of some future time but now in Eternity there is no time The Damned have a certain knowledge of misery that they are under they feel it at the present and therefore say they that which they do already feel they need not fear Hence is that speech of one of the Ancients Grief hath no fear in it because fear doth no longer torment the mind when a man begins already to suffer what he did fear But I know not whether it be worth the while to dispute whether despair be properly in the Damned yea or no. This I am sure of that the Damned know that they are miserable and they know that this misery shall continue always they know that it shall not be otherwise with them than now it is and this is equivalent unto despair but this is rather an adjunct of their torment and punishment than the substance of it therefore it was not necessary Christ should undergo it 2. We say That despair as it is opposite to the grace of hope so it could not be in Christ because despair at it is opposite to hope speaks a deordination and it would suppose some sin which Christ was most free from and therefore Christ when he was in the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and height of all his sufferings when he had lost the sense and feeling of Gods love yet he manifested the highest faith when he saith My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Though he had not the sense and feeling of Gods love but complains that he was forsaken yet he calls God his God and that manifested his faith and where there is faith there will be hope for hope is the daughter of faith therefore despair was not in Christ But though Christ did not suffer some circumstances and adjuncts of punishment that the Damned suffer yet Christ suffered the substance of what we were to suffer and this is that which I must now begin to speak unto And here I am to shew how it was that Christ suffered the substance of what we ought to have suffered 1. Christ made himself passible and mortal for our sakes that is he made himself subject to suffering and death for our sakes Sin is the inlet of suffering and death had there been no sin there had been no suffering or death It was sin that brought in both suffering and death when man had sinned God first said to the woman I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children Gen. 3.16 To the man he saith Cursed be the ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life Gen. 3.17 Here we see sin brought in sorrow and suffering so also sin brought in death Gen. 2. In the day thou eatest thou shalt surely dye Rom. 5.12 Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin Now Christ our Surety that he might bear the punishment that was due to us he put himself into a state of suffering and death for us sin having brought in suffering and death into the world as the just demerit of it and the curse that was due to it Christ I say being our Surety put himself into a state of suffering and death for us To understand this we must know that although the Son of God had assumed our nature yet he needed not unless he had pleased to have subjected himself unto suffering and unto death For Christ assuming our nature without sin was in respect of the innocency of his Humanity and also in respect of the personal Union exempted both from the Law of suffering and of death but Christ becoming our Surety and being to bear the whole punishment that was due to us by reason of sin and it being the nature of the Curse 1. That we should be liable to suffering and death And 2. That we should actually undergo suffering and death therefore Christ did voluntarily undergo both these 1. He did subject himself to a passible and mortal state And 2. He did actually undergo suffering and death for us 1. Christ did subject himself to a passible estate he that was above all suffering made himself subject to suffering for our sake Hence is it said that he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Isa 53.3 Hence also is it said He was tempted in all points like unto us sin only excepted Heb. 4.15 Christ was exposed to all manner of sufferings and temptations whatsoever excepting sin 2. Christ did subject himself to a mortal estate for our sakes The flesh of Christ as it was united to the second Person in Trinity who was God had been immortal had he not voluntarily subjected himself to death for our sakes but that being part of the Curse that man should become mortal and subject to death by reason of sin Christ was willing to subject himself to that part of the Curse Dust thou art and to dust
this great Person who is our High Priest sanctifies his Sacrifice by the dignity of his person he is the Son of God not a meer man as the Levitical Priests were and by the dignity of his own person puts the highest value upon the Sacrifice which he offered Hence is that expression in vers 27. Who needed not daily as those high Priests to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people for this he did once when he offered up himself Christs one Sacrifice was of more value than all the multitude of the Sacrifices offered by the Levitical Priests Why so He offered himself up saith the Apostle The reason why Christs Sacrifice was beyond all theirs was because he offered himself Christ was both the Priest and the Sacrifice He offered up himself so saith this Text and Heb. 1.3 it is said That by himself he hath purged away our sins It was the Son that was the Priest offering and it was the Son that was the Sacrifice that was offered For though it were the humane nature of the Son only that was capable of suffering and dying yet the person of the Son was conjunct with the Humanity in the sufferings of the humane nature Hence is that expression of Leo Verbo inviolabili non separato à carn◠passibili Leo. The inviolable Word that is the Son of God the second Person in Trinity who was inviolable and impassible was not separated from his passible flesh in the time of his suffering And another of the Ancients expresseth himself to this purpose and it is a memorable passage The Son of God that he might shew that he was not absent from the Temple of his body in the time of his Passion but that he was present with it in his suffering therefore it was that as he was God by the power of his Divinity at the same time when he suffered in his flesh he caused darkness to come over the Sun brake the rocks in pieces and raised the dead So that though it was the flesh that suffered yet God was personally united to that flesh that suffered Hence is that 1 Pet. 4.1 Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh Now we ought to turn the eye of our faith upon this great Person the Son of God transacting all in our nature It is true it was our nature in Christ that obeyed that suffered that dyed but still we ought to look upon it as influenced by the person of the Son of God who assumed it and did all in it and by it The humane will in Christ was governed by the Divine will yea the humane will in Christ was strengthened and corroborated by the Divine will In the work of Christs Satisfaction the Divine nature was the principal efficient cause the humane nature the less principal ministring or subservient cause as Divines speak Now this is a great relief unto faith that Christ in regard of the dignity of his Person is equal to him to whom the satisfaction is made For though in respect of his humane nature he be inferiour to the Father and the Father is said to be greater than he Joh. 14.28 yet in respect of his Divine nature he is equal with the Father Joh. 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and this was the Word that took flesh and gave his flesh for the life of the world The same was with God in the beginning he was with God in the same equality of Power Glory and Majesty he was in the form of God and counted it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2.6 Now this is a great relief to faith the person who tenders the satisfaction is of equal Power Majesty and Glory with him to whom the satisfaction is tendered This may greatly comfort such as are distressed in conscience Great indeed is the person offended by thy sins O but great is the person tendering the satisfaction the person offended is God and the person who makes the satisfaction is God as well as man Consider that Text Joh. 10.18 No man taketh my life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again Divinitas filii est quae ponit rursus animam hominis quem serebat c. It is the Divinity of the Son that doth lay down and take again his life as he was man 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God that he laid down his life for us Christ as he was man had power over his own life as he was man no meer man hath power over his own life but his life is under the dispose of God but Christ being God as well as man had the dispose of his own life and therefore as he was God he laid down his life as he was man The end of the thirteenth Sermon SERMON XIV Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends I Come now to the sixth Direction which is this If we would make use of the Sufferings and Satisfaction of Christ so as to draw down the virtue and benefit of them to our own souls we must lay the stress of our faith upon Christ and rely entirely upon the virtue of that eternal Sacrifice of his This was shadowed forth under the Law in the day of atonement the Priest was to lay both his hands upon the head of the live-goat Lev. 16.21 This the Priest was to do in the name of the people by this sign discharging them as it were and laying all their sins upon the beast which was a figure of Christ Whoever brought his Sacrifice under the Law was to lay his hand on the head of the Sacrifice Lev. 1.4 Now this Rite of laying the hand on the head of the Sacrifice as it did carry in it a tacite confession of guilt as hath formerly been shewn so also there was in it a profession of faith an expectation of pardon and atonement in the virtue of the Sacrifice that was to be offered up The man that brought his offering was to lay or impose his hand upon it himself while it was yet alive thereby disburdening himself of sin as it were and laying it on the Sacrifice and thereby testifying his faith in Christ the true Sacrifice that was to be slain for him Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Christ calls all such as are weary and heavy laden with the guilt of their sins to come to him and lay the burden of the guilt of their sins on him The Jewish Writers tell us That he that did impose or lay his hand on the head of the Sacrifice was to do it with all his might he was to lay both his hands upon the beasts head and what doth this teach us but that our
vestita because he was in the form of God Zanchy observes that this expression the form of God it signifies the Essence of God set forth with all its Attributes the Essence of God cloathed with all its properties or perfections For although whatever is in God be God and his most simple Essence really and in it self yet in respect of us who cannot conceive of God according to the simplicity of his Essence there is a distinction in our understanding between the Essence and the Attributes of God so that the form of God according to our understanding notes the Essence of God with the Attributes belonging to it so that the meaning is Christ was in the form of God that is he had the verity and truth of the Divine Essence in him and he had all the Attributes belonging to that Essence He was in the form of God that is he was truly and properly God he was eternal omnipotent omnipresent and the like whatsoever might be said of God may be said of Christ the Son of God because he was in the form of God 2. That he accounted it no robbery to be equal with God This expression notes two things 1. That Christ knew himself to be equal with the Father he knew that he was possessed of the same Essence of the same Majesty of the same Glory that the Father was All things that the Father hath are mine Joh 16.15 The Son injoyed all things in common with the Father the same Essence the same Power the same Majesty the same Divinity I and the Father are one Joh. 10.30 that is one in Essence one in Power one in Will 2. This also is implied That the Son being in the form of God and equal with the Father knew he should do no wrong and injury if he retained and kept to himself the same honour that the Father did that is if he had always kept in the form of God only and never emptied himself by his Incarnation and suffering The Father abideth always in the form of God only and never took upon him the form of a servant it was the Son not the Father that was incarnate and that took on him the form of a servant Now if the Son had always kept in the form of God and never took upon him the form of a servant he had done no wrong or injury he was in the same honour and dignity of God with the Father and he might have retained the same honour and dignity that the Father did without abasing himself by his Incarnation and suffering He was in the form of God saith the Apostle that is he did subsist in the Divine Essence as the Father did he might have continued in the form of God only without taking on him the form of a servant without assuming or taking to himself the humane nature but herein his love discovered it self That though he was in the form of God and knew himself to be equal with God yet he was pleased in a way of voluntary condescension to take upon him the form of a servant and subject himself to the death even the death of the cross Now that so great a person as this that had his existence and subsistence from Eternity who was truly and properly God possessed of the Divine Essence and cloathed with all the Divine Attributes who was equal to the Father that this person should not only strip himself as it were of his own glory by his Incarnation but also expose himself to the lowest abasement by his sufferings and most ignominious death this is that which sets forth the greatness of the love of Christ Now there are several considerations that arise from the dignity of Christs person that serve to set forth the greatness of Christs love to us in giving himself to suffer and to dye for us and O that we could take in these Mysteries with that reverence and solemnity of spirit as the Majesty of them doth require 1. Consider it was the Word the Son of God the second Person in Trinity that did order and dispose the sufferings that were in his own flesh his own humanity Hence is that of one of the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erat sibi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dispensator arbiter humanarum actionum passionum Sophronius The Word the Son of God the second Person in Trinity was the dispenser and determiner of all the actions and sufferings that were in the humane nature It was he that ordered disposed and governed the Humanity to do and suffer those things that were proper to it self The humane nature in Christ was not moved of it self to any of its actions or sufferings but it was moved ad nutum Verbi at the beck and command of the Word that is according to the direction of that person who assumed the humane nature the Word the Son of God did will and permit the Humanity to do and suffer such things as were proper to it self it was he that governed the actions and passions of the humane nature Joh. 17.19 For their sakes sanctifie I my self To sanctifie is properly the work of God and none but God can sanctifie Christ therefore as God sanctified himself as man the Divine nature in Christ sanctified and set apart the humane nature for the work of the suffering it was the Divine nature in Christ which did primarily will the sufferings in the humane nature which did permit the humane nature to suffer and which did strengthen and uphold the humane nature in suffering and all these things do greatly set forth the love of Christ 1. It was the Divine nature in Christ which did primarily will the sufferings of the humane nature It is true Christ as man did will his own sufferings Christ as man was willing to suffer and dye for us but yet we must consider that his humane will was influenced and governed by his Divine will the humane will of Christ willed those things which the Divine will would have it to will therefore it being the pleasure of the Divine will that Christ should suffer Christ also as man wills his own sufferings by his humane will but still it is the Divine will in Christ that is first and the humane will in Christ is governed by the Divine will This is very clear and apparent from our Saviours own words Mat. 26.39 Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Here we see that Christ with his humane will wills his own sufferings not as I will but as thou wilt as if Christ had said If thou wilt have me suffer I will suffer I am content to suffer not as I will but as thou wilt his humane will was bowed to the Fathers will the Father willing his sufferings he wills it too It is true our Saviour discovered the verity and truth of humane nature in him in that aversness that was in him from
personal subsistence in the Godhead his taking our nature the Vnion of the two Natures the Nature of God and the nature of man in that one person of Christ his Passion his Resurrection his Ascension into Heaven his sitting at the right hand of God in our nature all these are wonders Now his love is the root and foundation of all and runs through all whatsoever respects us whatsoever Christ is whatsoever Christ doth with relation to us his love is the root of all and runs through all his love runs through his Incarnation Passion Resurrection Ascension and sitting at the Fathers right hand It was out of love to us he took up our nature subjected himself to the Law dyed in our nature rose again in it carried our nature into Heaven and wears it there and will wear it to all Eternity I say his love is the root of all this My desire is to speak a little of this infinite Love of Christ The Apostle intimates in the Text that it is a great duty incumbent on us to take in as much as possibly we can of this infinite and incomprehensible love of Christ That ye may comprehend with all Saints what are the heights c. Here it may be inquired what is this expression added with all Saints I conceive it is to shew us two things First That Grace in the hearts of the Saints doth naturally put them upon this study It is the natural tendency of the Spirit of Saints as they are Saints to study and take in as much of the love of Christ as is possible That ye may comprehend with all Saints as much as if he should say This is that which all Saints are pressing after and aspiring unto they all desire to know more and more of the love of Christ Secondly This expression is added to shew that it is the great duty of all the Saints to make the Love of Christ their great study That ye may comprehend with all Saints as much as if he should say It is your duty and the duty of all the Saints to study the dimensions of Christs love What will Heaven be but a clear and perfect knowledge of the love of God in Christ Then shall we know and understand perfectly what the purpose of the Father was to communicate himself to the Elect by the Son and so shall we be filled with the fulness of God as the expression is here in this Text and elsewhere it is said God shall be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 Not that we shall be able in Heaven it self to comprehend and take in the whole of this love for our understanding being finite cannot fully comprehend the infinite love of God but the souls of the Elect shall then be brim-full of it they shall take in as much of this love as they are able to contain Now there is something of this love may be understood and taken in here on earth for the Apostle is speaking of something that may be taken in here on earth when he saith that you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the height and depth and breadth and length of the love of Christ as much as if he should say This is that knowledge that the Saints ought to be pressing after here on earth all Saints ought to aim and level at this mark The more we know and understand of this love of Christ the more will our hearts be ravished with it and the more shall we be over-powered and swallowed up in the admiration of it for we love him because he first loved us Amor est qui amatur It is love it self that is that which we love it is Gods love to us made known to us in and by his Son that must draw our hearts to love him The great end why God chuseth his people is that they should be holy and unblameable before him in love Eph. 1.4 Now this being the great end of God to bring us to love him the more we come to know and understand his infinite love to us the more will our love be perfected towards him There are two things that lye in the words of the Text. 1. Here is a Supposition The Supposition is that the love of Christ is exceeding great and carries all dimensions in it That ye may comprehend what is the height and the depth and the breadth and length of the love of Christ The Apostle supposeth this that there are heights and depths and breadths and lengths in the love of Christ 2. We have in the Text the Apostles prayer for the Saints upon this supposition and that is that the love of Christ being so great they may know understand and comprehend it more and more There are two Observations or Doctrines that do naturally arise from the words of the Text. Doct. 1 That the Love of Christ is infinite and surpassing great and such a love as carries all manner of dimensions in it there are heights and depths and breadths and lengths in Christs Love Doct. 2 That it ought to be the endeavour of all the Saints to know understand comprehend and take in more and more of this infinite and surpassing love of Christ I shall begin to speak to the first Observation which is That the Love of Christ is infinite and surpassing great Doct. 1 and such a love as carries all manner of dimensions in it there are heights and depths breadths and lengths in the Love of Christ Here there are two things I shall treat of 1. Shew what the Love of Christ is 2. Shew how the greatness infiniteness and surpassingness of this Love may be a little described and set forth to us 1. We must open the Nature of Christs Love in the general To understand this there is a threefold Love we may distinguish of 1. There is a love of Benevolence or good-will 2. There is the love of Beneficence 3. There is the love of Complacency 1. There is the love of Benevolence or good-will and this is nothing else but an intention purpose or decree of doing good to another 2. There is the love of Beneficence and this is that love whereby a man doth not only will good to another but doth actually confer and bestow some good upon him and this is not so properly love as the effect of love 3. There is the love of Complacency and that is when a man takes delight and pleasure in that good which is in another According to this threefold distinction we may a little conceive of the Love of Christ 1. There is the love of Benevolence or good-will in Christ This is such a love whereby a man wills good to another purposes and intends to bestow good upon him This love was in the Lord Jesus Christ Christ had a purpose and intention from Eternity to bestow grace and glory upon his people To understand which we must know that all the works of the Trinity which do respect
are wonders indeed But that I may speak a little particularly to shew the dimensions of Christs love to shew what are the heights breadths lengths and depths of Christs love in the work of Incarnation I shall propound several things Oh let us consider the wonders that are in this Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears 1. That God should chuse to manifest his love to man this way When God would manifest his love to man to the uttermost he himself would become man 1 Tim. 3.3 Great is the mystery of godliness God manifested in the flesh Here is the Mystery of mysteries the Wonder of wonders that God should take flesh So great was this Mystery that it drew the admiration of Angels therefore the Apostle after he had declared the sum of this Mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God was manifested in the flesh he adds this he was seen of Angels or he appeared to Angels What is the meaning of that The meaning is he appeared visibly in flesh to Angels He was seen in his simple naked Divinity of Angels before his Incarnation but God was never seen as made visible in the flesh Quod Angelis visum esse dicit intelligit tale spectaculum fuisse quod tam novitate suâ quà m praestantiâ Angelos in se converterit Calvin Non potuit magnificentiùs praedicari augusta hujus mysterii majestas until after the Son of God was incarnate and made man the Angels beheld this sight God made visible in flesh with wonder and astonishment Whereas it is said he was seen of Angels The meaning is says Calvin it was such a spectacle to see God incarnate God made visible in flesh that it drew the Angels to look upon it with admiration by reason of the novelty and excellency of it And another Learned man hath this expression concerning it He was seen of Angels the most august Majesty of this great Mystery could not be set forth more magnificently than by this that it is said He was seen of Angels for no doubt it was an incredible delight to the Angels to see God made flesh as appears from that Song of theirs Luk. 2.14 Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world He loved the world and he so loved it God might have loved the world and not have so loved it God might have manifested his love to man in some other way and not so as to send his Son into the nature of man It was great love for God to create man at first after his own image and if God had confirmed man in his first estate as the elect Angels were so that man had never sinned and fallen this had been great love but when man was fallen for God to send his Son into the nature of man to recover man this was greater love This is illustrated by that Scripture Heb. 2.16 Verily he took not on him the nature of Angels It is the observation of a Learned man the Apostle speaks here of the good Angels The good Angels we know are confirmed in grace so that they never fell but the Son of God took not on him the nature of Angels this was an honour cast upon poor man more than on the Angels that the Son of God came into the nature of man not into the nature of Angels But here the observation of Calvin must be taken in That the Son of God hath preferred us above the Angels this is not to be understood in respect of the dignity or excellency of our nature but in respect of our misery Look upon angelical nature simply and that is superiour to humane nature and therefore it is said of man that he was made a little lower than the Angels Therefore there is no cause as Calvin goes on that we should glory as being superiour to Angels unless it be in this respect that God hath shewed greater mercy to us which was that we needed so that the Angels themselves have reason to stand and admire from on high that goodness that is bestowed upon poor man here on earth However this is clear that it is the highest demonstration of Gods love that God should take the nature of man and in this respect there is an honour cast upon humane nature more than upon Angelical nature God did not come into the nature of Angels but into the nature of man 2. The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in this That so great a person should come into our nature Isa 9.7 Vnto us a Son is born But who and what is this Son His name is Wonderful the mighty God the everlasting God He is so the Son as that he is also the mighty God He is so the Son of the everlasting Father as that he himself is also the everlasting Father of all creatures He is the Son yet the mighty God the everlasting Father therefore is it said concerning him In the beginning was the Word the Word was with God and the Word was God by him all things were made and without him was not any thing made that was made Joh. 1.12 13. This Son had not his existence first of all when he took flesh from the Virgin he was the Son before and God before Prov. 8.24 25 26. When there was no depths was I brought forth Micah 5.2 His goings forth were from everlasting Now that this great person this eternal person should be incarnate and take to himself a created nature in time this sets forth the greatness of his love Si personam venientis intueor non capto excellentiam Majestatis stupent Angeli de novo videntes infra se quem suprà semper adorant Hence is that of one of the Ancients If I behold the person of him who comes I cannot comprehend the excellency of his Majesty the Angels are amazed to see him stooping all of a sudden into a nature below themselves whom they always worshipped and adored above The Son of God was the object of the adoration of Angels before his Incarnation Now that he who was known and worshipped by the Angels in Heaven as God before his Incarnation that he should come into the nature of man and be reputed and taken for a man and but a man by the generality of men O the heights and depths and breadths and lengths of this love Isa 53.10 He was despised and rejected of men Joh. 10.33 Thou being a man makest thy self God Here the Jews account him to be a man and but a man who was true God as well as man Now that so great a person should come into our nature this is another thing doth commend to us the love of Christ in his Incarnation 3. The love of Christ in his Incarnation appears in the great condescension of that person who assumed our nature Here we must inquire wherein did the condescension of Christ appear in his Incarnation or in his assumption of our nature I
Deity who hath the same whole and intire nature of God in him as the Father hath yet as he is the Son so we conceive of him as begotten by the Father and proceeding from the Father by eternal Generation this is his manner of subsisting Here is one and the self same Essence still the Father hath the whole Essence in him and is depending upon no other the Son hath the same Essence but as he is the Son so he is begotten by the Father and proceeding from him by eternal Generation Now by the person of the Son incarnate we are brought in to communion with the Father How so Whilst we apprehend and conceive of the person of the Son who is incarnate we may reflect upon the Father from whom the Son proceeds and between whom and the Father there is the most perfect communion of natures the nature of the Son being the nature of the Father also and thus by having fellowship with the Son we have fellowship and communion with the Father also It is a great Scripture to illustrate this Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me Fides in Christum non est praejudicio fidei in Deum Patrem c. Nihil vetat quò minùs sit fides in plures personas modò essentia sit una eadémque Roloc in Joh. 14. It is the observation of a Holy man and Learned Divine upon that Text Faith in Christ is no prejudice to faith in God the Father neither is faith in the Holy Ghost any prejudice to faith in the Father and in the Son for there is one and the same God although the persons are distinct in that one nature of God And he adds Nothing forbids us but that faith may be in more persons than one so we be sure to retain one and the self same Essence To understand which we must consider When we conceive of one person in the Trinity or direct an act of faith to one person we must take in the whole Deity or whole God in our apprehension or conception when we conceive of another person or direct an act of faith to another person of the Trinity we must take in the whole Deity or Essence in our apprehension we must take heed that we never part or divide the Essence in our conception of any of the persons When you conceive of each person be sure you take in the whole Essence in that conception as for instance When I conceive of God the Father I conceive of the first person in the Deity whole God subsisting in the Divine Essence after such a manner when I conceive of the Son I conceive of the second person in the Deity whole God subsisting in the Essence after such a manner The Essence is common to all the persons and the persons do subsist in the self same Essence therefore in the conception of each person we must be sure to take in the whole Essence Now by the Son incarnate we are brought to communion with the Father the humanity of Christ leads us to the Divinity we begin at the humanity and we ascend from thence to the consideration of that person who assumed the humane nature Now in this one person is whole God there is the Divinity of the Father and of the Spirit now when by the eye of faith we can contemplate the Divinity in the person of the Son we may be the same eye of faith reflect upon the person of the Father as subsisting in the same Divinity and who is no otherways distinguished from the Son but by his relative property Nihil absurdi est dum concipimus Deitatem Patri Filio Spiritui communem si intuitus Filii mentes nostras reflectit ad Patris personam Calvin It was a wise and great speech of Calvin to this purpose There is nothing of absurdity in this if when we do conceive of the Deity or Godhead which is common to the Father Son and Spirit the aspect and contemplation which faith hath of the Son do reflect and turn back our minds upon the person of the Father for the distinct respects which are between the Father and Son as such make no division or partition in the Essence although the Son be not the Father nor the Father the Son yet both the Father and the Son are one and the same God and there is one and the same Essence common to them both I and the Father am one Joh. 10.30 Therefore when by the eye of faith we cast an aspect upon the person of the Son and see him subsisting in the Divine Essence we may by the same eye of faith reflect upon the person of the Father and see him subsisting in the same Essence and thus our fellowship is both with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ as the Apostle speaks Learn from what hath been opened Vse 1 that they who leave out Christ in their Religion or do fancy or imagine to themselves any other Christ besides the Word incarnate can never attain to God or communion with him Marvel not at such an inference as this is this doth naturally arise from the doctrine I have delivered and this is no other conclusion than the Apostle lays down 2 Joh. vers 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God Whosoever he be who transgresseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whosoever he be that swerves or turns aside from Apostolical doctrine the doctrine delivered by Christ himself and the Apostles concerning Christ the same hath not God he that continues not in the doctrine of Christ What is the doctrine of Christ Christ is the name of that person who subsists in both natures Christus est nomen personae in duabus subsistentis naturis Christ is the name of the person of the Mediator which is constituted of both natures the Divine and humane nature neither is the Divine nature without the humane nature nor the humane nature without the Divine that Christ which the Scripture reveals but both natures united in the person of the Son of God Who is that Christ the Scripture reveals to us His name shall be Emmanuel God with us God manifested in the flesh declared to be the Son of God according to the Spirit of holiness Rom. 2.3 The Scripture when it speaks of Christ as Meâ—iator when it speaks of that person who must bring us to God it speaks of him as that person that subsists in both natures in the nature of God and of man They therefore who deny the Divine nature to be in Christ as the Socinians do and they who deny the truth of his humanity by affirming Christ hath no longer any humane body these cannot be said to continue in the doctrine of Christ and all such have not God all that continue not in the doctrine of Christ have not God Whatsoever knowledge of God men may pretend unto unless they owne God in the person of the
one of the persons of the Trinity the number of the persons was not increased but the same Trinity still remains But here we may observe the singular advancement of our nature which is all that I aim at in what hath been spoken By what we have heard we may see how by reason of the Incarnation a part of our nature stands in so near a relation to the Trinity The humane nature in Christ hath a nearer relation to the Trinity than any creature whatsoever Humanitas Christi licèt sit creatura tamen quia sola nulla alia ita adhaeret Deo ut una sit persona cum Divinitate oportet igitur tam altiorem supra extra omnes alias creaturas esse tamen sub solo Deo Luther whether Angels or men It is a speech of Ambrose Humane nature is not to be despised which is taken into so near society and fellowship with the holy Trinity And it is a great speech of Luther The humanity of Christ although it be a creature yet because this only and no other creature doth so adhere to God as that it is one person with the Divinity it is higher than all other creatures and above all other creatures yet under God alone 3. The third Consideration is this the advancement of our nature by the work of Christs Incarnation appears in this In that by means of the Incarnation a part of our nature is become the Temple as it were of the Divinity Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up but he spake of the Temple of his body Joh. 2.21 Here we see the body of Christ or the humanity of Christ is plainly called a Temple and whose Temple was it the Temple of the Divinity Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up He that could raise up the Temple of his body when it was destroyed by death must needs be God therefore the person dwelling in this Temple was God so that Christ calls his own humanity the Temple of his Divinity Col. 2.9 In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily The fulness of the Godhead dwells in the humanity of Christ as in its proper seat or Temple It is a saying of one of the Ancients Totum ejus corpus implet tota Divinitas The whole Divinity fills his whole humanity Yet we must take this aright when we say that the humanity of Christ is the Temple of the Divinity we must not suppose that the God head is or can be circumscribed but thus we ought to conceive it that by means of the personal Union the Godhead dwells in the humane nature of Christ so as it dwells not in any other creature whatsoever Now what an advancement is this to our nature that a part of our nature should be as it were the proper seat and Temple of the Divinity That God should manifest himself in by and through our nature assumed that the Divinity should shine through our nature and shew it self to us by our nature A notable Scripture to illustrate this in Joh. 1.14 The word was made flesh and what follows We beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God The meaning is we beheld some rays and beams of the Divinity breaking forth through that flesh of his God was made visible to us in the person of his Son who had assumed a part of our nature Hence is it that the body of Christ or the humane nature of Christ is called a Tent or Tabernacle Heb. 8.2 9.11 Why is the body of Christ or the humane nature of Christ called a Tabernacle For this reason Look as the glory of God filled the Tabernacle of old so the glory of the Divinity hath filled his humane nature The body of Christ or his humane nature as Calvins expression is up on that place It is that Temple in which the whole Majesty of God dwells Templum in quo tota Dei Majestas habitavit Calvin 4. The fourth and last Consideration to shew how our nature is advanced by the Incarnation of the Son of God is this By means of the Incarnation Christ-man hath supreme Authority Jurisdiction and Dominion over all creatures and the Government of the World and the ordering of all the affairs of it are committed to him by the Father There are clear Texts of Scripture to prove this Joh. 5.22 27. The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son And hath given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of man Matth. 28.28 All power and authority is given to me in heaven and in earth Psal 110.2 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand Hence is that speech of Austin Est haec fiducia gloriatio nostra quòd nostrûm singulorum portio caâ—o sanguis sedeat in coelo ad dextram Dei Patris aeterni August This is our confidence and the matter of our rejoycing that a part of our nature flesh of our flesh bone of our bone sits at the right hand of God the eternal Father Christs sitting at the right hand of God imports two things 1. His advancement and preheminence above all creatures God hath given him a Name above every name Phil. 2.9 2. It imports his supreme Power Authority Jurisdiction and Dominion over all creatures Eph. 1.22 Psal 8.6 He hath put all things under his feet The Radix or root of this Power which Christ is said to have over all creatures lyeth primarily and originally in the Divine nature of the Son The Son the second person in Trinity as he is one and the same God with the Father and the Spirit hath power and dominion over all creatures and as he is the Son incarnate as he is made man so he hath all power in a way of Dispensation all power is committed to him and he exerciseth that power ministerially as the Delegate of the Father which yet is in him originally and essentially as he is one God with the Father Hence is it that Divines observe If the question be asked According to which nature it is that Christ is said to sit at the right hand of God The answer must be That it is according to both his natures for as Christ is appointed to be Mediator according to both natures so he is King of the Church according to both natures only there is this difference to be observed The Divine nature in Christ receives nothing new which it had not before When all Power and Authority is said to be given to Christ the Divine nature in Christ receives nothing new which it had not before only there is a new manifestation of the Divine power and glory by the humane nature as Christ prays Joh. 17.8 Glorifie me with the glory which I had with thee before the foundation of the world As he was the eternal Son so he was possessed of the
memorable speech of one of the Ancients which may clear the matter in hand By that nature which is seen Per naturam quae cernitur adoretur quae non cernitur Divinitas the Divinity which cannot be seen may be worshipped We worship God in and by the humane nature of Jesus Christ but this cannot be said of any of the Saints we cannot worship God in and by any of the Saints as we do in and by the humane nature of Jesus Christ 3. Consider Christ-man hath Dominion and Soveraignty over all creatures as hath been shewed at large This cannot be said of Angels or men that they have this Soveraignty over all creatures So that we see Christ hath the preheminence in all things as the Apostles expression is Col. 1.18 These things are necessary to establish our judgments when many have been so injurious to the honour of the Lord Jesus as to level his person and dignity with the persons of the Saints Learn to admire the great Love of God in Christ Vse 2 We have heard how our nature is advanced in the Head of the Church now what God hath done for Christ he hath in some measure done for us therefore is it said Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Eph. 1.3 And in another place He hath made us to sit together in heavenly places with him Christs advancement in some sort is our advancement his exaltation is our exaltation God hath honoured our nature in advancing Christ-man so high the Divine nature in Christ needed nothing it was capable of receiving nothing as he was the Eternal Son so he was coequal and coessential with the Father all the glory that comes to him in time is cast upon the humane nature Now that God should advance our nature so much as he hath done in our Head this should affect our hearts greatly What is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou shouldst magnifie him Psal 8.4 That the Divinity should shew it self in and by a part of our nature that a part of our nature should stand and continue in personal union with the second person in Trinity that a part of our nature should be advanced above Angels set in authority above all creatures this should astonish us Chrysostome saith he was swallowed up by this consideration It is a great thing saith he a thing full of wonder and amazement that our flesh should sit at the right hand of God and be adored by Angels and Archangels When I think of this says he I find my self put into an ecstasie Learn from what hath been opened Vse 3 where to seek for God how we ought to come to God Would we know where to seek for God and where we may expect to find him We must seek for God in and by the humanity of Jesus Christ the humanity of Jesus Christ is the Temple of the Divinity here therefore it is we must seek for God and here may we hope to find him It is an expression that Luther hath Deus nec vult nec pocest inventri nisi in hac humanitate per hanc humanitatem Luther God neither will nor can be found but by the humanity of Jesus Christ which says he God hath lifted up as a Standard that by it he may gather to himself all his children out of the world Christ himself hath told us He is the way to the Father Joh. 14 6. How is he the way to the Father The Son incarnate the Son become man is the way to the Father Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath revealed him How doth the Son reveal him In and by the humane nature assumed He that hath seen me hath seen the Father Joh. 14.9 How is it that he that hath seen Christ hath seen the Father The meaning is the Divinity lay hid in that humanity of his and the Divinity was to be seen and apprehended by that humanity of his This is notably set forth by the Apostle Heb. 10.19 20. Having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us thorough the veil that is to say his flesh It is an observation which Calvin hath upon this Text The flesh of Christ is not be despised because it is as a veil that doth cover the Majesty of God and yet directs us the way to injoy all that is in God Look as the veil in the Temple did cover all those things that lay hid and secret in the Sanctuary Nec quisquam Deum inveniet nisi cui via ostium erit Christus homo Calv. and yet withal was the way that opened unto all so the Divinity that lay hid in the flesh of Jesus Christ brings us to Heaven No man shall ever find God unto whom Christ-man is not the way and the door This is that our Saviour means when he says Ye believe in God believe also in me Joh. 14.1 The naked absolute Divinity is at too great a distance from us and we know not where to find God in his naked simple Essence therefore our Saviour directs us to look to God manifest in his flesh By the Son incarnate there is a fair way opened for us to the Father Vse 4 This may inform us whence the Church hath had all its preservations and what may be a ground to our faith that the Church shall still be preserved in all Ages Eph. 1.22 And hath put all things under his feet That is he hath put all things under Christs feet God the Father hath subjected all things to Christ-man the Head of the Church the government is upon his shoulders Now saith the Apostle No man ever hated his own flesh c. Eph 5.29 The Church is near akin to Christ flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone no wonder therefore that Christ takes care of the Church which is so nearly related to himself The Church is as it were a part of Christ the head and members make up Christ mystical so also is Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 The Apostle speaks there of Believers As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ All Believers together with Christ their Head make up Christ mystical Christ may be considered personally and he may be considered mystically Christ personally considered is that person who was born of the Virgin dyed on the Cross rose again the third day ascended up into Heaven and sits on the right hand of God Christ mystical is Christ and all Believers the head and members in conjunction The Church is said to be the Body of Christ the fulness of him who filleth all in all Eph. 1.22 Now then the Church
The twelfth Proposition for the clearing of this Mystery and shewing the greatness of Christs love in the work of his Incarnation is this That by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God God hath brought himself down to us rendred himself more facile and easie to be apprehended and conceived by us and also more sweet for us to approach to him We have shewed before how that by means of the Incarnation of the Son of God grace is brought down to us lodged in our nature now we shall shew how that by the Incarnation of the Son of God God himself is brought down to us brought near to us so that we may the better apprehend and conceive of him and also he is made more sweet for us to approach to him 1. By means of the Incarnation of the Son of God God hath brought himself down to us and rendred himself more facile and easie to be apprehended and conceived of by us If we consider God in his simple and absolute nature God dwells in light inaccessible and of him it is said Whom no man saw nor can see 1 Tim. 6.16 The naked simple absolute Divinity is too bright an object for our weak eyes to look upon therefore God who is invisible in himself hath made himself visible as it were in the person of his Son therefore is it said Christ is the image of the invisible God Col. 1.15 and the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 In the face of the Son incarnate we may see and behold all the glory of God Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath revealed him It is Calvins observation That as Christ is the Mediator of Reconciliation so he is the Medium of Revelation he reveals God to us and by him we come to the knowledge of God To understand this more clearly and distinctly we must know Eadem natura Divinitatis tota perfecta est in singulis personis this is a sure Maxime The same nature of the Divinity is whole and perfect in each of the persons The Godhead is not divided each person is whole God therefore doth our Saviour say Joh. 14.7 If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also When the Divinity of the Son is known Quaelibet persona est totus Deus the Divinity of the Father must needs be known there being but one and the same Divinity common between them both Now then when the Son of God the second person in Trinity assumes our nature the whole nature of God is brought down to us in Christ This is the true God 1 Joh. 5.20 And he that hath seen me hath seen the Father Joh. 14.9 There is but one and the same Divinity common between the Son and the Father therefore he that sees and apprehends the Divinity of the Son doth at the same instant apprehend and see the Divinity of the Father Now the humanity of the Son is the Medium by which we come to see and apprehend the Divinity of the Son and of the Father The humanity is not the Divinity yet the humanity is the Medium by which we are helped to conceive and apprehend the Divinity and that is the meaning of that expression He that hath seen me hath seen the Father That is as a Learned man expounds that passage As my Divinity is seen and apprehended by this assumed flesh of mine Sicut mea Divinitas per hanc carnem assumtam videtur ita etiam videtur Divinitas Patris quae eadem est so also is the Divinity of the Father apprehended by this assumed flesh of mine which is one and the same Divinity Hence is that expression of our Saviours Joh. 12.44 Jesus cryed and said He that believes on me believes not on me but on him that sent me Our Saviour lays much stress upon it he crys and saith as if he would proclaim it to all the world and would have all the world take notice of it And what is the truth he proclaims with so much solemnity He that believes on me believes not on me but on him that sent me What believe in Christ and not believe in Christ this is a seeming contradiction But the plain meaning is this he that believes in me believes not in me only but he believes on him that sent me Our Saviour would have all men take notice of this That his Divinity and the Divinity of the Father was one and the same therefore he saith He that believes on me believes not on me but on him that sent me As much as if he had said The Father is in me the Divinity Power Majesty Essence all the Divine perfections of the Father are found in me and ye need not seek for God any further than in me therefore he saith Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me Our Saviour doth not here intimate that there is a double object of faith as if the Father were one object of faith and he another for though the Father and the Son be distinct persons yet the Divinity common to them both is but one and the same and there is but one object of faith in both When therefore he says Ye believe in God believe also in me his meaning is that we should direct our faith to God inhabiting in him inhabiting in his humane nature It is a great help to faith that we may conceive of God in and by the humanity of Jesus Christ The humanity of Christ is the Temple of the Divinity as hath been shewn heretofore In this Temple it is we must seek for God and here we may find him In the days of the Old Testament the Ark of the Covenant was the Symbol of Gods presence and that external Symbol was some help to their faith The people of God in those days directed their prayers to God before the Ark and they worshipped him that dwelt between the Cherubins In the days of the New Testament Christ is our Ark God hath manifested himself to us in and by the flesh of his Son Col. 2.9 In him the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily It is the observation of a Learned man That one fruit of the Incarnation of the Son of God Bishop Vsher and of the conjunction of the two natures the Divine and humane nature in Christ is this That whereas God hath no shape comprehensible either to the eye of the body or the soul and the mind of man cannot rest but in a representation of something that his mind and understanding can in some sort reach unto man considering God in the second person of the Trinity who hath taken our nature whereby God is revealed in the flesh hath whereupon to stay his mind Faith begins at the humanity of Christ and then by degrees climbs up to the Divinity this
corroborated and strengthened the humane nature in suffering so that as the Apostle saith it was Christ that was offered There was a concourse of both natures in his Satisfaction If he were not man he could not have suffered and if he were not God he could not have satisfied Christ is a Priest in our nature and as the High-Priest under the Law bare all the names of the children of Israel upon his Breast-plate so Christ bears all the names of the Elect upon him Christ sustains the persons of all the Elect Because the children were made partakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same Christ assuming the nature of man sustains the persons of all the Elect and in their room and in their stead in a part of their nature presents himself to God and taking their guilt upon him is willing to bear the punishment due to them therefore he suffers and dyes in their nature and remains under the power of death for a time 2. Christ by his Incarnation is fitted for the work of his Intercession As it was the work of the Priest to offer Sacrifice and make atonement so to intercede and pray for the people Now Christ by taking our nature is fit for this work also Christ as to his Divine nature is equal with the Father and so is the object of prayer together with the Father but Christ according to his humane nature is inferiour to the Father and so fit to intercede And therefore it is a common saying among Divines Christ intercedes and prays as he is man and Mediator 3. Christ by assuming our nature performs the Office of a King to the Church Christ hath a natural Kingdom and he hath a dispensatory Kingdom As he is God so he hath a natural Kingdom over all creatures Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and thy dominion is an everlasting dominion As he is God-man so he hath a Kingdom by way of donation and dispensation Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Psal 2.6 The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son Joh. 5.22 that is to the Son incarnate Christ as Head and King of the Church dispenseth all grace to the Church rules and governs the Church in and by the humane nature assumed Eph. 1.21 22 23. Thus have we shewn how that Christ by the work of his Incarnation lays the foundation for the work of Mediatorship in general and for the executing of those three great Offices of Prophet Priest and King in particular 16. The love of Christ in his Incarnation is seen in this In that by means of Christs Incarnation our nature which was alienated from God deprived of communion with him lay under the curse was subject to all sorts of miseries and unto death it self is now restored to communion with God again delivered from the curse set above all misery and death cloathed with immortality and possessed of perfect happiness 1. The Son of God by his Incarnation hath restored our nature unto communion with God Adam by his Fall was turned out of Paradise banished from the presence of God lost his communion with God Now the Son of God taking a part of our nature into unity of person with himself hath brought our nature near to God again our nature in Christ is admitted to the sight of God and communion with him Christi humana natura semper usque à primordio incarnationis vidit Deum Divines observe That the humane nature in Christ had the sight of God from the beginning of his Conception and Incarnation and the reason of this assertion is this Christ was full of grace he had the Spirit of God given to him not by measure Aquinas observes That Christ from the beginning of his Incarnation had more grace given to him than the Saints in Heaven Now the Saints in Heaven are admitted to a clear sight and vision of God therefore if Christ had more grace given to him from the beginning than the Saints in Heaven we must suppose Christ had a clear sight and vision of God besides the great demonstration of Christs love in his sufferings was that he was content to be deprived of the sight and comfort of his Fathers love therefore he crys out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This argues Christ had been used and accustomed to the sight of his Fathers face and countenance otherwise why did he cry out Why hast thou forsaken me But for our sakes he was content to have his Fathers face hid from him for a time that it might not be hid from us for ever Now then Christ in his humane nature being admitted to the sight of God all the Elect in their measure shall have a share in this priviledge Scientia visionis competit Christo ut capiti electis ut membris The knowledge of vision is first given to Christ as the Head to the Elect as Members and although all the Elect be not as yet admitted to the vision of God yet it is certain they shall be as Christ now is When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.3 and in the mean time our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 hid as in the fountain root Tanquam in fonte radice principio and principle of that life Christ in his humane nature being admitted unto the sight of God and communion with him is an argument all the Elect also shall be brought to the same happiness 2. The Son of God by his Incarnation hath delivered our nature from the Curse set it above misery sorrow and death and cloathed it with immortality The sentence pronounced concerning man was That in case he sinned he should dye the death Gen. 2.17 Christ by taking our nature and dying in it hath born the substance of that curse The curse comprehended two things in it First natural death the separation of the soul from the body Secondly spiritual death the separation of the soul from God Here lay the sting of the curse Thou shalt dye the death or In dying thou shalt dye thou shalt not dye once only but dye twice as it were thy soul shall not only be separated from thy body but both body and soul shall be separated from me Now Christ under-went both parts of the curse if rightly understood First Christ in a right sense endured that part of the curse which consisted in a separation from God for although the personal Vnion was never dissolved neither was Christs humane soul ever separated in love or affection from his Father his soul clave in love and affection to his Father in the midst of all his sufferings Christ did not undergo separation from God in either of those respects yet his humane soul was separated for a time from the light and comfort of his Fathers love as was hinted before when he cryed out My God
not able to pay so that whatever the debt is the surety who is ingaged stands under an obligation to see it satisfied Christ then becoming our Surety all that obligation that lay upon us from the law is now derived upon him Now Christ brings himself under this obligation to the law two ways 1. By his own free consent and stipulation to the Father He that is otherwise free if he enter into Bonds and Covenants to discharge anothers debt become an engaged person Though he were free before he is now no longer free but becomes engaged by his own voluntary consent Thus Christ who was free and disingaged in himself did enter into a Covenant and agreement with the Father to undertake our cause and to do and suffer what was necessary to be done and suffered in order to our Salvation Heb. 10.7 Then I said Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me To do thy will O God When Christ saw the Fathers heart was set on the Salvation of man and that for that end the Father was willing Christ should undertake the cause and business of their Salvation Christ was as willing as the Father was and he saith Lo I come to do thy will Hence is it that the Counsel of Peace is said to be between them both Zac. 6.13 The Father to speak after the manner of men propounds and the Son consents so that the Son who was free and disingaged in himself brings himself under an obligation by his own free promise and stipulation Hence it is that Christ becomes the Head of the second Covenant the second Adam and all the Elect are his seed and Christ undertakes for them Isa 53.10 2. Christ brought himself under obligation to the Law by his own voluntary assumption of our nature for that end that he might become subject to the Law in it This the Apostle sets forth at large Phil. 2.6 He was in the form of God and counted it no robbery to be equal with God but he made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient Here are two things by which the Apostle sets forth the greatness of Christs Condescension 1. That he being in the form of God and who might have continued in the form of God only yet that he was pleased to take upon him the form of a servant and become true man this is one part of his condescension The other part of his condescension is that he would take upon him the form of a servant and become man for this very end that he might become obedient and that he might perform all the acts of obedience in the humane nature assumed Christ was not bound to take our nature at all but he might have continued always in the form of God only or if he will take our nature he was not bound to take it in that servile way so as to be bound to all acts of obedience but here was the greatness of Christs condescension as he will take our nature so he will take it for that end that in our nature he may obey and fulfil the Law for us And therefore it is emphatically expressed in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Factum seu redactum sub lege He was made obedient and so in the Text He was made under the Law Christ was made or reduced under the Law so some render it Christ was reduced to that state and condition as to be in a state of subjection to the Law whereas he was naturally above it Christ was made or reduced under this power and authority of the Law by his own free consent whereas naturally the Law had no such power or authority over him 3. The third and last Proposition is this For Christ to be under the Law is to be under the Judirisction of the Law and to be actually subject to it Christ having put himself under the obligation of the law the law hath full power and authority over him and the law requires perfect and exact obedience from him as it doth from any other man and Christ doth now stand bound and obliged to yield and perform that obedience which the law requires Hence Christ is called Isa 42.1 the Fathers servant he is said to love the Father to do and keep the Fathers commandments Joh. 14.31 15.10 Christ as man was under a law of love and obedience to his Father he was also subject to his Parents after the flesh he submitted to the Baptism of John and gives this reason for it Thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness Mat. 3.15 Christ being made man becoming our surety and being made under the law for us was bound to all the moral Duties which the law requires and so to fulfil all righteousness for us And the reason of it is If Christ had left any thing undone that the law requires of us then there had been so far a defect in that which was to become our righteousness for the obedience of Christ was to be the matter of our righteousness Rom. 5.19 By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous The law accepts of nothing but a perfect compleat righteousness therefore if Christ had left any thing to be done that the law requires to be done there had been so far a defect in that which must be our righteousness for Justification therefore Christ was obliged to all that obedience which the law required from us 2. I come now to the second thing to shew wherein the greatness of the love of Christ doth appear and discover it self in his being made under the Law I shall lay down several Propositions for the clearing of this 1. The love of Christ in being made under the law appears in this In that Christ in respect of his Original right was free from all subjection to the law Christ in respect of his person and his Divine nature was above the law Christ as he was God was Supreme and the Author of the law as he was the second person in the Trinity so he was equal to the Father and of equal authority with him It is true the humane nature in Christ was a creature and therefore in a state of subjection as every creature must necessarily be supposed to be But then we must consider that although the humane nature of Christ be a creature and considered simply so is in a state of subjection yet Christ in respect of his Original right is free from all subjection And this may be evidenced from these following Considerations 1. Although it be true that the humane nature in Christ be a creature yet the humane nature hath its subsistence in and by that person who is Divine and increated And hence is it that the Schoolmen do deny that Christ is to be called a Creature There is a
so framed by God as that it was set and inclined to do that which was good for otherwise it could not have been said of man as it was said of all the other Works of God that God beheld all the things which he had made and behold they were all good very good If man had not been made with such a frame and constitution at first as that he had not the least inclination to evil but that he was framed and made so as that he was fitted to do good it could not be said of man as of other the Works of God That they were good but God made all things very good so also did he make man Man was made upright according to the Image of God and this is that which is commonly called Original Righteousness Man was indued at first with original righteousness now God creating man in such a state of Purity and Righteousness at first he doth still require that purity and righteousness from man in which he was at first created for God may justly expect that from man which first he gave him God created him in a state of Purity and God expects man should retain that purity in the inward frame and disposition of his heart And therefore Divines observe As Original sin is forbidden so Original righteousness is commanded in the last Commandment when it is said Thou shalt not covet 2. The Law requires actual obedience to whatsoever is commanded by it The righteousness of the Law speaks on this wise That the man that doth these things shall live by them Rom. 10.5 The Law requires that there should be a doing an actual performance of the things that are commanded by it and the Law saith Cursed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 Now our Saviour sums up the duty of the Moral Law in those two great Precepts the first is That we should love the Lord our God with all the heart and with all the soul and with all the mind and the second is That we should love our neighbour as our self Mark 12.30 Now Christ being made under the Law for us took upon him all this debt of obedience which the Law required of us 1. Whereas the Law of God requires purity and integrity of nature the Lord Jesus assuming our nature adorns and invests it with all that habitual purity and sanctity which the Law of God requires Hence was it that Christ took up our nature without sin brought original righteousness into it and hath preserved it in a state of purity all along Christs Conception and Nativity were without sin therefore is he said to be that holy thing which should be born of the Virgin Luk. 1.35 The inward dispositions of Christs soul were such as the Law of God required to be therefore is the Law said to be in his heart Psal 40.8 And in general it is said of him that he was holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 That in him was no sin 1 Joh. 3.5 That he was a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 All these things speak the Purity and Sanctity of his nature that Christ in the inward frame of his nature answered that habitual purity the Law of God required and called for 2. Whereas the Law required actual obedience to what is commanded by it Christ being made under the Law for us left no part of the Law unfulfilled Christ did perfectly perform in thought word and deed what the Law commanded He fulfilled the Law as to every branch of it this we heard before that not one iota or tittle of the Law was to pass away till all was fulfilled All was perfectly and exactly fulfilled by Christ Hence is it that he is called the holy One and the Just Acts 3.14 Hence also is it that he challengeth the Jews Which of you can accuse me of sin Joh. 8.46 And it was prophesied of him before That he had done no violence neither was any deceit found in his mouth Isa 53.9 Christ performed all duties towards God and all duties towards man 1. For duties towards God He loved his Father perfectly feared him perfectly obeyed him perfectly Hence is it said of him He always did the things that were pleasing in his sight Joh. 8.29 And therefore when he came to dye he could say I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do Joh. 17.4 2. As for duties towards man Christ was so exact in all moral Righteousness that in the matter of paying Tribute though he knew he was not in strictness bound to it yet to prevent offence and avoid all appearance of evil he would work a Miracle rather than leave it undone Mat. 17.24 4. The fourth Proposition to illustrate the greatness of the love of Christ in being made under the Law for us is this Christ having taken upon him the whole debt of obedience which the Law required persevered and continued in the course of his obedience till all was finished Hence is it said of him He became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Phil. 2.8 Christ was obedient all along his obedience lasted throughout his whole life he was obedient unto death It is an emphatical expression He was obedient unto death that is his obedience continued through the course of his life and continued unto death and his death was the last act of his obedience Hence was it when our Saviour came to dye he used this speech It is finished He had finished all that obedience which the Law had required and his Father had injoyned him The Law requires constant perpetual obedience as well as perfect obedience The Law requires obedience not only in one time and season but in the whole of our life Now there was no failing in any part of Christs obedience to the law at any time He was never found guilty of any sin in the whole course of his life Hence is that expression Isa 53.9 In him was found no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth And as he was never found guilty of the least sin so he persevered in all acts of obedience to the last Hence is it said Joh. 4.34 His meat and drink was to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work 5. The fifth Proposition is The greatness of Christs love in being made under the Law appears in this In that what Christ did in a way of obedience to the Law it was for us Hence is it said that Christ is made sin for us and we are made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Christ took upon him our person Christ sustained the persons of all the Elect Christ did that for us which we should have done Hence is it that Christ is said to be the second Adam The obedience which Christ performed to the Father was in
ready to lay down my life for you this is the minor Proposition that is necessarily implied for otherwise the Argument of our Saviour here in the Text would have no force in it The scope of our Saviour in the Text is to perswade his Disciples to love one another upon the account of his love to them and he lays down this as the main Proposition That it is the highest love for any man to lay down his life for his friend Now unless the Assumption be supposed That Christ hath laid down his life for us the Argument would fall to the ground and come to nothing therefore this is supposed and this is the minor Proposition necessarily to be understood That Christ hath laid down his life for his friends Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends But this is my love to you I have thus laid down my life for you I am just now about to do it and therefore 't is as certain as if it were already done this must necessarily be supposed 2. The second Assertion is That Christs laying down his life for his friends is the highest demonstration of love Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends Our Saviour speaks here after the manner of men he speaks of that which is the highest love among men The highest love among men is when one man is ready to lay down his life for another Now saith our Saviour I am ready to lay down my life for you it is the work I am now going about I am now going to lay down my life for you and therefore my love to you is the highest and greatest love From these two Assertions there are these two Propositions that do naturally arise The first is Doct. 1 That our Lord Jesus Christ hath laid down his life for his people The second is Doct. 2 That the love of Christ in laying down his life for us was the highest demonstration of love Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends To begin with the first of these The first Proposition then is this Doct. 1 That our Lord Jesus Christ hath laid down his life for his people This my Beloved is a point of great weight and moment and there are many things of great weight and moment that will necessarily fall in in speaking to it In the Explication of this Point I shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall shew what the import of this Phrase is what it is for a man to lay down his life for another 2. I shall shew how it was that Christ laid down his life for us 3. I shall shew how it is said that Christ laid down his life for his friends whenas elsewhere it is said that Christ dyed for us whilst we were enemies 4. I shall take occasion from this Text to speak something concerning the Doctrine of Christs Satisfaction I have already treated of the Love of Christ 1 In his Incarnation 2 Of the Love of Christ in his being made under the Law for us And when I first undertook to speak to those Heads there were two more I had in my thoughts to speak to the one was to speak of the Love of Christ in his Satisfaction and the other was to speak of the Love of Christ in his Intercession and now I shall take occasion from this Text to treat of that Argument viz. of the Love of Christ in his Satisfaction Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends It is one main demonstration of Christs love to us That he hath laid down his life for us But first I shall begin to open this Phrase what the import of this Phrase is what it is to lay down a mans life for another and then I shall shew how it was that Christ laid down his life for us 1. What is the import of this Phrase what doth it signifie for a man to lay down his life for another Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life If we would go about to translate it exactly according to the letter we might render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut quispiam animam suam ponat sive deponat That a man lay down his soul for his friends It is an Hebrew Phrase the Soul is put for the life which is the effect of the Souls presence or being in the body It is the presence of the Soul that causeth life take away the Soul and life ceaseth and therefore it is that the Soul is put for life so that to lay down a mans soul which is the Phrase here used it is to lay down a mans life for another The import of this Phrase is no more than we in our ordinary way of speaking are wont to express thus it is for a man to be willing and ready to dye for another Thus Peter saith Joh. 13.37 I will lay down my life for thy sake It is the same Phrase as in the Text I will lay down my life for thy sake that is I am ready to dye for thee So 1 Joh. 3.16 We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren that is we ought to be ready to dye for them if the case so requires So that Christs laying down his life for us is no more than his voluntary undergoing of death for us his giving up himself to dye for us But here we must inquire a little before we go any farther what was that life which our Saviour was willing to lay down for us Greater love than this hath no man that he lay down his life for his friends I answer It was his corporal life the life of his humanity or his life as he was man for as for the life of his Divinity that was not possible for him to lay down As he was God so he lives always and could not dye as he was God he was above the power of death It is true that person who was God assumed our nature and according to that nature he dyed he laid down the life of his Humanity but still he retained the life of his Divinity This our Saviour himself explains and it is a great Text Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I may take it again No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self and then it follows I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again Christ had power to lay down his life this he had not had if he had been a meer man no meer man hath power to lay down his own life every mans life that is but a meer man is under the power of God it is at Gods dispose and not at his own and no man may dispose of his own life till God who gave him his life give him
us indeed that Christ dyed to confirm the Truth which he had preached and also that his dying and rising again and taking possession of eternal life was to give us an assurance of eternal life and that we shall come thither in due time also they tell us that he dyed for an example but they will not admit that Christ dyed by way of satisfaction or that his death was by way of price and ransom but the Scripture is most express and full as to this and I shall have occasion to speak more fully to it hereafter only at present I shall hint a few Scriptures Mat. 20.28 The Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many So likewise 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave himself a ransom for all Here we have two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Criticks in the Greek Tongue tell us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were gifts that were given for the ransom of Prisoners such gifts as were given for the setting free and releasing of persons taken Captive in War We were held captive by Sin and Satan we were Prisoners in the hands of Divine Justice Now Christ gave his life as a price to set us free that is the proper signification of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies the price of redemption but the compound word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more full and pregnant that signifies a price or ransom laid down for or instead of another Christ gave his life for our lives as the life of the beast sacrificed went for the life of the man so Christ gave his life for our lives Hence is it said that we are redeemed by Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye were redeemed by price or ransom so the word signifies the Blood of Christ was the Price that was laid down for our Redemption What can be more full and express to this purpose than what our Saviour declareth to us when he saith that he gives his flesh for the life of the world Joh. 6.51 The bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world The Son of God assumed our nature and offered it up this he calls his flesh and this he gives for the life of the world that is to purchase and procure life for the world The world lay dead before dead in sin dead in respect of condemnation the world was obnoxious to Divine wrath Now Christ gives his flesh for the life of the world that is he gives his flesh to deliver the world from that state of condemnation in which it was and to bring it into reconciliation with God Joh. 3.17 God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved A word for Application Hath Christ laid down his life for his sheep Behold here as in a Mirroir the greatness of Christs Love Vse 1 The Son of God would not only take our nature but being in our nature he would lay down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us That person who was God and man both laid down his life as man for us he laid down the life of his humanity for us But this I may have occasion to speak to more hereafter This is matter of infinite comfort and support to poor doubting Christians Vse 2 unto such who have fled for refuge to the hope that is set before them and yet have many remaining doubts within them concerning their Salvation whether they shall be saved in the conclusion yea or no. That which is matter of comfort to them is this 1. That Christ hath laid down his life for them Now this is certain Christ hath not dyed in vain Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed If thou shouldst be condemned for thy sins the guilt of which thou fearest whenas thou art a poor Believer and hast fled to Christ for refuge then hath Christ dyed in vain because the end of Christs dying was that those who believe on him might not perish So our Saviour himself tells us Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish If therefore thou who hast fled to Christ for refuge to save thee from the stroke of Divine wrath and from the condemning power of the Law if thou shouldst perish Christ hath dyed in vain If Christ hath laid down his life to purchase eternal life and Salvation for thee and thou shouldst go without it who art a poor Believer and runnest to him for Salvation then Christ hath dyed in vain Consider what the Apostle saith Gal. 2.20 If righteousness come by the Law then is Christ dead in vain If God should put thee to work out a righteousness for thy self and there were no possibility of Salvation but by perfect keeping the Law then there had been no necessity of Christs death but Christs death was not in vain Christ dyed to satisfie Gods Justice for them who could not fulfil the Law for themselves and therefore there is ground of hope that such who have fled to Christ for refuge shall not be disappointed of Salvation 2. A second thing to comfort doubting Christians is that Christ who hath the power to dispose of eternal life to whom he pleases hath invested poor Believers with a Right and Title to eternal life 1. Christ as he is Man and Mediator hath a power given to him to give eternal life to whom he pleaseth Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him 2. Christ having this power given to him hath invested Believers with a Right and Title to eternal life It is a great Text to comfort such who are concerned about their Salvation more than any thing else Joh. 10.29 Christ speaking of his sheep saith I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish If Christ hath given them eternal life how shall they be deprived of it If Christ hath given them eternal life who shall take it from them What Christ hath once given he never takes back again For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Christ therefore having made over a Right and Title to eternal life unto those that are his sheep to all that obey and follow him they must of necessity have it These things may be of use to support poor
shalt thou return Gen. 3.19 was the Curse pronounced upon man for sin Terra es in terram reverteris Earth thou art and unto earth shalt thou return By this expression Divines both ancient and modern understand a state of mortality that should come upon man by reason of sin Earth thou art and to earth shalt thou return that is thou shalt become mortal Terra es ostendit hominem in deterius commutatum Aug. Austin observes that expression Thou art earth it shews that the whole man was changed for the worse Man that had been immortal had it not been for sin is now become mortal by means of sin there is nothing that men fear more than death The Apostle tells us That men through fear of death are all their life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2. When man by sin was brought into a mortal state he was always in fear and expectation of death A man that is condemned doth not dye presently but he is in a dying condition and he is always in expectation of death and a man that is infected with the plague doth not it may be dye presently but he carries his deaths wound about him so man having sinned he had the matter of death in him he had that in him which would certainly and infallibly bring him unto death man having sinned brought himself into a mortal state therefore the Lord Jesus Christ our Surety that he might deliver us from this part of the Curse put himself into a state of mortality makes himself liable to death Hence is that of the Apostle Phil. 2. He took upon him the form of a servant and became obedient to the death even the death of the cross that is he took our nature and made himself mortal in it Had the Divinity in Christ exerted it self in its full power and strength it could have prevented suffering and death in Christ but it being a part of the Curse that we sâ—â—uld be subject to suffering and death the Divinity did so far suspend it self that Christ might become passible and mortal therefore Christ who was immortal in himself made himself mortal for our sakes In Rom. 8.2 we read of the Law of sin and of death The Law of sin is as Austin observes that whosoever sins shall dye Lex peccati ut quicunque peccârit moriatur August the soul that sins shall dye The Law of death is Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return Therefore man being subjected to a state of mortality by the Curse Christ underwent this Curse for us Heb. 2.14 That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil That through death he might destroy him c. The end why the Son of God assumed our nature was that he might suffer and dye in it he so assumed our nature as that being in our nature he might become passible and mortal in it Ought not Christ to have suffered these things Luk. 24. He that would be our Surety and pay our debt must suffer and dye for us and therefore that Christ might fully discharge our debt he was pleased to put himself into a state of suffering and death Learn from hence Vse 1 in the first place the infinite love of Christ that Christ who was free would become our Surety and bring himself under bonds for us and make himself liable to the Law and to the penalty of it for our sakes yea not only so that Christ who was most free would take upon him the payment of our debt but that he who in some respect was the Creditor and had the debt owing to him should yet in another respect and in a wonderful way of dispensation become the Surety and pay the debt for us Consider Christ as God sin was an offence against him as well as against the other Persons of the Trinity and Christ might have demanded and exacted punishment from men but yet Christ in a wonderful way of dispensation by assuming our nature and bearing the punishment due to us in it would become our Surety and pay the debt that was owing to himself Have we not reason here with the Apostle to cry out O the depth O the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of the love of Christ that when Christ might have demanded satisfaction from us he was pleased to take our nature and make satisfaction for us This shews us the great happiness and the singular priviledge of Believers Vse 2 who have an interest in Christ The priviledge of Believers lies in this That Christ who is their Surety hath undertaken to satisfie and discharge their debt for them Now if the debt of punishment which we owe to Divine Justice be already satisfied if the punishment which we owe to Gods Justice be already undergone Divine Justice can demand no more this consideration may be of unspeakable use and comfort to us when we come to be under agonies and terrors of conscience Those that truly belong to God may sometimes have such thoughts as these are What if I should be put to lye under the wrath of God What if the torments of the Damned should be inflicted upon me Holy Souls themselves have had some sips and tastes of Divine wrath Now that which may be of unspeakable comfort in such a case is this If thou be a true Believer if thou hast closed with Christ by faith thou hast already suffered punishment in Christ thy Head thou hast after a sort satisfied Divine Justice and born the torments of Hell in Christ thy Head Paul said I am crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 I am crucified together with Christ concrucified When Christ was crucified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we were crucified together with him Christ suffering the punishment in our nature which was due to us it is in Gods account as if we had suffered Hence it is said He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 and we are made the righteousness of God in him Now thou that art a true sincere Believer who lovest Christ and prizest him above all the world if thou hast already suffered the wrath of God and the torments of Hell in Christ thy Head it is to be hoped thou shalt not be put to suffer it in thy own person Who shall condemn saith the Apostle it is Christ that hath dyed Rom. 8.33 If Christ hath dyed thou shalt not dye and if Christ hath been condemned thou shalt not be condemned This shews the unspeakable misery of such who have no interest in Christ Vse 3 and no part in his Satisfaction Their misery appears in this That they are liable to bear the punishment of their own sins As this is the singular priviledge of Believers that they are exempted from punishment because Christ their Head and Surety hath born it for them so this is the unspeakable misery of all Unbelievers of all such as lye out of Christ that they are liable to bear
Privatio prâ—mii beaâ—â—â—ci Perfectionis ad quam erant apti nati carentia ex peccato causatae and the pain of sense The pain of loss is the want of blessedness or else it is the privation of the beatifical reward Other School men describe it more largely thus The pain of loss is the want of that perfection which men were capable of and is brought upon them by reason of sin Now in this pain of loss the damned are deprived of all good things they are deprived of all peace all joy all comfort all solace and refreshment they are deprived of the fellowship of the Saints and Angels but amongst all the pains of loss which the damned undergo the greatest of all is the want of the sight of God and therefore some of the School-men describe the pain of loss only by this Privatio visionis fruitionis Divinae That it is a deprivation of the Divine vision and fruition not but that the damned are deprived of all other comforts and good things but the sight and fruition of God comprehends all the rest being deprived of the sight and fruition of God the chief good they must necessarily be deprived of the comfort of other particular goods Now this deprivation of the sight of God being part of the punishment that is due to us for our sins this pain of loss our Saviour underwent for us in his dereliction and desertion His humane soul was deprived of that clear sight and vision of the Deity for a time We by sin deserved to be deprived of the sight of God and Christ in his dereliction his humane soul was deprived of the sight of God for a time Divines are wont commonly to say That Christ from the moment of his conception had the sight of God his humane soul being immediately united to the Deity Christ from the very moment of his conception had the sight of God Now for our Saviour who had known experimentally how sweet the comfort of his Fathers face had been and had lived all his days under the warm beams and influences of the Divinity and had had his soul all along refreshed with the sense of the Divine presence for him to be left in that horror and darkness as to have no taste of comfort no glimpse of the Divinity breaking in upon his humane soul how great an affliction must that needs be unto him This spiritual dereliction as was formerly hinted which our Saviour underwent was part of the punishment due to us for our sins When Adam had sinned he was driven out of Paradise he was banished out of the presence of God man forsaking God God forsook him and withdrew himself from him now that dereliction which we deserved in Adam Christ suffered for us Hence is that of Cyril When Adam had transgressed the Divine commandment humane nature was forsaken of God and made subject unto the curse and to death Now these words of our Saviour when he crys out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me are the words of Christ manifestly discharging or paying that debt of dereliction that was come upon us by means of sin and pacifying God this way Hence also is that expression of another of the Ancients Deseritur cum desertis c. Christ was deserted with them who were deserted and Christ paid the tribute for that nature which he had assumed that is Christ paid our debt Christ was forsaken with us who were forsaken that so Divine grace and favour might return again to us the face of God was hid from him for a time that so it might not be hid from us for ever Now if it be asked But what was this dereliction I shall 1. Shew negatively what it was not and 2. Positively and affirmatively what it was 1. What it was not It was not a dissolution of the union of the two Natures The union of the two Natures in Christ continued notwithstanding this his dereliction for if the personal Union of the two Natures had been dissolved if it had not continued in the time of the sufferings of Christ then it would have followed that it was not God that was the Person that suffered and so the merit and efficacy of Christs sufferings would have been enervated and taken away but the Scriptures tell us That it was God that redeemed the Church with his own blood Act. 20.28 the Person suffering was God though it was in our nature that he suffered Also they tell us That they crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 the Person suffering was God although it was in and by the flesh that he suffered Joh. 6.51 I am the bread that came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread which I shall give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world The flesh which is given for the life of the world it is the flesh of the Word the flesh of the second Person in Trinity The Word was made flesh Joh. 1.14 that person who is called the Word the second Person in Trinity who came down from heaven by his Incarnation and took flesh gave that flesh for the life of the world The Word is the Person who takes flesh the Word the second Person in Trinity who takes a part of our flesh is not disjoyned or disunited from his flesh all the time of his sufferings it is his flesh still The bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world The Word the second Person in Trinity accounts it his flesh whilst he suffers it was the flesh only that was capable of suffering but the Word the second Person in Trinity stood related to that flesh in the time of his suffering yea he was one with it in the bond of personal Union therefore it is said 1 Pet. 4.1 Christ suffered for us in the flesh It is a remarkable expression Christ suffered for us in the flesh the person suffering is Christ the Son of God though it was in the flesh in the Humanity that he suffered the humane nature is only capable of suffering but yet the person of the Son of God was united to that nature in the time when he suffered there was no dissolution of the union of the two natures Non dissolutione unionis sed substractione visioniâ— Christs dereliction was not by the dissolution of the Vnion but by the substraction of Vision as one of the Ancients speaks 2. This dereliction or desertion of our Saviour was not a desertion in point of grace Christ had all along the same presence of Divine grace with him to carry him out to all acts of obedience There was no failure as to any one act of obedience in Christ If Christ had been deserted in point of grace and any one act of obedience had been interrupted then his obedience had not been perfect and compleat and if his
ceased from its operations it did not put forth and exert it self in that way as before Others express it thus That the Deity contained and kept it self in Others That the Divinity withdrew it self for a time And it is an elegant expression which Ambrose hath That the delight which the Humanity had from the eternal Divinity was now as it were sequestred and withdrawn from it The vision which our Saviour had before in his humane soul of the Deity was now withdrawn from him and this must needs be the highest affliction imaginable Our Saviours happiness as he was man consisted in the sight and vision of God look as the Essence of our happiness consists in the sight of God so the happiness of our Saviour as he was man consisted in the sight of God Christ as he was man had God for his God and for him to be deprived of the sight of the face of his God this must needs be the greatest affliction to him therefore doth he cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The happiness of Christ as he was man consisted in the sight of the face of his God and therefore for him to be deprived of the sight of this face must needs be the greatest affliction to him This subduction or withdrawing of the Divinity in point of manifestation the hiding of the face of God from Christ must needs be the greatest affliction to him upon these two considerations 1. Because our Saviour had been inured and accustomed to the sight of God and knew what the happiness of it was Our Saviour had walked in the light of his Fathers countenance all his days until now therefore is it that he saith in one place That the Father was with him and in another place That the Father had not left him alone and elsewhere he saith That he had seen the Father It is the common opinion of Divines That Christ had the sight of God from the first moment of his conception Now for him that had once tasted of the light of Gods countenance to lose it this must needs be the greatest and most bitter affliction to him The greatest misery we say is for a person once to have been happy and then to lose his happiness It is not so much for a man that never knew what the sweetness and comfort of Gods love meant to be without it as it is for another person that hath been ravished with the suavity and delights of Gods love to be deprived of them Now this was our Saviours case our Saviour had tasted of the sweetness of his Fathers love he knew what happiness was in the beatifical Vision and now for him to come to be deprived of it O how great an affliction must this needs be This consideration may well put us upon this contemplation whether the sorrows and sufferings of our Saviour in this respect did not exceed those of the damned The damned in Hell indeed want the beatifical Vision they have not the sight of God for the present neither are they ever like to have it O but they never had experience what the sweetness and happiness of the injoyment of God was It is true the damned shall have their faculties much more inlarged than now they have to apprehend what a loss they do sustain in being deprived of such an infinite good as God is they will have greater apprehensions at last how great a loss the loss of an infinite good is but they never had an experimental sense and taste what the sweetness and happiness is that is to be found in God But now our Saviour had this experimental taste of the sweetness delight joy satisfaction that the sight of God could afford to his humane soul and therefore for him to be deprived of it his sorrows in this respect seem to exceed the sorrows of the damned The damned may bewail an infinite good that they have lost though they know not what he is nor have any experimental taste of his sweetness but now Christ knew what the excellency of God was and had the most familiar acquaintance with him and yet was separated from all that sweetness for a time which he had so lively a taste of before 2. This desertion of our Saviour must needs be the highest affliction to him of all others because the humane soul of Christ had the clearest sight of God that ever any creature had The humane soul of Christ by means of the personal Vnion was brought nearer to the Deity than ever any creature man or Angel was brought unto look therefore as the habitual grace that is in the humane nature of Christ by means of the personal Union which is the cause of it doth far excel as to measure and degree all that grace that is found either in men or Angels so for the same reason we must suppose that Christ as he was man by virtue of the personal Vnion had a clearer sight of God than ever any creature had Now then for him that had so clear a sight of the Divinity that he who had his faculties inlarged to the uttermost to contemplate the excellency and perfection of the Deity should all of a sudden lose this sight that all of a sudden the glorious light that had shone upon his soul all his life time before should be withdrawn and that he should be left in perfect darkness what a change must this needs be This was that which made him utter those words with so much bitterness My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and the manner how he uttered them is most observable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus cryed out with a loud voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 He cryed out with a great voice Persons are seldom wont to make any out-crys till they come to some great extremity our Saviour was now in the very top of all his sufferings he was now come to his greatest extremity and when he is in his greatest extremity he crys out with a loud voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me It was the inward grief and perplexity of his mind as Calvin observes that extorted this cry from him and how great must the sorrows of our Saviour be that forced him to such an out-cry as this is that the standers-by must take notice of it We read of many of the Martyrs that bare their sufferings without any such sensible commotion we read of no such out crys from them when they were in the midst of the flames Now our Saviour had his heart fortified and strengthened with far more Grace than any of them God gave him grace not by measure he had grace conferred upon his Humanity in the highest degree that a created nature was capable of How inexpressible then must the sorrows of Christ be and how far did they exceed the sorrows of all others that he should make such an out-cry as this is the reason of
of Christs Satisfaction this will be of marvellous use to us when we are under troubles and conflicts of conscience for sin Though our sins are great exceeding great considered in themselves yet being compared with the infiniteness of Christs Satisfaction they are swallowed up in the vastness and insiniteness of the merit of the sufferings of that person who was God as well as man 5. The excellency of Christs Satisfaction appears in this In that the Sacrifice of Christ is an eternal Sacrifice that is the virtue and efficacy of Christs Sacrifice and Satisfaction is eternal Christs Sacrifice is but one and that once offered and yet the virtue of it is eternal The repetition of the Sacrifices under the Law did shew the imperfection of those Sacrifices for if one Sacrifice had been sufficient what need of such a multitude of Sacrifices and those so frequently repeated Now the Sacrifice of Christ is but one and it was not necessary that it should be repeated for though it was but once offered yet the virtue of it is eternal It is a great expression of the Apostle speaking of this Sacrifice Heb. 9.14 Christ by the eternal Spirit offered himself up without spot to God Christ offered himself up to God by the eternal Spirit that is he offered himself up to God in the virtue of his eternal Deity the Son of God who offered himself up as a Sacrifice to God in our nature being an eternal person hath put eternal virtue and efficacy into that Sacrifice of his Such was the dignity of Christs person that he being the eternal Son of God the virtue and efficacy of his Sacrifice which was once offered and that now in the end of the world doth yet extend it self to all ages of the world those that are past as well as those that are to come For Jesus Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 The Sacrifice of Christ is eternal for as much as the virtue and efficacy of it is eternal and extends it self to all ages Hence also is Christ called the new and living way Heb. 10.20 That expression which we translate new 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies that which was newly killed or newly slain the virtue of Christs blood is such in Gods account as if Christ were just now crucified his blood is always fresh the vigour and efficacy of it remains as if it were but newly shed What a mighty incouragement may this be to us to come and make use of the sufferings and satisfaction of Christ since the sufferings and satisfaction of Christ are as fresh in Gods account as if Christ had just now undergone them as if he were but newly come down from the Cross and God is as much pleased and satisfied in them as if Christ had but newly undergone them There is one Use more to be made of the Doctrine Vse 5 Let us learn from the Doctrine of Christs Satisfaction why the contempt of the Gospel is so great a sin and why it is that God punisheth the contempt of the Gospel so severely the reason why the contempt of the Gospel is so great a sin is because it is a contempt of the sufferings of Christ and the reason why God punisheth the contempt of the Gospel so severely is because it is a contempt of the great Sacrifice that was offered for sin There hath been a great impression on the hearts of men in all Ages That God was to be pacified by sacrifice hence it is that all Nations have offered sacrifices and hereby the common sense of mankind hath been exprest that God was to be pacified by some sacrifice Now when the true the great the only sacrifice hath been offered up which is the death of Christ and the virtue of this sacrifice which was to pacifie and atone God published and declared in the Gospel and men do yet contemn this sacrifice and him that hath offered it certainly this must needs make the sin of the world exceeding great and the reason is because that this is a plain evidence that men do not value reconciliation with God When God hath provided a sacrifice by which he will be atoned and reconciled to men and they despise this sacrifice and undervalue this way of reconciliation 't is a plain sign and evidence that men do not care for reconciliation with God it is all one to them if they continue in open hostility against him The slighting of Christ and neglect of grace offered by the Redeemer is a plain contempt of the Divine Majesty it is a clear sign that men do not regard Gods anger neither are they afraid of his wrath For if men were afraid of Gods anger and terrified at the apprehensions of his wrath they would seek after reconciliation with God Now nothing doth aggravate sin more than when there is a plain and manifest contempt of God and this there is in the refusing of reconciliation with him God offers reconciliation to men by a Redeemer they neglect it they reject it this is a manifest contempt of God and hence it is that God punisheth the contempt of the Gospel so severely I shall illustrate this by several Scriptures Mat. 22.1 c. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain King which made a marriage for his son and he sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding and they would not come Again he sent forth other servants saying Tell them which are bidden Behold I have prepared my dinner my oxen and my fatlings are killed and all things are ready come unto the marriage But they made light of it and went their ways one to his farm another to his merchandise and the remnant took his servants and intreated them spightfully and slew them But when the King heard thereof he was wroth and he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murtherers and burnt up their city A certain King made a marriage for his son God hath married his Son to our nature God hath sent his Son into our nature and the Son of God hath married our nature to himself by joyning it to himself in the bond of personal union Upon this marriage the joyning of our nature to the Son of God God makes a Feast a Marriage-feast and in that Feast he prepares all good things for the sons of men he offers righteousness life salvation and all good things whatsoever in his Son and God by his Ambassadours the Gospel-Ministers invites them to partake of these good things He sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding When God had prepared this Feast of all good things in his Son opened the Treasures of his Grace in Christ when he had set open the Treasure of Christs Righteousness for mens Justification and the alsufficiency of his Grace for Sanctification then he sends his Ambassadours and Ministers to invite men to come and partake of all this grace But
the love of God because he laid down his life for us Still we see when the Scripture speaks of the love of Christ it expresseth it by what he suffered for us Now the greatness of Christs love the heights and depths and lengths and breadths of Christs love in his sufferings and in the work of his Satisfaction may be illustrated by several Particulars And I shall propound several things for the clearing up of this truth 1. That the sufferings of Christ were the lowest degree of his humiliation The Scripture speaks of Christs Exinanition or emptying himself Phil. 2.7 He made himself of no reputation so we translate it the word in the Original is he emptyed himself out of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex omni seipsum ad nihilum redegit exhausit Tertul. he reduced himself to nothing One of the Ancients renders the expression he exhausted himself Now this Exinanition or emptying of the Son of God was his own voluntary laying aside of his own glory as to manifestation and also his subjecting himself to the lowest abasement for our sakes The Son of God did not could not divest himself of his essential glory he did not cease to be the Son of God and God in the lowest state of his humiliation but he did strip and divest himself of his manifestative glory he was content not to appear to be what indeed he was and he submitted-himself to the lowest abasement for our sakes Now there were two parts of Christs Exinanition or emptying of himself The first was his Incarnation his assumption of our nature The second was his suffering death for us and the Apostle speaks of both these in this place The first part of Christs Exinanition was his Incarnation He made himself of no reputation or emptied himself How so He took upon him the form of a servant he was in the form of God saith the Apostle and made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant That he who was in the form of God should take upon him the form of a servant this was emptying himself indeed That the eternal God should become a mortal man this was great humiliation indeed He was in the form of God saith the Apostle and yet he was made in the likeness of men and was found in fashion as a man These expressions must cautiously be understood we must not understand them as some ancient Hereticks did that Christ only had a fantastical body that is the shew and appearance of a body because it is said here the likeness of men and that he was found in fashion as a man I say we must not understand them as if Christ only had a fantastical body not a true and a real body for the Scripture tells us plainly That Christ was made of the seed of David and he was in all things made like unto us sin only excepted And it is a true expression that of the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which was not assumed was not healed If the Son of God had not had the verity of humane nature in him humane nature could never have been restored If he had not assumed a true humane soul and a true humane body our fouls and bodies which were tainted with original sin could never have been recovered therefore when it is said He was made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man we must not understand it as if Christ had the likeness of a humane body and not a true humane body but these expressions Made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man not only set forth the greatness of his humiliation and condescension that he that was God blessed for ever that he who was so far above men did yet take to himself the common nature of men He was made in the likeness of men and found in fashion as a man The plain meaning seems to be That the Son of God taking our nature appeared among men as to his external visage and appearance as another man as one like the rest of men It is true spiritual eyes could behold the beams of the Divinity breaking through the veil of his flesh Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The Apostles and other Believers who saw Christ in the days of his flesh with spiritual eyes and hearts that were given to them could see the beams of the Divinity breaking through his Humanity they could see something more than a man in him But look upon him as to his external form and habit and so he appeared to the generality of men like one of the rest of men he was wrapt up in swadling cloaths laid in a Manger he was subject to his Parents he did hunger and thirst and eat and drink and he was subject to the same common infirmities with other men and therefore doth the Apostle say He was made in the likeness of men and found in fashionas a man that is as to his external form and habit he seemed to be like to the common sort of men Hence are those expressions of the Prophet He was as a root out of a dry ground He hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Isa 53.2 This is the first part of Christs humiliation Creator ac Dominus omnium rerum unus voluit esse mortalium that he who was in the form of God should yet take to himself the form of a servant He that was the Creator and Lord of all things as Leo expresseth it would yet become one of mortal men and he that abiding in the form of God did also make man himself the very same person taking on him the form of a servant himself is made man The second part of Christs Exinanition or emptying himself was his subjecting himself to death for us This is that which the Apostle takes particular notice of in the Text Phil. 2.8 He humbled himself and how did he humble himself He humbled himself and became obedient to the death even the death of the cross It is observable that when the Apostle had spoken of Christs Incarnation or his taking our nature he calls that his emptying himself so likewise when he comes to speak of Christs sufferings he calls that his humbling himself He humbled himself and became obedient to the death This was great humiliation indeed that the Lord of glory should be crucified that the Prince of life should be killed and hung upon a tree Impassibilis Deus non dedignatus est esse homo passibilis immortalis mortis legibus subjacere Leo. He that was God impassible did not yet refuse to become a passible man and he that was immortal did not refuse to subject himself to the laws of death It was a
by the eye of faith see and behold what it was that the Son of God suffered in our nature for us There may we see him suffering dereliction undergoing the deprivation of the sense and comfort of Gods love there may we see him bear the whole Curse suffering the wrath of God yea the very pains and torments of Hell for us We ought to contemplate these things and by faith to realize the sufferings of Christ and the greatness of his love to us in his sufferings We ought not to look upon the sufferings of Christ as a story but to see what he suffered was for our sakes and out of love to us and the desire of our salvation Now the more we meditate upon the sufferings of Christ there are two things that will follow thereupon 1. The more we meditate upon the sufferings of Christ the more shall we understand what those heights and depths and lengths and breadths of the love of Christ are which the Apostle speaks of The Apostle speaks of infinite dimensions in the love of Christ and the more we study the sufferings of Christ the more shall we see what those heights and depths and lengths and breadths of Christs love are O what immense love was this that the Son of God should come from Heaven to Earth to suffer and dye for men God might have glorified himself although man had never been saved A manifest proof of this we have in the Angels the Angels that fell were never recovered out of their sin and misery and yet God is glorified upon them and if fallen man had never been recovered God might have glorified himself upon men in their condemnation and destruction as he is now glorifying himself upon the fallen Angels Now this was the abundant love of God to man that God did not only will mans salvation but that so great a person as the Son of God and God should come from Heaven to Earth to save and dye for man O let us stand and wonder at this love the more we soak our hearts in the meditation of these things that the Son of God and God should come into the nature of man for this very end to suffer such things for man that man might be saved the more shall we be taken up in the admiration of this love 2. The more we meditate on Christs sufferings and of the end which Christ had in his sufferings that he suffered such and such things for us the more shall we be confirmed in the belief and assurance of our own salvation Christ did not suffer in vain he did not shed his blood in vain If Christ did indeed suffer the pains of Hell that is a certain sign that God hath no mind that such as believe in Christ shall suffer those pains The sufferings of Christ are a clear miroir to shew us what we are delivered from What Christ hath suffered we shall not suffer for God will not punish sin twice If God hath inflicted the full punishment of our sins upon the person of our Head he will not lay the punishment of sin upon us too God indeed may correct his children in a way of fatherly discipline but he will not lay the punishment of sin upon them in a way of vindictive Justice and the reason is because God hath already punished their sins in the person of their Head Christ their Head and Surety hath born the full punishment of their sins for them This is the force of the Apostles argument Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed As much as if he had said If Christ hath dyed we shall not dey if we be Believers who shall condemn It is Christ that dyed that is if Christ hath dyed we shall not dye eternally if the Law hath had its full power and strength upon Christ if the Law hath put Christ to death if it hath executed the Curse upon Christ to the uttermost then it hath no more to execute upon a Believer as a part of the Curse for Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 Therefore the consideration of what Christ hath suffered for us may be as food to our faith Hath Christ indeed suffered such things as we have heard of in the Doctrine of Satisfaction then we shall never suffer them Hath Christ suffered dereliction hath he been forsaken of God and that as our Surety then will God never forsake us for ever God may hide his face from us for a moment but he will not forsake us for ever Hath Christ born the wrath of God then shall we never bear it O when-ever the sense of guilt and the fear of Gods wrath oppress our consciences and lye heavy upon us the best course we can take is to dip our consciences in the wounds and blood of Christ as Luther's expression is and the realizing by faith what Christ hath suffered will be the best balm to cure a wounded conscience for if the sufferings of Christ were real then first there is real satisfaction made and if there was real satisfaction made then is God really pacified and really atoned and if God be really satisfied why then should we doubt and call in question his love any more Only our great concernment is to secure our part in Christ and to secure our interest in his sufferings till Christ himself be ours we can lay no claim to the benefits of his sufferings 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life We must first have the Son himself before we can have life by the Son Our first work therefore is to make sure our interest in the Son himself Let me now in a few words close up the whole Doctrine concerning the Sufferings of Christ and the work of his Satisfaction We have heard much concerning the preciousness of Christs sufferings and that ample and full satisfaction that he hath made by his sufferings All that we have heard concerning the sufferings of Christ and the work of his satisfaction will signifie nothing to us will nothing at all avail us as to our salvation unless we get an interest in that great and blessed Person who hath done and suffered all these things That which must make the sufferings of Christ and his satisfaction available unto us is to know that Christ hath suffered as our Head that he hath suffered in our room and in our stead Now we cannot know that Christ hath suffered as our Head and as our Representative unless we first chuse him for our Head and pitch our faith upon his Person It is the Person of the Son of God who hath done and suffered all that in our nature which is necessary to be done and suffered for our salvation therefore as ever we expect benefit by what Christ hath done and suffered in our nature we must first direct the eye of our faith to that great person who hath taken up our nature and done and suffered such things in it Joh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life We must first by the eye of faith see that great Person the Son of God come down into our nature and doing and suffering such things in it for the accomplishment of our salvation and then we must close with this Person and embrace him with both the arms of our faith It is the Election of Christs Person that gives us union with him Now we having chosen Christ to be our Head we ought to contemplate what was done by him in our nature and to have all our expectation of salvation from what was wrought by him in it thus shall we have communion in the obedience death sufferings and satisfaction of Christ and what Christ our Head hath done and suffered in our nature he dwelling in our hearts by faith shall be accounted as if we had done it The end of the twentieth Sermon FINIS