[Sidenote: Eph. 1.]
[Sidenote: Heb. 2.]
[Sidenote: Joan. 10.]
[Sidenote: Joan 1.]
[Sidenote: Joan 20.]
[Sidenote: Esai. 53.]
For that samyn Eternall God, and Father, quha of mere mercy electit us
in Chryst Jesus his Sone, befoir the fundatioun of the warld was laid,
appoyntit him to be oure Heid, our Brother, our Pastoure, and greit
Bishop of oure Saullis. Bot becaus that the enmitie betwix the justice
of God and our synnes was sick, that no flesche by it self could or
mycht have atteanit unto God, it behovit that the Sone of God sould
discend unto us, and tak him selff ane body of oure body, flesche of
oure flesche, and bane of oure baneis, and sua became[226] the perfyte
Mediatour betwix God and man; giffing power to sa mony as beleif in
him to be the sonis of God, as him selff dois witnesse--"I pas up to
my Father and unto your Father, to my God and unto your God." By
quhilk maist halie fraternitie, quhatsoever we have lost[227] in Adam
is restoirit to us againe. And for this cause ar we not effrayit to
call God our father, not samekill in that he hes creatit us,[228]
(quhilk we have common with the reprobat,) as for that he hes gevin to
us his onlie Sone to be our brother, and gevin unto us grace to
[acknawledge and] embrace him for oure onlie Mediatour, as befoir is
said. It behovit farther, the Messias and Redeemer to [be] verray God
and verray Man, becaus he was to underly[229] the punishment dew for
oure transgressiouns, and to present him selff in the presence of his
Fatheris jugement, as in oure persone, to suffer for our
transgressioun and inobedience, by death to ovircum him that was
author of death. Bot becaus the onlie Godheid could not suffer death,
neyther could the onlie Manheid ovircum the same; he joynit baith
togidder in ane persone, that the imbecilitie of the ane sould suffer,
and be subject to death, (quhilk we haid deservit,) and the infinite
and invincible power of the uther, to wit, of the Godheid, sould
tryumphe and purchese till us lyfe, libertie, and perpetuall victorie.
And so we confess, and maist undowtedlie beleif.
[226] In the old printed copies, "become."
[227] In the Acts 1567, "have tint."
[228] In the editions 1561, "not so much because he hath created us."
[229] In the London edition 1561, "to beare upon him."