o) the PERSON 0/ CHRIST. 159 The word was madefell, John i. 14. There can be but two fenfes of thefe words. Firfi That the word ceafed to be what it was, and was fubflantiaily turned' into flefb. Secondly, That continuing to be what it was, it was made to be alfo what before it was not. The firfl fenfe is deftruftive of the divine being, and all its effential properties. The other can be verified only herein., that the word took thatfielb, that is, our hu- mane nature tobe his own, his own nature wherein lae was madeRefit, which is that we plead for. For this affection that the perfon of the Son took our nature to be his own, is the fame with that of the aflumptionof the bu- tane nature into perfonal fubfiftence with himfelf. And the'ways of the prefence of the Son of God with the man Chrift Jefus before mentioned, do exprefs nothing in anfwer unto this divine teflimony, that the word was madeflefh. Being in the form of God be took on bim the form of a fervant, and be- came obedient, Phil. ii. 7, 8. That by his being in' form of God, is participation in and of the faine divine nature with the Father is in- z_nded,.thefe men grant. And that herein he was a perfon diflinét from Neflorius of old acknowledged, though it be by ours denied. But they can fancy no diftinetion that lhall bear the denominationand relation of Fatherand Son, but all is inevitably included in it, whichwe plead for un- der that nine. This perfon took on him theform of a fervant i that is, the.nature of man in the conditionof a ferrant. For it is the. fame with hisbeing made ofa woman, made under the law ; or taking on him the feed of Abraham. And this perfon became obedient. It was in the humane nature, in-theform ofa fervant wherein he was obedient. Wherefore that ,humane nature was the nature of that perfon, a nature which he took on him and made his own, wherein he 'would be obedient, and that the hu- mane nature is the nature of the perfon of him who was in the form ofGod, 'is that hypoftatical union which we believe and plead for. To us a Son is given, to us a child is born, andhe (hall be called the mi- ghty God, Ifa. ix. 6. The child and the mighty God are the fame perfon; or he that is born a child cannot be rightly called the mighty God. And the truth of many other expreflions in the fcripture bath its foie founda- tion in this kypoflatical union. So the Son of God took on him the feed of Abraham, was made of a woman, did partake of ftefb and blood, was manifefi in the flefli, that he who was born of the bleffed - virgin, was before Abraham, that hewas made of the feed of Davidaccording to the flefh, whereby God purchafed the church with bis own blood, are -all fpoken of one and the faine perfon, and are not true but on the account of the unionof the two natures therein. And all thofe who plead for the accidental metaphorical union, confifting in the inftances before menti- oned, do know well enough that the true Deity of our Lord Jeff's Chrift is oppofed by them. (g.) Concurrent with and in part confequent unto this union is the communion of the diffinll natures of Chrift bypoflatically united. And herein we may confider, t.) What is peculiar unto the divine nature 2.) What is commonunto both. 1.) There is a threefold communication of the divine nature unto the humane in this bypoflatical union. (I. Immediate- in the perfon of the Son. This is fubfiflence. In it felf it isdrrç mn -c-1, that which hath not a filbfiflence of its own, which Mouldgive it individuation and diftinftion from the faine nature in any other perfon. But it hath its fubfiftence in the perfon ofthe Son, which thereby is its own. The divine nature as in that perfon is its fieppoJitnm. (s. By
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