The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · Christ's two natures · Subsection 2
2. Whether Christ be one perſon, or moe.
IN Chriſt are two perfect natures, whole and diſtinct: and double properties alſo and operations naturall: but one perſon, which ſubſiſting in both theſe natures, divine, and humane, is truly deſigned by the concrete termes or voyces of both natures. For it is requiſite that one and the ſame ſhould be Mediatour both by merit, and by power or efficacy. But they who make two perſons, make alſo two Chriſts with Marcion and Neſtorius, See Iren. Lib. 3. cap. 17. adverſ. haeret.The one a man paſsive and crucified, the other God, not crucified, and only aſſisting the man Christ by his grace.
Object. 1. In whom are two things, which in themſelves make two whole perſons, in him alſo are two perſons. But in Chriſt are two things which make two whole perſons: (namely, the Word, which is by it ſelfe a perſon, ſubſiſting from all eternity, and the body and ſoule, which being united, make likewiſe a perſon) Therefore, in Chriſt are two perſons. Anſw. We deny that part of the Minor, to wit, That the body and humane ſoule doe, as in other men, ſo alſo in Chriſt, concurre to make a created perſon of the humane nature, and diverſe from the perſon increate and eternall of the Word. For albeit the humane nature in Chriſt, compounded of a body and reaſonable ſoule, is an individuall and particular, or ſingular ſubſtance, as being from other individuals of the ſame nature diſtinguiſhed by certain properties and accidents: yet neither was it, or is it a perſon of ſubſiſtence: For, 1. A perſon is that which is not only a particular, or ſingular thing, but alſo it ſelfe conſiſteth, and ſubſiſteth in it ſelfe, and by it ſelfe, not ſuſtained in, or of any other: but Chriſts humane nature, now from the very firſt beginning thereof, dependeth, and is ſuſtained by the perſon of the Word: For, it was at once both formed and aſſumed of the Word into unity of perſon, and made proper unto the Word: before, and without which aſſumption, or perſonall Union, it neither was, nor had been, nor ſhould be; ſo that this Union being diſſolved and looſed, it muſt needs follow, that this fleſh, and this ſoule ſhould be brought to nothing: Therefore Chriſts humane nature hath not any ſubſiſtence, or perſon proper unto it ſelfe. 2. It belongeth to the nature or definition of a perſon, that it be an individuall, incommunicable, and alſo no part of another. But the nature, which the Word took and aſſumed, belongeth to the ſubſtance of one Chriſt, a part alſo of whom it is after a ſort: Therefore in it ſelfe, and by it ſelfe, it is no perſon.
Repl. That which appertaineth to the ſubſtance of a perſon, and is a part thereof, cannot be a perſon. The Word appertaineth and belongeth to the ſubſtance of Chriſt, and is after a ſort a part of him, as well as the humanity: Therefore neither ſhall the Word be by this reaſon a perſon. Anſw. That which is part onelyonly of a perſon (that is, is ſo a part, that beſides of it ſelfe it is no perſon) is no perſon: or, that which is a part of a perſon, is not a perſon; true, it is not that perſon, whoſe part it is. Thus the Major propoſition, if it be underſtood ſimply, or univerſally, is falſe. For a reaſonable ſoule exiſting in the body, is not a perſon, but a part of a humane perſon, which the ſoule, together with the body doth make: yet notwithſtanding the ſame ſoule, being looſed from the body, is a perſon by it ſelfe; not that compound and mortall perſon, whereof it was a part, that is, an humane perſon, but a perſon moſt ſimple and immortall, as are the Angels; becauſe it ſubſiſteth our of the body by it ſelfe, neither is a part of another: So may it be ſaid of the Word, if it be conſtrued aright, and with indifferency, That the Word in it ſelfe, and by it ſelfe, is not the whole perſon of Christ, or the Mediatour, as he is Chriſt and Mediatour: that is, is not that whole thing, which is Chriſt, who is not only God, but alſo man: and yet is in it ſelfe, and by it ſelfe, the perfect and whole perſon of the God head, truly ſubſiſting before the fleſh was that is, the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God. For this ſelfe fame perſon exiſting in it ſelfe from everlaſting, and remaining for ever moſt ſimple and uncompound, is, by the aſſuming of mans nature, made in time after a ſort compound, that is, the Word incarnate. Wherefore, in reſpect of the perſon conſidered in Union, or incarnate, the Word is rather conſidered as a nature; and both it ſelfe, and the humane nature may be called as it were, the parts of whole Chriſt, and are ſo called alſo of many of the ancient Fathers, which were ſound in faith; not that the fleſh aſſumed did adde any part to the ſubſiſtence of the Word: or, as if of the perſons of the Word and the humane nature, as being imperfect parts, were made another perfect perſon of a certain third eſſence; conſubſtantiall with neither of thoſe two natures, of which it is compounded; but becauſe the perſon of the Word altogether one and the ſame, which, before the fleſh was taken, conſiſted in the divine nature onelyonly, doth now after the taking of the fleſh, ſubſiſt in two perfect natures, divine and humane, ſuffering no commixtion, confuſion, or mutation: that is, The perſon of the Mediatour is ſaid to be conſtituted of two natures, divine and humane, as it were of parts, becauſe theſe two are neceſſarily required, and doe concurre to the abſolving and accompliſhing of the work of our redemption. In this ſenſe therefore, both by ancient and later Divines, and alſo by the Schoolemen, are uſed well, and without danger, theſe phraſes and ſpeeches: Chriſts perſon is compounded: The two natures are, as it were, the parts of Chriſt: The perſon of Chriſt is, conſiſteth is conſtituted, is made of, or in the two natures of God and man: The two natures concurre, or come together into one perſon and ſubſiſtence: They make one hypoſtaſis, or ſubſiſtence: Both natures belong, and concurre to the ſubſtance of one Chriſt: Both are of the ſubſtance of belong, and concurre to the ſubſtance of one Chriſt: Both are of the ſubſtance of Chriſt: The humanity with the Word; or contrary, The divine perſon or ſubſiſtence with the humane nature, doth conſtitute, or make the ſubſtance of one Chriſt. Of the Word and the fleſh aſſumed, as of ſubſtantiall parts, doth one Chriſt conſiſt. By theſe and the like phraſes of ſpeech uſed of this myſtery, ſingular, and ſurpaſſing all capacity of mans wit, the Orthodoxall, that is, men of a right and ſound judgement in points of faith, will ſignifie, and ſome way expreſſe this only: That the two natures are ſo united, and linked in that one perſon of Christ, as that they exiſt wholly in that one perſon or ſubſiſtence, which is, perfect and whole, proper to the Word from everlaſting by nature; and is, whole, made in time the perſon of humanity alſo now aſſumed and deſtitute of the proper perſonality thereof: and this is made by grace of union; ſo that the devine ſubſiſtence, or perſon of the Word, being in it ſelfe moſt ſimple, and moſt perfect, doth notwithstanding ſubſiſt truly and individually in the two natures. Wherefore, ſeeing the thing it ſelfe is cleere, and agreed upon among them who are of right judgement, and ſound in faith, we are not odiouſly to jarre about words; eſpecially, ſith that concerning theſe ſupernaturall things, no words of humane ſpeech can be found, which may at all ſuffice for the expreſſing of them. But as it is not well ſaid, The perſon took the perſon, or the nature took the perſon: So theſe ſpeeches are true, and agreeable to faith; The perſon took the nature: Likewiſe, The nature took the nature. For the divine Nature is not here conſidered abſolutely, or eſſentially, but in perſon of the Word, or perſonally.
Object. 2. God and man are two perſons. Chriſt is God and man: Therefore there are two perſons in him. Anſw. The Major is true, if we underſtand it of God and man, as they are not united. But Chriſt is God and man by Ʋnion. In this therefore there is a f…llacy of miſ-joyning ſome words, and diſ joyning others. For in the Major God and man are taken diſ-junctively, or, both apart: but in the Minor con-junctively, or, both together. Repl. The Word united to it ſelfe a body and ſoule: Therefore a perſon. Anſw. True it is, he united them to himſelfe, but this he did by a perſonall union: not that this body and ſoule ſhould as a perſon ſubſiſt apart, or by themſelves, but that they might ſubſiſt in his perſon. Repl. 2. If he united the eſſentiall parts of a perſon, he alſo united a perſon. But he united the eſſentiall parts of a perſon: Therefore alſo a perſon. Anſw. The Major is true only of ſuch parts, as ſubſiſt by themſelves: but Chriſts body and ſoule had not ſubſiſted at all, not doe ſubſiſt now, ſave in this union of the Word with them. Repl. 3. That which ſubſiſteth not by it ſelfe, is more imperfect than that which ſubſiſteth by it ſelfe. Chriſt his humanity doth not ſubſiſt by it ſelfe. Therefore Chriſts humanity is more imperfect than ours. Anſw. 1. If that which ſubſiſteth by it ſelfe be oppoſed to this, To be an accident, which exiſteth by being in another, this part of the Minor propoſition is falſe, That Chriſts humanity doth not ſubſiſt by it ſelfe: becauſe that alſo is a ſubſtance. But in this diſputation, Subſiſting by it ſelfe, is oppoſed to that, which is indeed ſubſtance, but yet dependeth of another, and conſiſteth in another, So we ſay, that man-kind, and the univerſall, or generall kinds of all things doe not ſubſiſt in themſelves, but in their ſingulars, as the common nature of all men ſubſiſteth not by it ſelfe, but in particular men. Wherefore, for further anſwer, we ſay, that the Major propoſition, being ſimply and generally taken, is falſe. For the ſoule of man being looſed from the body, doth ſubſiſt by it ſelfe: the ſame, while it remaineth in the body, ſubſiſteth not by it ſelfe, but united with the body: neither yet is it therefore to be thought more imperfect, when this rather doth moſt make to the perfection thereof. For it is created of God to this purpoſe, that it ſhould, together with the body, conſtitute and abſolve the eſſence of man, and ſhould be a part thereof. So the ſoule and body of Chriſt were created to that end, as to be the proper ſoule and body of the Son of God, and to depend perſonally of him. That therefore Chriſts humanity hath his ſubſiſtence not in a created perſon proper unto it by nature, but in the eternall hypoſtaſis and perſon of the Word, it is ſo farre from bringing any imperfection thereunto (for the ſubſiſtence or manner of ſubſiſting doth not change the nature or eſſence of a thing) that rather the greateſt ornament, glory, and eminency cometh thereby unto it: and this is the chiefe and principall difference, whereby it differeth and is diſcerned from all men, and alſo from the bleſſed Angels.
Object.Revel. 1.18. 3. A dead and an everliving thing are not the ſame ſubſiſtent, or perſon. Chriſt was dead, and yet everliving: Therefore he is not one perſon. Anſ. The Major is either particular: or being taken generally, it is falſe. For one and the ſame ſubſiſtent, truly and individually ſubſiſting in divers natures, even as Chriſt is, may be ſaid to be dead and everliving: as one and the ſame man, is both mortall and immortall in reſpect of divers natures, whereof he is made and doth conſiſt.