The Institution of Christian Religion

That shall also appear more plainly, if we consider how it was no mean thing that the Mediator had to do: that is, so to restore us into the favour of God, as to make us of the children of men, the children of God: of the heirs of hell, the heirs of the kingdom of heaven. Who could do that, unless the son of God were made also the son of man, and so take ours upon him to convey his unto us, and to make that ours by grace, which was his by nature? Therefore by this earnest we trust, that we are the children of God, because the natural son of God hath shapen for himself a body of our body, flesh of our flesh, bones of our bones, that he might be all one with us. He disdained not to take that upon him which was proper unto us, to make again that to belong to us which he had proper to himself, and that so in common together with us, he might be both the son of God and the son of man. Hereupon cometh that holy brotherhood which he commendeth with his own mouth when he saith:¹ I go up to my father and your father, my God and your God. By this mean is the inheritance of the kingdom of beaven assured unto us: for that the only son of God, to whom it wholly did properly belong, hath adopted us into his brethren: because if we be brethren,² then are we partakers of the inheritance. Moreover it was for the same cause very profitable, that he which should be our redeemer, should be both very God and very man. It was his office to swallow up death: who could do that but life it self? It was his office to overcome sin: who could do that but righteousness it self? It was his office to vanquish the powers of the world and of the air: who could do that but a power above both world and air: Now in whose possession is life, or righteousness, or the empire & power of heaven, but in Gods alone? Therefore the most merciful God, in the person of his only begotten son, made himself our redeemer, when his will was to have us redeemed.

That shall also appere more plainely, if we consider how it was no meane thyng that the Mediatour had to do: that is, so to restore vs into the fauour of God, as to make vs of the children of men, the childrē of God: of the heyres of hell, the heyres of the kingdome of heauē. Whoe coulde doe that, vnlesse the sonne of God were made also the sonne of manne, and so take oures vpon hym to conueye his vnto vs, and to make that oures by grace, whiche was his by nature? Therefore by this earnest we trust, that we are the chyldren of God, bicause the naturall sonne of God hath shapen for himselfe a bodie of our body, fleshe of our fleshe, bones of our bones, that he might be all one with vs. He disdayned not to take that vpon hym whiche was propre vnto vs, to make agayne that to belonge to vs whiche he had propre to himselfe, and that so in common together with vs, he might be bothe the sonne of God and the sonne of man. Hereupon cōmeth that holy brotherhode whiche he commendeth with his owne mouth when he sayth: