grace and love of God is the sole cause of what the Lord hath promised in this new Covenant and doth give according to promise And though the old and new Covenant be of the same nature and from the same fountaine yet the new Covenant is preferred above the old as farre as Sunne-light before Torch light in this that God who makes the Covenant hath more fully manifested the riches of his grace and superaboundant love in Jesus Christ the brightnesse of his glory and engraven forme of his person to the federates of the new Testament In the old Covenant the Lord had made it knowne that he was mercifull and gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse But in the new Covenant he doth most familiarly reveale himself to be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus and in him the Father of the faithfull which most sweet and pleasant name doth breathe out unspeakable love and tendernesse Again though the ancient federates had some knowledge of Gods Attributes as an introduction to the Covenant of Grace yet they never knew that transcendency of Gods love which is brought to light in the new mentioned in these and such like passages of Scripture Behold what manner of love the Father hath 1 Joh. â— 1. bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sonnes of God God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever Joh. 3. 16. beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life He spared Rom. 8. 3â— not his own Sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth For there is one God 1 Tim. â— 4 5. and one Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Jesus They that seek to stretch this speech of the Apostle to the furthest doe yet confesse it is spoken of the times of the Gospell and that appeareth evidently by the reason of the Apostle confirming that saying that God will that all men be saved from this that God is the God of all men by Covenant and Christ the Mediatour of all men in Covenant and by the Gospell the Word of truth the saving truth of God was brought unto all in Covenant Besides in the old Testament the Doctrine of the Trinity of persons in the unity of the God head was more obscurely taught but in the new Testament we are clearely and most comfortably assured that the Father Son and holy Ghost do sweetly conspire to perfect the Salvation of the Faithfull and confirme unto them the promises of the Covenant There be three that beare record in 1 Joh. 5. 7. Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one Goe ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them into the Matth. â—8 19. Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost If in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word must stand why should a Christian question or doubt of the promises of mercy made in the Covenant assured unto him by the Father Sonne and holy Ghost God the Father promiseth that in his only begotten Sonne he will be a mercifull Father to all Believers that he will give him to them for a Redeemer accept his satisfaction for them give them his Spirit and bestow upon them righteousnesse and salvation The Sonne doth promise that he will be Redeemer of the faithfull by doctrine merit and efficacy that he will deliver them from the power of Satan bring them into perpetuall favour with God wash them from all the filthinesse of their sins and be unto them as he is made of the Father Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption The holy Ghost doth promise that being redeemed by the bloud of Christ by the presence of his grace he will cleanse them from all inherent sinne and repaire the Image of God in them leade them into all truth and holinesse inable them to cry Abba Father seale them for the Lords and abide with them by his grace and comfort as an earnest of the inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession This Covenant was stricken with all Nations or the world in opposition to the Jewish Nation for now the promise made Gal. 3. 8. to Abraham was fulfilled In thee shall all Nations of the earth be blessed now the prophecies touching the calling of the Gentiles Isai 44. 6 and bringing them to the Sheep-fold of Christ were accomplished now the Apostles were sent forth to preach the Gospell to Matth. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 13. Rom. 1. 16. Col. 1. 6 23. Act 10. 45. every creature and God gave such a blessing unto the Word that by their preaching a great part of the habitable world was converted unto the faith Now upon the Gentiles was powred out also the gift of the holy Ghost Christ having broken down the partition wall betwixt Jew and Gentile and abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Eph. 2. 14 15. law of Commandements contained in Ordinances for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man so making peace The Covenant of promise was first made with Adam and his posterity not with him as the common parent of all mankind and so with every man that should come of his loines howsoever in all generations but with Adam as a beleever and his posterity untill by wilfull departure from the faith they should discovenant themselves and those that did proceed from them In like manner it was made with the Patriarchs with Noah and his posterity then with Abraham and his family afterwards with one selected Nation but under the Gospell all Nations are brought into the bond of the Covenant All nations I say but not every one in every nation nor every nation in all periods of that time For many nations have lived we know for a long time in infidelity without the Gospell without God in the world aliens from the Common-wealth of Isâ—ael and strangers from the Covenant of Grace And we find the Apostles to make a manifest 2 Cor. 6. 14 17. difference betwixt the people of God and unbelievers so that all in their dayes were not admitted into Covenant though the Gospell was preached unto them For they that be in Covenant are in phrase of Scripture the people of God that is such with whom God hath contracted Covenant and who in like manner have sworne unto the words of the Covenant God stipulating and they accepting the condition God as an absolute Soveraigne hath right and authority over all men but in a certaine and peculiar reason they are called his people who receive his Commandement and acknowledge him to be their Lord and Saviour And these be of two sorts for God doth make his Covenant with some externally calling them by his Word and sealing them by his Sacraments and they by profession of faith
Text nor confirmed from any circumstance of it Twice we find the passage used Matth. 13. 12. and 25. 29. In the first it is manifest our Saviour speakes of them that enjoyed the Gospell In the second of those that used their Talent whereby gifts not naturall but supernaturall are meant because the Lord doth freely bestow eternall life immediately upon them that use their Talent well which they will not say he doth upon them who use their naturall gifts minus male In both places our Saviour shewes how God dealeth with his giving them a taste of his goodnesse wherby they thirst after the augmentation of his grace the more earnestly when he doth not affect the hearts of all men in that manner And if naturall gifts which they call common grace be understood then for the abuse of this light or grace God doth not only with-hold from men the supernaturall meanes of grace but takes from them their naturall gifts which they had For so the Text runneth And from him that hath not even that which he had or seemed to have shall be taken away And then I would demand whether Christ died for them that so abused their naturall gifts as such or no If he did then he died for many to whom he vouchsafeth not meanes sufficient to bring them to salvation or faith in him If he died not for them then he died not for the farre greatest part of the world in all ages in respect of the present state wherein they stand as men And here is to be considered that in Scripture you shall not find that God gave Christ to die for any nation people or world to whom he sent not the word of reconciliation nor is any people or nation cast off and rejected for their impiety left without the means of grace given over to the vanity of their mindes without God in the world ever said to be redeemed by the bloud of Christ or reconciled unto God In many places we reade that Christ died for them that shall or may perish for reprobates and cast-awaies 2 Pet. 2. 1. There shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction Rom. 14. 15. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died 1 Cor. 8. 11. And through thy knowledge shall the weake brother perish for whom Christ died Heb. 10. 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Sonne of God and hath counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace From which passages they argue thus He that died for the elect and reprobate for them that perish and perish not he died for all men But Christ died for the elect and reprobate for them that perish and perish not The Proposition they take for granted but it is apparently captious For he that died for all the elect and all the reprobate for all that shall be saved and all that perish died for all men but to die for the elect and some reprobate is not to die for all men but for some only And if they meane it in the first sence the passages of Scripture will not prove what they affirme if in the second it fals short of the question But suppose they argue thus some denied the Lord that bought them and thereby brought upon themselves swift destruction therefore Christ did not buy the elect only to save them If they dispute thus they conclude not the question in hand they put more in the conclusion then is in the antecedent and if they cannot shew that there is the same reason of all reprobates they must confesse it makes much against them for the thing to be proved is that Christ died equally for all and every man and it is one thing to die for the reprobate in some sense and to die for them with an intention and purpose to save them and if Christ died for some and but some that perish in a manner not common to all and every man it is manifest he died not equally for all men Let us consider the Texts themselves 2 Pet. 2. 1. Some denied the Lord that bought them How in respect of the impetration of righteousnesse or in respect of the application of it Let the Text speake for it selfe These false teachers lived in the Church enjoyed the Ordinances of God professed the faith had known the way of truth and escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 2. 20. they had turned from the holy Commandement delivered unto them and it had happened unto them according to the true Proverbe The dog is turned unto his own vomit againe and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Therefore the death of Christ was applyed unto them and they were partakers of the fruits and benefits thereof by some kind of faith They that most urge this place doe thus interpret it Thus the Authors of the Synodal def Sent. Remonst circ Art 2. pag. 358. It is most evidently and invincibly manifest that those false teachers of whom Peter speakes were truly bought of the Lord Jesus Christ by the knowledge of whom they had escaped the pollutions of the world or if thou hadst rather that God the Father by the bloud of his only begotten Sonne had truly bought them and by his Spirit truly regenerated them Vorstius in like manner upon this place first he Vorst in 2 Pet. 2. 1. Schol. saith it is indifferent whether thou referre this word bought to Christ or to God the Father For both God the Father is said every where to have redeemed us and Christ to have bought or redeemed us to God and then he sends us to these places Act. 20. 28. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Eph. 5. 25. Rev. 1. 5. More plainly in loc com following It is demanded saith he how the Lord may be said to have bought them who deny him For this seemes contrary to those places of Scripture in which it is affirmed that the faithfull alone of whom the Catholike Church of Christ consisteth be redeemed by Christ Act. 20. 28. Eph. 5. 23. and that the faithfull do alwayes remain in the Church 1 Joh. 2. 19. Some answer saith he that those who fall away were never truly redeemed nor did ever truly beleeve Therefore they thinke these places and such like are to be taken not according to the truth of the thing but according to the apearance or opinion to wit because these Apostates professe the faith for a time and so feeme both to themselves and to others judging in charity to be true beleevers when in deed they are nothing lesse But it seemes more simple if we say that some who after fall away for a time doe truly beleeve which Christ doth therefore call
fulnesse of time came And hence the Covenant of Grace is distributed into the Covenant of Promise or the New Covenant so called by way of excellency For the Foundation and Mediatour of the Covenant of Grace is our Lord Jesus Christ but either to be incarnate crucified and raised from the dead or as already Act. 4 12. Heb. 13. 8. incarnate crucified and truly raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven For there was never sin forgiven but in him alone who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Therefore although before the Incarnation Christ was only God he was our Mediatour yet not simply as God but as the divine person who should take our flesh and in it should finish all the Mysterie of our Redemption and therefore he is called the Lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world and the Fathers by his grace were saved even as we In the acts of Mediation three things may be considered Reconciliation by which we are accepted of God Patronage by which we have accesse unto the Father Doctrine whereby God hath made himselfe knowne unto men by a Mediatour This third act might be done before he assumed our flesh and indeed was done but the two first did require his comming in the flesh although the fruit of them was communicated to the Fathers under the Old Testament by force of the divine Promise and certainty of the thing to come with God If it be objected that the cause is before the effect and therefore the incarnation and death of Christ must goe before the communication of the fruit and benefit thereof unto the Fathers The answer is That in naturall causes the Proposition holds true but in morall causes the effect may be before the cause and so the fruit and vertue of Christs death was communicated to the Fathers before his Incarnation But although the Sonne of God before he was manifested in the flesh was our Mediatour with God to whom future things are present because he should be and therfore for his sake sinnes were remitted men did teach and learne by his Spirit the Church was governed by him yet the manner and reason of that Mediation was proposed more obscurely the force and efficacy of it was lesse and did redound to fewâ—r The Covenant of Promise then was that Covenant which God made with Adam the Fathers and all Israel in Jesus Christ to be incarnate crucified and raised from the dead And it may be described the Covenant wherby God of his meere grace and mercy in Jesus Christ to be exhibited in the fulnesse of time did promise forgivenesse of sinnes spirituall adoption and eternall life unto man in himselfe considered a most wretched and miserable sinner if he should embrace and accept this mercy promised and walke before God in sincere obedience God the Father of his meere and free grace and mercy looking upon man in Jesus Deut. 9. 5. Gal. 3. 18. Luk. 1. 54 55. Christ in whom he is reconciled is the Author and cause of this Covenant He hath hâ—lpen his servant Israel in remembance of his mercy as he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and to his seed for ever Thus saith the Lord God of Israel your Fathers dwelt on Josh 24 â— the other side of the floud in old time even Terah the Father of Abraham and the Father of Nahor and they served other gods And I took your Father Abraham from the other side of the floud and led him throughout all the Land of Canaan and multiplied his seed and gave him Isaac The condition required in this contract is the obedience of faith Remission of sinnes gratious adoption in Christ and the Inheritance of eternall life is promised to beleevers and eternall condemnation peremptorily threatned against unbeleevers Christ whom God hath exhibited in the Gospell as he was promised to the Fathers in the Scriptures of the Prophets is the object of this Covenant The end thereof is the praise of the glorious grace and mercy of God in Christ to come In this Covenant there is a mutuall compact betwixt God and man God in mercy promising and man in duty binding himself unto the Lord. It was made with man a sinner and reacheth to the faithfull and their seed as God hath promised to accept the children of beleeving parents upon due and religious tender of them made unto his Highnesse according as he hath prescribed but saving effectually it was made with them only who beleeve in him that justifieth the ungodly be the heires of salvation and walke in the steps of our Father Abraham This Covenant doth beget children to liberty doth administer the righteousnesse of faith and the inheritance by faith hope peace of conscience life in Christ and spirituall joy is the effect thereof Internally the Spirit doth seale up the truth of this Covenant in 2 Cor. 4 13. Rom. â— 4 5. Gal. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 3. 14. Gen 22. 16. Luk. 1. 73. the hearts of the faithfull For when the adoption and the inheritance pertained to the Fathers under the Covenant of promise the spirit of adoption and earnest of the inheritance pertained unto them likewise Externally it was delivered and confirmed by word and oath and sealed by the Sacraments For substance also this Covenant was everlasting and unchangeable The New Testament did not abolish the former but the former was fulfilled by the latter And in all these things it doth Psal 105. 10. agree with the new Covenant which here only are but briefly named because the confirmation of them must be sought in the Chapters following And if the Covenant of Promise and the New Covenant doe thus agree in substance then it must necessarily follow That there Eph. 2. 18 19 20. and 4. 4 5. is but one Church of the Elect the same Communion of Saints one Faith one Salvation and one way of obtaining the same viz. by Faith in Christ Secondly that the Word of God was no lesse incorruptible seed Rom. 11. 17. to the Fathers and the Israelites then to us That the Fathers did eat the true flesh of Christ by faith as well as we in the times of 1 Cor. 10. 2 3. 2 Cor. 4. 13. the Gospell That they and we are partakers of the same Spirit and that the Sacraments of the Jewes did signifie and seale to them the same promises of eternall life which our Sacraments doe to us The Sacraments of the Old Testament were not types of our Sacraments as sometimes they are called by Divines but they typified the same things that ours doe For as the Covenants under which they and we lived were one for substance so are the Sacraments one in their common nature and signification Thirdly that the faithfull before Christ were saved by the free mercy of God in Christ did know God and Christ had the Heb. 11. 9. Psal 105. 15. Isai 51. 6. spirituall promise of life eternall and were
Matth. 11. 28. The old Covenant was from Mount Sinai Heb. 12. 18. the new from Sion heavenly amiable and pleasant Psal 2. 6. The old Covenant excludes the Gentiles the new admits them The old promiseth life in Canaan the new in Heaven But not to examine these things particularly by this explication it appeares the Divines of this opinion make the old Covenant differ from the new in substance and kind and not in degree of manifestation as also did the former Most Divines hold the old and new Covenant to be one in substance and kind to differ only in degrees but in setting down the differences they speake so obscurely that it is hard to find how they consent with themselves For most commonly they distinguish them thus The old Testament promiseth life to them that obey the Law and condemnes all not perfectly conformable the new doth freely pardon sinnes and give Salvation to them that believe in Christ The old was written by the finger of God in tables of stone the new by the Spirit of God in the fleshie tables of the heart The old was the ministery of death a killing letter the new the ministery of the quickning Spirit The old did lay upon the necks of the Fathers an intollerable yoke of rites and commandements the new doth impose the easie yoke of the Spirit enduing us with the Spirit of Adoption and liberty of the Sonnes of God The old doth involve the Doctrine of the Grace of the Messiah under the shadowes of types and rites the new doth containe the fulfilling of the tipes and figures Moses is the typicall Mediatour of the Old Testament Christ is the true Mediatour of the New The old is sealed by the blood of Sacrifices the new is ratified by the blood of the Mediatour the and death of the Testatour The Old by oblations did not pacifie the wrath of God nor purge the conscience the new containes the true propitiation in the blood of Christ The old was imperfect intolerable weake and therfore to be abolished the new perfect easy and to continue for ever c. with other the like before mentioned And many things herein are spoken truly but how all these differences should stand if they be not Covenants opposite in kind it is not easy to understand Some few have laboured to reconcile them one of these two wais First that the Old Testament doth promise life eternall plainly under the condition of morall obedience perfect that is under a condition altogether unpossible together with an heavy burden of legall rites and an yoke of most strict pollicie but covertly under the condition of repentance and faith in the Messias to come prefigured by tipes and ceremonies that by this forme of doctrine worship and policie a proud grosse and stiffe-necked people might be more tamed and convinced of their owne unrighteousnesse and that by such a pedagogue they might be led to Christ who was more obscurely manifested under those shadows The second is By a distinction of Moses his proposition of the Law from God unto that people which as they would is done either with exaction of perfect obedience deserving eternall life and threatning eternall curse to all that continue not in every thing of the booke of the Law to doe it Deut. 27. 26. or in a comfortable moderation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promising blessings to those who doe what they can to performe it The first is a perfect and exact draught of the Law of prime nature the second a â—erswasion and incouragement to corrupt nature to stirre up the relicks of power and the Image of God upon hope of future good The first is propounded to all mankind this to the Church though others take benefit by it In the first the Law breaths nothing but wrath to fallen nature for that hath no grace nor mercy Joh. 1. 17. In the second Moses speakes Gospell to the Israelites for the outward happinesse of particulars and the prosperity of the whole The first and rigid proposition is of the Morall Law alone and as it was contained in the first writing Exod. 20. The second is laid downe in Moses whole frame and oeconomy to that people The first stands in full opposition to the Covenant of Grace containing a perfect Covenant of workes but the second is and may be subordinate to the Covenant of Grace as will appeare And this distinction as they conceive is further strengthened by the preparation unto the first delivery Exod. 19. and what strictnesse was there required in the people to prepare themselves for their persons and what a straite charge was given not to come neere the Mount least they die Vers 12. in the delivery what terrible voices lightnings thunders fire c. with the quaking of the earth so that neither Priest nor people must come neare least they should be consumed of wrath in the giving of the Law which when the people heard and saw they could not endure but desired Moses to be Mediatour betwixt God and them least if they should heare God they should die which was the ground of that Aphorisme Who ever saw God and lived yea such was the terror that Moses himselfe said I feare and quake Heb. 12. 21. Thus the Morall Law was first given by God but not written till the second going up Exod. 24. 12. where God promiseth to find the tables and write in them with his owne finger and such was the feare of the second delivery that Moses was glad to lenifie the former by reading the judicialls which he had writ and to offer sacrifice And thus Moses goes up the second time and receives the two tables tarrying there forty dayes Whilest Moses stayed the people brake the Covenant by Idolatry God sent Moses downe and by wise providence so ordered that Moses brake the Tables of the Covenant and now was all dasht and Moses to begin againe to mediate for this sinne in Aaron and the people Exod. 32. 19. Deut. 9. Hitherto in the delivery and writing of the Law Morall thunders nothing but wrath and the more Law the lesse obedience till the Law was vailed and shadowed from them in the curse of it Moses having thus travailed and broken those bare and open Tables wherein was curse and plague with open face painted he is called up againe Exod. 34. Deut. 2. 1. but consider with what alteration For first Moses now must hew the Tables God would not deale with that signifying that he would have the Mediatour Moses to have more to doe with the delivery of the second writing then at the first which was the prologue to the lenifying of the Law wherewith man had to doe 2. Moses must bring the Tables up and God would write the words before written which shewed that God could not nor would not alter the Law which was a perfect draught of the first Law imprinted in Adam 3. Consider that here was no preparation nor any terror of wonders but a
mediatory one generall the other speciall which some of late have devised but that he makes Intercession for all and every of them that are given unto him of the Father and only for them and that his Intercession is ever certain and effectuall as when he saith to Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and to all the Luke 2â— â—2 Joh. 14. 10. Apostles I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever And when we heare from Christ himselfe that according to the proper office of his Mediatorship he makes Intercession only for them that are given unto him of the Father we may conclude that in speciall manner he offered up himself a sacrifice to the Father for them only Other arguments are alleadged for confirmation of this truth which who list may reade at large in sundry Treatises of this matter â— but it would be too long to insist upon each particular therefore here I will breake off this controversie and proceede to that which followeth in this intended discourse CHAP. III. How Christ hath fulfilled the office of Mediatour or how he is the Mediatour of the New Testament IN the fulnesse of time the eternall Sonne of God took unto him our nature and became God and Man in one person that he might be an equall middle person between God and man The necessity of a Mediatour appeares in this that man is guilty and God true and righteous If man had continued in his integrity he had stood in no need of an expiation if God had been unrighteous in the passages of mans sinne there had been due unto him no just debt of satisfaction But seeing man created good but mutable did willingly and by voluntary choice transgresse that Law under the precepts whereof he was most justly created and unto the malediction whereof he was as necessarily and righteously subject if he transgressed and God was purposed not to suffer sinne to passe utterly unrevenged because of his great hatred thereunto and of his truth and the Law which he had established against it of necessity either God must execute the severity of his Law whereby the creature should everlastingly loose the fruition of him and he should likewise loose the service and voluntary subjection of his creature or some course or other must be found out to translate this mans sinnes on anothers person who may be able to beare them and to interest this mans person in that others righteousnesse which may be able to cover him Of necessity a Mediatour must be found out to stand between God and man who must have one unto whom and others for whom and in whose behalfe and somewhat wherewith to make satisfaction to offended justice In regard of God towards man he must be an officer to declare his righteousnesse and in regard of man toward God a surety ready to procure pardon and deliverance not by favour or request but by way of satisfaction He must be one with us in the fellowship of our nature passions infirmities and temptations that so he might the more readily suffer for us who in so many things suffered with us and one with God the Father in his divine nature that so by the vertue of his sufferings and resurrection he might be able both to satisfie justice to justifie our persons to sanctifie our nature to purifie and perfume our services to raise our dead bodies and to present us to his Father a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle He must be man pure and undefiled man that he might suffer it being no way fit that one having no communion with another should make satisfaction by suffering for anothers fault Man pure and undefiled otherwise he could not have satisfied for himself much lesse for them that had so grievously offended He must be man that he might have compassion on them that come unto God through him and pure and undefiled that his Sacrifice being pure and without spot might be acceptable and pleasing to provoked justice He must be God that he might beare the weight of Gods wrath without sinking under it be the King and Head of the Church defend his people against the enemies of their Salvation send forth his Spirit into the hearts of his redeemed and receive from them such divine worship as was due to so great and gracious a Saviour He must be man our neere kinsman that he might have right of redemption be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in all things like unto his brethren He must be God that by his death he might overcome death and him that had the power of death that is the devill free us from the guilt of sinne and curse of the Law and preserve his redeemed unto his everlasting Kingdome He must be God and man in one person and so of a middle condition between God and us in that both the natures of God and man doe concurre and are conjoyned in his person that he might joyne God and man in a firme and stable Covenant of friendship and reconciliation and be the root fountaine and beginning of supernaturall and spirituall being in whom the whole natâ—â—â— of mankind should be found in a more eminent sort then it was in Adam The horrour of sinne was so grievous the curse of the Law so terrible the price of redemption so great that a meeâ— creature could not take away the one or pay the other and that man might not fall away as he had done under the former Covenant our Mediatour who was the foundation of this new Covenant did assume our humane nature unto his divine person Therefore the eternall Sonne of God being ordained of the Father to this office of Mediatorship that he might intercede between God and man and joyne God and man in one did assume our nature into the unity of his person and was born of a woman that he might save and call sinners and redeeme them who were under the Law Gal. 4. 4. and shut up under the curse of the Law The second person in Trinity the Son of God by nature the Image of the Father by whom all things were made was made man that he might renew what was disordered by sinne and make us the sonnes of God by grace and adoption who were by nature the children of wrath it being fit our redemption should be wrought by the Sonne and sealed by the holy Spirit For whereas a double mission was necessary the one to reconcile the other to give gifts to reconciled friends the Father being of none sent his Sonne the first proceeding person to take our nature and make satisfaction the Father and the Sonne both send the Spirit the second proceeding person to seale up them that Christ hath redeemed by his bloud And who was fitter to become the Sonne of man then he that was by nature the Sonne of God who could be fitter to make us the Sonnes of God
by grace and adoption then he that was the Sonne of God by nature who fitter to repaire the Image of God decayed in us then he by whom at first man was made after the Image of God Thus Christ was a fit and equall middle person conjoyned by the bands of friendly society and peaceable agreement with both the parties God and men that he might be a Mediatour of reconciliation and peace betweene God and man He tooke unto him the sanctified nature of man that therein he might draw neere unto men and be the root of them that are sanctified and retained the nature of God that so he might not depart from God Here it is questioned according to which nature Christ is Mediatour whether as man only or as God and man That he is a Mediatour according to the concurrence of both natures in the unity of his person it is confessed by all for if he were not both God and man he could not mediate between God and man but whether he be a Mediatour according to both natures concurring in the worke of Mediation there be some that make question Our resolution is that Christ is Mediatour according to both natures the humane nature doing that which pertained to the humanity Bellar. de Christ lib. 5. cap. 7. § Potest tamen and the divine nature that which pertained to the divinity but the humane and divine both concurring to produce one act or work of Mediatorship As the divine and humane nature concurre to make one Christ so the acts of the divine and humane Plura principia ad operationem unam possunt concurrere Lun ibid. cap. 7. not 1. nature distinct in vertue and operation by co-operation concurre to make up the same work of Mediation Some of the works of Christ the Mediatour were the works of his humanity in respect of the thing done and had their efficacy dignity and value from his divinity in that they were the works of him that had the divinity dwelling bodily in him and some the works of his divinity the humane nature concurring only instrumentally as the remitting of sins the giving of the Spirit the raising of the dead and such like The works of Ministery the Sonne of God Iâ—n cont 2. l. 5. cap. 5. not 29. performed them in the nature of man It was the Sonne of God and Lord of life that died for us on the Crosse but it was the nature of man not of God wherein he died The works of Authority and power were all performed by the divine nature yet not without an instrumentall concurrence of the nature of man Christ suffered as man but the divine nature did support and sustaine the humane He died as man as God he overcame death conquered and rose againe as man he was made an offering for our sins the worth and value of the Sacrifice was from the divinity The two natures in Christ be distinct in their essence and Iâ—n Paral. lib. 3. in cap. 9. Hebr. properties and so in their operations that we must not imagine one action of both natures but as the natures be united in one person so the operations concurre to make up one work of a Mediatour Many chiefe necessary and essentiall acts concerning our Iun. animad in Bell. contr 2. l. 5. ca. 3. not 9 reconciliation with God are from the Deity of Christ as from the next proper immediate and formall beginning The Incarnation of Christ is from the Deity which did assume the humanity which when it was not could not assume it selfe The manifestation of God was a work truly divine from the humanity of Christ as an instrument from the Deity as the true cause Christ as Joh. 1. 18. Matt. 11. 27. man teacheth as an instrument and Christ the Word teacheth as Mediatour for he is not only Mediatour who supplyeth the roome of an instrument but the Deity did move the humanity as his instrument that is personally united and not as anothers Joh. 10. 18. To lay down his life passively belongs to the flesh to lay down his life or soule actively to the word The resurrection of Christ is Iun. ibid. cap. 6. not 1. Rom. 8. 34 and 4 25. Rom. 1. 4. Mar. 2. 10. Joh. 15. 26. and 16. 7. an essentiall part of our Redemption but Christ rose not by the propriety of his flesh but by the power of his Deity Christ as Mediatour performed many divine acts but the humanity alone cannot be the beginning of a divine act as Christ as Mediatour hath authority to forgive sins to send the holy Spirit not meritoriously alone as Bellarmine distinguisheth but efficiently to conjoyne us unto God and bring us to salvation Christ as Mediatour is the King and Head of his Church which dignity and office Meritum Meâ—â—ationâ—â— est Mediatio personae cannot agree to him that is meere man For the Head is to give influence of sence and motion unto the body and Christ gives supernaturall sence and motion unto his mysticall body and that both by way of efficiency and by way of disposition fitting us that an impression of grace may be made upon us He prepareth and fitteth men to the receipt of grace by the acts of his humanity A tâ—ta quidem Trinitate datur Spirituâ— sed ad personam Mediatoris haec actio terminatur quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which he suffered death and dying satisfied Gods wrath removed all matter of dislike procured the favour and acceptation of God and so made men fit to receive the grace of God and to enjoy his favour He imparteth and conferreth grace by the operation and working of his divine nature it being the proper worke of God to enlighten the understandings of men and to soften their hearts If it be alleadged that there is nothing that one person of the Trinity doth towards the creatures but they all doe it and consequently that those things which Christ did in his divine nature pertained not to the office of a Mediatour being common to all the Persons The answer is though the action be the same and the worke done by them yet they differ in the manner of doing it For the Father doth all things authoritativè and the Son subauthoritativè as the Schoole-men speake that is the Father as he from whom and of whom are all things the Son as he by whom are all things not as â—y an instrument but a principall efficient And in this sort to quicken give life and to impart the Spirit of Sanctification to whom he pleaseth especially with a kind of concurring of the humane nature meriting desiring and instrumentally assisting is proper to the Son of God manifested in our flesh and not common to the whole Trinity As the second person in Trinity did assume our nature and not the Father or the holy Ghost and as Christ is the Head of the Church not the Father or the holy Spirit so he
is man intire and perfect made after the Image of God in Righteousnesse and true holinesse furnished not only with a reasonable soule and faculties beseeming but with divine qualities breathed from the whole Trinity infused into the whole man lifting up every faculty and power above his first frame and inabling and fitting him to obey the will of God intirely willingly exactly for matter and measure Whether this was naturall or supernaturall unto the first man is a question needlesse to be disputed in this place and peradventure if the termes be rightly understood will be no great controversie Only this must be acknowledged that this was Adams excellencie above all the creatures and that in the fallen creature this quality is supernaturall Unto this mutuall Covenant God added a seale to assure the protoplast of his performance and persisting in Covenant with him and further to strengthen his obedience with the obedience of his posterity which upon his breach with God was made void This Covenant of works made with Adam should have been the same unto his whole posterity if he had continued as in all after Covenants of God they are made with Head and Root reaching unto all the branches and members issuing from them Rom. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 15. 22 47. The proportion holding in Abraham to Christ till the Covenant be rejected in after commers But this Covenant was so made with Adam the root of all mankind that if transgressed his whole posterity should be liable to the curse temporall and eternall which entred upon his fall This Covenant was a Covenant of friendship not of reconciliation being once broken it could not be repaired it promised no mercy or pardon admitted no repentance accepted no obedience but what was perfect and compleat If Adam had a thought after his breach that he might have healed the matter it was but vaine presumption and least he should rely upon a vaine confidence in eating of the tree of life God drove him out of the Garden But this Covenant was not peremptory not the last nor unchangeable Woe to all the posterity of Adam if God should deale with them according to the sentence here denounced When man had plunged himselfe into misery it pleased the Lord to reveale his abundant Grace in the Covenant of Grace of which hereafter The end of this Covenant is the demonstration of Gods wisedome bounty goodnesse and justice both rewarding and punishing and it made way for the manifestation of his rich grace and abundant free mercy brought to light in the second Covenant Three questions may be moved here not unprofitable nor impertinent 1. Why in the Covenant of nature as it is called Quest. 1 God doth not expressely require Faith but Obedience and Love And the answer is That only by consequent Faith is required and not expressely in this Covenant because there was not the least probable cause or suspition why man should doubt of Gods love for sinne had not as yet entred into the world but in the Covenant of Grace it was contrary for that is made with a conscience terrified with sinne which could be raised up by none other meanes but by the free Promise of mercy and Faith imbracing the Word of Promise freely and faithfully tendered and to be received by faith only Againe in this Covenant is considered what in exact justice man doth owe unto God but he oweth justice and Sanctity but in the Covenant of Grace what God reconciled to man in his Sonne would offer and that is bountifully offered 2. How that Faith which presupposeth exact justice in the Quest. 2 Covenant of Nature differs from that Faith which is required in the Covenant of Grace Answ Faith which the exact righteousnesse of man in the Covenant of Nature doth presuppose agreeth with faith which is required in the Covenant of Grace in this that both are of God both is a perswasion concerning the love of God both begetteâ—h in man mutuall love of God because if faith abounds love abounds languishing it languisheth and being extinct it is extinguished But they differ first in the Foundation For Faith which the Righteousnesse of nature presupposeth leaneth on the title of intire nature and therefore after the fall of Adam it hath no place for although God love the creatures in themselves yet he hates them corrupted with sinne No man therefore can perswade himselfe that he is beloved of God in the title of a creature for all have sinned nor love God as he ought But the Faith of which there is mention in the Covenant of Grace doth leane upon the Promise made in Christ Secondly when both are of God yes that faith which exact righteousnesse presupposeth is of God as they speake in Schooles per modum naturae But the Faith required in the Covenant of Grace is of God but per modum gratiae supernaturalis Thirdly the righteousnesse which the faith of nature begetteth was changeable because the faith whence it did flow did depend upon a changeable Principle of nature But the Sanctity which the Faith of the Covenant of Grace begetteth is eternall and unchangeable because it comes from an eternall and unchangeable beginning the Spirit of Grace But if the Faith and Holinesse of Adam was changeable how Object could he be secure or free from distracting feares the answer is the mind of Adam which was wholly fixed and set in the admiration and sense of Gods goodnesse could not admit of such thoughts such cogitations could not creep into it 3. Whether the Covenant of works stand on foot in the posterity Quest. 3 of Adam though not in respect of life and happinesse yet in respect of the things of this life To this some answer affirmatively because many of them from some remainders of the forementioned abilities did many good things for the good of bodies politicke wherein they lived Rom. 2. 13 14 15 16. which God retributes with good things in this life to some more to some lesse but to all some And it cannot be denied but some remainders of Gods Image or notions of good and evill are to be found amongst the Heathen and that these things in them who lived without the pale of the Church have been increased by culture of nature under Discipline by Arts and Exercises and might receive improvement by vicinity to the Church from which they might learne some things to enrich them in this trade And that God hath bestowed many and great blessings upon them pertaining to this life But it may be questioned whether these things come from the compact of workes or be gifts of bounty and Gods righteous administration for a time respiting the sentence denounced against man for breach of Covenant and vouchsafing unto him some temporall good things for the use and benefit of humane Society Yea it may be worthy consideration Whether these things be not granted unto them in Jesus Christ according to the Covenant of Grace which was made upon the very
might be made for this promised Spirit by interceding Mediator-like for them and by willing the going of such graces from him as who is with God the Son but one worker though a distinct principle of working that is though distinct in nature yet the same person He therefore worketh them as his own workes from his owne power for Gods power is by unity of person made his the divine power not being without him as the power of another person then he is but being personally with him And those things which his humane nature worketh which are wrought after his humane nature the workes not of an humane but a divine person for though the nature according to which they are wrought be humane yet the person working is the person of the Sonne of God Hence it is that Christ-man doth give graces authoritativè effectivè yea according to humane action doth effect them in the highest degree that an instrumentall operation can effect any thing St Paul gives graces by laying on of hands with prayer ministerialiter not as his worke but as intreating it from God in Christ and signifying what God doth in Christ not from any power any way within his person but the power of another not as conjoyned with God as the body with the soule but as an instrument with God Christ the Head of his Church is over all to whom all things are subject He who must be a saving head to us there is great need he should be over all Could he not bind that strong one and cause him re-deliver his possession how should we ever be set at liberty Could he not dissolve the worke of Satan swallow up death create life and quickning in us our case were lamentable The sixt thing implied is That Christ God and man is the object of divine odoration Let all the Angels of heaven worship him All knees shall bow unto him All shall honour the Sonne as they honour the Father Yee believe in God believe also in me saith our Saviour In him shall the Gentiles trust So Steven called upon the Lord Jesus saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit And the Apostles in the entrance of their Epistles desire grace and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ not the Lord of Jesus Christ as some Heretikes would corrupt the text and so in the shutting up of their Epistles The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 23. Gal. 6. 18. 2 Cor. 13. 13. Phil. 4. 23. 1 Thess 5. 28. 2 Thess 3. 18. Philem. v. 25. 2 Tim. 4 22. But some object that if adoration be due to Christ God and man then it will follow that the humane nature is omniscient and almighty which followeth not because that which is spoken of the concrete or whole person is restrained to the one nature which should not be The person adored or called upon is man but the humanity it selfe only or solely or in it selfe properly taken is not the proper subject or object of that worship Albeit we may and should adore the man Christ with divine worship yet may we not adore his man-hood or his flesh and bloud Because though the man Christ be God yet his man-hood is not God and by consequence not to be worshipped with that worship which is properly and essentially divine Againe if adoration agree to the humanity of Christ then may his humanity helpe and save us But the humanity of Christ cannot helpe and save us because omnis actio est suppositi whereas the humane nature of Christ is not suppositum None of those who defend the adoring of the humanity of Christ with divine worship doe well and warrantably expresse their opinion First Some of the Schoole-men have found none other respect Aquin. 3. q. 25. Art 2. wherefore the man-hood of Christ can be said to be adored except this that the flesh of Christ is adored by him who adoreth the word incarnate even as the Kings cloathes are adored by him who adoreth the King And thus they make the flesh of Christ to be adored only by accident Ego vero saith the Arch-bishop of De Rep. Eccl. lib. 7. cap. 12. n. 43. Spalato non puto à quoquam Regis vestimenta quibus est indutus adorari And why doth he that worshippeth the King worship his cloathes more then any other thing that is about him or beside him perhaps a Hawke upon his hand c. There is no more but the Kings owne person set by the worshipper to have any state in the worship and therefore no more worshipped by him Others devise another respect wherefore the man-hood of Christ may be said to be worshipped namely that as the divine worship agrees only to the God-head and not personis praecisè sumptis i. Fr. S. Clara Expos art confess Angl. art 28. sub ratione formali constitutiva personarum quae est relatio but only as these relations identificantur with the essence of the Godhead so the man-hood of Christ is to be adored Non per se praecisè sed prout suppositatur à Deo But if by suppositatur they meane as they must meane that the man-hood is assumed into the unity of the person of the Sonne of God for otherwise if they meane that the man-hood is made a person they are Nestorians that which they say cannot warrant the worshipping of the manhood with divine worship because the man-hood even after this assumption and hypostaticall union is still for all that a creature and a distinct nature from the God-head so that it cannot yet be said to be worshipped with divine worship Dr Field layeth out a third way for whiles he admitteth the phrase of the Lutherans who say not only concretively that the Of the Church lib. 5. cap. 15. man Christ is omnipotent but the humanity also he thus distinguisheth when we speake saith he of the humanity of Christ sometimes we understand only that humane created essence of a man that was in him sometimes all that that is implied in the being of a man as well subsistence as essence But this distinction is as if a man should say sometimes by blacknesse I understand blacknesse and sometimes the subject wherein it is together with the blacknesse it selfe An abstract is no more an abstract if it have a subsistence It is the tenet of the Schoole that though in God Aqu. â—qu 13. art 1. the concrete and the abstract differ not because Deus Deitas are the same yet in creatures whereof the man-hood of Christ is one they are really different For the concrete signifieth something compleat subsisting but the abstract such as humanity signifieth something not as subsisting but as that whereby something is Wherefore when some say the flesh of Christ is to be adored the speech is not proper but figurative because properly Polan Syntag. lib. 6. cap 16. the flesh secundum se is not adored because it is a creature but
yet he had not the act and use of it That which some See Maldonat in Luk. 2 40. Quod voluntatem concernit omnes virtutes taâ—e incrementum in ea accepâ—runt quale in creaturam cadere potest Jun. Thâ—ss Theolog. 29. answer that Christ by infused knowledge knew all things and after attained another kind of knowledge which they call acquisite is not so fit because knowledge acquired and infused of the same things is of the same nature and condition and two formes or qualities of one kind cannot be in the same subject The second thing implied in Christs sitting at the right hand of the Father is to be admitted into divine blessednesse setledly to enjoy it Christ as God ever had and could not but have that essentiall beatitude and that blessednesse which he receiveth as man is not to have end The good that is in an intellectuall nature is of two sorts the one of vertue the other of sweet joyfull and pleasing delight And though both these concurre sometimes as in the fruition of God in heaven wherein the perfection of vertue and fulnesse of joy and delight doe meet together yea and though every thing that is vertuous be delightfull yet it is not so much the height of vertue as of delight that is judged happinesse Now our Saviour Christ was joyned to God by the affection of vertue or justice and Vt mori corpus Christi potuit tamen cum unionem tum effâ—ctus quosdam Deâ—tatis participare Ita mori mortem suam derelinqui anima potuit tamen uniâ—ne sua hujus unionis effectis frui Can â—â—◠〈◊〉 lib. 12. cap. 1â— Maâ—donat in Mat. 26. Isa 5â— 4. Joh. 4 6. Hâ—b 4. 15. Joh. 14. 23. Prov. â—5 â—5 Chamier tom 2. lib 5. cap 20. Nullus comprehensor est obnoxius ulâ—â—s calamitatibus could not be devided or separated from him no not for a moment because he could not but love him feare him trust in him but by the affection that seeâ—eth pleasing content in enjoying those ineffable delights and pleasures that are found in God our Saviour as man might and was for a time divided from God Moreover our Saviour Christ in his life time here on earth so restrained and kept within the closet of his secret Spirit the happinesse that he enjoyed in seeing God that it should not spread farther nor communicate it selfe to the inferiour faculties of his soule or impart the brightnesse of it to the body but it was subject to misery and passion The godly in this life doe tast not only some hope of heavenly life but the first fruits of this heavenly joy The Church and every Saint is heaven the soule of the righteous is heaven Our Saviour was both viator and comprehensor blessed in this life with that blessednesse which is not to be had but in heaven but now our Saviour advanced on the right hand of God is admitted into that incomprehensible glorious setled blessednesse never to suffer the least ecclipse for one moment which doth communicate it selfe to C ham panst tom 2. lib 4. cap 4 and 5. Maâ— 17. 2. 1 Pâ—t 1. 11. Heb. 12. 2 Phil. 3. 21. Verè contrâ—stari dolere pati non potest cui divina â—eâ—tâ—tudâ— impassibilitas verè realiâ—er communicata fuit Vrsin Tom. 2. coâ—fâ—ss de person Christ pag. 407. all powers of soule and body that it is and shall remaine for ever incorruptible impatible immortall encreased with strength and nimblenesse shining with brightnesse and glory celestiall and divine Thirdly our Saviour Christ as man is taken to have prerogative before every other creature For this phrase of setting at his right hand noteth the preheminence of him as next to God himselfe that looke as one made a King hath a dignity above all persons named in his Kingdome Dukes Earles Lords So our Saviour taken up as man to this kingly dignity must needs be in preheminence before them It is no wonder for this nature essentially appertaineth to that person which made all these things visible and invisible Againe every person the nearer he is in conjunction of bloud to an earthly King the more he hath prerogatâ—ve Col. 1. 16 Joh. 1. 3. Heb. 1. 2 3. Revel 4 ult above others more dis-joyned so this created nature seeing it is made one personally with God by how much it is more nearely united by so much it is fit that it should have prerogative before others Not to speake that being heire of all things it is meet that he should be before all who are but parts of his inheritance and having more excellent endowments I meane created gifts than any other it is meet he should have the first place before all other Christ is set farre above all principality and power and might and domination which words are commonly understood of the Angels but the two first words may fitly be interpreted as names of excellency found in this present world For principalities and powers when they are put for angelical natures they are not termed so simply but with an addition to the place but these words put for humane excellencies we reade them simply without any thing added And this distribution of power named in this world and in that to come Ephes 1. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 principatus dicuntur Rom. 8 38. Luk. 12 â—â— Significat etiam turmas 1 Sam. 11. 11. Eph 3. 10 Sept. Job 1. 17. and 6. 1â— Sept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aq. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3 â— Col. 1. 16. Drâ—s praeter in Rom. 8. 38. Deod ibid. respecteth something in this enumeration fore-named the former these two first named the latter the couple following Fourthly Christ not only as God but as man hath power above Heb. 1. 2. every creature As Mediatour he hath received a power imperiall over every creature which is apparant in this that the Apostle saith Christ is so placed above all that all are subject under Ephes 1. 21. Heb. 2. 8 9. Matth. 28. 19. Duplex est Christi dominium 1. Essentiale quod ab aeterno habet commune cum Patre 2. Vicarium seu Mediatorium quod habet a Patre in cujus locum quasi succedit Camer in Heb. 1. 2. his feet To me is given all power in Heaven and earth that is power whereunto every creature is subject He speaketh of it as done because it was immediatly to be performed This person as God receiving by voluntary dispensation this honour from the Father that he should in an immediate and appropriate manner execute government over all creatures in heaven and earth the same person as man participating in this Kingly divine authority so farre that he should instrumentally concurre in executing all that judgement which Christ according to his divine nature did principally effect Though the Father and the Spirit have a right and soveraignty over the creature yet they doe not immediatly
execute this in such manner as the Sonne doth who hath received a right of executing immediatly and in a manner appropriat to his person the soveraigne dominion of God over every creature The Sonne by voluntary dispensation sent by the Father did emptie himselfe of exercising and shewing forth his right and dominion over every creature and the Father by voluntary dispensation doth resigne to the Sonne the immediate execution of all power over every creature till that time that all things be subdued under him This the Scripture doth lay downe as in regard of earthly powers Rev. 1. 5. they are subject for he is ruler of the Kings of the earth He hath this royall state written on his thigh as it were King of Kings Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. That he hath power over the Heb. 1. 4 6. col 2. 10. Angells is plaine both by the reverence they doe him and their obedience towards him Every knee boweth unto him the evill Angells yeeld signes of subjection either deceitfully to wrong ends or by force compelled though their state is such they cannot doe it religiously as the other And if Christ have power to send forth dispose of and imploy the Angells he hath power to take account how that he setteth them about is dischardged The evill Angells could not enter the Swine without his leave and they are subject to his judgement when the Saints shall judge the Angells what power hath Christ himselfe this way And as for the excellencies on earth they all receive their power from Christ and are at his dispose yea the Apostle saith He is crowned with glory and honour and all things are put under his feet Heb. 2. 7 8. Joh. 17. 2. Camer in Heb. 7 8. Par Ibid. Antithesis est inter Christi statuâ— sedentis aâ— dextram Patris expientu in cruce peccata nostra The Apostle speakes of that dominion which Christ received over all the creatures of God none excepted but if all things be subjected to the feet of Christ is not the humane nature every where No for the phrase in Scripture is not to be understood of subjection locall or corporall but imperiall sc that the man Christ is King of heaven and earth having all things subjected to his command This power and glory which Christ as man received is not infinite simply for then it should be the deity it selfe which he should not have had in the state of humiliation but the deity he had before not by habituall infusion but by personall union And if Christ by vertue of the hypostaticall union had received all fulnesse of the God-head that is all divine Properties as some interpret it it is not possible he should have received greater or more ample glory for greater then that which is infinite cannot be bestowed But the Scripture speaketh expressely that Christ as man was truly and really glorified or that he obtained that glory and Majesty which before he had not sc as man And if the humane nature be infinite or eternall of necessity the Incarnation of Christ and sitting at the right hand of the Father must be really the same if they be not abolished and the humane nature made equall unto if not the same with the divine The right hand of God absolutely considered must not so be interpreted as if it was all one with the phrase of sitting at the right hand of God For by the right hand of God is signified his power wisedome protection providence c. but by the other the exaltation of Christ and communication of Majesty and rule which he may exercise and shew forth every where without the omnipresence of his humane nature Neither are we to imagine that Christ hath all things or places or times so subjected to himselfe that he doth forth-with change their natures by this subjection Col. 1. 19. â— â— Vorst Deo placuerit in Christo â— per Christum iâ—habitare totam pleniâ—udinem be totam ecclesiam much lesse that he doth make them to be and not to be at the same time as to make all places to be one indivisible title or all times to be one point for so it should be divisible and indivisible the same and not the same together It is objected that the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth bodily in Christ that is the whole essence Majesty and glory of God dwelleth in the humane nature And we are to conceive the person there spoken of sc the beloved Sonne as man as incarnate The reason is because the second person in Trinity the Sonne of Tota Dei plenitudo est universa Dei voluntas Majestas quatenus a nobis cognosci potest debet Id. Vrsin Vbi supra Pag. 601. Omnis plenitudo Deitatis inhabitat in Christo homine non sicut in alijs sanctu gratia tantum in habitationis seu assistentiae nec reali communicatione seu confirmatione seâ— reali unâ—one cum humanitare sic ut unitae sint duae naturae inseperabiliter personaliter 2 Cor. 6. 16. God absolutely considered hath all fulnesse not by voluntary dispensation but by naturall necessity in as much as the eternall Father never was nor could be without his eternall Sonne God with himselfe In Christ his person there is a threefold fulnesse the first fundamentall sc the fulnesse of the divine nature which doth personally dwell with that man-hood in Christ whence it comes to passe that this man is truly called God that is the manhood taken into fellowship of the selfe perfect and eternall person of the Sonne of God so that it is become as a part of his person The second is the fulnesse of office to which even Christ man is called For in regard of his humane nature now united to the second person he is man called to be the Christ of God that is annointed our Prophet Priest and King The third the fulnesse of created or habituall graces wherewith the soule of Christ is filled which are not divine properties for no created gift can be a Propertie divine but effects which the God-head worketh distinct from it as the soule giveth life to the body Now for the dwelling of all fulnesse in Christ man the latter two are in him subjectively the former that as the God-head doth dwell in Christ man not as in the Saints by relation of love and communion of the effects of it in grace nor as in the glorified Saints in regard of aboundant love manifested in the gift of glory nor any such simple cohabitation but it dwelleth in the manhood as with a nature which is taken to unity of person in the Sonne of God and so is through grace become of the substance of the second person So that Christ as man hath the second person of Trinity God with the Father and Spirit dwelling personally in it so that this manhood is essentially and substantially coupled with the deity in unity of one selfâ—-perfect and