The Christian Life Part 2 Volume 2, Table of contents
THE CONTENTS.
SECT. I.
OF the Signification and Notion of a Mediator, pag. 4, &c. Six general Articles proposed to our belief in Scripture concerning the Person and Offices of the Mediator. First, That he is designed and authorized to this Office by God, who is our absolute Lord and Sovereign, 6. VponUpon what accounts the belief of this is necessary, 8. Secondly, That this Office to which he is Authorized, consists in acting for, and in the behalf of God and Men, who are the Parties between whom he mediates, 10. the belief of which Article carries with it the most indispensible Obligations to Christian Piety and Vertue, 11. Thirdly, That his Mediation proceeds upon certain terms and stipulations between God and Man, which terms he obtained of God for us, and in Gods Name hath published to us, 17. what these terms are, ibid. the performance of these Terms, our Saviour solicits both of God and us, 18. Fourthly, That as he acts for and in the behalf of God and Men, so be partakes of the Natures of both, 23. That he should partake of the Nature of God, was highly necessary to qualifie him for this sublime Office of mediating for God with Men, 24. and the same necessity there was, that he should partake of the nature of Man, 27. That he should also partake of the nature of both, no less requisite to qualifie him to Mediate for Men with God, 30. That he is God as well as Man, proved from Scripture, 34. and also that he is Man as well as God, 39. Fifthly, That as he partakes of the Natures of both, so that he might transact Personally with both, he was sent down from Heaven to us, and is returned from us to Heaven, 42. Of the Birth and Personal Vnion of the Divine and Humane Natures in Christ, 44. Of his Death, Resurrection and Ascension, 46, &c. Sixthly, That upon his return to Heaven, there to mediate Personally for Men with God, he substituted the Divine and Omnipresent Spirit, personally to promote and effectuate his mediation for God with Men, 49, 50. This Divine Spirit is the third Person in the Tri…une Godhead, 50. That there is a third Person subsisting in the Divine Nature, and that he is the same with the Spirit of God in the Old Testament, 51. And first, That this Spirit is a Person, ibid. Secondly, That he is a Divine Person, 53. Thirdly, That he is the third Divine Person, 56. Of the subordination of these Divine Persons, and that it arises not from any inequality of Essence, but from the inequalities of their Personal properties, 57, &c. That there was always a subordination of the Son to the Father, and of the Holy Ghost to both, 58. That in the affair of the Mediation this subordination was founded, not only in the inequalities of their Personal properties, but also in a mutual compact and agreement, 59. That the Holy Spirit acts, and hath always acted under Christ in the Kingdom of God, 60. That by the Holy Spirit, Christ himself acted while he was upon Earth, 60, 61. That this Spirit is sent, both from the Father and the Son, and of the different nature of their Missions, 61, &c. Some things which the Holy Spirit hath done in the pursuance of his Ministry to our Saviour, and hath long since ceased to do; as first he inspired the Apostles and Disciples of our Saviour with the gift of Languages, 65, 66. Secondly, He fully instructed them by his immediate Inspirations in the Doctrine which they were to teach the World, 67, &c. Thirdly, He gave the most convincing evidence of the Truth and Divinity of their Doctrine, 70. Fourthly, He conducted them by his infallible advice through all the emergent difficulties of their Ministry, 72. Of the cessation of these miraculous Assistances, 74, &c. Other things which the Holy Spirit hath always done, and always continues in pursuance of this his Ministry, as being continually present with the Church, 76. We receive him in our Baptism, 77. Of the different manner of his ordinary Operations now, from what it was heretofore, 78, &c. That these his ordinary Operations are all performed by impression of thoughts, 81, 82. they are all reduced to five Heads: First, Illumination, 83, &c. Secondly, Sanctification, 85. Thirdly, Quickning or Excitation, 88. Fourthly, Comforting and supporting, 90. Fifthly, Intercession, 93.
SECT. II. Concerning the particular Offices of Christs Mediation.
From the respective states and conditions of the Parties between whom Christ mediates, is shewn the necessity of his being Prophet, Priest and King, 98. The order in which our Saviour proceeds in the discharge of these Offices, 100.
SECT. III. Concerning the Prophetick Office of Christ.
The great need of this Office, 101. That the Messias was to be a Prophet, 102. Of the import of the word Prophesie, 103. The admirable accomplishments of our Saviour for this Office, shewn in three Particulars: First, That when he came down to Prophesie to us, he came immediately from the Bosom of the Father, 104. Secondly, That he came down into our own Natures, 160. Thirdly, That while he abode among us, he was always full of the Holy Ghost, 109. how effectualy he discharged this Office, shewn in six Particulars▪ First, He made a full declaration of his Fathers Will to the World, 113. Secondly, He proved and confirmed what he declared by Miracles, 116. Thirdly, He gave a perfect example of Obedience to what he declared and proved to be his Fathers will, 118. Fourthly, He sealed his Declaration with his own Blood, 120. Fifthly, He Instituted an Order of Men to Preach what he had declared to the World, 121. Sixthly, He sent his Holy Spirit when he left the World, to recollect and explain his Doctrine to those whom he had ordained to Preach it, and to inable them also to prove it by Miracles, 123, 124.
SECT. IV. Of Christs Priestly Office.
To what persons the Priesthood antiently belonged, 130. What the Melchisedecan Priesthood was, and in what respects Christs Priesthood is of that Order, 132. what the old Priesthood was, and in what acts it consisted, 136. That it consisted, first, in Sacrificing; and secondly, in presenting the Sacrifice to God by way of Intercession for the People, 136, &c. That this ancient Priesthood was in both these acts of it, intended by God for a Type of the Priesthood of our Saviour, 142, &c.
SECT. V. Concerning the first Act of our Saviours Priesthood; viz. Sacrificing.
That the death of Christ had in it all the requisite Conditions of a Sacrifice for Sin, and what those Conditions are, shewed in five Particulars, 147, &c. these Conditions applyed to our Saviours death; as first, In his death he was substituted in the room of sinful Men to be punish'd for them, in order to their being released from their personal Obligation to punishment, 151. Secondly, He dyed a pure and spotless Innocent. Thirdly, His death was of sufficient intrinsick worth and value, to be an equivalent commutation for the punishment that was due to the whole World of sinners, 155. Fourthly, His death was on his part voluntary and unforced, 160, 161. Fifthly, His death was admitted and accepted of God in lieu of the punishment which was due to him from Mankind, 164. The wisdom of this method of Gods· admitting Christs sacrifice for sinners, in order to the reforming Mankind, shewn in five Particulars. … First, That the Sacrifice of Christs death was a most sensible and affecting acknowledgement of the infinite guilt and demerit of our sin, 167. Secondly, It was an ample declaration of Gods severity against sin, 169. Thirdly, It was a most obliging expression of the love of God and our Saviour to us, 171. Fourthly, It is a sure and certain ground of our hope of pardon, if we repent and amend, 174. Fifthly, It is a seal and confirmation of the New Covenant, 177.
SECT. VI. Of Christs Intercession, or presenting his Sacrifice to God in Heaven, by way of Advocation for us.
The Nature of it defined, 183. The definition explained in the several parts of it, which are four. First, It is a Solemn Address of our Blessed Saviour to God the Father in our behalf, 184. Secondly, This Address is performed by the presenting his Sacrificed Body to the Father in Heaven, 186. Thirdly, it is continued and perpetuated by the perpetual Oblation of this his sacrificed Body, 190. Fourthly, In vertue of this perpetual Oblation, he doth always successfully move and solicit God, 193. And that which he moves him to, is, First, to receive and graciously accept our sincere and hearty Prayers, 196. Secondly, to impower him to bestow on us all those Graces and Favours, which in consideration of his Sacrifice, God hath promised to us, 199. The admirable tendency of this method of Gods communicating his Favours to us, through Christs Intercession, to reform Mankind, shewn in five Particulars. First, It naturally tends to excite in us a mighty awe of the Divine Majesty, 204. Secondly, It also tends to give us the strongest conviction of Gods hatred of Sin, 206. Thirdly, It secures us from presuming upon Gods mercy while we continue in our sins, 208. Fourthly, It encourages us to approach God with chearfulness and freedom, 212. Fifthly, It assures our diffident minds of Gods gracious intentions to perform to us all the good things which he hath promised to us, upon our performing the condition of them, 216.
SECT. VII. Of Christs Kingly Office.
Christs universal Royalty success…e to his Sacrifice and Intercession, pag. 221, &c. Christ had a particular Kingdom in this World, viz. The …ewish Church before his Incarnation, and during his abode upon Earth, 225. and therefore that which he was exalted to upon his ascension, was the universal Kingdom of the World, ibid. Six Heads proposed to be treated of concerning our Saviours Kingdom, 226.
SECT. VIII. Of the Rise and Progress of Christs Kingdom from the Fall to his Incarnation.
Of which an account is given at large in eight Propositions, pag. 227. First, That the Kingdom of Christ is founded in the new Covenant, 228. Secondly, That the new Covenant commenced immediatly after the Fall, and was afterwards in a particular manner renewed to Abraham and his Posterity, ibid. &c. Thirdly, That from its first Commencement, Christ was Mediator of it, and so he continued to be all along under that particular renewal of it to the People of Israel, 233, &c. Fourthly, Christs being always Mediator of this Covenant, necessarily implies his having been always King over all that were admitted into it, and particularly over the People of Israel, 235, &c. and that he was the Divine King that reigned over Israel, and who in the Old Testament is promiscuously called Jehovah, and the Angel of Jehovah, is proved in five Propositions, 238, 239, &c. Fifthly, That after his coming into the World, he still retained this his right and title of King of Israel in particular, 255, &c. Sixthly, That the main Body of the Jews rejected Christ from being their King, and were thereupon rejected by him, yet was there a remnant of them that received and acknowledged him, 258. Seventhly, That this remnant still continued the same individual Church or Kingdom of Christ with what it was before its main Body revolted, they very much reformed and improved, 259, &c. Eighthly, That to this individual Church or Kingdom of Christ, thus reformed and improved, was superadded all those Gentiles that were afterwards converted to Christianity, 272, &c.
SECT. IX. Of the Nature and Constitution of Christs Kingdom.
The Kingdom and Church of Christ the same, 275. The universal Church or Kingdom of Christ defined, 277. This definition explained in the several parts of it, which are eight, 272, 278. First, It is one Vniversal Society, consisting of all Christian People, 278, &c. Secondly, It consists of all Christian People incorporated by the New Covenant, 280, &c. Thirdly, These Christian People are incorporated by the New Covenant in Baptism, 283, &c. Fourthly, They are incorporated under Iesus Christ their supreme Head, 291. Fifthly, This one Vniversal Society thus incorporated, is distributed into particular Churches, 292, &c. Sixthly, These particular Churches are distributed under Lawful Governors and Pastors, 295, &c. Seventhly, These particular Churches thus distributed, hold Communion with each other, 298, &c. Eighthly, The Communion which these particular Churches hold, is first, in all the Essentials of Christian Faith, 303, &c. Secondly, in all the Essentials of Christian Worship, 307, &c. Thirdly, In all the Essentials of Christian Regiment and Discipline, 309.
SECT. X. Concerning the Ministers of the Kingdom of Christ.
Which are of a fourfold Rank and Order; First, The supreme Minister of it is the Holy Ghost, p. 315. Secondly, next to him are the whole world of Angels both good and bad; and as for the good, they are subjected to Christ by the Order and appointment of God the Father, ibid. That the good Angels were not subject to him as Mediator till his ascension into Heaven; but had their distinct regencies over the several Gentile Nations. 316, &c. But upon Christs ascension these their distinct regencies were all dissolved, and they subjected to Christs Mediatorial Scepter, 320, &c. And as for the bad Angels, they were subjected to him by just and lawful Conquest, 322. That this Conquest he obtained while he was upon Earth, but especially in his last agony, 323, &c. Seven particular instances of the Ministry of good Angels under Christ; first, they declare upon occasion his mind and will to his Church and People, 331, &c. Secondly, they guard and defend his subjects against outward dangers, 333, &c. Thirdly, they support and comfort them upon difficult undertakings and under great and pressing calamities, 334, &c. Fourthly, they protect them against the rage and fury of evil spirits, 336, &c. Fifthly, they further and assist them in their religious Offices, 340, &c. Sixthly, they conduct their separated spirits to the Mansions of Glory, 342, &c. Seventhly, they are hereafter to attend and minister to him at the general Iudgment, 345, &c. The Ministry of evil Angels to Christ in four particulars: First, they try and exercise the vertues of his subjects, 347, &c. Secondly, they chasten and correct their faults and miscarriages, 351, &c. Thirdly, they harden and confirm incorrigible sinners, 354, &c. Fourthly, they execute the vengeance of Christ on them in another world, 357, &c. The third sort of the Ministers of Christs Kingdom are the Kings and Governors of the world, 361, &c. by their subjection to Christ they are not deprived of any natural Right of their Sovereignty, 363, &c. But in the first place have the same commanding Power over all indifferent things, and that in Ecclesiastical Causes as well as Civil that they had under the Law of Nature, 364, &c. And secondly, are as unaccountable and irresistible as they were before, 365, &c. What th…se Ministries are which Kings are obliged to render our Saviour, shewn in general from Isa. 49.23.476, &c. Particularly: first, they are to protect and defend his Church in the profession and exercise of the true Religion, 377.378. secondly, they are to fence and cultivate its peace and good order, 378, &c. they are to chasten and correct the irregular, 379, &c. they are to provide for the decency of its worship, and for the convenient maintenance of its Officers and Ministers, 381, &c. The fourth sort of Ministers of Christs Kingdom are the spiritual or Ecclesiastical Governors, 383. That Christ hath erected a spiritual Government in his Church, 384, &c. That this Government is Episcopal proved from four Arguments; first, from the institution of our Saviour, 388, &c. secondly, from the practice of the Apostles upon it, 393, &c. thirdly, from the Vniversal Conformity of the Primitive Church to this Apostolick practice, 404. fourthly, from our Saviours declared allowance and approbation of both, 421, &c. Of the Ministers of this spiritual Government, which are either such as are common to the Bishops, together with the inferiour Officers of the Church; as first to teach the Gospel, 427, &c. secondly, to administer the Evangelical Sacraments, 429, &c. thirdly, to offer up the publick Prayers and intercessions of Christian Assemblies, 431, &c. Or such as are peculiar to the Bishops; as first to make Laws for the peace and good order of the Church, 433. secondly, to ordain to Ecclesiastical Offices, 436. thirdly, to exercise that spiritual jurisdiction which Christ hath established in his Church, 439. fourthly, to confirm such us have been Baptized and instructed in Christianity, 446, &c.
SECT. XI. Of Christs Regal Acts in his Kingdom.
Which are of three sorts: First, such as he hath performed once for all, of which there are four, first, his giving Laws to his Kingdom, 449, &c. That what Christ taught as a Prophet had the force of Law, ibid. His Law spiritual, 450. His Laws reduced under two heads, first, his Law of perfection, 452, &c. secondly, his Law of sincerity, 455, &c. The second of those Regal Acts which he hath performed once for all, is his mission of the Holy Spirit, 457. A third is, his erecting an external Polity and Government, 458, &c. Another sort of Christs Regal acts are such as he hath always performed and doth always continue to perform, of which there are four: first, his pardoning penitent Offenders, the nature of which is explained, 461, &c. the Scripture attributes it both to Christ and God the Father, 462. that both of them have an appropriate part in it, 463. The part of God the Father is, first to make a general Grant of Pardon, 464, &c. secondly, to make it in consideration of Christs death and sacrifice, 466, thirdly, to limit it to believing, and penitent sinners, ibid. &c. The part which Christ performs in it is, to make an actual and particular application of this general Grant of his Father to particular sinners upon their faith and repentance, 474, &c. The second of these Regal Acts of Christ is, his punishing obstinate Offenders, 476. A third is, his protecting and defending his People and Kingdom in this world, 479, &c. The fourth is, his rewarding his faithful subjects in the life to come, 483, &c. The third & last sort of Christs Regal Acts are those which are yet to be performed by him, of which there are three: first, he is yet farther to extend and enlarge his Kingdom by a more universal conquest of his Enemies, 485, &c. secondly, he is yet to destroy Death the last Enemy by giving a general Resurrection, 492, &c. this proved from his own Resurrection, ibid. The Objections against this argument, and the Doctrine of the Resurrection answered, 494, &c. The manner of the Resurrection described at large from 1 Cor. 15.42.501. First, this mortal body is to be the seed or material principle of our resurrection, 502. secondly, this seed must die and be corrupted before it is to be raised and quickened, 503. thirdly, this dead seed is to be raised and quickened by the Power of God, 505. fourthly, it is to be raised and quickned into the proper form and kind of a human body, 508. fifthly, this human body is to be very much changed and altered, 510. the change that will be made in the bodies of good men is fourfold: first, from base and humble into glorious bodies, 511. secondly, from earthly and fleshly into spiritual and Heavenly, 513. thirdly, from weak and passive into active and powerful, 514. fourthly, from corruptible and mortal into incorruptible and immortal, 517. They will differ in degrees of Glory proportionably as they differ in degrees of perfection, 518. Of the woful change which the bodies of the wicked will undergo, 521. The third and last of these regal Acts of Christ, is his judging the World; where first the thing is proved that he shall judg the world, 523. Secondly, an account is given of the signs and fore-runners of his coming to judgment, 524. Thirdly, the manner and circumstances of his coming, 526. as first, the place from whence he is to come, ibid. 527. secondly, the State wherein he is to come, 528. thirdly, the Carriage on which he is to come, 530. fourthly, the train and equipage with which he is to come, 533. fifthly, the place to which he is to come, 536. Fourthly, the process of this judgment, 538. And first of the judgment of the righteous, wherein is implied first their citation or summons, 539. secondly, their personal appearance, 540. thirdly, their trial, 54…. fourthly, their sentence, 543. fifthly, their assumption into the clouds of heaven, 545. The Iudgment of the wicked implies also first their citation, 547. secondly, their personal appearance, 548. thirdly, their trial, 549. fourthly, their sentence, 551. fifthly, their execution, 552.
SECT. XII. Concerning Christs surrendring his Kingdom.
Christ hath a twofold Kingdom, viz. His Essential Kingdom which is co-eternal with him and can never be surrendred, and his Mediatorial Kingdom which is founded upon a solemn compact and agreement with the Father, and this is the Kingdom which shall be surrendred, p. 556, &c. At the conclusion of the day of Iudgment the whole Mediation will cease, the end of it being fully accomplished, 557. An account of the cessation of the Mediatorial Kingdom from 1 Cor. 15.24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 558. the whole passage resolved into five propositions, ibid. First, that the Kingdom there spoken of was committed to him by God the Father, 559. secondly, that he is to possess this Kingdom so long, and no longer, as till all things are actually subdued unto him, 560. thirdly, that during his possession of this Kingdom, he is in a state of subjection to the Father, 561. fourthly, that when he hath delivered it up to the Father, he will be otherwise subject to him than he is now, 562. fifthly, that he being thus subjected to the Father, all Power and Dominion shall be thenceforth immediately exercised by the Deity, 565.
SECT. XIII. Of the Reason and Wisdom of this Method of Gods governing sinful men by his own Eternal Son in our Nature.
Five reasons of this Method assigned: First, that he might govern us in a way more accommodate to this degenerate state of our nature, 567, &c. secondly, that he might the more effectually cure and prevent the spreading contagion of Idolatry, 573, &c. thirdly, that thereby he might give us the more powerful encouragement to Obedience, 582. fourthly, that he might the more powerfully excite our Gratitude and Ingenuity, 585. fifthly, that he might thereby give us the more ample assurance of our future Reward, 588.
SECT. XIV. That Jesus is this Mediator of whom we have been treating.
Three ways by which God hath testified that Iesus is the true Mediator; First, by Prophesie; secondly, by Voice from Heaven; thirdly, by Miracles, 591. The last of these only insisted on, as being that to which our Saviour most commonly appeals, 592. This, together with the goodness of his Doctrine a most certain evidence of his being the Mediator, ibid. The Miracle of his Resurrection was that which both our Saviour and his Apostles most insisted on, 594. The reality of this attestation capable of being proved only by credible Testimony, 596. The Testimony of our Saviours Resurrection accompanied with all the most credible circumstances, which are six, 597. First, they who testified it were most certainly informed whether it were true or no, 598. secondly, there was a concurrence of several Witnesses to the truth of the Fact, 600. thirdly, there was no visible reason to suspect their honesty and integrity, 603. fourthly, there was no apparent motive to induce them to testifie falsly, 609. fifthly, they gave the greatest security for the truth of what they testified, 612. sixthly, they gave certain signs and tokens that what they testified was true, 614. What a most convincing argument this of Miracles, and particularly of Christs miraculous Resurrection was of the truth of his being the Mediator, shewn in four particulars; First, that it was the most proper and convenient Evidence, 622. secondly, that it was the most certain and infallible Evidence, 625. thirdly, that it was the plainest and most popular Evidence, 629. fourthly, that it was the shortest and most compendious Evidence, 631.
OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. PART II. VOL. II.
CHAP. VII. Of the necessity of acknowledging Jesus Christ to be the one and only Mediator between God and Man, in order to our Leading a Truly Christian Life.
HITHERTO we have treated of the common Principles of Religion in General, but as for this last, it is the great Principle of Christian Religion, strictly so called, as it is distinguished from the Religion of Nature, and, as such, is properly the Religion of the Mediator, as containing only the Doctrines which concern the Mediator, and the Duties which result from those Doctrines, and owe their Obligations to them; both which being taken away, all the remaining Religion is purely Natural and Moral. So that this Principle we are now treating of, contains in it all that Religion which is strictly Christian, without believing of which, and practising upon it, we cannot be truly said to lead a Christian Life, how well soever we may live. For there is no doubt but upon the Motives and Principles of natural Religion a man to whom Christianity was never sufficiently proposed may upon due consideration and a hearty endeavour reclaim himself to a very pious and vertuous life, as it is apparent many of the Heathen Philosophers did; but no man can be pious or vertuous in the Christian sence, who is not so upon the Christian Obligations: for the Principles from and by which we act are the very life and soul of our Religion; and therefore as it is the Rational Soul that specifies the Man a Rational Animal, so it is our Christian Principles that specifie our Religion Christian Religion. Wherefore though the Piety and Vertue of an Heathen may be materially the same with that of a Christian, yet it is impossible it should be formally Christian, unless it be animated and acted with the belief of Christianity. So that if we leave out this, and practise only upon the above-named Principles, we are at best but wise and honest Heathens, and there is nothing in all our Religion but the simple Dictates of mere natural reason. 'Tis true, to live according to meer Natural reason is all that God expects from those to whom Christianity hath never been proposed; for how can he expect that they should live by Principles which they either never heard of, or have not sufficient reason to believe? But where Christianity hath been made known, and sufficiently proposed, we cannot be good men unless we believe it, and if we believe it we cannot be good Christians unless we practise upon it. And since Christianity hath improved the duties of Natural Religion upon new Principles, and enforced them with new Obligations, to render our Piety and Vertue strictly and properly Christian, it is necessary we should believe these new Principles, and act upon these new Obligations; otherwise we are at best but meer Natural men, in the true sence of the Apostle, i. e. men who are meerly conducted by the light of natural Reason, and have not received the things of the Spirit of God, that is, the new Principles and Obligations which Christianity superadds to natural Religion, 1 Cor. 2.14.
In handling therefore of this great and necessary Principle of Christian Life, viz. the belief and acknowledgment of Christ's being the one and only Mediator, I shall endeavour these three things:
First, To shew what it is that we are to believe in general concerning the Person and Office of this Mediator.
Secondly, What are the particular Parts and Offices of his Mediation.
Thirdly, What Evidence there is to induce us to believe him to be this one and only Mediator.