Two Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Concerning the great Myſtery of the Divine and Humane Nature of Chriſt; and the Hypoſtatical Ʋnion, that Chriſt is God and Man, united in one Perſon.
THe Apoſtle declares 1 Tim. 3. 16. without Controverſy great is the myſtery of godlineſs. The firſt and greateſt myſtery that he mentions is, that God was made manifeſt *Ait Apoſ…olus, foreign. i. e. in carne carnaliter; nempe cum Deus alioquin foreign non ſit tam en Chriſtus manifeſtatus eſt foreign occulis ſeu viſu verè adſpectabilis, conſpicuus, manifeſtus, viſu, auditu, tactu, foreign 1 Joh. 1. 2. id que eſt quod Joh. 21. 1. dicitur foreign human… deni que more & carne, Quod ſuâ alioquin natura Deus non eſt Quod diam Gentiles ag…ovêre. V. Gothoſredi Exercit. poſter. in 1 Tim. 3. 16.in the fleſh. Of this miſtery in order we are now to treat. And 1. Of the Divine Nature of Chriſt; 2. Of the Humane Nature of Chriſt. And 3. Of the Hypoſtatical Union.
For the firſt this Propoſition ſhall be proved, That Chriſt is God from all eternity. The Proof ſhall be made plain by evidence of Scripture and ſtrength of Reaſon.
1. For Scripture Evidence. Amongſt1 Proof of Chriſts Deity …rom Scripture Teſtimony. many Teſtimonies I ſhall only ſelect a few principal ones. David calls Chriſt his Lord; Pſal. 110. v. 1. Chriſt urging this Scripture nonplus'd the Phariſees. Mat. 22. 44. 46. The Prophet Iſaiah calls Chriſt the aIſai. 9. 6.Mighty God, the Everlaſting Father; Jeremy calls him, bJer. 23. 6.The Lord our Righteouſneſs. He is Fellow, and Fellowlike with God the Father. Zachary calls him Gods cZech. 13. 7.Fellow. And this Teſtimony the Apoſtle confirms that dPhilip 2. 6.Chriſt being in the form of God, thought it no Robbery to be equal with God. Chriſt is not God by Similutude or Figure, not foreign of like Subſtance,Though Chriſt was Man, yet he was more then a bare Man. For jure nat…rae no Son is Lord to his Father; Domination doth never aſcend. There muſt be ſomething above nature in him, to make him his Fathers Soveraign, Chriſt is the… a Lord to his People. He had Dominion and was the Salvation of his own Fore-fathers. Biſhop Reynolds in Pſal. 110. verſ. …. but foreign of the ſelf ſame ſubſtance, not Metaphorically as Judges are called Gods, Pſal. 82. 1, 6. but properly, and really, and eſſentially Chriſt is God, coequal, coeſſential, and coeternal with God the Father. We have the Teſtimony of Chriſt himſelf, Joh. 8. 58. Jeſus ſaid unto them, verily, verily I ſay unto you, Before Abraham was I am; Chriſt is the Word that was God; Joh. 1. 1. This Chriſt is the eſſential ſubſtantial Word: And *Se…ſus … Pro… mihi videtur foreign cum eſſet in principio, eſſet que apud Deum, erat quo que ipſe Deus. Nam ex hoc ipſo quod erat apud Deum ſequitur eum fuiſſ quo que una eadem que cum Deo eſſentia, adeo que Deum ipſum. Unde fundamentum quam firmum habeamus nos qui credimus in Jeſum Chriſtum, nempe eum, qui Deus ſit, & unum cum Patre & Spiritu Sancto. Rolloc. in Joh. 1.the Word was God. St. Paul declares Chriſt, to be God over all bleſſed forever. Rom. 9. 5. St. John ſpeaking of Chriſt confidently affirms this is the true God, and Eternal Life. 1 Joh. 5. 20.
And St. Jude concludes his Epiſtle with this Doxology. v. 25. To the only wiſe God our Saviour, be Glory and Majeſty, Dominion and Power, both now and ever, Amen.
Thus having proved the Deity of Chriſt by Scripture Teſtimony, I ſhall add ſtrength of Reaſon, (though I conceive there's given abundant Proof of what's already forementioned) that ſo there may be more Meaſure preſt and running over.
Amongſt many I ſhall inſtance in theſe2. Proof of Chriſts Deity by 3 Reaſons. Reaſons only, which are drawn from the Divine Attributes aſcribed to Chriſt, the Divine Honour due to him, and his Divine Works; from all which, the Concluſion inferr'd is of eternal truth, That Chriſt is God from all eternity.
1. If we conſider the Divine Attributes Reaſ. 1 From the Divine Attributes.given unto Chriſt, thence will be drawn an infallible Proof of his Deity: For inſtance we have two Attributes mentioned in one verſe, viz. Power and Wiſdom; 1 Cor. 1. 20. Chriſt the Power of God, and the Wiſdom of God. And this Wiſdom is from eternity: Solomon brings in Wiſdom ſpeaking thus. eProv. 8. 22, 23. Poſſemus verbum illud ad divinam hypoſtaſin referre per quam natura divina in filio ſubſiſtat hoc modo fundavit me, (i. e) Pater propri … ſubſiſtentiâ me donavit. Quod ſi Vulgatam lectionem ad eum ſenſum vocare velis ſic dirigenda eſt. Ab aeterno ordinata ſum, (i. e.) ab aeternitate in Statione me… locata ſum, ut in ordine trium hypoſtaſe… ego ſecunda perſona ſim, ita ut…inde avelli aut loco moveri non poſſim. Salzar.The Lord poſſeſſed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was ſet up from everlaſting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. To me it's out of queſtion, that this is ſpoken of Chriſt the Eſſential Wiſdom of the Father Chriſt was poſſeſſed and begotten of the Father in an inconceiveable and incomprehenſible manner, and it's ſaid before his works of old, (i. e.) when there was nothing created, nothing in being but God, and in nothing but Eternity. And not only Power, but Omnipotency is aſcribed to Chriſt, fJoh. 5. 19. …for whatſoever the Father doth, theſe alſo doth the Son likewiſe. Nothing too hard for Omnipotency, nothing too difficult for Chriſt to conquer gPhilip. 3. 21▪He is able (ſaith the Apoſtle) even to ſubdue all things unto himſelf. LikewiſeNotare operae pretium eſt jus & poteſtatem ſuſcitandi mortuos, imo quidvis ſuo arbitrio agendi conferri in Chriſti perſonam: Quo encomio divina ejus Ma-Jeſtas ſplendede ornatur. Calv. in loc. Eternity and Omnipotency both meet in Chriſt, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end…ng, (ſaith the Lord) which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Rev. 1. 8. Further, Om-Niſcience Chriſt challengeth to himſelf; hJoh. 2. 25.For he knew what was in Man. He knew who ſhould Betray him, and when he ſhould be delivered up to the Croſs. He foretold his Sufferings, and all were accompliſhed accordingly. iRev. 2. 23.He ſearcheth the Heart and the Reins: Peter confeſt Lord thou knoweſt all things. *Praeclarum Divinitatis Chriſti argumentum, Abſolute citra limitationem, divinum hoc Attributum Chriſt… hic tribuitur ijſdem verbis, quibus alibi adſcribitur Jehovae, non ſolum quod juſti judicij adminiſtrationem ſed & quo ad cordum ſ…rut ationem. Parens.Hence it appears Chriſt is Omniſcient and therefore God, for Omniſcience is an incommunicable Attribute to any created Beeing. Add hereunto Chriſt's kHeb. 13. 8.immutability. Jeſus Chriſt the ſame yeſterday and to day and for ever: And his Immenſity: For he it is that lJoh 3. 13. Haec ſententia Phariſaeo nova erat qui ignorabat filium Dei fuiſſe ab initio. Quomodo & deſcendit & eſt in caelo Reſpondetur deſcendit Filius Dei, quia & induit naturam humanam, & humiliatur infra omn… captum humanum, dum fit victima pro peccatis generis humani, & tamen eſt in caelo. i. e. cernit Patrem, & retinet potentiam divinam. Melanc. in loc.came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man which is in Heaven: Immenſity and Ubiquity of preſence, is an Attribute belonging to God alone. Though Chriſt was then corporally on earth, yet his Deity could not be confin'd to any place, for, according to his Divine Nature, he fill'd Heaven and Earth: No place can exclude his Omnipreſence.
A 2d. Reaſon ſhall be drawn from the Reaſ. 2 Drawn from the Divine Honour due unto Chriſt.Divine Honour due unto Chriſt. The Father commands † the ſame honour to be given unto Chriſt as unto himſelf. Joh. 5. 23. Adoration of Chriſt is injoyn'd to all the† Hoc eſt non tantum ſmili, ſed aequali prorſ…s honore, quemadmodum omne judicii…m non aliquo tam tantum …jus partem dedit Pater Filio ſuo. Rolloc. in loc. Angels. mHeb. 1. 6Let all the Angels of God worſhip him. This Arch-Angel even Chriſt is the Angel of the Covenant, and without blame may be worſhipped. The Apoſtle worſhipt him, and fell at his Feet, (though he was forbidden to worſhip another Angel:) nRev. 1. 17.The four Beaſts and four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb. And further Honour is exhibited unto Chriſt in ſaying, pRev. 5. 13. Reaſ. 3. Drawn from the works of Chriſt.Bleſſing and Honour and Glory and Power, be unto him that ſitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Theſe high Praiſes and Celebrations repreſent Honour due untooRev. 5. 8. him, a clear Proof of his Divinity.
A 3d. Reaſon ſhall be drawn from the Works of Chriſt. Not to multiply many inſtances, only conſider.
1. Chriſt created the World. He was Heir of all things, by whom God the Father, qHeb. 12.made the World; Without him nothing was made.
2. Chriſt governs and preſerves the World, rJoh. 1. 3. Quamvis indefinite loquatur, debet intelligi univerſaliter, quod per illum f…cit omnia ſaecula. i. e. omnia creata juxta illud. Prov. 8. 30. cum eo eram cuncta componens: Ubi eſt ſermo da Sapientia g… nita Chriſti. Tena ad Hebr.He upholds all things by the Word of his Power. Both Works of Creation and Providence are aſcribed unto Chriſt.
3. Chriſt wrought Miracles, he cured the Lame, and the Blind, the Deaf, and the Dumb, he healed all Diſeaſes, calmed the rageing Sea, and walkt on the Sea, raiſed the Dead to Life again, and by his own Power raiſed himſelf, fed 5000 with 5 Loves and two little Fiſhes; and which is above all theſe things he forgave Sins, (which only God can do) Chriſt in the diſpenſation of his Miracles frequently diſpatcht two works in one journey, by healing the Diſeaſes of Body and Soul both, as he did to the Paralytick Man, Mark 2. 4, 5. When John the Baptiſt ſent his Diſciples to Chriſt with this Queſtion, sLuke 7. 20, 22.Art thou he that ſhould come, or do wee look for another? Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto them, go and ſhew John thoſe things which ye do hear and ſee, The Blind receive their Sight, and the Lame Walk, the Lepers are Cleanſed, and the Deaf Hear, and the Dead are Raiſed up, and the Poor have the Goſpel Preacht unto them. Although the Apoſtles wrought Miracles afterwards, yet they acknowledged all to be tAct. 4. 10. foreign i. e. virtute, potentia, & ope. Vatabl.by the name of Jeſus Chriſt. By vertue received from Chriſt they cured all Diſeaſes. And likewiſe where ever the Goſpel took effect and prevail'd it was by the aſſiſtance of Chriſt. Miniſters may faithfully and ſedulouſly labour in the work of the Goſpel, and yet may not ſo ſucceed in their endeavours as to convert Men to God: But the Lord Chriſt can give grace with his Goſpel, and infuſe Holineſs into their hearts to whom he Preacheth his Holy Word. For he is God, and cannot only command obedience, but give Grace and Ability to yield Conformity unto his Command.
A 4th. Reaſon ſhall be drawn from the Reaſ. 4 Drawn from the Inſtitution of Ordinances.Inſtitution of Ordinances. God only is the Inſtitutor of Ordinances. The Sacraments are of Chriſts Inſtitution. Baptiſm hath Chriſts Authority and Commiſſion. Matt. 28. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt. And as Chriſt was the Inſtitutor of Baptiſm, ſo was he of the Lords Supper. 1 Cor. 11. 23. For I have received of the Lord that which I deliverd unto you, &c. The Apoſtle acted by vertue of Chriſts Commiſſion. And Chriſts Inſtitution of the Lords Supper is recorded: Matt. 26. 26. Mark 14. 22. Luke 22. 19. This Inſtitution the Apoſtle received from Chriſt: As for Sacraments deviſed by Papiſts, ſuch as are Pennance, Extream Unction, &c. they are none of Chriſts Inſtitution, but rotten Inventions, and Mock-Sacraments. And they ſhall meet with that cenſure: Iſai. 1. 12. Who hath required theſe things at your hands? And with another ſuteable thereunto from Chriſt. Matt. 15. 9. But in vain they do worſhip me teaching for Doctrines *Satis liquet quicunque ex hominum commentis cultum Dei. diſcunt, non modo plane deſipere, ſed etiam ſe conficere exitiali labore. Calv. in Iſai. 29. 13. Legitur appoſitiv…, Doctrinas, quae ſunt mandata hominum, non Dei. Vatabl. in Matth. 15. 9.the Commandments of Men. None hath power to inſtitute Sacraments but Chriſt: The Apoſtle would deliver no Doctrine but that he received from Chriſt, Chriſt ſets up Church Officers: They are the Gifts of Chriſt, and the Fruits of his Aſcention: Eph. 4. 11. And he gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors, and ſome Teachers: Apoſtles, Prophets, Evangeliſts, theſe are extraordinary, and they are ceaſed; Paſtors & Teachers they are ordinary ſtanding fixt Officers. We muſt not ſet up our Poſt by his Poſt, and our Threſhold by his Threſhold, as the Lord complains; Ezek. 43. 8. This is an high Indignity, and a great affront to God, to mix *Hominum inventa in Dei cultu impurae ſunt corruptelae. Calv. Inſtit. l. 4. c. 10. The Affirmative part in the 2d. Commandment is, that our outward worſhip be as he hath preſcribed it: We muſt make his Word our Pattern. The Negative, that we mingle not our Will-worſhip with his Precept or Worſhip. Bp. Andr. 2. Com. Thou ſhalt not worſhip me with any device of thine own, contrary to my Will and Nature: and the Affirmative is implied, thou ſhalt in every reſpect worſhip me according to my Will and Nature. Babington. 2 Com.Humane Inventions with Divine Inſtitutions. When Nadab, and Abihu preſumed to offer ſtrange fire upon the Alter, they became a ſignal example, of diſobedience. Lev. 10. 2. Chriſt is the only Lord of our Conſciences, the only Inſtitutor of his Word, Sacraments, Miniſtery, and all other Divine Ordinances. His Inſtitutions are every way perfect, and ſtand in no need of Addition or Diminution.
That Text urged by the Apoſtle. 1. Cor. 14. 40. Let all things be done decently and in order. †Beza Interprets of a decency: And Grotius againſt confuſion in the Church.Yet the Original expreſly declares (what we render in order) *foreign. Beza. foreign, Partitis temporibus ſuo quiſ que ordine. Grotius.according to order, Ordination or Appointment. And this ſeems to allude to Exod. 39. 43. Where its ſaid they had †foreign. Verſ. 70.done all things as the Lord commanded.
We might further prove the Deity of Chriſt from his Miſſion of the Holy Ghoſt, Revelation of things to come, Conquering the World by the Power of his Eternal Goſpel, giving Eternal Life unto all his Children. But thoſe foregoing Arguments may ſuffice for confirmation of ſo clear and infallible a Truth. And this Doctrin of Chriſt's Divinity is a Fort Royal, which will remain impregnable notwithſtanding all the violent Aſſaults and Batteries made againſt it by †Qui Chriſtum no… niſi hominem …gnoſ…nt, ſumm… venerandum incarnationis myſterium, ut purum putum figmentum blaſphemè rident. Brochm. Syſt. Theol. A 15. de Chriſto. c. 2.Socinus and other Blaſphemous Hereticks.
In the 2d. place we come to treat of2. Chriſts Humane Nature. Chriſts Humane Nature. And this Propoſition that Chriſt is Man, we ſhall clear by expreſs Scripture, and Evidence of Reaſon.
1. For Scripture Teſtimony, Chriſt1. Scripture Teſtimony. was the promiſed Seed (i. e.) vGen. 3. 15. Per promiſſionem gratiae vivificatus oſt Adam: Eſt autem haec Ipſum ſemen conteret caput tuam. Eſt autem Semen mulieris Chriſtus & quicun que ſunt in Chriſto. Melancton in Gen. Advertendum eſt Hebraicè haberi ipſum, ita ut ſemen mulieris (i. e.) Chriſtus demonſtretur. Pet. Mart. Soli Chriſto contritio ſerpentini Capitis tribuitur, ſed Hujus victoriae ſuae per fidem nos facit participes. Gerrh.the Seed of the Woman. And this was the firſt Promiſe which was ever made, which was made in Paradiſe: Chriſt is that Child born, that Son given, mentioned by the Prophet Iſaiah c. 9. 6. call'd a Man; Mich. 5. 5. Zech. 13. 7. 1. Tim. 2. 5. The Son of Man; Mat. 8. 20. The Son of Mary; Luke 1. 31. Of the Seed of Abraham; Hebr. 2. 16. Of the Seed of David. 2. Tim. 2. 8. Chriſt the Eternal Subſtantial Word, was made Fleſh, Joh. 1. 14. and he was manifeſted in the Fleſh: 1 Tim. 3. 16. There are two words which plainly expreſs the Humane Nature of Chriſt: One is, foreign Joh. 1. 14. he dwelt amongſt us. And the other is Phillip. 2. 7. foreign He made himſelf of no †Evacuavit ſeipſum, dum immenſam divinae gloriae & munificentiae majeſtatem àd tempus o…mubilavit. Inanitio ipſius noſtri eſt adimpletio. Muſc. in loc.Reputation. For God to come down, and dwell with Men, as it were to diſrobe himſelf, and unite a Clod of duſt to his Divine Perſon, here is an unparallell'd Condeſcention, and an evident proof of Chriſts Humanity.
Add hereunto a threefold Reaſon drawnProved by 3 Reaſons that Chriſt is Man. from the Birth, Life and Death of Chriſt, and in every one of theſe his Manhood is fully proved.
1. For Chriſts Birth, he was wGal. 4. 4.born Reaſ. 1 Drawn from the Birth of Chriſt.of a Woman, and ſhe was xIſai. 7. 14.a Virgin. A Mother and a Virgin, here's a great unparallell'd Myſtery. yLuke …. 35.The Power of the Higheſt overſhadowed her. The Conception was zMatth. 1. 20.by the Holy Ghoſt. There was no concurrence of Man. As Chriſts Name ſo was his Birth and Conception wonderful. You have the Hiſtory ofOpus erat virtute agente, & virtute non humanâ ſed divina, ex immundis enim genitus, nec mundus eſſe potuiſſet formaliter nec mundans efficienter. Unde …andem quidem naturam communicatam habere debebat, ſed modo communicationi diverſo debet eſſe ut foreign ſecundum divinam n…turam, ſic foreign ſecundum humanam ut plene reſponderet typo Melchiſidechi. Spanh. dub. Evang. both; Matt. 1. 18, 19, 20, 21, &c. This is the myſtery that the very Angels deſire to peep into. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Angels Proclaim it, Wiſemen came from the Eaſt to ſee it, All the Heathen Oracles ceaſed; Chriſt the Eternal God the Antient of days became became the Infant of days; he whom the Heaven of Heavens could not contain, lay incloſed in the Virgins Womb, and when he was brought forth he was laid in a Manger. That the Lord Chriſt the Eternal God ſhould be wrapt up in Swadling Cloathes, and became a Child; This is an Evident Proof of his Humane Nature. The *Quem Coelum & Terra benedicit, in praeſepi anguſto collocatur, numeratur in ſaeculo qui eſt ante ſaecula: Chriſtus Jeſus heri & hodie idem ipſe & inſaecula. Aug. S. p. 589. Edit. Frob.Fathers riſe high in expreſſion of this high Myſtery. †Chriſtus multis ſervis in mundo minor eſſet; aetate, ipſo mundo antiquior ſine vetuſtate; Homo fieret, qui hominem fecit; crearetur ex matre, qu…m creavit; portaretur manibus, quas formavit; ſugeret ubera quae implevit; in praeſepi muta vagiret infantia, &c. Aug. de Temp. Serm. 21.That Chriſt ſhould be made of that Woman, who was made of him; that Chriſt ſhould be before all Ages, and yet born in time. Theſe are Tranſcendent Myſteries. We may not be over curiouſly inquiſitive, leſt with the Men of Bethſhemeſh we ſmart for our curioſity: Let it ſuffice us to believe that which we read in Scripture revealed, and let us acquieſce in that belief.
2. Chriſts Humane Nature may be eaſily Reaſ. 2 Chriſts Humane Nature proved by his Life.proved by his Life. If we conſider his actions of eating and drinking, and his infirmities, (which were not ſinful) of Hunger, Thirſt, and Wearineſs, his Weeping at Lazarus his Funeral, theſe are evident proofs of his Manhood. Now Weeping, Thirſting, Hunger, and Wearineſs, are Infirmities, incident only to Mankind. Theſe and all ſuch Infirmities (free from Sin) were incident unto Chriſt. Indeed Lameneſs, Deafneſs, Blindneſs, and ſuch like, which are only incident to individuals and ſome particular perſons, theſe Chriſt had not: But thoſe Infirmities, which are in Common to Mankind, as Weakneſs, Hunger, &c. theſe Chriſt was ſubject unto. The Goſpel gives many Inſtances, as Matth. 4. 2. Joh. 4. 7. Joh. 11. 35. Joh. 4. 6. I refer my Reader to the peruſal of thoſe Scriptures.
3. Chriſts Humane Nature appears by Reaſ. 3 Chriſts Humane Nature proved from his Death and Paſſion.his Death and Paſſion. The God-head is impaſſible, and hath neither Body, nor Parts: But Chriſt aſſumed an humane Body. The Apoſtle, Heb. 10. 5. (which is taken out of Pſal. 40. 6.) gives a full proof.—Sacrifice and Burnt-offerings thou wouldſt not, but a Body haſt thou prepared me. Chriſt had a real Body, and therefore Marcion who held that Chriſts Body was Phantaſtical, in Semblance and ſhew only, likewiſe Manes and his Followers who held that Chriſt brought his Body from Heaven, and Valentinus who held that Chriſt had an aerial Body, and aſſumed nothing of Mary, but only paſſed as Water through a Channel; theſe Hereticks with their Hereſies have been long ſince exploded and Condemned, and they are not worth reviving by any repetition, unleſs for a larger confutation. Now the ſelf ſame Body which was of the Fleſh and Subſtance of the Virgin Mary, was Buffeted, Scourged, Crowned with Thorns, Spit upon, Crucified: Chriſt as the Apoſtle tells us, Phil. 2. 8. Became obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Croſs.
Object. But it will be Objected; Is this for Chriſts Dignity and Honour to become incarnate? My Argument I treat on is concerning Chriſts Dignity.—How can Chriſts Dignity and Incarnation ſtand together?
Anſw. For Anſwer, Though it's a great Humiliation in Chriſt to be incarnate, and to aſſume Humane Nature, yet his Divine Nature puts Glory and Honour upon the Humane Nature, for what *Quamvis nulla ſubſtantia digna eſt ut Deus induat, quodcun que tamen induerit, ipſe dignum facit▪ Tertull.ever God aſſumes he makes honourable. Chriſt advanceth the Humane Nature, by taking Fleſh upon him: He ſanctifieth it, and afterwards will bring it unto Glory.
3. Let's conſider the Hypoſtatical Uninion,3. The Hypoſtatical Union. that Chriſt is God and Man in one Perſon, theſe two Natures of Chriſt, (*Paulus eximiam Chriſti commendationem habet, quaeduas in eo naturas diſertè co…fitetur. Humana natura indicatur his verbis: Ex Judaeis ſecundum Carnem. Nam per carnem Phraſi Hebraica t…tus homo intelligitur. Divina natura apertiſſime deſcribitur his verbis—Qui eſt ſuper omnia benedictus in ſaecula. Pet. Mart. in Rom. 9. 5. as Peter Martyr obſerves) are plainly ſet forth from Rom. 9. 5. Of whom as concerning the fleſh Chriſt came, who is over all God Bleſſed for ever. How this may be underſtood I have read thus ſhadowed by a Similitude. One Tree may be ſet into another, and it groweth in the Stock thereof, and becomes one and the ſame Tree, though there may remain two Natures, or Kinds of Fruits: So in the Son of God made Man though there be two Natures, yet both being united into one Perſon, there is but one Son of God.
There are four *Quatuor haec adverbia foreign totidem haereſibus in Symbolo Chalcedonenſi oppoſit a ſunt.Adverbs, which oppoſe ſo many Hereſies, and repreſent this Union, viz. Inconfuſedly, Inconvertibly, Undividedly, Unſeparably.
1. Inconfuſedly (i. e.) The Natures and Proprieties of the Natures remain ſtill diſtinct: There is no change or confuſion in them. When one propriety is given to another, as when we read Chriſt purchaſed his Church aaAct. 20. 28. Salvâ proprietate utriuſ que natur… & in un…m co…unte perſonam ſuſcepta eſt à Majeſtate humilitas. E… natur… inviolabilis unita eſt paſſibili. Tertull. contra Prax.with his Blood, The Son of God bbGal. 4. 4.was made of a Woman, The cc1 Cor. 2. 8. Per haec, qui erat Dei filius factus eſt hominis filius aſſumptione inferioris non verſione potioris; accipiendo ipſe quod non erat, non …mittendo quod erat. Aug. de temp. Permanente integro ſtatu divinitatis aſſumpſit hominem Dei filius, nec amiſit quod erat, ſed ſociavit ſibi quod in ipſo non ante fuerat: inviſibilis ergo ſecundum Divinitatem Dei filius, viſibilem ſuſcepit hominem, immortalis mortalem, impaſſibilis paſſi…ilem, & ut totum breviter comprehendam, Deus hominem. Aug. Serm. 4. de Tempore.Lord of Glory was Crucified; we are to underſtand a Communication of Idioms; for Blood, Birth and Crucifixion appertain to the Humane Nature.
2. Inconvertibly. There's not a Converſion of the God-head into the Manhood, nor of the Man-hood into the Godhead; God is not changed into a Man, nor Man changed into God.
3. Undividedly, (i. e.) one nature cannot be ſeparated from the other; for though there is a Diſtinction yet not a Diviſion. There are not two Chriſts, nor two Perſons, but one Chriſt, one and the ſame Perſon.
4. Unſeparably. This Union remains to all eternity, Chriſt, Immanuel, foreign, God-Man in one Perſon, for ſo continueth he for *Quod ſemel aſſumpſit nunquam dimiſit. Damaſc.ever.
We are then to underſtand an Union of two Natures, not (as Neſtorius affirms an Union of two Perſons, though the Union be perſonal, yet it is not of Perſons. To help us to conceive this better, ſome illuſtrate it by the Soul and Body which make up one Man, and by Iron and Fire, where both remain in one, ſo Baſil: As the Sun and Light meet in one, ſo Juſtin Martyr and Athanaſius. But Similitudes are more for Illuſtration than Probation, and therefore I let them paſs and put no great ſtreſs upon them.
What is writ in an excellent Treatiſe Intituled Immanuel by an *D. Uſher A. Biſhop of Armagh Lord Primate of Ireland.eminent Light of the Church of God will give abundant ſatisfaction, which I have here tranſcrib'd—For the nearer conceiving whereof we may call to mind, that which the Apoſtle hath taught us touching our Saviour, Col. 2. 9. In him dwelleth all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily, that is to ſay, by ſuch a perſonal and real Ʋnion, as doth inſeparably and everlaſtingly conjoyn that infinite God-head with his finite Manhood in the Ʋnity of the ſelfſame individual perſon. He in whom the fulneſs dwelleth is the Perſon. That fulneſs which doth ſo dwell in him is the Nature. Now there dwelleth in him not only the fulneſs of the God-head, but the fulneſs of the Man-hood alſo: For we believe him to be b…th perfect God, begotten of the Subſtance of hi… Father before all Worlds, and perfect Man▪ made of the Subſtance of his Mother in the fulneſs of time. And therefore we muſt hold, that there are two diſtinct Natures in him: And two ſo diſtinct, that they do not make any Compounded Nature, but ſtill remain Ʋncompounded and Ʋnconfounded together. But he in whom the fulneſs of Man-hood dwelleth is not one, and he in whom the fulneſs of the God-head another, but he in whom the fulneſs of both thoſe Natures dwelleth is one and the ſame Immanuel, and conſequently it muſt be believed as firmly, that he is but one perſon. And here we muſt conſider that the Divine Nature did not aſſume an Humane Perſon, but the Divine Perſon did aſſume an Humane Nature. Thus far that Reverend and Learned Author. *Exinanivit ſeipſum formam ſervi ſuſcipiendo: Non quod aliud qu…m quod erat, fieret; (i. e) non ut mutaretur ab e… quod er at, ſed ut ſepoſito interim majeſtatis ſuae honore humanum corpus in…ueret, quo ſuſcepto ſalus gentium fieret. Ambroſ. lib. de fide, contra Arrianos, cap. 8. Ipſ… natura ſuſcipienda erat quae liberanda. Aug. de vera religione. Sic voluit ruinam fragilis vaſis reformare, deni que ut nec peccatum hominis dimitteret impunitum, quia juſtus eſt, nec inſanabile, quia eſt miſericors: potu…t aliter fieri quantum ad potentiam Medici, ſed non potuit commodius aut doctius praeparari, ut eſſet Medicina aegroti, & quantum ad juſtitiam Dei. Aug. Serm. 3. de Annunc. Domini.St. Ambroſe writes to the ſame ſenſe very perſpicuouſly.
Queſt.—But it will be askt why was it requiſite that Chriſt ſhould be Man?
Anſw. The Anſwer is, that ſatisfaction might be made in the ſame Nature, Man had offended, and Man muſt be Slain. This was Typified by the Dead Bird and Paſchal Lamb, and all thoſe Levitical Sacrifices which were ſlain, without ſhedding of Blood (ſaith the Apoſtle) there is no remiſſion, Heb. 9. 22. The God-head could not ſuffer Death, Chriſt as Man poureth forth his Precious Blood out of his Veins.
Queſt. But why was he God and Man in the ſame Perſon?
Anſw. For Anſwer, The God-head gave ſtrength and ſupportation to the Manhood.
The Manhood could ſuffer Death, but could not overcome Death: The Godhead could overcome but not ſuffer, wherefore there was an happy conjunction of the God-head and Manhood: Chriſt is that middle Perſon in Trinity to deal between God and Man, he himſelf being God to deal with his Father, and he being Man to deal for the buſineſs with Men: So that notwithſtanding the oppoſition of Neſtorians, Eutyches, Marcion, and other Hereticks, the Truth is abundantly cleared concerning the Hypoſtatical Union of Chriſt.—I proceed to the Next Chapter, wherein I ſhall diſcourſe of the Offices of Chriſt, viz. Sacerdotal, Prophetical, and Regal, and firſt of his Sacerdotal Office