Book II
The sole and peculiar fitness, of Christ s person for the work of redemption.
For verily lie took not on him the nature of angels ; but he took on him the seed
of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto
his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. HEB. ii. 16, 17.
CHAPTER I.
The fitness of Christ s person for the icork of a mediator, hath a great influence
to make it successful and prosj)erous.
IN the first chapter, the apostle shewed that our mediator was God, and the Son of God. In this second, he shews that he is man also, and a man made
of the same lump with other men, and flesh and blood as well as we. And he knits up all with this, that thus it behoved him to be, that he might be a priest to reconcile us to the Father. That therefore which these two
chapters drive at, is to shew the personal fitness, in all relations and respects, that was in Christ for the work of mediation between God and us. A point therefore to be insisted on, because it is the drift of these two whole chapters, and is indeed the foundation of all that, follows, concerning his offices and works ; which therefore he mentions not here only, but had intimated it
before, in ver. 10. To which we may add that in Heb. vii. 26, For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from
sinners, and made higher than the heavens. So that his singular fitness
for this work is a thing that the Scriptures would have us to take special notice of, and which God aimed at in choosing him unto it, for,
First, In general, to give a reason or two of it. Fitness in the person that goes about a matter of reconciliation, is more behoveful and available
to further it, than all the means and satisfaction besides that can be made. For reconciliation is a matter of friendship, and therefore it is to be wrought in a friendly way, and a word from a fit person will ofttimes more prevail to effect it, than a great ransom from, and much entreaty by another. How
forcible are right words ! as Job says fit words, rightly placed and ordered, but especially when from a fit person ; the person adds grace and accepta tion to them.
Secondly, In reconciling us, God likewise had a special regard to this. He aimed not only to have satisfaction made to his justice, and so to be
sure to have an equivalent ransom, but that he might be fully pleased. He would have it carried on in the most pleasing and suitable way that might be, that so his mind might receive full content in it, and that his love might rest in it with delight, and that his wisdom also might infinitely please itself
CHAP. I.] OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. 85
in the sweet harmony, the consent, and the fit accommodations of all things in it ; to see all aptly meet and accord for the making of his covenant, as
it might be sure, so ordered in all things (as the phrase is, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5). But above all, that this confluence of fitness should be especially in the
person that was to perform it ; one that should be most pleasing to himself and most fit for the business, even so fit, as none fitter. Thus the apostle, in the text, giving the reason why God made him the Captain of our salva
tion, and appointed him to suffer : It became him, says he, for whom and
by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings ; that is, seeing this work of
redemption was the grand plot and master-piece of him who is both the
efficient and end of all things, and that the bringing of many sons to glory was of his works and ends the master-piece, it became him therefore to
take such a course to do it as was worthy of him, and as might most
of all and best of all suit with all his ends, and with that work which con
tains all his other works eminently in it. And therefore it was meet for him to make choice of the fittest person that could be found in heaven or
earth to be his captain, and to make him, in saving us, as perfect as was
possible, as full and complete a Saviour in his person and in his works as could be. And that nothing might be wanting in him which might be
thought fit for him who was our Saviour to perform, he was to suffer the utmost of sufferings, rather than he should not be a full, perfect, and com
* God made him perfect through sufferings ; for (as Christ
plete Saviour ;
tells his disciples, Luke xxiv. 4) it behoved him thus to suffer, And it was his speech to John, Mat, iii, 15,
* Thus it becomes us to fulfil all
righteousness. And surely that God, who did all things else in a due pro
portion, in weight and measure, and this, in his works of an inferior kind and mould, the works of creation (wherein we yet see he hath artificially suited one thing to another), will much more in this transcendent work of re
demption cause the greatest harmony to meet in the plot and contrival of it.
And so I come to the point delivered, namely, That there is a fulness of fitness in the person of Christ for this great work
of reconciliation between us and God.
First t I say, In the person of Christ. For although in the works of
his mediation there may a great correspondent fitness be observed, and a harmonious proportion, both in relation to the benefits they are to procure for us, and between themselves (as was before observed), yet we must now
in this head bind ourselves only to the fitness in his person ; and therein
also carefully sever such considerations as tend to discover his fulness of
abilities for this work, many of which are apt to fall under this head. Which notwithstanding we will keep as immixed as we can from these, which
argue his fitness, and reserve those other for a second head.
* a fitness, but a fulness of fitness ; so that
Secondly, There is not only
suppose others besides him had been able, yet none so fit, or in whom there
is an universal concurrency both of fitnesses and abilities. And therefore he is designed out for this work with an emphasis
: Col. i. 20, And (hav ing made peace through the blood of his cross) by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
* By him, by him, I say ; and so in him is with the like emphasis repeated, as denoting him to be eminently fit above all others, in Eph. i.
10, that, in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him.
36 OF CHKIST THE MEDIATOR. [BOOK II.
This premised, we will proceed by degrees, and we shall find, that there was nothing in his person but what fitted him for this work.
Consider what he was before he took our nature ; what this he was, mentioned in the 16th ver.,
* He took, &c. For he was a person of him
self ere he took our nature. And this refers to the first chapter, where the
apostle shews that he was God, and the Son of God : Heb. i. 3, 5, Who,
being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and
upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high ; ver.
* For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son,
this day have I begotten thee ? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son ? And thus it behoved him to be, that was our
priest.
It behoved him to be God. It was not fit that any mere creature should have the honour to be the mediator and reconciler. Could we sup pose that a creature had been able to have performed it, yet it had been no way fit. The honour of this place and office was too transcendent for any mere creature ; and nothing is more unseemly and uncomely than an office
of dignity and honour misplaced, as Solomon tells us. And this crown of honour would not have fitted and sat well on any creature s head. An honour I call this office, and that the most transcendent ; for to be a priest, was to be taken out, and separated from, and above other men, to draw
nigh to God for them; Heb. v. 1, For every high priest, taken from among men, is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. And therefore it is such an honour
(says he at the 4th ver.) as no man takes to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. And yet, what was the high priesthood of Aaron
in comparison with this ? A mere shadow ; not so much as an image of
it, as is said of the types of the law : Heb. x. 1, For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. It was but as the office of a king-atarms in comparison of a real king indeed. And therefore this priesthood, to offer real satisfaction, is accounted such a glory, as Christ himself (though full of all infinite perfections, and in whom the fulness of the Godhead
dwells) took not upon him till he was called ; as chap. v. ver. 5, So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest ; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. The phrase used is, that he glorified not himself to be made an high priest, &c. It
is not an honourable office only this, by which phrase Aaron s is expressed to us, but it is glorious. He being to be not an high priest only, but to be
* Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. Yea, it is so glorious as is fit for none but the
* a great high priest : chap. iv. 14,
King of glory, who is the only wise God. Which therefore, as it is so
glorious, as Christ, till called unto it, takes it not on him, so it is so tran scendent a glory, as God will not bestow it on, or call any to it, but him who is God. My glory (says God)
* I will not give unto another, Isa.
xlii. 8. And this office he accounts part of it. Read the words going before (and which occasioned that speech), and you shall find that they are
spoken of the bestowing this office upon Christ, and the glorifying him by
calling him to it : ver. 6, 7, I the Lord have called thee, and will give thee
for a covenant, &c. And then follows, My glory will I not give unto
CHAP. II. J OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR. 37
another. As God will not give his praise and worship to graven images
(as in the words following), so nor this glory to any creature, not to any other but to one who is God equal with himself. And consider but that
one main end and consequent of his mediation there expressed, that he was to be made a covenant for the people ; that is, the founder and striker
up, and mediator of a new covenant for us (as he is called, Heb. ix. 15)
yea, a surety, not only of a new covenant, when an old one is made void, but of a better covenant (as he is called, Heb. vii. 22), established upon better promises (as it is Heb. viii. 6) a better covenant than the angels stand under, who yet are the most glorious of all the creatures. And there
fore he hath obtained (says the text there) a more excellent ministry, by how much he is the mediator of a better covenant : not brought into a
better covenant, or made under a better covenant (which is our happiness), but the maker of that better covenant itself, yea, so as to be made that
covenant ; and it will be evident that it was not fit for any mere creature to
undertake so great an office.