Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

The great mystery of the Hypostaticall union in Christ, shadowed out by way of Similitude. [ 1220]

MAny are the similitudes used by both ancient and modern Writers to il∣lustrate the mysterious Union of God and Man in one Person of Iesus Christ our Mediator. As that of the Body and Soul,* 1.1 making but one Man; Of the primor∣diall light in the first Creation,* 1.2 and of the body of the Sun, in which that light was afterwards seated, both making one Luminary; Of a sword fired and enflamed; Of one Man having two accidentall formes or qualities, as skill in Divinity and Physick; Of a Cion or branch grafted into a Tree: But these and some others have been long since noted as defective in one part or other, That therefore of the Misletoe in the Oak, or in the Apple-tree, seemeth to hold out the best: For,

First,* 1.3 The Apple-tree and Misletoe, are two perfect and different Natures in one Tree, the Misletoe wanting no integrall part that belongs to Misletoe: So the God-head and Manhood are two perfect and different Natures in one Person, in one Christ our Lord.

Secondly,* 1.4 The Misletoe never had a separate and distinct subsistence of its own, but onely subsist••th in union with the Apple-tree, which susteyneth and main••ain∣eth it: So the humane nature of Christ never had any distinct and separate subsisience of its own; but, from the first conception, subsisted in union with the divine sub∣sistence.

Thirdly, The Apple-tree and Misletoe are so one Tree, that their two different Natures are neither confounded together, nor changed one into another to make up a third Nature, but are so individually unitea, that retaining their different Natures, they are but one Tree; So the two Natures of Christ, are without confu∣sion or commutation united in one person, and yet still retain they reall diffe∣rences.

Fourthly,* 1.5 The Apple-trce and Misletoe though one Tree, yet having different Natures, bear different fruits, as Apples and berries: So the God-head and Man∣hood of Christ, though but one Person, yet being different Natures, perform disinct actions peculiar to each of them.

Lastly, As we may truly say by reason of this union, This Apple-tree is a Mi∣sletoe, and this Misletoe is an Apple-tree; and consequently, This Misletoe beareth

Apples, and this Apple-tree beareth Berries: So we may truly say by reason of the personall union in God and Man, in Christ; This Son of Mary is the Son of God, and this Son of God is the Son of Mary; the Son of God was crucified, and the Son of Mary created Heaven and Earth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Just. Mart. in exposit. Fidei. Bazil in Nati∣vitat.
• * 1.2

  Alex. Alens. sum. Theolog. p. 3. q. 7. mem. 1. art. 1.
• * 1.3

  Damascen. de fide orthodox. lib. 3. cap. 11.
• * 1.4

  R. Field of she Church. l. 5. c. 12
• * 1.5

  Fr. Roberts, my sterium & medulla Biblie∣rum. l. 4. c. 6. Aphor••••m. 2. Po••it. 1.