Richard Baxter's Catholic theology plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriors who,…Richard Baxter's Catholick theologie plain, pure, peaceable, for pacification of the dogmatical word-warriours who,…

§. 17. I will not deny that the Opinion of a Threefold nature in Christ, looketh very plausibly; viz. that the Divine eternal word (the first nature) produced and united it self to the prime created superangelical Mind (the second nature:) and that this second nature in the fullness of time produced and united it self to the humane (third) nature. 1. There are many texts which seem to countenance it. 2. It seemeth to give Christ the greatest honour, as being the most excellent of all Gods Creatures; which is not so easily believed of him as Man. 3. It seemeth to expound those texts of the Old Testament, which mention such appearances of God to Adam, Abraham and others, which many of the Ancients say was Christ: And it seemeth to some more probable that some pre-existent created nature should assume a body, than the Divine nature only and immediately. 4. And it smileth on us as an opinion likely to reduce and reconcile the Arians, (once too great a part of the Christian World, (as called Christians) as not only Philostorgius, and Saudius show, but also Petavius de Trinit.) who holding the prime-created super-angelical nature, and denying the Divine, it's like would the more easily be brought to acknowledge the Union of the Divine Nature with the super-angelical, if the super-angelical it self were first granted them; For they might the sooner be convinced that the eternal wisdom or word, which made that first creature, was intimately united to it. I know some pious worthy persons who upon such reasons incline to this opinion of a threefold nature in Christ; (Though some of them think that this second nature, was the humane soul, assuming only a body, and others, that it assumed both soul and body.) I am not forward to take men for unsufferable Heretics, that differ from me, or hold that which seemeth to me hard and strange; But I must say, 1. That I see no cogent proof of this super-angelical nature: 2. That seeming congruities and conveniences must not embolden us to take up a doctrine which is new and strange to the Church of Christ, in so great a matter as the Natures and person of Christ are. 3. And were it never so true, if it be not sufficiently revealed to us in Gods Word, it cannot be necessary to our salvation. 4.

§. 17. I will not deny that the Opinion of a Threefold nature in Christ, looketh very plausibly; viz. that the Divine eternal word (the first nature) produced and united it self to the prime created superangelical Mind (the second nature:) and that this second nature in the fulness of time produced and united it self to the humane (third) nature. 1. There are many texts which seem to countenance it. 2. It seemeth to give Christ the greatest honour, as being the most excellent of all Gods Creatures; which is not so easily believed of him as Man. 3. It seemeth to expound those texts of the Old Testament, which mention such appearances of God to Adam, Abraham and others, which many of the Ancients say was Christ: And it seemeth to some more probable that some pre-existent created nature should assume a body, than the Divine nature only and immediately. 4. And it smileth on us as an opinion likely to reduce and reconcile the Arians, (once too great a part of the Christian World, (as called Christians) as not only Philostorgius, and Saudius shew, but also Petavius de Trinit.) who holding the prime-created super-angelical nature, and denying the Divine, it's like would the more easily be brought to acknowledge the Union of the Divine Nature with the super-angelical, if the super-angelical it self were first granted them; For they might the sooner be convinced that the eternal wisdom or word, which made that first creature, was intimately united to it. I know some pious worthy persons who upon such reasons incline to this opinion of a threefold nature in Christ; (Though some of them think that this second nature, was the humane soul, assuming only a body, and others, that it assumed both soul and body.) I am not forward to take men for unsufferable Hereticks, that differ from me, or hold that which seemeth to me hard and strange; But I must say, 1. That I see no cogent proof of this super-angelical nature: 2. That seeming congruities and conveniences must not embolden us to take up a doctrine which is new and strange to the Church of Christ, in so great a matter as the Natures and person of Christ are. 3. And were it never so true, if it be not sufficiently revealed to us in Gods Word, it cannot be necessary to our salvation. 4.