Collection of Discourses, Part 11 · Subpart 13
OF THE OFFICE AND PERSON OF Chriſt the onelyonly Mediator.
Diſputed by D. Zach. Vrſine in the Vniverſitie of Heidelberge for his degree of Doctorſhip, an. 1562.
The Proeme.
WHereas God hath not only appointed in his church a miniſterie of his word, and cōmāded & approved this vocatiō to the office of teaching, which is practiſed in the church; but alſo hath cōmēded this moſt high & dāgerous functiō of all others that are performed by men, to thoſe which hauehave both the knowledge of heauenlie doctrine, and alſo indifferent abilitie to deliuer the ſame, and by innocencie of life giuegive vntounto the hearers examples, of that which they teach: and doth by the mouth of S. Paule pronounce them guiltie of others offence, which place or conſent to them that place in this order men vnfit, that is, ſuch as by life or evill doctrine giuegive offence to the church. 2 Tim. 5. Lay not thy handes raſhly one anie, & be not partaker of others offences: theſe things I ſay being ſo, it is without doubt neceſſary, that ſuch as in churches or ſchooles ſhall vndertake parte of this labour of teaching, bee firſt heard by ſuch as can iudg of the truth of doctrine, and willinglie ſubmit themſelues to the triall & cenſure of men. I therefore, although in cōfidence of mine owne worthineſſe I may ſo little preſume to preſent my ſelfe to this publique view of learned men and young ſtudents, that I bring neither learning, nor experience, nor iudgment, nor anie thing at all to plead in my behalfe for the patient preſence and attention of the learned, beſides great trembling, and earneſt entreatie of Gods aſſiſtance and your fauour: yet ſeeing they who hauehave ben ſome times cōuerſant in ſcholes ſhould not draw back from triall; and ſeeing it is a part of ingenuity & faithful dealing, not to conceale euē a mans owne weaknes: I hauehave thought it fit both for diſcharg of my duty & my further learning, not peremptorily to withſtand their commaund, whoſe pleaſure it is that I ſhould come into this place.
But becauſe the cuſtome and purpoſe of theſe diſputations is to determine vponupon ſome principal pointes of Chriſtianity, I hauehave determined at this time to repeate & diſcuſſe that argument of ſcripture, which is touching the office and perſon of one onlie mediatour betweene God and man, evē Chriſt Ieſus our Lord: both becauſe it compriſeth a ſhort grounde and ſumme of Chriſtianity; as alſo becauſe ever our forreine and hom-bread contentions do moſt concerne this point. I purpoſe therefore after my manner to recite as breifely and plainly as I can, the ſence and meaning of ſome propoſitions, togeather which reaſons and teſtimonies taken out of holy ſcripture.
1. Poſition
After man by ſin was ſeparated from God, the moſt abſolute and perfect a iuſtice of God, would not ſuffer him to be reconciled vntounto God, except ſome b very man, borne of that mankind which had ſinned, yet himſelfe free c from al ſpot of ſin, had endured ſufficient puniſhment for mans ſins, and perfourmed the full obedience of Gods law.
a. Gen. 2. 17. In the daie that thou eateſt therof thou ſhalt die the death Deut. 27. 26. Curſed be he that cō tinueth not in all the wordes of this lawe to doe them, Mat. 5. 26. Thou ſhalt not come out thence till thou haſt paide the vtmoſt farthinge. Rom. 8▪ 3. God ſending his own ſonne cōdēned ſinne in the fleſh, that we &c.
b. Rom. 5. 12. 15. As by one man ſin entered into the worlde, &c. Cor. 15. 21. For ſince by man came death, by man alſo came the reſurrectiō of the dead. 1. Tim. 25. Heb. 2. 14. 15. 16. Aug. de ver… relig. That nature was to bee aſſumed which was to be delivered.
c. 2. Cor. 5. 21. He made him which knew no ſin for vsus &c. Heb. 7. 26. For ſuch an high Prieſt it became vsus to hauehave, which is holy, innocent, vndefiled &c.
II. But the merit of no perſō which was not God, could be equall to the ſin of all man-kind, much leſſe greater then it d. Act. 20. 28. God hath purchaſed his church with his owne bloud. Rom. 18. 3. When it was impoſſible to the law in as much as it was weake becauſe of the fleſh, God &c.
III. Such a perſon alſo as had beene only a creature, could not hauehave ben able to endure the weight of Gods anger againſt the ſins of mākind, and to deliver himſelfe out of it.
e. Pſal. 30. Lord of thou marke what is do…e amiſſe, who ſhall be able to endure it? Deut. 4. 24. The Lorde thy God is a conſuming fire.
IV. Moreouer it ſtood him vponupon by his deſert & interceſſion to obteine, & by his power to reſtore vntounto vsus that righteouſeneſſe & life which we had loſt, & to free vsus from ſin & death, & to defend & ſaue vsus vntill we were perfectly reſtored. f.
f. 1. Cor. 15. 21. By man came the reſurrection of the dead. Ioh. 10. 28. I giuegive vntounto my ſheepe eternall life▪ Ioh. 6. 39. & 15. 26. Mat. 11. 27. Eph. 4, 8. 9. 1…. Heb. 7. 26. 1. Cor 15. 22. 23.
V▪ Laſtly it is neceſſarie that all which ſhould bee ſaued, being engraffed into the body of this mediator, ſhould be borne & caried by him for ever. g.
g. Eph. 3. 17. That Chriſt by faith may dwell in our hearts. Io. 15. 4. Abide in me, & I…n you. As the brāch cānot beare fruit in it ſelfe except it abide in the vine: ſo neither can you except ye abide in me. Rom. 8. 9. He that hath not the spirit of Chriſt is none of his.
VI. For theſe cauſes therfore in the mediator Chriſt is the divine nature, which is the ſecōd perſō of the deity, & is called the word, & the onelyonly …begottē ſōne of the eternal father, one God with the father & the holy Ghoſt, cōſubſtātial & equal to the father in all things. h.
h. Ioh. 1. In the beginning was the word, & the word was with God, & the word was God. Rom. 9. 5. Which is God aboue all, to be praiſed for ever. Phil. 2. 6. Who being in the forme of God, thought it no robbery to be equal to God. &c. Cor. 2. 9. In him dwelleth all the fulneſſe of the Godhead bodilie. 1. Tim. 5. 16. God was manifeſted in the fleſh. Heb. 1. 8. But vntounto the ſonne he ſaid▪ thy ſeat, ò God, endureth for euer. 1. Ioh. 5. 20. And we are in him that is true, that is in his ſōne Ieſus Chriſt: this ſame is verie God and eternall life.
VII. There is alſo in him i an humane nature, true & whole, cōſiſting of a ſoule & a body, formed by nature of the holy Ghoſt of the ſubſtāce of the virgin Mary his mother, & frō the very inſtāte of cō ceptiō perfectly ſāctified together with the ſoule.
1. Gen. 3. The ſeede of the woman. Gen. 1…. The ſeed of Abraham. Ma…. 1. the ſōne of Abraham & Dauid Rom. 1. Of the ſeed of David according to the fleſh. Luc. 1. The fruit of Maries wombe. Heb. 2. Partaker of fleſh & bloud: he tooke vntounto him the ſeed of Abraham. Mar. 26. My ſoule is heavie euen to the death.
VIII. But this perſon of the Deitie alone, which is called the word, did ſo aſ…ume vntounto it ſelfe the nature of mā, that both theſe natures from the time of conception and after do inſeparably remaine one perſon, and the maſſe of the humane nature is carried and ſupported by the deitie. k.
k. Ioh. 1. The worde was made fleſh. Col. 2. In him dwelleth all the fulneſſe of the Godhead corporally Heb. 2. He tooke vntounto him the ſeed of Abrahā. Act. 20. God purchaſed vntounto himſelfe the church by his owne bloud.
IX. Neither yet by this vnion is one nature chāged into an other, but both do ſtill retaine their diſtinct properties, whereby the creating nature is diſtinguiſhed from the creature. l.
l. Rom. 1. He was made of the ſeede of David according to the fleſh. 1. Pet. 3. Mortified the fleſh, quickned in the ſpirit. 1. Pet. 4. Hee tooke on him the ſhape of a ſl…ue.
X. Hence is it that names ſignifying the office of Chriſt are as well & truely attributed to both natures ſeverallie, as to the whole perſon: but the proprieties agreeing only to one nature, cannot be truelie ſaid of the other nature by it ſelfe, but may well be attributed to the whole perſon, by that forme of ſpeech, which they cal a communicating of proprieties. m.
m. Leo ad Flavian. cap. 4. See Damaſ…en de fide orthodox…. lib. 3. cap. 4.
XI. Therefore all Chriſt is everie where, although his humane nature, ſince his aſcenſion vntill the da…e of the laſt iudgment, be no where but in heaven. n.
n. Math. 28. 6. He is riſen, he is not here, Mat. 26. 11. Mee y…e hauehave not alwaies with you. Ioh. 16. 28. I leaue the world & go vntounto my father. Act. 3. 21. Whom the heavens muſt containe, vntill the time of reſtoring of all thinges.
XII. And the godlie in what place of heauen of earth ſo ever they abide, are vnited to the humane nature aſſumed by the ſon of God, as members to their head, the ſame holy ſpirit dwelling in Chriſt by vnitie of eſſence with the word, & in the godlie by grace. o.
o. 1. Cor. 12. 13. By one ſpirit we are all baptiſed into one body. Eph. 4. 4. There is one bodie and one ſpirit. 1. Ioh. 4. 13. By this we know that we abide in him and hee in vsus, becauſe he hath given vsus of his ſpirit. Rom. 8. 11. If the ſpirit of him who hath raiſed &c: dwell in you &c. Iren. lib. 3. cap. 19. As of drie meale one lumpe cannot be made, nor one bread: ſo neither could we which are many, be made one in Chriſt Ieſus, without that water which is from heaven.
A THANKES GIVING AFTER HIS DISPVTATION.
OVt of queſtion there is no wiſe man which can chuſe but thinke well and honorably of ſcholaſtical exerciſes, if he vnderſtand the weightie cauſes for which they are performed: namely that the doctrine of God & other things whoſe knowledg the life of man eſpecially needeth, may be publiquely taught & vnfolded, the conſent of many good men in the truth may be ſhewed & mainteined, & true opiniōs may be illuſtrated & confirmed in the minds of learners. It is a worthy aunciēt ſaying recited by Plato, Neither gold not diamond ſo gliſtereth to the eie, as the cōſent betweene good men in opiniō. But much more louely & acceptable to the good and vertuous in the quiet conferences of good & well meaning men is the vſe of that thing wherof this is ſpoken. For therefore doth God preſerue ſchools & churches, becauſe he would hauehave the doctrine of himſelfe & his will, to be publiquelie profeſſed. And that it is moſt true that cōference hath brought forth artes & ſciences, the examples of many men ſhew, who are not deſtitute of witt, but becauſe they hauehave none to teach them beſides themſelues, they are not only deceaued in many things, but alſo ſ…eldom eſcape ſelf-pleaſing arrogancy, & other faults which follow neglect of conference. For which cauſes their good intent deſerueth cō mendation, which endeuour to encourage or grace theſe meetings, with their diſcourſe, or preſence, or paines, or authoritie, or approbation.
Firſt therefore wee giuegive thankes vntounto the eternall God our father, and his ſonne our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, for preſeruing & maintaining ſchools and other places of entertainement & releife, and would hauehave the pure light of the Goſpell to ſhine both in others & alſo in this our ſocietie, cheriſhing and furthering it with the ſtudies of the beſt arts. Alſo I thanke our Honorable Chancellor & other right worſhipfull & reverend men, alſo the learned maiſters and ſtudious young men, who hauehave partely by their adviſe inſtructed me, partly by their preſence graced my exerciſe, & declared their good wil towards it. I beſeech God that he would vouchſafe to encreaſe and continue vntounto all and everie of vsus thoſe benefittes which hitherto he hath beſtowed on vsus to the aduancemēt of his glorie, & the ſaluation of vsus and many others beſides, through IESVS CHRIST our Lord. Amen.
A THANKS GIVINGE AFTER HIS DEGREE TAKEN.
THe greateſt benefits that God hath beſtowed, and ſuch as are farre to be prefered before all others of this life, are theſe, that he gathereth and reſerueth to himſelfe an euerlaſting Church, makinge vsus citizens thereof: that hee giueth peace to ſmall ſtates vvhichwhich are retiringe and reſtinge places of the Church: that hee hath placed ouer them gouernours ſeruing him in true religion, cheriſhinge the church and all good learning: that hee vpholdeth ſchooles; and giveth vntounto them fit teachers, and inflameth the mindes of ſome men with deſire of learning the truth and delivering it to poſteritie, but eſpeciallie that he ſendeth amongſt vsus the light of the goſpell, clenſing & refining it from idols, freeing vsus from Antichriſtian darkenes, ordaining ſtrength out of the mouthes of infantes and ſucklings, at whoſe voice alone the very gates of hell, though terrible in themſelues, do tremble & fall to everlaſting ruine. It is out of queſtion that al theſe benefits doe not happen vntounto vsus by chance, or mās wiſedome, but are given and continued to vsus by the ſingular providence and bountie of God, as may appeare partly by their greatnes and excellencie, and partly by this, that amongſt ſo greate furies of the worlde and the devill, and ſo great weakenes & infirmitie of thēſelues, they coulde not otherwiſe be retained.
Firſt therefore wee giuegive eternall thankes vntounto almightie GOD, for vouchſafing to beſtow vponupon vsus ſo great benefits. Secondly we giuegive them alſo their due commendations, who by their godlineſſe and vertue deſire to preſerue theſe benefites to mankinde. VVherefore with all reverence and duetie wee thanke the moſt mightye Prince Elector our gracious Lorde,Fredericke the third. for encouraging and gracing this ſchoole and all good artes with exceeding louelove and curteſie. Alſo vvee thanke all other the noble and vertuous gentlemen, eſpeciallie our worthy Chancellour. Laſtlie, wee thanke the Right worſhipfull and learned Doctors and Maiſters, our reverende and very good Patrons, and all the reſt of the learned and honeſt ſorte, who gracing this my publique proceeding with their preſence, hauehave wit…eſſed their good will towards vsus and our ſtudies, and would hauehave our calling commended to God in their publique praiers: And I hartely beſeech GOD, that he woulde vouchſafe the encreaſe & continuance of theſe his great benefits which he hath beſtowed vponupon v…, and woulde graunte vsus all grace to vſe them to his glory, and the good of his Church, through IESVS CHRIST our Lord, Amen.