Seuen goulden candlestickes houlding the seauen greatest lights of Christian religion shewing vnto all men what they should beleeue, & how they ought to walke in this life, that they may attayne vnto eternall life. By Gr: Williams Doctor of Divinity

CHAP. III. Of the manner of the vnion of the two natures, and wherein this vnion chiefly consisteth.

SEcondly,* 1.1 for the manner of this vnion of these two natures in one person, or wherein chiefly it consisteth, herein resteth the greatest difficul∣ty: For,

First, the Nestorians and their followers say: that both these natures are saide to bee one, by the vnitie of,

• 1. Co-habitation.
• 2. Will and affection.
• 3. Operation.
• 4. Participation.

First, by the vnity of Co-habitation, because the Word dwelled in the man Christ, as in his choicest House and Temple, accocding to that saying of the Euangelist; and he dwelt in vs.* 1.2

Secondly, by the vnity of will and affection, because the will of Christ was alwayes agreeable to the will of God: and this they

doe illustrate by the example of Man and Wife, which though they be two persons,* 1.3 yet are they said to be one flesh, in regard of their mariage knot, and especially in respect of their vnanimous hearts; so the Sonne of God, and the Sonne of Mary, are two persons (say they) and yet may be said to be one Christ, in regard of that indissoluble spirituall coniunction, and affection that is betwixt them.

Thirdly, By the vnity of operation, because the man Christ, was the Instrument, which the Word God vsed for the effecting of all those great workes that he did, while hee walked here on Earth.

Fourthly, By the vnity of participation, because the Word God, did impart vnto the man Christ, his name and dignity, that hee should be called God, and the Sonne of God, and should be wor∣shipped of all Creatures, not for his owne sake, but for his sake to whom hee was thus vnited.

* 1.4But how false and fained are all these subtle infernall distin∣ctions, to misteach the manner and the matter, wherein the true vnion of these natures chiefly consisteth, it will easily appeare, if we doe but obserue, that all this may, and doth agree with all the Saints, and faithfull seruants of God: for,

First, God dwelleth in his Saints, as in his Temples; for, We are the Temples of the Holy Ghost,* 1.5 and the Spirit of God dwelleth in vs, saith the Apostle.

Secondly, The Saints are one with God, by will and affe∣ction:* 1.6 for the Apostle sheweth vs plainely, that he which is ioy∣ned vnto the Lord, is one spirit; and wisheth rather, that Gods will may be done, then his owne; as they doe daily in their prayers: Thy will be done.

Thirdly, That the Saints are Gods Instruments, (as be ma∣ny times the wicked also) whereby God worketh many excel∣lent things, the same Apostle sheweth, where he saith; That al∣though there be diuersities of operations,* 1.7 yet, it is the same God which worketh all in all.

Fourthly, That the Saints are called, The Sonnes of God, and some of them also said to be Gods,* 1.8 by the participation of many graces and titles which God hath giuen vnto them, it is most plaine;* 1.9 for, I said you are Gods, and the Children of the most High:

And so the Apostle sheweth, Gal. 4.6.7.* 1.10 and so in many other places: And therefore seeing all the faithfull seruants of God, may be truly said to be vnited vnto God, in respect of the coha∣bitation of God in them, and of their will and affection agreeable to the will of God, and of the working of God in them, and the bestowing of his names, titles, dignities, and graces vpon them; and that the vnion of this Word with our Flesh: i. e. of the Diuine Nature with the humanity, is farre otherwise, then the vnion of the Saints with God; it must needes follow, that although it be true, that there is a most perfect vnity of cohabitation, affection, operation, and participation betwixt the two Natures of Christ; yet this is not all, but the vnion of them consisteth in a farre more excellent respect then any, and all of these. And therefore,

Secondly, Brentius, Smidelinus,* 1.11 and the rest of their Lutheran followers, doe affirme, this vnion of both these Natures, to con∣sist in the communication of the properties of the Deity, to the hu∣manity of Christ; so as they are really transferred, and the hu∣manity inuested with the diuine properties: And therefore they doe conclude, that in respect of this reall communicating, and transferring of attributes, the manhood of Christ is omniscient, om∣nipotent, omnipresent, and so forth.

But how gr••sse this error is, and how derogatory to the truth of Christian Doctrine, it will easily appeare, if we doe but con∣sider those intollerable absurdities that of necessity must needes follow the same: for,

First,* 1.12 The Father and the Sonne should be hypostatically vnited one to the other, and so be made one person; for that it is most certaine, (as themselues must, and doe confesse) that the Father hath, and doth communicate all his essentiall attributes, and properties vnto the Sonne, and therefore if the vnion of these two Natures consisteth in the communicating of properties, the Fa∣ther and the Sonne must be vnited into one person; but this is most horribly absurd: Therefore the other,

Secondly, The whole Trinity should be incarnate, because all the essentiall attributes of the Deity, are common to the whole Trinity, and to each person of the Trinity.

Thirdly, The two natures of Christ could not be hypostati∣cally vnited, because there are certaine diuine properties, which

cannot be said to be communicated to the humanity of Christ, as to be increated, to be infinite, to want beginning of time, to be Ens independens, an independant being; and certaine things, which Christ in respect of his Flesh had not before his passion, and resurrection: as to bee impassible, immortall, and such like.

Fourthly, If this vnion consisted in the communicating of the properties, then this transfusion of them must be reciprocall; that is, as the diuine properties are transfused into the humanity, so the humane properties must bee likewise transfused into the Deity: And then it must needes follow, that as Omnipresency, Omnisciency, Vbiquity, and such like, are transfused into the hu∣manity; so passibility, mortality, and such like, should be really transfused into the Deity: but it were most absurd to say, that the God-head is capable of humane fraileties; And therefore it is as absurd to say, that the Manhood was inuested with diuine Excellencies as they are Diuine: And,

Fiftly, If this were true, then the humanity should be no hu∣manity at all, because freed from humane fraileties, and inuested with diuine properties; And therefore to expresse truly where∣in this vnion consisteth.

* 1.13Thirdly, We say, that the vnion of these two Natures consi∣steth in the communicating of the subsistence of the Word, with the humane nature that it assumed: i. e. of the very being of the Word with the being of our Flesh, so that it is an hypostaticall or per∣sonall vnion; that is, such an vnion, as that both natures doe make but one person of Christ, euen as the soule and body doe make but one person of man:* 1.14 for so saith the Councell of Calcedon, the Councell of Lateran, the Councell of Toledo, Saint Cyril, and all the Oxthodoxe Fathers, that writ thereof. Si quis non confi∣tetur carni secundum subsistentiam vnitum Dei patris verbum, ana∣thema sit; Whosoeuer confesseth not the eternall Word of the Father to be vnited vnto our flesh, according to his subsistence, let him be accursed.

And further wee say, that the vnion of these two natures, i. e. the God-head, as it is limited to the second person of the Trini∣tie, and the Manhood of Christ, is,

• 1. Inconuertible.
• 2. Indiuisible.
• 3. Inconfused.
• 4. Inseperable.* 1.15
• 5. Substantiall.
• 6. Ineffable.

First, Inconuertible, because neither the Diuine Nature is turned into the humanity, nor the humanity into the Deity.

Secondly, Indiuisible, because the Natures are so vnited into one person, that they can neuer be separated, vnlesse we diuide the person of Christ, which is most hereticall.

Thirdly, Inconfused, because the Natures remaine still in∣tire, without confounding either their Essence, or their proper∣ties, or their willes, or any other operations whatsoeuer; and therefore (excepting onely his subsistence, which is one, that we make him not two persons with Nestorius) we do affirme, that in Christ there are two natures, two willes, two naturall proprieties and operations, intire and vnmixed, that we may not confound them with Eutyches: for sith the natures are neither confused,* 1.16 nor transfused each into other, the properties also must needes remaine intire to either Nature, without that supposed transfusion of them each to other: for that rule can neuer bee disproued; Confundens proprietates essentiales, confundit naturas, Confound the naturall or essentiall properties of any things, and you take away the nature of the things: And therefore in that one and selfe-same subsistence of Christ, there must needes be a diuine and a humane nature, a diuine and a humane wisedome, a diuine and a humane will; and so of all other properties of each nature, they must be as well inconfused, as indiuisible.

And this Christ himselfe briefly sheweth, where hee saith, I lay downe my life, and I take it vp againe;* 1.17 for though the actions of each nature, are inseparably ioyned together, in respect of the person; that is, though the same person is said to doe the acti∣ons of each Nature, yet are the actions neuer confounded, but doe still remaine distinct, and proper to each nature, as to lay downe his life, is the proper worke of the humanity, and to take it vp a∣gaine, is the proper worke of the Deity: And this Damascene doth explaine, by the example of a fiery Sword, wherein both the natures of the fire and of the Sword, and so likewise the acti∣ons and proprieties of each of them, are preserued intire, to each

nature;* 1.18 Nam ferrum habet virtutem incidendi, ignis vrendi, For the Iron retaineth still, and retaineth onely the power of cutting, and the fire of burning; Euen so it is in the person of Christ, the Diuinity doth still retaine the propriety of working diuine opera∣tions, and the humanity still retaineth the propriety of working all humane operations. And Theodoret vseth the same similie, though not in the like words,* 1.19 yet to the very same effect, saying, Si ignis cum ferro comixtio, quae ferrum ita ostendit, vt etiam ea faciat quae sunt ignis, eius naturam non mutat, ita nec Dei cum corpore est mu∣tatio corporis, &c. If the commixtion of the fire with the Iron, doth make the Iron not onely to appeare like fire, but also to doe the same things, (as to dry, to heate, and to burne) which the fire doth; and yet this fire changeth not the nature of the Iron: Euen so the vnion of the Word with our Flesh, doth not change the nature of our flesh, but as a man hath his soule and body both vnited, and inconfused; Ita multo magis Christus habens diuini∣tatem cum corpore, habet vtra{que} permanentia, & non confusa: So much more, Christ hauing his diuinity vnited with our flesh, hath them both remaining intire, and inconfused.

Fourthly, Inseparable, because the Natures are so inseparably vnited, as that the humane nature, which the Word assumed, can neuer be separated from the same; And therefore when Christ died, Subtraxit visionem, sed non soluit vnionem: The soule parted from the body, but the Deity was separated from neither, as Leo saith; For in respect of this vnion of the Deity, with either part of Christs humanity,* 1.20 the Man Christ saith vnto the God-head, Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell, nor suffer thine holy one: i. e. my body in the graue, to see corruption: but as a Tree cut in twaine, the Sunne cannot be cutte, but that it may still shine on either part; so the body and soule of Christ being parted, the Deity was still vnited vnto them both; and could neuer be separated from the manhood, after he had once assumed the same into the vnity of his person.

* 1.21Fiftly, Substantiall, for (as Bellarmine well obserueth) diuers things may be vnited three manner of wayes.

First, Essentially, as when of many things, is made one essence, after which manner the matter and forme, the kinde and diffe∣rence, are ioyned and vnited together: And thus the vnion of

these Natures in the words incarnation, is not made; first, be∣cause that if it were so, then there should be in Christ but one nature, and that should be neither diuine, nor humane, but a cer∣taine third kinde of nature out of them both: And secondly, because that this essentiall vnion is neuer made, but of imperfect natures; or if they be perfect, then is it by a certaine corruption, or conuersion of them: but the natures of Christ are perfect and intire, and therefore not essentially vnited.

Secondly, Accidentally, as when accidents are adioyned to the subiect, or when a substance is ioyned to a substance, but of that coupling ariseth nothing else but an accidentall forme, as when of Timber and Stones we doe compose and frame a House; and thus also the hypostaticall vnion of Christs two natures, is not made, because God is no accident, nor the subiect of any acci∣dents.

Thirdly, Substantially, as when a substance,* 1.22 which other∣wise existeth of it selfe, is drawne to the being of another supposi∣tum; i. e. of another, of it selfe existing substance, and depen∣deth on the same, as a part thereof: And thus is the vnion of the Word with our Flesh, for wee say, that the Word is substantially made Flesh; i. e. a true, and a perfect man, whose being is no acci∣dent, but a substance.

Sixtly, It is ineffable, so absolutely perfect,* 1.23 and so exceedingly mysticall, that it can neuer be perfectly declared by any man; for though the Fathers sought by many examples and simili∣tudes, to expresse and to illustrate the same, as by the vnion of the body and soule, of a branch ingraffed into a Tree, of a fie∣rie Iron, and such like; yet all come too short, for the full expres∣sing of this inexplicable mystery: And therefore Saint Bernard compareth this ineffable mystery, of the vniting of these two na∣tures, vnto that incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity; and so indeede that of the Trinity is greatest, and this of the incar¦nation is like vnto it, farre exceeding mans capacity: for, his wayes are in the Seas, his pathes in the great waters,* 1.24 and his foote∣steps are not knowne. And so you see, how that these two natures, doe make but one person of our Sauiour Christ, and how they are really, though ineffably, vnited in that one and selfe-same subsistence of Christ.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Wherein the Hereticks haue affirmed the vnion of both natures in Christ to con∣sist.
• * 1.2

  Iohn 1.14.
• * 1.3

  Math. 19.5.
• * 1.4

  How falsly the Heretickes af∣firme the vnion of the two na∣tures to consist in the aforesaid points.
• * 1.5

  1 Cor. 3.16. 1 Cor. 6.19.
• * 1.6

  1 Cor. 6.17. Math. 6.10.
• * 1.7

  1 Cor. 12.6. Rom. 15.19.
• * 1.8

  1 Iohn 3.1.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 82.6.
• * 1.10

  Gal. 4.6.7.
• * 1.11

  What the Lu∣therans teach concerning the vnion of the two natures of Christ.
• * 1.12

  The absurdi∣ties that must needes follow the Lutheran Doctrine.
• * 1.13

  Wherein the vnion of the two natures truly consisteth is shewed.
• * 1.14

  Jn Ep. Alex. Concilij. ana∣them. 2.
• * 1.15

  Sixe speciall things obserua∣ble in the vni∣on of the two natures of Christ.
• * 1.16

  How the pro∣perties of each nature doe re∣maine intire, and inconfused to each nature.
• * 1.17

  John 10.17.
• * 1.18

  Damasc. de fide orthodoxa. l. 3. c. 15.
• * 1.19

  Theodor. Dialog. 2. f. 166. An example shewing how the two natures though vnited, doe remaine inconfused.
• * 1.20

  Psal. 16.11. When Christ died, and body and soule were parted, the Godhead par∣ted from nei∣ther of them.
• * 1.21

  That there are three speciall kindes of vni∣on.
• * 1.22

  That the vni∣on of Christ his natures is substantiall.
• * 1.23

  That the man∣ner of the vni∣ting of the two natures, is inef∣fable.
• * 1.24

  Psal. 76.19.