The Sum of Christian Religion, Aphorisms · Article 1
ARTICLE. I. Of the perſon of Chriſt.
I. WE beleeve and profeſſe with our mouth and heart, before God and men: and by this confeſſion we will be knowne from all Infidels and Hypocrites, that Jeſus Chriſt is a perſon truly God and man, ſubſiſting of two natures true and perfect, the divine and humane perſonally (a) united: And therefore true (b) God, of the ſame ſubſtance with the (c) Father; and coeternall according to his (d) divinity: and true man (e) of the ſame ſubſtance with us in all (f) things; borne of the Virgin Mary in time, according to his (g) humanity: the one (h) and the only begotten of (i) God, and the Son of (k) man: the one and onelyonly Mediatour between God and (l) man: not two, but one Chriſt.
Teſtimonies of Scripture and of Creeds.
(a) Coloſ. 2.9. In him dwelleth the whole fulneſſe of the Deity corporally.
1 Tim. 3.16. Without controverſie great is the myſtery of godlineſſe, God manifeſted in the fleſh.
(b) John 1.14. And that Word was made fleſh.
1 John 15.20. This is that true God, and life eternall.
(c) John 1.14. We beheld his glory as of the onelyonly begotten Son, come out from the Father.
Pſal. 2.7. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
Prov. 8.24. When as yet there was no depths, I was formed.
Mic. 5.2. His going out was from the beginning, from everlaſting ages.
(d) Phil 2.6. Who when he was in the forme of God, thought it no robbery to be equall with God.
Heb. 1.3. He is the ſplendor of his Fathers glory, the character of his perſon.
Col. 1.15.17. He is the image of the inviſible God, and the firſt borne of all creatures, and he is before all things, and all things ſubſiſt by him.
(e) Phil. 2.7. He emptied himſelfe, taking upon him the forme of a ſervant, made like unto men, and in ſhape was found as man.
Heb. 2.14, 16. Becauſe therefore children are partakers of fleſh and bloud, he alſo was made partaker of the ſame: he tooke not on him the nature of Angels, but the ſeed of Abraham he tooke.
(f) Rom. 1.3. And to his Son made of the ſeed of David, according to the fleſh.
Heb. 2.17. Whence he ought to be like his brethren in all things, that he might be a mercifull and faithfull High-Prieſt, in the things concerning God, to expiate the ſins of the people.
(g) Gal. 4.4. After that the fulneſſe of time came, God ſent out his Son, made of a woman.
Mat. 1.23. Eſay 7.14. Behold, a Virgin ſhall conceive, and ſhall bring forth a Son.
Luke 2.7. Mary brought forth her firſt begotten Son.
(h) Rom. 8.32. Who ſpared not his own Son, but gave him up for us all.
(i) John. 3.16. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.
(k) Mat. 9.6. That you may know, that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive ſins.
(l) 1 Tim. 2.5. One God, and one Mediatour between God and men; to wit, the man Chriſt Jeſus.
Acts 4.1. Nor is there ſalvation in any other, nor is there any other name under heaven, given among men, by which we can be ſaved.
(m) Athanaſius in Symbolo. This is the right faith, that we beleeve, and confeſſe, that our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Son of God, is God and man; God of the ſubſtance of the Father begotten before all time, and man of the ſubſtance of his Mother, borne in time. Perfect God, and perfect man, of a reaſonable ſoule, and humane fleſh ſubſiſting. Equall to the Father in reſpect of his Divinity, inferiour to the Father in reſpect of his humanity: who, though he be God and man, yet is not two, but one Chriſt.
II. The perſonall union of the two natures in Chriſt, according to the Apoſtles (a) diſtinction, is the corporall inhabitation of all fulneſſe of the divinity in Chriſt: according to the Churches declaration, the hidden and adorable conjunction of the deity of the Word, and of the humanity aſſumed into one perſon or hypoſtaſis, made in the mothers womb (b) without confuſion, without converſion, without diviſion, without (c) ſeparation; that is to ſay, the natures and naturall properties remaining whole and diſtinct, being ſeparable neither in time nor place.
Teſtimonies of Scripture and of Creeds.
(a) Col. 2.9. In him (Chriſt) dwelleth the whole fulneſſe of the Deity bodily.
2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelfe.
Heb. 2.16. For he tooke not the Angels, but the ſeed of Abraham he tooke.
(b) John 1.14. And the Word was made fleſh, and dwelt amongst us.
Luke 1.35. The Holy Ghoſt ſhall come upon thee, and the vertue of the moſt High ſhall overſhadow thee; therefore that Holy thing which ſhall be borne of thee, ſhall be called the Son of God.
(c) Athanaſ. in Symb. God and man is one Chriſt, not by converting of the divinity into the fleſh, but by aſſuming of the humanity into God.
In the Creed of the generall Synod of Chalcedon, aſſembled by the Emperour Martian, againſt Eutyches. Anno Dom. 453. We beleeve that Jeſus Chriſt is the one and onelyonly Son of God, and our Lord conſiſting of two natures in one perſon, without confuſion, without converſion, without diviſion, without ſeparation: the diverſity of the two natures being no wayes made void, by reaſon of the union, but the propertie of each nature remaining intire. So that Jeſus Chriſt is not divided or ſeparated into two, but he is one and the ſame onelyonly begotten Sonne of God, God the Word.
III. Becauſe of this perſonall union, we beleeve that this perſon, Jeſus Chriſt, is truly and properly (not tropically or figuratively) God and Man, and that both the natures, and naturall properties, and actions are truly and properly predicated interchangeably of the whole perſon in the concrete. For truly and properly Chriſt God (a) is Man, borne of the (b) Virgin Mary, of the ſeed of (c) David; he grew in age and (d) wiſdome; he ſuffered, died, &c. according to his (e) humanity. Truly alſo and properly Chriſt Man is (f) God; begotten of the (g) Father, exiſting before (h) Abraham; (i) immortall, (k) omniſcient, (l) omnipotent, (m) omnipreſent, creating and governing all things with the Father, &c. according to his (n) divinity: being no leſſe reaſonable, and immortall in the ſoule properly and truly then man, and according to his body irrationall and (o) mortall. For, as the reaſonable ſoule (ſaith Athanaſius in his Creed) and fleſh is one man, ſo God and Man is one Chriſt. Therefore as the properties of body and ſoule are really common to man, ſo the properties are really common to the perſon of Chriſt, to whom both in name and realitie they are attributed: yet not according to both natures, but according to that to which properly they appertaine. This is called the communication of properties. And Damaſcen cals them the manner of*foreign. mutuall attribution.
Teſtimonies of Scripture, and of the Ancient Doctors.
(a) Phil. 2.6. Chriſt was made like unto man.
(b) Gal. 4.4. God ſent his Son made of a woman.
(c) Rom. 1.3. The Son of God was made of the ſeed of David, after the fleſh.
(d) Luke 2.52. Jeſus grew in wiſdome, ſtature, and grace, with God and man.
(e) 1 Pet. 3.18. Chriſt died according to the fleſh.
(f) 1 John 5.20. This is that true God, and life eternall.
(g) John 1.18. The onelyonly begotten Son, who is in the boſome of the Father, he hath ſhewed him to us.
(h) John 8.58. Before Abraham was I am.
(i) John 5.26. As the Father hath life in himſelfe, ſo hath he given to the Son to have life in himſelfe.
(k) Marke 2.8. Jeſus knew that they reaſoned ſo with themſelves in their minde.
John 2.25. Neither was it needfull that any ſhould beare witneſſe to him of the man, for he himſelfe knew what was in man.
(l) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end, ſaith the Lord; that is, who is, and who was, and who is to come, I ſay, that Almighty.
(m) Mat. 28.20. I am with you ſtill, till the end of the world.
(n) John 5.17. The Father worketh even hitherto, and I worke.
Heb. 1.2. By whom alſo he made the world, who ſuſtaines all things by his powerfull word.
1 Pet. 3.18. Chriſt was quickned according to the Spirit.
(o) Juſt. Martyr in Expoſitione fidei. As man being but one, hath notwithſtanding two different natures in himſelfe, and with the one part he conſulteth, with the other he puts his conſultation in execution, appointing in his minde the fabrick of the ſhip, but with his hands effecting what he had appointed: ſo the ſame Son being of two natures, according to the one he works his miracles, according to the other he ſuffers contemptible things; for, as he is God, and of the Father, he wrought miracles; as he is Man, and of the Virgin, he indured the Croſſe, and ſuch like, naturally and willingly.
IV. After the ſame manner the name and actions of the Mediatour are attributed to the whole perſon, and in the concrete (by the concrete are underſtood the names of the perſons) are truly, and properly predicated according to both natures, becauſe both natures with their properties and actions are required to the office of a Mediatour: in execution of which, each nature by the communication of the other, doth operate thoſe things which properly belong (a) to it; for Chriſt, both according to his humanity, and his divinity, is our Mediatour, Preſerver, Interceſſor, Saviour, King, Prieſt, Head, Lord, and Judge of the world, who knows all things according to both natures, and by each nature be operates thoſe things which properly belong to it.
Teſtimonies of the Ancient Doctors.
(a) Damaſcen. l. 3. c. 15. de Orthodoxa fide. Chriſt works according to both natures, and both natures worke in him with the communication of the other. The Word operates what belongs to the Word, ſuch things as are of greater note and majeſty, by reaſon of the power and authority of the Deity: but the Body performes thoſe functions which are properly the Bodies, according to the pleaſure of the Word, which is united to it, and whoſe proper worke it is.
Leo ad Flavianum cap. 4. He worketh in both formes what is proper with the communion of the other; the Word operating that which is the Words, and the fleſh performing that which is the fleſhes.
Idem ad Leon. Auguſt. Epiſt. 59. Although in one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the true Son of God and Man, there is one Perſon of the Word and fleſh, which hath inſeparably and indiviſibly its common actions; their qualities notwithſtanding are to be underſtood, and by a ſincere faith we muſt diſcerne to what things the lowneſſe of the fleſh is promoted, and to what the highneſſe of the Divinity is abaſed: what it is that fleſh without the Word acteth not, what it is that the Word without the fleſh effecteth not.
Cyrillus Theſ. l. 10. c. 11. Therefore, even as when he wrought miracles by the Fleſh, we did not attribute thoſe things to him as Man, but as God: So when, after the manner of men, he ſpeakes any thing of himſelfe, which ſeems inconſonant to his Divinity, we ought to attribute that to his Fleſh; for ſo, by a congruous diſtribution of all his words and works, we ſhall not deviate from the true knowledge of our Saviour.
V. If we conſider the properties of both natures in the perſonall union (for out of this they are not) in the abſtract; that is, in the names of the natures, they cannot be changed, no more then the natures themſelves: For, we muſt not ſay, The Deity is the humanity, or man, or created, corporeall, viſible, finite, circumſcribed, dead, buried, &c. neither can we ſay, The humanity is the Deity, or God, or eternall, uncreated, incorporeall, inviſible, infinite, omnipreſent, omnipotent, &c. but we muſt attribute to each nature what properly belongs to it: to the Divinity, the divine properties; to the Humanity, the humane: without this, the eſſentiall difference of the natures is confounded, and is changed into an Eutychian and Swenkfieldian mingling of natures: for, in the diſtinction of the properties, conſiſts the diſtinction of the natures; and ſo the two natures which have the ſame propertie (whether it be by nature, or by communication) ſhall be no longer two natures, but one nature (a) only; for it cannot be, that one nature together can containe two contrary (b) properties.
Teſtimonies of the Ancient Doctors.
(a) Damaſcen. l. 3. c. 14. & 15. Whoſe nature is the ſame, their will and action is the ſame; but their will and action is different, whoſe nature is different: And again, whoſe will and action is the ſame, their nature is the ſame; but whoſe will and action is different, their nature is alſo different.
(b) Ibid. 3. c. 3. How can the ſame nature according to the ſame reſpect, be both created and uncreated, mortall and immortall, circumſcribed and uncircumſcribed?
Theodoret Dial. 11. If Chriſt is onelyonly one nature, how can contraries be attributed to him; for, to be in the beginning, and to take beginning from Abraham and David, are altogether contraries.
VI. Hence it appeares, that the humanity of Chriſt remaines not, but is changed into the Divinity, and ſo that nature is confounded: Alſo that in Chriſt there remaine not the two diſtinct natures, but that the two are changed into one, if theſe poſitions be true, that the humanity, in and by the perſonall union, did aſſume with the Word all the properties and operations of the Word, that it is, and operates all which the word is and operates; that it is inviſible, uncircumſcribed, omnipreſent, &c. let theſe poſitions be palliated which way you will. Yea ſo much the rather, if it be affirmed, that in the humanity there are three ſorts of properties; to wit, ſupernaturall, preternaturall, and divine; and therefore we reject theſe ſubſequent doctrines of the Ancient and Moderne Hereticks, as unknowne to the Scriptures, and to the Catholicke faith: as,
1. That Chriſt is not truly God, but meerely Man.
2. That Chriſt, according to his Deity, is onelyonly a ſpirit, created before all that have been made of nothing.
3. That he is not a true and perfect man, of the ſame ſoule and body with us, remaining alſo in glory.
4. That in Chriſt there is one perſon of the Son of God, another of the Sonne of Mary.
5. That the perſonall union began in the Mothers womb, but by the reſurrection, aſcenſion and ſitting at the right hand of the majeſty of God, hath its perfect conſummation, by equalling the two natures in glory; ſo that the fleſh, body, and bloud of Chriſt, are perfectly of one eſſence, power, and efficacy with God, and with the Word.
6. That Chriſts humanity is equall with God, by reaſon of the glory and majeſty communicated to it, but in the nature thereof is not God.
7. That the ſpecificall difference of the union, is the reall communication of all the divine properties with the humanity, ſo that the omnipotency, omnipreſence, juſtice, and majeſty of the Word, is really diffuſed into the Son of man.
8. That in Chriſt there is a double Deity, the one communicating, and the other communicated; or, the one participating, and the other participated.
9. That the ſpecificall difference of the inhabitation of the Word in the man Chriſt, and in other holy men, is placed in this, that onelyonly ſome of the divine properties are truly communicated to the Saints, but they are all beſtowed on the man Chriſt.
10. That Chriſts humanity is really every-where, yet not the eſſence of his ſoule and body.
11. That the fleſh of Chriſt is God.
12. That the man Chriſt is not God naturall.
13. That Chriſts humane nature did viſibly die on the Croſſe, at Hieruſalem; and yet, at the ſame time, it was inviſibly dead and alive every-where, within and without the Sepulchre, before and after the Reſurrection.
14. That Chriſts fleſh, in reſpect of its union with the Word, which is illocall, hath farre ſurmounted all locality, and hath obtained an illocall kinde of exiſtence in the Word.
15. Adde this falſhood of the Ubiquitaries: that not all, but halfe Chriſt is, ſuffers, doth that which Chriſt is, ſuffers, and doth, according to either nature, and not according to both.
Upon this ground they have falſly accuſed the Neſtorian Churches of Neſtorianiſme, for it would neceſſarily follow, that onelyonly halfe Chriſt from eternity was begotten of the Father, borne of Mary, walked on the earth, died for us, was buried, roſe againe, and aſcended to heaven; which opinions we condemne, and reject as hereticall.