Anfw. The union that takes place among the perfons of the adorable trinity, is an union of three perfons in one and the fame numerical nature and effence; but the hypoftatical, is an union' of two natures in one person.

Queft. 35. What is the difference between the hypoftatical union, and the union that takes place betwixt the foul and body?

Anfw. Death diffolves the union that is betwixt the foul and the body; but though the foul was separated from the body of Christ, when it was in the grave, yet both foul and body were, even then, united to the perfon of the Son, as much as ever.

Queft. 36. What is the difference betwixt the hypotatical union, and the myftical union that is betwixt Chrift and believers?

Anfw. Both natures in the hypoftatical union are ftill but one perfon; whereas though believers be faid to be in Chrift, and Chrift in them, yet they are not one person with him.

Queft. 37. Why was it requifite that our Redeemer fhould be MAN?

Anfw. That being our kinsman and blood-relation, the right of redemption might devolve upon him; and that he might be capable of obeying and fuffering in our own nature, Heb. ii. 14.

Queft. 38. Why was it requifite that our Mediator fhould be GOD?

Anfw. That his obedience and sufferings in our nature and room, might be of infinite value for our redemption, Acts xx. 28.; and that the human nature might be fupported under the infinite load of divine wrath, which he had to bear for our fins, Rom i 4.

Queft. 39. Why was it requifite that the Mediator fhould be God and man in one person?

Anfw. That the proper works of each nature might

O2

might be accepted of God for us, and relied on by us, as the works of the whole person, Heb. ix. 14. 1 Pet. ii. 6.

Queft, 40. What may we learn from the indif folvable union of the two natures in the perfon of Chrift?

Anfu. That this union fhall be an everlasting security for the perpetuity of the union betwixt Chrift and believers; that the one fhall never be diffolved more than the other; for he hath faid, Because I live, ye shall live also, John xiv. 19.

22. QUEST. How did Chrift, being the Son of God, become man?

ANSW. Chrift, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reafonable foul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghoft, in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without fin.

Quest. 1. Did Chrift affume the person of a man? Anfw. No he affumed the human nature, but not a human perfon, Heb. ii. 16.

:

Queft. 2. Had ever the human nature of Chrift a diftinct perfonality of its own?

Anfw. No: it never subsisted one moment by itfelf, Luke i. 35.

Queft. 3. What is the reason that the human nature of Christ never fubfifted by itself?

Anfw. Because it was formed and affumed at once; for the fame moment wherein the foul was united to the body, both foul and body subsisted in the person of the Son of God.

Queft. 4. How came the human nature to fubfift in the perfon of the Son? Anw. The

Anfw. The whole trinity adapted and fitted the human nature to him; but the assumption theref into a perfonal fubfiftence with himself, wa. the peculiar act of the Son, Heb. ii 14, 16.

Queft. 5. Since the human nature of Chrift has no perfonality of its own, is it not more imperfect than in other men, when all other men are human perjons? Anfw. The human nature of Chrift is so far from being imperfect by the want of a perfonality of its own, that it is unfpeakably more perfect and excellent than in all other men; because to fubfift in God, or in a divine person, is incomparably more noble and eminent than to fubsist by itself.

Queft. 6. Wherein lies the matchless and peculiar dignity of the human nature of Chrift ?

Anfw. That it fubfifts in the second perfon of the God-head, by a perfonal and indiffolvable union.. Queft. 7. What is the difference between the human nature, and a human perfon?

Anfw. A human perfon fubfifts by itself; but a human nature fubfifts in a perfon.

Queft. 8. When Christ became man, did he become another perfon than he was before?

Anfw. No: there was no change in his perfon; for he affumed our nature unto his former perfonality, which he had from eternity.

Queft, 9. What is the reason that the affumption. of the human nature made no change in the divine perfon of the Son ?

Answ. Because the human nature was affumed by Chrift without a human perfonality.

Queft. 10. Whether is it most proper to say, that the human nature fubfifts in the divine nature, or in the divine perfon of Chrift?

Anfw. It is moft proper to fay, that it fubfifts in the divine perfon of Chrift, because the natures are DISTINCT, but the perfon is ONE; and it was the divine nature, only as it terminates in the fe

03

cond

cond perfon, which affumed the human nature into perfonal union.

Queft. 11. Can we not fay, in a confiftency with truth, that the man Christ Jefus is God?

An/w. To be fure we may : because, in this case, we speak of the perfon, which includes the human

nature.

Queft. 12. But, can we fay, in a confiftency with truth, that Chrift Jefus, as man, is God?

Anfw. No because, in this case, we speak only of the human nature, which does not include his divine perfon.

Queft. 13. What is the human nature, or wherein does it confift?

Anfw. It confifts in a true body and a reasonable foul, of which the firft Adam, and every man and woman defcending from him, are possest.

Queft 14 Had our Redeemer always a true body and a reasonable soul, subsisting in his divine perfon? Anfw. No; until he came in the fulness of time, and then he took unto himself a true body and a reasonable foul.

Queft. 15. How do you prove that he took this human nature to himself?

Anfw. From Heb ii 14, 16. Verily, he took not on him the nature of angels, but he тOOK on him the feed of Abraham.

Queft. 16. Why is Christ said to take to himself a true body?

Anfw. To fhew that he had real flesh and bones as we have, Luke xxiv. 39.; and that it was not only the mere fhape and appearance of a human body, as fome antient heretics alleged.

Queft. 17. How doth it appear that he had a true and real body, as other men have?

Anfw. He is called Man, and the Son of Man, Pfalm lxxx. 17. Matth. viii. 20.; he was conceived and born, Matth. i. 20, 25; he was fubject to

hunger,

hunger, thirft, and wearinefs, like other men; he was crucified, dead, and buried, and rofe again : none of which could be affirmed of him, if he had not had a true body.

Queft. 18. Had not he a reasonable foul, as well as a true body?

Anfw. Yes otherways he had wanted the principal constituent part of the human nature; accordingly we read, that his foul was exceeding forrowful, even unto death, Matth. xxvi. 38.

Queft. 19. Why was not the human body created immediately out of nothing, or out of the duft of the earth, as Adam's body was?

Anfw. Because in that cafe, though he would have had a true body, yet it would not have been a-kin to us, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh.

Queft. 20. Did Chrift bring his human nature from heaven with him?

Anfw. No: for he was the feed of the woman, Gen iii. 15.

Queft. 21. How then is it faid, 1 Cor. xv. 47. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the fecond man is the Lord from heaven?

Anfw. The plain meaning is, the first man had his firft original from the earth; bur the fecond man, as to his divine nature, is the eternal, independent, and fovereign Lord of heaven and earth, equally with the Father; and as to his human nature, there was a more glorious concurrence of the adorable trinity, in the formation of it, than in the making of the first Adam.

Quest. 22. What was the peculiar agency of each perjon of the adorable trinity in this wonderful work?

Anfw. The Father prepares a body, or human nature for him, Heb. x. 5.; the Holy Ghoft forms it, by his overshadowing power, out of the fubftance of the virgin, Luke i. 35.; and the Son affumes the entire human nature to himself, Heb. ii. 14, 16.

Quest. 23.