The Institution of Christian Religion

The .xiiii. Chapter. ¶ Howe the •wo natures of the Mediator do make one person.

The .xiiii. Chapter. ¶ Howe the •wo natures of the Mediatour do make one persone.

Now where it is said, that the Word was made flesh: that is not so to be understanded, as though it were ether turned into flesh▪ or confusedly mingled with flesh,¹ but because he chose him a temple of the Virgins womb to dwell in: he that was the Son of God, became also the son of man, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. For we so affirm the godhead joined & united to the manhood, that either of them have their whole property remaining, and yet of them both is made one Christ. If any thing in all worldly things may be found like to so great a mystery, the similitude of man is most fit, whom we see to consist of two substances, whereof yet neither is so mingled with other, but that either keepeth the property of his own nature. For neither is the soul the body, nor the body the soul. Wherefore both that thing may be severally spoken of the soul, which can no way agree with the body: and likewise of the body that thing may be said, which can by no mean agree with the soul: and that may be said of the whole man, which can be but unfitly taken neither of the soul nor of the body severally. Finally, the properties of the soul are sometime attributed to the body, and the properties of the body sometime to the soul▪ and yet he that consisteth of them is but one man and not many. But such forms of speech do signify both that there is one person in man compounded of two natures knit together, and that there are two diverse natures which do make the same person. And so do the Scriptures speak of Christ: Sometime they give unto him those things that ought singularly to be referred to his manhood, and sometime those things that do peculiarly belong to his godhead, and sometime those things that do comprehend both natures, and do agree with neither of them severally. And this conjoining of the two natures that are in Christ, they do with such religiousness express, that sometime they do put them in common together: which figure is among the old authors called, Communicating of properties.