A Golden Chain

The third question is, why the son of God must become man? Ans. There be sundry reasons of this point, and the most principal are these. First of all it is a thing that greatly stands with the justice of God, that in that nature in which God was offended, in the same should a satisfaction be made to God for sin: now sin was committed in mans nature: Adam sinned first and in him all his posterity: therefore it is very necessary that in mans nature there should be a satisfaction made to Gods justice, and for this cause the son of God must needs abase himself and become man for our sakes. Secondly, by the right of creation every man is bound in conscience to fulfil even the very rigour and extremity of the moral law. But considering man is now fallen from his first estate and condition, therefore it was requisite that the Son of God should become man, that in mans nature he might fulfil all righteousness which the law doth exact at our hands. Thirdly, he that is our redeemer must die for our sins; for there is no remission of sins without shedding of blood: but Christ as he is God cannot die. For no passion can befall the Godhead. Therefore it was needful that he should become man, that in mans nature he might die and fully satisfy Gods justice for mans offence. Lastly he that must make reconciliation between God and man, must be such an one as may make request or speak both to God and man. For a Mediator is as it were a middle person making intercession between two other persons, the one offended the other offending. Therefore it is necessary that Christ should not only be God, to speak unto the father for us and to present our prayers unto him; but also man, that God might speak to us, and we to God by Christ. For howsoever before the fall, man could speak to God even face to face, yet since the fall, such fear possesseth mans corrupt nature that he cannot abide the presence of God, but flieth from it.

The third question is, why the sonne of God must become man? Ans. There be sundrie reasons of this point, and the most principall are these. First of all it is a thing that greatly standes with the iustice of God, that in that nature in which God was offended, in the same should a satisfaction be made to God for sinne: nowe sinne was committed in mans nature: Adam sinned first and in him all his posteritie: therefore it is very necessarie that in mans nature there should bee a satisfaction made to Gods iustice, and for this cause the sonne of God must needes abase himselfe and become man for our sakes. Secondly, by the right of creation euery man is bound in conscience to fulfill euen the very rigour and extremitie of the morall lawe. But considering man is nowe fallen from his first estate and condition, therfore it was requisite that the Sonne of God should become man, that in mans nature he might fulfill all righteousnesse which the lawe doth exact at our handes. Thirdly, hee that is our redeemer must die for our sinnes; for there is no remission of sinnes without shedding of blood: but Christ as he is God cannot die. For no passion can befall the Godhead. Therefore it was needefull that he should become man, that in mans nature he might die and fully satisfie Gods iustice for mans offence. Lastly he that must make reconciliation betweene God and man, must be such an one as may make request or speake both to God and man. For a Mediatour is as it were a middle person making intercession betweene two other persons, the one offended the other offending. Therefore it is necessarie that Christ should not onely be God, to speake vnto the father for vs and to present our prayers vnto him; but also man, that God might speake to vs, and we to God by Christ. For howsoeuer before the fall, man could speak to God euen face to face, yet since the fall, such feare possesseth mans corrupt nature that he cannot abide the presence of God, but flyeth from it.