A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 81 (Question 21 cont.)
SERMON LXXXI.
III. WE are now to lock into the Aſſumption itſelf, under which the Nature of the Incarnation of the Son of God is to be obſerved. Concerning this we are told, that he was and continues to be two diſtinct Natures in one Perſon forever. Here then we may firſt inquire into the diſtinction, and then into the union, of theſe two natures in the Perſon of the Son of God, which will give us the beſt infight into this myſterious Incarnation that our ſhallow underſtandings are capable of apprehending in this Life.
Firſt, CONCERNING the diſtinction of theſe two natures. It may be comprehended in this aſſertion, viz. That in the Perſon of Chriſt each nature remains the ſame, perfect in eſſence & properties without any kind of change or the leaſt mixture. There is neither alteration in either of them, not confuſion in both of them, by reaſon of this aſſumption. They are as really the ſame as they were before the conſideration of the union made between them. The Son of God is truly God, and the Son of Man is truly Man, though this conſtitutes but one Perſon. And here in particular,
(1.) EACH Nature retains its Eſſence entire and perfect.
1. THE divine Nature remains in its Eſſence. The whole entire Godhead is in the Perſon of Chriſt, Col. 2.9. For in him …welleth all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily. Our Redeemer is the moſt abſolute firſt Being, Rev. 1.8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, ſaith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. He who appeared in fleſh is God. 1 Tim. 3.16. God manifeſt in the fleſh. He hath life in himſelf, Joh. 5.26. He is the true God, 1 Joh. 5.20 Theſe things are eſſential to the Deity, and were found in him who was incarnate.
2. NEITHER doth the humane Nature of Chriſt loſe its Eſſence. But he is true and perfect man. He took the ſame form, ſhape, faſhion with other men, Phil. 2.7. The humane nature of Chriſt remains in itſelf a ſecondary Being, a reaſonable creature, conſiſting of a Soul and Body, as will be afterwards more enlarged on. He is the Man Chriſt, 1 Tim. 2.5 And on this account is ſo often calls himſelf the Son of Man.
(2.) EACH Nature retains its eſſential Properties. And this is neceſſary from the former.
1. THE divine properties are not taken any or laid aſide by this Aſſumption. He put … of them off in his Incarnation. He abides eternal ſtill, he could therefore ſay of himſelf as in, Joh. 8.58. Before Abraham was, I am. He is ſtill infinite and omnipreſent, … 28.20. He is ſtill omniſcient, knowing the very hearts and ſecrets of men, Joh. 2.24, 25. He hath a divine underſtanding, Joh. 21.17. and a divine Will, v. 22. yea, he is ſtill God eternally bleſſed. Rom. 9.5.
2. HIS humane properties continue without being taken away. Conſider him in the nature aſſumed, and he is a compound, limited, timed Being. He is a finite creature, hath a Body that is circumſcribed, and cannot be every where at once, Math. 28.6. hath as underſtanding that is bounded, a will that is ſubordinated, affections that might be excited or ſtirred, with joy or grief. he was capable of ſuffering, and being led to a … ted happineſs, for he went in a path of …, Pſal. 16. ult.
3. THEY ſuffer not any the leaſt cha…. There is no tranſmutation that they are ſubjected to. The Godhead is not changed … the Manhood, nor is the Humanity tra…ſermed into the Deity. The Eſſences do … after one into the other: nor yet their properties; neither of them ceaſeth to be which was, and become what it was not. The hu… nature, having a derivative life, doth … change into the divine which hath one of it ſelf. Eternity doth not begin to be; not doth the finite humanity of Chriſt become infinite. And this muſt be a proper conſectary from the premiſes.
4. THEY are not mixt. There is not co… ſion in them. There is not a compound confection made of them, as there is in the compoſition of ſeveral ſimples; as of the elements in the elementary bodies; not as the eſſential parts of a being conſtitute a third being, by their being united together: … there meet in Chriſt, two natures, and the… continue two as really as if they had n… ſo met. And hence when Chriſt as God know all things, yet as Son of man, there was … time when there was ſomething which … knew not. Math. 13.32.
Secondly. TOUCHING the union of the… two Natures, give me leave to premiſe, Th… next to the adorable myſtery of the Trinity of Perſons in the unity of the divine Eſſence, I know no Goſpel Doctrine more myſterious. Tho' nothing be more manifeſt upon divine teſtimony than that it is ſo; yet what more hard for our underſtanding to comprehend, than … it is? Let us then be ſober in our enquiry into it, leſt we darken counſel with words without knowledge.
I ſhall here content my ſelf with a few ſhort glances upon ſuch a deſcription of it as this, viz. That the Second Perſon in the bleſſed Trinity, hath, after a wonderful manner, taken … individual humanity to ſubſiſt inſeperably in his own Perſon for ever. This is but a ſhort deſcription, far ſhort of the thing that it aims at; but yet too long for us to be able to fathom, though it ought to command our belief; it not being againſt reaſon, though above our reaſoning: and a certain truth becauſe God hath ſaid it. Here then,
(1.) IT is a wonderful union. And it is fitting that this Epither be put into the deſcription of it: for though all the works of God's efficiency are wonderful, yet this ſurpaſſeth all the reſt. When therefore the Apoſtle would prove the doctrine of godlineſs to be a great myſtery, this is the firſt Article by which he demonſtrates it, 1 Tim. 3.16. And doubtleſs this was one reaſon why he had his name, Wonderful given him. Iſai. 9.6. A thing is then wonderful, when we apprehend it to be, but cannot comprehend the reaſon of it. We ſee or believe the effect, but the cauſes are too myſterious for us, and ſo our underſtanding is non-pluſt in the contemplation of it. Now there are three things in which more eſpecially this union is myſterious.
1. THAT two natures ſo vaſtly different ſhould meet together and unite in one. That the word ſhould be made fleſh, Job. 1.14. that the Eternal Son of God ſhould become a man, and tabernacle in an houſe of clay: that the Everlaſting Jehovah ſhould be made like to us, and he who is out Father by creation, ſhould be our brother and near of kin to as by his Incarnation: that he ſhould be both God and a creature, the Maker and the thing made. There cannot be a greater diſtance in nature than between God and a creature among beings: and that this infinite diſtance ſhould be brought to meet in one is truly wonderful.
2. THAT the Son of God ſhould aſſume an humane nature, and not an humane perſon. In all other men where there is an individual humanity, there is a diſtinct perſon: but in this aſſumption the union is ſo made, that though the humane nature abides, yet the perſonality is loſt, or ſwallowed up in the perſon of the Son of God. Hence that, Luk. 2.35. And the angel anſwered and ſaid unto …, The holy Ghoſt ſhall overſhadow thee; therefore that holy thing which ſhall be born of thee, ſhall be called the Son of God. If we ſpeak of the nature, Chriſt is a man, but if we ſpeak of the perſon, the man Chriſt is God. And to ſee two ſuch natures in Chriſt, entire in eſſence and properties, and yet but one perſon conſiſting in both, is truly myſterious.
3. THAT the Second Perſon of the Trinity ſhould alone aſſume this nature; and neither the Father, nor the Spirit. When we confider all the Three Glorious Perſons as enjoying one and the ſame undivided eſſence entirely; and hence that the whole eſſence is wholly in every one of theſe Sacred Perſons, it muſt needs be a myſtery beyond our graſping, to tell how the Son only was united perſonally to this nature: the over-curious enquiry into which hath made ſome to grow giddy, and turn Hereticks. That God ſhould be manifeſted in the fleſh, and yet this manifeſtation terminate in the Son, theſe things confound carnal reaſon, and ſurprize the humane underſtanding; it would loſe it ſelf in the ſpeculation, did not faith come in and ſupport it.
(2.) IN the deſcription it ſelf, obſerve,
1. THE Son of God is in himſelf a compleat Perſon, and hence receives no perſonal perfections by the aſſumption of the humane nature; nor hath any neceſſary dependance upon it. He was Son before he was Man; not doth his being the Son of God neceſſitate his being the Son of man. He was Son from Eternity, but he became man in time. And though the futurition of his Incarnation was eternal, being laid in the Covenant which was from everlaſting, yet his Sonſhip was in order of nature before it; that futurition neceſſarily flowing from the Sons conſent in that Covenant. And being a divine Perſon he could want nothing to compleat his perſonality: not be capable of being made better …t more perfect by any addition; for all divine perfections are infinite, and to that which is infinite there can nothing be added. Hence this union was not natural, but voluntary: it was a free act of the Son of God.
2. THE humanity of Chriſt was a compleat individual humane nature. The Incarnation of the Son of God was not an uniting him to the whole kind, or to all of it that are redeemed by him. It is true there is a myſtical union between Chriſt and his Church, and every gracious member of it; but that is not the hypoſtolical union we are now conſidering of, as the Familiſts dream: but there was one diſtinct and particular humanity that was provided for him, and in which he tabernacled. Hence God is ſaid to prepare him a body, Heb. 10.5. And the parts of it were his own ſo as no other humane nature is. Luk. 24.39. Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I my ſelf. The Son of God did not only become a man, but this man. It was that humanity that was born of the Virgin, Luk. 1.35. And it muſt be ſo, elſe he had not been capable of redeeming other men from the curſe.
3. THAT the individual Humanity of Chriſt is not this or that Man by itſelf. Herein it differs from every other humanity in the World. Among men this humanity conſtitutes this man, and ſo there reſults a perſon from it: but it is not ſo here. Peter is one man, and Paul is another, becauſe they enjoy a diſtinct humanity each from other, though of the ſame kind; becauſe individuation among intelligent ſubjects makes a perſon. But now the humanity of Chriſt belongs to the perſonality of the Son of God, and hereupon it hath none in itſelf. For it is certain that Chriſt is not two perſons; for Scripture always makes him but one, and it is as certain that the Son who aſſumes the nature is a compleat perſon, and is not made another ſubſiſtence by this union.
4. HENCE the individual Humanity of Chriſt, hath its entire ſubſidence in the Son of God. And it always had ſo from the way firſt of its Being. It was never a ſeparate humanity by itſelf, ut was made with thi… dependance or inbeing. It was not firſt produced and then united to him, but its union was made in the production of it: it was never a tree by itſelf, but it was at the firſt inoculated into his divine perſon and grew upon it. A graft indeed beats other manner of fruit from the ſtock it is graſſed into, and grows upon; but yet it is not a tree by itſelf; but is a bra…ch in the tree, and a piece of the tree into which it is inſerted, having no t…ot or ſtock but what it receives by this engraftment. The humane Nature of Chriſt produceth humane actions and effects; but it is ſuſtained, uphold and influenced by the divine Perſon whoſe it is. Hence his blood is called the blood of God, in Acts 20.28.
5. THE union of theſe two natures in the Perſon ſ…brist is not only by d…vine approbation, or d…termination, but operation alſo. If it were no other relation which that individual humanity bears to the Son of God than meerly a acceptation of it, or the putting of ſuch a title upon it, there would be no myſtery in it, and any other humanity might be, without change on it, the Son of God: But there was a very great and ſecret work of the Spirit of God in fitting of this humanity for the Son in the aſſumption. Heb. 10 5. A Body haſt th…u prepared for me. The word ſignifies to fit a thing compleatly in all reſpects for its uſe. So that here was infinite wiſdom and power at work in making and diſpoſing of this Body in its union, that it might be fit to be a ſacrifice, Luk. 1.35. and Body here intends an humane Nature.
6. THE Second Perſon in the Trinity ſtands in a real relation to this Humanity, without any real change in his Perſon. Immutability is one of the eſſential Perfections of the Deity, God challengeth it to himſelf, Mal. 3.6. And it is aſcribed to Chriſt as he is a divine Perſon, in Heb. 13.8. So that though there is a new relation which the Son taketh on him to this nature, for it is the Lord's Body, as, 1 Cor. 11.29. Yet there is no real change wrought on him by it. It is hard to illuſtrate this by any ſuitable compariſons of things among men, becauſe all will co… ſhort of the myſtery. But it is certain, th… a man naked, and a man cloathed, makes … real change in the man. And all Phyleſ… phy makes a maniteſt difference between real, relative, and imaginary; a relation … ſomething leſs than real, and yet … than imaginary.
7. THERE is a real change wrought in th… humanity by this Union. Though the divine nature of Chriſt undergoes no real alteration yet the humane nature hath a very go… one; there was therefore a great deal d… to fit it for this ſervice, Heb 10.5. … made a meet tabe…nacle for the Son of God to dwell in, fitted to do and ſuffer for us, … go through the whole work of our … demption, to make full ſatisfaction to the juſtice of God, &c. In all of which there muſt be a wonderful operation, for it … thus capacitated for that which no … humanity was ever made capable of. It was an aſto…iſhing charge in lifting … this individual huma…ty above the rank of c… ted Beings, by u…iti… to the Perſon … the Son.
8. THIS Union being made, there is God and man in one Perſon forever. The ſubſiſtence of the eternal Son of God, is now become the ſubſiſtence of the man Chriſt Jeſus. And now the man Jeſus Chriſt is the Se… Perſon in the glorious Trinity. The perſon of the manhood of Chriſt is a divine Perſon, and though we cannot ſay the humanity is the divinity, yet we muſt ſay that this Man is God. And ſo we have T…mas's confeſeſ… concerning him, Joh. 20.28. And … anſwered and ſaid unto him, My Lord, and my God. And that of Nathanael amounts … much, Joh. 1.49. Nath…nacl anſwered and ſaith unto him, Rabbi, that art the Son of God, thou are the king of Iſrael. Theſe few obſervations may help to fortify our Faith, th… not ſatisfy our curioſi…y; and let us … patiently for more, till we come to ſtand in the light of Glory.
IV. WE may now proceed to look into … Communion there is between the two … the Perſon of Chriſt. For though it be not mentioned in the Catechſon; yet it is … rally conſequent upon it, for union is for, and the ground of communion; and it is c… that the Son of God took our nature into this union with his Perſon, that in it he might perform the great work of Redemption, which be could not have done without it. Here there muſt be a co-operation of theſe … natures in this work, elſe the end of this union were loſt. Touching this Communion then, obſerve theſe three things.
1. THOUGH there be a communion between the two natures in Chriſt, yet the properties of one nature do not paſs into the properties of the other. Though there be a communion … there is no confuſion, no commixture. We have already obſerved, that the two natures remain entire and diſtinct in the Perſon of Chriſt, notwithſtanding this u…ion; the one of them is not ſwallowed up by the other, though they do both of them meet in one perſ…. And becauſe the manner of commu…ce muſt needs follow the manner of the …, it is neceſſary that there be two kinds of faculties, and properties correſpondent to theſe two natures, remaining in him. There …not be a change of properties without a c…ge of natures: he therefore muſt have two underſtandings diſtinct, Mar. 13.22. and two diſtinct wills, Mat. 2…. …. It the properties ceaſe, the nature will ceaſe with then, i. e. to be the ſ…m… it was; for the …ra…e of a thing is ſeen in its properties. And …ce alſo there muſt needs be two ſorts … …pe…tio…s or eff…cts wrought by theſe natures. It is impoſſible that two diſtinct natures ſ…uld perform o…e and the ſame in…ri…al acc… …mally: though they may … the ſame work, yet each muſt have its …tinct and individual activity in it. As the princ…les are diſtinct, ſo alſo muſt be the … flow from theſe p…nciples. D…i…e actions are not humane, not … d…vine. It there be in Chriſt tw… underſtandings, the one created, the …ther inc…e…ed, there muſt then be two ſ…s of exerting them; the one infinite the other …te; and to of the reſt. For there is as infitite d…ſproportion between a divine and a… humane act.
2. THOUGH the …tions of the two natures in Chriſt are …, yet in working they are unj…y…s. There is a co-operation of theſe …wes in the works that are done by Chriſt … M…uto…. And here obſerve,
(1.) THEY do co-…perate in the ſame Perſon. T…ga all things elſe conſidered in the perſon of Chriſt are twofold, viz. Divine and h…e; yet the Perſon himſelf is but one. 1 T…. 2 5. For there is but one God, and one Ac…st between God and men, the man Chriſt J…ſus. Hence theſe diſtinct operations are … the actions of divers perſons, but of one Ac…st. The divine & humane nature are, …ding to our manner of conception, the … of the Perſon of Chriſt; though the …vine nature cannot properly be called a …, becauſe it it infinite. Now that which is l…e by any part, id done by the whole in … of that part; if the Sould meditates, the man meditates; if the Body ſit or walk, the man doth ſo; and this flows from the … of the parts in one.
(2.) THEY …operate for the ſame end. The …me nature hath not one deſign, and the …ea…e another, but both together have one and the ſame work to do, viz, the Redempſion and Salvation of fallen man; in the …cement whereof they do mutually joyn. Chriſt is therefore ſaid … Redeem us, Gal. 3 13. … do here warily obſerve a difference between an action and a word in Chriſt. A and is ſomething done by action, and divers …s may concur in one work. Now the … in Chriſt are diſtinct, but the work is but one, to which each contributes according to its influence which it hath into the work.
(3.) THE a…it… of h…th natures are property b…anded upon the Perſon of the Son of God. Though ſome be referred to one nature, ſome to the other, as the principle of operation; as a tree may bear divers ſorts of fruits, by reaſon of grafts in it; yet the perſon is the term of operation in which they are bounded. And therefore Chriſt is ſaid to die, and to riſe again, to …eal the ſick, &c.
(4.) HENCE, whatſoever M…n…t…riel actions are performed by Chriſt is either nature, they are property ſaid to be T…drical; i. e. the works of Chriſt God man: Becauſe, th… they are in nature diſtinct; yet they cc… in the perſon and in the ends of them. And this we may obſerve in the diſcharge of every Office: His Prieſthood, Heb. 9.14. And ſo of the reſt.
3. FROM this communion there flows a communication of properties … h…th natures, with reſped to attribution or predication. Not that they do really exchange properties, but only there is ſuch a nearneſs in them in the Perſon of Chriſt, that the Scripture doth frequently attribute them one to another. And there are three ſorts of theſe attributions which Divines have taken notice of, and are to be found in the word of God.
(1.) THE properties of each nature are attributed to the whole Perſon of Chriſt, and accounted as perſonal. And as the properties are ſo, ſo alſo are the actions; becauſe the Perſon of Chriſt performed theſe operations, or becauſe they are properties and actions of theſe natures which meet together, and are conjoyed in one perſon. Thus are the properties and actions of the humane nature aſcribed to Chriſt, P…il. 2.7, 8.1 Pet. 3.18. And yet only the humane nature was capable of theſe. So alſo the properties & actions of the divine nature, Joh. 8.58, 59.
(2.) THE properties and actions of one nature are aſſigned to the other, and that mutually. And the reaſon is becauſe they both meet in the Perſon; for though there be one nature and another nature, yet there is not one perſon and another perſon. Only here obſerve that they are attributed; …e concrete and not in the abſtract. T…e abſtract is a nature conſidered in it ſelf …ake…ly, the concrete denotes the perſon who hath the nature. And we have frequent expreſſions of this ſort. Mat. 9.6. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive ſins, (th…u ſaith be to the ſick of the palſey) Ariſe, take up thy bed and walk. 1 Cor. 2.8. Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have cru…fied the Lord of glory. But we never find it ſaid in the abſtract, that the God-head died, ſhed his blood, or that the manhood is the Lord of Glory. Hence the meaning is, that the ſame Perſon who is God ſhed his blood, though not as God, but as man, &c.
(3.) SUCH things as properly belong to the whole perſon are attrib…ted to each nature. And the reaſon is becauſe each hath a relation or title to his Perſon. And what the perſon doth, that each nature may be ſaid to do, ſo far forth as it hath an influence into his perſonal acts. Thus the Man Chriſt is called Mediator, 1 Tim. 2.5 whereas, he is not Mediator either as God or as Man, but as God-man. Thus, God purchaſed the Church … his …. Act. 20.28. which he did as God man. Now it is very uſeful for us to …erve theſe attributions and the reaſons of them, leſt we ſhould otherwiſe miſtake, or not rightly apprehend the way and manner of the carrying on of the work of Redemption by Chriſt for us.
USE I. LEARN …e hence … extreamly miſerable man was … need of ſuch a Redeemer. Doubtleſs it was man's neceſſity which occaſioned Chriſt I carnation …urely it muſt be very great, when nothing elſe would do for the remedying of it, but that the Lord of Glory, muſt put on …ur fleſh; and He who was the eternal God become a man, that ſo he might go through that work on which our Salvation depended. Let us then improve the conſideration of this, … read to our ſelves a Lecture of our great infelicity, that ſo we may be the better fitted in celebrate the riches of that Grace which ſhines forth in our recovery.
USE II. LEARN hence how comple… the work of Salvation muſt be carried on by ſuch an one. And hence what ſtrength faith may have to believe in him for life and Salvation. Well may he who is both God and Man is one, be ſaid to be mighty to ſave. Iſai. 13.1. and to be able to ſave to the atter…ſt, Heb. 7.23. Here is an object on whom we may … our whole weight without fear or danger. Hence he is capable of doing & divine, for us. Hence there is an infinite value and vertue in his obedience. Labour we th… to have a real and true ſaith placed on him, and then let us with the greateſt confidence expect an entire Redemption and Salvation at his hands. And to that end let us be much in the contemplation of the Perſon of Chriſt, and the natures united in his Perſon.
[FEBRUARY 19. 1…94.]