Anti-Socinianism, Part 3
Thirdly, concerning the nature of the Mediatorial obedience of Christ, or the meritorious price of our redemption.
THE Dialogue having hitherto denied Chriſts ſuffering the wrath of God, due to the Elect for their ſins by way of ſatisfaction to Divine Juſtice, as alſo the imputation of their ſin unto Chriſt, as their Surety, though very immethodically, and out of place, preferring the effect before the cauſe; leſt he ſhould fall into another foul abſurdity in his reaſoning, that is, to deny the ſubject of the queſtion, doth preſent us with a new thing of nothing in the ſteed thereof: And becauſe he hath prevailed with ſome, and they perhaps ſuch as vvill not give their heads for the vvaſhing, it may be Maſters in Iſrael, to comply vvith him, he expects the l…ke of all; and therefore vvould have us follovv all that he propoſes to us, making no queſtion for conſcience ſake. But ſhould vve be thus perſvvaded by him, vve might unhappily choake our ſelves vvith bones inſteed of meat.
If he vvould have men neither ſtop nor ſtumble at his Doctrine, he muſt carry the matter more cleerly, or more cleanly at the leaſt, then hitherto he hath done, in that which hath already paſt our hands, or is vvilling to do, for ought vve ſee, in that vvhichwhich yet remains to be ſurveighed by us: not forſaking the ordinary phraſe of Scr…pture, ſuch as hath bin in uſe in all ages with the Church of God, and by coyning new and unuſual expreſſions, thereby, as much as in him lyes, to ob cure the Truth, and obtrude and confirm in the room thereof, his own devices; yet he hovers about ſo long in generals, as that, me thinks, he ſeems deſirous, that his Reader ſhould underſtand more, then he is willing to expreſſe. And ſeeing he is ſo loth to tell us, what this new knack is, which he hath bin ſo long a hammering on the Socinian anvile, and what he means by his Mediatorial obedience, we will take the pains to ſift him a little, and ſee if we can bolt it out; and here at laſt it comes, and this it is, Chriſts Mediatorial obedience, ſaith he, is made up of certain actions, performed by him (not in way of obedience to the Moral Law; for all ſuch actions he performed as a godly Jew, and as man only*Rank Socinianiſme. The Dialogue denies the hypoſtical Union of the two natures in Chriſt, which muſt not, cannot be ſevered one from the other., but) as God-Man, Mediatour unto the Law of Mediatour-ſhip, eſpecially after thirty years of age, the Maſter-piece whereof was his yeelding himſelf up, to ſuffer a bodily death. Monſtrum horrendum, informe! What a piece of ſtuffe is here? yet all this thruſt upon our belief (if we were ſo mad as to receive it) without any other authority to back it, then a bare ipſe dixit, the Dialogue himſelf affirms it. But fair play and above board will do well, eſpecially in matters of ſuch conſequence. And we would have him know, that in matters of faith we muſt embrace nothing, but what we are perſwaded is firmely and ſurely grounded on the Word of God, by which, when he hath proved this Mediatorial obedience, which he hath here propoſed to us, his work is done, and it ſhall go hard, but we will get him leave to play.
In oppoſition then to this new no obedience, we will put into the other ſcale, that which we underſtand by the true Mediatorial obedience of Chriſt, that ſo the Reader, whoſe judgment is free, may plainly diſcover the van…ty of the one, by the reality of the other. It is then the whole conformity of Chriſt, God-Man in both Natures Divine and humane, to the will of his Father, doing and ſuffering all things needfull and neceſſary for the ſatisfaction of Divine Juſtice; freeing alſo thereby the Elect in whoſe room & ſteed he dyed and ſuffered, from thoſe eternal miſeries and Calamities to which they were lyable. This is called the active and paſſive obedience of Chriſt; which diviſion is not allowed in reſpect of the ſeveral cauſes, but the circumſtances only; for no obedience in reſpect of the cauſe can be ſaid to be paſſive, but active only. Chriſt therefore taking upon him our perſon, as well by doing as ſuffering; ſubjected himſelf to the Law of God for us, fulfilling the ſame by his moſt perfect obedience, even to the death of the croſſe, by which he compleated and perfected al his other ſufferings. That this is ſo, doth manifeſtly appear by the ApoſtlepRom. 3.31. by faith ſaith he, we eſtabliſh the Law; Now faith doth eſtabliſh the Law theſe two wayes; It was the firſt voyce of the Law, in the day that thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhall dye the death; after that it ſpake thus, curſed is every one that continueth not in all things, that are written in the Law to do them; Theſe threatnings of the Law, we eſtabliſh by faith, becauſe by faith we teſtifie that they are not in vain, and to no purpoſe, ſeeing it was neceſſary that Chriſt ſhould dye, and endure the curſe of the Law for us, that we might be redeemed from the ſame. Therefore firſt of all, by faith we confirm and eſtabliſh the truth of the threatnings of the Law. The other voyce of the Law is, he that doth theſe things ſhall live in them, this alſo we eſtabliſh by faith, becauſe we believe we are juſtified freely without the performance of the Law in reſpect of our ſelves, but not ſo in reſpect of Chriſt, who that he might ſatisfie the Law for us, was lyable to the fulfilling and accompliſhing thereof with moſt exact and perfect obedience, as every way moſt neceſſary and convenient.
In the ſecond place therefore we are truly ſaid to eſtabliſh the Law by faith, becauſe we believe that in Chriſt we have perfectly fulfilled it, even with that very obedience that the Law required. Alſo the ſame ApoſtleqRom. 8.3. ſeeing, we could not perform the things conteined in, and commanded by the Law, in or by our ſelves, we have performed them in the perſon of our Mediatour, who hath taken off the threatnings of the Law, by ſatisfying the penalty of it, and ſuffering the utmoſt that by the rigour thereof could be inflicted on him; as alſo hath fulfilled the precepts of the Law, by his moſt entire and perfect obedience to the ſame.
We ſtood engaged unto God by a double debt, one was the ſtr…ct and rigid obſervance of the Law, every moment to fulfill the ſame, even from that firſt inſtant, wherein it pleaſed the Lord to kindle the light of knowledge in our hearts, untill the laſt minute, when he ſhould be ſo pleaſed to put it out again, the whole courſe of mans life, and that both in regard of purity of nature, and purity of action.
This debt being laid upon us in the Creation, vvas ſeverely exacted from us by the Lavv; The other, having failed in this, is to give full and ample ſatisfaction to the Juſtice of God for the non-performance hereof; Having broken this Lavv of God, holy in it ſelf, and eaſy to be performed by us, in regard of the holineſs of our Creation, in both theſe being obliged, and yet neither performed, vvhat can be expected by us, but that we ſhould ſuffer the greateſt penalty that could be inflicted? But Chriſt Jeſus the beloved Son of his Father becomes our Surety, and by Gods acceptance of his obedience for us, made full and compleat ſatisfaction even to the rigour of the Law, both doing and ſuffering vvhat was, or could be, according to the Juſtice thereof, required by it.
For the better and more cleer concerving of this Queſt. 1 obedience, theſe three queſtions may be demanded; Firſt, when this Mediatorial obedience did begin, and when it ends? Anſw. Anſw. This Mediatorial obedience performed by Chriſt, began at his Incarnation, the Angels told it for joyful tidings to the Shepheards, unto you is born this day in the City of David, what? not a godly Jew? ſuch is the Dialogues eſteem of him, but a Saviour, which is Chriſt the Lord; Beſides at eight dayes circumciſed; at twelve years of age ſi…ing among the Doctors in the Temple, hearing them, diſputing with them, and asking them queſtions, ſomewhat tartly reproving his Mother for her inquiſitive and un-neceſſary, ſearching for him, and ſeeking after him; what wiſt you not, that I muſt go about my Fathers buſineſs? Calvin in his Evangelical Harmony tells usrHoc verbo ſignificat ſe aliquid habaere homine majus, &c. Cal. Har., that thoſe very words declare and ſpeak him more then a man, and therefore more then our Dialogue would have him, a godly Jew. Chriſt himſelf ſheweth, that the principal end of his coming into the World, was to perform the office, which was enjoyned him of his Father, and therefore ſeemed to neglect the duty due by nature to Mary his Mother, that he might truly declare himſelf in the duty which he was to perform to God his Father. duplicate page duplicate page That Chriſt then ſhould be for thirty years together unmindful of this great and only buſineſs, which was his meat and drink to perfect and accompliſh, is ſomething unlikely, and very uncertain; neither the Scripture ſay it, nor do the Fathers ſay it, nor any Orthodox Divines ancient or modern ſay it; only the Dialogue ſayes it, who, for ought we ſee, dare ſay any thing, without any more or other authority, then his own bare word; But let him take heed, vae ſoli, wo to him that goes alone in his ſenſe and expoſition of the holy Scripture, and yet is ſo forward to obtrude his own conceit with confidence upon others.
This hath made ſo many ſchiſmes, and founded ſo many confounding Hereſies, as are among us at this day.
Chriſt without doubt was, as we ſay early and late about his buſineſs; early, even from his incarnation, for then he began; late, even to his ſuſpenſion upon the croſſe, and that conſummatum eſt, which he pronounced a little and but a very little before his expiration on the ſame; for then he ended this great undertaking. But becauſe Chriſt ſhall not be idle, with reverence be it ſpoken, they have found him ſome work to do, namely, to fulfill the Law of the Creator for himſelf*Chriſtus filius Dei, qui immunis jure fuiſſet ab omnia ſubjectione, legi fuit ſubjectus, ut libertatem nobis acquireret, Quemadmodúm enim qui liber erat captivum ſe & vadem conſpituendo redemit & induendo vincula exuit: Ita Chriſtus Legi ſervandae ob noxius eſſe voluit, ut nobis immunitatem acquireret; alioquin fruſtra jugum legis ſubijſſet, cùm ſua certè cauſa non fecit. Cal. in Gal. 4., to which he was engaged as a Creature; Otherwiſe, ſay they, he had not bin an high Prieſt without blame; Nor could his ſufferings have ſteeded us, till he had perfected this for himſelf. A very hard task ſure, have theſe task-maſters put upon him, that he ſhould be ſo long, even thirty years about it, before he could accompliſh it; For the better cleering hereof, and our more orderly proceeding herein, we ſhall prove theſe two things;
Firſt, that Chriſt was not bound to fulfil the Law for himſelf;
Secondly, that he did fulfill the Law for us, and in our ſteed.
To the firſt, reverend Dr. Featly hath contributed a three-fold anſwer; Firſt, that Chriſt in regard of his Hypoſtatical Union, was freed from all obligation of the Law, which otherwiſe had layen upon him; if he had bin meer man and no more; Chriſt was not only the Son of man, as he is pleaſed to ſtile himſelf, but alſo the Son of God, yea, God bleſſed for ever AmenſRom. 9.5. and Joh. 5.26. and ſo Lord both of the Law*Chriſtus Dominus Legis fuit. Toſſanus in Gal. 4., and of the Sabbath, Matt. 12.8. and Matt. 2.8. Not bound by himſelf to fulfill the Law, being above the reach and pitch of any, of all Laws whatſoever.
Secondly, admit that Chriſt as man, after he had taken our nature upon him, was bound to fulfill the Law for himſelf, which cannot be grantedtChristus nihil pro ſe aut fecit, aut paſſus eſt, ſed propter ſalutem omnium. Primaſius in Rom. yet, becauſe he freelyuNon niſi voluntarie Chriſtus ſeſ… legi ſubjecit …xneceſſ…tate eidem obnoxius …ime fuit, Calorius. …. took upon him our nature, and conſequently this obligation for us, his diſcharging of it muſt needs accrue to us: As if one freely enter into bond for another mans debt, if he diſcharge the bond, he doth thereby releaſe both himſelf, and his friend for whom he ſtand engaged.
Thirdly, we muſt diſtinguiſh between a publick perſon and a private; what a man doth as a private perſon, belongeth only to himſelf; but what as a publick perſon both to himſelf and to others. Thus far the Dr. with ſome addition, not to mend, but to make plain what was intended by him. We urge alſo that Aphoriſm of St. Iohn wJoh. 1.17., the Law was given by Moſes, but Grace and Truth came by Jeſus Chriſt; for how could the Law be given to Chriſt, by whom grace and truth were conveighed to men, to whom the Law only was preſcribed? Take a few arguments the more to ſtrengthen this, and we will paſſe unto the next.
Firſt, as Chriſt laid down his life, not by conſtraint, but freely for us: even ſo alſo did he freely ſubject himſelf unto the Law, being no ſmall degree of that obedience which he performed; But the former is truexJoh. 10.18., no man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down my ſelf. Alſo he, that is Chriſt, for the joy that was ſet before him, endured the croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame. And therefore the latter muſt needs be ſo.
Secondly, if Chriſt being in the form of God, freely took upon him the form of a Servant, that he might manifeſt his obedience to his Father; then of himſelf he was not a Servant of the Law, nor in this condition lyable to the Law. But the former is truezPhil. 2.7, 8., he made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant, and was found in the likeneſs of men, and became obedient, &c. Therefore the latter.
Laſtly, that which was only our School-maſter to bring us to ChriſtaGal. 3.24., cannot alſo be ſaid to be a School-maſter unto Chriſt; for what ſhould it teach him? or whether ſhould it bring him? But the former is true; Therefore the latter.
The ſecond thing is now to be conſidered by us, namely, that Chriſt fulfilled the Law for us, and in our ſteed*Pro nobis eam in carne noſtra implevit. Joſſanus. Rom. 8. pag. 26., This the Socinians do ſtifly deny, loading us with many bitter reproaches, for believing, and maintaining of the ſame, but all in vain: for they cannot ſhake us from our aſſured confidence herein, being ſo ſtrongly confirmed and maintained by the Scriptures, as we find it is; and that firſt, partly by that which hath bin ſaid already; if Chriſt were not lyable to the Law in reſpect of himſelf, which notwithſtanding he truly fulfilled, it is then moſt certain that he fulfilled the Law for others. See what he ſpoke to Iohn the BaptiſtbMatt. 3.15., it becometh us to fulfill all righteouſneſs; SocMatt. 5.17. I am not come, ſaith he, to deſtroy the Law, but to fulfill it.
Secondly, alſo partly by the opinion of the ApoſtledRom. 8.3., for what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the fleſh. God ſending his own Son in the likeneſs of ſinfull fleſh, and for ſin, condemned ſin in the fleſh; where the fulfilling of the Law is aſcribed to the Son of God, which was impoſſible to be performed by us, that the righteouſneſs of the Law ſhould be fulfilled in us by faith, that is, in Chriſt Jeſus. Moreover we may peruſe that of the ApoſtleeRom. 5.18., and that to the Philipians, cap. 3. verſ. 9.
Thirdly, from that Axiome of St. Paul to the Romanes, Chriſt ſaith he, is the end of the Law for righteouſneſs to every one that believeth; for what elſe is that foreign, the end of the Law, but the complement, and perfect fulfilling of the ſame? But for whom hath he fulfilled the Law? Not for himſelf; but for us, that believing in him, who hath done this for us, we might be juſtified.
Fourthly, from the imputation of righteouſneſsgPhil. 3 5., that I may be found in him, ſaith the Apoſtle, not having mine own righteouſneſs, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt*Quam quia non habemus in nobis, Deus nobis gratuitò donat. Calvin. in Gal. 3.6., the righteouſneſs which is of God by faith; Hence we argue; If the righteouſneſs of Chriſt be truly imputed to us, it is neceſſary alſo that it ſhould be employed and improved, yea performed for us, that is in our ſteed; But it is truly imputed to ushRom. 5.18.; Therefore it is neceſſary it ſhould be imployed, improved and performed for us.
Laſtly, from the very end of Chriſts being ſubject to the Law; from whence alſo we conclude; If Chriſt of his own accord ſubjected himſelf to the Law, that he might redeem us from the Law, and that we might obtain the adoption of Sons, it were requiſite that Chriſt ſhould compleat and fulfill the Law for us. But the former is true; Therefore the latter.
Thus then we ſee, not for himſelf did Chriſt fulfill the Law of God, as Socinus and our Dialogue (conſidering him only as a godly Jew) would have it, but for us*Chriſtus pro nobis eſt in carnatus pro nobis obedivit patri: pro nobis baptizatus, paſſus, mortuus, reſuſcitatus, glorificatus. Symphonia Cathol., and in our ſteed, did he compleat the ſame, though they never ſo much oppoſe it.
And ſo we come to our queſtion again; Chriſt was either doing or ſuffering, ſuffering or doingiChriſtus in vita habuit actionem paſſivam, aut paſſionem activam., even during the whole courſe of his life; his triumph was upon the croſſe, a little before his death, when he had procured deliverance from Hell, and right and intereſt to Heaven, then was the perfect conſummation of his obedience: For, ſaith the ApoſtlekHeb. 9.15., by the death of the Mediator, (not his bodily death only, as the Dialogue falſly and fainedly would have it, but his whole ſufferings both in ſoul and body, the cloſe and concluſion whereof was death) do we receive the promiſe of an everlaſting inheritance; and notwithſtanding he was about it and all things in the way of obedience, which he either did or ſuffered, conduced to it; yet with onelHeb. 10.14. oblation upon the croſſe, did he perfect them that are ſanctified; Nor can they poſſibly be perfected; but by the perfect obedience of Chriſt imputed to them; And ſo we paſſe unto the other two Queſtions, which are yet to be handled.
Secondly, how Chriſt could obey, being God, and Queſt. 2 ſatisfy for us being man? Anſw. Anſw. Chriſt muſt not be conſidered in the tranſaction of this great and weighty buſineſs, either meerly as God, or meerly as man, but as God-man, or man-God, junctae juvant, both together will do well, but either alone will not ſerve the turn. It is a groſſe abſurdity, to ſay no more, of which the Dialogue is guilty in this particular; conceiving him no other, no better for thirty years together, then any other common, though Godly Jew, notwithſtanding he had then the work and office of a Mediator impoſed on him. The two diſtinct natures of Chriſt Hypoſtatically united, muſt not, cannot be ſeparated or divided, without wrong or in ury to the perſon of the Mediator, and his high and holy undertaking herein; That the truth of this ſacred miſtery, which ſeems folly unto ſome, may the more cleerly be manifeſted unto all, who deſire to be inſtructed in it, we will lay down theſe few enſuing arguments.
The firſt, of which is taken from the Names and Apellations, which are uſually aſcribed and given unto Chriſt, being not only God, or Man, or the Son of God, or the Son of man, but alſo foreign, Godman, asm2 Sam. 7.19. Homo, qui Deus Dominus eſt; So according to the Original, The Man, which is the Lord God; alſonIſa. 9.6. the Prophet telleth us of a Child, puer natus, a Child is born, and yet in the ſame verſe, he is called the mighty God, the everlaſting Father; Likewiſe the Prophet Jeremiah oJer. 23.5, 6.calls him the Branch of David, and yet the Lord our Righteouſneſs.
The ſecond from the Propheſies of the old Teſtament concerning the Meſſiah, in which, as true God he is ſet before us, and propoſed to us, as alſo his coming in the fleſh, as true man, is deſcribed to us, for the working out of our redemption.
The Pſalmiſt notes him as true God in theſe wordspPſal. 45.6., Thy Throne O God, is for ever and ever, and verſ. 7. as true man in theſe words, Thou art annointed with the Oyle of gladneſs above thy fellows. AlſoqPſal. 68.18., where is deſcribed his Aſcenſion according to his humanity, who is ſaid as God, verſ. 7. to go forth in his divinity before the people; In like manner the Prophet Iſaiah bringeth him inrIſa. 49.16., as Jehova in reſpect of his Divine, and yet ſent by the Holy Ghoſt in reſpect of his humane nature.
The third, from the moſt plain and evident Teſtimonies of the new Teſtament, in which alſo as God and Man he is delivered and deſcyphered out unto us; So the Evangeliſt St. John ſJoh. 1. verſ. 1. 2, 3, 4. and 15., In the begining was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, &c. Moreover in the ſame GoſpeltJoh. 5.17. and 27., where Chriſt doth both aſſert his equality with the Father, as God, and teſtify all judgment to be committed to him as man; and yet further the ſame EvangeliſtuJoh. 10.30., bringeth in Chriſt thus expreſſing himſelf, I and my Father are one; where he profeſſeth himſelf to be true man, and yet atteſteth himſelf to be one with the Father; confer with this verſe the 33. and 38. of the ſame Chapter. St. Paul wAct. 20, …8.adviſeth thoſe that have the charge of ſouls, to look to them, and provide well for them, by feeding the flock of God, which he hath purchaſed with his own bloud; So to the Coloſſians xCol. 2.9., in him dwelleth all the fullneſs of the God-head bodily, attributing and aſcribing unto the Lord Jeſus both a Deity and a body at one and the ſame time.
See alſo the Apoſtle in the ſame EpiſtleyCol. 1.18. and 15., where he ſets him before us not only as the firſt born from the dead, but even the firſt born to, of every Creature. One glorious deſcription there is of him, concerning which, ſetting the reſt aſide, we cannot chuſe but ſpeakzHeb. 1.1, 2. foreign., God hath in theſe laſt dayes ſpoken by his Son, who being the brightneſs of his glory, and the expreſſe image of his perſon, and upholding all things, by the word of his power, when he had by himſelf purged our ſins, ſate down on the right hand of the Majeſty on high; where the Apoſtle prefers the preaching of the new Teſtament, before that of the old; for then God ſpake to the Fathers by his Prophets, meer men, and ſuch as were lyable to infirmities as well as others; but now by his Son, his only begotten Son, manifeſted in the fleſh; Man, true man, and yet not meer man, but true God alſo, whoſe excellency he deſcribes by many tranſcendent expreſſions, and glorious demonſtrations.
The fourth from plain and diſtinct words, ſuch as make evident and apparent the two natures of Chriſt; by which he is propoſed to our conſideration, both according to the fleſh, that is, his humane, and according to the Spirit, which is his Divine nature. To this purpoſe is that of the ApoſtleaRom. 1.3., concerning his Son Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, who was made of the ſeed of David according to the fleſh; Chriſt our Lord declaring his Divine, made of the ſeed of David expreſſing his humane nature, both Hypoſtatically United in one and the ſame perſon. And the ſame Apoſtle ſpeaking of the precious priviledges of the Saints, ſaithbRom. 9.5. whoſe are the Fathers, and of whom as concerning the fleſh Chriſt came, who is over all, God bleſſed for ever, conferred with that place in St. Iohn cJoh. 1.14.the Word was made fleſh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld the glory, as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth; with that to the Hebrews alſodHeb. 2.14., for as much as Children are partakers of fleſh and bloud, he alſo himſelf took part of the ſame, that through death, he might deſtroy him, who had the power of death, that is the Devil.
The fifth, from thoſe ſayings of Scripture which do maintain, partly the Divine, partly the humane qualities and operations in Chriſt, which, if he had not bin both, true God and true Man, could never have ſuited with him; So the Wiſeman doth deſcribe him by his Divine Attributes and workseProv. 8.22., The Lord poſſeſſed me, ſpeaking of Chriſt, the wiſdome of the Father, in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. So the Prophet Micah fMic. 5.2., and thou Beth-leem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thouſands of Iuda, yet out of thee ſhall he come forth unto me, that is, to be Ruler in Iſrael, whoſe goings forth have bin from old, even from everlaſting. Thus alſo the Apoſtle Paul gGal. 4.4, 5., by his humane workings as he was man, and by his Divine workings as he was God; you have killed the Prince of Peace, working peace and reconciliation both in Heaven and Earth; To which purpoſe eſpecially do tend theſe claſſical places, deſcribing, as it were a posteriori, both his Divine and humane nature united togetheriJoh. 3.23., ye are from beneath, ſaith Chriſt, I am from abovekJoh. 17.5., Father glorify me with that glory, which I had with thee before the World was. The Apoſtle exhorteth the Philippians lPhil. 2.5, 6.; that they would have the ſame mind, that was in Chriſt Jeſus, who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet made himſelf of no account, and took, &c. and to the HebrewsmHeb. 7.3. foreign ratione humanae, foreign ratione Divinae nuturae., without Father in reſpect of his humane, without Mother in reſpect of his Divine nature, without beginning of time or end of dayes, in reſpect of his eternal Being and God-head.
The ſixth from thoſe Teſtimonies of Scripture, which deſcribe the Mediatorial office of Chriſt; for ſeeing this office cannot be convenient for one that is a meer man by nature; becauſe it is in it ſelf truly Divine, and importeth Divine actions, agreeable only to the true God, ſuch as are forgiving of ſins, redemption of mankind, communication of righteouſneſs, and eternal Salvation, it is neceſſary; tha… Chriſt the Mediator, be not only true man, but true God alſo. The chief Teſtimonies to confirm this, are as I take it, theſe that follow; The Spirit of God ſpeaking by Iſaiah nIſa. 35.4., ſaith, behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence, he will come and ſave you. Alſo in the ſame PropheſyoIſa. 43.13, 14, 15., before the day was, I am he, and there is none that can deliver out of mine hand; I work, and who ſhall let it? Thus ſaith the Lord your Redeemer, the holy one of Iſrael, &c. and yet the fartherpIſa. 45.21, 22., I the Lord have told it, and there is none beſide me, a juſt God, and a Saviour, there is none beſide me. Look unto me and be ye ſaved, all the ends of the Earth: for I am God, and there is none elſe. The bloud of Jeſus Chriſt his Son ſaith St. Iohn q1 Joh. 1.7., cleanſeth us from all ſin.
The laſt even from a ſuppoſition of one of their own, and he none of the leaſt of the Socinian worthiesrSmalcius de Divinitate Chriſti. cap. 10. pag. 49. If Chriſt, ſaith he, had Divine power, which was proper and peculiar to him, and alwayes reſiding in him, it muſt neceſſarily follow, that there muſt be in him, not only a bare humane, but alſo a Divine nature; and his reaſon is, becauſe the D…vine power cannot be ſeparated from the Divine Eſſence. But Chriſt had Divine power, which was alwayes proper to him, and reſident with him; Therefore he hath not a bare humane, but alſo a Divine nature. Indeed, they cannot poſſibly be ſevered; For the God-head doth not redeem us without the Man-hood, nor the Man-hood without the God-head; yet, to keep to our queſtion. Chriſt as God and man, may both obey and ſatisfie: For as there are in Chriſt, as we have proved, two diſtinct natures; So there are two diſtinct operations of the ſaid natures; And as the ſaid natures united, make one Mediator: So the operations concurring and being united in one make out, and compleat the compound work of this Mediator, Therfore the obedience of Chriſt, being the work of a Mediator, hath in it the operations of both natures; The ſupport, ſtrength and ſufficiency is from the God-head, the practiſe, exerciſe or execution of obedience is from the Manhood.
Obedience is properly a ſubjection of the will, in reaſonable creatures, to the will of God, now the will of the God-head is one and the ſame in all the perſons; Chriſt therefore becomes obedient, and yeelds ſubjection only in reſpect of the will of the Man-hood, in which he performs obedience, and the operation of the God-head, in this great and myſterious work, is to make the ſaid obedience meritorious; So that it is not only the thing done, but the Perſon by whom, namely, God-Man, that hath procured the Fathers mercifull Atonement, of which the Diologue makes ſo much mention, and in which he is ſo miſtaken; In this reſpect do I underſtand thoſe expreſſions, of the Apoſtleſ2 Cor. 5.18., God was in Chriſt reconciling, the World unto himſelf. Alſo ſpeaking concerning the Church of GodtAct. 20.28., ſaith, it was purchaſed with the bloud of God. That is to ſay, in that nature which the Son of God aſſumed.
Hence then, ſay we, ariſeth the true value, price and dignity of the obedience of Chriſt, being ſuch a perſon, who did, and ſuffered theſe things for us and our redemption. I have bin ſomewhat longer about this queſtion, then at firſt I intended, becauſe I perceive they have all gotten more or leſſe a tang of this, inſteed of magnifying, as they pretend, to debaſe as much as may, be the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, both in his perſon and ſufferings for us.
Our third queſtion then for the further cleering Queſt. 3 hereof, ſhall be this; How the obedience of Chriſt comes to be made ours? To which we anſwer, Anſw. by the free donation of God, beſtowing it upon us, and imputing it unto us. Chriſt did perform this obedience, and hath this righteouſneſs to no other end, then that he might impute it unto us; Therefore ſaith Joſſanus uTenenda igitur ſunt hac Axiomata, Chriſtum non ſibi ſed nobis factum logi obnoxiunt. Sibi non natus ſed nobis natuus & datus. Junius de Iuſt. ſect. 4., theſe Axioms are to be held by us, Chriſt was not made ſubject to the Law for himſelf, but for us; And that the whole obedience of Chriſt is ours, as being truly imputed to us. Now Chriſt, ſaith Mr. Perkins, is really given to us in the Word and Sacraments, and ſo conſequently what is Chriſts, yea his whole obedience is made ours; Even as when a parcel of Land is made ours, all the profits and emoluments ariſing and accrewing thereof are ours alſo. More might be ſaid to this purpoſe, but I refer it to its proper place.
We have now ſeen what the Mediatorial obedience of Chriſt is, and which his Father as our Surety (a term of relation which the Dialogue and his party are not willing to apprehend) ſtrictly exacted of him without any injuſtice or tyrannie at all; and therefore his paſſionate blaſphemy might well have bin forborn; But quo ſemet eſt imbuta, &c. Socinians I ſee cannot forbear it.
Object. 1 Yet ſuppoſe ſome ſhould ſoberly object, is not that Law two ſevere, that exacteth both the obedience and the penalty to? Anſw. To which we frame this anſwer. In the State of innocency the Law only exacted the obedience, and threatned the penalty; Since mans deviation from that integrity wherein at firſt he was created, it requireth the obedience and the penalty alſo. The threatning of the Law exacts the penalty, the precepts exact obedience.
Object. 2 But yet farther may ſome ſay, doth not the Scripture it ſelf in many places tell us plainly, that we are redeemed by the ſufferings of Chriſt only? As by the bloud of ChriſtwHeb. 9.12. we have entrance into the holy place? Anſw. Anſw. Indeed this is one thing, which the Dialogue ſeems much to drive at, but we will endeavour to ſhew him his miſtake; for by the bloud of Chriſt we are Synechdochically to underſtand his paſſion, which cannot be ſevered from his active and voluntary obedience; The reaſon is plain, becauſe Chriſt in ſuffering obeyed and in obeying ſuffered; in his life he performed a paſſive action, in his death he ſuſtained an active paſſion. That diſtinction, which he makes of Chriſts obedience into Legal and Mediatoriall is by no means to be admitted by us: for Chriſt did not perform two ſorts of obedience, as the Dialogue, and the reſt of the Socinian party would perſwade us, the one Legal for himſelf, and to which, as being man he was bound, and for which they joyntly urge, but much amiſſe, that place of the ApoſtlexGal. 4.4., in the fulneſs of time God ſent his Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, to redeem thoſe that were under the Law; we read not here, that Chriſt was born under the Law, the Words are diſtinctly ſet down, the Son of God, made of a Woman, and afterward made under the Law, not for himſelf, or his own cauſe, but for thoſe that were under the Law, that he might redeem them. He himſelf is diſtinguiſhed from them that were under the Law, as a Redeemer, from thoſe that are redeemed; Therefore he was not under the Law for himſelf*Cum non eſſet proprie Legis debitor in ſe, neque reſpectu humanae naturae (alias enim proptèr identitatem foreign logos ipſe pro ſe ad legis ob ſequium teneretur, quod in legis authorem foret contumelioſum) nec reſpectu perſonae: ſed reſpectu diſpoſitionis v…luntariae, omni tamen, ex parte legi ſatisfecit, ut exuberans infiniti planè meriti plenitude nobis in Chriſto parata, &c. Junius de Iusti. Sect. 7:, leaſt in ſo ſubjecting him to the Law, we ſhould be driven to conceive that he ſtood in need of a Redeemer as much as others, which is no ſmall derogation to the Son of God, the Redeemer of the World. The other Mediatorial, for us and in our behoof; but theſe are but one and the ſame obedience; Chriſt performed nothing in way of obedience to the will of his Father, but for us, as our Surety, and in our ſteed; The whole work whereof, may be called, if you will, Mediatorial from the office of the Perſo… obeying; Legal, from the Rule which was obeyed This obedience, as we have ſaid, is but one, which y… is conſtituted of theſe two parts;
Firſt, the perfect fulfilling of the Law;
Secondly, the ſuffering of that puniſhment, which the breaking thereof deſerved.
The fulfilling of the Law is the firſt part of Chriſt… obedience, by which he performed throughout t… whole courſe of his life perfect obedience to the Law of God for us; The enduring the puniſhment, for our ſins is the other part of his obedience, taking upon him in our room that which we had juſtly merited by reaſo… of our tranſgreſſions; that ſo ſatisfying the ſeverity of Gods Juſtice for us, we might be freed from that obligation and penalty which was upon us, ſo that Urſinus joyning both together ſaith*Quicquid fecit aut paſſus eſt Christus, ad quod ipſe tanquam juſtus & Dei filius non fuit obligatus, eſt ſatisfactio ejus quam nobis praeſtitit, & juſtitia quae nobis credentibus adeo gratis imputatur; ea enim ſatisfactio aequipoſſet vel impletioni Legis per obedientiam, velaeternae paenae propter peccatum, ad quorum alterutrum Legi obligamur, pag. 394..
Here the Dialogue takes an occaſion, to what purpoſe I know not, to quarrel with the Lutherans, for an errour of theirs on the one hand, unleſſe it be, that he may the better and ſooner prevail with his over-confident Reader, and ſo carry him into an errour on the other, cunningly caſting out one Devil by another, and yet the latter more dangerous, if not more deſperate then the former. For neither one drop of bloud, as he chargeth them, nor all the bodily ſufferings of Chriſt, as we charge him to ſay, but the perfect fulfilling of the Law for us, and the ſatisfying Divine Juſtice incenſed againſt us, even the whole obedience of Chriſt; is that by which we are redeemed from, and diſcharged of that debt and penalty, to which we were lyable, and for which we ſtood accountable.
The Dialogue, auribum lupum tenet, finding it too hard a matter to prove what he had undertaken, that is, That Chriſts natural, or bodily death only, is the meritorious price of our redemption, falls ſtrangly off, and betakes himſelf unto an other matter; For not being able to confirm by argument, he will perplex with amazement, his leſſe attentive Reader, telling him, that the Jews and Romanes did not put Chriſt to death, but that he himſelf ſeperated his ſoul from his body, ſhed his own bloud, and did (as he expreſſes it) actuate his own death, contrary to the very letter of the ScripturesyAct. 2.23. where Peter in his Sermon chargeth them home with the cruel killing of Chriſt the Lord, ſaying, him have yea taken, and by wicked hands have crucifyed and ſlain. AgainzAct. 3.15., and have killed the Prince of life, What our bleſſed Saviour, ſpeaks in Iohn aJoh. 10.17, 18., that he laid down his life, no man taking it away from him, ſheweth his willingneſs to yeeld himſelf up into their hands, who by the determinate councel and foreknowledge of God, were to be inſtruments of his death; We know, that in reſpect of humane power, no man could take away his life, till he was willing to lay it down, which he did by ſubmitting to them, when his hour was come, for that very purpoſe. We ſay, Chriſt dyed willingly, we cannot, dare not ſay wilfully, which he muſt needs do, if the Language of the Dialogue may paſſe for currant, that he ſhed his own bloud, and did actuate his own death. Chriſt offered himſelf to God his Father, yet did he not kill himſelf; The Jews killed him, yet did they not offer him; for indeed they could not: The Prieſt is more worthy then the ſacrifice, yet here is one, who was Prieſt, Sacrifice and Altar too; He was a Prieſt, but not in reſpect of his Divine nature alone, as the Dialogue labours to perſwade: For whatſoever Chriſt did or ſuffered, in a Mediatorial way, was done and ſuffered by the two naturesbIn exequendo Mediatoris officio utra que natura operatur rum communione alterius Leo ad Flavianum, cap. 4., in him Hypoſtatically united, and not by either alone. Whole Chriſt is our Mediator, Redeemer, Prieſt and Prophet in both natures, according to his Deity and humanity.
What the Dialogue would force upon our belief from that place of Iohn cJoh. 6.63., namely, that the humanity of Chriſt, which he underſtands by the word fleſh, doth not profit us, is in the firſt place a meer contradiction to himſelf, having altogether pleaded for the bodily ſufferings of Chriſt hitherto; then we averre, that it is not to be found in, or gathered from the words: for the beſt Expoſitors tell us, that by fleſh there is meant any natural food, and not the fleſh of Chriſt, giving this reaſon for it; whereſoever ſay they, Chriſt ſpeaketh of his own fleſh, there is the Pronoune My, added to it; or elſe he expreſſeth it thus, the fleſh of the Son of man; but there is neither the one, nor the other; and therefore cannot be meant of the fleſh of Chriſt. They are exceedingly miſtaken, ſays Scharpius dErrant qui hoc loco percarnis vocem humanitatem Chriſti diſtinctè conſideratam, & Spiritum, Deitatè ſignificari volunt. Syphonia., in the ſenſe and meaning of our Saviours Words, who by fleſh would have his humanity, by Spirit, his Deity to be ſignified or underſtood. But ſhould we let this paſſe for granted; which muſt not be, that the humanity of Chriſt doth not profit us; muſt it therefore follow, that his obedience to the Law doth not profit us, nor his fulfilling of the ſame for us? Did ever any that pretended the leaſt knowledge in the Rudiments of Art, fetch a concluſion ſo far wide of the premiſſes? But what ſhall we ſay to theſe Socinians, whom no rules of Art are able to keep within compaſſe of ſound Reaſon, nor texts of Scripture, within the bounds of true Religion, but that they break through, and run over all to beguile us in the one, and betray us in the other? Plutarch makes report of a certain Woman named Phea, who rob'd all paſſengers that came by her Pallace. Theſe, theſe Socinians, the Dialogue and his fellows, are like unto her; For none can eſcape their hands; They rob God of his Juſtice, mercy and wiſdome; Chriſt of his merit and ſatisfaction; man of all ſound and ſolid means of Salvation, leaving him in a worſe condition, then the thieves left that poor man, that went down from Hieruſalem to Iericho, not half, but ſtark dead, without any help or hope of recovery. I ſhall beſtow upon the Dialogue and his high admirers, with the reſt of the Socinian Brethren, but this one argument, and ſo I will conclude this part alſo with a friendly advice to all Chriſtian Readers.
That opinion which taketh away the means, by which God is revealed to be infinitely juſt, merciful and wiſe, making alſo the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, and his perfect fulfilling of the Law, a vain and needleſſe thing, is moſt heretical, impious and blaſphemons; But this opinion takes away the means by which Gods Juſtice, mercy and wiſdome are revealed to be infinite, makes Chriſts full and perfect ſatisfaction a vain, ſuperfluous and needleſſe thing. Therefore it is a moſt heretical, impious and blaſphemous opinion.
You will ſay this is a hard and a heavy charge; but if I make it not plain and evident, let me bear the blame, among all judicious and underſtanding men for ever; for which purpoſe, and the better accompliſhing hereof, we will diſcend unto particulars.
Firſt, that which reveals God to be infinitely juſt is, that he cannot be reconciled to men, that have ſinned againſt him, and provoked his diſpleaſure towards them, without execution of his Juſtice*Ita offenſi Patris ſempiternam juſti… am abſolutiſſimae perfectionis foreign miſeris hominibus reconciliavit ut Deus Juſtitiae laudem in media miſericordia non amitteret., and a full ſatisfaction made according to the juſtneſs of his Law, which he impoſed on them; If not by men in their own perſons, which is altogether impoſſible, yet by their Mediator and Surety for them, and in their behalf, and ſo by him communicated to them, and made theirs, as truly, and really, as if they in their own perſons had done, fulfilled, and ſatisfyed the ſame. This is that means, by which God is known to be infinitely juſt.
Secondly, when Gods infinite Iuſtice was ſo ſtrict, that nothing could ſatisfy it, or redeem man from the power of it, but a price of infinite value laid down for him; and when all the World was not able to find out ſuch an unvaluable price or conſideration, Gods infinite wiſdome having in her hand from all eternity, for this very purpoſe, this tranſcendent treaſure, this great and ineſtimable price, did in due time, ſhadowing it in the ſimilitude of fraile and ſinfull fleſh, depoſite it for us, making hereby full and real ſatisfaction for every one that ſhall by the hand of faith lay hold upon it, and make a right application of it; and this is that, which reveals Gods infinite wiſdome.
Thirdly, in that God the Father would in this caſe, and for this purpoſe, give his own only begotten Son, out of his boſome, to be humbled in our nature, to obey, ſuffer, and make full ſatisfaction for poor miſerable men; and in that the Son would willingly and of his own accord take this, all this upon him, to do and ſuffer whatſoever ſtrict Iuſtice ſhould require to condigne ſatisfaction: and that when all this could not otherwiſe bring any profit or commodity to men, that the holy Spirit of God ſhould not diſdain to take up his conſtant and continued habitation with men; yea, reſide and dwell in them, working in their hearts all grace needfull and neceſſary for them, this is a plain and evident demonſtration of Gods mercy, infinite mercy manifeſted to thoſe that were in the greateſt miſery; yet all theſe means cleerly manifeſted and maintained by the Scriptures, doth this wicked opinion of our Socinian Dialogue utterly overthrow, if it were poſſible, and take away, leaving poor ſouls quite deſtitute of the principal means of their Salvation, and therefore muſt needs be moſt heretical impious & blaſphemous. Having thus briefly, yet faithfully, and fully (I hope) performed my undertaking, I admoniſh all men in the fear of God, as they tender his glory, and the dear Salvation of their precious ſouls, to take heed of this dangerous opinion, leaſt they be unawares deceived by it: and the rather, becauſe Satan hath this advantage of us, that he can transform himſelf into an Angel of light, that thereby he may bring many into his Kingdome of darkneſs; and many Emiſſaries of his are now abroad, factoring in all places to enlarge that his helliſh dominion, clothing and triming ſtrang Doctrines, with ſtrang words and expreſſion an unuſual dialect, whereby thoſe, who are affected with novelties may be the eaſier allured and enſnared. And therefore let every one take heed, praemonitus praemunitus, thou haſt bin often told of theſe things, ſo that I ſay unto thee, again, take heed, leaſt through th…r ſubtility, and thine own weakneſs or willfulneſs, thou be deceived, to thy ſhame and ſorrow here, and thine eternal torment hereafter.