A Golden Chain

And thus much of this clause, as also of the state of Christs humiliation. Now followeth his second estate, which is his exaltation into glory, set down t• these words, The third day he arose again from the dead, &c. And of it we are first to speak in general, then in particular according to the several degrees thereof. In general, the exaltation of Christ is, that glorious or happy estate, into which Christ entered after he had wrought the work of our redemption upon the cross. And he was exalted according to both natures, in regard of his godhead, and also of his manhood. The exaltation of the godhead of Christ, was the manifestation of the glory of his godhead in the manhood. Some will peradventure demand, how Christs godhead can be exalted, seeing it admits no alteration at all. Answer. In it self it cannot be exalted, yet being considered as it is joined with the manhood into one person, in this respect it may be said to be exalted: and therefore I say, the exaltation of Christs godhead is the manifestation of the glory thereof in the ⟨p. 378⟩manhood. For though Christ from his incarnation was both God and man, and his godhead all that time dwelt in his manhood; yet from his birth unto his death, the same godhead did little show it self, and in the time of his suffering did as it were lie hid under the veil of his flesh as the soul doth in the body, when a man is sleeping, that thereby in his humane nature he might suffer the curse of the law, and accomplish the work of redemption for us, in the lo•e and base estate of a servant. But after this work was finished, he began by degrees to make manifest the power of his Godhead in his manhood. And in this respect his godhead may be said to be exalted. The exaltation of Christs humanity stood in two things. The first, that he laid down all the infirmities of mans nature, which he carried about him so long as he was in the state of a servant, in that he ceased to be weary, hungry, thirsty, &c. Here it may be demanded, whether the wounds and scars remain in the body of Christ now after it is glorified.¹ Ans. Some think that they do remain as testimonies of that victory which Christ obtained of his and our enemies, and that they are no deformity to the glorious body of the Lord, but are themselves also in him in some unspeakable manner glorified.