A Communicant Instructed, Part 1 · Section 3
3. Knowledge of Iesus Christ.
Knowledge of Iesus Christ our Mediatour, is, the next branch of knowledge requisite to a worthy Communicant.
How necessary a competent knowledge of Jesus Christ is, hath been formerly shewed, Christ being the Author, Matter, and End of the Lords Supper, without due knowledge of whom we cannot possibly discern the Lords body.
But what are we principally to know touching Jesus Christ, in order to worthy communicating? Answ. We should especially know these seven particulars. 1. That there is but only one true Christ and Mediatour. 2. That Iesus the Son of the Virgin Mary is the only true Messiah, true Christ. 3. That this Iesus Christ is God and man in one Person. 4. That Iesus Christ God-man, hath in order to sinners salvation taken upon himself the office of Mediatourship betwixt God and man. 5. That Iesus Christ is a Mediatour All-sufficient. 6. That this All-sufficient Mediatour Iesus Christ saves none but those to whom he is actually applyed. 7. That Iesus Christ is the substance and marrow of all Sacraments, Promises, Ordinances, and of the whole S…riptures.
I. That there is but one only true Christ and Mediatour, and no more; There are many counterfeit Christs, tMath. 24.23, 24. Mar. 13.21 Luk. 17.23false Christs, foreprophesied of, able (if it were possible) to deceive the very Elect. But if any shall say, lo, here is Christ, or lo, there is Christ, believe them not. Foru1 Cor. 8.6 unto us, as there is but one God, so there is but one Lord Iesus Christ. — x1 Tim. 2.5.There is one God, and one Mediatour between God and man, the man Christ Iesus, —yAct. 4.1… Ne…ther is there salvation in any other, for there …s none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.
II. That Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary is this onelyonly true Messiah, true Christ and Mediatour that should come into the wor…d to save sinners, according to the prophecies and promi…es of God in the whole Old Testament. This is evident three wayes.
1. By certain Testimonies; As, —zAct. 10.38.43. To him, (that is, to Iesus of Nazareth) give all the Prophets witnesse, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remiss… of sins. —aAct. 3.18. See also v. 20, to the end of the Chap. But those things which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. And Paul professeth himself to be separated unto the Gospel of God, bRom. 1.1, 3, 4.— Concerning his Son Iesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David decording to the flesh; and de…red to be the Son of God with power, &c.
By the Genealogie of Jesus Christ. The …ine or Pedigree of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Virgin Mary, is described by cMat. 1.1. to 18.Matthew anddLuk. 3.23 to the end of the Chap. Luke, and drawn down from David, Abraham, yea Adam himself to Ioseph and Mary; from generation, to generation; and principally for this end, to evidence, That thi… Iesus is the onelyonly true Messiah promised under the Old Testament. Matthew describes Iosephs line, (the supposed father of Christ, because he was the Virgins husband) and shews that he came from David, for it's said, eMatth. ….…6.Iacob begat Ioseph the husband of Mary. Luke delineates Maries line the mother of Christ, how she also descended from David &c. So that Matthew sets down Christs legal, Luke Christs natural line. For he saith,fLuk. 3.23 Iesus being (as was supposed) the son of Ioseph, which was the Sun of Eli. Ioseph was the natural son of Iacob, who begat him, as Mat…hew shewes▪ the legal son, or son in law of Eli, by marrying Mary the daughter of Eli, as Luke imports. Iosephs name is put in both the Genealogies, because the Iews were wont to reckon their Genealogies by the men, and not by the women. So that Jesus descended of Abraham and David, according to Gods promise, both by father and mother, &c. therefore is the very Christ.
3. By the Histories of the four Evangelists, describing Christs Birth, Life and Death, in all points so exactly agreeing with the prophecies and promises of Christ of old, as may appeare by comparing the Prophets and Evangelists together▪ it's clear that Jesus the sonne of the Virgin Mary is the very and only Christ indeed.
If we hold not fast this point, That Iesus the Son of the Virgin Mary is the only promised Messiah, we overthrow all the New Testament, and the whole frame of Christian Religion.
III. That this Iesus Christ the onelyonly true Messiah is God-man, that is, is true God and perfect man in one person: The humane nature of Christs soul and body, being personally united to the Sonne, the second person in the God-head. gJoh. 1.1.The Word (viz. the substantial Word the Son, by whom God makes his will known to us, as man utters his minde by a word) was God: There's his Divinity. —hJoh. 1.14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; there's his humanity. —iGal. 4.4. When the fulnesse of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman. This is k1 Tim. 3.16.The great Mystery of godlinesse, God manifest in the flesh. A great Mystery indeed, that the most glorious God, infinitely above all created beings should stoop so low as to become personally one with dust and ashes: and that frail dust and ashes should be advanced so far above Angels, as to become personally one with the onelyonly blessed God. We cannot fully comprehend this Mystery, let us faithfully apprehend it. Consider here three things.
1. Why was it needful Christ should be God and Man in one person? Answ. Christ became a middle person betwixt God & man. 1. That he might be a fit l1 Tim. 2.5Mediator reconciling God and man. His office is founded in his person. 2. That God might accept, and the godly apply to themselves the mActs 20.28. Heb. 9.14. Mat. 3.17.properties and peculiar works of each nature, as the n1 Pet. 2.5.6, 7.properties and works of Christs whole person.
2. Why was it requisite that Iesus Christ …hould be man? Answ. Christ our Mediator must needs be man; 1. That he might oHeb. 2.16exalt and sanctifie our nature which we had deba…ed and polluted. 2. That he might be our pHeb. 2.14 15. Gal. 4, 4, 5.Kinsman, and so the right of our Redemption might belong unto him. 3. That in our nature which had offended▪ he might qRom. 5.17. to the end. Heb. 2 14. & …. 14 25.fulfill all righteousnesse both in his acti…e and passive obedience, suffering and interceding for us. 4. That he might berHeb. 2.17 18, … 16. … a merciful and compassionate H…gh Priest for us in things pertaining unto God, Ha…ing an experimental fellow-feeling of our temptations and infirmities. 5. That as Christ became the Son of man by Nature: …o we in him might become the sGal. 4.4.Sons of God by Adoption and Grace. 6. That he being our Mediatour and Advocate in our flesh, we may tHeb. 4.15, 16.come boldly to the Throne of grace, for obtaining mercy and find…ng grace to help in time of need.
3. Why was it necessary Christ our Mediatour should be God? Answ. It was necessary our Mediatour should be God as well as man, 1. That his Godhead might uHeb. 9.14. Rom. 1.4. Acts 24, 25.uphold his manhood from being swallowed up with Gods infinite wrath, and the fruits thereof for our sins; which wrath no meer creatures, no not Angels could undergo and not be utterly overwhelmed. 2. That his obedience Active and Passive, his Intercession, and other acts of his Mediatorship might be xCompa…e…Acts 20.28. with Heb. 7.25, 26, 27. Rom. 3.24, 25. T…t. 2.13, 14. He…r. 5.8, 9. & 9.14, 15.filled with such excellency, worth, and efficacy: as to be every way satisfactory and well-pleasing to God, and sufficient for the salvation of all his Elect.
IV. That Jesus Christ God-man, hath taken upon him the office of a Mediator betwixt God and man, in order to the salvation of his Elect. y1 Tim. 2.5.There is one God, and one Mediator betwixt God and man, the man Christ Iesus. Consider here, 1. How. 2. In what state Christ executes his Mediatorship.
1. How doth Christ discharge and execute this his office of Mediatorship? Answ. Christ executes his office of Mediatorship, chiefly three ways, Viz. 1. As a Prophet, 2. Priest, and 3. King. And these are the three branches or parts of Mediatorship.
1. Christ is the Prophet which Moses foretold the Jews, zActs 3.22.God should rai…e up like unto him; and charged them to hear him in all things under penalty of destruction. As a Prophet, he in all ages makes known to his Church, his Fathers Will for his Elects salvation. Hence he is stiled aIsa. 9.6.Counsellor; b1 Pet. 2.25.The Shepheard and Bishop of our souls. He c1 Cor. 1.30.is made unto us wisdom. And he is fully acquainted with all his Fathers counsels and bosom secrets, therefore able to discover to us the whole counsel of God. dJohn 1.18.The onelyonly begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Christ reveals Gods Will to his Church, 1. Outwardly in his eActs 20.27. with 2 Tim. 3.16, 17.Word and Ordinances, wherein the summe of all divine mysteries necessary to salvation are contained compleatly. This is the light without us, even fCol. 3.16the Word of Christ. 2. Inwardly by his g1 Cor. 2.10, 11, 12. with 2 Cor. 3.18.Spirit, opening and illuminating our dark mindes, that we may spiritually and savingly understand the counsels of God in his Word. This is h1 Job. 2.20, 27.the Anointing from Chr…st, which teacheth all things.
2. Christ is our Priest. Our iHeb. 4.14.great High Priest. A Priest of a far more perfect order then Aarons, even kHeb. 7.17.A Priest for over after the order of Me…chizedech. Christ as our Priest, 1. Made satisfaction for us, lHeb. 10.10, 12, 13, 14, and 7.27.purging our sins by his own blood once for all, when he was on earth; In which act himself was both Sacrifice, Altar, and Priest. Sacrifice, as Man: Altar, as God: Priest, as God-man. 2. Makes continual intercession for us in heaven, mHeb. 7.25. and 9.24. 1 John 2.1, 2.appearing there as our Advocate with the Father.
3. Christ is our King. Our nHeb. 7.2.King of Righteousness: Our King of Peace. oIsal. 2.6.Yet have I set my King upon my Holy Hill of Sion. Ch…ist acts and executes his Kingly Authority and Power, 1. By pPs. 110.3cal…ing his Elect effectually, 2. By qEph. 4.11.12. 1 Cor. 12.28. Isa. 33.22. Mat. 18 17, 18.go…erning them visib…y and in…isibly. 3. By recompencing their obedience with gracious rewards, their failings with just fatherly rRev. 3.19.chas…isements. 4. By supporting them under all their sIsa. 43.2. &c. & 63.9.trials, afflictions, and persecutions. 5, By over powring and ordering all, even the worst and most unlikely occurrents for tRom. 11. last. & 8.28.his own glory and his peoples good. 6. By uPsal. 110. 1 Cor. …5.25.restraining, subduing, and crushing all his and his peoples enemies. 7. And finally, by xAct. 17.31.judging and justly rewarding all men and Angels at the great day. Thus Christ executed his Mediatory Office, as a Prophet, Priest, and King for us.
2. In what state or condition did Christ thus execute this his Office? Answer. Christ executed his Med…atory office in a double condition. 1. Partly in a state of ignominious Humiliation. 2. Partly in a state of glorious Exaltation.
Christs Humiliation (he being the eternal Son of God,) was exceeding deep and ignominious, & that principally in these five degrees. 1. In his Conception, in that he was yGal. 4.4.in fullnesse of time made of a woman: zLuke 1.35, 48, 52, 53.conceived by the Holy Ghost in the wombe of a Virgin of low estate and degree. He that comprehends heaven and earth, is comprehended in the narrow wombe of a Virgin. Who can sufficiently admire his disvesting himselfe of such Majestie, and investing himselfe with such meannesse? 2. In his Birth in that he who is eternall before all time should be borne in time. He who brought forth the who…e wor…d, should be brough… sorth in the world. And that so meany; But at home, but abroad; not in a Palace, but in a common aLuk 2.4, 3, 6, 7.Inne: not in the best room in the Inne, but in a Stable, there being no room for him in the Inne. There he was borne, wrapped in swadling-cloaths, and laid in a manger. O wonderfull ab…sement! 3. In his whole life. In that he was bGal. 4.4. & 3.13.made under the Law to do and endure it: cJohn 15.18.Coorsely entertained and used in the wor…d: dMat. 4.1. &c.impudently tempted by Satan; and continually eHeb. 2.16…ct 4.15. Isa. 53.2, 3, 4, 5, 6.subject to humane sin-lesse infirmities, and in some fort below us therein. 4. In his death, in that he who was Truth, was betrayed by Iudas, and falsely accused by the Jews: He who was Safety, was forsaken by his Disciples, denied by Peter; He who was Love, was hated and rejected of the world: He who was Righteousnesse, was condemned by Pilate, and abused by the souldiers: He who was Holiness, and fCol. 1.13.the Son of Gods love, wrastled under Gods wrath: And he who was Life, died shamefully, painfully, and cur…edly on the Cross, as the Evangelists abundantly testifie. 5. Finally, In his Burial. In that he who was the Resurrection should be buried, and remain in the state of the dead three days as a bond man under the grave.
2. Christs gAct. 2.33.Exaltation (after this his Humiliation) was great and g…orious. And that especially in fi…e other degrees also. 1. In his Rev…ving in the grave. He who was dead and b…ried, hLuk. 24.5. with Rom. 1.4. Acts 2.24. Rev. 1.18. & John 10 18.quickned himself in the grave by his God-head; loosing the bands of death, when he was fastest bound by them. His Reviving in order of nature must go before his Rising: and he rose alive, not dead; Con…equently his Reviving, the first degree of his Exaltation, began in the grave, wherein was the last and lowest degree of his Humiliat…on. 2. In his Resurrection, from the dead out of the grave the i1 Cor. 15.4, &c.third day. He both revived and rose again, k1 Cor. 15.21, 22 Eph. 1.20, 21, 22.23.As a second Adam, and Head of his Church for our lRom. 4.25.Iustification, mCol. 2.12, & 3.1.Spiritual raising of our souls out of sin, and n1 Cor. 15.20.Corporal raising of our bodies out of the grave at the last day, declaring hereby, his infinite oRom. 1.4God-head: His pRom. 14.9Lordship over quick and dead; His qRom. 8.34.full satisfaction of Gods justice for us, and his absolute rHeb. 2.14victory o…er sinne death, and the devil. 3. In his sAct. 1.2, 3. Heb. 2.20.Ascension up into heaven, fourty days a…ter his Resurrection as our Head and Fore-runner. Thereby to tEph. 4.8.9, 10.lead Captivity Captive most triumphantly; To receive, and give gifts for men. To cause our hearts, and uCol. 3.1, 2.Affections spiritually to ascend after him: To prepare a place for us,xJohn 14.2, 3. that where he is we might be also. 4. In his Session, or yHeb. 8.1. Phil. 2.9.sitting down at Gods right hand, as God-man, our Mediatour, in highest Majesty and Glory farre above all Angels. Having compleat dominion, not only over his Church, but zEph. 1.21, 22.over all things in the whole world for the good of his Church; aEph. 4.10, 11, 12.Pouring his Spirit upon his people▪ & continually bRom. 8.34. Heb, 9.12.24.making intercession for them. 5. Finally, In his coming again at the last day, to cActs 17.31.judge the whole world in righteousnesse. In his Humiliation at his first coming, he was judged and condemned by sinners unjustly: In his Exaltation at his second coming, he shall judge both men and Angels justly. And he shall come in dLuk. 9.26. Mat. 25.31.His own and his Fathers glory, e1 Thes. 4.1.6.descending from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the Arch-Angel, and the Trumpet of God, attended most gloriously, with the triumphant train of innumerable Saints and Angels, fRom. 2.6. Rev. 22.12.to render to every one according to his works. Thus we are to know that Christ di… charged his office of Mediatourship, as Prophet, Priest, and King, both in his state of Humiliation and Exaltation.
V. That this Mediatour Jesus Christ is an absolutely All-sufficient Mediatour. There can be nothing required for sinners salvation, which is not compleatly to be had in Christ. Is it Redemption? He hath gHeb. 9.12obtained eternal Redemption for his Elect.—And hHeb. 10.14.by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Is it reconciliation to God? iRom. 5.10.When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Is it Justification? He k1 Cor. 1.30.is made unto us righteousness: He is lJer. 23.6.The LORD our Righteousnesse. m2 Cor. 5.21.He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the Righteousnesse of God in h…m; for he is nMat. 6.33.the Righteousnesse of God, viz. which God hath devised and will accept So that Christ hath more righteousnesse than we have unrighteousnesse: more pardons than we have debts: more justification than we have condemnation. Is it Holinesse? He is oJohn 1.14, 16.full of grace and truth, that out of his fulnesse we might receive, and grace for grace. Is it any thing? He hath pCol. 1.19. & 2.9.10.all fulnesse in h…mself, that we may be compleat in him. And he is qHeb. 7.25able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to moke intercession for them.
VI. That though Jesus Chri…t be such an All-sufficient Mediatour and Sa…iour, yet he will sa…e none at all, but them onelyonly to whom he is actually applied. r1 Joh. 5.12.He that hath the Son hath life, but he that hath not the Son hath not l…fe. He justifies sinners: but onelyonly tho…e sinners that sRom. 3.23, to 27.beleeve in him. He tMat. 11.28.gives soul-rest to wearied souls: but onelyonly to tho…e wearied and heavy-laden …ouls that come unto him. He uJohn. ….12.g…ves Priviledge to become the sons of God: But this Priviledge he onelyonly gives to them that rece…ve him, &c. Our union to Christ is the found…tion of all our Communion with Christ. No Vnion, no Communion.
VII. Finally, we are to know touching Christ that he is the sub…tance of all the Sacraments both of Old and New Testament. The Centre of the Covenant of grace, and of all the Promises.v2 Cor. 1.2…. And the very marrow of all the Scriptures. They that know not Christ aright, know nothing of the Holy Scriptures to purpose: for they principally yJohn. 5.3.9. Act. 10.43.testifie of him. They are as the …tarres that lead to Christ: They are as the Sun-beams that discover this Sunne of Righteousnesse: They are the secret swadling-clothes of the childe Jesus.
These things we should know touching Christ, before we come to the Lords Supper.