away sooner then one iota or tittle of his Word fail till all be fulfilled And therefore if we make it appear that such a thing was promised by God to the Fathers that the Son of God should be Incarnate to the end that he might be a Mediator between God and man and the Authour of Eternal Salvation to us I suppose no man that reads this will doubt but that in the fulness of Time these promises would take effect Now that God did all along to the Fathers of the Old Testament make such a promise will be evident by considering First The Names and Titles that are applied to him that was promised to come as the Messiah which will shew that he was foretold to be such an one as should be truly God and truly Man Secondly The Offices that are applyed to him which will shew that he was foretold to come as the Saviour of the World First I say the Names and Titles which up and down the Old Testament are given to the Messiah that was promised do shew that for his Person he should be God and Man and some of them also do point at his Office 1. Gen. 3.15 We find him stiled The Seed of the Woman that should break the Serpents head His Humanity is denoted in his being the Seed of the Woman his Divinity in that Office that is ascribed to him To break the Serpents head which may very fitly be interpreted by that expression of the Apostle He was manifest to destroy the works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.8 Now no person can enter into the strong mans house except he be stronger then he To the same purpose is that other expression where he is called Gen. 22.18 The Seed of Abraham in whom all the families of the Earth shall be blessed which as it foretels his humane Nature which should be born of the Seed of Abraham so it shews that he was to come as a general good to the world not onely to be the glory of his people Israel Lu. 2.31 but also to be a Light to lighten the Gentiles that both Jews and Gentiles might through him be delivered from that curse which they were liable unto through Sin and might be partakers of the blessedness that he hath purchased by his Sufferings and Obedience And this likewise foreshews that he should be the Son of God in that his sufferings and obedience are represented of such infinit value as to purchase so great and general benefits to Mankind 2. He is sometimes called by the name of Shiloh Gen. 49.10 by which word is understood the Messiah as is evident by the Caldee-Paraphrase and most of the Ancient Rabbies who in this place for Shiloh do read Messiah As to the signification of this word some derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the Secundine that contains the Embryo in the womb and in this sense it may denote that the Messiah should be born an Infant and also say some that he should be born of a Woman without a Natural Father Others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to send and so it may denote his Office that he should be sent by God the Father into the world for the Salvation thereof Others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Peace and so likewise it may denote his Office that he should be the Author of Peace and Reconciliation between God and man and should purchase eternal Happiness for us and therefore he is called our Peace Eph. 2.14 However we interpret this word yet still it speaks the Messiah to be such a Person and designed to such an Office as I said before 3. He is elsewhere stiled A Prophet whom the Lord should raise up to Israel like unto Moses Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God shall raise up unto thee a Prophet this both shews that he should be a real and not a fantastical Person and it sets before us one of those Offices which he should undertake in order to our Redemption He shall be raised up in the midst of thee of thy brethren and this shews that he was to be the Son of Man That this Prophesie belongs to Christ is evident from Acts 3.22 and Chap. 7.37 4. Psal 80.15 David calls him The Man of Gods right hand and the Son of man whom he had made strong for himself And this shews both the truth of his Divine Nature where in he was the man of Gods right hand the Son of God Phil. 2.7 equal to the Father in Power and Glory in Blessedness and Eternity and also it foretels that God the Father should prepare him a body in which he might suffer for our sins and which by the Hypostatical union with the Divine Nature was made strong to undergo that wrath of God and to break through the bonds of Death which no meer man would have been able to do likewise by the Union of the Divinity with the Humanity of Christ his suffering should become of infinit value and Heb. 9.14 This blood of Christ being offered up by the Eternal Spirit should be able to purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Further David calls him his Lord who was foretold to be his Son after the flesh Ps 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool now the same person being in different respects Davids Son and Davids Lord this shews him to be both the Son of God and the Son of Man 5. He is called Immanuel Isa 7.14 which shews the admirable and unconceivable Union of the Divine Person of the Word with that flesh that he took upon him God was pleased to dwel with men on earth 1 King 8.12 and to pitch his Tabernacle amongst us in a more near and especial manner when the Word was pleased to be made flesh Joh. 1.14 And this stupendious Transaction was not for nothing but for this end that being a middle Person between God and us Medium participationis one that did partake of both Natures he might fitly stand as a middle Person Job 9.33 and lay his hand upon us both 6. We have other Titles given to him in that eminent Scripture Isa 9.6 7 which serve to denote both his Natures and Offices To us a Child is born to us a Son is given This shews the humane Nature of Christ which should be taken into that near Union with the Person of the Son of God And the Government shall be upon his shoulders This denotes that Kingly Office which Christ as our Mediator did undertake And his Name shall be called Wonderful in regard of the Ineffable Union of the two Natures in the Person of one Mediator to which agrees that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God manifest in the flesh Further he is called
hath made upon the soul Isa 61.2 and to pour in the oyl of Joy and consolation unto them that mourn in Son 12. Prov. 30.1 I may add that some conceive him to be understood by Ithiel and Vcal Ithiel signifieth God with me and so is to the same purpose with Immanuel and may signifie the Union of the Divinity and Humanity in Christ our Mediator Vcal signifieth power and strength and so may note the strength of his humane Nature by virtue of the Hypostatical Union of the Divine Person both to undergo all those sufferings that were to be laid upon it and also to give infinite value to these sufferings that they might make a perfect satisfaction to Gods Justice as I said before and be a sufficient price to purchase Eternal Salvation for us To these I might add divers other names that are given to the Messiah in the Old Testament but these are sufficient and indeed the very name Messiah as it speaks him to be anoynted of God to that threefold Office of Prophet Priest and King to which Offices men used to be set a-part by the ceremony of Vnction so they suppose him to be such a person as should be qualified and made meet for these Offices and to this end it was necessary that he should be God and Man that he might be a middle person between both Having considered his Names Titles let us proceed in the second place to take a view of what the Old Testament speaks of the Offices to which the Messiah was designed by God the Father And there will be the less need to dwell long upon this because I have spoken something of it upon the former Head We commonly believe that Jesus Christ in order to the accomplishing of this great business of our Salvation As he was pleased to stoop so low as to take our Nature into that neer Union with his Divine Person so that he was both truly God of the substance of his Father and truely Man consisting of a reasonable soul and humane flesh So in the hypostatical Union of these two Natures he did perform the office of a Prophet of a Priest and of a King to his Church And that we may see that we neither wrong Christ in imputing that to him which may either be dishonourable or disagreeing to him nor yet our selves or others in entertaining fond and groundless conceits as Articles of our Religion I shall therefore endeavour to shew you that Christ was promised to the Fathers of the Old Testament as one that should undertake and go through with each of these Offices First it was foretold that he should be a Prophet one that should both by his own preaching and the preaching of his Apostles while he was upon the earth and after his Ascension by giving the holy Ghost to his Ministers shew unto us the will of his Father and all things that should be necessary for us to know believe and do in order to our pleasing God in this world and everlasting enjoying of him in the world to come This is evident from that promise which God made by Moses Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God shall raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me and him shall ye hear in all things to which agrees that voice which came from Heaven Mat. 17.5 in our Saviour's Transfiguration This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Again the Prophet Isaiah speaking in the person of Christ saith Isa 61.1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord And this our Saviour when he was upon earth applyed to himself and told the people that they had then seen that Scripture fulfilled before their eyes Luke 4.18 Secondly that he should be our High-priest one that should do that in reality and substance which was done onely typically by all the Oblations enjoyned in the ceremonial Law that he should offer up an expiatory and propitiatory sacrifice to Gods justice even his own body and thereby make an Atonement for us Surely saith that Evangelical Prophet he hath born our griefs Isa 53.4 5 6. and carried our sorrows He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all And again By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many vers 11. for he shall bear their iniquities And further vers 12. He was numbred with the transgressours and he bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressours Of whom the Prophet speaks all this you may hear from St. Philip's exposition of this place to the Eunuch Acts 8.34 35. 1 Pet. 2.22 and from St. Peter's application of it to our Saviour Therefore he is called The Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 and he is said to swallow up death in victory Isa 25.8 and his people are called The ransomed of the Lord Isa 35.10 Thirdly It was foretold that he should be a King not that his Kingdom should be of this World that is after the manner of worldly Kingdoms Joh. 18.36 as the carnal Jews did conceit of which errour himself doth convince them But that he should have such a Kingdom wherein he should Rule his own people as a Shepherd doth his Sheep and his enemies with a rod of Iron so as to restrain their fury against his people to disappoint their devices and to dash in pieces at last those that are his implacable enemies This was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 40.10 11. Behold the Lord shall come with a strong hand and his arm shall rule for him he shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather the lambs in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young And by David Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance Ps 2.8 9. and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a potters vessel So again the Prophet Jerem. Jer. 23.5 Behold a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgement and righteousness And who is this but he whom he calls in the next verse The Lord our Righteousness To this end he is so often called David Ezek. 37.24 25. and said to sit upon the throne of his father David Not in a literal sense as some conceit as if he should come in person to Reign upon earth and set up his Throne in the same place where
vain hath given these further Lights to his people which would have been superfluous if the former had been sufficients we may hence conclude that he did not esteem the Light of Nature sufficient to guide us in the way to Heaven Beside This that might be known of God by the creatures though it might indeed shew us what service and obedience it was reasonable for us to perform unto God yet could it not enable us to perform it aright Some of the Philosophers have observed so much of a depravation in mans nature as hath made them break forth into direful and tragical exclamations concerning the miserable estate of man But the light of Nature could never shew them without the light of the Word of God the original of this Depravation the creation of the Protoplast and the Covenant which God made with him both in behalf of himself and all mankinde the fall of our first Parents and of us all in them from our original Rectitude and Holiness of Nature nor the way and means how to have our Nature reformed and our Persons reconciled unto God and the defects of our obedience supplyed Flesh and blood hath never revealed nor is it in its power to reveal this unto us but the holy Ghost that dictated the Gospel is that alone which reveals unto us Christ and his Merits as our onely propitiation and way to Salvation 2 Pet. 4.12 That there is not Salvation in any other neither is there any other name under Heaven given amongst men whereby we may be saved but onely this name of Jesus Christ This one word Christ-crucified is the Epitome of the Gospel and the end and design of the Law and the Prophets also the substance of all that we ought to preach and the Object both of your and our Faith And that we may the better understand this Foundation of our Belief concerning Jesus Christ as our Mediator I shall begin this discourse with opening these two terms Christ and Mediator which I am therfore induced to do because these terms are used in different significations in the holy Scriptures from whence men of corrupt mindes and who have endeavoured to corrupt others have taken occasion to deduce many Paradoxes The word Christ I presume is so well understood by the most that are Professors of the Christian Religion that it would be needless to spend time in the opening of it In the Old Testament he is called Messiah who in the New Testament is called Christ This name Messiah we meet with in several places of the Old Testament 1 Sam. 2.10 Psal 2.2 and 84.9 and 89.51 Dan. 9.25 26. Hab. 3.13 The name of Christ is so frequent in the New Testament that I shall not stand to instance in particular places Now this name is sometimes used and that most properly to denote the Word made flesh or God manifest in the flesh Jo. 1.14 1 Tim. 3.16 Mat. 1.16 his name is rendred Jesus who is called Christ and he that denyeth Jesus to be Christ is said to be a lyar and an Antichrist 1 Joh. 2.22 Sometimes this word Christ is used by a Metonyny to signifie the Church of Christ as 1 Cor. 12.12 and according to some Divines in Gal. 3.16 Is enim est Christi in Ecclesiam amor c. saith Beza upon the place Such is the love of Christ unto his Church that though he filleth all in all yet is he pleased to esteem himself as it were imperfect without his Body the Church and therefore the Church is called The fulness of him who filleth all in all Eph. 1.23 To which purpose we may refer these Texts Act. 9.4 and Mat. 25.40 45. together with Col. 1.24 where Christ is put for the Church which is his mystical Body Again that we be not deceived about this Word we must take notice of some expressions in the New Testament which have reference to Christ As first To be Christ's signifieth to be a Christian Mark 9.41 2 Cor. 10.7 To be subject to Christ 1 Cor. 1.12 and chap. 3.23 To be truely regenerate Rom. 8.9 1 Cor. 15.23 and Gal. 3.29 and chap. 5.24 Secondly To be with Christ signifies to enjoy blessedness with him as Phil. 1.23 comp 2 Cor. 5.8 Luke 23.43 Col. 3.3 comp John 17.24 So 1 Thes 4.17 Thirdly To be in Christ signifies to be converted to the Faith of Christ as Rom. 16.5 7 11. Gal. 1.22 Phil. 4.21 Col. 1.2 1 Thes 2.14 Sometime indeed it is taken for an outward cleaving to Christ as John 15.2 But more usually it is put for a real conversion of the heart unto Christ as Rom. 8.1 2 Cor. 5.17 1 Pet. 5.14 1 John 2.5 and chap. 5.20 So to be found in Christ signifieth in the Faith of Christ Phil. 3.9 Fourthly To be By Christ signifieth to be redeemed by Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 Fifthly Christ is said to be in them whom he hath sanctified by his holy Spirit and united to himself as Members of his mystical Body John 17.23 26. Rom. 8.10 2 Cor. 13.5 And Christ is said to be with them whom though most unworthy he hath not yet wholly divorced from himself Mat. 17.17 Mark 9.19 and Luke 9.41 Or else with those whom he doth most dearly love and for this cause assist and defend as in Mat. 28.20 Sixthly To be without Christ is to be without the knowledge of Christ as the Gentiles which had not had the Gospel preached unto them are said to be without Christ Eph. 2.12 Sometimes also to be without Christ signifieth to be without dependance upon Christ and assistance from him as John 15.4 5. To this we may add that to be weak in Christ sometimes signifieth to be conformable to those infirmities that were in the humane Nature of Christ 2 Cor. 13.4 To be dead in Christ signifieth to be dead in the Faith of Christ as 1 Cor. 15.18 1 Thes 4.14 16. To speak the truth in Christ is to speak it without ambition and meerly for the glory of Christ as Rom. 9.1 and 2 Cor. 12.2 19. These things I thought necessary to point you unto because many have been apt to wrest these places of Scripture beside the true meaning of them both to the prejudice of themselves by inducing a belief of errours and to the dishonour of Christ by entertaining dishonourable conceits of him through misunderstanding the Scriptures For the word Mediatour it signifieth in general one that interposeth between two or more persons for a Mediator is not of one Gal. 3.20 Now in Scripture we sometime read of a Mediator to carry messages between two parties So Moses is called a Mediator because he delivered the Commands of God to the people and the answer of the people unto God Gal. 3.19 comp Exo. 19.3 c. and chap. 20.19 Deut. 5.5 Besides Divines speak of a Conservatory Mediation which tends to perserve unity and friendship between friends In this sense some do believe Christ to be a Mediator in respect of the
Elect Angels to procure the confirmation of them in their estate of holiness and happiness But in this I determine nothing because the holy Scriptures are so sparing in speaking of it The usual acception of this word Mediator is to signifie him that reconciles parties that be at difference and in this sense Jesus Christ the word made flesh is truely and properly called a Mediator to reconcile God and man because he interposeth himself between God and us in this difference that sin hath made to reconcile Gods justice to us by making satisfaction for our sin and to reconcile us to God by sanctifying our natures and making us conformable to his will in this life inchoatly and at death perfectly CHAP. V. The holy Scriptures being owned at least in outward profession by men of all professions that lay claim to the common name of Christianity we may therefore take it for granted that Arguments drawn from them should put an end to all strife amongst us The design and method of the four following Chapters proposed THe Reverence we owe to the authority of the holy Scriptures doth oblige every good Christian not onely to account it a necessary piece of humility to subscribe to the doctrine thereof as the will and pleasure of him that made us and to whom we owe all obedience but also to esteem it the safest and most prudential course to entertain and embrace the truths thereof as the Word of him who is Wisdom it self and therefore cannot err or be deceived and Goodness it self and therefore we may be sure he will not endeavour to seduce or delude us So that though there be divers things contained in this Sacred Volume which our shallow capacities cannot reach to comprehend yet we finde reason enough to impute it to the defects of our Nature and not to any over-sight in those Sacred Writings that we cannot always see a reason of every thing therein delivered And the Soveraign Authority and infinite Wisdom of him that inspired those holy men that wrote these Books is a sufficient argument to move us to a reverent submission to those matters of Faith which surpass the reach of our reason and therefore as every sober Professor of Christianity makes the Word of God the foundation of his Faith so the best Arguments that can be produced for the confirming of our Belief in that Faith which hath been delivered unto us will be such as are fetched from this Sacred Promptuary of holy Writ And as I was mentioning it before Chap. 2. for the honour of the Word of God that men of all Sects and perswasions who center in the common Profession of the Christian Religion do at least pretend great reverence to these Writings and whether in good earnest or in design to put off their opinions the more plausibly in the world do endeavour to represent even their most heterodox and incredible Notions as the Doctrine of the Spirit of God in the Scripture we may therefore very reasonably expect that Arguments drawn from the Scriptures should be convineing to them and an end of all strife And further that the fair and plain meaning of the words of Scripture which is most obvious to every man of understanding and which hath been received by the Church of God in all ages should be embraced by them as well as by us as the ground upon which all Arguments are to be built It being as absurd in matters of Reason and Faith for one or a few men to expect that his or their single Vote for some singular meaning of a plain Text of Scripture should be heard in opposition to the judgement of the Church of God in all ages as in matters of sense it would be for one man confidently and contentiously to pronounce that colour to be white or red which all his Neighbours and people of all Ages before him have received under the notion of black We may therefore take it for granted that Arguments drawn from the plain and obvious sense of the Scripture such as hath been received by the Church in all Ages should be accounted sufficient both to confirm the faith of those that are serious in Christianity and also to convince or at least put to silence those that are dissenting from us In order therefore to the confirming of us in the belief of this Truth which is the substance of the whole Doctrine of the Gospel that The Word made flesh or God the Son manifest in the flesh hath truely and really undertaken and performed the Office of a Mediator to reconcile God and man I shall propound these four general Heads to be considered and confirmed First That the Lord did promise to Adam after his fall and to all the Fathers and Prophets of the Old Testament his own Son to become man and in the Union of these two Natures to perform all those Offices which were necessary in order to our Redemption and Salvation Secondly That the Time which was appointed for the accomplishing of these promises and Prophesies and for the sending of the Son of God into the World is long since expired and consequently that we ought stedfastly to believe that our Saviour is already come in the flesh Thirdly That we have full and sufficient grounds to believe that the same Jesus whom the New Testament holds forth unto us and in whom we and all the Churches of God in all Ages have believed is that very Person who was promised to the Fathers to come as the Messiah or Saviour of the World Fourthly That the Apostles and Evangelists in the New Testament do hold forth unto us such a Christ as was really and truly God and Man Hypostatically united in one Person and who did in a real and proper sense satisfie Gods Justice for our sins and purchase eternal Salvation for us by his Merits On this Rock is the Church of God built Matt. 16.18 On this have every one of us built our particular Faith and in this we had need to be fully and persectly setled And he that is confirmed in the truth of these four Positions is confirmed in the whole Doctrine of the Gospel Let us then proceed by the assistance of the good Spirit of God to the opening and confirming of them in order CHAP. VI. The first Proposition confirmed in its two Branches viz. First That God did promise to the Fathers of the Old Testament to send his Son into the World to take our Nature upon him Secondly That he promised that in the Vnion of these two Natures he should perform all those Offices which were necessary in order to our Redemption and Salvation ALL the Promises of God are Yea 2 Cor. 1.20 and Amen Faithfulness and Truth as being the Words of the God of Truth Tit. 1.2 who cannot lye Hath he spoken it and shall it not stand Hath he promised and shall he not make it good Mat. 5.18 Behold Heaven and Earth shall pass
Councellour not onely in respect of his divine Nature 1 Cor. 1.24 which is called The Wisdom of the Father but chiefly in respect of his Office in the Church as our Mediator he is our Prophet who is sent to reveal unto us the Will of God and the way to Heaven He is called The mighty God which denotes him that was before said to be born of a Woman to be also God equal with the Father The everlasting Father or Father of Eternity not as if the first Person in the Trinity had taken our Nature or suffered to satisfie his own Justice but onely to denote the Eternity of his Divine Nature who was our Mediator Though as man he was conceived in time in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin yet as God he was begotten of his Father before all Words even from everlasting Further Eph. 1.14 he is called The Prince of Peace to note the end of his coming to make Peace between God and us And finally it is said Col. 1.20 that of the encrease of his government there shall be no end c. to note both the great encrease of his Kingdom Dan. 2.35 that Stone cut out of the Mountains without hands shall fill the earth And withal that his Kingdom shall not be subject to those vicissitudes and decayes to which other Kingdoms are subject 1 Cor. 15.25 He shall reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet 7. Further that evangelical Prophet Isaiah chap. 42.1 calls him Gods servant whom he did uphold his Elect in whom his soul delighted As to his Divine Nature he was God equal with the Father Phil. 2.7 but in respect of this Office of Mediator as he was Gods Elect whom the Father did choose to appoint and accept as our surety and a propitiatory Sacrisice in our behalf so he was in some respect the servant of the Father and tells us that he came into the world to do the Will of his Father Nor may we therefore Joh. 4.34 with the Arians think that Christ's being sent by the Father and being called his Servant doth argue any inequality between the Father and the Son nor yet with the Macedonians that the holy Ghost being sent from the Father and the Son Jo. 15.26 this doth argue him to be unequal or inferiour to them both For that Rule in divinity is very rational as well as Orthodox that Missio Obedientia non tollunt aequalitatem Personarum in Sacrâ Trinitate The Fathers sending the Son and the Father and Son sending the holy Ghost doth not argue the Father to be above the Son nor them both to be above the holy Ghost but onely denotes that order in which each person in the Sacred Trinity is pleased to transact its several operations 8. Jer. 23.6 He is termed by Jeremiah The Lord our Righteousness the name Jehovah which is no where in Scripture applied to any Creature doth argue him to be truely God and the other word shews the end of his coming into the World even to make reconciliation for iniquity Dan. 9.24 and to bring in everlasting Righteousness 9. The Messiah is frequently stiled by the name of David Jerem. 30.9 Ezek. 34.23 24. and chap. 37.24 25. Hosea 3.5 To which may be added other places which are not so express as the former Psal 132.10 Isaiah 37.35 and chap. 55.3 Amos 9.11 Acts 13.34 and chap. 15.16 Now the reason why he is called by this Name may be either 1. Because he was to be born of the Posterity and Family of David in which respect he is called a Branch of David Jerem. 23.5 and a Rod of the stem of Jesse Isa 11.1 And in the New Testament he is said to be raised up in the house of David Luke 1.69 and to be made of the seed of David John 7.42 Rom. 1.3 2 Tim. 2.8 He is also called The root of David Revel 5.5 and the off-spring of David Revel 22.16 2. Or else he may be called David because the promise was renewed in a special and solemn manner to David that of his seed should come the Messiah 2 Sam. 7. and 1 Chron. 17. Or 3. because David was in some sort a Type of Christ as namely in that David was both a King and a Prophet as Christ was King Priest and Prophet but chiefly in respect of his wise and happy administration of his Kingdom and Government And these Prophesies do betoken both the humane Nature of Christ who should come of the Seed of David and his Divine Nature in that he was to be King of the Church which is called The Israel of God Gal 6.16 10. Zech. 9.9 The Prophet Zechariah calls him the King of Israel which shews both his Power and Authority to rule his Church and also his Humanity in that he is said to sit upon an Ass and a Colt the foal of an Ass And though Christ did not in his life-time take upon him the temporal jurisdiction over Israel but tells his Disciples they were mistaken in looking for this and tells Pilate that his Kingdom was not of this world that is Joh. 18.36 according to the fashion of earthly Kingdoms yet doth he in all ages in a spiritual sense govern his Church feeding his flock like a Shepherd and ruling his enemies with a rod of Iron And further the same Prophet calls him Gods Shepherd Zech. 13.7 that is a Shepherd of God the Fathers appointment and the man that was his fellow which denotes his Divine Nature wherein he was equal to the Father And this Shepherd is said to be smitten Mat. 26.31 and the sheep of the flock to be scattered from him which is a Prophefie of what Christ in his humane Nature did suffer as our Saviour himself interprets it 11. In Malachi the last of the Prophets he is called the Lord whom they sought after and the Angel Mal. 3.1 or Messenger of the Covenant in whom they delighted And as the name Jehovah being here applyed to Christ doth shew him to be truely God so the name Angel doth both denote his real existence and his Office likewise as being appointed by the Father to ratifie and fulfil that Covenant which he had made with the Fathers even the Covenant of Life and Salvation which was expressed in these words Jer. 31.31 I will be thy God and thou shalt be my people And further Mal. 4.2 He is called the Sun of Righteousness which should arise upon the earth with healing in his wings Which denotes both the excellency of his Nature being like the Sun the most glorious and excellent of all bodies and likewise the greatness and commonness of his benefits the Sun is a common good to the world giving Light and Life to all Creatures that are capable of it and so this Sun of Righteousness shall come with healing in his wings to all that will receive him to heal the wounds which sin
blessed for ever Rom. 5.9 to be Davids Son Mat. 22.42 and Davids Lord also There were also some other things foretold concerning the Messiah As that he should call the Gentiles enter into the second Temple ruine the Idols of the Heathen silence their Oracles c. But of these I have spoken in the last Chapter Also there are some lesser matters as that he should be called a Nazarite that he should be brought up and preach in Galilee and the like But these things which I have mentioned are some of the chief things that are contained in the Prophesies concerning the Messiah To sum up therefore the Argument If all things that were foretold concerning the person of the Messiah or concerning what he should do and suffer upon earth did concur in that Jesus in whom we believe then may we conclude him to be the true Messiah But all things did concur in his person as to his Conception Birth c. and all things were done and suffered by him which the Prophers foretold concerning the Messiah Therefore we may undoubtedly believe that the same Jesils in whom we believe is the true Messiah who was promised to come into the world CHAP. IX The fourth Proposition confirmed viz. That the Apostles and Evangelists of the New Testament do hold forth unto us such a Christ as was really and in a proper sense God and Man hypostatically united in one Person And who did in a real and proper sense satisfie Gods justice for our sins and purchase eternal Salvation for us by his Merits WE have proceeded so far as to shew evident proof of these truths that the Son of God was promised to the fathers of the Old Testament to take our Nature upon him and to become our Saviour and that the time for the fulfilling of these Promises yea the set time is long since come and withal that the same Jesus in whom we believe is that very Messiah who was promised to the fathers And me-thinks to men of moderately clear Reason and competent Modesty this might be sufficient both to satisfie all doubts and also to stop their mouths from cavilling at or contradicting our Christian Faith But because first there are a generation of people so wise in their own eyes that they conceit themselves to see something more in the name of Christ then the Churches of God in all ages have seen And secondly do talk of a perfection of righteousness by walking up to the dictates of I know not what light within And thirdly do seek for the confirmation of all points of Faith out of the New Testament as if the Old Testament were too old to be good I shall therefore for the convincing of these men if possible or at least for the stopping of their mouths and withal for the strengthning of our Faith against the cavils of seducers without and the suggestions of Satan within endeavour from the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists to prove First that Christ was really such as we believe him to be and such as the Prophets foretold him to be The Son of God made Man or The Word made Flesh Secondly that he did fully and in a true and proper sense make satisfaction to Gods justice for our sins and that there is no way to be saved but by his Merits First That Christ was such as we believe him to be and such as the Prophets did foretel that he should be viz. God and Man or the Word made flesh Deut. 17.6 By the mouth of two or three witnesses saith God in the Law shall every word be established And it is our comfort that God hath given us not onely two or three witnesses Heb. â—2 1 but even a whole cloud of witnesses to establish this Word of Faith Christ chose twelve Apostles to be witnesses of what he did and spake upon earth and besides them there are many other witnesses of this Truth First the Angels whose Ministry God was pleased to use in the revealing of this great Mystery to the World Before he was conceived in the Womb the Angel speaking to Zacharias calls him The Lord as to his Divine Nature Luke 1.17 and speaks of his coming after John Baptist as to his humane Nature And speaking to the B. Virgin v. 30.31 he tells her that she should conceive in her Womb and bear a Son This notes his humane Nature And he shall be called The Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall â—ive him the Throne of his father David This notes the truth of his Divinity And â—hen he was conceived in the Womb Mat. 1.20 21. an Anâ—el tells Joseph that That which was conceived in the Blessed Virgin was of the holy Ghost and that she should call his Name Jesus because he should save his people from their sins Behold both his Humanity in his Conception and his Divinity in his Office to save his people And again when he was born the Angel saith to the Shepherds Luk. 2.10 11. To you is born a Saviour which is Christ the Lord he is born this notes his Humanity he is Christ the Lord that notes his Divinity Again after his Resurrection an Angel saith unto the Women that Christ who was crucified was risen up again Mat. 28.5 6. That shews that he was truely man Come see the place where the Lord lay Act. 1.11 That shews him to be truely God Yea after he was ascended into Heaven they say of him This same Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven his Ascention which was a change of Place notes his Humanity his coming to Judge the world his Divine Power and Authority So that all along the Angels witness him to be truely God and truely Man 2. We have the testimony of many Pious Persons in the New Testament which though to a Jew or Heathen it be of little value yet to all that profess obedience to the holy Scriptures it is of great moment Let us see the confession of Zachary Luk. 1.68 He calls him the Lord God of Israel who had visited his people so as to Redeem them a clear testimony of both his Natures vers 43. And Elizabeth calleth the Blessed Virgin vers 47. The mother of her Lord. And the Blessed Virgin her self calls him that was conceived in her Womb The Lord her Sauiour a clear proof of his two Natures 3. John Baptist gives testimony to this whose testimony may well be reckoned distinctly from other Saints because he was sent especially about this Message to bear witness of Christ Joh. 1.29 He calls him The Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Here he gives Testimony both to his Divinity in that he was able to make satisfaction to Gods justice and to take away sin and to his Humanity in that he was a Lamb that had a body to sacrifice
them in mind that without shedding of blood the blood of Christ the Lamb of God there could be no remission of sin obtained And that their laying their hand upon the sacrifice that was offered up for them might stir them up to put forth an hand of Faith to lay hold upon Jesus Christ And by washing their bodies in water they might be put in mind Zech. 13.1 to apply themselves to that Fountain set open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in for sin and for uncleanness That this was the signification of their ceremonial Cleansings and Expiations and that Christ by the sheding of his blood did accomplish that for us really and effectually which was shaddowed in these Ceremonies is very evident in that of the Apostle Heb. 1.12 Not by the blood of Calves or Goats as the high Priest amongst the Jews was wont to enter into the most holy Place but by his own blood he entred once into the holy Place having obtained eternal Redemption for us Hence he sheweth the excellency of Christ's sacrifice beyond those Typical sacrifices Those Priests offered often He offered but once they entred into the holy Place made with hands He into the holy Place made without hands even into Heaven whither he went as our Head to prepare a place for us and to shew that he had purchased eternal Redemption for us and an interest in that Inheritance which he went to take possession of for us And he goes on to argue à fortiori Vers 13. If the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean did sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh in a legal sense Vers 14. then how much more shall the blood of Christ c Seeing the Sacrifice which Christ offered was of infinit value as being offered up by the Eternal Spirit or Divine Nature which was Hypostatically united to the humane Nature it is therefore sufficient to make a full and perfect Attonement for us And further Vers 15. For this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the Redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament c. Which shews very evidently that Christ was the thing intended by those ceremonial Oblations that his blood did that in a real and effectual manner which those sacrifices did Legally and Typically and withal that his death was intended purposely for the Redemption of Transgressions 4. It is said Gal. 3.13 that Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us He was subject to that accursed death and to the wrath of God for the present for this end that he might deliver us from this wrath and curse of God and from that eternal death which our sins had made us liable unto There was no reason for Christs suffering as to any thing in himself 1 Pet. 1.22 Vers 24. For He had done no evil neither was any guile found in his mouth but he bare our sins in his body upon that Tree whereon he suffered that shameful painful and accursed death 5. The Apostles do plainly pronounce that we are redeemed by the death of Christ The Apostle Paul saith Rom. 3.24 25. We are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption of Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a propitiation through Faith in his blood Here the Apostle doth expresly say that Christ is a Redeemer and a Propitiation for us and shews us that the onely way to have our sins pardoned is by Faith in his blood So the Apostle Peter saith 2 Pet. 1.18 19. We are redeemed not with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the most precious blood of Christ that Lamb without spot and blemish To which agrees that of St. Paul 1 Cor. 1.30 He is made of God to us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption And again 1 Cor. 6.20 2 Pet. 2.1 1 Tim. 2.5 6. We are bought with a price And St. Peter calls Christ The Lord that bought us So elsewhere it is said There is one God and one Mediatour between God and man the man Christ Jesus who gave himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransom for us To this agrees that Col. 1.14 In whom we have redemption through his blood even the remission of sins And further chap. 2.14 The Hand-writing that was against us is said to be nailed to his Cross 6. St. Paul tells us That Jesus Christ hath purchased that Righteousness for us which we could not obtain by the works of the Law that is by our own personal Obedience to the Law of God If man had from his first Creation continued in perfect obedience to the Law of his Creator there would have been no need of Christs dying But man had sinned and come short of this Obedience and therefore Christ died to expiate this guilt which we had contracted by our disobedience Gal. 2.21 If righteousness come by the Law saith the Apostle then Christ died in vain There would have been no need of Christs death if man could have been righteous by his own good works but Christ therefore died because we were condemned before God and he took our guilt upon him Acts 13.39 And By him all that believe are justified from all those things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses God sent forth his Son made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 made under the Law subject to the obedience and to the curse of the Law to redeem them that were under the Law 7. The Apostles tell us That whatsoever Christ did or suffered it was for our sakes and to purchase Reconciliation and Salvation for us Rom. 4.25 He was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification and our sins are said to be forgiven us 1 Joh. 2.12 for his Names sake In which respect Christ calls his flesh our meat Joh. 6.57 and his blood our drink because as our bodies are kept alive by Bread so are our souls by his Merits As the living Father hath sent me and I live by him so he that eateth me that is applies me to his soul by Faith he shall live by me By these and many other Testimonies of the Evangelists and Apostles of Jesus Christ it is sufficiently evident to every man whose eyes are not blinded by the God of this world that Christ did offer up himself an Expiatory sacrifice for our sins and that through his Merits and Sufferings alone it is that we obtain the forgiveness of our sins and eternal Salvation CHAP. X. From the foregoing Discourses two Cautions are deduced First That we take heed of laying any other Foundation then that which is laid viz. Jesus Christ Three sorts of Persons that build beside this Foundation Secondly That we take heed what we build upon this Foundation WE have seen the