The Ark of the Covenant Opened, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Of Chriſts taking onr nature upon him, which is his grand qualification for the Office of Mediatorſhip.
CHriſts qualification and fitneſs for this Office of Mediatorſhip, may be conſidered, 1. In his taking our nature upon him, wherein conſiſts the grand qualification, and fundamental fitneſs of Chriſt for being Mediator of the New Covenant. And 2. In other qualifications which reſult from the union of the two natures in him. Or we may conſider Chriſts qualifications for this Office in the union of theſe two natures in him. 2. In his unction.
And 1. of Chriſts coming in the fleſh, and taking our nature upon him, which I call the chief and grand qualification of him for Mediatorſhip. This is a fundamental truth, and yet a great myſtery. We think we know this ſo well, that it is below us to ſtudy it, to preach it, and to hear of it; but you are not at the bottom of your unbelief and ignorance, if you know not that this myſtery is little known and believed, God manifeſted in the fleſh, ſeen of Angels, with ſtudy and delight, 1 Tim. 1.16, with 1 Pet. 1.10, 11, 12. We ſhall conſider, 1. The reality of his human nature, and the aſſuming of it. 2. The tranſcendent love and condeſcention ſhewed by the Son of God in the taking our nature upon him. 3. The honour and exaltation of our nature; yea, and of us, by Jeſus Chriſt his taking it into a perſonal union with the Divine nature. 4. How or in what reſpects the taking of our nature upon him did qualifie him to be Mediator of the New Covenant. 5. Something for the clearing of ſome queſtions relating to this Myſtery.
And 1. He took our nature really upon him: Jeſus Chriſt became truly man, as kindly a man as ever lived, verus ſed non merus homo, true man, but not meer man. That word Rom. 8.3, ſimilitude of fleſh, is put for ſameneſs, as Auguſtine obſerves, Non quia caro non erat caro, ſed quia peccati caro non erat. Chriſts manhood was a true nature, yet no ſinful nature, but had only the ſimilitude or likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, becauſe he bare all our infirmities in which we lay through ſin: And it may appear thus: 1. Jeſus Chriſt hath taken mans nature upon him, Heb. 2.16, For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took upon him the ſeed of Abraham: foreign, he catched at it, took hold of it; it properly ſignifies to catch one who is running away, or falling in a pit; to fetch back or recover again: the ſame word that's uſed of Chriſt's catching hold of Peter when he was like to ſink, Mat. 14.31, it is anſwerable to the word uſed Gen. 19.16, of the Angels laying hold on Lot's hand. So did Chriſt in taking our nature upon him. 2. He took all the parts of a man, body and ſoul, Mat. 26.38, Then ſaith he unto them, My ſoul is exceeding ſorrowful unto death. Heb. 10.5, A body haſt thou prepared me. Luke 24.39, Behold my hands and my feet (that it is I my ſelf); handle me and ſee; for a ſpirit hath not fleſh and bones as ye ſee me have. 3. He hath all the names of a man, Adam, Enoſh, Iſh, Geber, whereof ſee Zech. 6.12, and 13.7. Dan. 7.13. 4. He took upon him all the affections of a man, fear, and ſorrow, and love, and anger, &c. Mat. 26.38, My ſoul is exceeding ſorrowful unto death. Heb. 5.7, And was heard in that he feared. Joh. 11.33, 35, 36, He groaned in the ſpirit and was troubled.—Jeſus wept. Then ſaid the Jews, Behold, how he loved him. Mat. 10.14, Aud when Jeſus ſaw it, he was much diſpleaſed, Mat. 21.12. 5. He took upon him all the ſinleſs infirmities of a man, to hunger, thirſt, be weary, …afflicted, tempted, die, &c. Heb. 2.18, For in that he himſelf hath ſuffered, being tempted. Chap. 4. v. 15, For we have not an High-prieſt which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without ſin. Chap. 5. v. 2, For that he himſelf alſo is compaſſed with infirmity. Mat. 8.17, Himſelf took our iniquities, and bare our ſickneſſes. Chap. 4. v. 2, And when he had faſted forty days, and forty nights, he was afterwards an hungred.
2. Conſider, in Chriſts taking our nature upon him, his condeſcending love: union betwixt God and man was the great deſign intended through the Mediator; this is brought about by his condeſcenſion, and our exaltation: where love is, it will ſtoop, and the greater condeſcenſion, the greater love.
Theſe things hold forth infinite condeſcending in Chriſts taking our nature upon him. 1. Conſider who condeſcends thus: The higher that the perſon be who condeſcends, the more love is in his condeſcenſion: if it be a great condeſcending for God to look down upon things here below, Pſal. 113.46, The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens; who humbleth himſelf to behold the things in the heaven, and in the earth: What then muſt it be for the Son of God to take upon him the form of a Creature! Phil. 2.6, 7, Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a ſervant, and was made in the likeneſs of man. That he that made the world ſhould be made of a woman! That the immortal God ſhould become mortal fleſh! it were a great condeſcenſion, that the ſoul of a man ſhould enter into a worm, or that all the Angels ſhould become worms; yet that were nothing to Chriſts ſtooping to take our nature upon him. 2. Conſider what he took upon him, not our perſon, but our nature, Heb. 2.15, 16, The ſeed of Abraham, our fleſh and blood, that is our nature: many can be content to take upon them the perſons of men, to repreſent them, who yet would not be willing to take their nature; but Chriſt took our nature. 3. The end wherefore he took our nature upon him, ſheweth yet more of his condeſcending. 1. It was that he might ſuffer, and that he might die for us in that nature, Phil. 2.8, And being found in faſhion as a man, he humbled himſelf, and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the croſs. Non ad gloriam ſed ad ignominiam, to be abaſed in our nature. 2. It was for our good, not for any thing that it could profit him, Gal. 4.5. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of ſons. 4. He took our nature upon him, not for a day, or a ſhort time, but to continue ſo: It may be a Prince at a Masque for a little time might be moved to take the form of a ſervant upon him; but to continue ſo, he would not be moved: but here is infinite condeſcenſion, Chriſt takes our nature upon him, and keeps it ſtill, he will come again in our nature to judg the world, Act. 1.11, This ſame Jeſus which is taken up from you into heaven, ſhall come in like manner as ye have ſeen him go into heaven. Chap. 17. v. 31, Becauſe he hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the world in righteouſneſs, by that man whom he hath ordained. Though he doth nothing now in Heaven, but acts of Majeſty, being a Prieſt ſet upon the right hand of the throne of Majeſty, Heb. 8.1. Yet he will do thoſe acts in our nature; yea, when he ſhall deliver up the kingdom, See Chap. 6. the Kingdom which he hath received as Mediator, he will not lay down our nature, 1 Cor. 15.24. 5. Conſider the time when he took our nature upon him; not when our nature was a virgin, but when it was defiled; not mans nature in innocency, but in his ſinful, corrupted, condemned, accurſed eſtate, Rom. 8.3, In the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh. Chap. 5. v. 10, When we were enemies, and when all the Creatures did hate us; when we were not worth the following, then he did thus condeſcend to love us, and follow us. 6. Conſider the manner of his taking our nature upon him. 1. He doth not perſonate our nature, but is made fleſh, Joh. 1.14. 2. He does it voluntarily and chearfully, and with earneſt deſire, when we were not following him, but fleeing away from him, he himſelf roſe out of his place and followed after us, and caught our nature, as the words ſignifies, Heb. 2.7, And took upon him the form of a ſervant. Pſal. 40.7, Then ſaid he, Lo, I come. 3. He takes our nature upon him, with all the infirmities of it, Heb. 2.17, Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren. Chap. 4. v. 15, For we have not an High-prieſt which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted, like as we are, yet without ſin. He would condeſcend ſo far, that in all things he would be like us (ſin only excepted); and even in that, though he took not the corruption of ſin, yet he took upon him the guilt of our ſin, (2 Cor. 5. laſt, For he hath made him to be ſin for us, who knew no ſin. He was legally the ſinner, though not intrinſecally), and the puniſhment thereof, Gal. 3.13, Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the law being made a curſe for us. He was content to be numbred with the tranſgreſſors, Iſa. 53.12. He was content to be puniſhed for our ſins, even by God his Father. And, which is yet wonderful, that he might come as near to us as poſſible, he was content to condeſcend to be tempted to the thing wherewith it was impoſſible that he could be tainted, Mat. 4.2. To be tempted of the Devil to ſin, and yet the Prince of the world had nought in him, Joh. 14.20. 7. Conſider the compariſon inſtituted by the Holy-Ghoſt, which doth yet further and more ſignificantly expreſs this condeſcending-love, Heb. 2.16. It was a favour which he denied to the Angels, foreign not at all, or not in any wiſe; he neither looked after nor ſent, nor went after the Angels; he neither followed them nor took hold of their nature, nor ſuffered them to take hold of him; though theſe glorious ſpirits were incomparably far above us, that Chriſt would manifeſt himſelf, not in the moſt glorious Creatures, but in our fleſh, was ſtrange condeſcenſion!
3. In Chriſts taking our nature, we are to conſider the honour and exaltation of our nature, and of us in that union. And, 1. That it may appear what honour is conferred upon our nature by Chriſt aſſuming it into the perſonal union with the Godhead,
Conſider, 1. The nearer that any Creature is to God, the greater honour is put upon it. It is the honour of people that are under ordinances, that they have God near to them, Deut. 4.7, For what nation is there ſo great, who hath God ſo nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things, that we call upon him for? It is a more eſpecial honour of thoſe that have offices in the houſe of God, Heb. 5.4, And no man taketh this honour unto himſelf. Now there is a threefold union; 1. Moral, ſo were men and Angels united before the fall. 2. Myſtical, ſo are Believers united amongſt themſelves, and with Chriſt. 3. Hypoſtatical, ſo is our nature united with the divine nature in the Perſon of Chriſt; there is a perſonal union of our nature with God; this is the neareſt union, and therefore the higheſt honour and exaltation, Heb. 1.4, Being made ſo much better than the Angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they.
2. Conſider the Sonſhip that Chriſt hath as Mediator, whereby our nature is alſo highly exalted; the Son of God and our nature have but one Sonſhip; for ſiliatio eſt perſonae, Heb. 1.5, For unto which of the Angels, ſaid he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And again, I will be to him a Father, and he ſhall be to me a Son.
3. Conſider the glorious communion that our nature hath by this union with the Son of God, 'tis a high and great communion, that Angels and the ſpirits of juſt men are made perfect, have with God; but the communion that our nature hath with Chriſt, is far higher, Joh. 3.13, And no man hath aſcended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. Even the man Chriſt is Gods fellow, Zech. 13.7, This is high communion indeed, whereby all the will of God is known to him, and ſo to our nature, Col. 1.19, For it pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell.
4. What honour is it, that our nature ſhould be the Treaſury and Store-houſe of all the good which God intends to diſpenſe to men and Angels? Col. 2.9, For in him dwelleth all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily. Divines call the humane nature Canalis gratiae, Eph. 1.22, And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church.
5. What honour is it that all the Creatures ſhould worſhip God in our nature? Heb. 1.6, And again, when he bringeth in the firſt begotten into the world, he ſaith, And let all the Angels of God worſhip him. Phil. 2.9, 10, 11, Wherefore God alſo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jeſus every knee ſhould bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. And that every tongue ſhould confeſs that Jeſus Chriſt is Lord. Willingly or unwillingly, by conſent or by conſtraint, all ſhall bow to the Lord Mediator, to God in our nature, even to the Son of man.
6. What honour is it to our nature, that God in the humane nature ſhould diſpoſe of the eternal eſtates of men and Angels? for God ſhall even judg the world by the man Chriſt, Act. 17.31. Joh. 5.27, And hath given him authority to execute judgment alſo, becauſe he is the Son of man.
Yea, by Chriſts taking our nature upon him, not only our nature, but we our ſelves are honoured. 1. We have a nearer union with Chriſt than man in his innocency had with God; a nearer union than the Angels have; for believers make up one body with Chriſt: he is the head, and they are the members, Col. 1.18, And he is the head of the body the Church. Eph. 1.22, 23, And gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body. Heb. 2.11, For both he that ſanctifieth, and they who are ſanctified, are all one, for which cauſe he is not aſhamed to call them brethren. 2. We are not beholden to one of another nature, not to the Angels, nor any other Creature; you are independent of them all; you have Salvation by one of your own nature, Heb. 2.16, 17, For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High-prieſt in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the ſins of the people.
4. Let us conſider how Chriſts taking our nature upon him, or taking it into the union of his Perſon, is the great qualification of him for the Office of Mediatorſhip. Our Mediator behoved to be God manifeſted in the fleſh: to make way for clearing this, I ſhall premiſe, 1. That the Angels Covenant (if any Covenant was made with the Angels, as ſome think) it was not made with the whole Angelical nature, it was perſonal, ſome of them fell, and ſome of them ſtood, and all fell not in them that fell. Mans firſt Covenant was with his Nature, and in Adam all fell. 2. When Man and Angels fell, God intended to raiſe the one, and not to raiſe, but to deſtroy the other. 3. God will not reſtore man without a fit ſatisfaction to his Juſtice. 4. There is an eternal impotency in man to give to God a fitting ſatisfaction; the command of the Law man cannot obey; the curſe of the Law he cannot bear to his own advantage, ſo as to make way thereby to his own reſtitution. Here is obedience required that cannot be performed by man; and a guiltineſs contracted that cannot be taken away by man: Therefore a Mediator muſt be had, and he muſt be God and man in one perſon.
1. He muſt be God: for man could not make ſatisfaction to God for ſin: It was the union of the Divine nature with the human, that made all Chriſts ſufferings meritorious, that made his ſhoulder fit for the burden and weight of the work of ſatisfying Divine Juſtice, Pſal. 89 19, I have laid help upon one that is mighty. I ſay therefore, that it was abſolutely neceſſary our Mediator muſt be God, 1. Becauſe theſe evils which he was to expiate, could never be taken away by any perſon that was not God; ſin done againſt an Infinite Majeſty, muſt have an equal ſatisfaction. 2. Becauſe the things with which he was to wreſtle, and the Enemies which he was to ſubdue, could not be wreſtled with, nor ſubdued by any perſon who was not God. Could a meer man wreſtle with the infinite wrath of God? ſubdue Satan and Death? No, the only human nature of Chriſt, which in it ſelf is finite and mortal, could not bear up with that, except the perſon had been God. 3. Becauſe the good things which he was to purchaſe, could never have been purchaſed by any perſon who was not God, a happineſs far above Adam's, eternal righteouſneſs, the image of God, and communion with him in glory: only the infinite worth of Chriſt the Son of God, could compaſs that.
2. He muſt not be God only: for a Mediator is not a Mediator of one, but he muſt be God manifeſted in the fleſh. He muſt be man, 1. Becauſe his name is to be put in our Bond: he is to ſtand in our ſtead, and to put his Soul in our ſouls room; therefore he muſt be ſomething elſe than God: for God will have ſatisfaction to Juſtice, of man; the ſoul that ſinneth ſhall die. 2. Our Mediator muſt be a Mediator of ſatisfaction: A Mediator of interceſſion may exalt grace and mercy by entreaties, but cannot ſatisfie Juſtice: this will not do the turn; the Debt muſt be payed, the principal Debt; to obey the command, he muſt be ſubject to the Law, and the forfeiture muſt be ſatisfied, he muſt bear the curſe and die; for without blood there is no remiſſion: he muſt then be a man, and muſt have a body and ſoul: the nature of Angels will not ſuffice, Heb. 10.5, 9, A body haſt thou prepared me. Then ſaid he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. 3. He muſt be one with us; elſe what he doth cannot be imputed to us; as there muſt be an imputation of our ſin to him, ſo of his righteouſneſs to us: now imputation imports an union; for union is the ground of imputation; and it muſt be an union in nature and Covenant; the Angels ſin was not imputed to man, but Adams was, with whom we were one in nature and Covenant. 4. Our Mediator muſt receive the Spirit, without which we cannot be ſanctified, Joh. 17.19, And for their ſakes I ſanctifie my ſelf, that they alſo might be ſanctified through the truth. Chap. 3. v. 35, The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. Now the Father cannot receive the graces of the Spirit, neither the Son as God: for unto that which is infinite, nothing can be added; therefore our Mediator muſt have mans nature, which is capable of receiving that which our Mediator muſt have. 5. Our Mediator muſt convey to us the Adoption of ſons, and therefore muſt receive it himſelf, and ſo become a man, that he may receive it, Gal. 4.4, 5, 6, But when the fulneſs of the time was come, God ſent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of ſons. And becauſe ye are ſons, God hath ſent forth the ſpirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father. Chriſt is the natural Son of God, Luk. 1.35, That holy thing which ſhall be born of thee ſhall be called the Son of God. He is alſo as man, a Son, as is evident from the original Greek, where the article is not prefixed, foreign, Mat. 4.3, And when the tempter came to him, he ſaid, If thou be the Son of God (Gr. if thou be a Son of God). Becauſe Chriſt owns us as brethren, therefore God is not aſhamed to own us as Sons, Heb. 2.11, For both he that ſanctifieth, and they who are ſanctified, are all of one, for which cauſe he is not aſhamed to call them brethren. He muſt be of our kindred; for if Chriſt had not been our born brother, we could not have been Gods Children. 6. Our Mediator muſt be ſuch a Perſon from whom we may receive the inheritance; he muſt therefore be man; for it is from Chriſt-man, as he is an heir appointed, Heb. 1.2, that we receive the inheritance; for the natural inheritance of Chriſt cannot be communicated, Gal. 4.5, 7, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of Sons. Wherefore thou art no more a ſervant, but a ſon; and if a ſon, then an heir of God through Chriſt. Rom. 8.17, And if children, then heirs: heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Chriſt. Heb. 9.15, And for this cauſe he is the Mediator of the new Teſtament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the tranſgreſſions that were under the firſt Covenant, they which are called might receive the promiſe of eternal inheritance.
3. Our Mediator muſt be God and man in one Perſon, Immanuel, Iſa. 7.14. foreign, both God and man, (ſometimes denominated from one nature, ſometimes from another). 1. That the great deſign and end of the Mediators Office, might firſt be accompliſhed and made manifeſt in the Mediators own perſon: union betwixt God and man, was the deſign of a Mediator, and this was done, 1. In Chriſts Perſon: for in him the houſes of Heaven and Earth are allied. 2. That he might be a perſon duly qualified for his Office; he muſt be a Perſon equally diſtant from, and equally drawing near unto both the parties; this could not be a Perſon who was either God alone, or man alone, but God-man is a Perſon at ſome diſtance, and in ſome nearneſs with both the parties, having intereſt in both, and participating of the natures of both: he is a fit days-man to lay his hands on both, Job 9.33. 3. That he might have acceſs to both parts of his work as Mediator: he had two great tranſactions to go about, 1. He was to deal with God for man. 2. He was to deal for God with man: unto theſe he could not have acceſs without partaking of both the natures. 1. That he may deal effectually with God for man, he muſt be God: for who can have acceſs to deal with God, but a Perſon who is God, to deal with an angry God? 1 Sam. 1.25. 2. That he may deal with man from God, and for God, he muſt be man; for man cannot endure the voice and preſence of God immediately; man unreconciled, man without a Mediator cannot ſpeak with God, Exod. 20.19, And they ſaid unto Moſes, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God ſpeak with us, leſt we die. Heb. 12.20, 21, For they could not endure that which was commanded. And ſo terrible was the ſight, that Moſes ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake. But of this more, when I ſhall come to ſpeak of the Requiſites of a Mediator.