Theophilie, or, A discourse of the saints amitie with God in Christ by Theophilus Gale.

SECT. 2. Christ's Aptitude for his Office, proves him to be most eligible for himself, Joh. 1.14, 16.

2. ANother Mediatorie excellence of Christ is his Divine Aptitude,* 1.1 or fitnes for his Office; which is relative to God the Fa∣ther's Adaptation or qualifi∣cation.x 1.2 As in Civil Com∣missions, he that gives a Fa∣cultie or Autoritie to act, gives also, so far as he may, an Ap∣titude, or Abilitie for the ex∣ecution of that Facultie and Commission. This holds most true here: God the Father has given Christ, not only a Fa∣cultie or Commission, but also an Aptitude or Abilitie for the execution of his Commission and Office. This Aptitude or fitnes consists in that Divine plenitude or fulnes of Grace and power, which is loged in Christ, as Me∣diator. Thusz 1.3 Joh. 1.14. And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his Glorie, the Glorie of the only begotten of the Father) ful of Grace and truth. We have here a ful account of Christ's Qualification and Aptitude as Mediator. (1.) We have here the immediate spring

of Christ's Divine fulnes; and that is the Word Incarnate, expressed in those first words, and the Word was made flesh: The Divine Word, or second person in the Tri∣nitie, by an ineffable, inconceivable Hypo∣statick union, espousing the human Nature, is the source and spring of al that Grace that is loged therein. But (2.) God the Father is also brought in as the original head spring, and fountain of this Divine Ple∣nitude of Grace loged in Christ: for John saith: and we beheld his glorie, the glorie of the only begotten of the Father. Though this glorie of Christ may possibly refer also to his eternal generation, as the second per∣son in the Trinitie; yet we must not ex∣clude, but may safely take in his glorie as Mediator, resulting from his incarnation; in which regard he is oft' called the Son of God, as Heb. 5.5. Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. And that this sense must be taken in, is evident, both from what precedes, and what fol∣lows:z 1.4 for he speaks here of the Word Incarnate, and of that glorie which resulted from him as such, and was apprehended by the believing Jews, who had conversation with him; alluding, as it seems, to the Divine Shekina, or Gods glo∣rions dwelling in the Temple; which was but a Type of Christ's buman Nature. This appears from that notion [dwelt

among us] for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 seems evidently de∣rived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and so it is an allusion to the visible presence of the Divine Majestie in the Temple; which the Hebrews cal 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Inhabitation: and thence the Evangelist addes: and we beheld his glorie. This also seems exegetick of what precedes; and therefore the Chaldee Paraphrast is wont to expresse the Divine Shekina by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies Glorie. So Rom. 9.4. the Ark, which was the visible symbol of God's pre∣sence, and a particular type of Christ, is called the Glorie, because God's glorie shone there. Farther, that John speaks here of Christ's mediatorie generation and glorie, seems also evident from what follows: ful of grace and truth: That this must be understood of his Mediatorie Plenitude is evident. (3.) In that it is said, Christ is Ful of Grace and Truth, we must hereby under∣stand al those habitual graces, or gracious habits and Dispositions, which are loged in Christ's human Nature; and by Virtue of the Hypostatick union, may be said to be infinite in order of Grace, though in order of Being they are finite, and of the same kind with our Grace, as they 1.5 Scholes determine. Hence this plenitude or fulnes, which is ascribed to Christ, is not the fulnes of a vessel, such as is the fulnes of Angels, and glorified Saints; but it is the fulnes of a fountain, or inexhaustible Ocean,

which can never be drawen drie: whence it is said,* 1.6 v. 16. and of his fulnes have al we received, and Grace for Grace. Christ clothed himself with human flesh and bloud, that so he might become an infinite masse, and boundlesse Sea of Visible, speak∣ing, breathing, weeping, bleeding, living, dy∣ing Grace. Al the glorified Saints and An∣gels are but living monuments, and ever-liv∣ing Tenants of this Free-Grace: This Grace of Christ perfumeth Heaven and Earth. Al that Grace which God doth, or can put forth for the salvation of sinners, is laid up in, and exhibited by Christ: He has broad and strong shoulders, which can bear to Heaven, the most heavie lumps of Hel. There is more force and omnipotence in Christ's in∣firmitie and sufferings, than in al the strength, and efficacie of men and Angels: There is more life in Christ's death, more riches in his povertie, more victorie in his hanging on the Crosse, than in al the world besides. Yea, Christ's very sighs, tears, sweat, stripes, thirst, reproches, and faintings have a sove∣rain efficacie in them, for the procuring, and conferring Grace on his Redeemed ones. Thence, we receive of Christ's fulnes, Grace for Grace: i. e. look as the child receiveth from his parent limb for limb, member for member; or as the Sons of Adam receive al of his fulnes sin for sin, lust for lust; so Christ's regenerated sons receive of his ful∣nes, Grace for Grace: There is not any Grace in the heart of Christ, but his

members have an Impartment, and Ressem∣blance thereof. Now this infinite plenitude of Grace in Christ, which renders him so glorious, procedes originally from the electi∣on of God the Father. For al the Treasures of Grace are originally loged in the soverain good pleasure, or heart of God the Father, who has elected and ordained Christ as me∣diator; through whom al are to be con∣veighed to the elect. This ought greatly to be remarqued, or heeded by the friends of Christ, that, albeit the Divine essence, and soverain wil of God be the Original foun∣tain of al Grace, yet he has determined,* 1.7 that not one drop of this Grace shal be de∣rived unto sinners, but through Christ as mediator. This is the great mysterie of the Gospel, the great wonder of Heaven and Earth, that the blessed God, who is the fountain of al Grace, should so far con∣descend to sinners, as to assume buman Na∣ture, and make it a receptacle and vehicle to conveigh al Grace unto them. And oh! what an infinite plenitude of Grace is there loged in Christ? What admirable blossomes of Grace, and Glorie doth this most beau∣tiful Rose of Sharon daily send forth? How doth every leaf of this Tree of life serve for the healing of the Nations. What ever∣living Springs, Seas, Flouds, and Rivers of Grace have, for almost sixe thousand years, flowed from this Fountain of life and Grace? Suppose the Sun to be multiplied into millions of millions of Suns; and those

filled with infinite mesures of light and heat: yet al these would be nothing, in compari∣son of those infinite Treasures of Grace that are in Christ. Yea, suppose al the elect, Angels and Men, to have existed from al eternitie, (which is yet impossible) and re∣ceived out of Christ' fulnes, Grace for Grace; yet, notwithstanding such an eternal effluxe or issue of Grace, Christ would never be exhausted, or wearie of giving forth Grace: For, as Christ can never cease to be Christ, so he can never cease to be an eternal, infi∣nite, overflowing Ocean of boundlesse Grace. And, as this Grace of Christ is infinite in it self; so also in the manner of its emanation it is infinitely free, efficacious, and soverain. Doth not this Grace oft surprise the most gracelesse persons? Did it not transforme Saul, a black-mouthed Blasphemer, and bloudie Persecutor, into a St. Paul? How many ugly lumps of Hel, has this soverain Grace of Christ transformed into a beauti∣ful Heaven? Yea, what is Heaven but an house filled with standing Miracles, and liv∣ing Monuments of this Grace? Should Christ strip glorified Saints, of his Jewels and ornaments of Grace, what would re∣main but poor, naked Nature? surely there is as much Grace spent in Heaven, as on earth; yea, the more Glorie, the more Grace: Saints in Heaven are as poor and naked, without Christ as we. So infinite and essen∣tial are our obligations to Christ.

In short, God the Father having Treasures

of free-grace by him from al Eternitie, not for himself, but for sinners, he was not con∣tent to have them loge, to al eternitie, with∣in his own heart and bowels; but found out this admirable way, (so far above Na∣ture) of rich and condescendent Love and Grace, for the conveighing of his Grace through his Son incarnate, or God-man; who is as an Ʋniversal, living Glasse, on which al the Beams of Divine Grace immediately shine; and from whence they are reflected unto the hearts of sinners, for the illumi∣nating, animating, and transforming of them, as 2 Cor. 3.18. of which more anon.z 1.8 We shal not enter on that Schole-Dispute, Whether this Graee of Christ, after its first Infusion into the human Nature, received any intension or Augmentation? but content our selves with the received commun Persuasion (not only of Protestants, but also of the Popish Scholes)a 1.9 That the Grace of Christ, albeit it received gradual extension as to fresh objects and Acts, (in which regard Christ is said to grow in Grace, &c.) yet it received not any gradual intension, or Augmentation, as to the principles or habits thereof; but was, at the first moment of the Hypostatick Union, per∣fect, not absolutely, (for so only God is per∣fect) but so far as it was, according to God's Divine ordination, requisite for the Human Nature to be invested with Grace, in order to Christ's being a perfect mediator. Thus we have shewn how Christ, as Mediator, was, by God the Father, made the Receptacle, or Ocean

of al Grace to be conveighed to the Elect; which indeed renders him, surpassing glori∣ous and eligible for himself.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Christ's Aptitude and Abi∣litie.
• x 1.2

  Qui dat sacultatem dat, quantum in se est, quae ad fa∣cultatem sunt necessaria, quod in materia moral•• intelligen∣dum est morali modo. Grotius de Jure Belli l. 3. c. 22. par. 2. This Apti••ude is called by the Grecians, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, pow∣er, or force, as the former Facultie is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Autoritie: Hence that civil Axiome, Vis est ad cogendum, Potest as ad imperandum, Justin. Institut.
• z 1.3

  Joh. 1.14.
• z 1.4

  Illud notandum voce 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quae eadem sono & significatu est cum Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, alludi ad conspicuam Divinae Ma∣jestatis praesentiam, quae Chal∣daeo Paraphrastae etiam 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, unde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Grot. in loc.
• y 1.5

  I•• Christo suit gratia ha∣bitualis, caque ejusdem specici cum nostrá; & finita in genere entis, quamvis ••ici solet in∣finita in genere gratiae. Petr. Joseph. Thes. p. 19.
• * 1.6

  Joh. 1.16.
• * 1.7

  Al Grace passeth through, and from Christ, as an infinite Ocean.
• z 1.8

  Whether the Grace of Christ received any Aug∣mentation? See Janes against Hammond.
• a 1.9

  Haec Gra∣tia Christi de lege ordi∣nar a augeri non potuit, absolutè ta∣men potuit, St. Joseph. Thes. 44.