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The .xiiii. Chapter. ¶ Howe the ••wo natures of the Mediatour do make one persone.
[ 1] NOw where it is sayd, that the Worde was made flesh: that is not so to be vnderstanded, as though it were e••her tur∣ned into flesh▪ or confusely mingled with flesh,* 1.1 but bicause he chose him a temple of the Uirgins wombe to dwell in: he that was the Sonne of God, became also the sonne of man, not by confusion of substance, but by vnitie of persone. For we so affirme the godhed ioyned & vnited to the manhode, that eyther of thē haue their whole propretie remayning, and yet of them bothe is made one Christ. If any thyng in all worldly thinges maye be found like to so great a misterie, the similitude of man is moste fit, whome we see to consist of two substances, whereof yet neyther is so myngled with other, but that eyther kepeth the propertie of his owne nature. For neyther is the soule the body, nor the body the soule. Wherefore both that thyng maye be seuerally spoken of the soule, whiche can no waye agree with the body: and likewise of the body that thynge maye be sayd, whiche can by no meane agree with the soule: and that maye be sayd of the whole man, whiche can be but vnfitly taken neyther of the soule nor of the body seuerally. Finally, the propreties of the soule are sometime attributed to the body, and the properties of the body sometime to the soule▪ and yet he that consisteth of them is but one man and not many. But such formes of speache do signi••ie bothe that there is one persone in man compounded of two natures knit toge∣ther, and that there are two diuerse natures which do make the same persone. And so doe the Scriptures speake of Christ: Sometime they geue vnto him those thinges that ought singularly to be referred to his manhode, and sometime those thinges that do peculiarly belong to his godhed, and sometime those thinges that do comprehend both natures, and doe agree with neyther of them seuerally. And this con∣ioynynge of the two natures that are in Christ, they doe with suche religiousnesse expresse, that sometime they do put them in common to∣gether: which figure is among the olde authors called, Communica∣tyng of propreties.
[ 2] These things were but weake, vnlesse many phrases of Scripture, and such as be eche where redy to finde, dyd proue that nothing here∣of hath ben deuised by man. That same thing whiche Christ spake of himself,* 1.2 sayeng: Before that Abrahā was, I am: was far disagreyng from his māhode. Neither am I ignorant with what cauillation the erronious spirites do depraue this place: for they say yt he was before all ages, bicause he was alredy foreknowen the Redemer, as well in the counsell of the father, as in the mindes of the godly. But where as he openly distinguissheth the daye of his manifestation from his eternall essence, & o•• purpose pronunce••h vnto himselfe an authoritie by antiquitie wherin he excelleth aboue Abrahā, he doth vndoutedly chalenge to himself ye which is propre to the godhed. Wheras Paule affirmeth yt he is the first begottē of al creatures,* 1.3 which was before al thinges, & by whom al thinges kepe their beyng: & wheras he himself