Matth. 20.28 Oh! what an inestimable Ransom is that 3. The Nature of Christs Mediation His Work was not so easie and cheap as the Socicinians make it They make our Mediator to be a Messenger sent from God to make known his Will to the World Catech. Racov. de prophetico Christ munere or an Interpreter of his Mind But to what End doth the Apostle add this Who gave himself a Ransom for all if that was all But he who is that One and only Mediator between God and Man gave himself a Ransom for those who could never have redeemed their own Lives who lay under the Sentence of Death and Condemnation Let it not be tedious to you to read and ponder Heb. 9.14 15. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offer'd himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God The Offerer or Priest was Christ the Offering or Sacrifice was Himself Body and Soul even unto Death and Blood that which gave Efficiency and Power to the Offering was the eternal Spirit or Divine Nature he to whom it was offered was God who in Justice required and in Mercy accepted it for them who believe and repent to purge Conscience from Guilt and Pollution vers 15. And 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 they which are called may receive the Promise of the Eternal Inheritance Here we have the Reason or Cause of Christ's Mediatory Office He is a middle Person dealing between both Parties God and Men and for both To God he gave himself a Ransom Nam ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 officium non minus pertinent hominum vice apud Deum fungi quam Dei vice apud homines Grot. de Satisfactione Christi p. 172. which is a Satisfaction for Sin and sinful Men For them that are called he procured the Promise of the Eternal Inheritance the means by which he obtained Pardon for the sins of the Hebrews under the First Testament whereof Moses was a Typical Mediator and the eternal Inheritance for them who are called and believe was his Blood the Blood of Attonement And this great Work of Christ was performed by him as a Priest and so he is a Mediator in his Priestly Office and procures Peace and Reconciliation as a Priest and therefore as a Priest he is Mediator As a Priest he offered up himself to God in our sted and for our Good so he stood between us Sinners and the offended God and made Attonement and as Priest he appears for all that believe in him for he is an Advocate and makes intercession which he could not do if he were not the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.2 And so he is a Mediator between both for both for he is the Mediator of the New Testament having satisfied by his Death and Obedience for the Violation of the first Covenant made with Adam in the Guilt of which all Mankind are involved and for the sins of the Hebrews under the first Testament made with their Fathers which no Sacrifice could expiate or satisfie for All the Mercy and Goodness of God is conferred upon them that are called and brought to believe and obey him by a Testament or Covenant and all that Man is obliged to as Duty and Obedience is required in that Testament whereof Christ is Mediator And therefore some judicious Divines put this into the Description of the Office of Christ Mediator that Christ is the Person God-Man who doth confederate God and Man in the same Covenant of Grace Christianus Schotanus Disput 19. De Mediatore Thess prima Le Blanc Thess 1. An Christus sit Mediator secund utramque naturam p. 109. Tileni Syntagma de Incarnatione Fil. Dei Disput 1. Thess 4. and make them one again The whole Work of Christ as Mediator may be reduced to two Heads 1. To satisfie for the Breach of the first Covenant and redeem sinful Men from the Curse of it 2. To bring God and Man into another Covenant the Covenant of Grace and to make them one To this end it was necessary 1. That he should be a Mediator of Redemption and Reconciliation 2. That as God is one there should be one Mediator and so there is one and but one 1 Tim. 2.5 3. This one Mediator is said to be Man in this Text but not meer Man nor Mediator as Man only excluding the Divine Nature but the Man Christ Jesus He addeth to the Nature Man the Names Christ Jesus which contain the Nature and Person of the Son of God and signifie that wonderful Person Pet. Martyr administros Regn. Polonici L. Com. p. 1113. our Lord Jesus Christ The Words do not shew according to which Nature Christ is Mediator but that the Mediator is Man and that Jesus Christ is Man who bringeth us to God It is usual in Scripture to speak of the Person of our Mediator Jesus Christ by one of his Natures Genevenses Thes Theol. de Christo Med. Thes 27. p. 49. Centur. 1. not excluding the other from the Unity of the Person So by the Man Christ may be understood that Person who hath that Nature which is truly called Man and that for divers Reasons 1. That the Apostle would encourage us to put our Trust and Confidence in him Reverend Mr. J. Ball of the Covenant p. 269. as being our Elder Brother 2. To encourage us in the Duty of Prayer through the Mediator to which we are exhorted as knowing the greatness of that Power and Authority which Christ hath with his Father residing in our Nature 3. That it might appear that our Mediator was the same Christ or Messiah which was promised from the Beginning as the only Restorer of miserable Sinners the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.14 4. That no man to whom the Gospel is preached Nequis igitur se torqueat ubinam ille quaerendus Mediator aut qua via ad ipsum perveniendum hominem nominans propinquum imo contiguum nobis esse admonet quandoquidem caro nostra est Calvin Instit l. 2. c. 12. S. 1. 2. of any Condition or Quality whether in Authority or under Authority high or low rich or poor should be discouraged or terrified from seeking and accepting that Salvation which by the Gospel is proposed and offered to all Conditions of men seeing there is one Mediator for all as there is one God over all and good to all and that one Mediator is the man Christ Jesus who is near to us and bound not only by the bond of Nature as Man but by Office and Undertaking as Mediator Redeemer and Reconciler to save all that come unto him Now if you have cause to fear everlasting Destruction for want of a Mediator and Redeemer nor for want of Tenderness of Compassion or
largeness of Heart towards you as well as Power to save you Your Destruction is of your selves your Ignorance of him your Unbelief and neglect of great Salvation None of you doubt of the All-sufficiency of Jesus Christ to save you because he is but one one Mediator and one Man And how can one save miriads of men so many as are past number from their sins which are numberless and infinite in respect of the Object against whom they are committed If that Antichristian Cavil of Socinus should come by the Suggestion of Satan Johan Maccovii Anti-Socinus c. 2. to be a doubt in the Heart of any To help you against that Temptation and to answer the Cavil of that Man that hath mudded and and disquieted the pure Water of Life flowing from Jesus Christ take these Considerations 1. It must be acknowledged that all the men in the World cannot satisfie for the Sins of any one man or redeem any one Soul much less can any one meer man give a Ransom for all But the man Christ Jesus our Lord is such a man as gave himself a Ransom and it was accepted for all therefore it was all-sufficient It deserved not to be called a Ransom if it were not sufficient nor accepted But it is called a Ransom for all in common all that shall be saved are saved by vertue of the same Mediator and the same Ransom therefore it was sufficient If the Ransom had not been sufficient Christ could not have been Mediator and Saviour but he is Mediator and Saviour therefore his Ransom was sufficient for all 2. The man Christ is not a particular Person an Individual as humane Persons are but the Son of God took the Humane Nature existing in that one Soul and Body unto Union with his own Divine Person and taking the entire humane Nature he is not a particular man subsisting himself but truly the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 and so an Head of all that shall be saved as Adam was the Head of all that died in him 3. The singular Humane Nature of Jesus Christ was never alone and separated from the Infinite Person of the Son of God but was assumed into Personal Union with him in the instant of his Conception and Creation and so he was always the Son of God and the Son of God paid the Ransom and it was of infinite Value equal to the Offence of man and the Justice that required it 4. Mark that the Apostle saith there is one God and one Mediator as certain as there is one God so certain there is one Mediator between God and man and this said long after the Mediator had paid the Ransom and offered himself without Spot to God and had obtained the Promise of the Eternal Inheritance If he had failed in his Undertaking and not performed all things required for our Redemption he had been no Mediator and by consequence there had been no Covenant of Grace between God and man nor had there been any Advocate with the Father nor any Promise of the eternal Inheritance and it must have been as the Apostle argues If Christ be not risen our preaching is vain and our Faith vain and we had been still in our sins But there is a Mediator a Covenant of Grace an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the Propitiation for our sins therefore the ransom which he paid was satisfactory for all that are saved and by consequence tho Christ be but one Mediator he is sufficient for all These things being thus explained I shall draw up the rest into a little room I. The Son of God whom you must have that you may live is by Nature God and man two distinct Natures infinitely distant one from another in themselves are united in one Person to perform the Office of a Mediator and Redeemer that by his Mediation and Redemption he may be a Saviour As the Son of God he is a middle Person in the Trinity being the Second As the Son of God in the Flesh he is a middle Person appointed by God and by his own voluntary Consent transacting between God and sinful man for the Glory of God and Salvation of them that believe Thus he is wonderfully sitted for that wonderful work In him the Godhead and Manhood are one by personal Union As God he is concerned to repair the Honour of God as Man he is concerned for men for all that are given him by the Father to be saved He is distant from both from man as he is God from God as he is man Reverend and judicious Ball of the Covenant and yet with both by the Personal Union of the Divine and Humane Nature He is Emmanuel God with us God-man There is no other Mediator but him for there is none fit for the Work but him What was inconsistent with the infinite Perfection of God he did and suffered for God's Glory and in man's stead and for his good in the Humane Nature what was above the ability of the Humane Nature to perform and obtain he was enabled to do as God The Son of God carried him as man and as Son of man through all the Difficulties of his Work 2. The Son of God performed his Office of Mediator or Redeemer in a threefold Capacity or he executed his great and general Office in a three-fold Office of Prophet Priest and King and in each of these he acted and acteth as Mediator between God and man and for both And from these particular Offices he is called Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus is his Name is as a Saviour Mat. 1.21 Christ as the Messiah anoynted by the Holy Ghost fitting ting him for his Offices that he might save his People and Lord as he is our supream King Ruler and Defender as Prophet he reveals to us the Will of God by his Word and Spirit and so he saves us from our Ignorance and Folly As Priest he made Attonement satisfied the Justice of God and delivered all that believe from the Curse and makes continual Intercession and so we are saved from the guilt of Sin and Condemnation and obtain the remission of Sin by him As King we are subdued and converted to the Obedience of God governed and preserved to his everlasting Kingdom and so we are saved from the power of Sin and the hand of all Enemies In short we are taught and perswaded effectually to come to God we are reconciled justified and accepted we are converted and subdued preserved governed and kept by him through Faith to Salvation The necessity of knowing him the Excellency of this Knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord and the Honour due to his Name who hath a Name above every Name hath kept me thus long upon this Branch of this Excellent Subject and yet I leave out many things This is the Son Now followeth the next Particular What it is to have the Son This Word to have is often used to express
not the Knowledge of it and Wisdom in themselves to come to Christ And the Father draweth No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him John 6.44 2. The Son calls and puts out a mighty quickning Voice and raiseth the dead senseless Sinner to come to him for Life and he outwardly inviteth and draweth also Mat. 11.28 Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden c. He draweth objectively all Men to come unto him and all that come are drawn by him effectually John 12.32 And as all that the Father giveth him come unto him so he receiveth them and will in no wise cast off any that come unto him And then the Holy Ghost convincing the ignorant senseless lost miserable Sinner of Sin and Damnation and of Christ Righteousness and Salvation by him worketh Faith and the Heart to consent and receive and take Christ and so we come to have him The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 and the Cause of our Union For by one Spirit we are baptized into one Body and into Christ the Head of that one Body who puts Life and Spirit into every living member of it 1 Cor. 12.12 13. 3. The outward means of this Union are The Word of God and the Ministry of it I have espoused you unto one Husband that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 If you desire to know yet further how you have Life The Answer is ready In or by having the Son Christ you have Life You have it in having him who hath received it and hath it for you You have it in him who is the Author Purchaser and Giver of Eternal Salvation He is our Life as the meritorious Cause as the Conservator and Fountain of it as the efficient Cause and Giver of it You have Life and Deliverance from Death Eternal by the Grant of Pardon and Righteousness You have the Life of Grace and Holiness by Union and Influence from him and there is a fulness of habitual Grace to supply you John 1.16 You have the Spirit in you Rom. 8.9 10. and you have the Life of Glory in the Bud Principle First-Fruits Promise and Hopes of it What shall I say You have Life in having Christ as a Branch in a Vine hath Sap and Vertue by being in the Vine as a Member of the Body from the Head as a Spouse hath all that she is endowed with by being espoused and married to the Husband All the incomparable Benefits of Christ come from Union with him As we have Christ now so we have Life now that is such Communications of Grace and Blessings as are convenient for our present state and in the Life to come a Crown of Life All All an incomprehensible All This Union doth not stand only in relation to Christ tho in every relalation there is some kind of Union but it is such an Union tho spiritual and mystical as these Terms are contradistinct to Corporal and Natural as a third one doth result from it But he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 That one Spirit which our Lord received not by measure that he might be the Head of his Body the Church The Mystery of our Union with Christ consisteth mainly in this That the self-same Spirit which is in him as in the Head is so derived from him into every one of his true Members that thereby they are animated and quickned to a spiritual Life The most reverend Ushers Sermon before the House of Commons 1620. p. 20. Lyford's Senses exercised 127. The same Spirit which was the immediate Conveyor of Grace to the Humane Nature of Christ is so to us Mr. Charnock 2 Vol. p. 134. is that one and same Spirit which teacheth guideth ruleth in and sanctifieth all and every one that by Faith are joyned to the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God To be one Spirit is to be united in the highest degree of Union The Union of one Believer to another is very near and close as of one Member of the same Body to another And this Union of every single Believer to the Body of the Catholick or Universal Church is by the Grace and Operation of the holy Spirit quickning and regenerating and all these living Members make one Body in Christ Christ the Head of the whole Body and the Head of Influence from whom they all receive spiritual life and growth and they who are joyned to him are one Spirit and from that one Spirit we have Grace to consent with Christ to will the same and to love and hate the same things to aim at the same End the Glory of the Father and to be govern'd by him against all Distractions and Oppositions that hinder us It was an entire and comfortable happy Union of the Primitive Church an Example to all succeeding Churches Acts 4.32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one Heart and one Soul neither said any of them that ought of the things he possessed was his own but they had all things common They were all of one Heart aimed all at one common Good in one common Action without any private Ends. This was a close Union of Hearts but the Expression of this Conjunction comes far short of that Spiritual real tho not essential Union between Christ and his gracious regenerate sanctified Members made One Spirit It was much to be of one Heart and Soul but it is more to be one Spirit This is the closest Union of all except the Essential Union of the Persons in the Godhead or the Hypostatical or Personal of the Second Person with the Humane Nature For one Believer doth not derive his Spiritual Life and Being from another nor depend upon one another for it but all receive it from their Head Christ and depend upon him for it although their being knit together is a means of their Growth Col. 2.19 And not holding the Head from which all the Body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Our Union with Christ the Head is the closest because from him we all receive our Life and have nourishment ministred that we may increase with the increase of God And because our Union with Christ is most inward and strict therefore it is shadowed out under the Similitude of the streightest natural Union Cum itaque nostra cum Christo unio sit arctissima ea propter in Scriptura sub figura utriusque illius unionis nobis quasi adumbratur c. Cameronis Myrothec in Evang. Jo. 6.56 p. 149. of both See the excellent B. Reynolds Life of Christ and Mr. Polhil's Answer to Dr. S. of the Knowledg of Christ c. 4. s 1. p. 162. c. and his Treatise of Spiritual Union There is no stricter Union in the World than that of Christ to Believers 't is therefore compared to all kind
Vsher of the Incarnation Fol. p. 428. Last Edit of the Sum and Substance Cameron Myrothec Evang. in Luc. Praeter in Mat. 16. Johan Junii Exam. Socini de Incarnatione fil Dei cap. 1. p 92. c. he shall appear to be shall be acknowledged and professed to be the Son of God for the Son of God hath taken that which is conceived in thee into Union with himself and so altho he is the Man Christ as made of a Woman conceived in the Womb of the Virgin by the Holy Ghost he is indeed the Son of God and shall be so called He shall be glorified with the Name of the Son of God with whom he is made One Person by that Power of the Highest overshadowing the Virgin If he was therefore the Son of God because he was conceived and formed in the Virgins Womb then he must needs be the Son of the Holiest his own Spirit but the Son is the only begotten of the Father and called the Holy Thing which signifies and denotes that which is Essential to Christ the Divine Nature or Person and the same is called the Son of God to whom the Humane Nature is united that so he might be Jesus Our Saviour and God with us in our Nature and for us for our Salvation Had Christ been meer Man and no more he might have been called the Son of God as the first Adam is called Luke 3. v. ult because of his immediate Creation but then he had been but a Creature tho perfectly holy from his Conception and had not been at all the proper and Natural Son of God as not being of the Divine Essence or Nature for every Son hath the same Nature that his Father hath but the Humane Nature is not the Divine Simber de Filio Dei l. 1. c. 5. p. 58 59. the Humane Nature being from the first moment of Conception united to the Second Person the Son of God that which was conceived in the Womb of the Virgin was the Son of God Our Mediator must needs be God and Man in one Person and because the Holy thing that was born was Emmanuel God-Man therefore he was called the Son of God The Natures are distinguished but the Person was but One and being but One there is one glorious Name given him The Son of God The Son of God and the Son of Mary are one and the same called the Son of God Christ the Son of David according to the Flesh Rom. 1.3 had his beginning when he was conceived by the Holy Ghost and that Operation of the Spirit was the Cause of his being called the Son of God Johannes jun. ib. Hooynbeck Socinianismi Confutatio 1 De Christ c. 1. p. 38. The Son of God took our Nature into Union with himself and he was not only to be called the Son of God by Men but was owned and called so by God himself at his Entrance into the Administration of his Office of Mediator Mat. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased And besides many other places too many to be opened at this time he is called his dear Son or the Son of his Love Col. 1.13 and demonstrated to be the Son of his Being if I may so speak by the many Arguments in the following Verses 1. The Son of God's Love is the great God our Saviour and so great that he hath a Kingdom and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son O most blessed translation and change To be delivered from the power of Darkness and translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son It is a deliverance and a translation from Darkness and the power of Darkness out of the Devils Power and Tyranny out of the Dominion of Sin where every Lust is a Lord and we Slaves and Drudges working our own Destruction by our own Thoughts Tongues and Hands Great is the Power of Darkness and miserable are they that are under it They are under Wrath and within a step of Hell as long as they are under his Power But O how happy are they who are brought out of it into this Kingdom of the Son of God's Love Such as the King is such is his Kingdom the Son the King is full of Grace and Truth his Kingdom is a Kingdom of Grace and Glory of Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost The Laws Ordinances Priviledges Subjects and the whole Government of this Son of God's Love and King of Saints are answerable or suitable to him and what 's wanting here of perfect Happiness shall be made up in Heaven Our translation by effectual Calling and Grace is a Deliverance from the outward Prison and Suburbs of Hell into the outward Courts of Heaven and out of them there will be another remove and promotion into the everlasting Kingdom of Heaven 2. He is such a Son of God as paid a Ransom for all that have him and that was his own Blood Was there ever such a Son such Love such a Ransom All that are in him by Faith have the Benefit of that Ransom from the Wrath of God and the deserved Punishments of Sin He is the Son that procured our Pardon and Release from the Guilt of Sin the Curse of the Law the Justice of God ver 14. In whom we have redemption thro' his Blood the forgiveness of sin O how blessed is that Man whose Iniquities are forgiven Psal 32.1 Is not this then the Son of God the true God in our Natures purchasing us with his own Blood Acts 20.28 3. This dear Son is such a Son who is the Image of the invisible God God is invisible in his pure Essence and Being What Image can there be that is lively and perfect but what must needs be invisible also So Christ the dear Son of God must needs be invisible also in his Godhead and Divine Person and therefore truly God the Son but then God the Son the essential invisible and perfect Image of his invisible Father having taken our Nature into Union with his Person is a visible Image of the living true invisible God for he who hath seen the Son hath seen the Father also John 14.9 He that hath seen me hath seen the Father Ver. 10. Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me Never did any Image so lively express the Original as the Son of God in our Nature did express the infinite Wisdom Power Grace and Mercy of God God was manifest in his Flesh in his Humane Nature a pure material Glass shewing us Divine Perfections 1 Tim. 3.16 4. He is the First Born of every Creature As Man it is certain he was not born before every Creature As God he is not called the First-Born but the only begotten John 1.14 He is not called the First-Born in respect of Order of Time or Participation of the same Nature with the Creature created after him For if the Notion of the Arians were true
That the First-born is of the same Nature with the rest of the Children thinking thereby to strip him of his Divine Nature and Godhead and to make him no more than a Man then he would partake of the Nature of every Creature as well as Mans for he is not said to be the First-born of Men only but of every Creature This therefore is a Title of Dignity and Honour as much as to say He is the First-born Heir and Lord of every Creature He is not a Creature nor called first Mr. P. Bayn on the Colos Christianni Schotanni in Collegio Miscellaneorum Theologicorum Disp 1. de prim genitura Sec. 11 12. Zanch. in Col. as tho first made but first and chief in Dignity and Power over all Creatures Psal 89.28 I will make him my first-born higher than the Kings of the Earth All things are subject to him 1 Pet. 3.22 and put under his Feet Ephes 1.22 His Dominion is over all This is the Son of God's Love manifested in the Flesh suffering in our Nature even unto Blood to make Attonement and to procure us the forgiveness of Sin O how happy are they who have him 5. That he is not a Creature not a meer Man or made God which implies the greatest Contradiction Nor a Divine Man as if he were more like God than other Men as the Arians and Socinians dream and feign him to be but that the Son of God the Son of God's Love is true God and hath an undoubted Title to the Dominion of all Creatures is made evident from ver 16 17. in which there are these infallible Proofs of his Godhead 1. All things were created by him that are in Heaven and that are in Earth c. 2. As all things were created by him so they were created for him All things were created by him and for him therefore he was not an Instrument in the Hand of the Creator but the most High God and one God with the Father and Holy Ghost To us there is but One God of whom are all things c. 1 Cor. 8.6 All things are by Christ the Son of God and also for him as their End therefore he is the High God See Rom. 11.36 The Instrument is for the principal Cause That which I as the Principal do use my Servant to do is not for his sake but my own but the end of all these things was no less the Honour of Christ than the Father Reverend Holy Bayn on the Coloss If Christ were the Instrument of God the Creator in the Creation then all things would not be for him for his Service and his Glory who was the Instrument He was an equal Cause with the Father and the Holy Ghost because all things are for him for his Service and Glory therefore he was not an Instrument nor an inferiour Agent but one God with the Father Yet we must observe an Order in the Government and Administration of the Mediatory Kingdom of Christ Christ as God is one with the Father but Christ God-Man as Mediator hath a respect to God the Father John 5.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much Fruit so shall you be my Disciples John 11.4 I have glorified thee on the Earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do John 7.18 He that seeketh the Glory of him that sent him is true and there is no unrighteousness in him And Phil. 2.11 And that every Tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father 3. And he is before all things ver 17. before the World and all things in it If he were a meer Creature he could not be before all things he could be but the first of Creatures but being before all Creatures he should not be degraded and debased to be made but a Creature But he is before all things that are made therefore God the Creator of all things for there can be nothing before All things but God as before all Time nothing but Eternity And that Saying of the Reverend Davenant upon these Words Quomodo fuit ante omnia si ante suam incarnationem non fuit Quomodo condidit omnia qui ipse non extitit Expos Rep. P. ad Colos might stop the Mouths of all the Socinians who make the Conception of Christ to be the Principle and beginning of his Filation or being the Son of God grounding their Error upon that Text spoken of before Luke 1.35 How was he before all things if he was not before his Incarnation How could he make all things who was not himself in being Saith that clear and learned Man 4. By him all things consist He supporteth and beareth up all things upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power Heb. 1.3 All things are continued in their Being Place Order and Usefulness by him by whom all things were made He beareth up the World and keepeth things together from falling into confusion and ruin I have been the longer in the Description of the Son that you may know him and that knowing him you may desire him come to him believe in him have him honour him admire him and do all that is required of you Consider one thing before I go to the next Head The Son of God is to be had as he is given and sent of the Father and as he is said to come into the World All which Expressions do signifie to us his Office and Undertaking of a Mediator with the Performance and Benefits thereof The Knowledge of him as such is necessary to and is the beginning of Eternal Life John 17.3 This is Eternal Life to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent as Mediator to mediate Peace between the infinite God and sinful Men. Therefore let me in few Words open to you the meaning of the Word and the reason and nature of the Office of the Mediator as he is called 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for all where observe these things plainly 1. The Mediator is a middle Person between Parties 2. The Parties between whom he dealeth as Mediator are God and Man Medius Natura Medians Officio Trelent alii 3. The high Quality of the Mediator is set out by his Humane Nature and by his Names the Man Christ Jesus 4. What he did he gave himself a Ransom for all And by this last Particular we understand three things of great Moment 1. The Condition of all Men they were guilty of an heinous Transgression against God and were fallen under the Curse and Justice of God A miserable Condition 2. What God required and must have or sinful Men must abide and perish under the Wrath and Curse of God there must be a Ransom given and paid for them and that was the precious Blood of the Son of God 1 Pet. 1.18 19. and his Life
Son seeing that is no less than to put off the having of Life Who would run his Life upon such an Hazard seeing their are so many Enemies that seek our Damnation and work it by gaining the time of our delaying Can any Business or Pleasures in the World be thought of that Consequence as for them to venture the loss of eternal Life Many Men given much to the Pleasures and Vanities of Life have cast them off and fallen to the study of the Law or to follow their Business when but some Branch of their Estates have been in Question much more when the whole was in Danger Oh! how diligent and wise for the World and careless for a World to come are Men Put on Consideration and know for certain that the greatest matters of care and diligence meet in this one Life for this Life comprehends in it the whole of a Man's Estate He who hath not Life hath lost all in one and both these inestimable things and both these inestimable things an everlasting Kingdom an Heavenly Treasure a Crown of Life and Glory and that Life in the possession whereof the blessed Saints shall rejoyce for ever and in the privation of which the miserable and damned shall weep and lament for ever And this Punishment of Privation of Life will be the more intolerable when it shall come upon the Unbeliever for this Cause of his not having the Son For not having the Son who is the Son of God's love infinitely amiable and dear to all that love their own Nature for he is the Son in our Nature and now in our Nature glorified All Men think themselves honoured in the Honour of their Blood and Kindred and esteem the Person that is advanced But such is the Nature of Unbelief that it moves to no Estimation or Love to our Lord in Glory who hath promised Glory to all that believe and follow him and can see no excellency in him who is highly exalted and hath a Name that is above every Name The not having of the Son is upon Refusal and Contempt in Deeds if not in Words And because this Privation of Life is for Unbelief and Refusal the loss will be the greater for the Punishment of Unbelief must needs be great because Unbelief is a great sin and we need not go further than this Text to prove it Unbelief and not having is the undervaluing neglecting and refusing the only two things that cannot be valued the Son of God and everlasting Life O that I could say something that may enter and stick to the Heart Hath God been pleased to make manifest the Mystery of Redemption by Jesus Christ which hath been hid from Ages Col. 1.26 and now will ye not look into it but reject the Counsel of God as the Lawyers did against themselves Luke 7.30 Hath God so loved the World that he sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish and now he is sent to you who have as much need of him as any in the World will you not have him Is there Salvation in no other and will you not have him Do you no more value the Grace and Love of God in his Son Christ Nor the love of Christ in humbling himself unto Death even the Death of the Cross for you And now he is at the Right Hand of God in possession of his Kingdom and is able to save all that come to God by him and will you not have him and Life by him Oh then you must perish Then you must have no part in the Tokens of God's everlasting Love no Saving Benefit of all the Cost our Lord hath been at to redeem you no Joy or Consolation by the Spirit no Communion with Saints in Glory nor Light Rest Peace in your own Souls for ever No pardon of Sin or Peace and Comfort by it nor any other Blessing of Grace Obj. But some may say If I have not Life then I shall die A. So you shall But you hope you shall be extinct and be no more but that shall not be eternal Death will not be like the blowing out of a Candle which shall never be lighted again No if you are Unbelievers and Atheists of that sort the everlasting Pain and Torment shall convince you of your wicked Error and of the loss of not having Life And this should be a 2. A Second effectual Motive to have Christ and Life for else you shall not have Life but enough of Death the first moment Oh! how bitter and dreadful will it be to Eternity All they that hate me love Death Prov. 8. vers ult They love the way and the sins which deserve it This shall be the Punishment of all Unbelievers Oh! who would make light of Christ and Life that shall be condemned if they have him not to Death Eternal Death A word containing innumerable and endless Evils The loss of God and Heaven will be a Death The sight of Hell and Devils with Millions of Workers of Iniquity under Condemnation will be Death Death not an End of the Sinner but of his Happiness If the Flames shall never be quenched as they shall not as Christ hath declared whose word is true Mat. 25.41 And this everlasting Fire is called everlasting Punishment vers 46. If the Punishment shall be everlasting it will follow that they who are punished must live in it and endure it for ever And Men may as well say that the blessed of the Father shall not go into everlasting Life as that the wicked shall not go into everlasting Punishment As long as the Punishment shall endure they shall endure that have deserved it and shall be condemned to it Oh! what a cursed Death will this be Oh! how miserable will an immortal Body be with an immortal Soul All the Miseries of the Damned are set forth by the Name of Death Every drop of the Rivers of Brimstone every Spark of the unquenchable Fire every Tear that the Damned shall drop every Gnash of their Teeth every Bite of the Worm will be a Death O Death How full of Stings This Death will be a Death of Separation from God and Good When Christ shall bid the wicked depart from him then all presumptuous Thoughts all fond Imaginations all vain Hopes all carnal Confidences and all that ever they deceived themselves withal shall depart from them and under this Death they shall weep and roar for ever Now if the Life everlasting with God in Heaven were no better than a Prisoners Life upon Earth or of a Persecuted Protestant kept from Sleep and tortured by Dragoons the Devils black Regiments and bare-fac'd Wolves the Consideration of this fearful Death should make all Men that have any Consideration desire and prefer the Son's Grace before the whole World But when the Life that is entail'd upon Believers is a Son's Life in the Kingdom of God an Heirs of Life what desperate Folly and Madness is it for any