3. The assumption itself, sXsi/sro, he was made ; not fiiit, he was, (as Socinus would render it, designing thereby to overthrow the existence of Christ's glorified body now in heaven) but factus est, it was made, i. e. he took or assumed the true human nature (cal- led flesh,-)* for the reason before rendered) into the unity of his divine person, with all its integral parts and essential properties ; and so was made, or became a true and real man, by that assump- tion. The apostle speaking of the same act, Heb. ii. 16. uses another word, He took on him, sw/Xa/x/3ai/sra/, fitly rendered he took on him, or he assumed ; which assuming, though inchoative, it was the work of the whole Trinity, God the Father, in the Son, by \he Spirit, forming or creating that nature; as if three sisters should make a garment betwixt them, which only one of them wears : yet, terminatiye, it was the act of the Son only : it was he
derful, Isa. ix. 6. A name that no man knoweth, viz. perfectly, but himself. The Trinity is the greatest, the incarnation the next mystery. Norton's Orthodox Evan- gelist, p. 58.
* Word, a real substance, or person ; and not a word, spoken or uttered. Ful- gent. Book I.
f The Evangelist chose to use the word, Flesh, instead of Man, that it might the more appear how far the Word that was God, humbled himself, when he was made Flesh. For there is manifestly more of Vileness, and greater opposition to Spirit implied in the word Flesh than in the word Man. Maccovius's Common Places
74 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SER}{. Vf
only that was made flesh. And when it is said, he was made flesh, misconceive not, as if there was a mutation of the Godhead into flesh ; for this was performed, * " not by changing what he was, " but by assuming what he was not," as Augustine well expresseth it. As when the scripture, in a like expression, saith, " He was " made sin," 2 Cor. v. 21. and made a curse, Gal. hi. 13. the meaning is not, that he was turned into sin, or into a curse ; no more may we think here the Godhead was turned into flesh, and lost its own being and nature, because it is said he was made flesh. This is the sum of the assertion.
(2.) This assertion [" that the word was made flesh,""] is strong- ly confirmed. He " dwelt among us," and we saw his glory. This was no phantasm, but a most real and indubitable thing. For, i*%7}W(to> sv ru'.uv, pitched his tent, or tabernacled with us. And we are eve- witnesses of it. Parallel to that, 1 John i. 1, % 3. " That " which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we " have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our " hands have handled, of the Word of life, SfC declare we unto i( you." Hence note,
Doct. That Jesus Christ did really assume the true and perfect nature of man, into a personal union with his divine nature, and still remains true God, and true mem, in one person for ever.
The proposition contains one of the deepest mysteries of godli- ness, f 1 Tim. iii. 16. A mystery? by which apprehension is dazzled, invention astonished, and all expression swallowed up. If ever the tongues of angels were desirable to explicate any word of God, they are so here. Great is the interest of words in this doc- trine. We walk upon the brink of danger. The least tread awry may ingulph us in the bogs of error. Alius would have been con- tent, if the council of Nice would but have gratified him in a let- ter, o/xo«r/o5, and c/mi&io;. The Nestorians also desired but a letter, Gicboy^o;, ^ioroy.cg. These seemed but small and modest requests, but, if granted, had proved no small prejudice to Jesus Christ, and his truths. I desire therefore the reader would, with greatest
* iVon. mutando quod erat, ssd assumendo, quod no7i erat. Aug. f The incarnation is God's work, whereby the Son of God, (according to the oeconomy of the divine counsel of the Father, of the Son, and of the holy Spirit) humbling and abasing himself, took from the Virgin Mary, by the power and effi- cacy of the holy Spirit upon her ; real, entire, perfect, holy Flesh ; yet so as that that Flesh had no proper subsistence without the Son of God, but was really borne and carried about by him ; the two entire natures being united among themselves, without any change of the one into the other, without confusion, without division, and inseparably, fyc. Whence is constituted the person of Christ, God- man.- • » Synapsis purioris Thea.
THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. *75
attention of mind, apply himself to these truths. It is a doctrine hard to understand, and dangerous to mistake. I am really of his mind that said,* * It is better not touch the bottom, than not 6 keep within the circle i1 Melius est nescire centrum, quam non te- nere circulum. He did assume a true human body ; that is plainly asserted, Phil. ii. 7, 8, SfC. Heb. ii. 14, 16. In one place it is called taking on him the seed of Abraham, and in the text, flesh. He did also assume a true human soul, this is undeniable by its operations, passions, and expiration at last, Matth. xxvi. 38. and xxvii. 50. And that both these natures make but one person, is as evident from Rom. i. 3, 4, " Jesus Christ was made of the seed " of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of f< God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the re- " surrection from the dead." So Rom. ix. 5. " Of whom, as " concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed " for ever. Amen.1'* But that you may have a sound and clear understanding of this mystery, I will (1.) Open the nature; (2.) The effects ; and (3.) The reasons or ends of this wonderful union.
First, The nature of this union. There are j,j na+ure 0f
three illustrious and dazzhng unions in scrip- ^ liypostaticil ture : that or three persons m one God, lessen- . *j ■,
tially. That of two distinct natures, and per- ' ' ^ sons ; by one spirit Mystically : and this of two distinct natures in one person, Hypostatically. This is my task to open at this time : and, for the more distinct and perspicuous management thereof, I shall speak to it both negatively and positively.
1. Negatively. Think not when Christ as- * r , consub-
sumed our nature, that it was united consubstan- . .. ™ tially, so as the three persons in the Godhead are *"
united among themselves. They all have but one and the same nature and will ; but in Christ are two distinct natures and wills, though but one person.
% Nor yet that they are united Physically, at Not , kall soul and body are united in one person ; tor death * ° **
actually dissolves that ; but this is indissoluble. So that when his soul expired, and his body was interred, both soul and body were still united to the second person as much as ever.
3. Nor yet is it such a mystical union, as is between , r , . «
Christ and believers. Indeed that is a glorious ™ ^"