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§46

What is become belonging to the Humane Nature by vertue of this Union. Finally, As the Humane Nature in Christ concurrs to all the Parts of the Mediatorial Office, for otherwise there had been no need that the Word should be made Flesh; so also the same must participate, and has participated, of those Divine Attributes of that Divine Eminency and Perfection which was requisite to the fulfilling the Office of Mediator; for otherwise the Efficacy of meer Man could not have risen to the producing so noble Effects. And because there is some Controversie among the Protestants in the Article of the Person of Christ, chiefly concerning the Communication of Idioms or Proprieties, I suppose the greatest Part of these Contentions might be avoided, if Men would confine themselves within the Bounds of this Simplicity, and not let their Curiosity proceed to those Matters which do not concern that Office, or either boldly deny or define how far the Humane Nature may participate of those Attributes: As also if they would set aside and leave out of the Dispute those Phrases and Propositions which are not contain’d in Holy Scriptures, since these alone are the Measure by which we are to understand and speak of those Mysteries. Where I would propose this to be examin’d and consider’d by honest and good Minds, and those who are well learn’d in Divinity, but without any Prejudice to my self, or the Doctrine receiv’d in our Churches; whether or no that Rule, anciently receiv’d, that whatsoever is said to be added or conferr’d to the Son of God Incarnate, must be understood to be done with Respect to his Humane Nature; forasmuch as his Divine one being most perfect is not capable of having any Accession, or any Addition to be made to it, may not admit of an Interpretation, saving the Orthodox Faith, which may prepare the Way to the removing of these Controversies. To insinuate such a Thing, we lay down this Foundation: As the whole Mystery of Redemption has proceeded from the Agreement or Covenant of God the Father, with God the Son, taking upon him to mediate for us: So also that eminent Dignity, and those Attributes, which accompany the Mediatorial Office are assign’d him, as we may speak by that Divine Covenant. Whence it seems not repugnant to say, that to Christ, even as God, by a certain, peculiar, Appropriation and Oeconomy, even the same Perfection of the Divine Essence which he had from all Eternity, may be attributed or given, with Respect to his Mediatorial Office which he has taken upon him to discharge; but yet so, as that the Humane Nature may be reckon’d to come into some Participation and Communion of the same. And that so Christ, as the Saviour of the World, obtains even what he had, as God before in a peculiar manner by Covenant or Agreement, and as committed to him; which same Things are properly given and communicated to his Humane Nature, which before had them not. If we may be allow’d to compare Divine Things with Humane, this Master I think may be thus conceiv’d of. Let us suppose Three Princes jointly exercising a Dominion belonging to them all: Their Subjects rise in Rebellion against their Government: One of these, with the Consent of the rest, takes it upon him to reduce these Rebels into Subjection, with this Condition, that those who shall submit themselves, and embrace the Favour and Reconciliation which he shall publish, shall constitute a Kingdom peculiar to himself, and become his particular Subjects. And when the Term of this particular Kingdom is finish’d, he also shall put off that Function or Office which hitherto he had from that Time borne. So if among Three such Princes One would undertake to make War, he would do this in his own Right, it being a Prerogative belonging to Government, which he is Partaker in, together with his Collegues; and yet if this were assign’d to him by Agreement to be manag’d by him alone, it would not be absurd to say, that the Power of making War were in a peculiar manner conferr’d upon him. So although God the Son did from Eternity enjoy all the Perfections of the Deity, insomuch that nothing can be added to him, yet when the same Person, by Covenant, has obtain’d the Office of a Mediator, that he might procure to himself a peculiar Dominion over Mankind, who were to be redeem’d by him, it would not be absurd to say, that those Things were conferr’d upon him, even as God, which belong to that Dominion to be exercised by him in a certain peculiar manner of Propriety by the Father, and the Holy Spirit; but yet so, as that the Humane Nature is by no Means to be excluded from the Participation of all those Things. Whence that Kingdom, which ’tis said God would give to him that should be Born of the Virgin Mary, Luke 1:32, 33. is not properly that Empire or Government which belongs to the Son of God, as God over the Universe, and so over Men, who are a Part of it, by his Divine Essence and Right of Creation; but it is that Empire or Government which is peculiarly join’d with the Office of Mediator. Therefore that may be said to have been bestow’d upon the Saviour, not only as Man, but also as God, in the Manner aforesaid. Which Kingdom however is nevertheless call’d the Kingdom of God, and of Christ, Eph. 5:5. And in the Lord’s Prayer we say, Our Father, Thy Kingdom come. To which Sence and Meaning that of Mat. 11:27. may be explain’d, All Things are deliver’d to me of my Father. Whence it immediately follows, Therefore come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you Rest. Add Mat. 9:6, 16, 19. To the same Sence, as it seems, the Power of judging, which he has given to him, may be interpreted; which he enjoy’d as Son of God by Right of Creation, even before his Incarnation, Gen. 18:25. and yet Joh. 5:22, 27. it is said, The Father judgeth no Man, but hath committed all Judgment to the Son, and hath given him the Power of Judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Which last Words do not only infer that the Authority to judge is committed to Christ, as he is the Son of Man, but it is also intimated in them that the Authority of judging is committed to the Son of God by the Father, as he having assum’d the Humane Nature, has taken upon him the Office of a Mediator and Saviour, by which he constitutes to himself a Kingdom or Empire over Mankind; the last Act and Complement of which Kingdom is the final Judgment. And the Rule of that Judgment will not be the Law, but the Gospel publish’d by the Saviour, Joh. 3:18. 16:9. Acts 17:31. And the good Works which in the Day of Judgment shall be taken notice of in Favour to those that have done them, are not the Legal Works, bear the Fruits of Faith in Christ. Mat. 25:35, Ye have given me to eat in giving to the Poor. That is, with Regard to me ye did Good to the Poor; add 2 Cor. 5:10 so also it may seem to be with this Meaning said, The Father is greater than the Son, Joh. 14:28. Not only with Respect to the Humane Nature which the Son assum’d, but also by the Quality and State of the Covenant between them: Because he who by Covenant commits any thing to be executed to him who is in other Respects his equal, he is accounted to have something of Prerogative, by vertue of this Covenant before him to whom that is committed. Add Joh. 5:19, 20, 21, &c. 30, 43. 6:27, 38, 39, 57. 7:16, 17, 18, 28, 29. 1 Cor. 15:27, 28. So also Christ, after the end of the World, will again divest himself of his Mediatorial Office and Kingdom, and the covenanted Power which is adjoin’d to it. And to this meaning, as it seems, must that difficult Place be interpreted, 1 Cor. 15:24, &c. against the Socinians,37 That in the end of the World Christ shall resign his Fiduciary and Covenanted Kingdom to the Father; so that the Faithful being now perfect, they shall from henceforth be subject immediately to God, having no further Need of a Mediator. Whence ’tis said, The Son shall then be subject to him who hath put all Things under him. Not for that the Son shall then become unequal to the Father, but because he shall then immediately subject his Kingdom to his Father, by laying down his Mediatorial Office, and the Government annexed to it. Just as when out of a Company of Collegues, who are equal to each other, the Command of an Army is committed to one, and the War being finish’d, and the Army disbanded, he who had the Command of it laying aside his Military Condition, and divesting himself of his Fiduciary Command, returns again to his simple, civil, Obedience. Add Acts 3:21. 1 Cor. 3:23. So from the same Foundation we may, I think, not unfitly explain that Place, Mar. 13:32. where the Son is said not to know the Time and Hour of the Day of Judgment: As meaning, that it did not belong to the Mediatorial Office, a Part of which is prophecying to reveal to Men the Day and Hour of his last coming to judge the World, which would put an end to his Mediatorial Kingdom, forasmuch as it would be of no Advantage to Men for Salvation to know this, as the following Things show. But rather it would be useful to them to be ignorant of it, that they might always watch. Add Acts 1:7. Further, that Majesty which belong’d to the Saviour by his Office, and which his Humane Nature was to partake of, was for some time to be conceal’d, and the Splendor of it in some measure to be laid aside, that some certain Works of his Mediatorial Office might be done; the which being finish’d, that Majesty fully shone forth. Whence that most eminent Name, and which is venerable to all Men, that he is the Lord our Righteousness, Isa. 45:24. was given to Jesus Christ for the Sake of his Mediatorial Office. Who nevertheless was to bear for a while the Form of a Servant, and a meer Man, because some Actions of his Mediatorial Office could not be discharg’d, if he had carried about in Triumph as a Spoil his Divine Majesty, Phil. 2:6. add Eph. 1:10. 4:9, 10. So also since it is requisite to the Office of a Mediator and King, that he do not depart or separate himself from his Kingdom; therefore does he, while his visible Presence and Conversation with Man is laid aside, yet confirm and assure to them that he will be present with his People to the end of the World, Mat. 28:20. 18:20. Mar. 16:2. Which Expressions are to be understood concerning the whole Christ, not of his Divine Nature alone, in which all Men Live, Move, and have their Being, Acts 17:28. For indeed it is a stricter, more gracious, and more efficacious, manner of Presence, by which Christ, God and Man, is with his Church, and the Faithful, than that common Presence of the Deity, by which this Universe is sustain’d. Further, Joh. 6:52. the Flesh of Christ is said to give Life, because it belong’d to the Office of Mediator, who must, as such, be himself an expiatory Sacrifice, that he should give his Flesh to the Faithful, that they might live by him. Lastly, Since Christ is our Mediator and Saviour, not only as God, but also as Man, the Worship of Adoration is due to him, even according to his Humane Nature, consider’d in Union with his Divine one. For without the Consideration of that Conjunction there does not appear to us any Case, wherein it may become a Question, whether or no the Humane Nature, consider’d separately and abstractedly, may be worshipp’d. For these Bodies of Christ which the Mass-men pretend to make of Bits of Bread we do not acknowledge, Joh. 5:23. Phil. 2:10. If Men would confine themselves to these Bounds, I think there might many vain Disputes be spar’d. Which because they do not concern the Mediatorial Office, nor is there any thing expressly said concerning them in Holy Scripture, it would become Men better to let alone, and to determine nothing concerning either side of them. Thus it is in vain to enquire whether or no the Power of creating the Heavens and the Earth be communicated to the Humane Nature of Christ, since the Business of Mediation was not appointed for any such End. And to what Purpose is to enquire whether or no Christ, according to his Humane Nature, be present to all the Stars, or to every Plant, Stone, and every other Creature? For the Holy Scripture says nothing of these Matters, nor does such a Presence influence any thing towards the Redemption of Mankind. Neither is it necessary to assert these Things, that we may make good the Presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. For when the Humane Nature was assum’d into One Person with the Word, it was advanced to a far more sublime Condition, than that it may be measur’d by the vulgar Qualities of Humane Bodies; or than that it may be said of it, that he can afford or yield his Presence no otherwise than as ordinary Humane Bodies can do it. For our Faith in this Article does not depend upon any such monstrous Extension, as is injuriously imputed to us. But because Christ can easily find a Way, wherein to fulfil what he has promised, and because the Humane Nature of Christ is assum’d into an Unity of Person with God the Son, to whom the Holy Scriptures ascribe an Omnipresence, we believe he can also afford a Presence of his Flesh in a particular manner, and such as exceeds the Reach of our Sences.

[37.]Socinianism, which received its name from Faustus Socinus (1539–1604), is a “heresy” which denies the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity.