A Golden Chain

But indeed it rather seems to be a trueth, to say that they are quite abolished; because they were a part of that ignominious and base estate in which our Saviour was upon the cross: which after his entrance into glory he laid aside. And if it may be thought that the wounds in the hands and feet of Christ remain to be seen, even to the last judgement, why may we not in the same manner think that the veins of his body remain emptied of their blood, because it was shed upon the cross.

But indeede it rather seemes to be a trueth, to say that they are quite abolished; because they were a part of that ignominious and base estate in which our Sauiour was vpon the crosse: which after his entrance into glorie he laid aside. And if it may be thought that the woundes in the handes and feete of Christ remaine to bee seene, euen to the last iudgement, why may we not in the same manner thinke that the veines of his bodie remaine emptied of their blood, because it was shed vpon the crosse.

The second thing required in the exaltation of Christs manhood is, that both his body and soul were beautified and adorned with all qualities of glory. His mind was enriched with as much knowledge & understanding as can possibly befall any creature, & more in measure then all men & angels have: and the same is to be said of the graces of the spirit in his will and affections: his body also was incorruptible, & it was made a shining body, a resemblance whereof some of his disciples saw in the mount: and it was endued with agility, to move as well upward as downeward• as may appear by the ascension of his body into heaven, which was not caused by constraint or by any violent motion, but by a property agreeing to all bodies glorified. Yet in the exaltation of Christs manhood we must remember two caveats: first, that he did never lay aside the essential properties of a true body: as length, breadth, thickness, visibility, locality which is to be in one place at once and no more, but keepeth all these still, because they serve for the being of his body. Secondly, we must remember that the gifts of glory in Christs body are not infinite but finite: for his humane nature being but a creature, and therefore finite, could not receive infinite graces and gifts of glory And hence it is more then manifest that the opinion of those men is false, which hold that Christs body glorified, is omnipotent and infinite, every way able to do whatsoever he will: for this is to make a creature to be the Creator.