Ralph Erskine (The Sword of Justice awakened against God's Fellow), Sermons 1:20-21:
The cause of God and the cause of man is referred to Christ; therefore he partakes of both natures, that he may be faithful to God and merciful to man: a fit Mediator between God and man, to lay his hand upon both parties, while he partakes of both natures. – Our Redeemer must be both subject to the law, and fulfil the law meritoriously. Now, if he had not been man, he could not be subject to the law; and if he had not been God, he could not have merited by fulfilling the law: but now, being God-man by his obedience, he hath magnified the law and made it honourable. – Our Redeemer was to give his soul an offering for sin. Now, if he had not been man, he could not have had a soul to offer; if he had not been God, his soul could not have upheld itself; but must have died when his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: but now, his divine nature did support his human body, and his human soul, under the weight of that burden which would have crushed a world of men and angels. – Our Redeemer must both suffer and satisfy. Now, if he had not been man, he could not have suffered; and if he had not been God, he could not have given satisfaction by his sufferings; but, being God-man, his sufferings are dignified with infinite value and virtue. – Our Redeemer must both die for us, and conquer death. Now, if he had not been man, he could not have died; and if he had not been God, he could not have destroyed death, conquered death: but now, “He is declared to be the Son of God with power, by his resurrection from the dead.”
The cause of God and the cause of man is referred to Christ; therefore he partakes of both natures, that he may be faithful to God and merciful to man: a fit Mediator between God and man, to lay his hand upon both parties, while he partakes of both natures. – Our Redeemer must be both subject to the law, and fulfil the law meritoriously. Now, if he had not been man, he could not be subject to the law; and if he had not been God, he could not have merited by fulfilling the law: but now, being God-man by his obedience, he hath magnified the law and made it honourable. – Our Redeemer was to give his soul an offering for sin. Now, if he had not been man, he could not have had a soul to offer; if he had not been God, his soul could not have upheld itself; but must have died when his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: but now, his divine nature did support his human body, and his human soul, under the weight of that burden which would have crushed a world of men and angels. – Our Redeemer must both suffer and satisfy. Now, if he had not been man, he could not have suffered; and if he had not been God, he could not have given satisfaction by his sufferings; but, being God-man, his sufferings are dignified with infinite value and virtue. – Our Redeemer must both die for us, and conquer death. Now, if he had not been man, he could not have died; and if he had not been God, he could not have destroyed death, conquered death: but now, “He is declared to be the Son of God with power, by his resurrection from the dead.”
