person of Christ to have descended from heaven in the assumption of human nature, and ascended into heaven therein [in that nature] being assumed; and to have been in heaven as to his divine nature, when he was on the earth in the flesh that he had assumed.

Acts xx. 28, "Feed the church of God,' which he hath purchased with his own blood." The person spoken of is said to be God absolutely," the church of God." And this God is said to have blood of his own;—the blood of Jesus Christ, being the blood of him that was God, though not the blood of him as God; for God is a spirit. And this undeniably testifies to the unity of his person as God and man.

Rom. i. 3, 4, "Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." Rom. ix. 5, "Whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen." This is all we desire that we may believe without disturbance from the clamours of these men,—namely, that the same Christ, as concerning the flesh, came of the fathers, of David, and, in himself, is over all, God blessed for ever. This the Scripture asserts plainly; and why we should not believe it firmly, let these men give a reason when they are able.

Gal. iv. 4, "God sent forth his Son made of a woman." He was his Son, and was made of a woman, according as he expresses it, Heb. x. 5, "A body hast thou prepared me;" as also, Rom. viii. 3. Phil. ii. 5-7, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.' It is the same Christ that is spoken of. And it is here affirmed of him, that he was " in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God." But is this all? Is this Jesus Christ God only? doth he subsist only in the form or nature of God? No; saith the apostle, "He took upon him the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men, and was found in fashion as a man.” That his being truly a man is expressed in these words our adversaries deny not; and we therefore believe that the same Jesus Christ is God also, because that is no less plainly expressed.

1 Tim. iii. 16, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen

'It involves a critical discussion of long standing, whether Kugiou or so is the proper reading in this passage. By some recent editors of critical editions of the Greek Testament-Scholz, for instance-eo is retained. Adhuc sub judice lis est. -ED.

2 Since the days of Owen, this reading has been the subject of protracted and sifting discussion. At one time the current of opinion had set in against us

of angels." It is a mystery, indeed; under which name it is despised now and reproached; nor are we allowed so to call it, but are reflected on as flying to mysteries for our defence. But we must take leave to speak in this matter according to His directions without whom we cannot speak at all. A mystery it is, and that a great mystery; and that confessedly so, by all that do believe. And this is, that “God was manifested in the flesh." That it is the Lord Christ who is spoken of, every one of the ensuing expressions do evince: "Justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." And this, also, is the substance of what we believe in this matter,—namely, that Christ is God manifest in the flesh; which we acknowledge, own, and believe to be true, but a great mystery,-yet no less great and sacred a truth notwithstanding.

دو

Heb. ii. 14, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same." Verse 16, "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham." And this plainly affirms his pre-existence unto that assumption of our nature, and the unity of his person in it being so assumed.

1 John iii. 16, "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us.' He who was God laid down for a season and parted with that life which was his own, in that nature of ours which he had assumed. And that taking of our nature is called his "coming in the flesh;" which whoso denies, is "not of God, but is the spirit of Antichrist," chap. iv. 3.

These are some of the places wherein the person of Christ is revealed unto our faith, that we may believe on the Son of God, and have eternal life.

The method formerly proposed would require that I should take off the general objections of the adversaries against this divine revelation, as also vindicate some peculiar testimonies from their exceptions; but because a particular opposition unto this truth hath not, as yet, publicly and directly been maintained and managed by any that I know of among ourselves, though the denial of it be expressly included in what they do affirm, I shall leave the farther confirmation thereof unto some other occasion, if it be offered, and it be judged necessary.

And this is that which the faith of believers rests in, as that which is plainly revealed unto them,—namely, that Jesus Christ is God and man in one person; and that all his actings in their behalf are the

as the reading, and the preference was given to s. The results of later criticism decidedly converge in proof that the text as it stands in the received version is correct.-ED.

VOL. II.

27

actings of him who is God and man; and that this Son of God, God and man, is to be believed in by them, and obeyed, that they [may] have eternal life.

What is farther added unto these express testimonies, and the full revelation of the truth contained in them in this matter, in way of explication educed from them, and suitable unto them, to the edification of the church, or information of the minds of believers in the right apprehension of this great mystery of God manifested in the flesh, may be reduced to these heads:

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 subsistence 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 subsistence; and so are but one Christ, one distinct personal principle of all operations, of all that he did or doth as mediator. And this undeniably 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 would be two persons also.

2. Each nature thus united in Christ is entire, and preserves unto itself its own natural properties. For he is no less perfect God for being made man; nor no less a true, 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 continues 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, absolutely considered, is obnoxious unto.

3. In each of these natures he acts suitably unto the essential properties 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

was on the earth; all because of the unity of his person, as was declared. And these things do all of them directly and undeniably flow from what is revealed concerning his person, as before is declared.

OF THE SATISFACTION OF CHRIST.

The last thing to be inquired into, upon occasion of the late opposition to the great fundamental truths of the gospel, is the satisfaction 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 disciples 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, we plead for. But yet, because 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, they should 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 establishment 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

deceive, and the clamours of others who openly drive the same design. What, therefore, the Scripture plainly and clearly reveals in this matter, is the subject of our present inquiry. And either in so doing, as occasion shall be offered, we shall obviate, or, in the close of it remove, those sophisms that the sacred truth now proposed to consideration hath been attempted withal.

The sum of what the Scripture reveals about this great truth, commonly called the "satisfaction of Christ," may be reduced unto these ensuing heads:

First. That Adam, being made upright, sinned against God; and all mankind, all his posterity, in him:-Gen. i. 27, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Chap. iii. 11, "And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?" Eccles. vii. 29, “Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions." Rom. v. 12, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Verse 18, Verse 18, "Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation.” Verse 19, "By one man's disobedience many were made sinners." Secondly. That, by this sin of our first parents, all men are brought into an estate of sin and apostasy from God, and of enmity unto him :—Gen. vi. 5, "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Ps. li. 5, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." Rom. iii. 23, “ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Chap. viii. 7, "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Eph. iv. 18, "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart," chap. ii. 1; Col. ii. 13.

Thirdly. That in this state all men continue in sin against God, nor of themselves can do otherwise:-Rom. iii. 10–12, "There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

Fourthly. That the justice and holiness of God, as he is the supreme governor and judge of all the world, require that sin be punished:-Exod. xxxiv. 7, "That will by no means clear the guilty." Josh. xxiv. 19, "He is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins." Ps. v. 4-6, “For thou art