The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-30
Christ's Nature Intact.

"Again, we must call attention to the fact that the human nature of Christ was not only assumed by the divine word in the first instant of its existence but that this hypostatic union is permanent that 1t never has been and never will be severed. for we read of Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever" Q1eb xii:8).
 As there is a circuminsession in the blessed trinity so in the person of the incarnate word, we perceive something similar we call the Communicable Ido- matum" that is. the communication of idioms, properties or characteristics un- der this head theologians have decided certain rules of language, which must be carefully observed by those who wish to speak with accuracy on the doctrine of the incarnation. Such concrete names as God and Man" "Son of God" and Son of Man. denote the divine or hu- man nature as borne by the person of the word and not the nature alone; but abstract words such as "Godhead' and 'Manhood' denote the natures them selves From this it follows that con crete words referring to either nature may be used whenever the subject spoken of is the person of Christ, so that we may say of the Son of Mary that He is God, or that He Is man, indiflerently; but we must not say that the humanity is God,
 
 say that God suffered and died, but not that the Godhead suffered and died.
 He Came to Save.
 This is beautifully illustrated by Pro- clus '1Ie came to save, but it was need fui that He should also suffer. How was it possible that either should take place? Mere man could not save pure God could not suffer. What then? Himself being God Inmanuel, became man: and what He was saved, what He became suffered. He both wore the crown of thorns and loosed the condemnation of thorns. The same was in the bosom of the Father and in the virgins womb. The same was in His mCthers arms and on the wings of the wind. The same was worshiped by angels and sat down with publcans The sera- phim gazed not on Him, and Pilate ques- tioned Him. The slave smote Him and creation shuddered. He was nailed on the cross. and the throne of glory was not vacated. He was shut up in a tomb, and He stretched out the heavens like a cur tain. He was reckoned among the dead, and He despoiled hell. Here He was tra- duced as a deceiYer. and there He was glorified as holy. O. the mysteryl I see the miracles, and I proclaim the Godhead. I see the sufferings and I deny not the manhood. But 1mmanuel opened the gates of nature as man. but as God He broke not the seal of virginity as He entered through the ear, so came He out of the womb.
 As He was conceived, so was He born. He entered .mpassibly. incorruptibly came He forth, according to the Prophet Eze- xiel, saying: 'Then He brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanc- tuary which looketh towards the east and 1t was shut. Then said the Lord unto me: This gate shall be shut. it shall not be opened. and no man shall enter in by 1t, because the Lord. the God of Israel. hath entered in by 1t, therefore 1t shall be shut" (Ezek. xliv:1-2) The incarnation of God has bridged the gulf between the world of spirit and the world of sense, has brought the infinite within the grasp of the finite. and made the invisible an object of sight. Here We behold God, look ing upon us with human eyes, and speak ing to us with human voice. In our flesh He dwells among us, and goes about do- ing good. In the man Christ Jesus. He olence and presents us perfect example. Infinite mercy lies in the manager, the Christ child. the incarnate word was made flesh, He weeps at the sepulchre, and hangs bleeding on the cross. the high al- tar of God. God came down to us to lead us up to God. He assumed our na- ture to make us partakers of His own. that sinful flesh may be glorifed with His likeness. He submits to the rigorous exactions of the law, that the laws vio-