Exposition of Jude, Verse 1 · Part 9
Aduersaries hereof are▪
The Papists, who hold that they are one doctrine only, but herein differing, that the Law is more darke, the Gospell more plaine, the former more hard to fulfill, the latter more easie; that is as the roote of a tree, this as the bodie & branches: by which premises they would conclude Christ to be no Sauiour, but an instrumēt rather for vsus to saue our selues by, he giuing vsus grace to keepe the Law: for a sinner must needes bee saued by works, if there be no difference between the Law and the Gospell, and if the Law which requireth workes were not moderated by the Gospel, which requireth not workes but faith.
The 12. ground is, The word was made flesh, 12. GroundIoh. 1.14. This is a maine ground, as in 1. Ioh. 4.3. EueryEvery spirit that doth not confesse that Christ is come in the flesh, that is, eueryevery doctrine in which Christ is denied to be come in the flesh, is not of God but of Antichrist. Now by [word] I vnderstand the eternall sonne of God, the second person in Trinitie, the very substantiall word of the Father. It is added [was made] not as though the sonne of God was turned into flesh and ceased to bee Gods sonne, but as Heb. 2.16. in that he tooke not the seede of Angels, but of Abraham. The meaning then is, that the Sonne of God foreignabiding still the word tooke (that is) receiued into his person our nature; Phil. 2.7. He tooke vponupon him the forme of a seruant. The word [flesh] signifieth first mans nature which Christ tooke vntounto him, namely a true nature of man, not phantasticall or apparant onelyonly. Secondly, the whole nature of man consisting of true and perfect soule and bodie, with all things that belong to the entire nature of man; for if he had taken mans nature only in part, he had redeemed it but in part. Thirdly, the properties of man in soule, minde, will, affections, in body, breadth, length, circumscription, &c. Fourthly, the infirmities and frailties of mans nature without sin; where must be noted, that Christ tooke not all infirmities of mans nature, as sin and corruption, neither eueryevery personall infirmitie of eueryevery person, as blindnes, Gowte, or this and that particular disease. Here by the way it may be asked, whether Christ had obliuion in his agonie, as some hauehave thought? To which may be answered: That euen whē he vttered those words [Father if it be thy will let this cup &c.] it is not fit to attribute obliuion vntounto him, which properly is a forgetfulnes of those things which we are bound to remember, for thus wee should draw sinne vponupon him: but rather to ascribe it to suspending of the memorie: which is when a man neither forgetteth nor remembreth. For as in the will be three things, 1. willing, 2. nilling, 3. suspending of the will, which is neither of the former; so also is it in memorie, which remembreth, forgetteth, and suspendeth memorie for a time. Now the summe of the whole ground is; That the Sonne of God, the second person and so abiding, tooke vntounto him the perfect nature of man, in all things being like vntounto vsus, sinne onelyonly excepted: for the further cleering of which, consider these foure conclusions: first, The Sonne of God made man is not two persons distinct, but one alone. Quest. How can this be?Quest. for as he is the Sonne of God he is a person; and as he is a man he is a particular person, as eueryevery seuerall man is, and therefore hee is two persons.Answere. Ans. EueryEvery particular man is a person, because he subsisteth of himselfe; but the manhood of Christ subsisteth not in it selfe, but in the second person onelyonly, so that Christ God and man is but one person: for euen as body and soule make one man, so Godhead and Manhood make but one Christ. Secondly, this one person consisteth of two distinct natures, the Godhead, and the Manhood standing of bodie and soule. Thirdly, these two natures are vnited and ioyned into one person, for the Godhead doth take the Manhood and support it. Fourthly, these two natures after coniunction remaine distinct, the Godhead is not the Manhood, neither on the contrary: but still distinguished, first in regard of themselues. Secondly of their properties; for the properties of the one are not the properties of the other. Thirdly of their actions; for the actions of the Godhead are not communicated to the Manhood, neither is the worke of one nature the worke of another.