The Substance of Christian Religion, Lecture 13
The thirteenth Lords day.
Mat. 16. 16.
Thou art Christ the Son of the living God.
THis is Peter's answer to the question propounded by Christ to the Apostles. The question was about their judgement and faith, as to the person of our Saviour. In the answer, there is contained the confession of the Disciples concerning Christ, and together with this, a description of Christ. In this description the person of our Saviour is described; 1. From his office, Thou art Christ. 2. From his essence, which is pointed out to us by his essential relation to that principle, from whence he came forth. This principle is God, who is illustrated by his attribute of life, the living God. The relation of our Saviour to God, is that of a Son to a Father; the Son of the living God. And he is also illustrated by a tacite comparison of that unlikeness, that is between this Son and others that use to get the same name also: And this comparison is illustrated to us in the particle prefixt to Sonne; the Sonne, or that Sonne.
Doct. 1. Iesus Christ is the coeternal or natural Son of God.
He is called the Son of God, because he proceeds from the Father, not by way of creation, but by way of generation. And generation is here used by similitude or proportion, that this emanation of the Son from the Father, hath with that production, which a child hath from its parent; in the comparison of which similitude or analogy, as in all others that are attributed to God, the perfections onelyonly of the denomination are to be understood to agree; and all the imperfections and defects are to be removed in our thoughts. Hence, that which is proper to corporal generation, that he who begets, doth it with some transmutation; and that the thing begotten, is something out of the begetter; these are not to be imagined in this divine mystery; nor that which is found in the spiritual generation, in, or by a creature; to wit, that the thing begotten is of another essence from that of the begetter, as in the production of the w…rd of the mind in humane understanding. But the perfection that is in the generation of a body; to wit, that the begotten be in essence and nature like unto the begetter, is here to be con oyned with that perfection that is found in spiritual generation of creatures; to wit, that the begotten be in the begetter, by the most inward and inseparable way of being so; and so we come …ighest to apprehend, that which can be conceived or apprehended of this divine generation of the Son by the Father. For Christ proceeding from God the Father, hath the same common nature and essence with him, and is his substantial image, Heb. 1. 3. Yet he remains still in the Father, and the Father in him, without total separation of either from other, as God understanding himself, is in God understood by himself; and God understood by himself, is in God understanding himself.
Use 1. Is of Consolation, towards all believers▪ because while they have communion with Christ, who is the Son, and heir of all the goods of the Father, they may thence see their felicity; to wit, that they are coheirs with Christ in the heirship of life and eternal glory, Rom. 8. 7.
Use 2. Is of Admonition, to all, that they hear the voice of Christ with all submission, according to that command sent down from heaven, This is my Son in whom I am well pleased, hear him.
Doct. 2. Christ is the Son of God in a farre more perfect, and a divine way, than any creature is.
This is from the particle The, or That Son. The reason is, because Christ is the Son of God by nature, not by adoption, or creation. Christ is called the natural Son of God, not because in his first or proper nature he is the Son of God; for so the good Angells may be called the natural Sons of God, if they be compared with men, who now after the fall, are not thus the natural Sons of God, but onelyonly in their second nature and generation; that is, their regeneration and adoption: but Christ is the natural Son of God, because the Father begot him, not of free choice, or decree of wisdome and will going before, but of natural necessity, as light engenders light. Moreover Christ hath the same most single and singular nature with the Father; wherof there can be no resemblance found on earth, in any creature, but that which is unperfect. Therefore Christ is also called the onelyonly Son of God, and the onelyonly begotten. For though as to the general denomination, he hath many, whom he vouchsafes to call brothers; yet as to the special manner▪ and foundation of this filiation of his, he hath no brothers at all, or like unto himself, nor can he have any.
Use 1. Is of Direction, of our Faith and thoughts …bout Christ. For though we use the same words of Christ, and of our selves, in relation to God, for the …overty and want of peculiar, and more proper expressions; because God is called the father of Christ, and our Father; and we together with Christ are called the sonnes of God; yet we ought alwayes to conceive all divine perfection in these titles and words, that are attributed to Christ; and in the same, as attributed unto us a far inferiour dignity, yet which is sufficient enough to our consolation.
Use 2. Is of Information, how we ought to seek all that belong to our adoption, and happiness, onelyonly in Christ, and by him. For because Christ is that son of God, in whom is the principality, and all the excellency of divine filiation, or sonship; therefore in him, and by him, we alwayes ought to seek all▪ our participation of this dignity, that we can have, or may crave.
Doct. 3. Christ is the supream Lord in the Church of God.
Though this be not expressed in our Text, yet because it is in order conjoyned with the antecedent words in the Apostles Creed (commonly so called) it will be conveniently in this place joyned to the preceding matter. It is thus gathered from our Text; Peter in the words set down had regard to the Messias, whom all the Prophets had preached, that he would be a King, a Lord, and a most glorious vindicator or restorer of his people And hither also the particle the or that looks in part. For such a Messias the Jews at that time did look for, as appears from Ioh. …. 10. Thou art that son of God, thou art the King of Israel; as also in the words of the High-priest, Mat. 26. 63▪ And Christ in his answer following, explaines the matter, how that his dominion is contained in these words.
Reas. 1. Because Christ is one and the self same God with the Father; and God is the Lord of all that he made, as well in the order of grace, as of nature; so also Christ is Lord of them all by right of creation; for by him all things were made, and by right of sustentation, because he sustains all that he made, with his mighty hand, Heb. 1. 3.
Reas. 2. Christ he is Mediator, is Lord of the Church by right of Redemption. For he that redeemed the whole, bought the whole man to himself; therefore he hath him in whole & in part in his power, and that by a debt of justice; whereunto also accrues another debt of thankfulness: Whence it comes to pass, that a redeemed one wholly yeilds and gives up himself to his Redeemer.
Reas. 3. As Christ is considered, as the party to whom we subject our selves, and oblige our truth and fidelity to him by a most holy Sacrament, oath or vow sealed sole…ly with an outward badge or confession; so he is our Lord by right▪ of contract or bargain, of Covenant, of our religious assurance or truth giving, & of our promise. And for these two last reasons, more peculiarly and specially he is every where in the New Testament called our Lord, even when he is together named with the Father and with the Holy Spirit, viz. because he alone is thus our Lord in our nature, he is onelyonly our Lord, who thus onelyonly redeemed us. Lastly, we in special manner chuse him to be our Lord, in our calling to Faith, by our answer of a good conscience, as Peter calls it; whence it is also, that we are called Christians, or subjects of Christ, and his Kingdome and call upon his name, as his name is called upon us, and professed that he is our Lord.
Use 1. Is of Instruction, to establish our Faith, concerning the Godhead of Christ; because none either can or may be called our Lord absolutely, or God of the Church, except God alone. For,
First, God onelyonly is the Lord of mans life, and of such things as belong to the goods of nature. For Magistrates and Commonwealths are onelyonly by Gods institution keepers of the lives of their subjects under them, in order to the publick good of all: and every Citizen or Subject is but a tutor and keeper of his own life, and no absolute Lord, or maker of it.
Secondly, God onelyonly may use, or apply to his use the whole man according to his own free arbitrement.
Thirdly, The things that belong to the goods of grace, are of a more noble rank, than those of nature. If therefore God alone be Lord of this natural life, than much more must it be granted, that he is onelyonly Lord of grace and spiritual life.
Fourthly, He that dischargeth the part of Lord of the Church of God, ought of necessiity to be omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, because to him belongs to have the care over the Church, and all its members dispersed over all the earth, and under the whole compass of heaven, and to direct them in all their wayes, and defend them against all sorts of evills, and lastly, to heap upon them all sort of good to their happiness. Seeing then this is the sole…e title of Christ, that he is Lord in the Church of God, it followes necessarily that he is also essentially and by nature God, and not by office onelyonly.
Use 2. Is of Consolation, to all the faithfull, that they have him for their Lord, who gave himself to the death for them.
Use 3. Is of Admonition, that we subject our selves wholly to this Lord, and his will; and do him all honour in all and every part of our life and conversation.