Beams of divine light breaking forth from several places of holy Scripture, as they…Beames of divine light breaking forth from severall places of holy Scripture, as they…

Which the Son of man shall give you, for him hath God the Father Sealed.

Which the Sonne of man shall give you, for him hath God the Father Sealed.

To come now to the possibility of attaining this food, which is the third argument our blessed Saviour useth to enforce upon us this injunction, to labour for the food that endures to ⟨p. 199⟩everlasting life. Hope stirreth up endeavour, as we see in marchandizing, though when we venture beyond the seas we commit all to wind and water (as they say) and it is doubtful what the issue may be, yet we hope, and that sets us on work: So the poor Husbandman, but that he hopes to have a comfortable issue, to have a harvest, he would never set himself to work. Now here is hope, and hope on a better ground a great deal, for he that makes other things successful, he hath given Christ for this purpose, and Christ (you see here) he gives himself, which the Son of man shall give you.

To come now to the possibility of attaining this food, which is the third argument our blessed Saviour useth to enforce upon us this injunction, to labour for the food that endures to ⟨p. 199⟩everlasting life. Hope stirreth up endeavour, as we see in marchandizing, though when wee venter beyond the seas we commit all to winde and water (as they say) and it is doubtfull what the issue may be, yet we hope, and that sets us on worke: So the poore Husbandman, but that he hopes to have a comfortable issue, to have a harvest, he would never set himselfe to worke. Now heere is hope, and hope on a better ground a great deale, for hee that makes other things successefull, he hath given Christ for this purpose, and Christ (you see heere) hee gives himselfe, which the Sonne of man shall give you.

Here is all that we may ground and found our hope upon, here is will, here is power, and here is authority to give it.

Heere is all that we may ground and found our hope upon, heere is will, heere is power, and here is authority to give it.

O the Son of God without the Son of man is indeed a Fountain of good things, but he is a sealed Fountain, alas of no comfort, our comfort is in Emanuel God-Man, all our comfort is to be brought back to God from whom we fell in Paradise, and we must be brought back again to God by God, but unless God had become man, man had never come back again to God, therefore all the union and communion we have with God it depends on ⟨p. 200⟩this first union of Christ with our nature, that the Son of God became the Son of man (as Saint Augustine saith) for now the next union that we become the Sons of God it comes from this, that God became man: and therefore he saith here, the Son of man shall give it you, you need not climb up to Heaven to fetch this food that endures to everlasting life, for the Son of God is come down from Heaven to Earth, to take the nature of man, and in that to die, in that to satisfy Gods wrath, and so to become this blessed and everlasting food. The Son of man, the second Adam, as by one man we all come to misery, so by the second Adam (by man) we are restored to a blessed condition again: therefore he saith here the Son of man, because in the humane nature all our salvation was wrought: indeed the worth and efficacy of our salvation comes from the divine nature, but it was wrought in mans nature, the divine nature could not work it alone. But I will not dwell on this.

O the Sonne of God without the Sonne of man is indeed a Fountaine of good things, but he is a sealed Fountaine, alas of no comfort, our comfort is in Emanuell God-Man, all our comfort is to be brought back to God from whom we fell in Paradise, and we must bee brought backe againe to God by God, but unlesse God had become man, man had never come backe againe to God, therefore all the union and communion we have with God it depends on ⟨p. 200⟩this first union of Christ with our nature, that the Sonne of God became the Sonne of man (as Saint Austine saith) for now the next union that we become the Sons of God it comes from this, that God became man: and therefore he saith heere, the Sonne of man shall give it you, you need not climbe up to Heaven to fetch this food that endures to everlasting life, for the Sonne of God is come downe from Heaven to Earth, to take the nature of man, and in that to die, in that to satisfie Gods wrath, and so to become this blessed and everlasting food. The Sonne of man, the second Adam, as by one man we all come to misery, so by the second Adam (by man) wee are restored to a blessed condition againe: therefore he saith heere the Sonne of man, because in the humane nature all our salvation was wrought: indeed the worth and efficacie of our salvation comes from the divine nature, but it was wrought in mans nature, the divine nature could not worke it alone. But I will not dwell on this.

The Son of man shall give it you, you need not fear it, God is become man on purpose to give it you, we may now boldly go to a Mediator which is made bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, we should have feared and trembled if he had only been God, but now all grace and comfort is hid in this nature of ours in Christ: if Christ had not took this poor wretched nature of ours upon him, it had been a hateful nature to God, God hated the nature ⟨p. 201⟩of man, but now because the Son of God is become the Son of man, our nature is become lovely in the eyes of God, and not only lovely, but it is filled in him with all grace, and of his fullness we receive grace for grace. He will give it therefore, because he is the Son of man.

The Sonne of man shall give it you, you neede not feare it, God is become man on purpose to give it you, we may now boldly go to a Mediator which is made bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, wee should have feared and trembled if hee had onely beene God, but now all grace and comfort is hid in this nature of ours in Christ: if Christ had not tooke this poore wretched nature of ours upon him, it had beene a hatefull nature to God, God hated the nature ⟨p. 201⟩of man, but now because the Sonne of God is become the Sonne of man, our nature is become lovely in the eyes of God, and not onely lovely, but it is filled in him with all grace, and of his fullnesse wee receive grace for grace. Hee will give it therefore, because he is the Sonne of man.

Here is will, I but what power and strength hath he to give it?

Heere is will, I but what power and strength hath he to give it?

He is so the Son of man as that he is also the Son of God, therefore we are said (Acts 20.) to be redeemed with the blood of God, Christ by his eternal Spirit, by his God-head offered himself a Sacrifice for sin; so that he can give it because he is God.

He is so the Sonne of man as that hee is also the Sonne of God, therefore we are said (Acts 20.) to bee redeemed with the blood of God, Christ by his eternall Spirit, by his God-head offered himselfe a Sacrifice for sinne; so that he can give it because he is God.

But what authority hath he?

He is Sealed to do it, that's the third, that is, he hath authority, for authority is here expressed by Sealing. Now Christ is said to be Sealed, first, because there is the impression of God upon him, even as the seal imprints in the wax the likeness of that which is in it, so God hath imprinted in Christ his own likeness, he is the Image of God, for Christ as he is God, is the character of his Father, and his humane nature is likewise as like God as nature can express, we saw (saith the Apostle) his glory, the glory as of the only begotten Son of God, we saw a kind of divinity in him as much as humane nature could receive, the likeness of God sparkled in him; therefore he is said to be Sealed, but that is not all nor the principal here meant.

He is Sealed to doe it, that's the third, that is, he hath authority, for authority is here expressed by Sealing. Now Christ is said to be Sealed, first, because there is the impression of God upon him, even as the seale imprints in the wax the likenesse of that which is in it, so God hath imprinted in Christ his owne likenesse, he is the Image of God, for Christ as he is God, is the character of his Father, and his humane nature is likewise as like God as nature can expresse, we saw (saith the Apostle) his glory, the glory as of the onely begotten Sonne of God, we saw a kinde of divinity in him as much as humane nature could receive, the likenesse of God sparkeled in him; therefore hee is said to be Sealed, but that is not all nor the principall here meant.

Again secondly, the use of a seal is to appropriate and distinguish from other things, so Christ is Sealed, that is, God hath appropriated him to be his own Son, and to be a Mediator of his own appointing, and hath distinguished him from all others by a blessed anointing and qualification of him above all, he is as Saul amongst the rest, higher then all, he is as Aaron, anointed with the oil of gladness, but above his fellows, and yet for his fellows, from him distils the blessed ointment of grace, it is poured on his head first, and descends from him down to all the skirts of his garment, to all his members. So here is in this Sealing, likeness, distinction, and appropriation.

Againe secondly, the use of a seale is to appropriate and distinguish from other things, so Christ is Sealed, that is, God hath appropriated him to be his owne Sonne, and to be a Mediator of his owne appointing, and hath distinguished him from all others by a blessed annointing and qualification of him above all, he is as Saul amongst the rest, higher then all, he is as Aaron, annointed with the oyle of gladnesse, but above his fellowes, and yet for his fellowes, from him distills the blessed ointment of grace, it is powred on his head first, and descends from him downe to all the skirts of his garment, to all his members. So heere is in this Sealing, likenesse, distinction, and appropriation.

But especially by Sealing here is meant authority, for a thing sealed is not only to distinguish and appropriate to a mans use, but to authorize also, as a Magistrate that hath the Kings broad Seal, he is authorized: so Christ he hath Gods Seal, God hath authorized him to be a Mediator, and as he was fore-ordained before all worlds (as the Apostle Peter saith) to be the head of them that should be saved,¹ and to be their Mediator, so when the fullness of time was come, when he came in the flesh, he was authorized by the greatest testimony that ever was, by the blessed Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost at his Baptism, This is my beloved Son, hear him, saith a voice from Heaven, there was the Father, the ⟨p. 203⟩Son in the voice, the Holy Ghost in the Dove, there was the whole Trinity, so he was authorized from Heaven.

But especially by Sealing heere is meant authority, for a thing sealed is not onely to distinguish and appropriate to a mans use, but to authorize also, as a Magistrate that hath the Kings broad Seale, he is authorized: so Christ he hath Gods Seale, God hath authorized him to be a Mediator, and as hee was fore-ordained before all worlds (as the Apostle Peter saith) to be the head of them that should be saved,¹ and to be their Mediator, so when the fullnesse of time was come, when he came in the flesh, hee was authorized by the greatest testimony that ever was, by the blessed Trinity, God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost at his Baptisme, This is my beloved Sonne, heare him, saith a voice from Heaven, there was the Father, the ⟨p. 203⟩Sonne in the voice, the Holy Ghost in the Dove, there was the whole Trinity, so he was authorized from Heaven.

1. 11 Pet. 1.

And then he was authorized by his miracles, God gave him power to work those works which none could do but a Mediator, therefore he saith, if you believe not me, yet believe me for my works sake.

And then he was authorized by his miracles, God gave him power to worke those workes which none could doe but a Mediator, therefore he saith, if you beleeve not me, yet beleeve me for my workes sake.

He was authorized also by his Resurrection, as the Apostle saith, in Rom. 1.4. He mightily declared himself to be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead: the Angels from Heaven brought witness of him, he was witnessed by all kind of persons on earth, yea by the devils themselves: so he is Sealed and authorized every way by all kind of witnesses to be a Mediator.

He was authorized also by his Resurrection, as the Apostle saith, in Rom. 1.4. He mightily declared himselfe to be the Sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead: the Angells from Heaven brought witnesse of him, he was witnessed by all kinde of persons on earth, yea by the divels themselves: so hee is Sealed and authorized every way by all kinde of witnesses to be a Mediator.

This is set out in other phrases in the Scripture. In Psal. 2. This my Son have I set upon my holy hill of Zion, and Rom. 3. toward the latter end, Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, God hath set him forth as the Show-bread was set out under the Law. And then again in another place, Whom he hath sent, and in 1. Cor. 1.30. He is made of God unto us Wisdom, &c. He is made of God, that is, he is Sealed, appointed, authorized by God for that purpose.

This is set out in other phrases in the Scripture. In Psal. 2. This my Son have I set upon my holy hill of Sion, and Rom. 3. toward the latter end, Whom God hath set forth to bee a propitiation, God hath set him forth as the Shew-bread was set out under the Law. And then againe in another place, Whom hee hath sent, and in 1. Cor. 1.30. Hee is made of God unto us Wisedome, &c. Hee is made of God, that is, he is Sealed, appointed, authorized by God for that purpose.

So you see, why Christ is said to be Sealed, especially because he is authorized by God the Father, made, sent, set forth, whom the Father hath Sealed, that is, the party offended by our sins, he hath Sealed and authorized Christ to be a Mediator.

So you see, why Christ is said to be Sealed, especially because hee is authorized by God the Father, made, sent, set forth, whom the Father hath Sealed, that is, the party offended by our sinnes, he hath Sealed and authorized Christ to be a Mediator.