hypostaticall or personall vnion 19 Out of which place it euidently appeareth first that those things which are of the flesh are no lesse giuen to the word then the things of the word to the flesh then that they which belong to the word are giuen to the flesh after no other manner then they which pertaine to the flesh are giuen to the word lastlie that this manner of giuing is called the manner of mutuall pradication not simplie and in the abstractiue names of the natures but in the concretiue noting the person 20 Moreouer what this manner of praedication is and why it is so called the same Damascene expoundeth in the 4. chapter both by example and by the cause in these wordes This manner of mutuall praedication is vvhen those things vvhich are proper to one nature are spoken of the other nature by reason of the hypostaticall identitie or personall vnion of them both and for that the one nature is in the other for example vvee may say of Christ this our god was seene vpon the earth and conuersed with men and this man is vncreated not subiect to passion not circumscribed in any place And the examples added doe manifestlie shewe howe one nature doeth attribute those things which are proper vnto it selfe to the other and for what cause For God in that by this name is ment the diuine essence was not seene on earth but onely in that the person is ment by it which is both God and man 21 Therefore we mislike not that receiued description of the communicating of proprieties The communication of the proprieties is a praedication wherein the proprietie agreeable to one nature is giuen to the person in a name concrete because these two natures the vvorde and the humane nature taken are one existence or person 22 Thus therefore we iudge that the communication of the properties may not amisse be defined the communication of the proprieties is a praedication or a manner of speach wherein the proprietie that is the concrete name signifying the proprietie of one nature is spoken really of Christs person signified by the name of the other nature and is spoken onely in worde of the other nature in the concrete by reason of the coniunction of the natures the personall vnion thereof 23 But we say it is all one to be praedicated or said of the person signified by the coÌ„crete name of the other nature and to be said of the concrete name of the other nature signifying the person as also the proprietie and the concrete name signifying the proprietie of the one nature are in this matter alone 24 For this question was propounded by the fathers against the heretikes not so much about the things themselues as about the manners of speaking which the holy scripture vseth speaking of Iesus Christ when sometime it saieth The Lord of glorie vvas crucified sometime The sonne of man vvhen he vvas on earth vvas also in heauen and other such like namely how such phrases should be vnderstood 25 For none of any sound iudgemeÌ„t euer doubted but as the natures so also the essentiall proprieties of both the natures remained distinct whole and vnconfounded in the person of Iesus Christ after the vnion so as for example sake neither the deitie was made passible and locall nor the humanitie impassible and vncircumscribed as some heretickes falsifying the scriptures haue blasphemed 26 Now the very foundation of this whole exposition was the true and neere vniting of the two natures within themselues and a meeting of them into one and the same person vnspeakably made without conuersion without confusion without diuision without separation 27 For Damascene declaring this after he had taught how those things which are of the flesh are giuen to the vvorde and likewise how the things of the word are communicated to the flesh namely according to this manner of praedicaâ—ation he adioyneth the cause thereof saying by reason of the meeting together of the partes one with the other and the hypostaticall or personall vnion in the 4. chapter This is the manner saith he of mutuall predication vvhenas one nature doth giue the proprieties of one nature to the other which it doth in respect of the personall identitie the ioyning of the natures one with the other Now this ioyning of the natures one with the other is the very vnion that is an inward absolute and most perfect vniting them together As Damascene both els where especially in his 4. booke and 19. chapter expouÌ„deth it saying But the diuine nature once going through the flesh gaue vnto the flesh also an vnspeakable going to the diuine nature vvhich vvee call the vnion 29 We our selues add that this vnion is also the finall cause of this forme of speaking because therefore this reciprocall praedication is deliuered in the holie scripture that the true vnitie of the natures in one person of Iesus Christ might be shewed which is the cause why these verball praedications can by no meanes be said to be vaine or to no purpose seing they haue great vse shewing how the two natures are vnited into one person without confusion 30 Moreouer this same communication of the proprieties for example in this proposition God was crucified we say to be both verball and reall in diuers respects For in that by this concrete word God is ment a person which is not onely God but also man it is a reall predication For because he was man therefore he truly and indeed died But as the deitie is meant by the formall signification as they speake or as God simply is meant thereby it is a verball praedication and that a true one For god is truely said to haue died by reason of the person togither meant and that which is God indeed died not nor could die although he which is God did truely die 31 These thinges thus declared it is easie to iudge of the diuers enunciations which be tru and which false and in what manner of Praedication each one is to be taken Neither one nature nor the proprieties thereof can by any meanes neither in the abstractiue name nor in the concretiue be predicated or spoken of the other nature signified in the abstractiue For it is as false to say The humaine nature or the humanity is God as to say The humanity is the dietie And as false to say the humanity is immeasurable and infinite as to say the humanity is very immeasurablenesse or infinitenes Therefore in all the scriptures is no such kind of speech to be found 32 Neither can one nature or the proprieties thereof be spoken in the abstract of the other nature signified either in an abstractiue or concretiue name For both these propositions are false God is the humanity and the Deity is the humanity 33 Of either of the natures signified by what name soeuer the thinges that are proper therevnto may truely be spoken and that of them both in the concrete but of
that they may auoide condemnation XI Errors Therefore wee condemne those which reiect the law out of the church as vnprofitable and not pertaining to christians and againe those which teach that a man may either wholie or in part bee iustified by the lawe fith it was rather giuen Io. 1.29 to shutt vp all men vnder sinne and to leade them to Christ who alone taketh away the sinnes of the world And this is brieflie our confession of the law deliuered from god by Moses and declared by the Prophets vvhich prepareth disposeth and bringeth men vnto Christ Rom. 10.4 and therefore Christ is ende thereof as the Apostle writeth CHAP. XI Of Christ the redeemer I. A summe of the faith of the person and office of Christ the redeemer WHen therefore the fullnesse of time was come Gal. 4.4 wherein the promise of redemption made vnto the first man was to be accomplished by the second God the euerlasting father sent his onely begotten sonne and eternal and therefore true God of the same nature vvith the father made of a vvoman alone and vvithout the seede of a man and therefore true man but vvithout sinne and so true Christ made subiect to the lavve and therefore circumcised that he in most perfect obedience might fulfill that lavv in the name of vs all made obedient to his father euen vnto death namely for vs for he being vvithout sinne deserued not to die that he might redeeme those which vvere vnder the law and all the elect euen by his obedience by his death and bloodshedding that is by a sacrifice of exceeding vertue for it vvas the blood of God and a most effectuall ransome that he might I saie redeeme vs from sinne to the old image of god to perfect righteousnesse yea from death to eternal life and from the kingdome of Satan to the kingdome of God and that we might receiue adoption of children and so in the ende bee taken into full and perfect possession of the heauenlie inheritance as sonnes and lavvfull heires And lastlie that he might gather together all thinges in heauen and in earth vnder one head and ioyne them to himselfe Eph. 1.10 for the glorie of God the father II. Christ the redeemer is true God and true man We beleeue therefore Iesus Christ to be the onely begotten sonne of God Ioh. 1.14 Mich. 5.2 Phil. 2.6 1. Ioh. 5.20 Mat. 1.1 and so the sonne in nature consubstantial and coeternall to the father and lastlie true God almightie also true man of the true seed of Abraham and Dauid conceiued vvithout the help of a man Heb. 4.15 Mat. 26.35 but onlie by vertue of the holie ghost in the vvombe of the virgine and vvithout sinne and borne of her indued vvith a true soule and a humaine minde and made like vnto vs in all thinges sinne onelie excepted so that he is true God of the substance of the father Ath. in sym begotten before all vvorldes and true man of the substance of his mother borne in the vvorld III. Onely the Sonne to be both God and man and onely Christ But so vve beleeue that the sonne of God is both true God and true man and therefore the true Christ and him alone vve confesse to bee such sith vve read that neither the father neither the holie Chost but onelie the vvorde it selfe vvas made flesh Ioh. 1.14 and the Apostle saieth that the sonne onelie vvas made of a vvoman and that he onelie suffred Gal. 4.4 although to the creation of the nature vvhich the sonne tooke vppon him not onely the Sonne but the Father also and the holy ghost vvere all concurrent IV. That the sonne vvas made man without anie change of himselfe but onely assuming to himselfe humaine nature And vvee beleeue that the sonne of God vvas made man vvithout making any confusion of the diuine and humaine natures vvithout his conuersion into flesh or anie chaunge in the flesh onely by assuming of the humaine nature into the vnitie of that person and as Athanasius speaketh In sym not by conuersion of the godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God so that that vvhich he vvas he did by no meanes leese or let goe but that vvhich he vvas not he tooke vppon him as the Apostle saith Ieb 2.16 the sonne tooke on him the seede of Abraham and as he teacheth that as the sonne taking vppon him vvas not chaunged into the thing taken for God cannot be chaunged at all but remained the same that he vvas trulie distinct from the thing assumed and taken So that seede taken on him vvas not turned into the thing that tooke it but was vnited with the diuine nature into the vnitie onely of the same person according to that saying The word was made flesh The flesh therefore remained flesh and was not changed into the word V. Nether one nature tooke on it another nature nor one person another person but the person of the sonne of God tooke on him mans nature Whence also wee vnderstand that neither the diuine nature common to the three persons nay indeed one and the self same nature of them all did take on it humaine nature nor one person tooke on it another person but onelie another nature For neither did the sonne of God take on him any sonne of Abraham but the seed of Abrahā that is humaine nature spreading from Abraham therefore wee acknowledge not two persons in Christ but onely the same alone by which all thinges were made and which was so perfect before it tooke on it the seede of Abraham that by the same taking it is not made anie other or anie perfecter person or yet indeed any whitt vnperfect VI. The humaine nature was not taken to make a nevv person in Christ or to make perfect the former but onelie to be coupled and vnited to his eternall and most perfect person For albeeit we acknowledge two natures in Christ the diuine and humaine yet we doe not admit that the humaine was therefore assumed that either a new person compounded of that this as of the parts should be made in Christ or that the former and the eternall person should bee made the perfecter by the coupling of a newe nature but onelie that mans nature beeing taken into vnitie of that most perfect and euerlasting person the sonne of God remaining the same that he was might be made that he was not and might haue what to offer vnto his father for vs. And therefore we doe not simplie allow it if one saye so the person of Christ is compounded of the diuine and humaine nature as the person of a man consisteth of a soule and a bodie But we allow the vsuall phrase in the church that Christ clothed himselfe or was clothed with our flesh Whereupon Augustine saith Christ came downe from heaven as a naked man comes downe a hill but he went vp againe clothed with our flesh as vvith
a garment For this manner of speach although it doe not perfectlie declare the personall vnion Hypostatica yet it sheweth a manifest difference beetweene the person of the sonne of god taking and our nature taken For this same cause we embrace those kindes of speaches of the Fathers as mans nature was borne of the sonne of god to subsist in the person of the sonne of God and such like separating the person of the sonne of god taking from the nature taken and teaching that the person of the sonne of God by the comming of mans nature was made neither other nor more perfect VII A confirmation of the former opinion with an exposition of the place of Athanasius Surelie we confesse with Athanasius that as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ that is Christ is onelie one person although there bee in him two natures yet not that the person of Christ if we will speake properlie is constituted or made of both these natures as of the parts as to the perfect cōstitution of man no lesse the bodie as an essential part then the soule must ioyne together seeing the person of Christ was alreadie 1. Cor. 10.9 1. Pet. 3.19 and that whole and most perfect before it was shewed in the fleshe but the person of man as of Adam was none at all vntill the foule was coupled with the bodie and sith that nether the soule doth assume vnto it selfe a body or the body a soule as the sonne of God assumed vnto himselfe the seed of Abraham into vnitie of the same person And further sith the bodie and the soule are two existences as it is manifest in the creatiō of Adam but mans nature did neuer subsist by it selfe but onelie in the person of the sonne of God so that verie vniustlie doe some abuse this godlie saying of the holie man for proofe of their owne dreames For he which did shew himselfe and he is the person of the Sonne of god must needs differ frō the flesh wherein he did shewe himselfe and that not onelie before but also after his resurrection and sitting at the right hand of his father which as saith Augustine added a glorie to the flesh but took not away the nature VIII How Christ is one onely person and that eternall and vnchangeable but there are in the same two natures and how it is said to consist of them We therefore acknowledge and confesse against Nestorius that in Christ is onelie one person and that eternall most simple most perfect and the same shall remaine for euer namelie the person of the euerlasting sonne of God Further that vnto this eternall person there came in time not another person but another nature namelie mans nature and the same not as a parte of that person of whome it was taken but a thing farre different from it and yet takē vnto it into vnitie of the same And therefore we thirdly confesse that in one the selfe same person of Christ there is now two natures the diuine and the humaine in which we doubt not that the same doth subsist doth liue and doth worke for which cause also we feare not to speake thus Christ consisteth now of his diuine nature his humaine being taken into the vnitie of person that he is after a sort compounded of them both IX Hovve the tvvo natures are vnited into one person without alteracion or confusion the properties and actions of either of them remaining whole and distinct But we beleeue and confesse that these two natures are truelie and inseparablie ioyned and vnited into one person of Christ that yet we doubt not but each of them remaineth whole and perfect and the one truely distinct from the other yea and that they do hold the essentiall properties and operations of each of them distinct without all manner of confusion so that as the diuine nature holding the properties remaineth vncreated infinite immeasurable simplie omnipotent and simply wise euen so the humaine nature holding hirs remaineth created comprehensible determined with certen limitts And as the diuine nature hath will and power whereby Christ willeth worketh as god such things as are of God so hath the humaine nature will and power whereby Christ as mā willeth worketh those thinges which are of man so farre forth as Christ in that he is God hee willeth not nor worketh by humaine will or power so neither as he is man willeth he or worketh he by diuine wil or power as it hath bin learnedly determined by the fathers both against Eutyches and against Macarius We therefore did alwaies like wel of that saying of Leo the first Epi. 10. c. 4 writing vnto Flauianus about the same thing where he saith He which is true God the same is also true man and in this vnitie there is no vntrueth whereas there meet together the basenesse of manhood and the excellencie of the godhead For as God is not chaunged by the partaking so man that is mans nature in Christ is not consumed by the dignitie for each forme vvorketh with communion of the other their ovvne propertie namelie the vvord vvorketh that which is proper to the vvord and the flesh performeth that vvhich is proper to the flesh Thus farre Leo that learned man which hee afterwards fetteth out by examples whereby it is plainelie shewed that as the natures are truelie vnited in Christ yet remaine distinct and not confounded so also were and are the actions for thinges which were proper to the word the flesh did not performe but the word that which was proper to the flesh the word performed not but the flesh To raise againe Lazarus from death was proper to the word but to crie Lazarus come forth was proper to the flesh yet both those actions were vnited to the raising vp of Lazarus because they were both one and in one Christ tend both to one purpose and yet they were distinct Likewise to forgiue sinnes was a proper actiō to the diuine nature but to say thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee was proper to the humaine nature To restore his sight that was born blinde was an action of his diuine nature but to put clay vppon his eies and to say goe and wash was of the humaine nature Therefore this personall vnion as it did not confound the natures so neither did it the actions but kept them distinct neither yet did it confound the properties of the natures For there be in one the same person of Christ these three things Natures the proprieties and faculties of the natures and the actions of them and these proprieties of natures in Christ are after the verie same manner that the natures and actions are Therefore as it is cleere that one nature passeth not into another nor one action is confounded with another so is it apparent that their proprieties are after the same sorte X. That it cannot bee prooued by the vnion
Eutychians which on the contrary side as Christ is but one onelie person so they leaue him but one nature onelie namelie the diuine teaching that the humaine nature which he assumed either is wholy turned into the diuine or els so mingled and confounded with the diuine that they make no difference at al in him between the proprieties and actions of his diuine and humaine natures Wee condemne also those which haue proceeded from the former as Macarius with his followers which make but one onelie will in Christ namelie the diuine and therefore admit no proper action at al of the humane wil in Christ We condemne likewise the Cerdonians also in this pointe that they said Christ did not truelie suffer nor was truelie dead but that he fained a suffring or as some heritiks say he suffred and died putatiuelie and therefore with these we also cōdēne all which taught or teach the like things as namelie that Christ rose not againe truelie in the same flesh wherein he died but in another of a diuerse nature or else that if he rose in the same yet that he did not truelie ascend into heauen and carrie the same into heauen and chaunge the place of it Wee also also with Hierome Cyrill and other of the fathers condemne the Originists and their like who taught that Christ rose againe with a bodie like vnto a spirite most subtill and in it owne nature inuisible and not subiect to the senses all those likewise as Iewes and Turkes which denie that the worlde is redeemed by the benefite of Christes death Also all those lastlie which goe about to proue our saluation to be grounded vppon any other thing either in parte or altogether then onelie in Christ and blasphemouslie doe auouch that sinnes may bee expiate or remitted by anie other sacrifices then that one sacrifice of Christ onelie For wee acknowledge one onelie redeemer Iesus Christ without whome as there is no true God so no true saluation and one onely sacrifice the oblation or offring wherof being once made not onelie all the sinnes of the elect were once washed awaie in the person of Christ but also beeing yet continuallie washed away euen vnto the ende of the world are remitted to them that beleeue CHAP. XII Of the true dispensation of the Redemption the saluation life which is laid vp in Christ alone and therefore of the necessarie vniting and participation vvith Christ I. Saluation and eternall lise is laid in Christ that from him it may bee communicated to be WE beleeue that euen as the sinne of Adam and death which followed the same remained not in Adam alone but from him as from the head of all mankinde it did and doth flow into all men which by a common generation haue bin and are borne of him so likewise that the righteousnesse of Christ and the eternall life due vnto him is not holden in Christ alone but is deriued into all those who by the regeneration of the holie spirite are made one with him and as true members are ioyned vnto him as head of the whole church and that to this ende and purpose Christ came in the flesh and that all our saluation and life consisteth in him as in our head that it may indeed be bestowed and communicated vppon all the elect of God which are vnited vnto him II. The grace of redemption and saluation is offred vnto all men but indeed is not communicated but to the elect who are made one vvith Christ For we beleeue Mar. 16.15 16 that although the grace of redemption saluation and eternall life which God bestoweth be earnestly propounded and offered vnto all men by the preaching of the gospell for that very manie are not made partakers of the same it is through their owne fault yet is it not indeed communicated but vnto those who beeing from the beginning chosen and predestinate vnto it in Christ as in the head of all the elect that they should bee his members and so made partakers of saluation were afterwards in their time called by the gospell indued with faith and so grafted into Christ and made one with him III. To the true participation of eternall life howe necessarie this true vnion or communion is with Christ For euen as the braunch can draw no liuelie sapp from the vine Ioh. 15.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 nor the bough from the tree nor the members anie motion sence or life from the head vnlesse they be ioyned to the vine tree and these to the head euen so cannot men receiue anie saluation or life from Christ in whome onelie it consisteth vnlesse they be grafted into him coupled in a true and reall vnion and being coupled doe abide in him IV. That we cannot be vnited vnto Christ vnlesse he first vnite himselfe to vs. Sith therefore the whole participation of true righteousnes saluation and life hangeth and dependeth vppon this most necessary cōmunion with Christ and vnto the same is referred both the preaching of the gospell and administration of both the Sacraments yea the whole Ecclesiasticall ministrie Therefore what our faith cōcerning the same is we purpose to declare witnes to the whole church as brieflie and plainelie as may be in certaine assertiōs or positions which after follow Of the communitie with Christ 1. Ioh. 4.10 And first we beleeue that as we therefore loue Christ as Iohn saith because he first loued vs. we come vnto him by our spirite because he came first vnto vs by his and therefore wee imbrace him by faith because he first by vertue of his spirite imbracing vs stirreth vs vp to faith so we also can by no meanes cleaue and bee vnited vnto him vnlesse he first doe ioyne and vnite himselfe vnto vs. For the one is the cause of the other the first of the latter Wherefore we must pray vnto him Ioh. 14.23 that he will come vnto vs and make his abode with vs. V. How many fold is the vnion of Christ with vs and of vs with Christ and how they are ordered in themselues We acknowledge furthermore this coniunction of Christ with vs and likewise of vs with Christ to bee threefold one which was once made in our nature another which is dailie made in the persons of the elect which yet goe astraie from the Lord and the last which shall be likewise with the Lord in our persons when they shall be present with him namelie when God shall be all in vs all And the first is referred to the second the second to the third euē as nature is ordained to grace and grace to glory For the first is also made by assuming of our nature into the vnitie of the person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the word The second is made by assuming of our persons into grace and into one misticall bodie with him and as Peter speaketh into participation of his diuine nature The third shall likewise bee made by assuming of vs
iustly denie Tho. 3. p. q. 2. ar 4 For what proportion can there bee betweene that which is finite and the infinite betweene the creature and creator But by the way confessing with the auncient fathers that it maye be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compounded in that sense as the scripture saieth the word was made flesh and that he which was in the shape of God was now made in the likenesse of man And this is nothing else but that this eternall Hypostasis doth now subsist in two natures so as Christ is no lesse true man then true God Hereunto tendeth it which before we said of the similitude of the soule body for of these two as true and essentiall partes consisteth the person of man how the same doeth not agree fitly euerie way and yet we allow of the same similitude in that sense which Athanasius and other fathers vsed it to shew the true and substantiall vnion of the two diuerse natures although it do not fully agree in all things to this great misterie as Iustinus in his exposition of faith and other fahters haue freely cōfessed The similitude of the garment is much vsed of the auncient fathers especially of Athanasius and it is agreeable to the scriptures For the flesh of Christ wherewith his deitie was couered the Apostle calleth a vaile Heb. 10. ve 20. And most excellently by this similitude of the garment that opinion of the reall imparting and communication of the diuine proprieties with the humaine nature is quite ouerthrowne which some doe much labour to prooue by the similitudes of a fire-hoatiron and of a bodie with life in it which they can neuer doe The seuenth aphorisme We haue said that the bodie and the soule are two existenees which is manifestly prooued in Adam whose bodie did first subsist by it selfe then the soule being also a substance subsisting by it selfe was ioyned vnto it The same is also prooued by the separation of the soule from the body whereof each doeth remaine subsisting by it selfe But seing they are the essentiall partes of a man each of them indeed seuerally are existences but yet vnperfect and being ioyned they make a perfect existence that is the person of man But thus standeth not the case in Christ touching the diuine and humaine natures for his humaine nature neuer subsisted by it selfe any waies before he took it on him nor subsisteth yet after the taking but onely in the word which word was euer by it selfe a most perfect existence The 10. aphorisme The similitude of the sunne doth not altogether so fittly agree as that similitude of the glorie which our bodies shal receiue because that glorie shal cleane take away al the shame and reproch of our flesh but the sunne doeth onely dimme the light of a candle and not cleane put it out yet notwithstanding this similitude of the sunne doth plainly shew what we meane namely that by the reall communication of the sunne with the ayre the light of the candell is made altogether vnprofitable and so as it were put out and to be no light at all yet that the essentiall proprieties of the flesh are neuer quite taken away or so weakened by the personall vnion that they serue to no vse it is manifest And yet this indeede could by no meanes be auoyded if the humaine nature should really participate with the diuine omnipotencie so that it could doe whatsoeuer God could doe For the word the sonne of God neuer tooke vnto him held or holdeth any thing in vaine Therefore by this similitude of the sunne is strongly confirmed that which is prooued by the similitude of the glorie which shall take awaye all ignominie from our bodies The 11. aphorisme That same whole Christ c. Here in the first part to the name of Christ is added the sonne of man in the other parte the sonne of God God that we might shewe how that diuine attributes are spokē of Christ the man and humaine of Christ God seing the very person of Christ is ment in either part For the same Christ one and the same person is whole God whole man though not wholy as Damascene speaketh for in two distinct natures he subsisteth one and the very same This doth Damascene thus declare lib. 3. cap. 7. The whole Christ is perfect God but the vvhole subsistance of Christ is not onely God for it is not onely God but also man And the vvhole Christ is perfect man but the whole subsistance of Christ is not onely man for it is not onely man but also God For the whole subsistance doth represent the nature but whole Christ the person But whereas we spake of his actions done by him either according to his humane nature or according to his diuine that yet one and the same and whole Christ performeth the same it depēdeth vpon this that the actions were as the schools say of supposite natures But the diuersitie of the actions proceedeth from the diuersnesse of the natures or formes by which they were done Sith therefore there is in Christ two natures and but one person thereon it comes that there is but onely one worker namely whole Christ two natures that can worke and two kinde of actions Now these actions are called the actions of God and man not so much for that they proceede from one agent which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man as that not onely the deitie but also the humanitie meet together for this worke of our saluation each ioyning his actions with the others actions And this is the first and principal force of this hypostaticall or personall vnion namely that by it the two natures and their properties actions are so vnited in one and the same person that he who by the forme of God wherin he hath frō the beginning subsisted is God and by the forme of a seruant wherein he now subsisteth is man and the same being whole God is whole man and being whole man is whole God and consequently is wholy omnipotent and euerie where present whole inomnipotent and existing in a certen place and the same whole died and whole by dying destroyed death And thus it finally followeth that to the obtaining communicating applying of our saluation not onely his diuine nature worketh but also the humaine worketh with it The secōd force followeth of the first namely that the humaine nature was made the deities instrument vnited personally thereunto and therefore a most forcible and effectuall instrument to bestow all benefites vpon vs. The third that by this vnion this masse or lumpe of humaine nature is lifte vpp to such dignitie that we neither can nor ought to bēd our actions of adoration faith prayer loue to the onely deitie of Christ as is declared in the confession For we are cōmaunded to worship the sonne himself that is the person Heb. 1. and to beleeue in him The fourth force is that because this humaine nature is
personally vnited to the diuine therefore the gifts of God conferred vpon the same are without measure as is declared in the aphorisme following The 12. aphorisme Although when I wrote this confession I thought to my selfe that I had hādled al things which belong vnto this article of the person of Christ yet I thought for the better explaining thereof to ioyne this also which followeth to that which I said before 1 There is and euer was one onely person of Christ For there is but one onely begotten sonne of God and one and the same Christ 2 This person being from all eternitie by the naturall begetting of the father is proper vnto the word but in time was made common to the humaine nature taken to it by vertue of the personall vnion For in the word the essence which it hath common yea the verie same with the father the holie ghost is to bee distinguished from the proper manner of subsisting whereby it comes to passe that it is a certaine Hypostasis or person distinct from the father and the holie ghost and therefore is and is called the Hypostasis or person proper to the sonne or to the worde But this eternall Hypostasis proper by nature vnto the word is by this vnion made common as we said with the diuine nature and the humaine taken vnto it namely that the vvorde doeth no lesse subsist really in this humaine form thē it doth in that diuine form in that respect is no lesse true and perfect man then true and perfect god yet the natures properties and actions remaining safe and distinct 3 Therefore into the vnitie of that immeasurable most pure and most perfect person was taken the humaine nature that is that lumpe consisting of the reasonable soule and flesh of man finite compounded and needing many things But how not so as that for example it cōtained that infinite person within the boūdes or limitts of it owne finite or determinate substance or that it spredd it selfe as it were stretched out into the largenesse of it And that which wee say of this propertie the same is to bee thought and beleeued of all the rest because they all remaine vnchaungeable and vnmixed How then was the humaine nature taken surely it was so taken into vnitie of the same person that yet it is not made the verie person but rather existeth in the person is borne and sustained of the person and euer dependeth wholly vpon the same For this vniō of the natures according to the Hypostasis or vniting of the Hypostasis is made without alteration confusion or diuision 4 Whereby it also followeth that the nature taken to speake properly is not a part of this person as is aforesaid For like as of the vnion of the two natures there is not framed a third nature so neither by taking the humaine nature into vnity of the diuine person is there framed as it were a new person which should be the proper person of Christ and should differ from the person of the word which is the word it selfe For it is altogether the verie same nor doth it differ from it selfe except herein that the same which subsisted onely in the forme of God and was onely God now subsisteth also in the forme of a seruant is also man and before was as a king naked but is nowe clothed with our flesh as with a purple garment so that for this cause the fathers not amisse called the same in some sort a compounded person But marke also this difference besids the rest that the garmēt pertaineth not to the essence of a king but the humaine nature in Christ is in such sorte that without it cannot be defined what Christ is 5 Which is the cause why the humaine nature thus takē is to be reputed acknowledged as it were a part of the person of Christ namely because it is so taken into vnity of his person that as the vvorde with this humaine flesh is said to be and is man so also this flesh in the word and with the word God is said to be and is God as Athanasius Gregorie Nazianzene Damascene and other fathers haue proued out of the scriptures for that flesh is God not by nature but by Hypostasie in which sense the same flesh is omnipotent and present in all places whereuppon it comes also that what honour belongeth to the word of it selfe the same is also to bee giuen to the flesh in the word and for the word because of them both there is but one and the same Hypostasie 6 Add this moreouer for better explications sake that the word although wheresoeuer it bee and it is in all places there also the same is not onely god but also man and that because it hath in all places the humaine nature vnited therunto by Hypostasie yet where soeuer it is it selfe it doth not make it selfe an Hypostasis or personal to the humaine nature but only there where the same nature existeth namely so as that nature is sustained borne and wrought or mooued by it For how should the same be said to bee sustained where it doth not exist the feete are sustained by the soule not wheresoeuer the the soule is be it in the head but onely where they themselues are existing When the flesh was in the virgins wombe the word being then personally vnited vnto it did not thē sustaine the same out of the wombe of Marie but onely it was Hypostasis vnto it in the womb which sustained the same there and not in any other place which is also to bee said of all the time of Christs life when he liued in diuers places Likewise after his death it was Hypostasis vnto his bodie when it was dead and buried sustained the same in it selfe but where surely not in heauen where the bodie was not but onely in the graue euen as also it was Hypostasis to his soule separated from his bodie not in the graue but out of the graue sustained the same in it selfe And now it sustaineth both the soule and bodie together in heauen not in earth much lesse euerie where 7 Neither doth it follow vppon this doctrine that the personall vnion is dissolued neither doeth it come to passe that the whole person is not Hypostasis to the flesh but onely in parte The reason is because this person of the word as it is infinite so also is it most simple and pure and therefore both is wholly Hypostasis to the flesh wheresoeuer the flesh existeth is also wholly Hypostasis in other places where the flesh existeth not being it selfe existing in the forme of god Indeed the soule as is aforesaide is wholly Hypostasis to the head giuing life to it and sustaining it but where not in euery part of the body but onely in that where the head it selfe is and out of the head is also wholly hypostasis to the feet sustaining them too not where the head is but where the
feet themselues are Is then the vnion which the soule hath with the head dissolued because out of the head it is wholly also in the feet 8 Finally that all things which haue bin spokē of this personal vnion may more plainely be declared I add these also The soule is Hypostasis to the eyes to what eyes such as they are namely instruments vsed for sight not for hearing on the other side to the eares for hearing not for seing So the word was Hypostasis to the humaine nature not to destroy death which was a propertie of the word but to suffer death which was a propertie of the flesh Lastly it is Hypostasis to the flesh not to this end that the flesh should bee it and such like which of which sort the word is but it should be it and such like which and of which sort it is it selfe either by nature or by grace reallie put into it which they call infused or habitual grace For the grace of this vnion is this that it is taken into this vnitie of person This same doctrine of ours is confirmed by those things which are deliuered both by the scriptures and the fathers concerning the office of the mediatour that is concerning the end of his incarnation Many ends of this incarnation are noted of the fathers in the scriptures and particularly of Anselme in his booke intituled Cur Deus homo why God is man but the principall and immediate ende was not simplie that the vvorde God might saue vs for he could haue performed it by his omnipotencie and by his onely commaundement without taking flesh but that hee might by such meanes saue vs from death namely by death of his owne person and by his owne resurrection might raise vs to life according to that of the Apostle to the Hebr. 2. ver 14. That by death he might destroye him vvho c. And in the 2. to Tim. 1.10 VVho hath abolished death and hath brought life c. To which the old church consented saying vvho by dying destroyed death and by rysing againe repaired life Leo the first declared this end saying The sonne of God tooke our flesh that by one nature he might dye by the other he might not dye Therefore he tooke vpon him flesh to this principal ende that for the performing of our saluatiō he might doe such thinges by that flesh which of himselfe being in the forme of God hee could not performe as to suffer and to dye For to kill death simply he could by himselfe haue done it but to kill it by death he could not in himselfe doe it without taking mortall flesh into vnitie of his person Wherefore the vvorde did not take flesh that by the flesh it might doe such actions as were the proper actions of it selfe but that it might worke our saluatiō by such meanes namely by the owne proper actions ioyned with the actions of our flesh Vpon the 12. chapter The 8 aphorisme Concerning this true and essentiall vnion of vs and of our owne flesh with the flesh of Christ there is a notable place in Cyrill vpon Iohn lib. 10. cap. 13. Col. 500. We denie not but wee are spiritually ioyned to Christ by true faith and sincere loue but that wee haue no manner of coniunction with him according to the flesh that we flatly denie and affirme it to bee cleane against the scriptures For who euer doubted but Christ is so the vine and we the braunches that from him we draw life vnto our selues Heare what Paule saith Wee are all one bodie with Christ for though we are many yet in him we are one for wee all are partakers of one bread Doth he perchaunce thinke that the vertue of the misticall benediction is vnknowne vnto vs Which being in vs doeth it not also make Christ to dwell in vs corporally by communication of the flesh of Christ For why are the members of the faithfull the members of Christ know ye not saith hee that your members are the members of Christ shal I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlott God forbidd Our Sauiour also said He which eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in him whereby wee maye consider that Christ is in vs not onely by dwelling in vs which is perceiued by loue but also by a naturall participation For euen as if one take waxe melted by the fire mingle it with other waxe likewise melted so as of them both hee make but one thing so by this communication of the bodie and blood of Christ he is in vs and we in him For otherwise this corruptible nature of the body could neuer be brought to incorruption and to life vnlesse the bodie of naturall life were ioyned vnto it Beleeuest thou not me telling thee this Beleeue I pray thee Christ himselfe Verily verily saith he I say vnto you vnlesse yee shall eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood yee shall haue no life in you He which eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him at the last day Thou hearest him plainely crying out that we shall haue no life vnlesse we drinke his blood eate his flesh In you saieth he your selues that is in your bodie By life may well bee vnderstood the flesh of life for that doth raise vs vpp at the last daye And so need I not think it an vncurrant speach to say the flesh of life being made flesh of the onely begotten sonne is brought to the vertue of life and therefore cannot bee ouercome of death And therefore being made in vs putts death from vs For gods onely begottē sonne is neuer absent from it whereuppon because he is one with his flesh I saieth he will raise him vp Why then should it be denied that we are called braunches according to the flesh May it not fittly be said that the vine is his humanitie and we the braunches for the identitie or likenesse of our nature For the vine the braunches are of the same nature So both spiritually and corporally are wee the braunches and Christ the vine Thus farre Cyrill In this whole text Cyrills purpose was to shew that Christ not onely according to his deitie as his aduersaries the Nestorians did thinke but also according to the flesh was the vine from which life flowed into vs as braunches and cōsequently that we as braūches were ioyned not onely to his deitie but also to his humanitie and so to his flesh doe draw life and all our spirituall nourishment not onely from his deitie but also from his flesh And the reason is brought from the Hypostaticall vnion which maketh the word his flesh taken into vnitie thereof to bee but one person one and the same Christ one and the same vine Therefore that we cannot be ioyned to the deitie of Christ but also we must be vnited to his flesh nor can we
God Of the first the Apostle Saint Paule saieth VVee are predestinated into the adoption of the sonnes of God and therefore to a heauenlie inheritance of the other that it was done for the praise of the glory of his grace 6 The saluation therefore of the elect in Iesus Christ is certaine and necessarie the foundation whereof is the ternall free and vnchaungable purpose of the will of God 7 Who so haue beene chosen from the beginning in Christ vnto life euerlasting and to the meanes thereunto all they and onely they in the time appointed of the father ver 7 which is called the fulnesse of time were in verie deede through Christ and in Christ redeemed from their sinnes and so from the euill which followeth sinnes the Apostle saying in Iesus Christ vvee haue redemption euen remission of sinnes 8 Neither were we redeemed Tit. 3. v. 5 ver 7. according to the merits works of righteousnes which we haue done but according to the mercies of God and according to the riches of his grace by the blood of Christ Iesus both which are manifestly confirmed by the Apostle 9 And albeit the eternall father redeemed saued vs by his sonne by whome he also created vs yet the â—onne is he which by an especiall respect the church of God vseth to call the redeemer of mankinde and our Sauiour 10 For the Sonne alone Lev. 25. ver 48.49 was and is God and man and he alone had the right of proprietie as they call it or of kindred to redeeme vs hee alone shedd his blood whereby as by a ransome we were redeemed Lastlie he it is alone in whose person our redemption is made perfect and accomplished 11 By the name of this ransome which wee are said to haue in Christ â— Cor. 1. v. 30 wee meane that full and accomplished redemption in as much as it containeth not onely remission of sinnes in this life but also in the life to come after this a perfect deliuerance from all ill and from the bondage of all corruption so that there is no ransome which we haue not in Christ our most perfect redeemer who as he is made vnto vs by God our wisedome righteousnes sanctification so also our redemption Of the resurrection of Christ Iesus from the dead his ascension into heauen and sitting at Gods right hand out of the first of Paule to the Ephesians yeare 1581. 1 GOd did effectually shewe the greatnes of his power in Christ Eph. 1. â—â— by raising him from the dead therefore onely God by his infinite power is the efficient cause of the resurrection of Christ and all the dead 2 Yea but Christ also by his power raised him selfe from death as he said destroy this temple Ioh. 2.19 and in three dayes I will build it vp but hee spake of the temple of his bodie and that Ioh. 10.17 I lay downe my life that I may take it againe Christ therefore is no lesse God then the father neither is hee God of lesser might 3 But one and the same cannot be truely the raiser and the raised from the dead vnlesse he consist of diuers natures of the diuine according to which he doth raise and the humane according to which he is raised Therefore the same Christ as he is true God coessentiall with the father so hee is true man coessentiall with his mother and his brethren 4 Neither can any bee truely said to be raised and to rise from the dead vnlesse the same bee truely said to be dead and to haue died But death consisteth in a true separation of the soule froÌ„ the bodie whereby the body which dieth may presently bee rightly called a dead carkasse Christ then if he truely rose from the dead it can by no meanes be denied but that he also truely died his soule being truely separated from his bodie 5 If then sith he truely died neither his soule for that time of his death was in his bodie neither sith he was truely buried his bodie while it honge vppon the crosse was in the graue or while it lay in the graue hong vppon the crosse neither sith God truely raised him from the dead either his soule recalled his body or his body recalled himselfe from death to life therefore the humane nature in Christ was neither omnipotent nor euery where present in it owne substance 6 For as this consequence is not good Christ Iesus himselfe was dead and buried and rose againe from the dead therefore he was dead and buried and rose againe according to both his natures So neither is this behold I am vvith you euen to the ende of the vvorlde therefore not onely in his deitie but also in the substance of his humanitie hee is really present with vs on the earth 7 But as this consequence is good Christ being God suffered therefore he suffered not according to his deitie but according to his humanitie so is this other Christ Iesus being man is euerie where and simply omnipotent therefore he is euery where and omnipotent not according to his humanitie but according to his deitie seing the diuine nature is no lesse vnited to the humane then the humane is to the diuine in the same person of Christ Iesus 8 If God himselfe and so the diuine nature in Christ raised his body from the dead not by the same bodie but by it selfe namely by the diuine nature then it is false that the diuine nature in Christ did all things and doeth not onely in and with but also by the humane nature 9 For the soule of Christ Iesus doth not work all thinges by the bodie as neither doe our mindes vnderstand or will thinges by the bodies and that for this cause that as the philosophers also taught our minde dependeth not on the bodie Much lesse then doth the deitie of Christ worke all thinges by the flesh which it tooke 10 For doth the deitie vnderstand by the humane vnderstanding or doeth it will by the humane will or doth it keepe or sustaien the humane nature in the person of the word by the verie same humane nature or doth it beare all thinges by the humane flesh or rather by the word of it owne vertue Lastlie if the forme of God doe nothing but by the forme of a seruant how can that saying of Leo be true each fo rme doth the propertie of it selfe vvith communion of the other 11 Like as therefore the forme of God is one and the forme of a seruant another so the actions and proprieties of the one and of the other be diuers though manie times both the one the other haue one and the same worke and operacion 12 Wherefore this is no coÌ„sequence to whomsoeuer Christ commeth with the father according to the forme of God to him he also commeth and abideth in him in his owne substaÌ„ce according to the forme of a seruant much lesse that he is so euery where 13 Further
chaunge nor confusion among themselues or among there proprieties so also the actioÌ„s are so the actions of one and the same person that yet they are truely distinguished betwixt themselues and so distinguished that those which proceed from the one nature and are proper thereunto they although they be done with the communion of the other yet it is not lawfull to say that they be done by the other or that Christ doth them according to the other nature 13 Where fore like as wee allowe the fathers when they saye that Christs actions in redeeming sauing vs were are done by god man so also we greatly commend that famous saying of Leo the bishop of Rome in his epistle to Flauianus we teach that it is with a stedfast faith to be holden namely Each forme vvorketh with communion of the other that which is proper to it selfe as the word working that vvhich is proper to the word and the flesh performing that which is proper to the flesh 14 For he suffred for vs died and was buried according to the flesh but he gaue the grace of deseruing and redeeming to his suffring by which he redeemed vs according to his deitie but all these he willed according to both the natures 15 Also he rose from the dead ver 20.21 and ascended in a visible and locall ascension into heauen exalted aboue all Angels according to his humanity yet he wrought the same resurrection ascension and exaltation according to his diuinity but he willed it according to the will of both the natures 16 Like as then we beleeue that Christ redeemed vs according to both the natures according to that God purchased his Church by his owne blood so also we doubt not but the same Christ sitteth at his Fathers right hand and resteth in the heauenly places gouerning all thinges with his Father and dispenseth and communicateth the grace of redemption and euerlasting salvatioÌ„ to the wholle church which is his bodie and to euerie member according to both his natures the word working that which is proper to the word the flesh that which belongeth to the flesh 17 For although he vseth the ministerie of the word and sacraments by men to the imparting of salvation vnto vs yet the same Christ both as he is God and as he is man is properly the very same which calleth vs giueth vnto vs faith and repentance and he iustifieth regenerateth quickeneth and bringeth into eternall life all that beleeue by the working of the power of his might 18 For this cause also our faith whereby we take holde of saluation in Christ and eternall life must not respect and rely vpon either the one or the other nature of Christ severally but on whole Christ himselfe as the Ephesians were said to haue faith in the Lord Iesus 19 Whereon it followeth that who so do deny either the one or the other nature in Christ or deuide the one from the other or confouÌ„d theÌ„ both together so that they acknowledge him not for true God and true man in all things sinne excepted like vnto vs and imbrace him not for such and therefore for a true and perfect redeemer they can neuer be made partakers of redemption and eternal saluation 20 For as he that beleeueth in Christ such as he is hath life eternall so he that beleeueth not cannot haue it Of those thinges which are spoken of our Lord Iesus Christ after the vnion and in what sort they are spoken Out of the 1. to the Ephesians Positions Anno 1582. 1 THe Apostle writeth that Christ was raised from the dead and therefore he truely diâ—â—â—â—â—d in another place The Lord of glory was 〈◊〉 yea we often read howe the sonne of man was deliuered vnto death But in all these enunciations the speach is ever of the same person namely the sonne of God incarnate Therfore the person of Christ which is in these propositions the subiect or that whereof another thing is spoken is vsed to be signified by 3. kindes of names namely by those which betoken the divine nature onely and that sometime in respect of the essence sometime in respect of the hypostasie or persons as The lord of glory the onely begotten sonne of God or which betoken in like sort the humaine nature onely as Man the sonne of Mary or which betokeÌ„ both natures togither as Christ Immanuell god incarnate 2 We adde herevnto that Christs verie persoÌ„ is signified by those names also which are taken from the offices of a mediatour as these Amediatour a Redeemer a Saviour a high priest an Advocate and such like But these may be referred to the third kind because by them are shewed and made known both the natures in one person 3 The concrete names which haue denomination of the natures as Man of the humanity and God of the diety when in speaking of Christ they be the subiects or the first part of the enunciation or sentence they haue two significations one formall as the schooles say and the other materiall of which by the former is meant the verie nature by the other the person which hath such a nature whereof it taketh denomination 4 For as names in the abstract do signifie only the nature and propriety which is in a thing so all names in the concreat doe betokeÌ„ both the nature and qualitie which is in the thing and the hypostasis wherein it is as for examples sake the name of Iust betokeneth both Iustice wher with one is made iust him which is Iust both together 5 Therefore by these Subiect names which hauing their denominations from the natures do shewe the person of Christ sometimes is declared the propriety of the natures sometime the vnity of the person and therefore the Subiects must be vnderstood and expounded according to the diversities of the Praedicates that is of those things which are spoken thereof 6 In this proposition the sonne of God is eternall the subiect namely the sonne of God must be expounded according to the proprietie of the nature But in this the onely begotten sonne of God suffered the subiect the onely begotten sonne of God must be vnderstood according to the vnity of the person For he suffered which was not onely man but also God yet the dietie remaining vnpassible 7 We denie not but manie times are found wordes in the abstract which are the Subiects as the light came into the world as also some which are Predicats as Christ is the light of the world our righteousnesse our peace but these stâ—Ì„d in steade of concretiues as the light came into the world that is he which lighteneth vs. Wherefore for the manner of such like words they are to be referred to some of the foresaid three kindes 8 Furthermore there are three kindes of attributes which vse to be spoken of the same person of Christ God and man by what name soeuer it be signified For some are propper to the divine nature and
therefore cannot really be communicated to the other nature as to be impassible eternall immeasurable Some are proper to the humaine nature and therefore cannot altogether indeede be communicated to the other nature as to be made to be finite and passible And other some propper to the wholle person consisting of both natures and therefore common to both natures together as to be a mediatour a redeemer a Sauiour 9 To this third kind pertaine those actions which the greeke Fathers called the actions of God maÌ„ or actions divine and humaine because in the workes of our redemption each forme worketh not the property of the other but of it selfe yet with the communion of the other the worde working that which belongeth to the word the flesh performing that which belongeth to the flesh 10 Of these three kinds of Atributes we find in our selues an example not vnlike For in a man some thinges are proper onely to the soule as to be immortall to vnderstand to wil soÌ„e thinges to the body only as to be mortall palpable heauy Some things common to them both as be such works to the performaÌ„ce whereof each part worketh that which is proper to it with communion of the other as to write to speake to runne and to doe whatsoeuer is done by the ministery of the body yet not without the vertue and guidance of the soule 11 Nowe of this which hath beene saide of the diuers Subiects Praedicats there followeth a diuersitie also of PraedicatioÌ„ Euery Praedication therefore of Christ is either proper and simple or els improper and figuratiue 12 The proper and simple PrÄ™dication falleth two waies one is when those thinges which are proper to one nature they are predicated or said of the person of Christ beeing expressed by a name either denominated of the same nature or proper to the person as this our God or Christ is omnipotent and euery vvhere present also this man or Christ suffered and died The other is when such things as are proper to the wholle person they are said also of the wholle person signified by a name that containeth both the natures such as these are that belong to the office of a mediatour and the honour of an head as Christ Imanuell God incarnate redeemed vs sanctified vs saued vs is a King to be vvorshipped which are said therefore to be proper to the person because they can be seuerally applied to neither of the natures Nowe all such be proper and simple propositions because in all which are of the same kinde the Praedicates be coupled with the Subiects in all those thinges which are of the verie same kinde 13 The improper and figuratiue praedication is likewise twofold one wheÌ„ as these things which are proper to the wholle person either belonging to the office of a mediatour or to the honour of an head the same are saide of on of the natures signified either by an abstractiue or a concretiue name As the flesh quickeneth the blood washeth from sinne God redeemed the Church the Mediatour of god and men Man c. The other when that which is proper to one nature is said of the other nature signified by a name which is concretiue and which be tokeneth the person as God suffered and died man when he was on earth was also at the same time in heauen 14 For in thâ—se improper propositions of the latter sort the proprieties of diuerse kindes are coupled as wordes concretiue and therfore god is vnproperly said to suffer in as much as the name God in it owne propper signification doth betoken the divine essence which cannot suffer but in respect of the person being meant which is also man it is a true though an improper propositioÌ„ therefore these things are said of the wholle person by a Synechdoche whereas indeede they agree not to the same but onelie in respect of one nature 15 This latter forme of an improper speech we call the coÌ„munity of proprieties as the greeks doe which Theodoret expounding calleth the communitie of names And Damascene the troope of retribution 16 For with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a concretiue worde signifying the proprietie of some nature And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was when as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or proprieties of one nature were mutually and reciprocally spoken of the concrete name of the other nature which name did signifie the person so that it is meere folly to thinke that the Fathers when they spake of the comnication of the Idiomes that they meant to speake of any reall powering or communication of the essentiall proprieties of one nature into the other seing they write plainely the vnitie maketh the names common but neuer maketh the things common 17 For if our talke be of the natures themselus Theod. diâ— 3. p. 67. B. which are in Christ Theodoret with other fathers teacheth vs that wee must so speake as we do not saye that those which are proper to the one nature are in very deed common to the other but that wee giue to either of them alone that which belongeth to it Euen as that which belongeth to the soule wee giue it not to the body and contrary wise But if we speak of the person we must so frame our speach that we may declare those things which are proper to each nature to bee truely and indeed common to the whole person euen as also we giue to the whole man really and in trueth aswell those things which belong to the soule as to the bodie Now his very wordes after his bringing in of the similitude of the soule and the body the whole man follow thus So we must speake of Christ And when we speake of the natures in Christ wee must geue to each of them those things which do befitt each we must know what things are proper to the diuinitie what to the humanitie but whenas we speake of the person we must make those things which are proper to the nature common and must fitt these verie same to our Sauiour Christ and we must call him both God and man both the sonne of God and the sonne of man both the sonne of Dauid and the Lord of Dauid both the seede of Abraham and the creatour of Abraham and so of all the rest The same doctrine he also confirmeth out of Amphilochius bishop of Iconium and out of other fathers in many places in his dialogues 18 Damascene also to expound the same matter to wit how the same thinges which belong to one nature should be communicated to the other namely in person writeth thus The word doth approprsate vnto it selfe those things which belong to man For those thinges which pertaine to his holy flesh be his and he doth by a manner of mutuall praedication impart those things which are proper to himselfe vnto the flesh by reason of the being of the partes mutually one within the other and their
of the natures that there is a true and a reall chaunging of the diuine proprieties into the humane nature of Christ For wee allow that axiome or principle of the Fathers against the Eutychians and Monothelities namelie that they vvhich haue the same essentiall proprieties haue also the same natures and essences and they whose naturall proprieties are confounded they haue also their natures confounded Which being of it selfe true in all things then is it especiallie true in God in whome the essentiall proprieties are indeede nothing else but the essence it selfe that it must in verie deed needs follow if those essentiall proprieties can truelie and properly be communicated to anie created substance so that it may be made such as God is as for example simplie omnipotent then the diuine essence it selfe cā also be communicated vnto it so that it might be made equall to God in substance therefore consubstantiall with God if it might be made equall vnto him in power or anie other proprietie So herein is admitted a double that a grecuous offence One is that when we communicate truelie and properlie to a creature those thinges which belong to God wee make the creature equall to god Neither can this exception serue to shift it that God hath them of himselfe but the humaine nature in Christ taketh them of the Godhead For euen the Sonne is not of himselfe nor hath he his diuine essence of himselfe but of the Father yet is he notwithstanding equall to the father and hath the same nature with the Father Another offence is that vvhile vve attribute diuine and so infinite proprieties to the humaine nature as infinite povver we depriue the same of the ovvne and proper qualitie not othervvise then the glorie of the resurrection shall depriue our bodies of the basenesse of corruption vvhen it shall bee truelie communicated vnto them and not othervvise then the cleare light of the Sunne if it bee let into the ayre vvhich vvas lightened onelie vvith the light of a candell it extinguisheth that light For if the infinite povver vvorketh and doth all thinges the finite shall be idle and therefore none at all But sith this heresie euen in our time is largely and plainly refelled by many learned men we which doe here exhibite this briefe simple confession of our faith to the church of God and to all posteritie will add no more to that which hath bin said XI Hovve great the force of this personall vnion is Meane while wee beleeue and confesse the force of this vnion of the natures in the person of Christ to be so great that first whatsoeuer Christ is or doeth according to the diuine nature that same whole Christ the Sonne of man may be said to be or to doe and againe whatsoeuer Christ doth or suffreth according to his humain nature that same whole Christ the sonne of God God himselfe is said in the holie Scriptures to bee to doe and to suffer As that God that is Christ man and God redeemed the church vvith his bloode Act. 20.28 vvhenas the force of the redemption pertained to the god head the shedding of his blood onelie to the manhood Yet both these actions are ioyned in one and each of them may be spoken alike of whole Christ although they were and are distinct because the natures although distinct yet are coupled together in Christs one person Yea Christ the mediatour according to his humanitie neuer did or doeth anie thing wherin his diuinity did not or doth not work together and he neuer performed anie thing according to his diuinitie whereunto his humanitie was not assisting or consenting that the Fathers verie fitlie called all the works of Christ the Mediatour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is performed both by God and man Secondlie as the force of the vnion is so great betweene the Father and the Sonne that he doeth nothing nor communicateth anie good thing to the world but by the Sonne euen so the force of the personall vnion of the two natures is so great that no grace no saluation no life can come to vs from the deitie but by the humanitie apprehended of vs by faith so that hee must needs be coupled to the flesh of Christ that will be partaker of eternall life whereunto that saying of Christ tendeth Ioh. 6.53 vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man ye shall haue no life in you Lastlie it causeth that wee cannot adore the deitie in Christ but wee must also therewith adore the humaine nature and that the diuine and humaine nature must both bee reuerenced with one reuerence onelie according to that same And when he bringeth in his first begotten sonne into the vvoolde Heb. 1.6 he saith and let all the Angells of God worship him Him saith hee that is whole Christ God and man together when as notwithstanding the humaine nature of it selfe and considered alone in it selfe nether can nor ought to bee worshipped for God alone is to bee worshipped but the vnion not whatsoeuer but this personall vnion of the diuine nature with the humaine causeth it Therefore albeit that God dwell in the Saintes yet they are not to bee worshipped nor prayed vnto as is Christ the man Wherfore we confesse this vnion whereof we speak to be of great force yet we saie that it is an vnion which excludeth al confusion and transfusion For if the vnion betweene the father the sonne and the holie ghost in one essence then which vnion there can be none greater thought or imagined doe not take away the distinction of the persons then nether this vnion of the natures and so of the proprieties and actions in one person can take awaye the distinction of the same and bring in confusion XII Christ in that he is man is indued with a very great yet a determinate power and other gifts Finallie wee beleeuē that Christ like as in that he is God he is simplie omnipotent simplie wise and so it may be said of all his other attributes so in that he is man hee is indued of the father with a power and knowledge verie farre yea almost infinitelie exceeding the power and knowledge of all thinges created either in heauen or earth and yet a determinate or finite power and so it may be saide of all his other gifts and vertues loue prudence fortitude iustice grace trueth and the rest of which Esaias saith Esay ii 2 Ioh. 1.14 Luk. 2.52 and the spirit of the Lord shall rest vpon him c And Iohn He was full of grace and trueth Also Luke he grew in wisedome and fauour with God and man For which cause also he is saide Ioh. 3.34 Col. 2.3 in that he is man to be exalted aboue all principalities and povvers also that the spirite is giuen vnto him aboue measure also that in him lye hidden the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Whereby it comes to passe that he in that hee is man is
like as no other but the verie same Christ rose from the dead so he rose in no other but in the verie same bodie in which he suffred died and was buried 14 For he could not be truely said to be raised and to rise from the dead except that which truely died the verie same quickened againe should rise againe 15 Now the bodie wherein Christ suffred died and was buried was a true humane bodie visible palpable circumscribed Therefore Christ after his resurrection had and retained no body but that which was circumscribed in a certaine place and wheresoeuer it was and is might and may be seene and handled 16 Add also that the Apostle carefully discoursing of the qualities with which our bodies being raised vp to eternall life shal be indued he saith not that they shal not be subiect either to the eye or to the touch or not bee circumscribed in a definite place but he rehearseth onely incorruption glorie and power as is the agilitie thereof and that they shall rise spirituall not that the corporall substance shal be chaunged into an incorporeall but that they shal be as the greeks call it immortall and shal be full of the holie spirite dwelling and working in them The Apostle therefore taught that these are qualities neuer to bee seperated from the bodies namely that they shal be circumscribed visible palpable Wherefore neither did Christs body after his resurrection put of these qualities 17 Neither is that exception any thing that Christ after he was risen came in to his disciples the dores beeing shut For it was not therefore either made vnvisible or vncircumscribed or vnpalpable seeing Christ being come in and seene of his disciples presently saide Feele or handle and see Luc. 24. for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue And therefore as the Fathers teach there was no chaunge made of Christs bodie no more then there was when he or Peter walked vpon the waters but by the omnipotency of his diety hauing power ouer all things the doores gaue place to the true and firme bodie of the sonne of God 18 Wherefore not without cause did the Fathers condemne not onely Marcion the Maniches and others which taught that Christ tooke not a true and firme humane bodie but a phantasticall one and did all things according to imagination and phantasie but also the Originists Iohn of Hierusalem and Euticius of Constantinople Hier. tom 12. ad PaÌ„mach Greg. in Iob. lib. 24 c. 29. Bishops and others which said that Christs bodie after his resurrectioÌ„ was made so spirituall that it was more thinne then ayre and therefore invisible and vnpalpable 19 Seeing then that in the supper no other bodie of Christ is giuen vs to be eaten but that which was broken for vs that is truely suffered and died it followeth that Christs 〈◊〉 body which we eate in the Supper is truely circumscribed visible and palpable and consequently seeing nothing is seene touched or perceiued in the Supper besides bread the same body cannot in it owne substance really be contained vnder the formes of bread and wine or lie hidden in the very bread and wine 20 Nowe we acknowledge the resurrection of Christ is both the cause and an example of our as well spirituall as corporall resurrection The cause of the spirituall because the Apostle saith to the Rom. 4. he rose againe for our iustification and an example because he saith Rom. 6. we are burâ—ed togither with him by baptisme into his death that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should vwalke in newenesse of life 21 But that he is the cause of our corporall resurrection we doubt not 1. Cor. 5. for that the Apostle saith If Christ be risen againe we shall also rise againe and for that he also saith Christ is the first fruits of them that rise and an example for that the same Apostle also writeth he shall chaunge our vile bodies Phil 3.21 that they shall be like his glorious bodie 22 Wherupon It also followeth either Christs bodie not to be invisible vnpalpable vncircumscribed and so not spirituall bodies but incorporall spirits 23 For where Christ saith Feele and see for a spirite hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue hee did not onely conclude that himselfe was no spirite but he especially taught this that there is no flesh nor bones but may bee seene and felt 24 The Scripture teacheth and the church coÌ„fesseth that our Lord Iesus Christ being raised from the dead did shew vnto his disciples for fortie daies space by many arguments that he was truely risen and then euen in the beholding of the Apostles that he was lifted vpp from the earth ascended into heauen Therfore like as no other Christ rose againe then he which died so no other ascended into heauen nor in no other body then he in which that truely rose againe froÌ„ the dead the sonne of God truely humane visible palpable and circumscribed 25 Wherefore as the conuersation of the same Lord Iesus Christ wherein he conuersed amoÌ„g his Apostles after his refurrection for fortie daies space was not fantasticall but reall and true so also his ascension was not onely visible but also truely as the fathers say locall when the Apostles sawe him ascend from the earth vp into heruen 26 But such an ascension and mouing cannot agree to his divine nature therefore he ascended according to his humane nature 27 Yet by the way we denie not this but that Christ as God like as he is said to haue descended from heauen in respect that he abased himselfe taking vpon him the vile forme of a seruant and suffred in it so also it may rightly be said that he is exalted and ascended vp into heauen namely in respect that in the very same forme of a seruant when it was glorified euen the forme of God was after a sort glorified by his ascention and after it that is was made glorious in the wholle world 28 But it is apparent that as this consequence is not good Christ himselfe beeing God and man ascended into heauen in a locall and visible moouing Therefore he in the same sort ascended according to his dietie so neither is this good Christ God and man is with us to the ende of the world truely and in his owne essence therefore he is present on earth as wel in the substance of his body and soule as in the essence of his dietie 29 If also the Apostles sawe with their eies Christan his owne body by chaunge of place ascending from earth into heauen then the heauen into which he did ascend caÌ„not be an vbiquitary heauen but it must needes be farre distant from the earth 30 Moreover nature and all right requireth that for every thing some certeÌ„ place must be assigned as we see god hath done in all the things which he created Seing then no created thing
can be found more excellent then Christs body both for the vnion with the word and for the wonderfull gifts created in the same and so also for the most perfect glorie and happines wherein he nowe liveth It must needes be that this bodie must exist in some certaine most happie place 31 Neither can it proceede but onely from trupiety and from our true reverence towardes Christ that we should beleeue that his body doth dwell not vnder the earth not in the earth not in the waters not in a peece of bread not in every leafe of a tree not in the ayre or in the celestiall speres but in a place as the most happie faire perfect so the highest of al others which we with Ambrose think the Apostle spake of when he said that he was caught vp 2. Cor. 12.2 4. into the third heaven and into paradise 32 To this the same scripture also teacheth the Catholike faith beleeueth and confesseth that the same Iesus Christ shall come out of that heauen in the cloudes Phil. 3.20 1. Thes 4.16 1. Thes 4.17 to iudge the quicke and the dead and that we beeing raised from the dead shall be caught vp into the aire to meete him in the cloudes and so shall be with him in that heauen for euer 33 And this heauen Ioh. 14.2 which is called the Fathers house and the heauenly citty and by many other names The scripture prooueth to be placed aboue all the visible and mooveable heauēs saying that Christ is ascended aboue all heauens Eph. 4.16 and that he is in heauen 34 For this heauen wherein he is in his body and wherein we shall be in our bodies and soules cannot be some vast and I knowe not what vncreated roome partly because nothing is vncreated but God partly because it is plainely to the Hebr. Heb. 11.10 said to be Gods workmāship 35 Moreover the chiefe and principall efficient cause of that moouing wherein his bodie was carried vp into heauen was the divine nature remaining in him according to that to the Phil. 2. God hath exalted him And he was taken vp of God into glory But a secondary efficient cause was the gift of agility which followed his glorious resurrection bestowed on the humane nature by the diety by which agility that flesh ascended vp not held and sustained by angels or by the cloudes as once Elias was in the fierie chariot but of it owne accord and without trouble or difficultie and therefore that motion was not a violent motion 36 Now this ascention of Christ our head was the cause and the example of our ascension which shal be into heaven For sith the head is ascended it must needes be that the members shall ascend and as his ascension was so ours shall bee For he shall chaunge our vile bodies to be like to his glorious body and we shall be caught vp into the cloudes to meete Christ in the ayre and so we shall be with the Lord for euer 37 If then ours shall be a true ascention and that we shall truely be lifted from the earth into heauen Therefore Christs body also did truely ascend from earth into heauen not imaginarily or putatively 38 And this doctrine of Christs true ascention into that highest heauen and his perpetuall abiding there is most profitable and full of cōsolation 39 For first it serueth to strengthen our faith about the certaine place where with the eyes and hands of our faith we may behold touch and take hold of the body of Christ Then to establish our hope namely that it shall be that before the resurrection of our bodies our soules beeing separated from our bodies they shall neither discend beneath the earth nor shall flote in the waters or the aire nor roule about with the spheres but shall be carried aboue all these heauens to that blessed and heauenly house of the Father into which Christ in his body is already entred that they may be euer with Christ Lastly to kindle in our hearts the loue and desire of a heauenly life and conversation as the Apostle saith If ye be risen vvith Christ seeke those things which are aboue set your affections on thinges vvhich are aboue vvhere Christ sitteth at the right hand of God 40 Of Christs sitting at the right hand of the father thus speaketh the Apostle And hath set him Christ raised from the dead and carried vp into heauen in the heauenly places farre aboue all principallities and power and might domination and euerie name that is named not onely in this vvorld but also in that which is to come and hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feete c. YVhatsoeuer is read otherwise in the holy scripture or confessed by the church in the Creedes concerning this sitting is agreeable vnto this 41 But we cā no where read that for this sitting at Gods right hand either Christ Iesus tooke any other body call it howesoeuer or that in his naturall body there was any chaūge made of the substance of it or of any of those naturall qualities and essentiall proprieties which it retained after his resurrection It is therefore manifest that in what body Christ rose and ascended into heauen namely a visible palpable and circumscribed body in the same he also sitteth at the Fathers right hand in the highest heauens and wheresoeuer he is or pleaseth to be he keepeth still to himselfe such a body 42 The Apostle also witnesseth and the church confesseth in the Creedes that Christ first died was buried raised from the dead and taken vp into heauen before he fare at the Fathers right hand Therefore either it is false that Christs humaine nature thē first receiued a gift for substance of his body to be really euery where or if it be true then it receiued it not by the hypostaticall vnion which was made in his very incarnation 43 Neither is this exception any thing that by the hypostaticall vnion this was giuen him in the first act as that if he would he might be present every where but by the sitting at Gods right hand it was giuen him in the second act that is that he was indeed present every where 44 For besides that the tearmes of this distinction are tearmes not taken from the fountaines of Israel but out of the puddles of sophisters Christ himselfe also refelleth this exception when speaking not of the first act but of the second that is of his actuall presence he said both a little before his death Where two or three shall be gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them and after his resurrection bofore his ascension he said Beholde I am vvith you even to the ende of the world 45 By those sayings it evidently appeareth that either Christ spake not of the reall presēce of his body but onely of the presence of his diety and power of his spirit or that he is present to vs
in the same manner that he was to the Apostles namely visibly seeing he saide not I will be but I am neither is there any necessity to alter the sense of those wordes 46 Adde this that if he speake of the same reall presence of his body and that this promise pertained not to the Apostles onely but also to all the faithfull which were then in the world Christ had not spoken a trueth For he was not before his death or after his Resurrection present in a visible presence with all the faithfull which were then in the world and which were gathered together in his name 47 VVherefore the doctrine of the reall and substantiall yet invisible presence of the body of Christ Iesus on the earth and euerie where is not agreeable with the holy scriptures but seemeth to come neere to the Maniches who as Augustine sheweth against Faustus saie that Christs bodie doth invisiblie hang on euerie tree 48 If Christ also satte not at Gods right hand in his bodie before his resurrection and ascension into heauen as the wholle Church confesseth then their doctrine is impious and hereticall which teacheth that Christ Iesus euen from his mothers wombe according to the flesh he tooke hath sitteth at the right hand of Gods power 49 If this also be true which the Apostle teacheth and the whole scripture confirmeth and the Catholike Church confesseth that Christ Iesus not only then sate at his Fathers right hand after he ascended into heauen but also is so placed in the same at Gods right hand as he is neuer read to sitte at such a right hand in any other place then in heauen therefore then it cannot onely not be saide according to the holy scriptures that Christ Iesus sitteth any other where at God the Father his right hand then in heauen but also it is false that he also so sitteth in the earth that he is no lesse present really in substance of his body in the bread of the Lords supper and in euerie place then he is in heauen 50 For the Apostle also in other places and specially in the epistle of S. Paule to the Hebrues denieth that he is vpon the earth namely in a corporall presence for as much as hee sitting at the right hand of the throne of maiestie in heauen executeth his office of priesthood 51 Moreouet wee hold beyond all controuersie that Christ sitting at Gods right hand is a figuratiue speach seing God to speake properly hath neither right hand nor left hand neither is it lawfull to imagine any carnall thing concerning the seates and thrones in heauen wherein they are saide to sitt and often-times in the scriptures this word sitting is vsed besides other significations for dwelling ruling exercising iudgment and for resting 52 But that the Apostle Paule ment not by this phrase that Christ Iesus in his owne bodie is truely and substantially present in all places besides that which hath bin already saide it is also euident by that which for declaration sake he adioyneth 53 For to this sitting of Christ at Gods right hand the Apostle addeth for declaration sake three thinges First that Christ is so placed at Gods right hand that he is aboue all principallitie that is that he hath no creature aboue him or equall to him no not in heauen but is made higher then the heauens and al heauenly things then he addeth that all thinges are made subiect to him that is that there is nothing beneath him ouer which he hath not power and authoritie thirdly that he was giuen to be a head of the church 54 Now as we said that whatsoeuer wee haue before spoken of the resurrection from the dead and so of the ascension ought to bee vnderstood according to the humane nature of Christ so wee thinke with the sound fathers that these thinges also must bee vnderstood especially according to the same humane nature 55 The exaltation of Christs humane nature aboue al things may be vnderstood two waies either in re-pect of the locall placing as this he ascended aboue all the heauens that the meaning may be the humane nature was placed locally aboue all created things or in respect of the excellēt preheminence of the dignitie and power thereof then the meaning may be Christ euen touching his humane nature was set ouer all created thinges and to him was giuen power and authoritie ouer all things For in these two manners any thing of the same kinde is said to bee ouer another eiin place or in dignitie 56 If then this saying be vnderstood the latter waye thereupon the vbiquitie cannot be proued seing Christ in that in his humane nature he may vse his authoritie ouer all creatures although he be not in substance of body euerie where If the former way then he is not euery where seing that which is euerie where is aswell beneath and at and within as aboue all creatures 57 But Paule doeth plainely teach that Christ touching his humane nature did so rise from the dead that hee was no longer among the dead and so ascended into heauen that hee was no longer on earth and so being exalted aboue all creatures sitteth at the fathers right hand that he is nether beneath nor within created things seing all thinges are put vnder his feete 58 Neither can the head bee saide to bee in it owne substance where the feete are although it be in them in vertue and operation and indeed aswell the head to the feete as the feet to the head are ioyned together in their substāce by the sinues and by the soule 59 But the Apostle saieth Christ Iesus is giuen for a head of the church namely according to his humanitie nowe the head is aboue all the bodie 60 The Apostle therefore ment nothing lesse by his wordes of Christs sitting at Gods right hand then to conclude that Christs bodie in it owne substance is present in all places Wherefore they doe great wrong to the Apostle which by their cauills labour to conclude this out of his words 61 Neither can any such Vbiquitie be proued by any necessary consequence out of that article of faith 62 For although it were graunted which cannot bee graunted that by the sitting at Gods right hand the humane nature is made truely by it selfe omnipotent yet vnlesse it bee prooued to bee so made omnipotent that it is also made infinite and immeasurable it can by no meanes bee conuinced that Christs bodie in it owne substance is euerie where present 63 For so is this the onely cause why God also in his owne essence is euerie where that if ye take immeasurablenesse from him he cannot be saide to be euery where in his owne essence 64 And if also yee faine an infinite body and therefore euerie where yet that it is whollie in all places at once you shall neuer prooue while the world stands vnlesse yee can shewe that the same body is also a most simple essence seing God is