VI . Epifiletothe'H11 BREWS. we take bondage pafvely, as it affeéts the foulof the firmer ; Which the Apoftle feems to intend, by placing it as an effe' of thefear of death ; take it affively, and it is no morethan the fentence ofthe Law, which works and caufeth it in the foul; and fo all inners are inevitably obnoxious unto it. And this &ate, as we obferved, fills men Withdefires after, and puts them upon various attempts for deliverance. Some delire only prefent eafe, and they commonly with-draw themfelves from it, by giving up themfelves wholly unto their hearts lugs, and therein to Atheifm, which God often- times in his righteous judgment gives them up unto, knowing that the day is corn- ing wherein their prefent woful temporal relief will be recompencedwith eternal mi- fery. Some look forwards unto what is to come, and accordingly to their light and affiflance varioufly apply themfelves to feek relief. Some do itby a righteoufnefs of their own, and in the purfuit thereof alto there are. ways innumerable, not now to be infifted on and fome do it by ChriJt, whichhow it is by him effeóed, the Apoftle in the next place declares. Two things, as was (hewed, are affirmed ofthe Lord Chrift, in confequence unto thepremifed fuppofitionof thechildren beingpartakers offlejbandblood, and of their obnoxiouf nejlunto death, and tobondage. r. That oftheirnatural condition, he himfelfpar- took a. That from their moral condition, hedelivered them ; which that he might do,it was neceffarythat he fhould partake of the other. . a. He bimfelfdid likewifi partake ofthe fame. Theword oraea,Ànoias,likewife, in like IIapadan. manner,doth denote fuch a fimilitude as isconfiftvt withaifecifical identity. And there- vices. fore ChryfoJfom from hence urgeth the Marcionites and Valentinians,who denyed the re- ality of the HumaneNature of Chrift, feeing that he partookofit in like manner with us, that is, truly and really, even aswe do. But yet the word, by force ofits compo- fition, doth intimate fome dii fiarity and difference. He took part of humane nature really as wedo, and almoft in likemanner with us. For there were two differences be- tween his being partaker ofhumane natureandours. Firft, In that we fubfiftfingly in thatnature : bat he took his portion in this nature into fubfiftence withhimfelf in the Perfora of the Son of God. Secondly, This nature in us is attendedwithmany infir- mities, thatfollow the individual perfons that are partakers ofit ; inhim it was free from them all. And this theApoftle alfo intimates in the word perAe, changinghis expreffion from that whereby he declared the common intereJt of the children in the fame nature, which isevery wayequal and alike. The whole is, That he tookhis own Portion, in his ownManner, unto himfelf. And this Obfervation removes what is hence objefed againft the DeityofChrift. Cum Cbriffus ( faith Schlillingiu:) haminum mortalium &fragilium dux& fautor fit, propterea is non Angelus aliquis, multo veró minus ipfe Deus fammus qui foists immorta- litatemhabet, fed homofuo temporemalls, ( varih calamitatibus ebnoxiu: ei debuit. It is true, itappears from hence, that Chrift ought to bea man, fubjeb to fufferings and death, and not an,Ange , as the Apoftle farther declares in the next verfe ; butthat he ought not to beGod it doth not appear. As God indeedhe could nordie, but ifhe who was God hadnot taken part offelh and blood, God could not have redeemedhis Church with bitown blood. But this is the perpetual Paralogtfmof there men. BecaufeChrist is afferted tohave been truly a man, therefore he is not God ; which is todeny the Go- fpel, and the whole myfferyofit. He proceeds with his exceptions againitthe application of thefe Words unto the incarnation of the Lord Chrift, the filmwhereof is, that the words mreoaonsfos µarí,e denote anuniverfal conformity, or fiecifickidentity between Chrift and the children, not only as to the Efkte, but alfoat to all other concernment: of humane nature, or elfe no benefit could redound unto them from what he didor ffffered. But, t.The words db not affect any fuch thing, as hath been declared. 2. It is not true. The children were partakers off/amant nature, either byCreation out of the duft ofthe earth, as Adam; or by na- turalgeneration. The Lord Chrift was conceived ofa Virginby the power of the Holy Ghoft ; and yet thebenefit redoundsunto the children. It is evident then, that the fimilitude urged by the Apoftle is confined to the fubftanceoffleJlr and bland, or the Effence of Humane'Nature, and is not tobe extended unto the perfonal concernments oftheone or the other ; nor the way whereby they became partakersof the fame nature.. Nor is the argumentfor theIncarnation of ChriJttaken meetly fro& the ex- pretfions in this verfe; but whereas he had before proved him to be above, and before the Angels,even God over all, and here intimating his exiltence antecedent to hispart- cipation of flefhand blood, hisIncarnationdoth neceffarily enfue. Gggg The 26y
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