Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Exposition · Part 2 · Section 7
Conceaued by the holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Marie.
Teſtimonies out of the Prophetes and Apoſtles.
Geneſ. 3. I will put enimitie betweene thee and the Woman, and betweene thy ſeede, and her ſeede. It ſhall bruiſe thy heade, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his heele. To the Gala. 4. But when the fulnes of time was come, God ſent forth his ſonne made of a woman, &c.
That the ſonne of God muſt take the nature of man of the ſtocke of Abraham.
GEneſ. 22. In thy name ſhall all the nations of the earth be bleſsed. Gala. 3. Act 3. in the ende, and Luke. the 2.
That the stocke was restrained to the tribe of Iudah, and here ſomewhat concerning the time that the Meſſias ſhould be giuen.
GEneſ. 49. The tribe ſhall not deſist from Iehudah, nor the Lawgiuer from the middest of his feete: vntill his ſonne come, and obedience of peoples be made vntounto him: fulfilled in the 2. of Luk. ver. 1. Where the whole worlde is taxed, and therefore nowe the ſcepter was departed from Iuda, when the tribe of Iudah was taxed of Auguſtus, and therefore alſo Marie together with Ioſeph. And herevnto belong thoſe propheſies, which are to be ſeene in the 6. of Zacharie, ver. 11. Take therefore ſiluer and gold, that thou maiſt make crownes, and put them vponupon the heade of Iehoſchuhh the ſonne of Iehoſadac the high Priest: Thou ſhalt ſay vntounto him after this manner, ſo ſaith the Lord God of hoastes, in ſaying: Beholde a man whoſe name is a ſlippe, who ſhall bud foorth out of his place, and hee ſhall builde the Temple of the Lorde of hoaſtes: Hee I ſay, ſhall build a temple to the Lorde of hoaſtes, and the ſame ſhall beare away comelines, and ſhall ſit and beare rule vppon his ſeat, and hee ſhall be a prieſt vponupon his ſeat, and the counſell of peace ſhall be betwixt both. And let there be crownes for euerie one, for Helē, for Tobiah and Iedaiah, & to Hen, the ſon of Zephaniah for a memoriall in the temple of the Lorde of hoaſtes: and they that are farre of ſhall come and builde in the Temple of the Lorde, &c. And Ezechiel the 21. So hath the Lorde God of Hoaſtes ſaide: Remoue awaie the Diademe and the crowne: This which is nowe, ſhall not be that. I will aduaunce the humble, & will throw drowne the proude, I will ouerturne, ouerturne, ouerturne it, and it ſhall be no more vntill hee come whoſe right it is, and I will giuegive it him. Of the time of the comming of the Meſſiah, note both theſe diligently, that hee must be borne, when the ſcepter ſhoulde be taken away from Iehudah, as hath beene ſhewed: and yet notwithſtanding whileſt the Temple and Priesthood ſhould yet ſtande: as Daniel ſaith in the 9. Chapter. After 62. weekes Chriſt ſhall be cut off, and there ſhall be none to helpe him, and the people of that Capitaine to come, ſhall ſcatter that citie and that ſanctuarie.
Of the place of his birth, touching the fleſh; & alſo of his comming forth from the dayes of eternitie in reſpect of his diuine nature.
MIchee 5. And thou Bethlehem Euphratah art little to be among the thouſands of Iudah: yet out of thee ſhall hee come foorth vntounto me, that ſhall be ruler in Iſrael Whoſe goings foorth hauehave beene from the beginning and from euerlasting. With what a wonderfull prouidence of God was this propheſie fulfilled: Whilest Ioſeph and Marie by the edict of Auguſtus, are called into Bethlehem, where ſhee brought foorth Chriſt? See Luk. 2. in the beginning of the chapter, and with what a wonderfull prouidence the wiſe men were lead vntounto the place, being holpen of Herod and of the Scribes. See the ſeconde of Matthew.
Of the holineſſe of his conception.
IEremie 23. Beholde the dayes come, ſaith the Lord of hoaſtes. And I will raiſe vp a braunch to my ſeruaunt Dauid, and this is his name whereby they ſhall call him. The Lorde of hoastes our righteouſneſse. The propheſie is fulfilled. Luke 1. verſes 31.22.33.35. Daniel in the 9. Chapter foretolde that the holineſſe of holineſſes must be annointed, whereby in verie deede he ſheweth plainely and cleerely, that his conception muſt be holy, and must be the ſeconde Temple yet ſtanding. What, that the Prophet Iſaiah, and Haggeus foreſhewed that it ſhoulde come to paſse, that the glorie of the ſeconde Temple ſhould be much greater then the glorie of the firſt, it ſhoulde be euerlasting: was it not truely fulfilled in this moſt pure conception of the Sonne of God,foreign. in which by the power of the holy Ghost, that ſame euerlasting worde hath perſonally vnited the humaine nature, and hath begon to dwell in it, as in his owne Temple? As alſo Christ himſelfe nameth his body a Temple. Ioh. 2. So both the propheſies are fulfilled, not as in a temple of stone, or a figure, whoſe glorie was much leſſe then the glorie of Salomons Temple, neither did that Temple continewe euerlaſtingly, but after the Meſſiah was exalted, to wit, that ſame true Temple was taken away into the fathers glorie, neuer after to be builded againe. The propheſie of Iſaias is playne in the 60. Chapiter, verſ 13. The glory of Lybanon ſhall come vntounto thee, the firre tree, the elme, and the boxe tree together, to bewtifie the place of my ſanctuary: For I will glorifie the place of my feete. And in the ſame place, I will make thee an eternall glorie, &c. The Propheſie of Haggai in the ſecond Chapiter is more notable: So ſaith the Lorde there. Speake nowe vntounto Zerubbabel, the ſonne of Shealtiel, Prince of Iudah, and to Iehoſua the ſonne of Iehozadak the high Prieſt, and to the reſidue of the people ſaying, who is lefte among you that ſawe this houſe in her fi…ſt glorie, and howe do you ſee it nowe? Is it not in your eyes in compariſon of it, as nothing? Yet now ſaith the Lorde of hoastes, ſtrengthen thy ſelfe Zerubbabel, &c. And a litle after: Thus ſaith the Lord God of hoastes, yet a little while, and I will moue the heauen and earth, and the the ſea, and the drie land: and I will moue all nations, and the deſire of all nations ſhall come, and I will fill this houſe with glory ſaith the Lord of hoaſtes. Siluer is mine, and golde is mine, ſaith the Lorde of hoaſtes. The glory of this laſt houſe ſhalbe greater then the firſt, ſaith the Lorde of hoaſtes.
Of the virgines bringing forth a childe.
ISay Chapter 7. The Lorde ſhall giuegive you a ſigne: Beholde a virgine ſhall be with childe, and ſhall bring forth a ſonne, & thou ſhalt call his name Immanuell. Thou hast the fulfilling of it, in the 1. of Mathew verſes 22.23. To which adde the Propheſie of Iſay. Chap. 9. A litle childe is borne vntounto vsus. A ſonne is giuen vntounto vsus, and the gouernement was vponupon his ſhoulder, and he ſhal cal his name wonderful, Counſailour, the mightie God, father of euerlaſtingnes, Prince of peace. Fulfilled in the 2. of Luke. ver. 11.14.
The meaning of the wordes: which was conceaued by the holy Ghoſt, borne of the virgine Marie.
THe meaning is, that the euerlaſting Sonne of God of the ſame ſubſtance with the Father, without any putting off, of his diuine nature, without any conuerſion or commixtiō, was made that which he firſt was not, to wit man, which the Scripture enterpreteth. He tooke the ſeede of Abraham, that is our fleſh of the virgine Marie, and his verie humane ſoule, and that by the power of the holy Ghoſte, that he might be like vntounto his brethren in al things, ſinne onelyonly excepted, Ioh. 1. And to the Hebr. 2. and the fourth: 1. Tim. 3. Rom. 1.
The conſolation which a faithful man conceaueth by this pure conception.
WE conceaue hereof this conſolatiō: firſt, yt we hauehave an vndoubted and true mediator with God, in al thinges that we hauehave to do wt him, as who hath not onelyonly the communiō of one, but of both natures, to wit diuine and humane. Againe that he is ſuch a Mediator, whoſe bodie and ſoule in the verie conception were ſanctified: firſt that he might be a pure and holie ſacrifice, through which all our corruption might be cleanſed, that it might not be laide vntounto our charge. Heb. 7. verſes 26.27. Rom. 7. verſe 20. and the 8. verſe 1. Moreouer to ye end that ye efficacie of his fulnes, might by litle and little ſanctifie this defiled lumpe of ours, vntil he deliuer vsus fully from that ſame natural corruption, and by the ſame holie ſpirite, whereby that ſubſtantial worde hath ſanctified both ſoule and bodie, euen from the wombe, might alſo reforme our ſoules and bodies in the time appointed of God, according to his owne image, Io. 1. verſe 16. & the 1. Cor. 15. verſe 45.47.48.
The drifte and purpoſe of this article, and how neceſſarie ye true vnderſtanding therof is.
THis ſame article concerning the perſon of Chirſt, which conſiſteth of two natures, the humane & the diuine, knitte together by a perſonal vnion, euerlaſtingly, & yet the proprieties of either being kept euerlaſtingly, containeth the foundation and piller of the kingly Prieſthood of Chriſt, and conſequently of his euerlaſting prieſthood betwixt God and men. For it is mans happines, to be ioyned with God, the fountaine of al goodnes, 1. Ioh. 1. Contrariwiſe it is the greateſt vnhappineſſe to be ſeparated from God. But man had ſeparated himſelfe by ſinne from God, and had entred into couenant with the deuill. Euen like as therefore there was a certaine perſon by whom ſinne entred into the world, and by ſinne death, and ſo became as it were the cauſe and foundation of falling away from God, & ending into league with the diuel: ſo alſo muſt there be a certaine perſon appointed of God, that might be the foundation and cauſe of reconciliation, and of neuer breaking that ſame coniunction with God, the fountaine of all happineſſe. Now this perſon is the euerlaſting ſonne of God, with all the proprieties of the diuine nature, and very man, with all the proprieties of mans nature. And euen like as there muſt both theſe natures, true and ſound, the proprieties of either being kept in one perſon of Chriſt to reconcile man to God, and to ſtrike this couenant: ſo alſo to kepe this couenant, that according to the promiſe & oath of God it may be euerlaſting, both natures muſt remaine for euer ſound with their proprieties, vnleſſe we will hauehave the couenant, in the verie piller and foundation to be ſhaken. Therefore Satan hath alwaies gone about, and yet doth by his inſtrumentes, either altogether to denie one of the natures, in the Mediator of the couenant, or elſe vtterly to ouerthrow it. For euen like as when the roote of a tree is hurt, the braunches alſo wither, and no fruite can be hoped for: euen ſo the doctrine being corrupt, concerning the perſon of Chriſt, and the two natures in the ſame perſon, together with their diſtinct proprieties, the doctrine alſo of the Prieſtly, and Kingly office of Chriſt remaineth corrupt, which are, as it were ye fruits of the doctrine concerning the perſon.
The cauſes of this foundation, and firſt, why the mediator muſt remaine verie man, and that euerlaſtinglie, keping the proprieties of the humaine nature.
THe end of once taking & neuer putting off againe mans nature, was that God might declare his vnchangeable righteouſnes and wrath againſt ſinne, and his merciemercy towardes vsus. His iuſtice, I ſay, and his wrath whileſt he will not ſo make his couenant, that he be found vnrighteous and a lyer, who had truely and righteouſly pronounced: in what day ſoeuer you ſhall eate of that tree, you ſhall die the death. And Pſal. 5. Thou art not a God that wilt iniquitie. Therefore he puniſhed ſinne, in the fleſh of man, yea in the fleſh of his onelyonly begotten ſonne: that his high and vnchangeable righteouſneſſe, truth, and wrath againſt ſinne, might be manifeſt to the whole worlde: His mercy, whileſt he puniſheth not our ſins in our ſelues, which notwithſtanding he might iuſtly do, but deriueth his wrath vponupon his onelyonly begotten ſonne, that he might in very deede declare his infinite mercy towardes vsus. Therefore wonderfully, and with great wiſedome, the righteouſneſſe and mercy of God do meete and agree together, or rather that ſame louelove towards mankinde in Chriſt Ieſu. I will ſpeake more largely that the matter may be more euident. God going about to enter into couenant with man, or willing to reconcile man euerlaſtingly vntounto himſelf, wold yet ſo ſhew his merciemercy, yt he denied not his righteouſnes, which is eſſētial vntounto him, & which he can no more denie, thē he can denie himſelf. Now the ſeuere & exact righteouſnes of God required yt foraſmuch as corruption and tranſgreſſion cleaued in mans nature, that is to ſay both in our ſoule and bodie: ſo alſo in the ſame, that is in the nature of man taken of the ſonne of God, of ye ſame ſubſtance, and like in all thinges vntounto vsus (ſinne onelyonly except, which neither belongeth to the ſubſtance nor to the properties of man as he was created of God) there ſhould be a ſatiſfaction, and repaire. For like as by one man ſinne hath entred into the worlde (as the Apoſtle ſaith to the Rom. cap. 5.) and by ſinne death, and ſo death hath paſſed vponupon all men, in as much as al hauehave ſinned: and as by the diſobedience of one man manie are made ſinners: ſo by the obedience of one many are made righteous. Alſo. If by the ſinne of that one many are dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift through grace, which is of one man Ieſus Chriſt, hath abounded towardes many. Wherefore Chriſt muſt be very man both in ſoule & bodie, who by obedience euen to death, and to the death of the croſſe, might ſatiſfie the vnchangable righteouſnes of God, who would not puniſhe that in Angels, becauſe men had ſinned, but in the verie nature of man, therefore the ſonne of God tooke not Angels, but the ſeede of Abrahā, that is, the very nature of man of the ſeede of Abraham. Heb. 2.
Secondly, it behoued the mediator of the euerlaſting couenant to bee brotherlie affected towardes vsus, and therefore he muſt be our verie brother in deede, and abide ſo for euer, with all the proprieties of a verie brother in deede, as is plainely taught in the ſecond chap. to the Hebrues: He that ſanctifieth, and they which are ſanctified are al of one. For which cauſe he was not aſhamed to cal them brethren, ſaying, I will declare thy name vntounto my brethren: in the middeſt of the Church I will ſing praiſes vntounto thee. And that we may knowe, that like as the Sonne of God was not aſhamed, to become once our brother, with brotherly affection, & other verie humaine properties: ſo alſo yt he is not now aſhamed of vsus, neither that he hath put off nature or affectiō, and other very properties of man, and of a brotherly nature, the Scripture ſaith in the end of the Chapter. Wherfore in al things it behoued him to be made like vntounto his brethren, yt he might be merciful & a faithfull hie prieſt in thinges which were to be don with God, that he might make reconciliation for the ſinns of the people. For in that he ſuffered, whē he was tempted, he is able to ſuccour them which are tempted. And leaſt any man ſhould cauil, that Chriſt after his aſcenſion into heauen begā to be aſhamed of vsus, and to put off the nature of a brother, that is that verie nature of man, and the properties thereof: Heare what the ſpirite of trueth ſaith farther in 4. cap. of ye ſame Epiſtle. Hauing therfore an high prieſt which hath entred into the heauens, euen Ieſus ye ſonnne of God, let vsus hold faſt our profeſſion. For we hauehave not an high Prieſt, which cānot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in al thinges tempted in like ſort, yet without ſinne. Let vsus therfore go with confidence (now he ſet the foundation of confidence to be in this, that we hauehave an highe Biſhop, who not onelyonly hath the nature of God, but alſo of man, a very brother in deed, hauing not put of the properties of nature, ſo yt he can hauehave compaſſion vponupon vsus) to the throne of grace, that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in the time of neede.
Thirdly, God hath confirmed by oath, that the fruite of the loines of Dauid, ſhould raigne for euer. Pſal. 133. and the 89. It muſt needes be therefore that Chriſte this king be of the ſubſtance and loines of Dauid: and continue an euerlaſting kinge, and very man; not onelyonly in name, but in the very ſubſtance and properties of a naturall fruite ſprong from the loines of Dauid, and abiding and raigning worlde without end, in the throne of Gods maieſtie in the higheſt heauens. Hebr. 1. Which thinge bringeth vsus exceeding ioye in euerlaſting life, for that we ſhall behold our nature, in our brother and heade Chriſt, to be adorned with ſo great glorie in all eternitie.
Cauſes, for which it muſt needes be, that the mediator of the couenant, be very God, with all the properties of God.
THe cauſes for which it is neceſſarie that the mediator be not onelyonly very mā, but alſo very God, be theſe. The chiefe cauſe is, becauſe God would declare his infinite louelove. And this is the meaning of that, So God loued the worlde (ſo I ſay) that he gaue his only begotten ſonne, &c. The ſecond cauſe is next vnderunder this: becauſe he had receaued a commandement of the father, that required an almightie worker (to wit a commandement, by his merite and vertue to ſaue the elect.) Nowe there is but one Almightie, euen God. Ioh. 10. verſ. 18. Out of this ſame ſecond cauſe, which properly belongeth to Chriſt, theſe endes are deriued: The firſt concerning deſarte. For therefore muſt the Mediator be verie God, that, that ſame obedience of Chriſt, whereby ſo great a perſon, which is equal to the father, humbling himſelfe in the nature of man, that the curſe might be made in it, might be from the beginning of the world for al eternitie to come a matchable price, or rather a price of redemption for the ſinnes of all the elect of the whole worlde, euen that the price might wey downe our ſinnes. Therefore in the 20. of the Actes it is ſaide, That God redeemed his Church with his bloud. And in the 9 to the Hebrues, Alſo, grace hath abounded aboue the fault. This obedience of the Sonne when it is made a ſacrifice for vsus, it ſurmounteth all obedience of Angels, and al other creatures.
The ſecond end is, that ſeeing he muſt be a Sauiour, no leſſe in vertue then in merite: he muſt firſt in himſelfe ouercome our ſinne, the wrath of God and death▪ Nowe that the waight of the infinite wrath of God in the manhoode might ſtand & ouercome, and moreouer that he might raiſe himſelf frō death, it was neceſſary yt he that ſhould ſuffer, ſhould be very man in ſuch ſort, that he might together be infinite, that is the true and euerlaſting God: that is, that his manhod ſhould be perſonallie & inſeperablie vnited to his godheade, of which it ſhould vpholden, that our ſaluation might not by any meane be in danger, ſeeing it is impoſſible that yt vnion ſhould be diſſolued. For God alone could not die (as one of the auncient fathers hauehave wittilie ſaid) neither could man alone ouercome death. Therefore to the Romans Ca. 1. he ſaith yt he is declared to be the ſonne of God by the power of his reſurrection. Moreouer by his power, it behoued him alſo to ouercome ſinne and death in vsus (Ioh. 5.) to witte by giuing faith, whereby that merite might be applied vntounto vsus, and the holy Ghoſte through, whō he might reſtore in vsus the image of God, and quicken vsus euerlaſtingly, and alſo maintaine that ſaluation ſo gotten: Now foraſmuch as all theſe things are of nature belonging to him who is almightie, it was neceſſary that he by nature ſhould be God almightie. For who could hauehave performed that, but he through whom man in the beginning was made after the image of God? Coloſſ. 1.3. who could hauehave giuen the holy Ghoſt which is God, but he which is God himſelfe? who could hauehave reſtored euerlaſting life, but yt ſame word, the ſonne of God, in whō life is from ye beginning? Io. 1. Finaly foraſmuch as God hath ſaid, I am ye Lord, & beſides me there is no ſauiour it was neceſſarie that our ſauiour Chriſt, which by the decree of God was appointed, to obtaine and beſtowe ſaluation, ſhould be very God, with all the properties of the Godhead, omnipotencie, eternitie, infinite maieſtie and glorie, without which he could neither be a Sauiour, nor abide for euer.
Why thoſe ſame two natures muſt be vnited in the Mediator.
THat the foundation of that ſame couenant of grace, or rather of that coniunction betwixt God and vsus might be firme, GOD would hauehave theſe two natures in Chriſt to be knit together after a wonderful manner, to wit, by the vnion of perſons. Now when we ſay yt the diuine and humaine nature of Chriſte are perſonallie knit together, we vnderſtand yt the ſonne who is God, hath taken mans nature into the vnitie of his perſon, and ſo God is manifeſted in the fleſh, and made man, but in the perſon of the ſonne, and ſo as the proprieties of both natures remaine ſafe, aſwel that the ſaluation of men might be obtained by that meane, that he had appointed: as alſo that it might be maintained and continued for euer. For ſaluation could not hauehave ben obtained, vnleſſe mans nature, and the nature of God had bene knit together in a perſonall vnion: Firſt, becauſe it had not beene the bloude of the Sonne of God, that was to be ſhed: and ſo it had not bene a ſacrifice worthie enough, for the ſinnes of the whole worlde. Moreouer, the humanitie could not hauehave beene able to ſuſtaine the wrath of God, neither hauehave aboliſhed the ſinnes that were laide vponupon it, vnleſſe the diuinitie had ben coupled vntounto it, into the vnitie of the perſon, by a moſt firme and altogether vnlooſeable knotte: both which, that ſame man Chriſt by the power of his diuinitie, being perſonally knitte vntounto him, hath perfourmed. Acts 20. Philip. 2. Hebr. 19.14. Coloſſ. 1. verſ. 14.15. And much leſſe alſo might ſaluation nowe obtained be maintained, vnleſſe they were knit together, and might ſo remaine for euer. For euen like as it was required for the entry to that prieſthoode, and for the prouiding of full ſatiſfaction, that there ſhould be the body and ſoule of the ſonne of God, in which there might be ſatiſfaction: ſo alſo that the prieſthoode might be euerlaſting, and an euerlaſting interceſſion be made for vsus, it muſt be, that that ſame humane nature be properly belonging to the ſonne of God, which he muſt ſhewe before the face of the father in heauen, in which, as our ſinnes are once cleanſed, ſo it might be the pledge of our reconciliation for euer. Pſal. 110.1. and the 4. Matth. 22. verſ 44. Moreouer that ſame man Chriſt, could not by his vertue and power be a ſauiour, vnleſſe alſo he had the diuine nature ioyned vntounto him, into the vnitie of perſon, from which, together as alſo from the father proceedeth the holy ghoſte, who bringeth vsus into the poſſeſſion of Chriſt, engraffeth vsus into Chriſt, and begetteth vsus againe into euerlaſting life. 1. Cor. 15. verſe 21.45. Rom. 8. verſe 8.9. And ſurely as they can not any more fall from euerlaſting life, whiche are truely once engraffed into Chriſte by the holy Ghoſte: ſo that very worde, the euerlaſting Sonne of God, of the ſubſtance of the Father, to wit, that ſame very fountaine of life, in which life was from the beginning,foreign. Iohn 1. taken in the nature of man to endure euerlaſtingly, muſt dwell bodily, that is to ſay, perſonally. For ſeeing that ſame highe maieſtie of God, was moſte farre ſeparated from our wretched condition, and yet notwithſtanding, hee had appointed for his infinite louelove toward vsus moſte wretched caſtawayes, through grace to ioyne his diuinitie, which is the fountaine of all happines, to the end it might endure for euer, it was needefull, that hee ſhould alſo ioine our humane nature taken out of the lumpe of mankinde vntounto his diuinitie by a perſonal vnion. Col. 1. verſe 9.10. Otherwiſe we ſhould not hauehave had neerenes enough, nor ſufficient ſtedfaſt kinred (as it were) with God, which might aſſure our faith, that God doth truely dwel with vsus, & that Chriſt is, and euerlaſtingly ſhould be, Immanuel, that is, God with vsus. Iſai. 7. Mat. 1.
What the perſonal vnion is, and wherefore it is that the properties of both natures muſt remaine whole and ſound in it.
THe perſonall vnion, is the knitting together of two natures in Chriſt, to wit, of the diuine and humane: in which, admitte that the one be and remaine the maker, and without beginning: and the other be and remaine created, and therefore hauehave a beginning: one be of the ſame ſubſtance together with the Father; the other be of the ſame ſubſtance with vsus: one be almightie, becauſe it is God; the other be not almightie becauſe the creature is not the creator, neither are there two almightie ones, but one almightie one: one be and remaine infinite, but the other be not infinite but finite, hauing a finite head, armes, feete, &c. Admitte (I ſay) that theſe natures are moſt diuerſe, and remaine euerlaſtingly diſtinguiſhed in their properties (for as much as the creator will euerlaſtingly remaine diſtinct from all creatures, yea from that ſame lumpe which it hath taken) yet notwithſtanding, they are ſo coupled together, that they make one Indiuiduum, to wit, Chriſte. All this may be ſeene by the conception, in which that ſame perſonall vnion was once perfectly made, neither was it euer afterwardes otherwiſe made. Ioh. 1.3. cap. 14. Hebr. 2.16. Seeing therfore that the couenant of ſaluation, betweene God and men, is euerlaſting, it muſt needes be concluded that in the perſon of Chriſt as in the foundation, theſe two natures are ſo euerlaſtingly vnited together, that in meane ſeaſon the trueth of either nature, remaine for euer with their properties, and that neither be ſwallowed vp of the other, vnleſſe we would hauehave the couenant to be weakened and plucked vp from the very foundations. For euen like as for ye entring into the couenant and reconciliation with God, that both thoſe natures in the mediatour, muſt be true and ſound, keeping their properties: ſo alſo foraſmuch as the couenant & conjunction muſt endure in all euerlaſtingnes, that this ſame our true and very fleſh and bones may enioye the ſame happines, & yt after our reſurrection, Philip. 3. it behoueth alſo that in the foundation, to wit in the mediator, vponupon whome the office of ſauing vsus, is euerlaſtingly laide, there remaine for euer the ſame whole humaine nature both ſoule and body, fleſh and bones. For the nature of any one beeing ouerthrowen, or the properties thereof denied, the couenant it ſelf falleth, that is, it can neither be entred into, nor be preſerued, as before is ſhewed