of the Deity without fear? Horror doth not shake their bodies, their minds do not tremble, but being secure and prating, they speak of the Son of God, who suffered for me unworthy sinner, and of both his generations; at least they are not sensible how blind they are in the light." To the same purpose speaks Eusebius at large, Demon. Evan. lib. 5. cap. 2. Leo well adds hereunto the consideration of his incarnation, in those excellent words, Serm. 9. de Nativitat. Quia in Christo Jesu filio Dei, non solum ad Divinam essentiam, sed etiam ad humanum spectat naturum, 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 numquam deficit laudis; quia nunquam sufficit copia laudatoris. Gaudiamus igitur quod ad eloquendum tantum misericordia sacramentum impares sumus; et cum salutus nostræ altitudinem promere non valeamus, sentiamus nobis bonum essi quod vincimur. Nemo enim ad cognitionem veritatis magis propinquat, quam qui intelligit, in rebus divinis, etiamsi multum proficiat, semper sibi superesse quad quærat. "Because in Christ Jesus the Son of God, that relates not only to his divine essence, but also to his human nature, which was spoken by the prophet; Who shall declare his generation? For the word does not explicate which substance is residing in one person, except faith believe it; and therefore matter of praise is never wanting, because the highest praise of the praiser is never sufficient. Let us rejoice, therefore, that we are unable to declare so great an oath of mercy; and seeing we cannot be able to understand the depth of salvation, let us understand that it is happiness that we are overcome. For none maketh a nearer approach unto the knowledge of the truth, than he who knows that, although he may profit much in divine matters, there is always something remaining for him to seek after." See also Fulg. lib. 2. 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 Apolinarius, Eutiches 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 own person, or that it was composed of them, they constantly affirmed: Τὸν Θεῖ μεσίτην καὶ ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὰς γραφᾶς συγκεῖσθαι φάμεν ἐκ τε τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς ἀνθρωπότητος τελείως, ἐχέσας κατα τη ἴδιον λόγον καὶ ἐκ τῶ πεφηνότος, ἐκ Θεῖ κατὰ φύσιν ὑιῖ, "We say that the Mediator betwixt God and man was composed both of our human nature in perfection, on our account, according to the Scriptures; and also, of the Divine nature of the person of the Son of God, according to his own word," 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. "Our Lord Christ was preached, by the holy fathers, as composed of the divine and human nature." And the union which they intended by this composition they called ἔνωσιν φυσικὴν, because it was of divers natures; and ivwoty karà σúvlecɛv, an union of composition. But because there neither was, nor can be any composition, properly so called, of the divine and human natures, and that 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; "O aσaρkos σαρκεται, ὁ λόγος παχύνεται, ὁ ἀόρατος όρσται, ὁ ἀναφης ψηλαφαται, δ άχρονος ἀρχεται, ὁ διος Θεν ύιος άνθρωπο λίνεται, “ He who is without fesh is incarnate, the Word is embodied, he who is invisible is seen, he who shines in heaven is throughly handled on earth, he who is from eternity begins, the Son of God is become the Son of man," saith Gregory Nazianzen, Orat. 12, 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. 4. cap. 5, &c. έτω δὲ φωτος ἡλιν, μια καὶ ἀντη ποςβολη, δμῳ δὲ κατα αυτο καταγάζει μεν άςρα, φωτειζει δὲ ὀφθαλμες, ἀφην δὲ θερμαίνει, πιαίνει δὲ γην, αύξει δὲ φυτα, κ. λ. ει γυν ὡς ἐν υποθεσει λογο, καδεις έρανόθεν αυτος ἑαυτον παμφυης ἥλιος τον άνθρωποις ἐπι γης πολει τεύοιτο, έδενα των ἐπι της γης μείνας ἂν ἀδιαφαρον παντων σιλληδην έμψυχων ὁμε, και άψυ χων αθρώα τα τα φοτος 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. 3. de Nativitat. Natura humana in Creatoris societatem assumpta est, non ut ille habitator, et ille esset habitaculum; sed ut naturæ alteræ sic misceretur altera, ut quamvis alia sit quæ suscipitur, alia vero quæ suscepit, in tantam tamen unitatem conveniret utriusq; diversitas, et unus idemq: sit filius, qui se, et secundum quod versus 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 an 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, professed himself equal unto the Father." See also August. de fide, ad Pet. Diacon.cap. 17. Justinianus Imperator. Epist. ad Hormisdam, Romæ Episcop. And the mystery is well expressed by Maxientius, Biblioth. Patr. par. 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; neq; enim cum esset in forma servi, formam Dei accepit; sed cum esset in forma 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 Hierom, 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 rudicem, 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 Hierom into verse. Cordia domat, qui cuncta videt, quem cuncta tremiscunt; Quod homo est, esse Christus voluit; ut et homo possit esse, quod Christus est, saith Cyprian. de Vanitat. Judæ. And Quod est Christus erimus Christiani, si Christum fuerimus secuti, ibid. And he explains his mind in this expression by way of admiration, Serm. de Eleomosyn. Christus hominis filius esse voluit, ut nos filios Dei faceret; humiliavit se, ut populum qui prius jacebat, erigeret; vulneratus est ut vulneras nostra sanaret. "Christ would be the Son of man, that he might make us the sons of God; he humbled himself, that he might lift up his people, that formerly had fallen; he was wounded that he might heal our wounds." CHAP. IV. That he was the foundation of all the holy counsels of God, with respect unto the vocation, sanctification, justification, 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. 8 Ούτος γουν ὁ λογος, ὁ χριςος καὶ τε εἰ ναι παλαι ἡμας, ήν γαρ ἐν Θεω, καὶ τὰ εὐ εἶναι. Νυν δὲ ἐπιφανη άνθρωποις, αυτος οὗτος ὁ λογος, ὁ μόνος άμφω Θεος τε καὶ ἀνθρωπος, ἀπαν Twv hμiv airios dɣabwv, saith Clemens, Adh. ad Gentes. "He therefore is the Word, the cause of old of our being, for he was in God, and the cause of our well-being. 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 well being 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 only begotten 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, 8 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. Alexand. Admonit. ad Gentes ; ή μεν γαρ το Θεό είκων ὁ λόγος αυτό, και ύιος το να γνησιος, ο θείος λόγος, φωτ τος ἀρχέτυπον φως, εἰκων δὲ τω λόγω ὁ άνθρωπος. “ 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, Pedagog. Προσωπον το Θεὰ ὁ λογος, ὦ φωτίζεται ὁ Θεός και γνωρίζεται. "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 afterwards declared. So also Hierom expresseth his mind herein, Comment. in Psal. 66. Illuminet vultum suum super nos; Dei facies que 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 his countenance upon us. 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, who 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 Demon. Evangel. lib. 4. cap. 2. Οθεν εἰκότως οἱ χρησμοι θεολογωντες, θεον γενήτον αυτον ἀποφαινούσιν, ὡς ἂν τας ἀνεκφρας», και απερινόητα θεότητος μόνον ἐν αυτω φέροντα την είκωνα, δὶ ἦν καὶ θεον είναι τε αυτον καὶ λέγεθαι της προς το πρώτον εξομοιώσεως χαριν. "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, by whom he is represented unto us. See the same book, chap. 7, to the same purpose. Also De Ecclesiast. Theol. contra Marcell. lib. 2. 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 παιδαγωγος,) he affirms that he is Θεος ἐν ἀνθρωπε σχη κατι; " God in the figure or form of man;” άχραντος πατρικω θεληματι διακόνος, λογος, Θεος, ὁ ἐν πατρι, ὁ ἐκ δεξιών του πατρος, συν καὶ τω σχήματι Θεός, 'impolluted, |