The Online Library of Liberty

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• Introduction
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• The Divine Feudal Law Represented
• §1.
• §2.
• §3
• §4
• §5
• §6
• §7
• §8
• §9
• §10
• §11
• §12
• §13
• §14.
• §15
• §16
• §17
• §18
• §19
• §20
• §21
• §22
• §23
• §24.
• §25
• §26
• §27
• §28
• §29
• §30
• §31
• §32
• §33
• §34
• §35
• §36
• §37
• §38
• §39.
• §40
• §41
• §42
• §43
• §44
• §45
• §46
• §47
• §48
• §49
• §50
• §51
• §52
• §53
• §54
• §55
• §56
• §57
• §58
• §59
• §60
• §61
• §62
• §63
• §64
• §65
• §66
• §67
• §68
• §69
• §70
• §71
• §72
• §73
• §74
• §75
• §76
• §77
• §78
• §79
• §80
• §81
• §82
• §83
• §84
• §85
• §86
• §87
• §88
• §89
• §90
• §91
• §92
• §93
• §94

§62

And indeed about the Person of Christ.Those Controversies may be referr’d to two Heads or Ranks; For some of them are particular Ones, and touch only one Article of Christian Religion: But some are dissused through the whole System of Divinity, and do greatly alter, if not utterly overthrow it. To the former Rank we refer the Controversies concerning the Person of Christ, and the Sacrament of the Supper: To the other, the Questions about Predestination and Grace. Upon these, the other things controverted do commonly depend: So that these being compos’d, the other will fall of themselves. The Controversies concerning the Person of Christ, do seem to have their rise from Human Curiosity, while it would needs bring that Mystery, more than it ought to be, to the Test of Human Reason: When yet it may be said of that, no less than of the other Mysteries of Divine Wisdom, and Goodness, and Justice, discover’d in the Method of Salvation, that the Angels desire to look into it: or, that such is the Splendour and August Sublimity of it, that even these Holy Spirits, who enjoy a far greater Light and Clearness of Understanding than we do, dare not observe it but as it were at a narrow Passage, lest they should be dazled with the direct Beams of so great a Glory. When yet the confidence of some Men in defining concerning this, is no less than that of the Physicians, in describing the Parts of the Human Body when they lye dissected before them. But I believe those Contentions would die of themselves, if, as I have given my Advice above, we would proceed no further in this Mystery than the plain Assertions of Holy Scripture call, or than the Office of a Mediator leads us. Whatsoever exceeds these Bounds, should be left undetermin’d, nor should any take the presumptuous Pains to define concerning them. But besides, The Crime of Heresie must not be imputed by one side or other, for any difference in the Method of handling this Article, and in Scholastical Distinctions. The chief Debate seems to concern the Omnipresence of the Body of Christ. The Lutherans seem to maintain it chiefly for this Reason, that they may not divide and take away the Union of the Natures, which, according to the Expression of the Ancient Church concerning it, is inseparable. The Reform’d on the other hand seem to fear, least if this should be granted, the Humane Nature of Christ would be utterly destroy’d, since ’tis of the Essence of a Body to be extended and bounded by certain Limits. But before they had contended on both sides with so much Heat, they ought first to have defin’d what may be the Nature and Quality of the Omnipresence of God. Which indeed is in no wise to be thought to consist in the coextension of the Divine Essence with all the Bodies of the World. As neither is the mutual περιχώρησις of the Natures as the Greek Fathers speak, to be measur’d by a certain coextension of the Human Body with the Divine Essence: But it implies another most close manner of Conjunction which transcends our feeble Thoughts. Therefore we may believe, that Christ even as Man or his Human Nature, and his Body and Flesh, which we suppose ought never to be consider’d out of a Personal Union with the Divine One, is at least present there where he has promis’d he would be present, because of the indivisible Union of the Natures in one Person: But yet so, as that ’tis in no wise necessary to imagine such an Extension of this Body as would interfere with the Dimensions of the Bodies to which it is said to be present. But when on both sides the greatest of all Mysteries, the Personal Union is acknowledg’d, or that the Human Nature is assum’d into the Person of the Word, never to be put off again by this, nor to be separated or divided from it, why should the Consequence of that Union be call’d in question? And why may there not, by reason of it, be a more sublime manner of Presence granted to Christ as Man, than that which may be ascrib’d to common Bodies present to one another, altho’ the manner of that Presence cannot by us be exactly defin’d? So because Christ hath promised, Where two or three are gathered together in my Name, I will be in the midst of them, Matth. 18:20. And, I am with you to the end of the World, Matth. 28:20. Why should the Nature and Quality of Human Bodies hinder, but that we may believe whole Christ, and even as Man to be present to all the Assemblies of the Faithful, and even to every particular Person of them? Especially, since while he was conversant on Earth both before and after his Resurrection, he perform’d such Actions as other Bodies are not capable of. And it is not to be doubted, but that hereafter the Bodies of the Blessed shall be advanced far above the present Condition of our mortal Bodies. On the other hand, we judge it superfluous and rash to enquire nicely concerning the Presence of the Man Christ Jesus, beyond or out of the Kingdom of Grace; As whether or no Christ be present with his Human Nature, or how he is so present, there where he has not promised his Presence: As for instance, with this or that Star, or with all the Stars together, or with this or that Stone, or the like. For what does it signifie to the Covenant of God with Men in Christ, and to their eternal Salvation, to define concerning such Questions? Nor is it repugnant, that Christ should afford his Body and Blood to those that receive the Sacred Supper in a singular Manner, and by a kind of Presence imperceptible to us, and so as he is not present to any other Creatures. For those things are to be referr’d to the Will of God, which being discover’d in the Case, it does not become weak Men to question either his Power of performing his Promise, or to be solicitous about the Manner of his performing it, Luke 1:37. For otherwise, since the Lord Christ is no where without his Humanity, there would follow of it self an Omnipresence of the Body properly so call’d.