A Cure for the Cankering Error of the New Eutychians, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Concerning Chriſt our Mediator.
I Will now by God's help prove, by the holy Scriptures, that the Eternal Word, viz. the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity, took fleſh of the Virgin Mary, and ſo was made like unto his brethren in all things, ſin only excepted, Heb. 2.17. & 4.15. For neither the Father, nor holy Spirit, took our nature upon them; but Chriſt only. For as by the firſt Adam came ſin, and death by ſin, even ſo comes grace and life by Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 5. But here we muſt note how Chriſt took Man's Nature upon him. Not by turning his Godhead into his Manhood, but by aſſuming of his Manhood into his Godhead; not by confuſion or mixture of ſubſtance, but by unity of Perſon…. For as the reaſonable Soul and fleſhly body is one Man, even ſo the Deity and Humanity is one Chriſt. When, I ſay, Chriſt took our Nature upon him, I mean not that he took our fleſh only, (as ſome Hereticks have thought) but the Soul of man alſo. Foraſmuch as he is no half-Saviour, but a Redeemer both of Body and Soul; for St. John ſaith, The Word was made Fleſh, viz. by taking Man's fleſh or Nature in union with the Word, which is Chriſt. And why he is called the Word, I have already ſhewed, and ſhall (God willing) do it again in the Queſtions and Anſwers about Chriſt, in a place ſet for it; therefore I paſs it over here.
Queſt. But the Eutychians ask us, Of what matter the fleſh of Chriſt was made? Or, Did he not bring it out of Heaven?
Anſw. No truly; for as the firſt Adams fleſh was made of the Earth, as it is written, Gen. 2.7. Even ſo it is written, Chriſt was made of a Woman, Gal. 4.4. for he did not paſs through her as Water through a Pipe, but took part of her ſubſtance; therefore the Prophet Iſaiah ſaith, There ſhall come forth a Rod out of the Stem of Jeſſe, and a branch or bloſſome ſhall grow out of his roots, Iſa. 9. Acts 13.23. And Solomon calleth him a Lilly and Roſe, Cant. 2.1. Now you know the Flower and the Roſe taketh its nature of the root; For, as St. Paul ſaith, As is the root, ſuch are the branches, Rom. 11.16, 17. Beſides, it was the Will of God that the ſame fleſh that ſinned ſhould be puniſhed; as we may ſee an inſtance in Davids Child; although David ſinned in killing of Ʋriah, yet it pleaſed God to ſpare Davids perſon from death, and puniſh him in his fleſh, viz. his Child with death. See 2 Sam. 12.14. Howbeit, becauſe by this deed thou haſt given great occaſion to the enemies of the Lord to blaſpheme, the Child alſo that it born unto thee ſhall ſurely die. Even ſo, it was Adam that ſinned, but it pleaſed God to ſpare his perſon, and puniſh him in his fleſh, viz. Chriſt: For, as St. Paul ſaith, He was made a Curſe for us, Gal. 3.13. And, as St. Peter ſaith, The juſt ſuffered for the unjuſt, 1 Pet. 1.18. & 3.18. See the compariſon alſo betwixt the two Adams in Rom. 5.18. Therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even ſo by the righteouſneſs of one, the free gift came upon all men to juſtification of life. For as by one man's diſobedience many were made ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one ſhall many be made righteous. And thus, as St. Paul ſaith, He is fleſh of our fleſh; Foraſmuch as the Children are partakers of fleſh and blood, he alſo himſelf took part of the ſame, Heb. 2.14. For the Apoſtle ſaith, Verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels, but he-took on him the Seed of Abraham: Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful, and faithful High Prieſt, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the ſins of the People. By all which it doth appear, that he took fleſh of the Virgin Mary. I touch this matter the more, becauſe not long ſince I communed with ſome men, who very confidently did affirm, that the eternal Word did not take any fleſh of the Virgin Mary. And they alſo boaſted that there were many Men and Women in England of their opinion concerning this matter. For although they do grant that Chriſt as Man was really fleſh, yet they deny the matter of which it was made, to be of or from the Virgin Mary, but ſay that it was Heavenly matter, viz. the Divine Nature was turned into Fleſh in the Virgins Womb; even as the Water at Cana was turned into Wine, Joh. 2.7. Now I will, by God's help, in this enſuing Diſcourſe, demonſtrate the falſhood of this their Opinion: for it denyeth Chriſt to be the true Son of David according to the fleſh, contrary to all theſe Texts, Gen. 26.4. & 22.18. 2 Sam. 7.12. Pſal. 132.11. Acts 2.30. all which prove him to be the true Son of David according to the fleſh. As alſo St. Matthew and St. Luke reckon his kindred and generation from Adam, Abraham, and David, &c. Moreover, Chriſt came not only to die for our ſins, but alſo to be an example unto us, and a perfect pattern of good living; as ſhall be declared afterward more fully. For how could he more ſet forth his exceeding love to us, than in dying for us. For greater love than this hath no man, than to beſtow his life, ſaith Chriſt, ſpeaking of his own death. Now the Deity ſuffered no infirmity, or change, which is impoſſible; wherefore it was neceſſary that he ſhould take our Nature upon him, who came to heal our infirmities, and to teach us to cure them through Faith in well-doing: If he had taken them in any other nature, then the example of his life would not have been teachable unto us; for if he had been tempted in any other nature, or died, how could we learn to withſtand the Devil, and to overcome his temptations by Chriſt's example, wherefore there was no way like this to redeem man. He is Wiſdom, therefore he took the wiſeſt way, &c.
Now, that you may the better underſtand theſe great Myſteries concerning God, and of the Father, and of Chriſt, Col. 2.2. I will put that which I have ſaid into Queſtions & Anſwers, that ſo through God's bleſſing you may ſee this great Myſtery of Godlineſs, 1 Tim. 3.15. and believe it: As alſo add more to this that I have here ſaid for your comfort by way of Ʋſe and Application, and ſo leave the Work to …he bleſſing of God, and your ſerious conſideration.