CHAPTER XVIII.

Of the Person of Christ, the Mediator.

After the Fall of Man: it followes that wee see his restoring.

1. THe restoring of man is the lifting him up from an estate of sinne and death, unto an estate of grace, and life.

2. The cause of this restoring was the mercifull purpose of God. Eph. 1. 9. According to his free good will which hee had purposed in himselfe. For there was nothing in man, which could confer any force to procure this restoring: but rather much which made to the contrary, as sin, in which there was an enmity against God: which in that respect doth commend this love of God towards us. Rom. 5. 8. But God commends his love towards us, in that when we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

3. There are two parts of this restoring: Redemption, and the application thereof. That is as it were the first act of this restoring: this as it were the second act. That is as it were the matter, this as it were the forme of our salvation. That is as it were the Sufficiency, this the very Efficiency.

4. These parts are altogether of one and the same latitude. For the end of redemption is the application

of it: and the prime reason, rule, and measure of application is that same gracious Will of God which was the cause of Redemption it selfe. Eph. 1. 9. 10. He hath made knowne to us, the mystery of his will, according to his free good will, which he had foreordained in himselfe, that in the full dispensation of those times before ordained, he might summarily gather together all things in Christ.

5. Therefore Redemption is appointed to all and every one, for whom it was in Gods intendment obtained: according to that of Christ. Iohn 6. 37. Whatsoever the Father giveth me shall come unto me.

6. Redemption is the bringing of man into freedome, from the bondage of sinne, and the devill, by the payment of an equall price. 1. Pet. 1. 18. Yee know that yee were not redeemed by corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with precious blood. 1. Cor. 6. 20. Yee are bought with a price, and 7. 23. Yee are bought with a price.

7. For this freedome was not primarily effected by power, nor by prayers, (although these also had their force in perfecting this businesse,) but by the payment of a just price.

8. This price seeing it could not be paid by man, the helpe of a Mediator was necessary, who should come betweene God and man, making a perfect reconciliation betweene them. 1. Tim. 2. 5. Acts 20. 28. The Church of God which he hath purchased by his own blood. 1. Tim. 2. 6. The man Christ Iesus, who gave himselfe a price of our redemption.

9. Now such a Mediator is not given, for one age onely but for yesterday, to day and for ever. Hebr. 13. 8. Iesus Christ yesterday, to day and is the same for ever: Revel. 13. 8. The Lambe slaine from the foundation of the World. Although he was only manifest in the fulnesse of time. Col. 1. 27. Tit. 1. 2. 1. Pet. 1. 20. For this

Meditation was equally necessary in all ages: Also is was sufficient, and effectuall from the beginning, by vertue of Gods decree, promise, and acce[gap]tation.

10. This M[gap]iator is only Iesus Christ. Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other, for among men there is given no other name under Heaven, by which wee must be saved.

11. In Christ two things are to be considered. 1. The fitnesse which he had to performe the worke of redemption. 2. The parts of the redemption it selfe.

12. His fitnesse consists of two parts. The first is his person: the second is the office, imposed upon his person.

13. In the person of Christ the Mediator two things are to be observed: the distinction; of the two natures, and the personall union of them.

14. The distinct natures are: the Divine nature, as it is the second person of the Deity, and the humane, in all things like to our natures (excepting sinne, and the manner of subsisting) Matt. 1. 23. Emanuel, God with us, Iohn 1. 14. That word was made flesh, &c. The distinction it selfe betweene those two natures remaines: because they remaine absolutely the same which they were before, as well touching their essence as all their essentiall properties: Hence neither the Deity in Christ with the humanity, nor the humanity with the deity is either changed, or mingled, or any way confounded.

15. The personall union, is that whereby the second person of the deity did take the humane nature, that it might inseparably subsist in the same person Iohn 1. 14.

16. For the second person of the deity although it have but one subsistence, yet i[gap] hath a twofold way of subsisting: one in the Divine nature from eternity; another in the humane nature after the incarnation. Rom. 9. 5. Of whom is Christ, as touching the flesh, who is

above all, God blessed f[gap]r ever, Amen. Which latter way of subsisting doth agree to the Son of God. In respect of the union which he hath with the humane nature.

17. This union to the divine person and nature, doth ad nothing, but a certaine relation: but in the humane nature it maketh a change, whilst by this meanes it is elévated to highest perfection: for it is made as it we a proper adjunct of the Divine person by which it is assumed: as it were a member of the same whole God man. [gap], whereof the divine nature is as it were another part: as touching the subsistence, it is made as it were an effect singularly upheld by the Divine nature: and also it is made as it were a subject wherein the Divine nature doth especially dwell. Coloss. 2. 9.

18. Wee endeavour to describe this union; by many logicall wayes: because it cannot sufficiently be explained by any one.

19. We use all those termes wherein the fountaines, of consent, and unity are contained, that we may shew the union to be most neere.

20. Yet wee temper these termes with that limitation, as it were, because this union is mysticall, and secret, so it may not be plainly expressed, but onely shadowed forth by humane words, and notions.

21. From this union there followeth a personall communication of properties which is not a reall transfusion. For then the Divine nature should take the properties of the humane, and the humane should take the properties of the Divine, and so the humane should be the Divine, and the Divine, the humane, or as well the Divine, as humane should cease to be. Neither it is a reall donation from which should follow, that the humane nature might use the Divine properties as its own restruments. But it is a Communion, or co[gap]curring unto

the same operations; so that they are performed together by each nature, but according to their own distinct properties.

22. Hence it comes to passe that all the doings a[gap] sufferings of Christ are referred properly to his p[gap]rson as the proper Terminum bound of them: althou[gap] some are properly to be referred to the one, s[gap]me to the other nature, as to their beginning, and proper respects.

23. And hence followeth the Communication of these properties, as touching predi[gap]ation, or attribution, whereby the properties of the one nature are attributed either to the whole person, as when Christ is said to be dead which is proper to the humane nature, and to have beene in the beginning which is proper to the Divine nature: Or to the other nature, because of the person, as when [gap]od is said to be taken up into glory: 1. Tim. 2. 16. [gap]o be crueified, 1. Cor. 2. 8. Which doe not properly agree to the Divine nature, but to the huma[gap]e. And those things which are proper to the whole person, are properly attributed to either nature: as when the man Christ is said to be the Mediator betwixt God and man. 1. Tim. 2. 5. Which doth not agree to Christ as hee is man, but as he is God and man.

24. But as that Commu[gap]ion doth properly respect the person of Christ, not the natures considered in themselves, so that communication which consists in predication doth respect God, or man in the concrete, not the Deity, or humanity in the abstract.

25. Therefore the communication of properties is not meerely verba[gap]l, neither yet is it so reall that the property of one nature doth pa[gap]se in the other as touching the intri[gap]secall possession and us[gap]pation.

26. Those examples which are wont to be brought of those that thinke the con[gap]rary of that communication which is betweene the matter and the forme, betweene

the soule and the body, and betweene Iron and the fire, doe neither agree to this mistery, nor prove the possition it selfe

27. There were in Christ two understandings▪ one Divine, whereby he knew all things, Iohn 21. 17. And the other humane, whereby he knew not some things as yet. Mar[gap] 13. 32. Also there were two wills, one divine Luke 5. 13. And the other humane, together also with a naturall appetite, Mat. 26. 39. So there is a double presence of Christ▪ but yet the humane presence, can neither be every where, nor in many places at once.

28. Because God in Christ, God-man, hath restored life to us, therefore our Faith is carried towards Christ, and by Christ, toward God.