NECESSITY OF CHEIST's MEDIATORSHIP. 203
or apprehensions. But it became the wisdom of God, in the dispen- sation of himself herein unto the church, so to order things as that faith might have an immovable rock to build upon. This alone it hath in the person of Christ, 'God and man, his obedience and suf- ferings. Wherefore, those by wh7)m the divine nature of the Lord Christ is denied, do all of them absolutely deny also that he made any satisfaction unto divine justice for sin. They will rather swallow all the absurdities which the absolute dismission of sin without satis- faction or punishment doth bring along with it, than grant that a mere man could make any such satisfaction by his temporary suffer- ings for the sins of the world. And, on the other hand, whoever doth truly and sincerely bqlieve the divine person of Christ — namely, that he was God and man in one person, and as such a person acted in the whole w^ork of mediation — he cannot shut his eyes against the glorious light of this truth, tha^what he did and suffered in that work must have an intrinsic worth and excellency in it, out-balancing all the evil in the sins of mankind — that more honour and glory accrued unto the holiness and law of God by his obedience than dishonour was cast on them by the disobedience of Adam and all his posterity.
4. The way whereby the church was to be recovered and saved, was by such works and actings as one should take on himself to per- form in the way of an office committed unto him for that end. For whereas man could not recover, ransom, nor save himself, as we have proved, the whole must be wrought for him by another. The under- taking hereof by another must depend on the infinite wisdom, coun- sel, and pleasure of God, with the will and consent of him who was to undertake it. So also did the constitution of the way and means in particular whereby this deliverance was to be wrought. Hereon it became his office to do the things which were required unto that end. But we have before proved, apart by itself, that no office unto this pur- pose could be discharged toAvards God, or the whole church, by any one who was a man only. I shall not, therefore, here farther insist upon it, although there be good argument in it unto our present purpose.
o. If man be recovered, he must be restored into the smne state, condition, and dignity, wherein he was placed before the fall. To restore him with any diminution of honour and blessedness was not suited unto divine wisdom and bounty ; yea, seeing it was the infi- nite gTace, goodness, and mercy of God to restore him, it seems agree- able unto the glory of divine excellencies in their operations, that he should be brought into a better and more honourable condition than that which he had lost. But before the fall, man was not subject nor obedient unto any but unto God alone. Somewhat less he was in dignity than the angels; howbeit he owed them no obedience — they were his fellow-servants. And as for all other things here be-
204 THE PEllSON OF CHRIST.
low, tliey were made " subject unto liim, and put under his feet," lie himself being in subjection unto God alone. But if he were re- deemed and restored by one who was a mere creature, he could not be restored unto this state and dignity; for, on all grounds of right and equity, he must owe all service and obedience unto him by whom he was redeemed, restored, and recovered, as the autlior of the state wherein he is. For when we are " bought with a price, " we are not our own, as the apostle affirms, 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. We are there- fore his who hath bought us ; and him are we bound to serve in our souls and bodies, which are his. Accordingly, in the purchase of us, the Lord Christ became our absolute Lord, unto whom we owe all religious subjection of soul and conscience, Rom. xiv. 7-9. It would follow, therefore, that if we were redeemed and recovered by the in- terposition of a mere creature — if such a one were our Redeemer, Saviour, and Deliverer — into the service of a mere creature (that is, religious service and obedience) we should be recovered. And so they believe who affirm the Lord Christ to be a man, and no more. But, on this supposition, we are so far from an advancement in state and dignity by our restoration, that we do not recover what we were first instated in. For it belonged thereunto that we should owe religious service and obedience unto him alone who was God by nature over all, blessed for ever. And they bring all confusion into Christian religion, who make a mere creature the object of our faith, love, adoration, invocation, and all sacred worship. But in our present restoration we are made subject anew, as unto religious ser- vice, only unto God alone. Therefore the holy angels, the head of the creation, do openly disclaim any such service and veneration from us, because they are only the fellow-servants of them that have the testimony of Jesus, Rev. xix. 10. Nor hath God put the "world to come," the gospel state of the church, into subjection unto angels, or any other creature, but only unto the Son, who is Lord over his own house, even he that made all things, who is God, Heb. iii. 4-6. Wherefore, we are restored into our primitive condition, to be in spiritual subjection unto God alone. He, therefore, by whom we are restored, unto whom we owe all obedience and rehgious service, is, and ought to be, God also. And as they utterly overthrow the Gospel who affimi that all the obedience of it is due unto him who is a man, and no more — as do all by whom the divine nature of Christ is denied ; so they debase themselves beneath the dignity of the state of redemption, and cast dishonour on the mediation of Christ, who subject themselves in any religious service to saints or angels, or any other creatures whatever.