Ambrose (g), Lactantius (h), Hilary (i), Basil (k), Augustine (1), and many others. It appears from the History of Christ's life and ministry, contained in the Gospels, that except his miraculous conception and his freedom from sin, he was in all things like unto man; he was born and grew up like other infants; he increased in wisdom as he increased in stature; he was supported by the usual modes of nutrition, so that his enemies observed he came eating and drinking; he slept; he was subject to fatigue, hunger, and thirst; he was in all things tempted like men; he wept; his soul was exceeding sorrowful; he suffered severe agony of mind, and at length expired upon the cross; and even after his resurrection he convinced his doubting disciples, that he had flesh and bones. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same (m)." "In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren (n)."-" There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (o)." The complete nature of man being thus assumed by the Eternal Word of God, it follows (g) V. 2. P. 59. (h) Inst. Lib. 4. cap. 12. follows that by this incarnation TWO WHOLE AND PERFECT NATURES, THAT IS, THE GODHEAD AND MANHOOD, WERE JOINED TOGETHER IN one man. ONE PERSON." What a person is," says bishop Burnet, "that results from a close conjunction of two natures, we can only judge of it by considering man, in whom there is a material and spiritual nature joined together (p); they are two natures as different as any we can apprehend among all created beings, yet these make but The matter of which the body is composed does not subsist by itself, is not under all those laws of motion to which it would be subject, if it were unanimated matter; but by the indwelling and actuation of the soul, it has another spring within it, and has another course of operations; according to this then, to subsist by another, is, when a being is acting according to its natural properties, but yet in a constant dependence upon another being, so our bodies subsist by the subsistence of our souls; this may help us to apprehend how, that as the body is still a body, and operates as a body, though it subsist by the indwelling and actuation of (p) This mode of explanation, adopted by bishop Burnet, was also used by antient writers. Sicut in homine aliud caro, aliud anima; sed unus idemque homo anima et caro. Ita in uno eodemque Christo duæ substantiæ sunt, sed una divina, altera humana. Vinc. of the soul; so in the person of Jesus Christ the human nature was entire, and still acted according to its own character, yet there was such an union and inhabitation of the Eternal Word in it, that there did arise out of that a communication of names and characters, as we find in the Scriptures. A man is called tall, fair, and healthy, from the state of his body, and learned, wise, and good, from the qualities of his mind; so Christ is called holy, harmless, and undefiled, is said to have died, risen, and ascended up into heaven with relation to his human nature; he is also said to be in the form of God, to have created all things, to be the brightness of his father's glory, and the express image of his person, with relation to his divine nature. The ideas that we have of what is material, and what is spiritual, lead us to distinguish in a man those descriptions that belong to his body from those that belong to his mind; so the different apprehensions that we have, of what is created and uncreated, must be our thread to guide us into the resolution of those various expressions that occur in the Scriptures concerning Christ." This consideration, indeed, of the union of the two natures, divine and human, in Christ, can alone enable us to reconcile many passages in the New Testament, which are apparently contradictory. Christ is said to have existed before Abraham, and yet to have been of the seed of Abraham; he is called the Lord of David, and also his son or descendant; he is said to know all things, and yet not to know when the day of judgment will be; Christ says, My Father is greater than I; and again, My Father and I are one; at one time he is said to have been compassed with infirmity; and at another he himself declares, All power is given me in heaven and in earth; upon one occasion he is Isaid to have been made a little lower than the angels; and upon another, that all the angels of God worship him: these and many other passages of a similar kind, become perfectly consistent and intelligible, by referring them respectively to the divine and human natures of Christ. The essential properties of one nature were not communicated to the other nature: Christ was at once Son of God, and Son of man ; he was at the same time both mortal and eternal; mortal as the son of man, in respect of his humanity; eternal as the Son of God, in respect of his divinity: each kept his respective properties distinct, without the least confusion in their most intimate union. One person was formed by these two natures, as the council of Chalcedon expresses it, ασυγχύτως, ατρέπτως, αδαίρετως, αδιαρέτως, αχωρίστως, without confusion, immutably, inseparably, indivisibly. Christ has ascended up into heaven, and is there to remain "until the times of restitution of all things (q),"-" he ever liveth to make intercession for us (r):"-and is " ordained of God to judge the quick and dead (s)" at the last day : he is represented as "highly exalted (t)," and as "crowned with glory and honour for the sufferings of death (u);" and there is no ground to suppose he will ever be deprived of these rewards, but on the contrary, blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, are to be given to the Lamb for ever and ever (r).” And indeed is it reasonable that the personal glory of Christ should cease, when the happiness which he purchased for fallen man by his incarnation and passion is to be eternal? Upon these grounds the article asserts, that THE TWO NATURES, THE GODHEAD AND MANHOOD, WHEREOF IS ONE CHRIST, ARE NEVER TO BE DIVIDED. The Godhead and manhood of Christ having been both proved, it follows that he was VERY GOD AND VERY MAN. That the Messiah was to suffer was foretold in a variety of passages in the Old Testament: (q) Acts, c. 3. v. 21. (s) Acts, c. 10. v. 42. (u) Heb. c. 2. v. 9. "It 25. (r) Heb. c. 7. v. |