consequens ut quod in Deo est, ita sit ubique, ut Deus ^ . . . Nam spatia locorum tolle corporibus, nusquam erunt, et quia nusquam erunt, nee erunt. Tolle ipsa corpora qualitatibus corporum, non erit ubi sint, et ideo necesse est ut non sint ^ . . . Christum autern Dominuni nostrum unigenitum Dei filium aequalem Patri, eundem- que liominis filium quo major est Pater, et ubique totum praesen- tem esse non dubites tanquam Deum, et in eodem templo Dei esse tanquain inliabitantem Deum, et in loco aliquo coeli propter veri corporis modum." ^
The modern theory which makes the incarnation of the Son of God to consist in his laying aside " the existence-form " of God, and, by a process of self-limitation assuming that of a man, of necessity modifies the view taken of his exaltation and ascension. That ascension is admitted to be a transfer from one portion of space to another, from earth to heaven. It is also admitted that our Lord now as a man occupies a definite portion of space. He if as to his human nature in one place and not everywhere. But his present existence-form is still human and only human. On this point Ebrard says. That the only begotten Son of God became a human soul, and formed itself a body in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and was born of her as a man. In the human nature thus assumed there were two elements. The one including all the es- sentials of humanity without which man is no longer man. The other includes only what is accidental and variable ; as for example, weakness, subjection to death, and other evils consequent on sin. All these on his ascension he laid aside, and now dwells in heaven as a glorified man (verklarter Mensch). He has laid aside forever the existence-form of God, and assumed that of man in perpetuity, in which form by his Spirit He governs the Church and the world. Locally, therefore, He is absent from the world, but He is dynamic- ally present to all his people in his present human existence-form. On this last mentioned point he quotes with approbation the lan- guage of Polanus : * " Ideo corpus Christi non est jam in terra, nedum ubique. Etsi autem Christus corpore suo non sit jam in terra, tamen est etiam conjunctus et praesens corpori nostro secun- dum carnem, sed non loco ; sicut caput uniuscujusque hominis non est eo loco quo pedes, et tamen est illis suo modo unituni. Proinde adest Christus ecclesiae suse non tantum secundum divi- nam sed etiam secundum humanam naturam, verum spiritualiter,
^ Epistola CLXXxvii. (57) [iii.] 10, ad Dardanum, Works; edit. Benedictines, Paris, 1836 vol. ii. pp. 1021, d, 1022, a. 2 Itykh vi- 18; p. 1025, e.
a Ibid. vi. J8; p. 1025, e. 8 Ibid. siii. 41; p. 10-38, a.
* Syntagvia TheologicB, vi., xxv. edit. Francofurti et Hanovise, 1655, p. 7S2, a.
634 PART m. ch. xm. — exaltation of christ.
sicut caput membris, quibus unitum est et quae vivificat." This dynamic presence of Christ as to his human nature and even as to his body, which Calvin asserted in reference to the Lord's Supper, has no special connection with Ebrard's doctrine of the incarnation. It is held by those who believe that the Eternal Son of God became man by taking to Himself a true body and a rea- sonable soul, and so was, and continueth to be God and man in two distinct natures, and one person forever. The doctrine in question has no doubt a form of truth in it. We are present with Christ, in a certain sense, in reference to his human, as well as in reference to his divine nature. The person to whom we are present, or, who is present with us, is theanthropic. We have all the advantage of his human sympathy and affection ; and the form of divine life which we derive from Him comes from Him as God still clothed in our nature. All this may be admitted without ad- mitting that the Eternal Son " became a human soul ; " that He laid aside the existence-form of God, and assumed for eternity, that of man. If this be so, then He is a man and nothing more. If an adult man, by a process of self-limitation, or self-contraction, as- sumes the existence-form of an infant, he is an infant, and ceases to be an adult man. If he assumes the existence-form of an idiot, he is an idiot ; or of a brute, he has only the instincts and sagacity of a brute. If, therefore, the Logos became man by self- contraction, He is no longer God.
According to the teaching of Scripture the ascension of Christ was necessary, —
1. In the first place He came from heaven. Heaven was his home. It was the appropriate sphere of his existence. His presence makes heaven, and therefore until this earth is purified from all evil, and has undei'gone its great process of regeneration, so as to become a new heavens and a new earth, this world is not suited for the Redeemer's abode in his state of exaltation.
2. It was necessary that as our High Priest He should, after offering Himself as a sacrifice, pass through the heavens, to appear before God in our behalf. An essential part, and that a perma- nent one, of his priestly office was to be exercised in heaven. He there makes constant intercession for his people. As He died for our sins, He rose for our justification. All this was typified under the old dispensation. The victim was slain without in the court of the temple ; the high priest bore the blood with much incense within the veil and sprinkled it on the Mercy Seat. What the high priest did in the earthly temple, it was necessary for the High