Doubt. If you ask how the union remained betwixt them, when Christ's human soul and body were separated from each other upon the cross ? Is not death the dissolution of the union betwixt soul and body ?
Resolution. True, the natural union betwixt his soul and body was dissolved by death for a time, but this hypostatical union re- mained even then as entire and firm as ever : for, though his soul and body were divided from each other, yet neither of them from the divine nature. Divines assist our conception of this mystery, by an apt illustration.* A man that holds in his hand a sword sheathed, when he pleaseth, draws forth the sword ; but still holds that in one hand, and the sheath in the other, and then sheaths it again, still holding it in his hand : so when Christ died, his soul and body retained their union with the divine nature, though not (during that space) one with another.
And thus you are to form and regulate your conceptions of this great mystery. Some adumbrations and imperfect similitudes of it may be found in nature. Among which some -f- commend that union which the soul and body have with each other ; they are of different natures, yet both make one individual man. Others J find fault with this, because both these united make but one com- plete human nature; whereas, in Chrisfs person, there are two natures, and commend to us a more perfect emblem, viz. That of the Cyon and the tree or stock, which have two natures, yet make but one tree. But then we must remember that the Cyon wants a root of its own, which is an integral part, but Christ assumed our nature integrally. This defect is by others § supplied in the Mi-
* Tollehis gives us a fine illustration of it ; " Even as a man, (says he) holding a " sword sheathed, when he pleaseth, draws forth the sword ; but still holds that in " one hand, and the sheath in the other, [and then sheaths it again, still holding " it in his hand :] so the Divine Person separated the soul from the human body, " as it were a sword drawn out of its sheath, but still he held both united to him- " self; but by the resurrection he re-joined the soul to the body, as when one " puts the sword in the scabbard."
f Justin Martyr. \ Alex. Alex. § Roberts of the covenant.
SERM. V. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 79
sletoe and the Oak, which have different natures ; and the Misletoe subsists in union with the Oak, still retaining the difference of na- ture ; and though making but one tree, yet bears different fruits. And so much to the first thing, namely, the nature of this union. Secondly, For the effects, or immediate results ,™ j, •. .»
of this marvellous union, let these three be well , , ,. 7 J . considered. hypostahcalumon.
1. The two natures being thus united in the person of the Me- diator, by virtue whereof the properties of each nature are attribu- ted, and do truly agree in the whole person ; so that it is proper to say, the Lord of glory was crucified, 1 Cor. ii. 8. and the blood of God redeemed the Church, Acts xx. 28. that Christ was both in heaven, and in the earth at the same time, John iii. 13.
Yet we do not believe that one nature doth transfuse or impart its properties to the other, * or that it is proper to say the divine nature suffered, bled, or died ; or the human is omniscient, omni- potent, omnipresent ; but that the properties of both natures, are so ascribed to the person, that it is proper to affirm any of them of him in the concrete, though not abstractly. The right understanding of this would greatly assist, in teaching the true sense of the fore- named, and many other dark passages in the scriptures.
2. Another fruit of this hypostatical union, is the singular ad- vancement of the human nature in Christ, far beyond and above what it is capable of in any other person, -f- it being hereby re- plenished and filled with an unparalleled measure of divine graces and excellencies ; in which respect he is said to be " anointed above, or before his fellows," Psal. xiv. 8. and so becomes the object of adoration and divine worship, Acts vii. 59. This the Socinians oppugn with this argument : He that is worshipped with a divine worship, as he is Mediator, is not so worshipped as God ; but Christ is worshipped as Mediator. But we say, that to be worshipped as Mediator, and as God, are not opposite, but the one is necessarily included in the other; and therein is further included the ratio
formalis sub qua I of thdt divine religious worship.
3. Hence, in the last place, follows, as another excellent fruit
* The properties of both natures maybe attributed to the whole person of Christ, ia the concrete ; the Son of man, who is a Person consisting of two natures, is every- where present, is eternal, is adorable, that is, he is to be adored according to his divine nature, to which these properties (of omnipresence, eternity, praise-worthiness) are ap- plicable : we adore indeed the Deity incarnate, but the Divinity itself is the only per- fect object of our worship.
f Tbe human nature being thus assumed above all other created natures, is, by vir- tue of this assumption, lifted up to the highest possible pitch of dignity ; Heb. i. 4, 5? 6. B>-adskaiu on Justification, p. 79.
J The formal ground upon which the worship of Christ, as Mediator, is founded.
80 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 9EKM. V.
of this union, The concourse and co-operation of each nature to his mediatory works ; for in them he acts according to both natures : the human nature doing what is human, viz. suffering, sweating, bleeding, dying ; and his divine nature stamping all these with infi- nite value ; and so both sweetly concur unto one glorious work and design of mediation. Papists generally deny that he performs any of these mediatory works as God, but only as man ; but how bold- ly do they therein contradict these plain scriptures ? See 2 Cor. v. 10. Heb. ix. 14, 15. And so much as to the second thing pro- pounded, viz. the fruits of this union.
Thirdly, The last thing to be opened is the grounds and reasons
m, „ of this assumption. And we may say, touching
Ihe reasons oj ^ nj That the human nature was not as- the hypostaticalu- gumed ^ any intrinsical perfection of the God- head, not to make that human nature itself per- fect. The divine did not assume the human nature necessarily^ but voluntarily ; not out of indigence, but bounty ; not because it was to be perfected by it, but to perfect it, by causing it to lie as a pipe, to the infinite all-filling fountain of grace and glory, of which it is the great receptacle. And so, consequently, to quali- fy and prepare him for a full discharge of his mediatorship, in the offices of our Prophet, Priest, and King. Had he not this double nature in the unity of his person, he could not have been our Prophet: For, as God, he knows the mind and will of God, John i. 18. and hi. 13. and as man he is fitted to impart it suitably to us, Deut. xviii. 15, 16, 17, 18. compared with Acts xx. 22.