The Pattern of Wholesome Words, Chapter 13 – Chapter 14
CHAP. XIII. Of Christs humanity.
HItherto of the diuine nature of Christ: There are foure principles concerning the humane nature of Christ: the one concernes the matter, the other three concerne the manner.
1. The first, that the Sonne of God was incarnate, did assume the true nature of man, and was a very man amongst vsus, Ioh. 1.1. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and that word was God. 14. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among vsus, and we saw the glory thereof as the glory of the only begotten Sonne of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Hebr. 2.14. For as much then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he also himselfe likewise tooke part with them. 16. For hee in no sort tooke the Angels, but hee tooke the seed of Abraham.
2. That hee was not conceiued as other men, but by the holy Ghost, Luk. 1.35. And the Angell answered and said vntounto her, the holy Ghost shall come vponupon thee, and the power of the most high shall ouershadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall bee borne of thee, shall be called the Son of God.
Mat. 1.20. Feare not to take Mary for thy wife; for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghost.
3. That hee was borne of a Virgin, Esa. 7.14. Therefore the Lord himselfe will giuegive you a signe: behold the Virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne, and she shall call his name Emmanuel..
Matth. 1.18. Now the birth of Iesus Christ was thus: when as his mother Mary was betrothed to Ioseph; before they came together she was found with child of the holy Ghost.
Genes. 3.15. I will also put enmity betweene thee and the woman, and betweene thy seed and her seed, hee shall breake thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heele.
4. That his humane nature did subsist in the diuine nature, and so both made but one person, Colos. 2.9. For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily.
Luk. 1.35. And the Angel answered and said vntounto her: The holy Ghost shall come vponupon thee, and the power of the most high shal ouershadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be borne of thee, shall bee called the Sonne of God, &c.
The vses may bee raised seuerally from each of the principles, and so: First, the doctrine of the incarnation of Christ may serue,
1. For information, and that both of the louelove of God, and of his wisedome, which both shine in this worke: His louelove, in that he sent vsus a Sauiour to take our nature: and his wisedome, in that he sent vsus his Sonne.
But what need was there that Christ should bee incarnate,Question. and take mans nature rather then any other?
First,Answere. that satisfaction might be made to God in the same nature that had offended.
2. Because without effusion of blood, there could bee no remission, Heb. 9.22.
3. Because a Mediator should be meet to deale betweene both parties: therefore he is God for the businesse with his Father, and man for the businesse with men.
4. That so he might hauehave the right of the kinsman to redeeme vsus, and so of adoption, Ier. 32.8. Ruth 3.13.
5. To assure our resurrection.
Heb. 2.14. That he might destroy through death him, that had the power of death, which is the diuell, &c.
Question.But why was the second person in Trinitie incarnate?
Answere.It was most conueniently, and comely it should be so?
1. By the Son was man made at the beginning, and therefore fitly by him was he redeemed.
2. He most fitly repaires the image of God in vsus, who was himselfe the image of his father.
3. He that was the Sonne of God most conueniently makes vsus the Sonnes of God.
Secondly, for instruction, and so it should teach vsus:
1. First, to acknowledge both natures in Christ, and know, it is of necessitie to saluation to confesse his glory in both.
2. It should worke vponupon vsus the impressions of humility. This is a matchlesse example of humilitie, that he, that was equall to the father, should make himselfe so low, as to take vponupon him the forme of a seruant, &c. as it is vrged, Phil. 2.6.7.
It were intolerable shame for vsus to mind our owne things, or to stand vponupon our glory, and greatnesse. Oh, how should this make vsus easily deny our selues, if we could throughly thinke vponupon it?
3. Thirdly, it should stirre vsus vp wonderfully to a desire to come vntounto Christ, and to be made one with him, and to be like him. Hee drew neere to vsus, when hee tooke our nature; and shall not we draw neere to him in imitation of his nature, and shew forth his vertues? He descended from heauen to vsus, and shall not we ascend to heauen to him?
4. This may serue for great humiliation to al such, as receiue not the Sonne of God: hath hee taken our nature, and dwelt amongst vsus, and saw we his glory, as the glory of the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God: and are wee yet ignorant of him? doe we yet neglect to come vntounto him?
5. Lastly, the incarnation of Christ, is the very fountaine of all our comfort. It is the sunneshine of religion, we should reioyce in it aboue all things. There should be no godly man, but his heart should leape within him vponupon the thoughts of this glorious grace of God. The Angels of heauen sang in the aire, when they brought this tidings; and can wee sit desolate in heart, to whom a Sauiour is borne, and for whom he was incarnate? Luk. 2.10.
Christs incarnation is the most cleare looking glasse to shew forth the wisdome, mercy, truth, and iustice of God. This was a worke farre aboue the creation of man; this doctrine is comfortable in the very respect of the honour done to the nature of man, in that God hath ioyned man so neerely to himselfe, and it imports a wonderfull louelove, that Christ doth now vnchangeably beare to man, being himselfe of the same nature: but especially it should swallow vp all earthly discontentments to consider, that God hath giuen him to vsus, and Christ is all this for our sakes, Esay 9.6. For vntounto vsus a childe is borne, and vntounto vsus a sonne is giuen: &c. How should Christ bee vntounto vsus onelyonly in stead of all things? The very peace we hauehave by him should enflame vsus, peace aboue vsus with God and the Angels: peace within vsus with our owne consciences; peace about vsus with all creatures, Luke 2.14. and specially it should establish vsus in the assurance of the accomplishment of all that yet remaines of our full redemption, we need not doubt of his intercession: our suites must all needes speed well, there sits one at the right hand of God, that is our owne flesh and bloud, and we need not feare the last iudgement. It cannot but be well with vsus, if our owne brother be our iudge: we should not be affraid in the meane time in the euill day. He will succour vsus, he hath had experience of the frailtie of our nature, and therefore hath a feeling of our infirmities, and will helpe vsus in all time of our need, Heb. 2.18. For in that he suffred, and was tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Heb. 4.15. For we hauehave not an high Priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities: but was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sinne.
Yea, the very glory of Christ in heauen is by this meanes ours. Christ is my portion, my flesh, and my blood, where my portion raigneth, there beleeue I, that I raigne; where my flesh is glorified, there I thinke my selfe in glory; where my blood ruleth, there thinke I my selfe exalted.
And all this is the more comfortable, if we consider, that God had not respect of persons in this, which may appeare by the manifestation of the incarnation. It was reueiled to shepheards, and to the Wise men; the one poore, the other rich; the one learned, the other vnlearned; the one Gentiles, the other Iewes; the one neere, the other farre off. This light appeared to Anna a woman, as well as to Simeon that iust man. And besides note the wonderfull wisedome of God in the manner of reuealing Christ: viz. to eueryevery one according to his owne estate. For to Simeon and Anna, as more spirituall persons, the natiuitie was reuealed by the instinct of the Spirit. To the Shepheards as ruder men, by the voice and speech of Angels. To the Priests and Scribes that searched Scripture, by an Oracle of the Scripture. To Herod a stranger, by the testimony of the Wise men that were strangers. To the Wise men, that were students of Astrology, by the rising of a new starre.
CHAP. XIV. Of the conception of Christ.
THus much of the vses of the incarnation of Christ: the vses of his conception follow.
The doctrine of his conception by the holy Ghost may serue:
First, for information, and that in diuers things:
1. First, concerning the wonder of his birth, heere is a new birth giuen to the world, neuer such a one before: he that is the onelyonly Sonne in heauen, is by this meanes the onelyonly man on earth to be admired. When God was to be made visible on earth, and to come to dwell amongst men, a heauenly temple is prouided for him; the holy Ghost builds him a temple in the wombe of a Virgin.
2. Concerning the freedome of Christ from Originall sinne, we might aske,Quest. How could Christ be free from sinne, seeing he came of Adam, whose nature was infected in all his posteritie.
Now this is answered in this principle:Answ. for Christ came of Adam, but not by Adam, but by the holy Ghost: The holy Ghost miraculously formed Christs body of the substance of the Virgin, stopping the course of originall sinne, and sanctifying it: sinne comes into the world by propagation only.
3. Concerning the sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ: It must needes bee an admirable sacrifice, that is thus fitted from the wombe.
4. Concerning the superstition of the Papists about the Virgin Marie: for they attribute the purity of Christs nature to the holinesse of the Virgin, that shee was without sinne; whereas it is euident, it is to be attributed to the holy Ghost.
5. Concerning the possibilitie for Christ to be borne of a virgin: It is as easie for God to frame vntounto Christ a body in the wombe of a Virgin, as to make mans body at the first of the myer of the earth.
Secondly, for Instruction, and so this conception by the holy Ghost should teach vsus:
1. First, to be wise to sobriety in this mysterie of the incarnation of Christ: a purer sense and a cleaner hearing is called-for here: the ouershadowing of the virgin shewes, that we must bring faith to beleeue the mysterie without further inquiring.
2. To desire feruently the sanctifying of our natures, that wee as his members might bee conformed vntounto him as our head, and so we are, if Christ be conceiued in our hearts by the holy Ghost, as hee was conceiued in the womb of the Virgin, Gal. 4.7
For consolation, and so his conception is comfortable, especially in two things:
1. First, the holinesse of his conception will iustifie vsus from the vnholinesse of our conception, and quit vsus from the guilt and filth of originall sinne.
2. Secondly, it may comfort vsus in the expectation of our perfect holinesse. Hee that was so carefull to hauehave his naturall body fitted so exquisitely, will not neglect his mysticall body the Church, but will louelove it, and wash it, till it bee without spot and wrinkle, and the rather because it is bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, Ephes. 5.25.26.
And thus of the vse of the conception.