The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

1. The Incarnation of the Son of God, in accomplishing whereof such Power was exercised, as no limited Understanding is able to comprehend. The Word was made Flesh. ¹This signifies the real Union between the Humane Nature and the Divine in our Redeemer. Before his Incarnation he appeared in an humane form to the Patriarchs, and in the flaming Bush to Moses, but 'tis never said with respect to those Apparitions, that the Word was ⟨p. 416⟩made Flame, or Man. But when He came into the World to save us, He assumed the complete Nature of Man into an Hypostatical Union with himself. That admirable Person possesses the Titles, Qualities and Natures of God and Man. In that ineffable Union, each of the Natures preserves its proper form, with all the necessary consequents proceeding from it. The Humane Nature is joined to the Eternal Word, but not changed into its Divinity; 'tis not infinite and impassible. The Deity is united to Flesh, but not transformed into its Nature, 'tis not finite and passible. But although there is a distinction, yet no separation: Although there are two Natures, yet but one sole Jesus. In the same Subsistence the Creator and the Creature are miraculously allied. Now this is a work fully responsible to Omnipotence, and expresses whatever is signified by that Title. The Apostle mentions it with an Attribute of excellency, Without controversy great is the Mystery of Godliness, God manifest in the Flesh. 'Tis as sublime,² as holy. In this the Divine Power appears in its Magnificence, and in some respect more gloriously than in the Creation: For there is incomparably a greater disparity between the Majesty, Greatness and Infiniteness of God, and the Meanness of Man, than between the whole World and Nothing. The degrees of disparity between the World and Nothing are not actually infinite, but between the most excellent creature and the Glorious Creator they are absolutely infinite. From hence it is, that that which in other things resolves our doubts, here increases the wonder, and in appearance makes it more incredible. Ye do err, saith Christ to the Sadducees (who denied the Resurrection) not ⟨p. 417⟩knowing the Power of God. But the more raised thoughts we have of his immense Power, the more unlikely his conjunction with a nature so far beneath him will seem to be.