2. The Mystery of the incarnation,§2 ⟨p. 156⟩*Christ assuming our humane nature, and marrying it to the divine. Therefore called, [Greek or Hebrew]. God-man. [Greek or Hebrew] God with us. A Mystery which the Angels in heaven adore*. God said, The man is become as one of us, Gen. 3.22. but now we may say, God himself is become as one of us! it was not only mirandum, but miraculum. There was nothing within the sphere of natural causes to produce it. The incarnation of Christ is catena aurea, a golden chain made up of several links of Miracles. For instance, that the Creator of heaven should become a creature;* that eternity should be born; that he whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, should be enclosed in the womb; that he who thunders in the clouds, should cry in the cradle*; that he who rules the stars, should suck the breasts; that he who upholds all things by the Word ⟨p. 157⟩of his Power, *should himself be upheld; that a Virgin should conceive, that Christ should be made of a woman and of that woman which himself made; that the creature should give a being to the Creator; that the Star should give light to the Sun; that the branch should bear the Vine; that the mother should be younger then the child she bare, and the child in the womb bigger then the mother; that he who is a Spirit should be made flesh; that Christ should be without father and without mother, yet have both, without mother in the God-head, without father in the Man-hood; that Christ being incarnate should have two natures (the divine and humane) and yet but one Person; that the divine nature should not be infused into the humane, nor the humane mixed with the divine, yet assumed into the Person of the Son of God, ⟨p. 158⟩the humane nature not God, yet one with God. Here is, I say, a chain of Miracles.
2. The Mystery of the incarnation,§2 ⟨p. 156⟩*Christ assuming our humane nature, and marrying it to the divine. Therefore call'd, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. God-man. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 God with us. A Mystery which the Angels in heaven adore*. God said, The man is become as one of us, Gen. 3.22. but now we may say, God himselfe is become as one of us! it was not only mirandum, but miraculum. There was nothing within the sphere of natural causes to produce it. The incarnation of Christ is catena aurea, a golden chaine made up of several links of Miracles. For instance, that the Creatour of heaven should become a creature;* that eternity should be born; that he whom the heaven of heavens cannot containe, should be enclosed in the womb; that he who thunders in the clouds, should crie in the cradle*; that he who rules the starres, should suck the breasts; that he who upholds all things by the Word ⟨p. 157⟩of his Power, *should himself be upheld; that a Virgin should conceive, that Christ should be made of a woman and of that woman which himself made; that the creature should give a being to the Creatour; that the Starre should give light to the Sunne; that the branch should beare the Vine; that the mother should be younger then the childe she bare, and the childe in the womb bigger then the mother; that he who is a Spirit should be made flesh; that Christ should be without father and without mother, yet have both, without mother in the God-head, without father in the Man-hood; that Christ being incarnate should have two natures (the divine and humane) and yet but one Person; that the divine nature should not be infused into the humane, nor the humane mixed with the divine, yet assumed into the Person of the Sonne of God, ⟨p. 158⟩
- *Joh. 1.14
- *1 Pet. 1.12
- *Creator coeli creatus sub coelo.
- *Qui to•itruat in coelis, clamat in cunabulis.
- *Heb. 1.7.
