Christ Set Forth

1. This affection of compassion, or his being touched with the feeling of our infirmities, is not wholly to be understood in a metaphorical or a similitudinary sense, as those speeches used of God in the Old Testament are to be understood, when bowels of compassion are attributed unto him, and his bowels are said to be rolled together; or as when as it is said of God, that he repented, and was afflicted in all his peoples afflictions. All which expressions were spoken of God, (as we all know) but merely [Greek or Hebrew], after the manner of men: so to convey and represent to our apprehensions, by what affections use to be in parents or friends in such and such cases, (what provoke them unto such and such actions,) which like effects proceed from God towards us when he sees us in distress. And so they are spoken rather per modum Effectus, then Affectus, rather by way of like Effect, which God produceth, then by way of such Affection in Gods heart, which is not capable of any such passions as these are. Now towards the right understanding of this, the first thing which I affirm is, that (barely) in such a sense as this, that which is here spoken of Christ, is not to be understood; and my reason for it is grounded upon these two things put together: First, that this affection of his towards us here spoken of, is manifestly meant of his humane nature, and not of his God head only, for it is spoken of that nature wherein he once was tempted as we now are. So expressly in the next words, which can be meant of no other then his humane nature.

1. This affection of compassion, or his being touched with the feeling of our infirmities, is not wholly to be understood in a metaphoricall or a similitudinary sense, as those speeches used of God in the Old Testament are to be understood, when bowels of compassion are attributed unto him, and his bowels are said to be rowled together; or as when as it is said of God, that he repented, and was afflicted in all his peoples afflictions. All which expressions were spoken of God, (as wee all know) but meerely 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, after the manner of men: so to convey and represent to our apprehensions, by what affections use to be in parents or friends in such and such cases, (what provoke them unto such and such actions,) which like effects proceede from God towards us when he sees us in distresse. And so they are spoken rather per modum Effectus, then Affectus, rather by way of like Effect, which God produceth, then by way of such Affection in Gods heart, which is not capable of any such passions as these are. Now towards the right understanding of this, the first thing which I affirme is, that (barely) in such a sense as this, that which is here spoken of Christ, is not to be understood; and my reason for it is grounded upon these two things put together: First, that this affection of his towards us here spoken of, is manifestly meant of his humane nature, and not of his God head only, for it is spoken of that nature wherein he once was tempted as we now are. So expresly in the next words, which can be meant of no other then his humane nature.