The Role of Our Blessed Saviour

We find in Holy Scripture three parts of the Office of the Messiah: the first of a Redeemer, or Saviour: The second of a Pastor, Counsellour, or Teacher, that is, of a Prophet sent from God, to convert such as God hath elected to Salvation; The third of a King, and Eternall King, but under his Father, as Moses and the High Priests were in their severall times. And to these three parts are corespondent three times. For our Redemption he wrought at his first coming, by the Sacrifice, wherein he offered up himself for our sinnes upon the Crosse: our conversion he wrought partly then in his own Person; and partly worketh now by his Ministers; and will continue to work till his coming again. And after his coming again, shall begin that his glorious Reign over his elect, which is to last eternally.

In Holy Scripture, we find three roles of the Messiah. The first is Redeemer, or Saviour. The second is Pastor, Counsellor, or Teacher. This means a Prophet sent by God to convert those whom God has chosen for salvation. The third is King, an eternal King, but under his Father, as Moses and the High Priests were in their respective times. These three roles correspond to three periods. He accomplished our redemption at his first coming by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins on the Cross. He carried out our conversion partly in person during his first coming. He continues this work partly through his ministers now, and will continue until he comes again. After his return, his glorious reign over his chosen people will begin and last forever.

To the Office of a Redeemer, that is, of one that payeth the Ransome of Sin, (which Ransome is Death,) it appertaineth, that he was Sacrificed, and thereby bare upon his own head, and carryed away from us our iniquities, in such sort as God had required. Not that the death of one man, though without sinne, can satisfie for the offences of all men, in the rigour of Justice, but in the Mercy of God, that ordained such Sacrifices for sin, as he was pleased in his mercy to accept. In the old Law (as we may read, Leviticus the 16.) the Lord required, that there should every year once, bee made an Atonement for the Sins of all Israel, both Priests, and others; for the doing whereof, Aaron alone was to sacrifice for himself and the Priests a young Bullock; and for the rest of the people, he was to receive from them two young Goates, of which he was to Sacrifice one; but as for the other, which was the Scape Goat, he was to lay his hands on the head thereof, and by a confession of the iniquities of the people, to lay them all on that head, and then by some opportune man, to cause the Goat to be led into the wildernesse, and there to Escape, and carry away with him the iniquities of the people. As the Sacrifice of the one Goat was a sufficient (because an acceptable) price for the Ransome of all Israel; so the death of the Messiah, is a sufficient price, for the Sins of all mankind, because there was no more required. Our Saviour Christs sufferings seem to be here figured, as cleerly, as in the oblation of Isaac, or in any other type of him in the Old Testament: He was both the sacrificed Goat, and the Scape Goat; “Hee was oppressed, and he was afflicted (Isa. 53.7.); he opened not his mouth; he brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep is dumbe before the shearer, so opened he not his mouth:” Here he is the Sacrificed Goat. “He hath born our Griefs, (ver.4.) and carried our sorrows;” And again, (ver. 6.) “the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all:” And so he is the Scape Goat. “He was cut off from the land of the living (ver. 8.) for the transgression of my People:” There again he is the Sacrificed Goat. And again (ver. 11.) “he shall bear their sins:” Hee is the Scape Goat. Thus is the Lamb of God equivalent to both those Goates; sacrificed, in that he dyed; and escaping, in his Resurrection; being raised opportunely by his Father, and removed from the habitation of men in his Ascension.

A Redeemer is someone who pays the ransom for sin, and that ransom is death. As Redeemer, Christ was sacrificed. By his sacrifice, he took our sins upon his own head and carried them away, as God had required. This does not mean one man’s death, even a sinless man’s, can satisfy strict justice for everyone’s offenses. Rather, the ransom depends on God’s mercy. God established sacrifices for sin that, in his mercy, he was pleased to accept. Under the old Law, the Lord required atonement once every year for the sins of all Israel, both Priests and others. We can read this in Leviticus 16. Aaron alone was to perform the sacrifice, offering a young bull for himself and the Priests. For the rest of the people, Aaron was to receive two young goats from them and sacrifice one. The other was the scapegoat. Aaron was to lay his hands on its head and confess the people’s sins, placing them all on that head. Then he was to have a suitable man lead the goat into the wilderness. There the goat would escape, carrying away the people’s sins. The sacrifice of one goat was a sufficient ransom for all Israel because God accepted it. In the same way, the Messiah’s death is a sufficient price for the sins of all humanity, because nothing more was required. This ritual seems to foreshadow our Saviour Christ’s sufferings as clearly as the offering of Isaac does. It seems as clear as any other foreshadowing of Christ in the Old Testament. He was both the sacrificed goat and the scapegoat. “He was oppressed and afflicted (Isa. 53:7). He did not open his mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. As a sheep is silent before its shearer, so he did not open his mouth.” Here he is the sacrificed goat. “He has borne our griefs (verse 4) and carried our sorrows.” And again (verse 6), “the Lord has laid on him the sins of us all.” In this way, he is the scapegoat. “He was cut off from the land of the living (verse 8) for the wrongdoing of my people.” Here again he is the sacrificed goat. And again (verse 11), “he will bear their sins.” He is the scapegoat. Thus the Lamb of God fulfills the roles of both goats. He was sacrificed in his death, and he escaped in his Resurrection. His Father raised him at the proper time and removed him from where people dwell through his Ascension.

For as much therefore, as he that Redeemeth, hath no title to the Thing Redeemed, before the Redemption, and Ransome paid; and this Ransome was the Death of the Redeemer; it is manifest, that our Saviour (as man) was not King of those that he Redeemed, before hee suffered death; that is, during that time hee conversed bodily on the Earth. I say, he was not then King in present, by vertue of the Pact, which the faithfull make with him in Baptisme; Neverthelesse, by the renewing of their Pact with God in Baptisme, they were obliged to obey him for King, (under his Father) whensoever he should be pleased to take the Kingdome upon him. According whereunto, our Saviour himself expressely saith, (John 18.36.) “My Kingdome is not of this world.” Now seeing the Scripture maketh mention but of two worlds; this that is now, and shall remain to the day of Judgment, (which is therefore also called, The Last Day;) and that which shall bee a new Heaven, and a new Earth; the Kingdome of Christ is not to begin till the general Resurrection. And that is it which our Saviour saith, (Mat. 16.27.) “The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his Angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” To reward every man according to his works, is to execute the Office of a King; and this is not to be till he come in the glory of his Father, with his Angells. When our Saviour saith, (Mat. 23.2.) “The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat; All therefore whatsoever they bid you doe, that observe and doe;” hee declareth plainly, that hee ascribeth Kingly Power, for that time, not to himselfe, but to them. And so hee hath also, where he saith, (Luke 12.14.) “Who made mee a Judge, or Divider over you?” And (John 12.47.) “I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.” And yet our Saviour came into this world that hee might bee a King, and a Judge in the world to come: For hee was the Messiah, that is, the Christ, that is, the Anointed Priest, and the Soveraign Prophet of God; that is to say, he was to have all the power that was in Moses the Prophet, in the High Priests that succeeded Moses, and in the Kings that succeeded the Priests. And St. John saies expressely (chap. 5. ver. 22.) “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son.” And this is not repugnant to that other place, “I came not to judge the world:” for this is spoken of the world present, the other of the world to come; as also where it is said, that at the second coming of Christ, (Mat. 19. 28.) “Yee that have followed me in the Regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his Glory, yee shall also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

A redeemer has no right to what he redeems until the redemption is complete and the ransom is paid. In this case, the ransom was the Redeemer’s death. So our Saviour, as a man, was not King of those he redeemed before he suffered death. In other words, he was not their King while he lived bodily on Earth. I mean that the covenant believers make with him in Baptism did not make him their reigning King then. Nevertheless, by renewing their covenant with God in Baptism, they became bound to obey him as King under his Father. They would owe him this obedience whenever he chose to take up his kingdom. Accordingly, our Saviour himself expressly says (John 18:36), “My kingdom is not of this world.” Now Scripture mentions only two worlds. One is the present world, which will remain until Judgment Day, therefore also called the Last Day. The other will be a new Heaven and a new Earth. So Christ’s kingdom will not begin until the general resurrection. This is what our Saviour means when he says (Matthew 16:27), “The Son of man will come in his Father’s glory, with his angels. Then he will reward everyone according to their deeds.” To reward everyone according to their deeds is to carry out the duties of a King. This will not happen until he comes in his Father’s glory, with his angels. Our Saviour says (Matthew 23:2), “The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore, observe and do everything they tell you to do.” By saying this, he plainly assigns royal power at that time to them, not to himself. He does the same when he says (Luke 12:14), “Who made me a judge or a divider over you?” And again (John 12:47), “I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” Yet our Saviour came into this world to be a King and Judge in the world to come. For he was the Messiah, meaning the Christ, meaning the Anointed Priest and God’s supreme Prophet. In other words, he was to have all the power held by Moses the Prophet. He would also have all the power of the High Priests who succeeded Moses and the Kings who succeeded those Priests. And St. John expressly says (John 5:22), “The Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.” This does not contradict the other passage, “I did not come to judge the world.” The statement about not judging concerns the present world. The statement entrusting all judgment to the Son concerns the world to come. The same applies to what is said about Christ’s second coming (Matthew 19:28): “You who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. This will happen at the renewal of all things, when the Son of man sits on his glorious throne.”

If then Christ while hee was on Earth, had no Kingdome in this World, to what end was his first coming? It was to restore unto God, by a new Covenant, the Kingdome, which being his by the Old Covenant, had been cut off by the rebellion of the Israelites in the election of Saul. Which to doe, he was to preach unto them, that he was the Messiah, that is, the King promised to them by the Prophets; and to offer himselfe in sacrifice for the sinnes of them that should by faith submit themselves thereto; and in case the nation generally should refuse him, to call to his obedience such as should beleeve in him amongst the Gentiles. So that there are two parts of our Saviours Office during his aboad upon the Earth; One to Proclaim himself the Christ; and another by Teaching, and by working of Miracles, to perswade, and prepare men to live so, as to be worthy of the Immortality Beleevers were to enjoy, at such time as he should come in majesty, to take possession of his Fathers Kingdome. And therefore it is, that the time of his preaching, is often by himself called the Regeneration; which is not properly a Kingdome, and thereby a warrant to deny obedience to the Magistrates that then were, (for hee commanded to obey those that sate then in Moses chaire, and to pay tribute to Caesar;) but onely an earnest of the Kingdome of God that was to come, to those to whom God had given the grace to be his disciples, and to beleeve in him; For which cause the Godly are said to bee already in the Kingdome of Grace, as naturalized in that heavenly Kingdome.

If Christ had no Kingdom in this world while he was on Earth, what was the purpose of his first coming? He came to restore the Kingdom to God through a new Covenant. The Kingdom had belonged to God under the Old Covenant. But the Israelites had broken it off by rebelling against God when they chose Saul as king. To restore the Kingdom, Christ had to preach to them that he was the Messiah. That is, he was the King promised to them by the Prophets. He also had to offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of those who would submit through faith. And if the nation as a whole rejected him, he would call believers among the Gentiles to obey him. So our Saviour’s work during his time on Earth had two parts. One was to proclaim himself the Christ. The other was to persuade and prepare people, through teaching and miracles, to live lives worthy of immortality. Believers would enjoy that immortality when he came in majesty to take possession of his Father’s Kingdom. For this reason, he himself often calls the time of his preaching the Regeneration. The Regeneration was not a Kingdom in the proper sense. It therefore gave no authority to refuse obedience to the rulers of that time. Indeed, he commanded people to obey those who then sat in Moses’ chair and to pay tribute to Caesar. Instead, the Regeneration was only a pledge of God’s coming Kingdom. This pledge was for those whom God had given the grace to become his disciples and believe in him. For this reason, the godly are said to be already in the Kingdom of Grace, as naturalized citizens of that heavenly Kingdom.

Hitherto therefore there is nothing done, or taught by Christ, that tendeth to the diminution of the Civill Right of the Jewes, or of Caesar. For as touching the Common-wealth which then was amongst the Jews, both they that bare rule amongst them, that they that were governed, did all expect the Messiah, and Kingdome of God; which they could not have done if their Laws had forbidden him (when he came) to manifest, and declare himself. Seeing therefore he did nothing, but by Preaching, and Miracles go about to prove himselfe to be that Messiah, hee did therein nothing against their laws. The Kingdome hee claimed was to bee in another world; He taught all men to obey in the mean time them that sate in Moses seat: he allowed them to give Caesar his tribute, and refused to take upon himselfe to be a Judg. How then could his words, or actions bee seditious, or tend to the overthrow of their then Civill Government? But God having determined his sacrifice, for the reduction of his elect to their former covenanted obedience, for the means, whereby he would bring the same to effect, made use of their malice, and ingratitude. Nor was it contrary to the laws of Caesar. For though Pilate himself (to gratifie the Jews) delivered him to be crucified; yet before he did so, he pronounced openly, that he found no fault in him: And put for title of his condemnation, not as the Jews required, “that he pretended to be King;” but simply, “That hee was King of the Jews;” and notwithstanding their clamour, refused to alter it; saying, “What I have written, I have written.”

So far, then, nothing Christ did or taught weakened the civil authority of the Jews or Caesar. In the Jewish commonwealth of that time, both rulers and subjects expected the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. They could not have expected him if their laws had forbidden him to reveal and declare himself when he came. So Christ did nothing against their laws by using preaching and miracles to prove that he was the Messiah. The kingdom he claimed would exist in another world. Meanwhile, he taught everyone to obey those who sat in Moses’ seat. He allowed people to pay Caesar his tribute and refused to act as a judge himself. How, then, could his words or actions stir up rebellion or threaten to overthrow their existing civil government? But God had determined that Christ should be sacrificed to bring his chosen people back to their earlier, covenanted obedience. To carry out this purpose, God used their malice and ingratitude. Nor did Christ do anything against Caesar’s laws. Although Pilate handed him over to be crucified to please the Jews, Pilate first publicly declared that he found him innocent. And Pilate’s written statement of the charge against Christ was not, as the Jews demanded, “that he claimed to be King.” Instead, it said simply, “That he was King of the Jews.” Despite their outcry, Pilate refused to change the statement, saying, “What I have written, I have written.”

As for the third part of his Office, which was to be King, I have already shewn that his Kingdome was not to begin till the Resurrection. But then he shall be King, not onely as God, in which sense he is King already, and ever shall be, of all the Earth, in vertue of his omnipotence; but also peculiarly of his own Elect, by vertue of the pact they make with him in their Baptisme. And therefore it is, that our Saviour saith (Mat. 19.28.) that his Apostles should sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, “When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory;” whereby he signified that he should reign then in his humane nature; and (Mat. 16.27.) “The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his Angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” The same we may read, Marke 13..26. and 14.26. and more expressely for the time, Luke 22.29, 30. “I appoint unto you a Kingdome, as my Father hath appointed to mee, that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdome, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” By which it is manifest that the Kingdome of Christ appointed to him by his Father, is not to be before the Son of Man shall come in Glory, and make his Apostles Judges of the twelve tribes of Israel. But a man may here ask, seeing there is no marriage in the Kingdome of Heaven, whether men shall then eat, and drink; what eating therefore is meant in this place? This is expounded by our Saviour (John 6.27.) where he saith, “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give you.” So that by eating at Christs table, is meant the eating of the Tree of Life; that is to say, the enjoying of Immortality, in the Kingdome of the Son of Man. By which places, and many more, it is evident, that our Saviours Kingdome is to bee exercised by him in his humane nature.

The third part of his office was to be King. I have already shown that his Kingdom would not begin until the Resurrection. But then he shall be King not only as God, but also specifically as King of his own Elect. As God, he is already King of all the Earth through his almighty power, and always shall be. He shall also rule his Elect through the covenant they make with him at Baptism. That is why our Saviour says (Mat. 19.28.) that his Apostles should sit on twelve thrones, judging Israel’s twelve tribes. They would do so “when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory.” By these words, he indicated that he would then reign in his human nature. He also says (Mat. 16.27.), “The Son of man shall come in his Father’s glory, with his Angels. Then he shall reward everyone according to their deeds.” We can read the same in Mark 13.26. and 14.26. Luke 22.29, 30. states the timing more clearly: “I grant you a Kingdom, as my Father has granted one to me. You may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sit on thrones judging Israel’s twelve tribes.” These passages make clear when the Kingdom granted to Christ by his Father will begin. It will not begin before the Son of Man comes in glory and makes his Apostles judges of Israel’s twelve tribes. But someone may ask whether people will eat and drink then, since there is no marriage in the Kingdom of Heaven. What kind of eating, then, does this passage mean? Our Saviour explains this (John 6.27.) when he says, “Do not work for food that perishes. Instead, work for food that lasts for everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give you.” So eating at Christ’s table means eating from the Tree of Life. That is, it means enjoying immortality in the Kingdom of the Son of Man. These passages, and many more, make it clear that our Saviour will rule his Kingdom in his human nature.

Again, he is to be King then, no otherwise than as subordinate, or Viceregent of God the Father, as Moses was in the wildernesse; and as the High Priests were before the reign of Saul; and as the Kings were after it. For it is one of the Prophecies concerning Christ, that he should be like (in Office) to Moses; “I will raise them up a Prophet (saith the Lord, Deut. 18.18.) from amongst their Brethren like unto thee, and will put my words into his mouth,” and this similitude with Moses, is also apparent in the actions of our Saviour himself, whilest he was conversant on Earth. For as Moses chose twelve Princes of the tribes, to govern under him; so did our Saviour choose twelve Apostles, who shall sit on twelve thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel; And as Moses authorized Seventy Elders, to receive the Spirit of God, and to Prophecy to the people, that is, (as I have said before,) to speak unto them in the name of God; so our Saviour also ordained seventy Disciples, to preach his Kingdome, and Salvation to all Nations. And as when a complaint was made to Moses, against those of the Seventy that prophecyed in the camp of Israel, he justified them in it, as being subservient therein to his government; so also our Saviour, when St. John complained to him of a certain man that cast out Devills in his name, justified him therein, saying, (Luke 9.50.) “Forbid him not, for hee that is not against us, is on our part.”

Again, he will then be King only as a subordinate to God the Father, acting as his representative. Moses held this position in the wilderness, as did the High Priests before Saul’s reign and the Kings afterward. For one prophecy concerning Christ says that his office would be like that of Moses. “I will raise up a Prophet for them,” says the Lord in Deut. 18.18, “from among their brothers, like you. And I will put my words in his mouth.” This likeness to Moses is also clear from our Saviour’s own actions while he lived on Earth. Just as Moses chose twelve Princes of the tribes to govern under him, our Saviour chose twelve Apostles. These Apostles will sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Moses also authorized seventy Elders to receive the Spirit of God and prophesy to the people. As I have said before, this means speaking to the people in God’s name. In the same way, our Saviour appointed seventy Disciples to preach his Kingdom and Salvation to all Nations. When Moses received a complaint against those of the seventy who prophesied in Israel’s camp, he defended their actions. Their prophesying served his government. In the same way, St. John complained to our Saviour about a man who cast out Devils in his name. Our Saviour defended the man’s actions, saying (Luke 9.50), “Do not forbid him, for whoever is not against us is on our side.”

Again, our Saviour resembled Moses in the institution of Sacraments, both of Admission into the Kingdome of God, and of Commemoration of his deliverance of his Elect from their miserable condition. As the Children of Israel had for Sacrament of their Reception into the Kingdome of God, before the time of Moses, the rite of Circumcision, which rite having been omitted in the Wildernesse, was again restored as soon as they came into the land of Promise; so also the Jews, before the coming of our Saviour, had a rite of Baptizing, that is, of washing with water all those that being Gentiles, embraced the God of Israel. This rite St. John the Baptist used in the reception of all them that gave their names to the Christ, whom hee preached to bee already come into the world; and our Saviour instituted the same for a Sacrament to be taken by all that beleeved in him. From what cause the rite of Baptisme first proceeded, is not expressed formally in the Scripture; but it may be probably thought to be an imitation of the law of Moses, concerning Leprousie; wherein the Leprous man was commanded to be kept out of the campe of Israel for a certain time; after which time being judged by the Priest to be clean, hee was admitted into the campe after a solemne Washing. And this may therefore bee a type of the Washing in Baptisme; wherein such men as are cleansed of the Leprousie of Sin by Faith, are received into the Church with the solemnity of Baptisme. There is another conjecture drawn from the Ceremonies of the Gentiles, in a certain case that rarely happens; and that is, when a man that was thought dead, chanced to recover, other men made scruple to converse with him, as they would doe to converse with a Ghost, unlesse hee were received again into the number of men, by Washing, as Children new born were washed from the uncleannesse of their nativity, which was a kind of new birth. This ceremony of the Greeks, in the time that Judaea was under the Dominion of Alexander, and the Greeks his successors, may probably enough have crept into the Religion of the Jews. But seeing it is not likely our Saviour would countenance a Heathen rite, it is most likely it proceeded from the Legall Ceremony of Washing after Leprosie. And for the other Sacraments, of eating the Paschall Lambe, it is manifestly imitated in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; in which the Breaking of the Bread, and the pouring out of the Wine, do keep in memory our deliverance from the Misery of Sin, by Christs Passion, as the eating of the Paschall Lambe, kept in memory the deliverance of the Jewes out of the Bondage of Egypt. Seeing therefore the authority of Moses was but subordinate, and hee but a Lieutenant to God; it followeth, that Christ, whose authority, as man, was to bee like that of Moses, was no more but subordinate to the authority of his Father. The same is more expressely signified, by that that hee teacheth us to pray, “Our Father, Let thy Kingdome come;” and, “For thine is the Kingdome, the power and the Glory;” and by that it is said, that “Hee shall come in the Glory of his Father;” and by that which St. Paul saith, (1 Cor. 15.24.) “then commeth the end, when hee shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God, even the Father;” and by many other most expresse places.

Again, our Saviour resembled Moses in establishing sacraments. These marked admission into the Kingdom of God and commemorated his deliverance of his chosen people from their miserable condition. Before Moses, the Children of Israel practiced circumcision as the sacrament of their admission into the Kingdom of God. Circumcision was neglected in the wilderness but restored as soon as they entered the Promised Land. Similarly, before our Saviour came, the Jews practiced baptism. They washed with water all Gentiles who embraced the God of Israel. St. John the Baptist used this rite to receive all who declared themselves followers of Christ. John preached that Christ had already come into the world. Our Saviour established the same rite as a sacrament for all who believed in him. Scripture does not explicitly state how baptism first began. But baptism may reasonably be thought to imitate the law of Moses concerning leprosy. Under that law, a person with leprosy had to remain outside the camp of Israel for a certain time. Afterward, if the priest judged the person clean, that person was admitted into the camp after a ceremonial washing. This washing may therefore foreshadow the washing of baptism. In baptism, people cleansed of the leprosy of sin through faith are received into the Church through a solemn ceremony. Another possible explanation comes from a Gentile ceremony performed in a rare situation. Sometimes a person thought to be dead happened to recover. Other people hesitated to associate with that person, just as they would hesitate to associate with a ghost. Before they would do so, the recovered person had to be received back among the living through washing. This washing resembled the washing of newborn children to remove the uncleanness of birth, and was a kind of rebirth. This Greek ceremony may well have found its way into Jewish religion during Greek rule over Judaea. That rule began under Alexander and continued under his Greek successors. But our Saviour was unlikely to endorse a heathen rite. So baptism most likely came from the washing prescribed by the law after leprosy. As for the other sacrament, eating the Passover lamb is clearly imitated in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Breaking the bread and pouring out the wine commemorate our deliverance from the misery of sin through Christ’s suffering. Similarly, eating the Passover lamb commemorated the Jews’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Moses’ authority was subordinate to God’s, and Moses was only God’s deputy. It therefore follows that Christ’s authority, as a man, was likewise subordinate to his Father’s authority. For Christ’s authority as a man was to resemble that of Moses. Christ makes this subordination still clearer by teaching us to pray, “Our Father, let your Kingdom come”. He also teaches us to say, “For yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory”. The statement that “He will come in the glory of his Father” makes the same point. So do St. Paul’s words (1 Cor. 15:24): “Then comes the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to God, the Father”. Many other passages make this point just as explicitly.

Our Saviour therefore, both in Teaching, and Reigning, representeth (as Moses Did) the Person of God; which God from that time forward, but not before, is called the Father; and being still one and the same substance, is one Person as represented by Moses, and another Person as represented by his Sonne the Christ. For Person being a relative to a Representer, it is consequent to plurality of Representers, that there bee a plurality of Persons, though of one and the same Substance.

Our Saviour therefore represents the person of God in both teaching and ruling, just as Moses did. From that time onward, but not before, God is called the Father. God remains one and the same substance, but is one person as represented by Moses. God is another person as represented by his Son, the Christ. For a person is defined in relation to a representative. So multiple representatives mean multiple persons, though all are of one and the same substance.