The next point to be handled is, How Christ is our gain? For the answering of this, two questions are to be opened. The first is, According to what nature is Christ our gain? I answer, following ⟨p. 38⟩the ancient & catholic doctrine▪ Thata whole Christ is our gain according to both natures. The godhead of Christ profits no sinner without the manhood, nor the manhood without the godhead, And as Leo saith,2 each nature worketh that which is proper unto it, having communication with the other. Again, God may be considered two ways; God absolute, or God made man. God absolute, that is, God absolutely considered without respect to Christ, is indeed a fountain of righteousness and life, but this fountain •s closed, sealed up, and not to be attained unto: because our sins make a separation between God and us, and God thus considered is a Majesty full of terror to all sinful men. But God considered as he was made man and manifested in our flesh, is also a fountain of goodness, yea the same fountain opened, unsealed, and flowing forth to all mankind. Hence it is, that Christ is called the light of the world; the bread and water of life; the way, the truth, the life. Here again we must remember to make a difference or ⟨p. 39⟩distinction of the natures of Christ. For the Godhead of Christ is our gain not in respect of essence, but in respect of virtue and operation showed in, or upon the manhood of Christ, whereby it makes things which were done and suffered in the said manhood apt and sufficient to appease Gods anger, & to merit eternal life for us. As for the manhood, it is not only in effect and operation, but also really communicated to the faith of the believing heart: and hereupon it is as it were a Treasury and storehouse of all the rich graces of God that serve to justify, save, or any way to enrich the Elect of all ages and times through the whole world. If any doubt of this, let them consider three things of this most glorious manhood. The first is the grace of personal union, whereby it is received into the Unity of the second person, & hath no being or subsisting, but only in the subsistence thereof. And hence it is truly termed the humanity of the Son of God, or of the Word. The second is, that this manhood hath in it all fullness of grace, commonly ⟨p. 40⟩called in schools, habitual grace.
The next point to be handled is, How Christ is our gaine? For the answering of this, two questions are to be opened. The first is, According to what nature is Christ our gaine? I answer, following ⟨p. 38⟩the ancient & catholik doctrine▪ Thata whol Christ is our gain according to both natures. The godhead of Christ profits no sinner without the manhood, nor the manhood without the godhead, And as Leo saith,2 each nature worketh that which is proper vnto it, hauing cō munication with the other. Againe, God may be considered two waies; God absolute, or God made man. God absolute, that is, God absolutely considered without respect to Christ, is indeede a fountaine of righteousnes and life, but this fountain •s closed, sealed vp, and not to be attained vnto: because our sinnes make a separation betweene God and vs, and God thus considered is a Maiestie full of terrour to all sinnefull men. But God considered as he was made man and manifested in our flesh, is also a fountaine of goodnes, yea the same fountaine opened, vnsealed, and flowing forth to all mankind. Hence it is, that Christ is called the light of the world; the bread and water of life; the way, the truth, the life. Here againe we must remember to make a difference or ⟨p. 39⟩distinction of the natures of Christ. For the Godhead of Christ is our gaine not in respect of essence, but in respect of vertue and operation shewed in, or vpon the manhood of Christ, whereby it makes things which were done and suffered in the said manhood apt and sufficient to appease Gods anger, & to merit eternall life for vs. As for the manhood, it is not onely in effect and operation, but also really communicated to the faith of the beleeuing heart: and herupon it is as it were a Treasurie and storehouse of all the rich graces of God that serue to iustifie, saue, or any way to inrich the Elect of all ages and times through the whole world. If any doubt of this, let them consider three things of this most glorious manhood. The first is the grace of personall vnion, whereby it is receiued into the Vnitie of the second person, & hath no beeing or subsisting, but onely in the subsistance thereof. And hence it is truly tearmed the humanitie of the Sonne of God, or of the Word. The second is, that this manhood hath in it all fulnes of grace, commonly ⟨p. 40⟩
- aAugust. hom. de ovious c. 12. Humana divinitas, & divina humanitas mediatrix est.
- 2Leo epist. 10.
