A Model of Divinity, Chapter 22
CHAPTER XXII. Of Redemption.
Queſtion.
HItherto of mans Apoſtaſie, what is mans Anaſtaſie, or returne to God againe?
Anſw. It is the ioyfull reduction, or bringing of man againe into favour with God. Rom. 5.8.9.10. 1 Theſſ. 5.9. Here we need not doubt vnderunder Chriſt, without feare of premunire, or offence to the crowne and dignitie of the iuſtice of God, to affirme of faith in the merites of our Saviour, that its Gods ſtrong arme and power, to the enliuing and ſauing of eueryevery ſoule. So that now with a Non obſtante, we may looke vp to God in Chriſt, and without the law of workes, receiue a better eſtate by the Goſpell then ever we inioyed.
Q. What are the parts of our riſing againe?
A. Two; Redemption, and application. Ioh. 3.14. There is a lifting vp of Chriſt on his Croſſe, and a beleeuing in him for life. ver. 16. Gods louelove in giuing his ſonne for vsus, and then application of him by the Spirit.
Q. What is Redemption?
A. A ſatisfaction made vntounto the inſtice of God for man by a Redeemer. Rom. 3.24.25.26. And here comes in the ſpeciall worke of the ſecond perſon: thus farre wee hauehave gone with the Fathers worke, both in Creation & Providence; and now in a ſpeciall manner the Sonne doth manifeſt himſelfe; for the Father can goe no further without him.
How is it wrought?
A. By a Mediator, who doth intercede betwixt God and man: the Father is offended, and cannot be reconciled without ſome mediation. All was made vnholy when the firſt Adam ſinned; It is the ſecond Adam that muſt rectifie all; Moſes the ſervant built the houſe with a partition wall in the midſt. Eph. 2.24. Chriſt the ſonne pulled downe that Screene, and caſt all into one, bringing both Iew and Gentile into favour with God. The worke therefore is more properly a mediation then a redemption; or, a redemption by mediation. 1 Tim. 2.5.
Q. Who is the Mediator?
A. Ieſus Chriſt, both God and man, who yeſterday, to day, and for ever, is the Saviour of mankinde. They that were yeſterday, yea, from the worlds beginning, were ſaued by him alone, ſo they that liue to day, or ſhall come afterwards into the world, doe all expect for ſalvation by him. Heb. 13.8. He redeemes, becauſe we are captiues; he mediates, becauſe there is a controverſie betwixt God and vsus, and that continually, becauſe Gods wrath would ever be breaking forth, except our Mediator ſtood in the gap for vsus.
Q. Why is Chriſt called Ieſus?
A. Becauſe the end of his mediation was to bring vsus to ſaluation. Moſes brings the people into the wilderneſſe: but Ioſhna, a type of Chriſt, into Canaan. Moſes dies in the deſert, and ſees not the promiſed land: ſhewing plainely, that the law can lead vsus into deſolation, but Chriſt, and the Goſpell muſt bring vsus out of it. Zerubbabel, a Captaine of Gods people, and a type of the law, carries them out of captivitie: ſo the law, when it ſayth, Doe and liue, ſhewes plainely, how man may be ſaued: but Ioſhua a prieſt, or ſacrificer, muſt be ioyned with him, or elſe in Canaan it ſelfe, the people were to be caſt out againe. Theſe were liuely types of Chriſt, by whom alone wee are brought to heaven, and confirmed in the happineſſe of it. Math. 1.21. 1 Tim. 2.5.6.
Q. Why Chriſt?
A. As Ieſus is the proper name; ſo this is the name of his office, and it ſignifies, his anointing. Kings, Prieſts, and Prophets were all anointed, as types of Chriſt to come. Henee the name Meſſias; in whom the materiall anointing ceaſeth, he receiued the thing ſignified by it aboue all his fellowes. Pſal. 45.7. Luk. 4.18. Act. 4.27. and 10.38. Heb. 1.9. 1 King. 19.1. Lev. 8.12. 1 King. 19.16. Both the Teſtaments tell vsus of Chriſt bequeathed, and teach vsus, that hee was that Chriſt, that is deſcribed in both: hence in the old Teſtament, we hauehave Prieſtly, Princely, and Propheticall Bookes: ſo in the new, the Goſpels are regall, ſhewing that Chriſt was that King of the Iewes. The Epiſtles are more ſacerdoticall, beginning for the moſt part with prayers and ſupplications. And the Revelation of Saint Iohn, is meerely Propheticall. And all theſe are neceſſary in Chriſt, to make him a complete Saviour: we ſtand in need of them all, and of their daily exerciſe.
Q. Why ſhould Chriſt be a Prophet?
A. That he might reveale vntounto man the will of his Father, and be the onelyonly Doctor of the Church. Luk. 4.18. Chriſt was anointed to preach the Goſpell. Deut. 18.15.18. Math. 21.11. Luk. 7.16.
Q. Why a Prieſt?
A. That he might make a full ationement with the Father for man, and reconcile vsus daily vntounto him, both by his expiation and interceſſion. Math. 20.28. Luk. 4.18. 1 Ioh. 2.2. & 4.10. Pſal. 110.4. Zech. 6.13. Heb. 5.6. & 7.3.
Q. Why a King?
A. That he might rule and governe them, whom as a Prophet he had taught, and as a Prieſt he had reconciled to his Father, ſubduing his and their enemies, and procuring them peace and proſperitie continually. Pſal. 2.6. Math. 21.5. Rev. 17.14. & 19.16.
Q. Why God and man?
A. That he might redeeme vsus by paying a price ſufficient: as likewiſe being Mediator, he might communicate with both natures, which were by him to be reconciled; that being inferior to his Father as touching his manhood, and ſuperior to man as touching his God-head, he might the better bring both together againe. Gal. 3.20. Phil. 2.6.7. 1 Tim. 2.5. Heb. 8.6. and 9.15. and 12.24. Hence in Hebrew, the name Immanuel, and in Greeke, Theanthroopos. Iſa. 7.14. God-man, or God with vsus, and in our fleſh.
Q. What is here to be obſerved?
A. Two things; The diſtinction of theſe two natures, and their perſonall vnion. Io. 1.1. The word was God. v. 14 The word was made fleſh. Truely God, truely man, and yet but one Mediator.
Q. What is the diſtinction?
A. Whereby the two natures remaine diſtinct in him, both in themſelues, and their properties. Math. 28.20. Vbiquitie is proper to the divinitie of Chriſt, and not his humanitie. Ioh. 16.7. Abſence proper to the humane nature. 1 Tim. 3.16. God manifeſted in the fleſh, not confounded with it. 1 Pet. 1.18. Dying and quickning are proper to the diſtinct natures of Chriſt. Yet this we are to vnderſtand, that there is a tropicall communion of properties, in regard of the whole, wherein theſe parts are vnited, as God dies, that is, he that is both God and man. The people thought, Chriſt did contradict himſelfe, and the Scriptures. Ioh. 12.35. Meſſias abideth for ever, and thou ſayeſt, he dieth, &c. Both theſe are true, Meſſias liueth when he dieth, and dyeth when he liueth. There was never a ſeparation of his two natures, though body and ſoule parted for a while. Wee muſt therefore hold, that neither the God-head is at any time changed into the manhood, nor yet the manhood into the God-head. Luk. 24.39. 1 Pet. 4.1. Furthermore, we are to learne, that Chriſts humane nature is like vntounto ours in all things, but in ſinne, and manner of ſubſiſting. Phil. 1.7.8. Heb. 2.17. and 4.15.
Q. What is the perſonall vnion of theſe two natures?
A. Whereby the nature aſſuming, and nature aſſumed make one Meſſias, or Mediator betwixt God and man: the nature aſſuming, is infinite, and his action is incomprehenſible; yet this we may ſafely affirme, that the ſecond perſon in Trinitie immediately aſſumes, and then the God-head: ſo that our fleſh is firſt taken by a perſon, and hence our nature aſſumed, is without all perſonall ſubſiſtence in it ſelfe, and is inſeparably conioyned with the divine nature, and doth wholly ſubſiſt, that is, the whole manhood ſubſiſts in the whole God-head; for whole God is in heauen, & whole God is on earth, becauſe the divine nature hath no parts, and ſo our fleſh is not in a part of the God-head, but wholly in the whole. And yet not eueryevery where with the whole. For the aſſumption is not by way of extenſion, as a forme extends his matter: but of ineffable vnion, humane nature hauing no ſtanding of it ſelfe, but by the divine nature. It is locally circumſcribed, as hauing quantitie, and conſiſts as a finite thing within the limites of eſſence, being truely compounded of matter, and forme. And yet it hath neither parts, nor paſſions, eſſence, or accidents, which are not aſſumed vntounto the divine nature: when body and ſoule were aſunder, and locally in diverſe places, then were both of them inſeparably knit vntounto the God-head. Ioh. 1.14. Coloſ. 2.9. The Papiſts ſay, Chriſt was Mediator according to his humane nature, which is contrary to this perſonall vnion; for, as the perſon aſſuming, giues the nature aſſumed ſubſiſtence, ſo action, and it is not able to doe any thing without it. Therefore according to both natures, Chriſt redeemes, and the worke is not to be devided. Furthermore, we ſay the ſecond perſon aſſumes, not the firſt, for he is principally offended; not the third, for he is to teſtifie of the reconciliation: yet ſuch is the vnion that wee come by it, both to the Father, and the Spirit. For immediately the ſecond perſon aſſumes, then the Deitie, and hauing fellowſhip with that, wee hauehave it alſo with the Father and Spirit. Now if the divine nature ſhould firſt aſſume, then would the action be the Fathers; or if the Spirit, then ſhould the Father hauehave two Sonnes, &c.