The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2 · Chapter 12
The. xii. Chapter. ¶That it behoued, that Christ, to performe the office of the Mediatour, should be made man.
NOw, it much behoued vsus that he should be bothe God and man, whiche should be our Mediatour. If a man aske of the necessitie, it was not in deede a symple or absolute necessitie, as they commonly call it, but it proceded from the heauenly decree, whereupon hanged all the saluation of men. But the most mercifull father apointed that which should be best for vsus. For whereas our owne iniquities had, as it were, cast a cloude betwene him and vsus, and vtterly excluded vsus from the kingdome of heauen, no mā could be the interpreter for restoryng of our peace, but he that could atteine vntounto God. But whoe could hauehave atteyned vntounto him? coulde any of the sonnes of Adam? But all they dyd with theyr father shūne the sight of God for feare. Could any of the Angels? but they also had neede of a head, by whose knittyng together they might perfectly and vnseuerably cleaue vntounto God. What then? It was past all hope, vnlesse the very maiestie of God wold descend vntounto vsus, for we could not ascende vntounto it. So it behoued that the sonne of God should become for vsus Immanuel, that is, God with vsus: and that in this sort, that by mutuall ioynyng, his godhed and the nature of man might grow into one together. Otherwise neyther could ye nerenesse be nere enough, nor the allyance stronge enough for vsus to hope by, that God dwelleth with vsus. So greate was the disagreement betwene our filthinesse, and the moste pure cleannesse of God. Although manne had stande vndefiled without any spot, yet was his estate to base to atteyne to God without a Mediatour. What could he then do beyng plenged downe into death and hell with deadly fall, defiled with so many spottes, strikyng with his owne corruption, and ouerwhelmed with all accur…ednesse?i. Tim. ij.iii. Therfore not without cause. Paule meanyng to set forth Christe for the Mediator, doth expresly recite that he is Man. Our Mediator sayth he) of God & man, the man Iesus Christ. He might hauehave sayd, God: or at ye least he might hauehave left the name of Man as well as of God. But bycause the holy ghost speakyng by his mouth, knew our weakenesse: therfore to prouide for it in time, he vsed a most fit remedie, setting amōg vsus the sonne of God familiarly as one of vsus. Therefore least any man should trouble himself to know where the Mediatour is to be sought, or whiche waye to come vntounto him, in namyng Man, he putteth vsus in minde that he is nere vntounto vsus, yea so nere that he toucheth vsus, for asmuch as he is our owne fleshe. Truely he meaneth there euen the same thyng that in an other place is set out with moe wordes: that we hauehave not a bishop that can not hauehave compassion of our infirmities,Hebr. iiii.xv. for asmuche as he was in all thinges tempted as we are, only sinne excepted.
That shall also appere more plainely, if we consider how it was no meane thyng that the Mediatour had to do: that is, so to restore vsus into the fauour of God, as to make vsus of the children of men, the childrē of God: of the heyres of hell, the heyres of the kingdome of heauē. Whoe coulde doe that, vnlesse the sonne of God were made also the sonne of manne, and so take oures vponupon hym to conueye his vntounto vsus, and to make that oures by grace, whiche was his by nature? Therefore by this earnest we trust, that we are the chyldren of God, bicause the naturall sonne of God hath shapen for himselfe a bodie of our body, fleshe of our fleshe, bones of our bones, that he might be all one with vsus. He disdayned not to take that vponupon hym whiche was propre vntounto vsus, to make agayne that to belonge to vsus whiche he had propre to himselfe, and that so in common together with vsus, he might be bothe the sonne of God and the sonne of man. Hereupon cōmeth that holy brotherhode whiche he commendeth with his owne mouth when he sayth:Ih. x.xvii. I goe vp to my father and your father, my God and your God. By this meane is the inheritance of the kingedome of beauen assured vntounto vsus: for that the only sonne of God, to whome it wholly did proprely belonge, hath adopted vsus into his brethren: bycause yf we be brethren,Rom. viii xvii. then are we partakers of the inheritaunce. Moreouer it was for the same cause very profitable, that he whyche should be our redemer, shoulde be bothe very God and very manne. It was his office to swallowe vp death: whoe coulde doe that but lyfe it selfe? It was his office to ouercome sinne: whoe coulde doe that but ryghteousenesse it selfe? It was his office to vanquish the powers of the worlde and of the ayre: whoe coulde doe that but a power aboue bothe worlde and ayre: Nowe in whose possession is life, or righteousnesse, or the empire & power of heauen, but in Gods alone? Therefore the moste mercifull God, in the persone of his only begotten sonne, made himselfe our redemer, when his will was to hauehave vsus redemed.
An other principal point of our reconciliation with God was this, that man which had lost by his disobedience, shuld for remedie set obedience against it, should satisfie the iudgement of God, & paye the penaltie of sinne. Therfore there came forth the true man, our Lord, he put on the persone of Adam, & toke vponupon him his name to entre into his stede in obeyeng his father, to yeld our fleshe the pryce of the satisfaction to the iust iudgement of God, and in the same fleshe suffer the peyne that we had deserued. For asmuch as therefore neyther beyng only God he could fele death, nor beyng only man he could ouercome death, he coupled the nature of man with the nature of God, that he might yelde the one subiect to death to satisfie for sinnes. and by the power of the other he might wrastle with death, & get victorie for vsus. They therfore that spoile Christ eyther of his godhed or of his manhode, do in deede eyther diminishe his maiestie & glory, or obscure his goodnesse: but on the other side they do no lesse wrong vntounto mē whose faith they do thereby weaken and ouerthrowe, which can not stande but restyng vponupon this fundation. Byside that, it was to be hoped, that the Redemer should be the sonne of Abraham and Dauid, whyche God had promised in the lawe and the Prophetes. Wherby the godly mindes do gather this other frute, that beyng by the very course of his pedigree brought to Dauid and Abraham, they do the more certainely knowe that this is the same Christ that was spoken of by so many oracles. But this whiche I euen now declared, is principally to beholden in mynde, that the common nature betwene him and vsus is a pledge of our felowship with the sonne of God: yt he clothed with our flesh vāquished death & sinne together, that the victorie so might be oures and the triūph oures: that he offred vp for sacrifice the flesh that he receyued of vsus, that hauyng made satisfaction he might wype away our giltinesse, and appease the iust wrath of his father.
He that shalbe diligently hedefull in cōsidering these things as he ought, wil easily neglect those wādryng speculatiōs that …auish vntounto them light spirites & desirous of noueltie: of which sort is, that Christ shuld hauehave ben mā, although there had ben no neede of remedie to redeme mākinde. I graunt yt in the first degree of creation, & in …he state of nature vncorrupted he was set as head ouer Angels and mē. For which cause Paule calleth him the first begotten of al creatures.Col. i.xv. … sithe al the Scripture crieth out, that he was clothed wt flesh, that he might be the Redemer: it is to much rashe presumptiō to imagine any other cause or end. To what end Christ was promised frō the beginning it is well enough knowē: eue to restore the world fallē in ruine, and to succour men beyng lost. Therefore vnderunder the law, the image of him was set forth in sacrifices, to make the faythful to hope that God would be mercyfull to them, when after satisfaction made for sinne, he should be reconciled. But whereas in all ages, euen when the law was not yet published, the Mediatour was neuer promised without blood: we gather that he was apointed by the eternal counsell of God to purge the filthinesse of men, for that the shedyng of bloud is a tokē of expiation. The Prophetes so preached of hym yt they promised that he should be the recōciler of God and men. That one specially notable testimonie of Esaye shall suffice vsus for all,Esa. liij.xiv. where he fortelleth, that he shalbe stricken with the hande of God for the sinnes of the people, that the chastisement of peace should be vponupon him: and that he should be a priest that should offer vp himself for sacrifice: that of his woūdes should come health to other: and that, bicause al hauehave strayed and ben scattered abrode like shepe, therfore it pleased God to punish him, that he might beare the iniquities of all. Sithe we heare that Christe is properly apointed by God to help wretched sinners, who so euer passeth beyond these boundes, he doth to much follow foolish curiositie. Nowe when himself was ones come, he affirmed this to be the cause of his cōmyng, to appease God, and gather vsus vp from death into life. The same thyng did the Apostles testifie of him.Ioh. i.ix. So Iohn before that he teacheth that the Worde was made fleshe, declareth of the fallyng awaye of manne. But he himselfe is to be hearde before all, when he speaketh thus of his owne office:Ioh. i.xiiij So God loued the world, that he gaue his only begotten sonne, that who so euer beleueth in him shuld not perish, but hauehave euerlasting life. Againe:Iohn. iii.xvi. Ioh. v.xxv Iohn. xi. Mat. xviij Matt. ix. The houre is come that the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God, and they that heare it, shal liue. I am the resurrection and life: he that beleueth in me, although he be dead, shall liue. Agayne. The sonne of mā cometh to saue that whiche was lost. Agayne. The whole neede not a Physician. I should neuer make an ende, if I should reherse all. The Apostles do all with one consent call vsus to this fountayne: And truely if he had not come to reconcile God,Hebr. v.i. the honor of the priesthode shoulde hauehave come to nought. For asmuche as the priest apointed meane betwene God and man to make intercessiō:ii. Cor. v.xix. and he should not be our righteousnesse, bicause he was made a sacrifice for vsus, that God should not impute sinnes vntounto vsus. Finally, he shoulde be spoyled of all the honorable titles, wherewith the Scripture doth set him out. And also that sayeng of Paule should proue vaine,Ro. viii.iii that that whiche was impossible to the law, God hath sent his owne sonne, that in likenesse of the flesh of sinne he shoulde satisfie for vsus.Tit. ii.xi. Neyther will this stande that he teacheth in an other place, that in this glasse appered the goodnesse of God & his infinite goodnesse toward men, when Christ was geuen to be the Redemer. Finally, the scripture eueryevery where assigneth no other ende, why the sonne of God would take vponupon him our fleshe, & also receiued this cōmaundement of his father, but to be made a sacrifice to appease his father toward vsus.Lu. xxiiii.xxvi. Ioh. x.xvii Iohn. iii.xiiii. Iohn. xii.xxvij. and xxviii. So it is written, and so it behoued that Christ should suffer, & repentance be preached in his name. Therfore my father loueth me, bycause I geue my lyfe for the shepe, this commaundement he gaue me. As Moses lifted vp the Serpent in ye desert, so must the sonne of man be lifted vp. In an other place. Father, saue me frō this houre. But I am therfore come euen to this houre. Father glorifie thy sonne. Where he plainly speaketh of the end why he toke fleshe, that he might be a sacrifice and satisfaction to do awaye sinne. After the same sort doth Zacharie pronounce,Lu. i.xix. that he came according to the promise geuen to the fathers, to geue light to them that sate in the shadow of death. Let vsus remember that all these thinges are spoken of the sonne of God:Col. ii.iii. i. Cor. ii.ii. in whome Paule in an other place testifieth, that all the treasures of knowledge and wisedome are hidden, and byside whome he glorieth that he knoweth nothing.
If anye manne take exception and saye, that none of all these thinges proue the contrarie, but that the same Christ that redemed men beyng dāned, might also in puttyng on their flesh testifie his louelove toward thē, beyng preserued & safe. The answer is short, yt for asmuch as the holy ghost pronounceth, that by the eternal decree of God these two thynges were ioyned together, that Christ should be our redemer, and also partaker of all one nature with vsus, therefore it is not lawefull for vsus to searche any further. For who so euer is tickled with desire to knowe any more, he beyng not contented with the vnchangeable ordinance of God, doth shewe also that he is not contented with the same Christ that was geuen vsus to be the price of our redemption. But Paule not only reherseth to what ende he was sente, but also climbyng to the hye misterie of the predestination, he very fitly represseth all wantonnesse and itchyng desire of mans wit.Eph. iiij.v. The father chose vsus in Christ before the creation of the worlde, to make vsus his sonnes by adoption, according to the purpose of his will: and he accepted vsus in his beloued sonne, in whom we hauehave redēptiō by his bloud. Truely here is not the fal of Adā set before as though it were formost in time but is shewed what God determined before all ages, when his will was to help the miserie of mākinde. If the aduersarie obiecte againe, that this purpose of God dyd hang vponupon the fall of manne whiche he did fores…ent is enough and more for me, to saye, that they with wicked boldnesse breake forth to fayne them a newe Christ, who so euer suffer themselues to searche for more, or hope to know more of Christ than God hath foreapointed them by his secret decree. And for good cause did Paule,Ephe. iii.xvi. after he had so discoursed of ye proper office of Christ, whish to ye Ephesians the spirit of vnderstanding, to cōprehend what is the length, heygth, bredth, and depth, euen the louelove of Christe that surmounteth al knowledge: euen as if of purpose he would set barres about our mindes, that when mention is made of Christ, they should not, be it neuer so litle, swarue from the grace of reconciliation. Wherfore,i. Tim. i.xv. sithe this is a faithfull sayeng (as Paule testifieth) that Christ is come to saue sinners, I do gladly rest in the same. And whereas in an other place the same Apostle teacheth, that the grace whiche is nowe disclosed by the Gospell, was geuen vsus in Christe before the times of the worlde: I determine that I ought constantly to abide therein to the ende. Agaynst this modestie Osiander carpeth vniustly whiche hath agayne in this time vnhappily stirred this question before lightly moued by a few. He accuseth them of presumption yt saye, that the sonne of God shuld not hauehave appered in the flesh, yf Adā had not fallen, bycause this inuention is confuted by no testimonie of Scripture. As though Paule did not bridle froward curiositie, when after he had spoken of redemption purchaced by Christ, he by and by cōmaundeth to auoyde foolish questions.…. iij.ix. The madnesse of some dyd burst out so farre, that while they disordrely coueted to seme witty, they moued this questiō, whether the Sonne of God might hauehave takē vponupon him the nature of an Asse. This monstruousnesse which all the godly do worthyly abhorre as detestable, let Osiander co…fute with this pretense that it is neuer expressely confuted in the Scripture. As though when Paule accompteth nothing precious or worthy to be knowen, but Christ crucified, he doth therfore admit an Asse to be the authour of saluatiō.Eph. iiij.xxij. Therfore he that in an other place reporteth, that Christ by the eternal coūsel of his father was ordeined to be a head to gather althinges together: wil neuer the more acknowledge an other that hath no office of redemyng apointed him.
But as for the principle that he braggeth of, it is very triflyng. He would hauehave it, that man was created after the image of God, bicause he was fashioned after the paterne of Christ to come, that he mighte resemble him, whom the father had alredy decreed to clothe with our fleshe. Whereupon he gathereth, that yf Adam had neuer fallen frō his firste and vncorrupted originall state, yet Christ should hauehave ben man. Howe triflyng this is and wrested, all menne that hauehave sounde iudgement, do easily perceiue of themselues. In the meane time first he thinketh that he hath seene what was the ymage of God, that forsothe the glorie of God did not onelyonly shyne in those excellent giftes wherewith he was garnished, but also that God himselfe essentially dwelt in him. But as for me, although I graunt that Adā did beare the image of God, in so much as he was ioyned to God, (whiche is the true and hyest perfection of dignitie) yet I saye, that the likenesse of God is no where els to bee sought, but in those markes of excellencie wherewith he had garnisshed Adam aboue other liuynge creatures. And that Christe was then the image of God, all menne doe graunt with one consent, and therefore that what so euer excellencie was grauen in Adam, it proceded from this, that by the onelyonly begotten sonne he approched to the glorie of his creatour.…e. i.xxvij Therefore manne was created after the image of God, in whome the creatours will was to hauehave his glorie seene as in a lookynge glasse. To this degree of honour was he aduaūced by the benefite of the only begottē sonne: But I saye further, that the same sonne was a common head as well to Angels as to menne, so that the same dignitie that was bestowed vponupon manne, did also belong vntounto Angels. For when we heare them called the children of God, it were inconuenient to denie, that there is somethyng in them wherein they resemble their father. Nowe yf his will was to hauehave his glorie to be represented as well in Angels as in menne, and to be seene in bothe natures, Osiander dothe fondely trif…e in sayeng, that the Angeles were then set behinde menne, bicause they did not beare the image of Christ. For they could not continually enioye the present beholdyng of God, vnlesse they were like hym.Co…o. iij.x▪ And Paule teacheth, that menne are no otherwise renewed after the image of God, but if they be coupled with Angels, that they maye cleane together vnderunder one head. Finally, yf we beleue Christ, this shalbe our laste felicitie, to be made of like forme to the Angeles, when we shalbe receyued vp into heauen. But if Osiander will conclude, that the originall paterne of the image of God was in Christ as he is man, by the same reason a manne maye say, that Christ muste needes hauehave ben partaker of the nature of Angels, bicause the image of God perteineth also to them.
Therefore, Osiander hath no cause to feare, that God shoulde bee found a lier, vnlesse it had ben firste stedfastly and vnchangeably decreed in his minde, to hauehave his sonne incarnate: bycause yf the integritie of Adam had not fallen, he should with the Angels hauehave ben like vntounto God, and yet it should not therfore hauehave ben necessarie, … the sonne of God should be made eyther man or Angel. And in …ame he feareth that absurditie, least vnlesse the vnchangeable counsell of God had ben before the creation of man that Christ should be borne, not as the redemer but as the first man, he should hauehave loste his prerogatiue: for asmuch as nowe he should be borne man only by an accident cause, that is to restore mankinde beyng loste, and so it might be gathered thereupon, that Christ was created after the image of Adam. For why should he so muche abhorre that whiche the Scripture so openly teacheth, that he was made like vntounto vsus in all thinges, except sinne?Hebr. iiii, xv. Luke. iii.xxxviii. i. Cor. xv.xlvii. Whereupon Luke doubteth not to recken h…m the sonne of Adam in his Genealogye. And I would fayne know why Paule calleth Christ the seconde Adam, but bycause the estate of manne was apointed for him, that he might rayse vp the posteritie of Adam out of their ruine. For if he were in order before that creatiō, he should hauehave ben called the firste Adam. Osiander boldly affirmeth, that bycause Christ was alredy before knowē man in the minde of God, men were formed after the same paterne. But Paule in namyng him the second Adam setteth meane betwene the first beginnyng of man & the restitution which we obteine by Christ, the fall of man whereby grew the necessitie to hauehave nature restored to her first degree. Wherupon it foloweth, yt this same was the cause why the sonne of God was borne to become man. In the meane time, Osiander reasoneth ill and vnsauorily, that Adam, so longe as he had stande without fallyng, should hauehave ben the ymage of himselfe and not of Christ. I aunswere by the contrarie, bycause though the sonne of God had neuer put on fleshe, neuerthelesse both in the body and in the soule of manne should hauehave shyned the image of God, in the bright beames whereof it alwaye appered, that Christ is verily the head and hath the soueraigne supremicie in all. And so is that foolishe suttletie assoyled, whiche Osiander bloweth abroade, that the Angels shoulde hauehave lacked this head, vnlesse it had ben purposed by God to clothe his sonne with fleshe, yea though there had ben no fault of Adam. For he doth to rashly snatche holde of that whyche no manne in his right wit will graunt, that Christ hath no supremicie ouer Angels, that they shoulde hauehave him for their Prince, but in so muche as he is manne. But it is easily gathered by the wordes of Paule,Colos. ….xv that in as muche as he is the eternall worde of God, he is the firste begotten of all creatures: not that he is create, or ought to be reckened amonge creatures: but bycause the state of the worlde in integritie, suche as it was at the begynnynge garnished wyth excellentt beautie, had no other originall: and then, that in as much as he was made manne,Coloss. i.xviii. Col. ….xvi. he was the firste begotten of the dead. For the Apostle in one shorte clause setteth forth bothe these poinctes to bee considered: that all thynges were create by the sonne, that he mighte beare rule ouer Angels: and that he was made manne, that he might begynne to be the redemer. Of lyke ignoraunce is it that he sayth, that men should not hauehave had Christ to their kyng, yf he had not ben man. As though the kyngdome of God coulde not stād, yf the eternal sonne of God, although not clothed with ye flesh of man, gatheryng together both Angels & men into the felowship of his heauenly glorie and life, should himselfe beare the soueraintie. But in this false principle he is alwaye deceiued, or rather deceyueth himself, that the Church should hauehave bē without a head, vnlesse Christ had appered in the flesh. As though, euen as the Angeles enioyed him their head, he could not likewise by his diuine power rule ouer menne, and by the secret force of his spirit quickē and nourish them like his owne body, till beyng gathered vp into heauen, they might enioy al one lite with the Angels. These trifles that I hauehave hether to confuted, Osiander accompteth for most strong oracles: euē so as beyng dronke with the swetenesse of his owne speculations, he vseth to blowe out fonde Bacch…s cries of matters of nothyng. But this one that he bringeth after, he …yth is much more strōg, that is the prophecie of Adā, which, seyng his wife sayd,Ge. i.xviii this nowe is a bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh. But how proueth he that to be a prophecie? Bicause in Matthew Christ geueth the same sayeng to God. As though that what so euer God hath spoken by men, conteyneth some prophecie. Let Osiā der seke prophecies in eueryevery commaundement of the lawe, whiche, it is certaine to hauehave come from God the author of them. Biside that, Christ should hauehave ben grosse and earthly, yf he had rested vponupon the …erall sense. Bycause he speaketh not of the mistical vi…on wherunto he hath vouchesaued to receyue his churche, but only of faithfulnesse betwene man and wife: for this cause he reacheth, that God pronounced that man and wife shalbe one flesh, that no man should attemp… to breake tha… insoluble knot by diuorce. If Osiander lothe this simplicitie, let him blame Christ, for that he led not his disciples further to a misterie▪ in more suttelly expoūding the sayeng of his father. Neyther yet doth Paule mameteyne his errour,Eph. iij.xxx. whiche after he had sayd that we are flesh of the flesh of Christ▪ by & by addeth, that this is a great misterie, for his purpose was not to tel in what meaning Adam spake it, but vnderunder the figure and similitude of mariage, to set forth the holy couplyng together, that maketh vsus one with Christ. And so doe the wordes sound. Bicause when he geueth warnyng that he speaketh this of Christ and his church, he doth as it were by way of correction, seuer the spirituall ioynyng of Christ and his church from the law of mariage. Wherfore this fickle reason easily vanisheth awaye. And I thinke I nede no more to shake vp any more of that sort of chaffe, bicause the vanitie of them all is sone found out by this short confutation. But this sobrietie shall aboundantly suffice to …eede soundly the children of God: that when the fulnesse of tunes was come, the sonne of God was sent, made of woman, made vnderunder the lawe, to redeme them that were vnderunder the lawe.