Jesu Filio Dei, non solum ad divinam essentiam, sed etiam ad humanam spectat naturam, quod dictum est per prophetam―'generationem ejus quis enarrabit?'-(utramque enim substantiam in unam convenisse personam, nisi fides credat, sermo non explicat; et ideo materia nunquam deficit laudis; quia nunquam sufficit copia laudatoris)-gaudeamus igitur quod ad eloquendum tantum misericordiæ sacramentum impares sumus; et cum salutis nostræ altitudinem promere non valeamus, sentiamus nobis bonum esse quod vincimur. Nemo enim ad cognitionem veritatis magis propinquat, quam qui intelligit, in rebus divinis, etiamsi multum proficiat, semper sibi superesse quod quærat." See also Fulg., lib. ii. ad Thrasimund. But I speak of the person of Christ as unto the assumption of the substantial adjunct of the human nature, not to be a part whereof his person is composed, but as unto its subsistence therein by virtue of a substantial union. Some of the ancients, I confess, speak freely of the composition of the person of Christ in and by the two natures, the divine and human. That the Son of God after his incarnation had one nature, composed of the Deity and humanity, was the heresy of Apollinarius, Eutyches, the Monothelites, or Monophysites, condemned by all. But that his most simple divine nature, and the human, composed properly of soul and body, did compose his one person, or that it was composed of them, they constantly affirmed. μεσίτην καὶ ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὰς γραφὰς συγκεῖσθαι φάμεν ἐκ τὲ τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς ἀνθρωπότητος τελείως ἐχοῦσας κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον λόγον, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πεφηνό TOS EX EOũ xarà quen viou, saith Cyril of Alexandria.-"A sanctis patribus adunatione ex divinitate et humanitate Christus Dominus noster compositus prædicatur:" Pet. Diacon., lib. de Incarnat. et Grat. Christi, ad Fulgentium. And the union which they intended by this composition they called vwo quarzy, because it was of diverse natures, and ἕνωσιν κατὰ σύνθεσιν, a union by composition. Τὸν Θεοῦ But because there neither was nor can be any composition, properly so called, of the divine and human natures, and because the Son of God was a perfect person before his incarnation—wherein he remained what he was, and was made what he was not—the expression hath been forsaken and avoided; the union being better expressed by the assumption of a substantial adjunct, or the human nature, into personal subsistence with the Son of God, as shall be afterwards explained. This they constantly admire as the most ineffable effect of divine wisdom and grace. ̔Ο ἄσαρκος σαρκοῦται, ὁ λόγος παχύνεται, ὁ ἀόρατος ὁρᾶται, ὁ ἀναφὴς ψηλαφᾶται, ὁ ἄχρονος ἄρχεται, ὁ υἱὸς Θεοῦ υἱος ἀνθρώπου γίνεται, saith Gregory Nazianzen, (Orat. xii,) in admiration of this mystery. Hereby God communicates all things unto us from his own glorious fulness, the near approaches whereof we are not able to bear. So is it illustrated by Eusebius: (Demonst. Evang., lib. iv. cap. 5, &c. :) Ούτω δὲ φωτὸς ἡλίου μία καὶ ἡ αὐτὴ προσβολή ὁμοῦ καὶ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ καταυγάζει μὲν ἄερα, φωτίζει δὲ ὀφθαλμοὺς, ἀφὴν δὲ θερμαίνει, πιαίνει δὲ γῆν, αὔξει δὲ φυτά, κ. τ. λ. (cap. vi.) Εἰ γοῦν ὡς ἐν ὑποθέσει λόγου, καθεὶς οὐρανόθεν αυτὸς ἑαυτὸν παμφαής ἥλιος σὺν ἀνθρώποις ἐπὶ γῆς πολιτευοίτο, οὐδένα τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς μείναι ἂν ἀδιάφορον, πάντων συλλή δην ἐμψύχων ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀψύχων άθροᾳ τῇ τοῦ φωτὸς προσβολη διαφθαρησομένων. The sense of which words, with some that follow in the same place, is unto this purpose: By the beams of the sun, light, and life, and heat, unto the procreation, sustentation, refreshment, and cherishing of all things, are communicated. But if the sun itself should come down unto the earth, nothing could bear its heat and lustre; our eyes would not be enlightened but darkened by its glory, and all things be swallowed up and consumed by its greatness; whereas, through the beams of it, every thing is enlightened and kindly refreshed. So is it with this eternal beam or brightness of the Father's glory. We cannot bear the immediate approach of the Divine Being; but through him, as incarnate, are all things communicated unto us, in a way suited unto our reception and comprehension. So is it admired by Leo: (Serm. iii., De Nativit. :) " Natura humana in Creatoris societatem assumpta est, non ut ille habitator, et illa esset habitaculum; sed ut naturæ alteri sic misceretur altera, ut quamvis alia sit quæ suscipitur, alia vero quæ suscepit, in tantam tamen unitatem conveniret utriusque diversitas, ut unus idemque sit filius, qui se, et secundum quod verus est homo, Patre dicit minorem, et secundum quod verus est Deus Patri se profitetur æqualem.”“Human nature is assumed into the society of the Creator, not that he should be the inhabitant, and that the habitation," (that is, by an inhabitation in the effects of his power and grace, for otherwise the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily,) "but that one nature should be so mingled" (that is, conjoined) "with the other, that although that be of one kind which assumeth, and that of another which is assumed; yet the diversity of them both should concur in such a unity or union, as that it is one and the same Son —who, as he was a true man, said that he was less than the Father, or the Father was greater than he-so as he was true God, professeth himself equal unto the Father." See also Augustinus De Fide, ad Pet. Diacon., cap. xvii.; Justitianus Imperator Epist. ad. Hormisdam, Romæ Episcop. And the mystery is well expressed by Maxentius: (Biblioth. Patr. pars prima:) "Non confundimus naturarum diversitatem; veruntamen Christum non ut tu asseris Deum factum, sed Deum factum Christum confitemur. Quia non cum pauper esset, dives factus est, sed cum dives esset, pauper factus est, ut nos divites faceret; neque enim cum esset in formâ servi, formam Dei accepit; sed cum esset in formâ Dei, formam servi accepit; similiter etiam nec, cum esset caro, verbum est factum; sed cum esset verbum, caro factum est." "We do not confound the diversity of the natures, howbeit we believe not what you affirm, that Christ was made God; but we believe that God was made Christ. For he was not made rich when he was poor; but being rich, he was made poor, that he might make us rich. He did not take the form of God when he was in the form of a servant; but being in the form of God, he took on him the form of a servant. In like manner, he was not made the Word when he was flesh; but being the Word, he was made flesh." And Jerome, speaking of the effects of this mystery: (Comment. in Ezekiel, cap. xlvi.:) "Ne miretur lector si idem et Princeps est et Sacerdos, et Vitulus, et Aries, et Agnus; cum in Scripturis sanctis pro varietate causarum legamus eum Dominum, et Deum, et Hominem, et Prophetam, et Virgam, et Radicem, et Florem, et Principem, et Regem justum, et Justitiam, Apostolum, et Episcopum, Brachium, Servum, Angelum, Pastorem, Filium, et Unigenitum, et Primogenitum, Ostium, Viam, Sagittam, Sapientiam, et multa alia."-" Let not the reader wonder if he find one and the same to be the Prince and Priest, the Bullock, Ram, and Lamb; for in the Scripture, on variety of causes, we find him called Lord, God, and Man, the Prophet, a Rod, and the Root, the Flower, Prince, Judge, and Righteous King; Righteousness, the Apostle and Bishop, the Arm and Servant of God, the Angel, the Shepherd, the Son, the Only-begotten, the First-begotten, the Door, the Way, the Arrow, Wisdom, and sundry other things." And Ennodius hath, as it were, turned this passage of Jerome into verse: "Corda domat, qui cuncta videt, quem cuncta tremiscunt; Ostia, virgultum, pastor, mons, rete, columba, (In natalem Papa Epiphanii.) "Quod homo est esse Christus voluit; ut et homo possit esse quod Christus est," saith Cyprian: De Idolorum Vanitate, cap. iii. And, "Quod est Christus erimus Christiani, si Christum fuerimus imitati:" Ibid. And he explains his mind in this expression by way of admiration: (Lib. de Eleemosyn.:)" Christus hominis filius fieri voluit, ut nos Dei filios faceret; humiliavit se, ut populum qui prius jacebat, erigeret; vulneratus est, ut vulnera nostra curaret." CHAP. IV. That he was the foundation of all the holy counsels of God, with respect unto the vocation, sanctification, justification, VOL. I. 2 and eternal salvation of the church, is, in the next place, at large declared. And he was so on a threefold account. 1. Of the ineffable mutual delight of the Father and the Son in those counsels from all eternity. 2. As the only way and means of the accomplishment of all those counsels, and the communication of their effects, unto the eternal glory of God. 3. As he was in his own person, as incarnate, the idea and exemplar in the mind of God of all that grace and glory in the church which was designed unto it in those eternal counsels. As the cause of all good unto us, he is on this account acknowledged by the ancients. Οὗτος γοῦν ὁ λόγος, ὁ Χριστὸς ó ó καὶ τοῦ εἶναι πάλαι ἡμᾶς, ἦν γὰρ ἐν Θεῷ, καὶ τοῦ εὖ είναι ἄιτιος. Νῦν δὲ ἐπεφάνη ἀνθρώποις, ἀυτὸς οὗτος ὁ λόγος, ὁ μόνος ἄμφω Θεός τε καὶ ἄνθρωπος, ätávtwv jμìv aïtios ȧyadav, saith Clemens, Adhort. ad Gentes." He, therefore, is the Word, the Christ, and the cause of old of our being; for he was in God, and the cause of our wellbeing. But now he hath appeared unto men, the same eternal Word, who alone is both God and man, and unto us the cause of all that is good." As he was in God the cause of our being and wellbeing from eternity, he was the foundation of the divine counsels in the way explained; and in his incarnation, the execution of them all was committed unto him, that through him all actual good, all the fruits of those counsels, might be communicated unto us. CHAP. V. He is also declared in the next place, as he is the image and great representative of God, even the Father, unto the church. On what various accounts he is so called, is fully declared in the discourse itself. In his divine person, as he was the onlybegotten of the Father from eternity, he is the essential image of the Father, by the generation of his person, and the communication of the divine nature unto him therein. As he is incarnate, he is both in his own entire person God and man, and in the administration of his office, the image or representative of the nature and will of God unto us, as is fully proved. So speaks Clem. Alexandrin., Adhort. ad Gentes: 'Η μεν γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰκὼν ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ, καὶ υἱὸς τοῦ νοῦ γνήσιος, ὁ θεῖος λόγος, φωτὸς ἀρχέτυπον φῶς, εἰκὼν δὲ τοῦ λόγου ὁ ἄνθρωπος. "The image of God is his own Word, the natural Son of the" (eternal) "Mind, the divine Word, the original Light of Light; and the image of the Word is man.' And the same author again, in his Pedagogus: Πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ λόγος, ὦ φωτίζεται ὁ Θεὸς καὶ γνωρί LETα--"The Word is the face, the countenance, the representation of God, in whom he is brought to light and made known." As he is in his divine person his eternal, essential image; so, in his incarnation, as the teacher of men, he is the representative image of God unto the church, as is afterward declared. his countenance upon us. So also Jerome expresseth his mind herein: (Comment. in Psal. lxvi. :) "Illuminet vultum suum super nos; Dei facies quæ est ? utique imago ejus. Dicit enim apostolus imaginem Patris esse filium; ergo imagine sua nos illuminet; hoc est, imaginem suam filium illuminet super nos; ut ipse nos illuminet; lux enim Patris lux filii est." -"Let him cause his face to shine upon us; or lift up the light of What is the face of God? even his image. For the apostle says, that the Son is the image of the Father. Wherefore, let him shine on us with his image; that is, cause his Son, which is his image, to shine upon us, that he may illuminate us; for the light of the Father and of the Son are the same." Christ being the image of God, the face of God, in him is God represented unto us, and through him are all saving benefits communicated unto them that believe. Eusebius also speaks often unto this purpose, as: (Demonstratio Evangelica, lib. iv. cap. 2 :) Οθεν εἰκότως οἱ χρησμοί θεολογοῦντες, Θεὸν γενητὸν αὐτὸν ἀποφαίνουσιν, ὡς ἂν τῆς ἀνεκφράστου καὶ ἀπερινοήτου θεότητος μόνον ἐν αὐτῷ φέροντα τὴν εἰκόνα, δι ̓ ἦν καὶ θεὸν εἶναι τε αὐτὸν καὶ λέγεσθαι τῆς πρὸς τὸ πρῶτον ἐξομοιώσεως χάριν. — Wherefore, the holy oracles, speaking theologically, or teaching divine things, do rightly call him God begotten," (of the Father,) "as he who alone bears in himself the image of the ineffable and inconceivable Deity. Wherefore, he both is, and is called God, because of his being the character, similitude, or image of him who is the first." The divine personality of Christ consists in this, that the whole divine nature being communicated unto him by eternal generation, he is the image of God, even the Father, who by him is represented unto us. See the same book, chap. vii., to the same purpose; also, De Ecclesiast. Theol. contra Marcell., lib. ii. cap. 17. Clemens abounds much in the affirmation of this truth concerning the person of Christ, and we may yet add, from a multitude to the same purpose, one or more testimonies from him. Treating of Christ as the teacher of all men, his raidaywyds, he affirms that he is Θεὸς ἐν ἀνθρώπου σχήματι, “ God in the figure or form of man; ἄχραντος, πατρικῷ θελήματι διάκονος, λόγος, Θεὸς, ὁ ἐν πατρὶ, ὁ ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ πατρὸς, σὺν καὶ τῷ σχήματι Θεοῦ, “ impolluted, serving the will of the Father, the Word, God, who is in the Father, on the right hand of the Father, and in or with the form of God." Oros nun eixàv ǹ ἀκηλίδωτος, τούτῳ πάντι σθένει πειρατέον ἐξομοιοῦν τὴν ψυχήν.—“ He is the image (of God) unto us, wherein there is no blemish; and with all our strength are we to endeavour to render ourselves like unto him." This is the great end of his being the representative image of God unto us. And: (Stromat., lib. iv. :) ̔Ο μὲν οὖν Θεὸς ἀναπόδεικτος ὤν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπιστημονικός. 'Ο δὲ υἱὸς σοφία τε ἐστὶ καὶ ἐπιστήμη, καὶ ἀλήθεια, καὶ, |