284 Chap.4. 4Commertherieupon Againe,obfcrue that Chrift in his manhoodincreafed ingrace, as in age,and feature. Luk. 2. And this increafe was without all .iimperfefìion : for inhis infancic, Chrilt receiueda full mea. fareofgrace fit for that age : when he was twclue yearnold, he receiued a further meafure, fit for that age : and fo when he was thirtie yeares old. And thus increafc of grace, and theper. fcE3ron thereof, ftand both together. And this increafe is not ()fitly in refpe(t ofexperience,and the manifeflation ofGrace before God and men , but alto in refpekt of the habit or gift: though the SchsoleJ for 400. yearnhaue taught the contrarie re euer lnce the claies ofLumbard. The third thing is , the Vniting of flefh to the Godhead of the Sonne : and that is done, when the tonneof God makes the flelh, or nature of man, a part ofhimfclfe, and communi- cates vnto it his owne fubfiftance. The like example to this is t.S not to be found againe in theworld : yet haue we tome refem- bl4nccofthis myfteric in theplant called e.21if elto,whichhath no roote of his owne , but grawes in a tree ofanother kinde, and thence receiues his lappe. And to the manhood of the Tonne bathnoperfonal:tieorperfona llfubfrftance,butisrecci- 20 ucd into the Vnitieof the fecund perfon, and is Inflainedofit. 0 It mutt here be obferued , that there is a difference bet Keene the manhoodof Chrift, and all othermen. Peter is a perfon fubfifttngof himfelfe,and fo isPaul,and cuery particular man: but fo is not the manhoodof Chrift : and therefore it is tobe rearmed a nature, andnot a perfon . And it is no difgrace,but an exaltation to the natureofman, thane fubfiftsby the vncrc- ated fubfiflance of the fecundperfon. It may be obieEled,that all belecucrsare ioyned to the Tonne ofGod,as well as the flefh ofChrift : I anfwer, they arc fo, but 30 in another kind , and in a lower degree, by communicationof grace, and not by communication ofperfonall fubfflanc. Thus we fee howthe tonne was made flcfh:the vfe follows. Hence we learnt to vieall meanes, that we may become newe creatures , and be borne of God. Godbecomes man,that we 31 men might be partakers of the divine nature . Chriii is macle bone ofour bone,and flefh ofour flefhby his incarnation,that we might he made bone of hisbone, and flcfh of hrs flefh by regeneration.The tonne ofGod was made the Tonne ofman, that we which are the tonnes ofinenmight be made the forms on 11
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=