1. That the person of the Son of God did not, in his assuming human nature to be his own, take an individual person of any one into a near conjunction with himself, but preventing the personal subsist- ence of human nature in that flesh which he assumed, he gave it its subsistence in his own person; whence it hath its individuation and distinction from all other persons whatever. This is the personal union. The divine and human nature in Christ have but one personal sub- sistence; and so are but one Christ, one distinct personal principle of all operations, of all that he did or doth as mediator. And this un- deniably follows from what is declared in the testimonies mentioned. For the Word could not be made flesh, nor could he take on him the seed of Abraham, nor could the mighty God be a child born and given unto us, nor could God shed his blood for his church, but that the two natures so directly expressed must be united in one person; for otherwise, as they are two natures still, they Avould be two per- sons also.
2. Each nature thus united in Christ is entii^e, and preserves unto itself its own natural properties. For he is no less perfect God for being made man; nor no less a ixMe, perfect man, consisting of soul and body, with all their essential parts, by that nature's being taken into subsistence with the Son of God. His divine nature still con- tinues immense, omniscient, omnipotent, infinite in holiness, etc. ; his human nature, finite, limited, and, before its glorification, subject to all infirmities of life and death that the same nature in others, abso- lutely considered, is obnoxious unto.
3. In each of these natures he acts suitably unto the essential pro- perties and principles of that nature. As God, he made all things, upholds all things by the word of his power, fills heaven and earth, etc.; as man, he lived, hungered, suffered, died, rose, ascended into heaven: yet, by reason of the union of both these natures in the same person, not only his own person is said to do all these things, but the person expressed by the name which he hath on the account of one nature, is said to do that which he did only in the other. So God is said to " redeem his church with his own blood," and to " lay down his life for us;" and the Son of man to be in heaven when he
OF THE SATISFACTION OF CHRIST. 419
was on the earth; all because of the unity of his person, as was de- clared. And these things do all of them directly and undeniably flow from what is revealed concerning his person, as before is de- clared.
OF THE SATISFACTION OF CHRIST.
The last thing to be inquired into, upon occasion of the late oppo- sition to the great fundamental truths of the gospel, is the satisfac- tion of Christ. And the doctrine hereof is such as, I conceive, needs rather to be explained than vindicated. For it being the centre wherein most, if not all, the lines of gospel promises and precepts do meet, and the great medium of all our communion with God in faith and obedience, the great distinction between the religion of Christians and that of all others in the world, it will easily, on a due proposal, be assented unto by all who would be esteemed dis- ciples of Jesus Christ. And whether a parcel of insipid cavils may be thought sufficient to obliterate the revelation of it, men of sober minds will judge and discern.
For the term of satisfaction, we contend not about it. It doth, indeed, properly express and connote that great effect of the death of Christ which, in the cause before us, Ave plead for. But yet, be- cause it belongs rather to the explanation of the truth contended for, than is used expressly in the revelation of it, and because the right understanding of the word itself depends on some notions of law that as yet we need not take into consideration, I shall not, in this entrance of our discourse, insist precisely upon it, but leave it as the natural conclusion of what we shall find expressly declared in the Scripture. Neither do I say this as though I did decline the word, or the right use of it, or what is properly signified by it, but do only cast it into its proper place, answerable unto our method and design in the whole of this brief discourse.
I know some have taken a new way of expressing and declaring the doctrine concerning the mediation of Christ, with the causes and ends of his death, which they think more rational than that usually insisted on: but, as what I have yet heard of or seen in that kind, hath been not only unscriptural, but also very irrational, and most remote from that accuracy whereunto they pretend who make use of it; so, if they shovild publish their conceptions, it is not improbable but that they may meet with a scholastical examination by some hand or other.
Our present work, as hath been often declared, is for the establish- ment of the faith of them who may be attempted, if not brought into danger, to be seduced by the sleights of some who lie in wait to