The devils, which were angels before they fell, would be gods by usur- pation and robbery. They were not content in the place they were in, but they would be gods, independent, of themselves. It was robbery for them to do it ; therefore from that high place of excellency they were thrown
* That is, == commanding. — G. t That is, ' property.' — G.
X That is, ' manifested.' Cf. 1 John i. 2. — G.
THE chuech's riches. 497
down to the lowest hell ; of angels they became devils. But Christ was God, not by usurpation and robbery against God's will, but he was God by nature. lie was rich by nature. He thought it no robbery, no disparage- ment, nor usurpation to be equal with God ; he did God no wrong in it. Therefore when he became man, he was not cast into these inferior parts of the world, to punish him, as if he had been an usurper ; but it was a volun- tary taking of our nature on him, ' being rich, he became poor,' and ' being in the form of God, he made honself of no reputation.' If he had usurped his divinity, his abasement had been violent, against his will. You see then that Christ was rich, as God.
Therefore, before he took our nature upon him, he was mediator from the beginning ; he was ' yesterday, to-day, and to-morrow, and the same for ever,' Heb. xiii. 8, as the apostle saith ; ' he was, and is, and is to come,' Rev. i. 8 ; he was the ' Lamb slain from the beginning of the world,' Rev. v. 12. For howsoever he took our nature upon him, and paid the debt, yet he undertook the payment before the beginning of the world. A man may let a prisoner loose now, upon the promise to pay the debt a year after ; so Christ undertook to take our nature and to pay our debt in the fulness of time. By virtue, therefore, of his future incarnation, he was an effectual mediator from the beginning of the world : as we have now the fruit of his mediation though his death be past. The act is past, but the fruit remains. So that he was a mediator before he came in the flesh, because he undertook to his Father to discharge the office.
Quest. But Christ being God, was it needful that he should become poor ? Might not an angel, or some other creature, have served for the work ?
Ans. No. God being rich must become poor, or else he had not been able to bring us back again to God. It is an act of divine power to bring us back again to God ; and he that shall settle us in a firmer state than we had in Adam, must be God. To stablish us stronger, and to convey grace to us, to make our state iirm, only God can do it. There are some things in the mediation of Christ that belongs to ministry, and some things to authority. Those that belong to ministry, are to be a servant, and to die ; and that he must be man for. But there are some things that belong to authority and power, as to bring us back to God, to convey his Spirit, to preserve us from Satan our great enemy. For these works of authority it was requisite he should be God. In a word,
1. The f/reatness of the ill ice were in required it. Who could deliver us from the bondage of Satan but God ? He must be stronger than the ' strong man,' that must drive him out. Who could know our spiritual wants, the terrors of our conscience, and heal and comfort them, but God by his Spirit ? Who could free us from the wrath of the great God, but he that was equal with God ?
2. And then in regard of the great good we have hy him. To restore us to friendship with God, and to preserve us in that state ; to convey aU necessary grace here, and to bring us to glory after, — it was necessary he should be God. Therefore he was rich, and became poor. It is rathet to be admired than expressed, the infinite comfort that springs hence ; that he hath* undertaken to reconcile us, to make our peace, to bring us to heaven, is God the second person in Trinity.
All the three persons had a hand in this work. God the Father sent him, and the Holy Ghost sanctified that mass that his body was made of, « Qu. ' that lie that hath ' ?— Ed. VOL. IV, 1 i
498 THE cnuRcn's nicnES.
I^it ]ic himffclf wore the body. The Father gives his Son in marriage ; the Son married our nature ; and the Holy Ghost brings them together. Ho sanctified our nature, and fitted it for Christ to take. So though all three persons had a work in it, yet God the second person of rich bccamo poor. And indeed who was fitter to bring us to the love of God, than he that was his beloved Son ? Who was fitter to restore us to the imago of God, than he that was the image of God himself? and to make us wise, than he that was the Wisdom of God himself ? There was infinite wisdom in this. I will not be larger in that point — Christ was rich.