Puslapio vaizdai
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man, he and his service whatsoever were a constrained service. Then here is the difference, though the King's Son be free, yet he will presently submit himself. Although he be the lawgiver, yet he will submit himself to be made under the law, that he may purchase our freedom.

Again, the second part of the law is the penalty due to the breach thereof, now we know that although a man be loyal all his days, and commit treason in the end, he must suffer the penalty due to the same. So whatsoever obedience was by our Saviour fulfilled to the law, yet because there was a penalty due for the breach thereof, he must needs suffer. For we must not restrain the work of redemption to mercy only, but (as I have said) God would set all his attributes on work therein, that his justice, and power also, may appear chiefly with his mercy, therefore Christ he must needs suffer that which was due unto us. The human nature must suffer, by which was due obedience. He that would satisfy then, though he be God, yet must he not die in his divine nature, but because that nature could not die, here is that wonder of his love to us, that rather than we should perish and die he chooseth to assume another nature, even our nature, and die therein, that so the nature offending might give absolute satisfaction. But here a question ariseth again. What, could God find no other means for our redemption, but by the death of his Son? Must God of necessity become man, or (to speak properly) must our Mediator needs be God and man; Emanuel? Must he needs be such a one, who must lay his hand upon both? One hand upon the Father in heaven, and the other upon us on earth? must such a one, and no other, needs be this umpire? To end this controversy, let us again bring in our former man upon the stage, that we may a little behold what possibly he might have done, though we grant unto him a great deal more than any man (how perfect soever) could possibly have performed, and then it will evidently appear that our Emanuel, and no other, could possibly have performed this work.

Imagine that this man could possibly have fulfilled this perfect obedience to the law, both for himself and others, yet when he cometh to die, what is this to us? He could but have died for himself, not for us nor others. But for us we must have one, for the many of Daniel, yeas for his many thousands. This our man could never have done, but to effect this, here Christ to his Deity joineth our nature, not that I say the Godhead suffered which could not die. But this I say, that Christ Jesus, the second Person in the Trinity, being God and man, suffered in his human nature (which before to this end he had assumed) his Deity assisting the same, that he should not be overcome nor kept of the sorrows of death. Therefore the apostle in the Acts doth highly value this blood. "Taket heed unto yourselves (saith he) and unto all the flock whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." This conjunction of the Deity assisting the humanity, is that altar which giveth an infinite value to the sacrifice, making the offering of an infinite merit, to purchase God's favour for us, giving a full satisfaction. So Christ, in Matthew, speaketh, "ye fools, and blind, whether is greater the offering, or the altar, which sanctifieth the offering." So" it is said that it was his eternal spirit which gave the price, and value to the offering of his humanity, which he offered upon the altar of his divinity. Aye but yet, why must needs God in the second person of the Trinity, give satisfaction, was there no remedy? I say none. For imagine our former man could not only have satisfied for himself, but also for others, and that he might also have died, not only for himself, but for others also, suffering all which was due to God's justice; yet what were that to us, unless he could also both overcome death, for himself and us also? But our Mediator must not only do that which I have showed, but also he must overcome, and triumph over all. Our sup

Dan. chap. 12. ver. 2. "Heb. chap. 9. ver. 14.

Acts, chap. 20. ver. 28.

LL 2

posed man could not, for there is no power in a man, if he be but a mere man; but the power of a man, which could never have overcome death of itself, for himself, much less for others. To this purpose our blessed Saviour (to show the power of his Deity) in St. John speaketh, "Destroy* this temple, and I will raise it up again in three days.” This then is the mighty power of our Mediator, not only to die, but to overcome also and rise again. His Godhead indeed could not suffer, but by the mighty power thereof, he was enabled to overcome and be victorious over all his sufferings, obtaining a perfect peace for us by trampling down the power of the grave, leading all principalities and powers captive, even all the power of darkness. Therefore then had he of necessity those two natures, that the one (his humanity) might suffer in full obedience unto God's justice. And that other (his divinity) that it might overcome and satisfy; so making perfect atonement for us. Therefore, it is plain (I say) his death and blood only were not sufficient for our redemption, but he must also rise again from the death by his own power. For this cause we see the apostle contenteth not himself only with death and blood", but says (he urging resurrection from the death also), "if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." This then is a main thing, our Mediator must needs not only die, but be also able to rise again from the death and overcome. Christ Jesus only, the second person in the Trinity, God from all eternity, who in the fulness of time assumed our nature, was also to do, and did this, which no man (how perfect soever from sin) could have done. Now followeth the second part.

The great work of conveyance of his spirit, and power unto us, by an inseparable union and conjunction. A further thing of necessity inherent in our Mediator for our redemption is, his conveyance of that which is his, unto us by his spirit, that he investeth us with the same, by imputation, making all that which he hath performed for us, as availa

ble unto us, as though we ourselves had performed it. This then is our quickening, that whatsoever by nature we are, yet being of the household of faith, we may and are made perfect by his perfection.

This our former imagined man could never have done, whom let us once more view again. For imagine that he might not only have suffered all, and for all, and have died, overcame and risen again also, yet he not being God, when it came to this conveyance, his mediation must have ceased, and have gone no further. Nay, all the angels in heaven could not have raised from the death one dead body, but only the spirit of our Redeemer. What then although we had had the medicine of such a Mediator in readiness, yet what had that been to us? we are all dead, not able to receive the same. Our Redeemer, he must be able to quicken us, by his mighty spirit, and to raise us from the dead, to give life to our dead souls. He must be able to send the spirit of his Father into our hearts to make us cry Abba Father. He must convey the same, which he hath done and yet daily doth, unto his elect, by the marvellous conveyance of the spirit. All then who are Christ's, they must be members of his mystical body, and knit to the same that he may be partaker of our sorrows, and we hereby enabled to overcome, being encouraged in the fight, by having him a fellow-feeler of infirmities. So that by this secret conjunction and union of the body and members, one of them cannot be touched, but the other also suffereth in the same; yea when either of them is troubled, the same is attributed to the whole. And any one action, either of body or member, is attributed unto all. As in a natural body, when the eye seeth any thing, the body is said to see, and when the hand reacheth a thing to give away, yet the body is said to do the same, and soforth in other actions. So it is also in feeling, for when as one member suffereth (as the apostle speaketh) all suffer, whatsoever troubleth any one joint, annoyeth also the whole and every part of the body, and whatsoever suffering any part or member hath, the whole body in that is said to suffer. If the head ache, we

say

I am ill. If the eye see not, I cannot see. If the feet be lame, I am lame; the whole body cometh for a part. Even so it is in our spiritual union and conjunction with Christ by his spirit. That what is his is ours, what he hath done we are partakers of the same, being united there can be no separation; so that now it is not possible, but that we have a part in his righteousness, since he by a fellow-feeling suffereth with us. As he cried, when2 his members were persecuted, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me. If there were not such a strict union betwixt Christ and his members, that as a member of our body cannot be touched, but the whole body presently hath a sense of the same; so by reason of our union with Christ the faithful have no kind of sufferings, but Christ suffereth with them. This our union with Christ, the apostle fully (though darkly) declareth, when he saith, that rejoicing in his sufferings for them, he yet fulfilled the rest of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh, for his body's sake; which is the Church.

What, may some object, were not Christ's suffering then perfect, dare any mortal man say that he can add unto them? I say no! his sufferings were most perfect and none can add unto them, but here is the matter: by virtue of this union with him, when any of his members suffer, he suffereth also, in which respect the apostle calleth his sufferings the sufferings of Christ, because they suffering he of necessity suffereth with them unto the end of the world. Thus then, being one with him, whatsoever he hath done, is as though we had performed the same. If the devil now accuse us of any thing; what then? Send him to Christ, he can accuse thee of nothing, but thou in Christ hast performed the same. Now the case is altered (as our blessed Saviour speaketh). "All mine are thine and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, even them, whom thou hast given me, that they may be

one as we are."

Acts, chap. 9. ver. 4.

a Colos. chap. 1. ver. 24.

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