0 us onely as a Man? The Man] Cbrift Jefus.] Anf. True, fo he is, Man, True Man, Chrift true but not meer Man, Verus, fed non merus. The Man, but not word is not to be taken exclusively as denying meer Man. the Divine Natures No, Elfewhere in this Epiftle, the fame pen ftileth him God, (as I have fhewn you) [God manifested in the Flesh.] So as here is no ground for the Arian, or Soci4 nian, to caft anchor upon. By the like reason the Marcionites, or Manichees, might conclude against the truth of Chrift's Humanity, because elfe-where he is called God. [God bles fed for ever,Rom19.5.] Thus is the fame Perfon, being sangaoss both God, and Man, some, times denominated from one nature, fome times from the other; Sometimes called God, and fometimes man: Yet fo, as he is truely both. And in that refpect fitly faid to be a Mediatour betwixt God and men having ar Interest in, and participating of both Na tures.) wel 207 2017 A both Natures. A Reaf. And it was very requifite that he Reason. fhould be fo; And that for the due qualify- Why Christ ing of him for the Office and work of his Me mult partake of diatorship, That he might be a meet and fitting Perfon to deale betwixt God and men. That was his Office, that was his Work; to deal with God for man; and to deal for God with man. Now that he might be fit for both thefe tranfactions, for both parts of this Office, he muft partake of both Natures: That hex might effectually deal with God for man, he C 1 muft must be God, [If a man fin against the Lord, who fball intreat for him?] (faith Eli to his Masons) 1 Sam.2.25. And that he might deale from God, and for God with man, he must be I man. When God fpake unto Ifrael at Mount Sinai, at the giving of the Law, (though I Lex non data conceive it was not the immediate voice of God eft per Filium, himselfe, but of fome principall Angel, whofe fed per unum è Miniftry he there made ufe of in that promulpræcipuis An- gation, as may not obfcurely be collected gelis Dei nomi- from thofe known Texts, Heb. 2.2. Acts 7.38. ne loquentem. Grotius An-yet the people were not able to abide that not, in Hebr. Voice or Prefence: And therefore they defire 2.2. 2 an Internuncius, a man like themselves, who might be as a Mediatour, to go betwixt God and them, Exod. 20. 18,19. For this Reason, (amongst others) it was requifite that the Meffiah, Jefus Chrift, fhould be both God and man, that he might be a meet Mediatour to deal betwixt God and man. Thus have I paffed over this first Branch of the Point in hand, fhewing you how Chrift is a Mediatour in refpect of his Perfon; A vw middle Perfon betwixt God and man, participating of both Natures. And here is that Mediatio fubftantialis, his fubftantiall Mediation. Chrift a Me diator in re Paffe we now to the fecond Branch to the Energeticall, Operative Mediation; where I we spect of his fhall fee how Chrift is faid to be a MediaOffice, deal- tour in refpect of his Office; performing the ing betwixt work of a Mediatour: being in himfelfes a God & Man. Middle Perfon, he dealeth betwixt God and man Quest f Quest. Dealech betwixt them? How? in The great ak what way? what is that Tranfaction? what Tranfaction is the businesse wherein, and whereabout the of Chrift. Lord Chrift dealeth betwixt God and man? Anfm. To this take the Answer in one word. It is the bufineffe of Reconciliation. This was the great Negotiation about which the Son of God, leaving the bofome of the Father, came into the world, took the nature of man - upon him, and undertook the office of a Me diatour, All for the reconciling of God and tman. So the Scripture holdeth it forth a [God was in Chrift reconciling the world to himselfe, 2 Cor.5.19.] [It pleafed the Father 1 by him to reconcile all things to himselfe, Col. 1.19. This was the great defigne of God in gind ving his Son, and of his Son in giving himself, to that he might be a Mediatour of Reconciliation betwixt God and man, Lur boiz ziwa ch Reconciliation, Take we hold of the skirts Reconciliation. of that word. We may learn that from it which Reconciliation A may conduce not a little to our prefent pur- things. importing three pose. Karamay, faith the Originall, fitly rendied Reconciliation, Which is the reftoring of former love, amity, agreement, betwixt two, or more, difagreeing parties. This is proe perly Reconciliation, importing (as you may take notice) these three particulars. 1. A Fore going Amity, and friendship: 2. A Subfeequent Breach, and difagreement: 3. A már king up of that Breach, and a reftoring of that former Amity again: All fitly appliable to the point we have now in hand. Chrift's reconci G-3 Rebord, ling, ve ling of God and man imports all these three Tparticulars. 1. A precedent Amity, and friendship. Such 1. Precedent there was betwixt God and man at firft. God Amitie, having made man after his own Image, like unto himselfe, there was a bleffed unity, and agreement betwixt them; they were at One. Man was God's Favourite, greatly beloved of him, highly in grace and favour with him. And God was again highly honoured, and greatly beloved of man. Thus was there a near Union, a fweet and bleffed Communion betwixt them. Such was the ftate of man in his Creation. 2. A fable 7 2. A Subfequent Breach whereby that quent breach. Union and Communion were diffolved, and a naturall Enmity introduced. So came it to paffe by Satan's mediation, his interpofing be twixt God and man; his foliciting and enticing man to fin against the Law of his Creatour, and fo to break the Covenant betwixt God and him. Hereupon followed a mutuall alienation. God was eftranged from man, and man was estranged from God. Nay, a mutual Enmity. You that were fometimes alienated and enemies, (faith Paul to his Coloffians, fpeaking of their estate before converfion,) Col. 1.21. [When we were enemies we were reconciled" to God, (faith the fame Apoftle to his Romans) Rom.5.10. Such a mutuall Enmity there is betwixt God and man; God for fin hating man, and man through fin hating God. Such is the eftate of man by Degeneration and Corrupti on, A state of Enmity. 3. And 3. And hereupon it was (which is the third 3. A reftoring = particular) that Jefus Christ took upon him of Amity. the Office of a Mediatour, that he might diffolve and destroy this ground-work of the Divell, (as Saint John speaketh 1 John 3.8.) That he might lay this Enmity, make up this O Breach, compofe this difference, restore that former love and amity; That he might make reconciliation betwixt God and man. ! Reconciliati A Mutuall Reconciliation. Such was the Enmity which Satan had made. A mutuall on by Chrift Enmity.And fuch was the Reconciliation which mutuall. Chrift undertaketh, A Mutuall Reconciliation! To reconcile God unto man,& man unto God. Which let it be taken notice of by the way; Socinian erAnd that against the Socinians, and fome other rour refuted. of the times, who would have this Reconciliati Paul Hobfon's Serm. Chrift 1 on to be onely on one part, viz.on Man's part to God, not of God's to man. To this end (faith one of them) Chrift came into the world not to a reconcile God to man, but man to God. As for the effect, not God, he was reconciled to his Elect from Eter the cause of the nity, So as he not onely bare them no ill will, love of Gody but he bare them good will; loving them, and pag.47. intending good unto them:What then needeth any Reconciliation of his part? The Reconcilia tion spoken of in Scripture(fay they)is onely on Man's part: When we were enemies we were reconciled to God] Rom.5.10. not God to us. [God was in Chrift reconciling the world to himselfe, Cor. 5. 19. not himfelfe to the world. T But this opinion of theirs is juftly cenfüred and n |