of thepPERSON of CHRIST. 45 that is, an humane nature, Heb. x. 5. The promife hereof, namely that he Ihould be of the feed of the woman was the foundation ofthe church; that is, he was made fo unto.the church in andby that promife, Gen. iii. 15. In the áccomplifhment thereof he was made of a woman, that fo he might be made under the law, Gal. iv. il. Andhe took upon bim the feedofAbra- ham, Heb. ii. i6. For becauf the children werepartakers ofPPand blood, he elfo bimfelf took part of thefame, v. 14. For in all things it behoved him to be made like unto bis Brethren that be might be a merciful andfaithful high priefl in things appertaining unto God, v. 17. And this was abfolute- 1y neceffary unto the difcharge of his offices, on the twofold account be- fore mentioned. For, (s.) Thofe acts of his offices whereon the fanftification and falvation of the church do principally depend, could not be performed but in and by that nature. Therein alone could he yield obedience unto the law that it might befulfilled in us, without whichwe couldnot ftand in Judgment be- fore God. See Rom. viii. 3e chap. x. 3, 4. Therein alonecould he under- go the curfe of the law, or be made a curfe for us, that the bleffing might come upon us, Gal. iii. t3, 14. It was neceffary that as a prieft he Ihould havefomethingofhis own to offer unto God to make atonement for fin, Het. viii. 3. The like may be faid of his whole miniftry on the earth, of all the effe&s ofhis incarnation. (2.) Herein that cognation and alliance between him and the church, whichwere neceffary to entitle it unto a participation of thebenefits of his mediation, do depend. For hereby he became our Goel, the next of kin, unto whom belonged the right of redemptions, and from whom alone we could claim reliefand fuccour in our loft condition. This is divinely and at large declared by the apoftle, Heb. ii. to, it, 12, 13, 14., 15, 16, 17, 18. Having at large explained this context in our expofitionof that chapter, and therein declared both the neceffity and benefit ofthe cognation between the church and its high_prieft, I (hall not here farther infift upon it. See to the fame purpofe, Epbef.v.'25, 26, 27. Wherefore had he not been partaker ofour nature, we could have received no benefit; not that without which we muff eternally perifh,by any office that he could have undertaken. This thereforewas neceffary unto the conftitutionofhis perfon with refpeft unto his ofikes. But, II. Therewas yet more required thereunto, or to render his offices ef- fedual unto their proper ends. Not one of them could have been fo had he been no more than a man, had he had no nature but ours. This I Ihall par- ticularlydernonftrate, confidering them in theirufual diftribution unto the glory of his divine perfon, and our own edification in believing. (s.) He could not have beenthe great andfingular Prophet of the church, had he been a man only, though never fo excellent and glorious, and that for thefe three reafons. [t.1 He was to be the prophet of the whole catbolick church, that is, of all the cleft of God, ofall that Mall be faved in all ages and places, from the beginning of the world unto the end thereof. He had a perfonal minrj for the inftruftion of the church whilft he was on theearth, but hisprophe- tical office was not confined thereunto For that was limited unto one na- tion, Mattb. xv. 24. Rom. xv. 8. and was for a Ihort feafononly. But the church was never without a prophet; that is, one on whom it was incum- bent to reveal unto it, and inftruft it in the will of God, nor can befo unto the confummationofall things. This is thrift alone. For, s.) I take it for granted, that from the beginning, from the giving of the firft promife, the Son of God did in an efpecial manner undertake the care N of
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