It is not therefore the God-head only that quickeneth us, but the humanity also, as an instrument or Conduit whereby he doth it. And this is that our Saviour saith, John 5. 26. As the Father hath life in himself. As if he should have said, With God indeed is the fountain of Life, and Grace, and all good things: but that which is locked up and buried in his unaccessible Light, he hath poured upon the Son manifested in the flesh, that from him, as from the Head, it might flow to every member of the Church; yea, hither driveth the whole tenor of his disputation, John 6. 53, 57, 63. concerning the true cause of our eternal Happiness. After he had said, Unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you, he addeth, As I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, he also shall live by me. And anon; It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. When he saith himself (meaning his Man-hood, which was it only which the Jews beheld in Christ) liveth by the Father, that is, the God-head dwelling in him (which for the Jews sake he uttereth under the name of his Father, rather then of himself) he showeth the fountain of his Life, that is, of his quickening power, to be that essential union of the God-head to his humane Nature, in regard whereof the Father was […]led before, The Living Father. Again, where he […] The flesh profiteth nothing; and yet had said before, […] ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his ⟨p. 314⟩blood, ye have no life in you: he distinguisheth two things most manifestly; First, that his humane Nature, whether you consider the essence of his Soul or Body, or any created virtue, or quality inherent, hath not of it self any quickening virtue in it, which is only proper to his God-head, (then that the same is nevertheless not unprofitable, but a most necessary instrument, which being first it self quickened by the God-head, whereunto it is personally knit) doth from the God-head pour life into as many as by faith are united to him, without whose flesh the Spirit never quickeneth, no more then the soul maketh a man to understand, but by the brain.
It is not therefore the God-head onely that quickeneth vs, but the humanitie also, as an instrument or Conduit whereby he doth it. And this is that our Sauiour saith, Iohn 5. 26. As the Father hath life in himselfe. As if he should haue said, With God indeed is the fountaine of Life, and Grace, and all good things: but that which is locked vp and buried in his vnaccessible Light, hee hath powred vpon the Sonne manifested in the flesh, that from him, as from the Head, it might flow to euerie member of the Church; yea, hither driueth the whole tenour of his disputation, Iohn 6. 53, 57, 63. concerning the true cause of our eternall Happinesse. After hee had said, Ʋnlesse yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you haue no life in you, hee addeth, As I liue by the Father, so he that eateth mee, hee also shall liue by mee. And anon; It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. When hee saith himselfe (meaning his Man-hood, which was it onely which the Iewes beheld in Christ) liueth by the Father, that is, the God-head dwelling in him (which for the Iewes sake hee vttereth vnder the name of his Father, rather then of himselfe) he sheweth the fountaine of his Life, that is, of his quickening power, to be that essentiall vnion of the God-head to his humane Nature, in regard whereof the Father was 〈…〉lled before, The Liuing Father. Againe, where hee 〈…〉 The flesh profiteth nothing; and yet had said before, 〈…〉 ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man, and drinke his ⟨p. 314⟩bloud, ye haue no life in you: he distinguisheth two things most manifestly; First, that his humane Nature, whether you consider the essence of his Soule or Bodie, or any created vertue, or qualitie inherent, hath not of it selfe any quickening vertue in it, which is onely proper to his God-head, (then that the same is neuerthelesse not vnprofitable, but a most necessarie instrument, which being first it selfe quickened by the God-head, whereunto it is personally knit) doth from the God-head powre life into as many as by faith are vnited to him, without whose flesh the Spirit neuer quickeneth, no more then the soule maketh a man to vnderstand, but by the braine.
