The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

For the first, he that suffered is described in the words next before in the Creed, it was Jesus Christ, the only Son of God our Lord, who was so wonderfully conceived and borne. For the understanding whereof, we must conceive that the Passion of Christ belongs to his Person, and so is attributed in respect of the Person to both Natures, for though in his divine Nature he cannot suffer, because he is Immutable, ⟨p. 305⟩nor can die, because he is Immortal, and therefore properly suffers but in his humane Nature; yet in respect of the Person suffering, his sufferings belong even to the divine Nature: for if the flesh be the flesh of the Word, then must also the sufferings of the flesh, be the sufferings of the Word also: for neither was the Word disjoined from the flesh, nor the flesh severed from the Word. Nor was there any hurt done to the Nature that is inviolable, by that which was to be suffered in the Nature passible. If the Sun shine upon a piece of timber, though an axe cut the timber, yet the Sun remains impassible; so is it when the Divinity is joined to the suffering flesh of Christ: yet I say in respect of the personal union, the suffering is also attributed to the divine Nature. Thus the Scripture saith, God redeemed the Church with his blood, Act. 20. 28. and the Lord of glory was crucified, 1 Cor. 2. 8. So then, the sum of all is, that the Son of God did suffer, in that Nature he could suffer in: and this point may serve for very many uses. As,

For the first, hee that suffered is described in the words next before in the Creed, it was Iesus Christ, the only Sonne of Godour Lord, who was so wonderfully conceiued and borne. For the vnderstanding whereof, we must conceiue that the Passion of Christ belongs to his Person, and so is attributed in respect of the Person to both Natures, for though in his diuine Nature he cannot suffer, because hee is Immutable, ⟨p. 305⟩nor can die, because he is Immortall, and therefore properly suffers but in his humane Nature; yet in respect of the Person suffering, his sufferings belong euen to the diuine Nature: for if the flesh be the flesh of the Word, then must also the sufferings of the flesh, be the sufferings of the Word also: for neither was the Word disioyned from the flesh, nor the flesh seuered from the Word. Nor was there any hurt done to the Nature that is inuiolable, by that which was to be suffered in the Nature passible. If the Sunne shine vpon a peece of timber, though an axe cut the timber, yet the Sunne remaines impassible; so is it when the Diuinitie is ioyned to the suffering flesh of Christ: yet I say in respect of the personall vnion, the suffering is also attributed to the diuine Nature. Thus the Scripture saith, God redeemed the Church with his bloud,