A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 80 (Question 21)
SERMON LXXX.
QUESTION XXL
WHO is the Redeemer of GOD's Elect?
ANSWER.
The only Redeemer of GOD's Elect, is the Lord JESUS CHRIST, who being the Eternal Son of GOD became Man, and ſo was, and continues to be GOD and Man, in two diſtinct Natures, and one Perſon too ever.
HAVING conſidered of the nature and neceſſity of Man's Redemption, and that for it, it was requiſite that there ſhould he a Redeemer. As alſo, how this affair was ſettled in an eternal compact. We are now to preceed to a more difin… enquiry into this myſterious and aſion ſhing Redemption. And here two things will come under our contemplation.
1. The Perſon of the Redeemer together with his Fitneſs for ſuch a Work; which is pointed at in the ſix ſubſequent Queſtions.
2. His Execation of this Work, in two Queſtions more.
I. THE Perſon of the Redeemer together with his Fitneſs for ſuch a Work. Touching the Perſon himſelf, I ſhall not inſiſt on a diſtinct conſideration of him, ſeparate from the conſideration of his fitneſs to redeem, where there will be occaſion to treat of it. Only in general obſerve, That the ſame Perſon who undertook this province in the Covenant of Redemption, was he that engaged in, and went through it in purſuance of that Covenant. Who, as we have obſerved, was no other but the eternal Son of God, the ſecond Perſon in the ſacred Trinity, who in reſpect to the deſign he was proſecuting is called Jeſus a Saciour: and with regard to his unction to it is called Chriſt, God's anointed. Let us then paſs over to the ſpeculation of his fitneſs to redeem. That the Son of God might actually redeem us, it was requiſite that he ſhould be every way firted and furniſhed for his work. And for this there were two things neceſſary.
(1.) That he might be furniſhed for the work it ſelf.
(2.) That his work might be accepted and ſo become effectual to accompliſh the end for which it was undertaken.
And h… upon there are two things to be …bed upon as belonging to this preparation of his, … His Incartation, and his Unction. The ſ… mer of theſe is laid open to us is … Queſtion, and that which ſollows, …e Inter in the Four that come after, which … may accordingly look into.
1. THE firſt thing in chriſts f…ſs … deem is his Incarnation. It may not be … to give the reaſon why we are to aſſign … hither; firce it is a conſideration of we…, and hath afforded matter of diſpa…e … the Incarnation of the Son of God … proper reſpect to his Redemption is … ab…e, without it he had not been, could… be our Redeemer, as will lea…terwards … evidently to appear. Now it is certain the this incarnation is no part of the work it ſelf; nor doth it belong to either of them. There are two parts aſſigned to the … of Redemption wrought out by Chriſt viz. His Humiliation, and Exsltation but divers do to his Humiliation. Now … Chriſts Incarnation is no part of his … liation may be ſufficiently demo…ſtr…d … Chriſt's Incarnation we underſtand, the … tion of an humane nature by the Son of … into union with his Perſon; of which … to co…ſider afterwards. Now that … aſſumption did not belong to his Humiliation as a part of it will be made to app… by theſe things,
(1.) IF this belongs to his Hamiliation, … be was actually humbled by vertue of this aſſ… tion, which be was not. IF indeed … reckon his humbling himſelf for my act of his condeſcendency to his … tures, ſo it may be acknowledged. So … himſelf is ſaid to humble himſelf, … 113.6. But if we take it as we do … his debaſing himſelf, it cannot be aff… it. For it muſt be either in reſpect to the nature aſſuming, or aſſumed; but is re…. Not in regard of the nature aſſuming, … was divine, for that is in it ſelf inca… of being humbled or abaſed; and he thoughts … took our nature on him that the might … humbled in it. Phil. 2.7. Nor in reſ… the nature aſſumed, which was hum… … that was indeed exalted and honou… … this aſſumption … for, through …t hereby l…ſt its Chriſt humane perſonality, yet it galled a …e gl…rious condition, in being of the Perſon of the Son of God. Againſt this it is Objected. Obj. THAT it was in regard of n…ther nature by it ſelf, both of both in conjunction among in …r…d in the ſtate of a Mediater. To which I reply. 1. THAT the conjunction of her two natures belongs to his l…e. And hence if by this conjunction he was humbled, it muſt refer to one of the two, which renders the conjunction, to be a de…aſing of Chriſt: for firſt it is u…e, that the Perſon himſelf is divine, and …ath nothing added to him but the relation of the aſſumed humanity; which relation doth no way diminiſh his eternal glory; not it that nature made more low by it. 2. THAT Chriſt: incarnation did not of it ſ…lf put him into the ſtate of a Mediater. It only ſi…ned him for it, but it was his Office what made him ſo; ſo that he was, in order of nature incarnate antecedently to his bearing of his mediatorial Offices. For they were given him confidered as God and Man in one Perſon.
(2.) CHRIST's Humiliation was that part of … Redemption in and by which he made ſatisſ… is the … of God on our a …. But his Incarnation made no part of this ſatisfaction. The Humiliation of Chriſt is, by all the Orthodox. accounted to be that which in all the parts of it referred to the ſatisfaction of the juſtice of God: but he did …t frisfy by taking our nature, only he become capable of it. AND whereas it is here objected, That Chriſt was be humbled in his very Incarnation; and h…ce is muſt needs be a part of his Humiliation. It may be readily anſwered; That becauſe that they are together, it doth not follow that they are the ſame: and ſome things may be together in time, and one in under of nature before the other. There were but two ſtares in which Chriſt was to is referring to Redemption, for both of wich he was to take our nature, viz. Humiliation and Exaltation; and he muſt therefore of neceſſty no ſooner be in our nature, but he in one of them. Now his Humiliation was the firſt, being to make way for his …tion, which was the reward of it. …. 2.7, 8, 9. Hence he was no ſooner Incarnate, but he was in a ſtate of Humiliation; and together with our nature, he took the …ties of it upon him. Yet we are to …guiſh between the aſſumption it ſelf, and the quality he put himſelf into when he aſſumed it. Chriſt was firſt to appear in nature in a ſtate of Humiliation, when therefore he took our nature, he put himſelf i… debaſed ſtate, but all the conſiderations d…p…t debaſed condition, were only adjuncts … Incarnation, and not eſſential to it: and theſe adjuncts were not only ſeperable, but in due time ſeparated. Hence,
(3.) CHRIST's Incarnation here an equal reſpect to his Humliation and his Exaltation. And hence may as properly be called a part of the one as of the other. Chriſt as God is capable of neither, but he became man that he might be capacitated for both of them. Pſal. 2.6. &c. It is in our nature that he was humbled, and it is in the ſame nature that he is exalted. So that if his Incarnation be pirt of his Humiliation, we muſt neceſſarily conclude either that when his work of Humiliation was done, he laid aſide or put off our nature again; or elſe that, being ſtill Incarnate, he remains in a ſtate of Humiliation now he is in Glory; and conſequently that the work of ſatisfaction is not performed, upon which he was to be exalted, which we neither do, can, or may believe. It then properly belongs to his fitting or preparation for this great work, and is accordingly here to be enquired into.
IN the farther proſecution of this Article, we are led by the Catechiſm to take notice of two things. 1. The nature of this Incarnation; in the preſent Queſtion. 2. The manner of it, in that which follows.
1. IN our enquiry into the nature of it, there are two things we may lay out our ſtrenghts about.
1. The neceſſity of it.
2. The Incarnation it ſelf.
Firſt. TOUCHING the neceſſity of it. The enquiry may be; Why muſt the Son of God become Men in order to his being a fit Perſon to be a Redeemer?
A. In reply to which let it be obſerved in general, That the Son of God, having in the Covenant of Redemption undertaken the province of a Redeemer, did therein engage to perform all that was requiſite to make him affectually ſo. Now there were ſuch things neceſſary to be gone through by ſuch an one, as required his being a man, ſo that he could no way keep covenant with his Father, but by ſuch an aſſumption. Here then are two things worthy out taking notice of.
1. That the Perſon of the Redeemer muſt needs be God.
2. That he could not be our Redeemer without being Man too.
A word or two of each.
(1.) THAT the Perſon of our Redeemer muſt needs be God. Such is the work, that no other could have engaged in and gone through it. It muſt have broken the back of the ſtrongeſt Angel of Heaven, though they excell in ſtrength. There was Omnipotence requiſite to the diſcharge of this affair. That is therefore one of his titles, Iſai. 9.6. The mighty God. Iſai. 63.1. Mighty to ſave. He muſt be God on a threefold account.
1. To ſustain his humane nature in and under its work. It was more than ſuch a frail thing could go through and not ſink and break under it, if it had not been ſupported by his divine power. To bear the whole weight of the wrath of God due to ſinners, and to hold out and go through, and not be ſwallowed up with it, required infinite ſtrength to ſupport him, and on this account, he is ſaid to offer himſelf by the eternal ſpirit, Heb. 9.14.
2. TO put the value into his obedience whereby it might be ſatisfactory to the juſtice of God. It muſt be precious blood indeed that was able to redeem us. Hence that in, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,—but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemiſh and without ſpot. And if the reaſon of its being ſo precious be asked, we are ſufficiently anſwered, becauſe it was the blood of God. Acts 20.28. It was an infinite debt we had contracted, and it muſt be infinite ſatisfaction that could pay it, for the Redemption of ſo many millions as are to be made happy by it for ever; and the value of this ſatisfaction muſt flow from the worth of his Perſon. He muſt then be God.
3. TO be fit to purſue this Redemption to efficacy. That he might with boldneſs appear before God for us, to demand the Salvation of his Redeemed. He is a mediating Redeemer; and could not be ſo but in being God as well as Man. He muſt be able to lay his hand upon both God and man, Job. 9.33. and therefore muſt participate in the nature of both.
(2) THAT he could not be our Redeemer without being Man alſo. This will appear on the conſideration of theſe things,
1. THAT in the reſtoring of man from miſery to felicity, reſpect is to be had to the Covenant of Works. God will not leap over that Covenant to ſave one of the children of men. He hath made it ſurer than Heaven or Earth, Mat. 5.18. It was the firſt fixed rule of relative Juſtice between God and man. It muſt therefore be complied with in the whole tenor of it. If any receive a reward of glory, it muſt be upon a perfect obedience to it, for to that was the promiſe connected, If any be delivered from the curſe of it, after he hath incurred it by diſobedience, the threatned miſery muſt be ſuffered. If man be ſaved, mercy and truth muſt meet. Pſal. 85.10. Proviſion muſt be made that God may as well be just as be a justifier of any, Rom. 3.26.
2. HENCE be that is man's Redeemer muſt be one able to comply with that Covenant on this account. Man being himſelf fallen ſhort of this obedience, cannot be his own Redeemer, but muſt look for it from another. Now man's Redemption is not a meer work of power, but of righteouſneſs too; in which reſpect the revelation of it is called, the revelation of the righteouſneſs of God, Rom. 3.21. So that although Chriſt be almighty in reſpect of his God-head, yet if he cannot perform for man this righteouſneſs which the law demands, in that nature which is omnipotent, that nature is not ſufficient to conſtitute him an able Redeemer; but there muſt be ſomething elſe to render him ſo.
3. IT is requiſite that man's Redeemer be ſubject to the law of Juſtice which was given to man. For if he muſt anſwer it and yield full ſatisfaction to it, he muſt be in ſubjection to it. It muſt be able to charge upon him all that it had againſt them whom … ranſoms, and accordingly, arraign, judge, condemn and do execution upon him in purſuit of that charge. how elſe ſhould it re… its own of him? The law can come upon none but ſuch as are under the command of it, and ſubjected to it. He is therefore ſaid to be made under the law, that be might redeem ſuch, Gal. 4.4, 5. Now he was not capable of this as he was God. The law maker, who is abſolutely ſupream, cannot come under the cenſure of his own law.
4. THE law of the firſt Covenant hath … but man for its ſubject. When God Covenanted with man, it was with him as he was ſuch a ſpecies of being; the whole … were contracted in our firſt parents, and with them all, & none elſe, was that compact … it was to man the precept was directed. Job 28.28. and to him was the promiſe and threatning. Gen. 2.17. So that this lawer challenge ſubjection of none but one that is a man, and of Adam's race and …i…e…. Chriſt therefore was firſt made of a woman, that ſo he might be under the Law. H… the connection, Gal. 4.4. Had he aff… any other nature, it would not have done: To have taken an Angelical nature, would have done us no kindneſs. This is deſigned in that emphatical expreſſion, Heb. 2.16. In verily he took not on him the nature of ought: but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham. … therefore who deny the Incarnation of the Son of God, pluck up a neceſſary ſ… tion of man's hope for Salvation. Had … the Word been made fleſh, we ſhould … have ſeen God in glory. In ſum, had Chriſt been meer man, he had been too weak; … he been only God and not man, he had not been fit to be our Redeemer, as the caſe …d with us upon the apoſtacy under which … lay.
Secondly. WE now paſs to the conſideration of the Incarnation it ſelf, according at if it laid down in the Anſwer before us. Which be may take an account of in four particulars
(1.) The Perſon aſſuming our nature.
(2.) T… nature which was aſſumed by him.
(3.) The aſſumption it ſelf, where we are to obſer… the diſtinction and union of theſe two … tures.
(4.) We may add to look into the communion between them, which follow upon the former.
I. FOR the Perſon aſſuming our nature. … are told that it was the Eternal Son of God The Apoſtle commending the doctrine of godlineſs for a great myſtery, makes … the firſt article in which it appears to be …, 1 Tim 3 16. And without controverſy, give is the myſtery of godlineſs: God was m… in the fleſh. And when the Prophet w… give us the letters of Chriſt's name, the … is, Wonderful. Iſai. 9.6. And indeed every point in this Incarnation of Chriſt is a wo… too aſtoniſhing for us to comprehend; the cleareſt eyes of our weak underſtandings are not able to gaze on this light without daz…ing: and therefore it is our ſafeſt way to …et faith embrace the truth of divine revelation, in believing that it is ſo; which we have reaſon enough to do becauſe God hath ſaid it; although it we critically examine … our but how it as or can be we muſt be non-pluſt, and put to ſilence. I ſhall therefore here only give you Scriptural evidence for the proving the truth of two aſſertions.
(1.) THAT the Perſon eſſoming our nature … God. As this belongs to each Perſon in the ſacred Trinity, ſo the word of God ab…dantly confirms it conterning the Perſon of the Redeemer. 1. THE divine Names are there given to …. And not only ſuch as are ſometimes given to men; as Pſal. 82.6. but the incommunicable came, J…b…val, which peculiarly notes the divine eſſence, and, as ſome Criticks obſerve, ſounds as much as, he who was, is, and is to come: and was never in Scripture aſcribed to any meer creature. See, Gen 18. 14. Pſal 61.19. and I am, which is alſo peculiar; compare, Exod. 2.14. with Job. 8.58. which notes the enjoyment of himſelf in an …. 2. THE divine incommunicable Attributes on there aſerved to him as his right and prop…y. So Prov. 8.22. Job. 1.1. Eternity is aknowledged to him. Omnipretency, Rev. 1.3 U…, or incomprehenſible Omnipreſcence, J…. 20. ni… Omniſcience, Joh. 2.24, 25. …b…ry, Heb. 13.8. and many other b…nes might be reckoned up. 3. HE is equal to God, and therefore muſt …e be God. There is no compariſon, much l…ſs any equality between God and a creature. Pſ… … 6. Iſai. 40.17. God is equalled by now but himſelf, and yet ſee Phil. 2, 6. …cing in the ſor… of God, thought it not …y to be equal with God. And for that … the Lord of hoſts calls him his ſeleve, Luk. 13.7. And what ſaith Chriſt himſelf …ſelt, Joh. 10.20. I and my Father are one. 4. HE performs divine works, or ſuch as … but God can do in his own name, and by … own power. Meer creatures have indeed … inſtrumental, but not in their own name, … his, Act… 3.6. nor their own vertue, but … 12, 13. But Chriſt co operates with his farther in all his great works, Joh. 5.17, 19. … Jeſus anſwered them, My Father worketh …, and I work Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, The Son can do nothing of himſelf but what …ſoeth the Farther do: for what things ſoever …d…th, theſe alſo doth the Son likewiſe. And is his own name, Mat. 8.3. And Jeſus put job his hand and touched him ſaying I will be …an, And immediately his leproſy was …ed. The blind ſaw, the deaf heard, the d…lived at his pleaſure. Yea the work of Creation is aſſigned to him, Joh. 1.3. All things were made by him, and without him was … thing made that was made. Heb. 1.2. By whom …ſe be made the words. And the great works of Pr…d…, Joh. 5.21, For us the Farther reaſeth of the dead and …ck…eth than, even ſo the S… qu…eth whom be will. 5. He hath the form of God. Phil. 2.6. According to our conception things are differenced by their forms: that therefore which hath the ſame form is the ſame thing; and if it be an individual form it is the ſame individual thing; and ſo it muſt be here, for God is hat One. And hereupon, that which we call the definition of God is proper to him It is the ſpecial nature of the Deity, to have life of it ſelf, and ſo hath Chriſt, Joh. 5.26. For is the Father hath life is himſelf: ſo hath he grow the Sun to have life in himſelf: 6. HE is the object of Fath. Divine confidence for eternal life is to be placed on him as well as on God Joh. 14.1. Let not your heart he troubled: ye believe in God, believe alſo in me. Yea, faith on him is enough to give a man title to Givation. Joh. 2.16.— Whoſoever believeth in him, ſhall not periſh, hat bro… everlaſting …fe. And men are eternally happy or miſerable, according as they believe or believe not on him ver. 36. Now no meer creature can be the object of oar faith.
(2) THE Perſon aſſuming our nature was the Son of God, or the Second Perſon in the bleſſed Trinity. It was not the God-head or divine eſſence abſolutely conſidered; though, how all ſhould be but one God, and yet but one of theſe Perſon aſſume is beyond our …ath…ming; yet it is no where aſcribed to any of the other, but ever to him: Not to the whole Deity abſtractly conſidered. It was the divine Wiſdom that was with God from eternity, Friv. 8.22. It was the Word, Job. 1.14. the Son, Gal. 4.4. We are then to believe it to be, though we know not how it is. And if we cannot reach the underſtanding of the diſtinction of the perſons themſelves, how ſhould we ſee through tais?
II. THE nature aſſ…med was Humane. So we are told, that the Eternal Son of God, because Alan. But of the particular manner of this, we ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak under the following Queſtion, to which I refer it. Only let us obſerve that he took this nature upon him, into union with his divine perſon truly and really; as the word of God abundantly teſtities. And for that reaſon it is that he ſo often calls himſelf, the Son of man.
USE I. LEARN we hence what ground of conſidence we have to look for compleat Redemption from Chriſt. Is our Redeen or God? Well then may be he ſaid to be mighty. If he had been leſs than God, well might out faith ſtumble. How could any other have born the eternal weight of divine wrath, and not have ſunk under it? How could he have broken thoſe everlaſting bars of divine Juſtice that held us fall, had he not been God? Had he had the force of all the Creation in one, it would not have done it. To deny Chriſt to be God, is to undermine our faith; not ſhall we ever be able to give a good reaſon of our hope, unleſs we firmly believe him to be a divine Perſon. But what cannot he do for us who is God?
USE II. STAND ſtill and contemplate the admirable condeſcendency of the Son of God, who, to bring about the Salvation of fallen man, couſed time and eternity to meet in one. The infinite Being to tabernacle in an houſe of clay: how highly hath he dignified our nature above that of Angels? And how gloriouſly hath he favoured us, that to do us good, he was pleaſed to become one of us? And becauſe we could not elſe have been Redeemed, rather than to ſuffer us to lie and periſh in our curſed ſtate, put on the nature of man to do and die in for us? Can we ſufficiently celebrate this good will of his to ſuch vile ſinners? Let us then worſhip him becauſe he is God, and yet draw near to him with holy confidence, becauſe he is our brother, and hath taken part in our nature, that ſo he might have a fellow feeling of our miſeries and ſuccour us.
[JANUARY 22. 1694.]