The Sum of Sacred Divinity, Book 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Of the Prieſthood of Chriſt.
THere be mPſal. 1 10. Ier. 33. 17, 18. Zach. 6. 13. Heb. 7. 23.two parts of the MediationOf the Office of Mediation there be two parts; Prieſthood and Kingdome: Prieſthood is in the things which he doth to God for thoſe Elect. of Chriſt, Prieſthood and Kingdome; being both together fully complete and perfect for the whole worke of our Redemption: for in the one is comprehended all ſufficiencie of matter for our Regeneration, Righteouſnes, and the bleſſednes belonging to it: in the other, all power to effect and worke it; the one is in Humilitie, the other in Glorie: one in all things betweene God and him that ſhould be our Mediator; the other in all things that from God are through him conueyed downe vntounto vsus. To conclude, the Prieſthood of Chriſt purchaſeth our Redemption: his Kingdome doth apply it.
The things generally ſpoken before of his whole Office of Mediation, may here be conſidered in his Prieſtly Function, whereunto it pleaſeth the Holy Ghoſt, for our comfort, more ſpecially to apply them, all differing from the Leuiticall Prieſthood which was vnderunder the Law.
Firſt, His calling, hauing two properties; nHeb. 7. 16.one, that it was by the Law of the power of life, whereas the Prieſts of Leui were appointed by the Law of the fleſhly commandement: The other, oHeb. 7. 20, 21, 22.that where they were made Prieſts without another, he was appointed by his Father by an oath, to ſhew that he is the ſuretie of a better Teſtament.
Secōdly, The pHeb. 7. 21, 23. 24, 52.eternitie of his Prieſthood that qforeign.cannot paſſe from one to another, eyther by ſucceſſion or diſcent, as theirs did, but is perſonall, and euerlaſtingly abideth in himſelfe: Thou art a Prieſt for euer, after the order of MELCHISEDECH: whereas in the Leuiticall Prieſthood, both the perſons dyed, and the Prieſthood it ſelfe changed, being tranſlated to the Tribe of Iuda: whence our Lord ſprang.
Thirdly, That this isThe Popiſh Prieſthood, whoſe verie inſtitution is, to offer ſacrifice for the quicke and the dead. rHeb. 7. 28.proper vntounto Chriſt, and that there bee no Prieſts now vnderunder the Goſpell, to offer any propipitiatorie Sacrifice. Indeed, the name of Prieſt is often vſed in the New Teſtament, but giuen to all Chriſtians alike, for that all of vsus communicate with the Prieſthood of Chriſt, and are Prieſts to God, to ſ1. Pet 2. 5. Reuel. 1. 6.offer ſpirituall Sacrifices; Firſt, our ſelues, as Paul ſaith, Ro. 12. 1 in the deniall of our owne luſts, then, the Sacrifice of Prayer and Thankeſgiuing, Almes and other ChriſtianThe parts are, Oblation and Interceſſion. Oblation is the offering vp of himſelfe for them. It ſtandeth firſt, in the ſanctification of his humane Nature and Righteouſnes: then, in his ſuffrings, with the glories that did follow. The ſanctification of his humane Nature is, the conſecrating of it in all holineſſe, from the very firſt moment of his conception, duties, whereof the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Heb. 13. 15, &c.
In the parts of his Prieſthood, we put firſt, the offering of himſelfe to God his Father for vsus: I ſay, for vsus, becauſe Chriſt is to bee conſidered, not as one priuate man, but as a publike perſon, repreſenting all men that are to come to life eternall, as Adam did all his Poſteritie: for ſo the Apoſtle doth compare them, Rom. 5. 14.
From the vertue of this Oblation, cōmeth the full matter of our peace with God. In it we are to conſider foure principall heads, whereunto all may be referred: firſt, is the ſanctification of his humane nature, to be a fit inſtrument to worke our reconciliation vntounto God: wherein two things are comprehended,
Firſt, That the Man-hood or humane Nature, by the wonderfull worke of the Holy Ghoſt, was ſanctified in the Virgins wombe, from all kind of ſinfulneſſe, and indued with an habit of moſt perfect Sanctimonie and Holineſſe, in the verie firſt minute and moment of his conception. In which regard, the tLuke 1. 35.Angell vntounto Marie calleth him, That holy thing that ſhall be borne of thee, &c. wherein he differeth from all the ſonnes of Adam, as well as he doth in the manner of his conception.
Secondly, It was made a fit inſtrument for the wholefor the worke of the Mediation. worke of the Mediation, that is to ſay, not onelyonly for his owne performance of the Prieſtly Offices, but both for our incorporating into himſelfe, and for the quickening and giuing of Life, and Righteouſneſſe, and all good things to thoſe that are incorporate, and that by the power of his God-head ſanctifying the Man-hood, as hee ſaith, Iohn 17. 19. For their ſake doe I ſanctifie my ſelfe.
It is not therefore the God-head onelyonly that quickeneth vsus, but the humanitie alſo, as an inſtrument or Conduit whereby he doth it. And this is that our Sauiour ſaith, Iohn 5. 26. As the Father hath life in himſelfe. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, With God indeed is the fountaine of Life, and Grace, and all good things: but that which is locked vp and buried in his vnacceſſible Light, hee hath powred vponupon the Sonne manifeſted in the fleſh, that from him, as from the Head, it might flow to euerie member of the Church; yea, hither driueth the whole tenour of his diſputation, Iohn 6. 53, 57, 63. concerning the true cauſe of our eternall Happineſſe. After hee had ſaid, Ʋnleſſe yee eate the fleſh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you hauehave no life in you, hee addeth, As I liue by the Father, ſo he that eateth mee, hee alſo ſhall liue by mee. And anon; It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the fleſh profiteth nothing. When hee ſaith himſelfe (meaning his Man-hood, which was it onelyonly which the Iewes beheld in Chriſt) liueth by the Father, that is, the God-head dwelling in him (which for the Iewes ſake hee vttereth vnderunder the name of his Father, rather then of himſelfe) he ſheweth the fountaine of his Life, that is, of his quickening power, to be that eſſentiall vnion of the God-head to his humane Nature, in regard whereof the Father was …lled before, The Liuing Father. Againe, where hee … The fleſh profiteth nothing; and yet had ſaid before, … ye eate the fleſh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, ye hauehave no life in you: he diſtinguiſheth two things moſt manifeſtly; Firſt, that his humane Nature, whether you conſider the eſſence of his Soule or Bodie, or any created vertue, or qualitie inherent, hath not of it ſelfe any quickening vertue in it, which is onelyonly proper to his God-head, (then that the ſame is neuertheleſſe not vnprofitable, but a moſt neceſſarie inſtrument, which being firſt it ſelfe quickened by the God-head, whereunto it is perſonally knit) doth from the God-head powre life into as many as by faith are vnited to him, without whoſe fleſh the Spirit neuer quickeneth, no more then the ſoule maketh a man to vnderſtand, but by the braine. Therefore is the Man-hood aptly compared to a Fountaine, which ſendeth forth moſt ſweet and comfortable ſtreames of water of life vntounto all his members, and the Deitie to the Well-head, or to a Spring that miniſtreth continually vntounto this Fountaine.
The ſecond head is the performing of thorow RighteouſneſſeThe Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, is his performing of the moſt excellent meaſure of obedience to the Law of God, that can poſſibly fall into any Creature: and being the Righteouſnes of him who is both God and Man, conſequently it meriteth a like ſupreme meaſure of Bleſſedneſſe. for vsus, being in all his Actions ſupernaturally vpholden from all poſſibilitie of ſinning, and performing the moſt exact and perfect obedience of the Law, Iohn 8. 29. I doe alwayes the things that are pleaſing to my Father.
Supernaturall, I ſay, becauſe being a true Man, and hauing all the infirmities of the ſonnes of men, ſinne onelyonly excepted, he was as all other, in his owne Nature ſubiect to temptation, and of a mutable diſpoſition to imbrace euill, as Adam did, if it had beene poſſible for the God-head (to the which hee was perſonally vnited) to hauehave left him.
In this part I conſider the meaſure, Firſt, of his Righteouſneſſe, and then of the Bleſſedneſſe which hee merited: both of them in the higheſt & moſt ſupreme excellencie that can bee; more then, I ſay, not men, but all the Angels of heauen are capable of, being the righteouſn… of him which is both God and Man: & therefore … The u1. Cor. 4. 21.Righteouſneſſe of God, which notwithſtanding as a qualitie inherent to the humane Nature of Chriſt, is to be diſtinguiſhed from that eſſentiall Righteouſneſſe of his, that he hath as God, which is the verie God-head.
To the third head, are to be referred the ſufferings ofSuffering (one principall part of that obedience) is Chriſt, a principall part of his obedience, as hee tooke vponupon him the Office of Mediator, but in nature and conſideration of the Doctrine to be diſtinguiſhed from the former. And herein eſpecially ſtandeth that offering of himſelfe vp to God his Father for vsus. As the ApoſtleThe abomination of the Popiſh Maſſe, wherein the Prieſt offereth vp Chriſt eueryevery day vntounto his Father. teſtifieth, Hebrewes 9. 14. How much more ſhall the bloud of CHRIST, who by his euerlaſting Spirit hath offered vp himſelfe to God, &c?
In this part of his Oblation, the ſufferings which he did indure, obſerue,
Firſt, That Chriſt himſelfe performeth all the parts,his taking vponupon him and his whole perſon hath a ſtroke in it: for both hee is the Sacrifice, or thing it ſelfe offered, the Prieſt, or the Offerer, and the Altar, or that which ſanctifieth the offering: whereupon in his whole perſon as GOD and Man, he is ſaid to be our Prieſt, Heb. 5. 6.
Firſt, As Man, he is the Sacrifice, his whole humanity ſuffering (both Soule and Bodie) which was the Tabernacle of his Deitie, wherein he performed this Sacrifice; whereupon the Apoſtle calleth him, The xHeb. 8. 2.Miniſter of that true Tabernacle, which the Lord pight, and not man: and, that yHeb. 9. 11.Chriſt being come an High Prieſt, by a better and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this building, which the earthly Tabernacle was of, but euen by his owne bloud entred into the holy Place. Wherefore the Scripture attributeth the remiſſion of our ſinnes by this oblation, ſometimes to his whole perſon, ſometimes by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole, to his Bodie, fleſh or bloud, and ſometimes to his Soule, Who z1. Tim. 2. 6.gaue himſelfe a ranſome for all, who aTitus 2. 19.gaue himſelfe for vsus, that hee might redeeme vsus, by bHeb. 10. 10.the which wee are ſanctified euen by the offering of the Bodie of Ieſus Chriſt once made: c1. Pet. 2. 14.he bare our ſinnes in his Bodie, on the Tree; he dCol. 1. 22.reconciled vsus in the Bodie of his fleſh: through his Death he eCol. 1 20.reconciled vsus, making Peace, by the bloud of his Croſſe; he fEſay 53. 10.made his Soule ſinne, or a Sacrifice for ſinne. The gMat. 20. 28.Sonne of man came to giuegive his Soule a ranſome for many. Elſe muſt our ſoules hauehave periſhed. ThisMarke 10. 45. was both prefigured in the Law by the bloud, which is the ſoule of the brute creature, and otherwiſe by the Holocauſt, or whole burnt Offering, and is ſignified in the Sacrament of the Goſpell: for the Ceremonie of breaking bread, vſed in the Lords Supper, cannot bee ſo properly referred to his Bodie, which had not a bone broken, as to his Soule, moſt ſpecially hEſay 53. 5.bruiſed and broken in pieces with heauineſſe and ſorrow.
Secondly, As God, he is the iHeb. 13. 13Altar, or the SanctifierWee hauehave an Altar, &c. of his Man-hood, which hee offereth, by giuing it power to ouercome: for that is the propertie of the Altar, to kMat. 23. 17.ſanctifie the gift. God, ſaith PAVL, Acts 20. 28. hath by his owne bloud redeemed the Church. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, It was indeed the Man Chriſt Ieſus, that ſhed his bloud: but of ſmall effect had that beene, vnleſſe he had beene God, whereby his bloud obtayned ſtrength and power, to ſanctifie thoſe that are his. And in the Epiſtle to the lHeb. 9. 14.Hebrewes, How much more ſhall the bloud of Chriſt, which by the euerlasting Spirit offered himſelfe vnblameable vntounto God, purge your conſcience from dead workes, to ſerue the Liuing God? Laying the whole vertue and efficacie of Chriſts death vponupon the eternall Spirit, that is, the fulneſſe of the God-head which dwelleth in him: So that in a ſort God himſelfe, who is not ſubiect vntounto ſuffering, did ſuffer, when he ſuffered that was both God and Man. Whereupon the Apoſtle ſaith, that euen in reſpect of his God-head he emptied himſelfe, &c. Philip. 2. 7.
The difference of this part of Chriſts Prieſt-hood, from that of Aaron, ſtood in theſe points:
Firſt, Hee himſelfe was offered here, there other Oblations and Sacrifices.
Secondly, They offered many times, himſelfe being here the Sacrifice, could bee but once offered: whereof the Apoſtle hath many notable ſpeeches in the Epiſtle to the Hebrewes, By mHeb. 10. 10.the which will we are ſanctified, euen by the Oblation of the Bodie of Ieſus Chriſt once made: but he hauing offered one Sacrifice for ſinnes, ſetteth for euer at the right hand of God: for by one Oblation hee hath conſecrated for euer thoſe that are ſanctified. And in the ninth Chapter, Chriſt nHeb. 9. 26.being once offered in the end of the World to beare the ſinnes of many, &c.
Thirdly, He oHeb. 7. 27.did it for vsus and our good onelyonly; for, for himſelfe he needed not. The Prieſts of Aaron offered; firſt, for themſelues, and then for the people.
In the ſecond place are to be obſerued the things heeof our ſinnes, ſuffered and tooke vponupon him, to wit, Firſt, our verie ſinnes all layd vponupon Chriſt, as our Pledge and Suretie: otherwiſe wee muſt needes hauehave remayned in them: whereupon he is called, pHeb. 7. 22.The Suretie of the New Teſtament.
And hereof it is, that the Apoſtle ſaith, q2. Cor. 5. 27.Him that knew no ſinne, he made to be ſinne for vsus, in regard of our ſinnes caſt vponupon him, and imputed to him.
Secondly, taking our ſinnes, hee tooke with-all theand the whole curſe guilt, and the whole Curſe, and puniſhment due vntounto them. By reaſon of the guilt there befell him feare and horror from the ſenſe of his Fathers wrath, Heb. 5. 7. Sorrow, trouble of mind, aſtoniſhment, heauineſſe vntounto death, Math. 26. 38. Which ſpecially appearing towards the end of his dayes, when he was to enter into the liſts, and to fight the great combate, hand to hand with his angrie Father, did withall ſtretch it ſelfe in ſome meaſure to the reſt of the parts of his life. Of the rEſay 53. 5.other wee read, The chaſtiſement of our peace did lye vponupon him. For this cauſe he is ſaid ſMath. 20. 28. Mark. 10. 45.to hauehave giuen his ſoule a Ranſome for many, and to be a t1 Tim. 2. 6. foreign.Ranſome equiualent for all. Therefore he is called u1. Iohn. 2. 2. foreign.the Propitiation for our ſinnes, & is ſaid to be xRom. 3. 25.ſet vp of God for a Propitiatorie, by alluſion as it ſeemeth to the couer which was vponupon the Arke of the Couenant, called the yforeignPropitiatorie couering: a type of the Propitiation wrought by Chriſt, and manifeſted in and through him, when he brake downe the vayle of Ceremonies that ſtood betweene God and vsus. To this E…hu zIob 33. 23.doth allude, when he bringeth in the Miniſter of God praying for the deliuerance of the afflicted perſon, becauſe God hath elſewhere found an expiatorie Propitiation, which is Chriſt his Sonne. For this cauſe we are ſaid to bee aRom. 3. 25.redeemed by him, and that bHeb. …. 3.by himſelfe he hath made the purgation of our ſinnes. And herevpon cDaniel 9. 14.Daniel vſeth the Phraſe of purging ſinnes, in ſtead of the pardoning and taking them away by Chriſts purgation and the price which he ſhould pay.
But ſhall we then make Chriſt the Beloued and Bleſſed one of his Father, to bee accurſed? Verily, the Apoſtle, as he called him Sin before, ſo in the ſame ſenſe feareth not to ſay, that he was made a Curſe *Gal. 3. 13.for vsus, by imputation of the curſe due to our ſinnes.
The curſe that our ſinne deſerueth, beeing of twoboth that of this life, Kindes, both that of this life, and the fulneſſe of it due vntounto vsus after death, Chriſt indured both. Touching thoſe of this life generally, the Apoſtle to the Hebrewes faith, dHeb. 4. 15. & 2. 14.He was tempted, and had experience of our infirmities in all things like to vsus, without ſinne.
But to number them in order anſwerable to our owne, they are theſe that follow.
Firſt, Satan himſelf moleſted him with his temptations: to whoſe halings and pullings, carrying and recarrying, he ſubiected his ſacred Bodie (if we follow the literall ſenſe, and vnderſtand the Euangeliſts words properly:) and his holy and innocent Soule to his temptations, Math. 4. 5, 8. Then the Deuill tooke him into the holy Citie, and ſet him vponupon a pinacle of the holy Temple. Againe, the Deuill tooke him into an exceeding high mountaine, and ſhewed him, &c.
Secondly, the creatures were his enemies, and armed to doe him hurt; eMark 4. 36, 37, 3….the windes, the ſtormes, and the waues of the Sea did riſe vp againſt him.
Thirdly, he tooke vponupon him the infirmities of our nature; fMatth. 4. 2.Hunger, gIohn 4. 6.wearineſſe, weakeneſſe, ſickneſſe, &c. Eſay 53. 3, 4. and Math. 8. 17. He hath indured our diſeaſes, and horne our ſorrowes.
Fourthly, Baſeneſſe, contempt, abiection, humbling himſelfe, who was Lord of Heauen and Earth, and in the forme of God, and equall with his Father, not onelyonly to come downe into the lower parts of the earth, but emptying himſelfe, to become of none account, and to take the forme of a ſeruant, that is, of a poore contemned perſon, that the people and Rulers did abhorre him; wherevpon worthily doth the Prophet call him, hEſay 49. 67.Him whom euerie one deſpiſeth, whom the Nation eſteemeth as abominable, a ſeruant to the Rulers, &c. And againe, iIſai. 53. 2, 3, 4.There is in him no beautie, nor comelineſſe, and when we looke vponupon him, there is no ſhew why we ſhould deſire him; A contemptible perſon, and an Abiect among men, a man of griefe, and acquainted with infirmity, contemned ſo, as we doe not eſteeme him.
Fiftly, Infinite calamities; as Smitings, Lyings in wait, Spittings, Scourgings, Pouertie, al kind of wrongs, Contumelies, Slanders, Reproches, Blaſphemies, Scoffings. Eſay 50. 6. My backe I expoſe to the Smiters, and my checkes to the Nippers; my face I hide not from contumely & from ſpittle: As in the holy Storie it is recorded, they pittifully ſcourged him, crowned him with Thornes, ſcoffed and ſpit at him. Particularly of Pouertie wee reade, 2. Cor. 8. 9. Hee became poore for our ſakes: Inſomuch that as hee kMat. 8. 20.profeſſeth of himſelfe, Hee had not where to lay his head.
Sixtly, Bodily death, and that a reprochfull one; to be hanged, Phil. 2. 8. He humbled himſelfe vntounto Death, euen the Death of the Croſſe. All which were properly in him the lEſay 53. 34. Mat. 8. 17.puniſhment of our ſinnes.
Touching the full curſedneſſe due vntounto vsus after death,and the fulnes of it due vntounto them after death. which we affirme that hee indured, the meaning is not, that he felt the verie eſtate and condition of the damned, but the whole and full ſeuere wrath of God due to ſinne, equall to the very Helliſh torments in vehemencie of paines and ſharpneſſe: which may appeare; Firſt, becauſe he ſuffered the very ſorrowes and paines for ſinne which elſe wee ſhould hauehave borne, as the Prophet ſaith, mEſay 53. 4. foreignHe bare our iniquities, and our very ſorrowes hee ſuſtayned, neither could he otherwiſe hauehave beene the n2. …m. 2. 6. foreign.price of our Redemption, nor our oHeb. 7. 22.Suretie, if hee had not paid the verie ſumme.
Secondly, The ſorrow and trouble of his minde, before hee came to handie-gripes, whereof hee himſelfe ſaith, pIohn 12, 27.Now is my ſoule troubled. And what ſhall I ſay? Father, ſaue mee from this houre, but therefore came I vntounto this houre: my qMat. 26. 38.ſoule is eueryevery way compaſſed with ſorrowes to death: his feare & fright becauſe of this bitter Cup being ſo terrible, that rMar. 14. 33, 34.Angels were faine to be ſent downe to ſtrengthen and incourage him, that his bodie, as yet without all harme, ſLuke 22. 44.trickled downe with clots of bloud, in ſtead of ſweate, which was neuer heard of in any man beſides, ſhew that it was more then bodily paines, euen the whole Cup of Gods wrath which hee ſo tHeb. 5. 7.feared, in fearing felt, and feeling, was deliuered from. Elſe he had not beene ſo ſtrong as ten thouſand Saints and Martyrs, that fight but by his ſtrength.
Thirdly, It appeareth by the mayne battaile fought three whole houres vponupon the Croſſe, all which time, tugging in the fearefull darke, with him that hath the power of darkeneſſe, to hide from the eyes of the World the fire of his Fathers wrath, which in that hot skirmiſh burnt vp eueryevery part; and to giuegive to the Enemie full ſcope and aduantage, he cryed out at the laſt in the extremitie of his anguiſh, but yet as one that had now ouercome the vttermoſt of the brunt: My uMat. 24. 45, …6.God, my God, why haſt thou (all this while) forſaken me?
Fourthly, The Apoſtle expreſly ſaith, that xGal. 3. 13.Chriſt was made a curſe for vsus.
And it cannot be, that hee meaneth that curſe, but of a ſhamefull and ignominious death only: for he ſpeaketh of the curſe due to eueryevery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them: from which, Chriſt redeemed vsus, himſelfe being made that curſe for vsus. Neither doth the reaſon which the Apoſtle rendreth, As it is written, Curſed is eueryevery one that hangeth vponupon the Tree, prooue that our Sauiour Chriſt was no otherwiſe accurſed, then as eueryevery other Male factor is, or as the Thiefe vponupon the Croſſe, whoſe ſoule notwithſtanding went to Paradiſe: but his reaſon ſerueth for the contrarie, to prooue that this kinde of death was by way of Type and Ceremonie accurſed in the Law, prefiguring the curſe that was to light vponupon our Sauiour Chriſt, in whom all the Ceremonies of the Law had their accompliſhment and perfection.
But how (will you ſay) could this feare in Chriſt be without ſinne? Becauſe it grew not from weakneſſe of faith, much leſſe from deſperation: for euen when hee cryed out in the anguiſh of his ſoule, Why haſt thou forſaken me? yet he ceaſeth not to call him his God, of whom he complayneth himſelfe to bee forſaken; but it grew out of a meere humiliation: for howſoeuer, as touching his Diuine Nature, he were equall with GOD the Father, yet he found in his humanitie, wherein hee was to pay our ranſome; an exceeding vnabilitie to ſatisfie Gods Iuſtice, vnleſſe hee might bee pleaſed fauourably to accept the Sacrifice of his Bodie, not as the Sacrifice of a man, but as the Sacrifice of his onelyonly begotten Sonne; and what was wanting in the weakneſſe of his humane Nature, to account ſufficiently made vp in the worthineſſe of his God-head. Beſides, he feared not an vtter deſertion or forſaking, which to feare were deſperation, but leſt his humane Nature ſhould for a time be left alone without any comfortable aſſiſtance of the God-head, fearing in that diſtreſſefull agonie of his, and the verie confuſion of the powers of his nature, how long it might hold him, and how infinitely more it might increaſe vponupon him, ſeeing that hee was not yet come to the greateſt of his Paſſion, from whence by a meere naturall deſire abhorring paine, which may well be without ſinne, he would hauehave gladly beene releaſed: And therefore praying it might paſſe from him, yet preſently ſubmitteth himſelfe vntounto it, Mat. 26. 39. O my Father, if it be poſſible, let this Cup paſſe from me: Neuertheleſſe, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And againe, Ʋerſe 42. O my Father, if this Cup cannot paſſe away from mee, but that I muſt drinke of it, thy will bee done. yMar. 14. 36.MARKE hath it thus: Father, all things are poſſible to thee; take away this Cup from mee: Neuertheleſſe not as I will, but as thou wilt,
The third thing to bee obſerued in his ſufferings, is,All which hee fully ſatisfied, that by the power of his God-head hee did indure and went thorow with them, and did not take the foile: for as a huge ſtone falling vponupon a piece of britle glaſſe, grindeth it all to powder: but if it light vponupon a thing as huge as it ſelfe, it is not able for to wagge it: ſo the infinite power of his God-head, ſtrengthened the humane Nature of Chriſt to indure the brunt of the infinite wrath and diſpleaſure of his Father in ſuch ſort, as it did not ouer-whelme him, but that in the middeſt of all his ſufferings, hee did in a manner conquer and ouercome, laying in his humilitie the beginning (as it were) and foundation of his Glorie, and of his Kingdome, in his lowe eſtate.
Whereof it followeth:
Firſt, that in the middeſt of his moſt bitter ſufferings, he was freed from hatred of God, finall deſperation, and ſuch like, which are not of the ſubſtance of the puniſhment, but lamentable and fearefull effects in thoſe that are ouercome of it.
Secondly, That hee was not, nor could not bee cruſhed with the waight of it, into Hell, the place of the damned.
Thirdly, That making ſatisfaction, he did not lye for euer vnderunder it.
But how then did hee pay the ranſome of our ſinnes which is Hell fire, the ſecond Death, euerlasting condemnation, if he neither were in Hell to ſuffer there, and came ſo quickly out of his ſuffering here?
Theſe things, as hath beene ſhewed, are no part of the puniſhment, but effects, and things annexed to it, when the puniſhment it ſelfe is not able to bee indured, and hath no place where that is borne and ſatisfied. And yet it is more, that Chriſt the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God, yea, God himſelfe, ſhould for a ſmall while thus beare the Curſe of the Law, then if the whole World had ſuffered eternall puniſhment in Hell fire.
The fourth thing is, how and which way he ſatisfiedour curſednes here, in the whole courſe of his life. all this, and when.
Firſt, Our curſedneſſe here, he ſatisfied in the whole courſe of his life, as zMat. 8. 16, 17the Euangeliſt out of the Prophet noteth, He healed all that were ſicke, that it might be fulfilled which was ſpoken by Eſay the Prophet, ſaying, Hee tooke our infirmities, and bare our ſickneſſe.
Secondly, the infinite wrath of God his Father, heeour full curſedneſſe, vponupon the Croſſe, ſatisfied vponupon the Croſſe; for thither doth the Scripture euer call vsus, a1. Pet 2. 24.Who bare our ſInnes vponupon the Wood, that bEpheſ. 2. 16.hee might reconcile both in one bodie vntounto GOD, through the Croſſe, killing enmitie through it; cColoſſ. 2. 14.blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was againſt vsus, which was ſecretly contrarie to vsus, hee tooke it away, nayling it to the Croſſe.
Thirdly, Death in the graue, where beeing ſolemnelyand death, by dying: vnderunder the power whereof he lay three daies in the graue. buried, to aſſure vsus, his death was a true death, and not counterfeit, nor fayned, he lay three dayes vnderunder the ignominious dominion of it.
The fift and laſt thing is the end, which is alſo the vſe and fruit of his ſufferings: Forgiueneſſe of ſins, Mortification or Aboliſhing of our ſinful luſts, and the Freeing of vsus from death and condemnation, as ſhall appeare hereafter.
To come vntounto the laſt of thoſe foure heads: our SauioursThe glories of Chriſt that followed his ſuffrings humbling of himſelfe, ſo farre, as to be obedient vntounto death, the death of the Croſſe, it pleaſed God to crowne with an infinite waight of bliſſe, as the Apoſtle teacheth, Phil. 2. 9. Agreeable whereunto is that of the Prophet dEſay 53. 10.Eſay, Seeing he giueth himſelfe an Oblation for ſinne, hee ſhall ſee a ſeede, and prolong his dayes. And Reuel. 5. 12, 13. It is the voyce of infinite thouſands of holy Angels applauded by all the creatures in heauen, and vponupon the earth, and by the foure liuing creatures and the foure and twentie Elders, Worthie is the Lambe that was ſlaine, to receiue power, and riches, and wiſdome, and ſtrength, and honor, and glorie, and praiſe. In which two, e1. Pet. 1. 11. Pſal. 22.the ſufferings of Christ, & the glories that did follow, the whole ſubſtance of the Goſpell ſtandeth, as he himſelfe teacheth his Diſciples, Luk. 24. 26. Muſt not Chriſt hauehave ſuffered theſe things, and ſo enter into his glorie?
But had he no glorie at all, before he had finiſhed his ſufferings? Indeed during the time of his humiliation, which was all his life long, whileſt he bare the infirmity of our natures, and the puniſhment due to the ſame, the great happineſſe belonging to him, was ſmothered in ſome ſort, that it did not ſo appeare, neyther was the time for the full manifeſting thereof yet come: Howbeit, euen then he did not obſcurely make ouerture of it many wayes: For firſt, in that weakeneſſe of his fleſh, he gaue ſo liuely tokens of his glorie, that the f1. Tim. 3. 16.Apoſtle feareth not to ſay euen then, When he was manifeſted in the fleſh, he was iuſtified in the Spirit. And gActs 2. 22.PETER calleth him a man approued of God, by the excellent Deedes, and miracles, and ſignes which God had done by him. Which, as hIohn 2. 11.Iohn noteth, were to manifeſt his glorie. In regard whereof he ſaith, iIohn 1. 14Wee ſaw his glorie, as the glorie of the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God. But yet ſometimes more gloriouſly then at other, he was pleaſed in an extraordinary manner to reueale it, as in his Transfiguring vponupon the Mount, when kMatth. 17. 2.his face ſhined as the Sunne, and his garments were made white as the light: In his lIohn 2. 15.whipping of the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple: In his mIohn 18. 6.cauſing of them that came to apprehend him, onelyonly by the power of his Word, to fall vntounto the ground, &c. yea, in the very midſt of all his ſufferings, and euen vponupon the Croſſe it ſelfe, how did his glorie ſhine? taking vponupon him to nLuk. 23. 42, 43.diſpoſe of Paradiſe, the kingdome of heauen, at his pleaſure, and making heauen and earth, the liuing, and the dead, to worke together for the celebrating of his greatneſſe. When the Sunne aſhamed of their doings oMatth. 27. 45pulled in his beames, and refuſed to giuegive them Light; when at pMatth. 27. 50, 51, 52.his voice and the noyſe of his roring, the Earth trembled and ſhooke, the Vale of the Temple rent a ſunder from the top vntounto the bottome; Rockes flew in pieces, the Graues were opened, and the Bodies of many dead Saints did ariſe; when hee wrung out of the qMatth 27. 54Centurions mouth a confeſſion of his perſon, and made the rIohn 19. 19, 20, 21, 22.hands of Pilate imbrued with his bloud, to be the inſtruments of the publiſhing of his Office, and to lift vp the Standard of his prayſe to all people, Latines, Greekes, and Hebrewes, that not without iuſt cauſe, doth the ſColoſſ 2. 15.Apoſtle ſay, that He ſpoyled Principalities and Powers, and led them in open ſhew, triumphing vponupon the Croſſe. So as the ſhamefull and ignominious Croſſe was, contrary to its nature, ſo altered and changed by Chriſts Diuine Power, that it ſerued now for a Trophee, and Monument of his Victorie, being as a Chariot, wherein he rode more glorious, then any Emperour or Potentate of the World, in the middeſt of his greateſt Triumph, and had all the enemies of our Saluation, Satan, Sinne, Hell, and Condemnation led after him, chayned and faſt bound with all their weapons pulled from them, as men taken captiues.
But this Glorie of his afterwards ſhined foorth moſtwere in ſoule or bodie apart, or ioyntly in them both: In ſoule, he went to Heauen preſently after death. cleerely in foure ſteps or degrees.
In the firſt place may bee reckoned (though it were not conſpicuous to the World) that he went in ſoule vntounto Heauen after death. So hee tLuke 23. 43.ſaith to the Thiefe, This day thou ſhalt bee with mee in Paradiſe. And after, being readie to giuegive vp the ghoſt, uVerſe 46.Father, into thy hands I commit my Spirit. Which to bee meant of his preſent going to God his Father, is manifeſt by other places, where the like phraſe is vſed, as Acts 7. 59. in the Prayer of STEPHEN, Lord, receiue my ſpirit.
The ſecond ſtep is his Reſurrection, when in theHis bodie hee rayſed from the dead, Chambers of death he conquered death it ſelfe, and being a Morſell that the graue was not able for to ſwallow, aroſe from the dead, and made thereby a perfect conqueſt of all his foes, and full demonſtration of his Glorie, as the Apoſtle ſaith, xRom. 1. 4.He was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God, as touching the ſpirit of Sanctification, by riſing from the dead.
In his Reſurrection I note theſe ſixe things:
Firſt, The cauſe of his Reſurrection, which was by his owne Diuine Power.
Secondly, The manner of his riſing mightily and powerfully, not bound hand and foote as Lazarus came forth; but like Samſon, hee yActs 2. 24.brake the bands of death and of the graue in ſunder.
Thirdly, What bodie hee roſe withall; a Bodie freedglorious, from all infirmitie, hunger, thirſt, wearineſſe, &c. and indued with immortalitie, ſtrength, nimbleneſſe, agilitie,Behold my hands and my feet. It is euen … touch me and ſee mee. A Spirit hath not fleſh and bones as yee ſee mee to hauehave. Acts 2. 32. Acts 3. 13, 15. able to mooue vpwards, aſwell as to goe downewards, glorious and ſhining: and therefore called zPhil. 3. 21.A bodie glorious. Howſoeuer itVbiquiſts, that teach, Chriſts body ſince his Reſurrection, to bee Omnipotent euerywhere. remayne a aLuke 24 39.bodie ſtill to bee handled, touched, felt, hauing length, breadth, &c. with all other eſſentiall properties belonging to a Bodie, and locally comprehended in one certaine place.
Fourthly, The time when hee roſe; which was thethe third day at the dawning of the day. bMat. 16. 21. Luke 24. 7. 11. Acts 10 40. 1. Cor. 15. 4.third Day early in the morning.
Fiftly, The fruit and benefit in all thoſe good and excellent things; which are to bee remembred, when wee ſpeake of the Kingdome of Heauen.
The third ſtep is, his moſt bleſſed and glorious Aſcenſion: whereby, in ſtead of the lower part of theIn his whole perſon, ſoule and bodie, he aſcends into Heauen, Earth, whither for his great louelove vntounto vsus, he did willingly come downe, God hath taken him vp, and ſet him aboue the higheſt Heauens, as the Apoſtle noteth, Epheſ. 4. 10, 11. Now this that he aſcended, what is it, but that hee firſt deſcended into the lower parts of the Earth? He that deſcended, is the ſelfe-ſame that aſcended farre aboue all the Heauens, &c.
Of this is the Storie recorded, Marke 16. 19. Luke 24. 51. and more fully, Acts 1. 29. that whileſt they looked, he was lifted vp: or, as the Angell calleth it, Acts 1. 11. taken vp from them into Heauen, that is, his humane nature, by the power and vertue of his God-head, was truly and locally tranſlated from the Earth, into the higheſt Heauens of the Bleſſed, where it is to remayne in all glorie and excellencie, till the latter Day, as the Angell telleth his Apoſtles, Acts 1. 11. This Ieſus, that is taken vp from you into Heauen, ſhall ſo come, as you hauehave ſeene him going into Heauen. And Peter more plainly, Acts 3. 21. Whom Heauen muſt contayne, till the times of the reſtoring of all things.
For where our Sauiour ſaith, Mat. 28. 20. I am with you alwayes to the end of the World: and a cMat. 26. 11.little before had ſaid, Me you ſhall not hauehave alwayes among you; it appeareth, that the manner of his preſence is to bee diſtinguiſhed: for hee is preſent indeed alwayes with his Church, but by the power and comfort of his Spirit, whereby he doth communicate himſelfe, and all he hath, vntounto vsus, not in any corporall or bodily preſence.
The time that hee thus aſcended both in Soule andthe fortieth day after his Reſurrection. Bodie, was fortie dActs 1. 3.dayes after his Reſurrection, during all which time hee was conuerſant with his Diſciples, teaching and inſtructing them aſwell in all points of Chriſtian doctrine, as in thoſe that belong to the Policie and Gouernment of his Church: whereupon the eHeb. 3. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.Apoſtle ſaith, He was faithfull in all the Houſe of God, after a more excellent ſort then Moſes was.
The fruit of Chriſts Aſcenſion into Heauen, is our comming thither, as ſhall appeare more at large hereafter. And this entrie into Heauen to purchaſe full Redemption for vsus, belonged to his Prieſtly Function, wherof the High Prieſts entring into the Holy of holies once a yeere, was a type or figure, Heb. 8. 7, 12.
The fourth and laſt ſtep, is his fIohn 7. 39. Acts 3. 13.Glorification, or theand there ſitteth at the right hand of God: that is to ſay, enioyeth all Soueraigntie, Power and Glorie. inriching of him after hee was aſcended, with an vnſpeakeable and incomprehenſible (though not an infinite meaſure) of all Happineſſe, Ioy, Wiſdome, Knowledge, Excellencie, more then all men and Angels hauehave: whereof the gPſal. 45. 8. & Heb. 1. 9.Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh, God, euen thy God hath anoynted thee with the Oyle of gladneſſe aboue thy fellowes. Therefore this is called alſo his hActs 2. 33.Exaltation or iPhil. 2. 9.Superexaltation: hauing, in ſtead of ſhame and contempt, (which for our ſakes hee did willingly vndergoe, becomming ſubiect vntounto death, the moſt ignominious death of the Croſſe) all and all manner of excellencie, both Kingdome, Power, and Glorie beſtowed vponupon him; and this is that which figuratiuely is meant by his ſitting or ſtanding at the right hand of God his Father, Heb. 1. 3. Hauing by himſelfe purged our ſinnes, hee ſitteth at the right hand of Maiestie in the higheſt places. Marke 16. 19. The Lord, after he had ſpoken theſe things, was taken vp into Heauen, and ſitteth at the right hand of God. Acts 7. 55. He being full of the Holy Ghoſt, looked ſtedfaſtly vp to Heauen, and ſaw the Glorie of God, and Ieſus ſtanding at the right hand of God. A phraſe or forme of ſpeech taken from earthly Princes, who are ſaid to ſet them at their right hand, whom they are pleaſed to kMat. 20.aduance into the principall place of Honour, and Adminiſtration of their Kingdome.
Firſt, touching his Gouernment and Dominion, both the Apoſtles ſo expound this Phraſe, when that which lPſal. 110. 1.Dauid ſaith, IEHOVAH ſaid vntounto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footſtoole. The one m1. Cor. 15. 25rendreth thus, He ſhall raigne, till he hauehave put all his enemies vnderunder his feet. The nActs 2. 36.other inferreth vponupon it: Let all the houſe of Iſrael therefore know for a certaine, that Him God hath made both Lord and Chriſt. For power and dominion both, that ſerueth, Epheſ. 1. 10, 20, 21. According to his mightie power which hee wrought in Chriſt, when he rayſed him from the dead, and ſet him at his right hand in the heauenly Places, far aboue all Principalitie, and Power, and Might, and Dominion, and eueryevery name that is named, not in this World onelyonly, but alſo in that that is to come, and hath made all things ſubiect vnderunder his feet.
Of his Glorie the ſame is manifeſt, in that this verie ſetting at the right hand of God is oActs 3. 13.called his Glorification; and the pActs 7. 55.Storie of Stephen coupleth them together: He ſaw the Glory of God, and Ieſus ſtanding at the right hand of God.
The fruit of his ſetting at the right hand of God is very great, and in a manner all in all, both for his Interceſſion and Kingdome, as we ſhall hauehave occaſion to note hereafter.
All that hitherto hath beene ſaid, concerneth our SauioursHitherto of Oblation: Interceſſion is offering of himſelfe: we come now to the other part of his Prieſthood, ſtanding in his Interceſſion. A thing moſt neceſſarie to be added to the reſt: for in vaine were all his Offerings and Oblation, if by his Prayers and Supplications to his Father, and the continuall preſenting of his Merits hee did not purchaſe Grace, that the ſame ſhould bee made effectuall for vsus. Wherefore this, as one ſtep higher, is added to the former, Rom. 8. 34 Who ſhall condemne? It is Chriſt that dyed, nay rather, which is riſen, who alſo is at the right hand of God, who alſo maketh Interceſſion for vsus.
In his Interceſſion I obſerue,
Firſt, that it is the proper Office and Honor of Chriſt, by whom onelyonly we come vntounto God, Heb. 7. 25.
Secondly, That it is the requeſting and intreatie ofthe continuall preſenting of his Merits to God his Father, the continuall preſenting of himſelfe, and the Merits of his Death and Paſſion, whereupon hee is called our q1. Iohn 2. 1.Aduocate, or Spokeſman, and is ſaid to rHeb. 9. 24.appeare on our behalfe before the face of God, and to make If any man ſin, we hauehave an Aduocate with the Father, euen Ieſus Chriſt that righteous one.ſRom. 8. 34. Heb. 7. 25. his Father,Interceſſion for vsus. The word appearing, being a word taken from the Courts and Seats of Iuſtice, as we vſe to ſay, when the Plaintife or Defendant is called: Who is heere to appeare for him? Chriſt therefore is, as it were, our Attournie, to appeare for vsus before his Father, I make mention of the Father onelyonly, becauſe the Father is the firſt of the three Perſons in order, who being appeaſed, the Sonne and Holy Ghoſt are alſo pleaſed; they all being one, as in eſſence and nature, ſo in will and agreement.
Thirdly, When and how he performed this Interceſſion, namely, whileſt hee was vponupon Earth, in ſo many, ſo ſweet, ſo heauenly and ſo feruent Prayers, as he powred forth from time to time for the Saluation of his Elect, eſpecially that moſt ſolemne and ſacred one aboue the reſt, Iohn 17. wherein being anon to be offered, hee did conſecrate both himſelfe, the onelyonly and eternall Sacrifice, and vsus in and through him, vntounto his Father: by the power and force of which his Prayer, the Church of God hath euer ſtood, and ſhall ſtand vntounto the end: And what he did then vponupon the Earth, the ſame he doth, though not in the ſame manner, now in Heauen, not with knees bowed, and hands ſtretched out, but yet in ſuch ſort as is fit for him to giuegive, and fit for his Father to receiue.
Fourthly, That hee maketh Interceſſion for all the Elect,on the behalfe of thoſe Elect. and for them alone; (not for the Reprobate and Worldlings, Iohn 17. 9. I pray not for the World, but for thoſe whom thou haſt giuen me.
Fiftly, For what things this Interceſſion is made. Not for ſome one or few benefits, but that we may be partakers of all the good things that he hath wrought; Faith or Vocation, Vnion with himſelfe, that is to ſay, Regeration, Righteouſneſſe and Sanctification through him, Conſtancie and Perſeuerance in the eſtate of Grace, and finally Eternall Happineſſe: for all theſe parts are particularly ſet downe, Iohn 17. as namely, Ʋerſe 20. 21. I pray for all that are to beleeue in me by their Miniſterie, that all may be one, as th…, Father, in me, and I…n thee: So, that they alſo may be one with vsus▪ that the World may beleeue that thou haſt ſent mee. Ʋerſe 17. Sanctifie them by thy Truth. Verſe 11 Holy …er, keepe them in thy Name. Verſe 15. I pray not that thou … them out of the World, but that thou keepe them from th… one. Verſe 13. That they may hauehave my ioy fulfilled to them. Verſe 24. Righteous Father, whom thou haſt giuen vntounto me, I deſire that where I am, there they alſo may be, that they may behold my Glorie which thou haſt giuen me. And Verſe 26. That the louelove wherewith thou haſt loued me, may be vponupon them. So hee doth expreſſe the Interceſſion hee made for Peter, to bee, That his faith ſhould not faile, Luke 22. 32.
Interceſſion therefore of our Sauiour Chriſt, is, as it were, a continuall plaiſter for the curing of the manifold ſlips, frailties, and ſins, whereunto the faithfull, through infirmitie, doe continually fall, that ſo by a ſpeciall and continuall application of his Merit, our perſons may remayne iuſt, and our workes acceptable to God, 1. Iohn 2. 1. If any man ſinne, we hauehave an Aduocate, &c.
Sixtly, That as in his humanitie hee deſireth all theſe things for our Saluation, and the applying of his Merits and death vntounto vsus: ſo by the power of his De…e he doth indeed apply them: whereunto his being in tHeb. …. …4.Heauen, and in the ſight of God, his uRom. …. 34.ſitting at the right hand of his Father, and his xHeb. 7. 25.euerliuing doe much …le, making that Interceſſion of his, as in it ſelfe more glorious, ſo for vsus more gracious and acceptable, and able perfectly to ſaue them that come to God by him.
Seuenthly, That yRom. 8. 26.making Interceſſion for vsus, hee teacheth vsus alſo by his Spirit to make Interceſſion to God, with Prayers, ſighes and grones that cannot bee expreſſed.