A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 29
CHAP. 29.
Of the Office of Chriſt.
The Office of Chriſt is his mediatorſhip, wherin is to be conſidered,
Firſt, That hee is the onelyonly Mediatour.
Secōdly,
His
Calling thereunto.
Faithfull diſcharge therof.
The parts thereof.
1. TIM. chap. 2. verſ. 5. For there is one God, and one Mediator betweene God and men, the man Chriſt Ieſus.
Q. HItherto of the Perſon of our Sauiour Chriſt: What is his office?
A. To be the onelyonly Mediator betweene God, and a ſinner, for the pardon of his ſinne, and life euerlaſting.1. Tim. 2. 5.
Q. Could not this be effected without Mediation?
A. No verily.
Q. Is Christ Ieſus the onelyonly Mediator betweene God, and a ſinner?
A. Yea verily, as appeareth expreſſely by the text.
Q. How pooue you it otherwiſe?
A. Firſt, there is but one God; and therefore but one Mediator, as the text alſo affirmeth.
Secondly, he onelyonly is fit to be Mediator, that partaketh of both their natures that are to bee reconciled; and conſequently, hee onelyonly that is both God and man.
Thirdly, this was ſhadowed by the types of Moſes, who alone was in the mountaine; and of Aaron, or the high Prieſt, who onelyonly might enter in the holy of Holies.Exod. 24. 2. Leuit. 16. 17. Heb. 9. 7.
Fourthly, this is ſet forth by diuers ſimilitudes: as where he ſaith, aIoh. 10. 9. 10.I am the way, I am the doore. Alſo hee is the bGen. 28. 12.ladder, whereby the Angels aſcend and deſcend.
Fifthly, hee onelyonly cHeb. 7. 25. & 9. 14. 1. Sam. 2. 25.is able to effect their ſaluation, fully, a that come vntounto him.
Q. Then no man, that is a man onelyonly can bee Mediator betweene God and man?
Q. No verily: for as Ely ſaith, If one man ſin againſt another, the Iudge ſhall iudge him: but if a man ſin against the Lord, who ſhall entreat for him? viz. when one man ſhall offend againſt another, the matter may be accorded by Iudges, which are but men: but if a man offend againſt God, there is no meere man can make his peace.
Q. Is Chriſt then Mediator in reſpect of both natures?
A. Yea, in reſpect of both ioyntly: firſt, becauſe though he conſiſt of two diſtinct natures, Diuine, and Humane; yet hee is God and man onelyonly in one and the ſame perſon. Secondly, becauſe he that is our Mediator, is a prieſt, after the order of Melchizedeck; without father, and without mother; which could not bee ſaid, if he were Mediator, either in reſpect of his Diuine nature alone, or of his Humane. Thirdly, ſeeing hee is by his office to reconcile God to man, and man to God, both natures ioyntly are neceſſarie to this worke, hee hauing (by that meanes) affinity to both. Fourthly, the workes of his Mediation, being of ſuch an infinite price and value as they are with God, they muſt needs bee the workes both of God and man. Fifthly, none could ſatisfie God for the ſins of men, but God; and none ought to ſatisfie for them but man. Therefore Chriſt, that hath by his Mediation effected this, being both God and man in one perſon, is in, and according vntounto both thoſe natures conioyned, a Mediator betweene God and man.
Q. VVas hee not then a Mediator before hee became man?
A. Yes: for though at the firſt hee had not actually taken our nature vponupon him; yet with God (things to come being as if they were preſent, or paſt), he was in Heb. 13. 8. 1. Pet. 1. 20. Apoc. 13. 8.the eye and knowledge of God, and in his acceptance as if hee had been from the beginning both God and man actually. Hence hee is ſaid to be a Lambe, ſlaine from the beginning of the world.
Q. Wherein conſiſts the office of his mediation?
A. In the performance of thoſe workes whereby Rom. 8. 33. 34. & 5. 1. 10.God is reconciled to ſinners. Whereupon dependeth the whole merit of their ſaluation.
Q. What are we more ſpecially to conſider in the mediation of Chriſt?
A. Firſt, his calling thereunto, and his faithfull diſcharge thereof. Secondly, the parts.
Q. Who called him vntounto this office?
A. aEſay 42. 1. 6. Heb. 5. 4. 5. 6.God.
Q. What learne you from hence?
A. Matter of great comfort vntounto vsus, in that hee thruſt not himſelfe into this office, but entred vponupon the ſame, by the will and appointment of God; wherby wee may bee the more aſſured of the good will of God to ſaue vsus; ſeeing his Sonne hath performed nothing herein, but what hee did being called thereunto by him; and therefore he will certainly accept of all that hee hath done for vsus, as that which himſelfe hath ordained.
Q. How did God call him thereunto?
A. By annointing him with an eſpeciall oyntment. By meanes whereof he is called *Of foreign, to annoynt.CHRIST, which ſignifieth one annointed. Which was a a1. Sam. 24. 7. 2. Sam. 1. 14. Pſal. 105. 15.name alſo common to them that were types of any part of his Mediator-ſhip, who alſo were annointed, though not with the ſame oyntment.
Q. What was the oyntment wherewith hee was annointed?
A. The Spirit of God, which was powred vponupon Pſal. 45. 7. 8. Eſay 61. 1.him without meaſure.
Q. VVherein conſiſts his faithfull diſcharge of his calling?
A. In this: that hee hath left nothing vndone, that may be effectuall for our reconciliation with God; in which reſpect he is compared with Moſes, who is ſaid Heb 3.to be faithfull in all the houſe of God.