yet he liveth by the power of God.' Eph. i. 19, 20. ' according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.' Philipp. ii. 9. wherefore God also hath highly exalted him.' Col. ii. 12. through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.' Heb. ii. 7. thou crownedst him with glory and honour.' 6 To a state of immortality. Acts xiii. 34. 'no more to return to corruption.' Rom. vi. 9. Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more.' Partly by his own merits, partly by the gift of the Father. Rom. xiv. 9. 'to this end Christ both died.... that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.' Philipp. ii. 9. wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.' Heb. ii. 9. we see Jesus....crowned with glory and honour, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.' xii. 2. for the joy that was set before him.' For the benefit of mankind. See below, where the object of Christ's entire ministry is considered. This exaltation consists of three degrees; his resurrection, his ascension into heaven, and his sitting on the right hand of God; all of which are specified with sufficient clearness in the gospels and apostolical writings. For his resurrection, see Matthew and Mark, &c. and 1 Cor. xv. 4, &c. for his ascension into heaven, Mark xvi. 19. Luke xxiv. 51. John xiv. 12, &c. Acts i. 9, &c. Eph. iv. 8-10. 'he ascended up far above all heavens.' far above all heavens.' His sitting on the right hand of God, a Hebraism signifying that he is exalted to a place of power and glory next to * God, is mentioned Matt. xxvi. 64. sitting on the right hand of power.' See also Mark xiv. 62. xvi. 19. Eph. i. 20. he set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.' Heb. i. 3. 'sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.' viii. 1. who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty.' See also xii. 2. Psal. cx. 1. Acts vii. 55. The human nature of Christ, although exalted to a state of the highest glory, exists nevertheless in one definite place, and has not, as some contend, the attribute of ubiquity. Matt. xxviii. 6. he is not here, for he is risen.' Luke xxiv. 51. ' he was part ed from them and carried up into heaven.' John xiv. 28. 'I go away, and come again unto you.' Acts iii. 21. whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things.' 6 As Christ emptied himself in both his natures, so both participate in his exaltation ;‡ his Godhead, by Where now he sits at the right of bliss. Paradise Lost, VI. 891. This alludes to the doctrine of the Ubiquitarians, who held the omnipresence of the human body of Christ. The opinion seems to have been first maintained by Brentius, one of the earliest reformers, in 1560. Luther favored it in his controversy with Zuingle, but subsequently acknowledged its difficulties, especially as connected with the corporal presence in the Eucharist. After his death it was again advanced by Brentius, supported by Chemnitius and Andreas. Curcellæus, Instit. V. 15. 9-15. argues against the doctrine. Therefore thy humiliation shall exalt Paradise Lost, III. 313. its restoration and manifestation; his manhood, by an accession of glory. John xvii. 5. now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.' Acts xiii. 32, 33. he hath raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.' Rom. i. 4. being declared' (or defined) ' to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.' The effect and design of the whole ministry of mediation is, the satisfaction of divine justice on behalf of all men, and the conformation of the faithful to the image of Christ. The satisfaction of Christ is the complete reparation made by him in his twofold capacity of God and man, by the fulfilment of the law, and payment of the required price for all mankind.* * By the fulfilment of the law. Matt. v. 17. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.' Psal. xl. 8, 9. compared with Heb. x. 7, 9. I come to do thy will, O God.' Gal. iv. 5. to redeem them that were under the law.' Col. ii. 14. blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.' Rom. viii. 3, 4. that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled.' Christ fulfilled the law by perfect love to God and his neighbour, until the time when he laid down his life for his brethren, being made obedient unto his Father in all things.* By payment of the required price for, that is to say, instead of all mankind. of all mankind. Matt. xx. 28. λútgov avti nokhov a ransom for many.' 1 Cor. vi. 20. πολλῶν 'ye are bought with a price.' 1 Tim. ii. 6. ávíλντρоν vлÉg пáνtov, a ransom for all.' The Greek words clearly denote the substitution of one person in the place of another. 1 Pet. i. 18. ἐλυτρώθητε, ye were redeemed. . . with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb.' conciled to God by the 'for our offences.' 2 Cor. v. 21. for us.' 6 Rom. v. 10. 'we were re death of his Son.' iv. 25. 1 Cor. xv. 3. for our sins.' Tit. ii. 14. might redeem us.' See also Gal. i. 4. for us, that he Heb. vii. 22. sins.' v. 29. เ a surety.' x. 12. one sacrifice for 'who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing.' It is in vain that the evidence of these texts is endeavoured to be evaded by those who maintain that Christ died, not in our stead, and for our redemption, but merely for our advantage in the abstract, and as an example to mankind. At the same time I confess myself un *The law of God exact he shall fulfil Both by obedience and by love, though love Paradise Lost, XII. 402. † Giving to death, and dying to redeem. Paradise Lost, III. 299. Which line is thus explained by Warburton. 'Milton's system of divinity taught, not only that man was redeemed, but likewise that a real price was paid for his redemption; dying to redeem therefore signifying only redemption in a vague uncertain sense, but imperfectly represents able to perceive how those who consider the Son as of the same essence with the Father, can explain either his incarnation, or his satisfaction. For all mankind. Rom. v. 18. the free gift came upon all men.' all men.' 2 Cor. v. 14.if one died for all, then were all dead.' If this deduction be true, then the converse is also true, namely, that if all were dead, because Christ died for all, Christ died for all who were dead; that is, for all mankind. Eph. i. 10. that he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;' all things therefore on earth without a single exception, any more than in heaven. Col. i. 20. by him to reconcile all things.' 1 Tim. ii. 4. 'who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.' Compare also v. 6. Heb. ii. 9. for every man.' Further, Christ is said in given for the whole world. John iii. 16, 17. God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' vi. 51. the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.' See 1 John iv. 14. They however who maintain that Christ made satisfaction for the elect alone, reply, that these passages are to be understood only of the elect who are in the world; and See also 2 Pet. iii. 9. many places to have been his system; so imperfectly, that it may as well be called the Socinian; the price paid (which implies a proper redemption) is wanting. But to pay a price implying a voluntary act, the poet therefore well expresses it by giving to death, that is, giving himself to death; so that the sense of the line fully expresses Milton's notion; heavenly love gave a price for the redemption of mankind, and by virtue of that price really redeemed them.' |
