Sufferings of Christ - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1846 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER, IV. Prevalent Theory of Christ's Sufferings limits them to his Humanity--Necessary Result of Hypothesis of Divine Impassibility--Theory of the same Antiquity and Prevalence as Hypothesis--Object of our Argument stated--Remarks of Dr. Chalmers--Remarks of Dr. Harris.--Remarks of Professor Vinet--Who and what Christ was--His Synonymes--Definite Article should have been prefixed to Name by Translators-- Scriptural Passages declarative of Sufferings of Christ. Having, in the preceding chapters, considered the preliminary objection arising from the alleged impassibility of the divine nature, we may now, it is hoped, pursue our inquiry, whether Christ suffered in his united natures, or in his manhood alone, without danger of impugning any of the attributes of the Godhead. The capacity of his divinity to suffer is not, of itself, proof that it actually suffered; nor can the question of its actual sufferance be decided by any mere reasoning process; it lies beyond the ken of our mental vision; the decision of the question rests on scriptural proofs. The prevalent theory of Christ's sufferings limits them to his human nature. This theory was the sure result of the prevalent hypothesis, that God is impassible. If the divine nature was held incapable x>i suffering, then the conclusion must have been inevitable that his sufferings were confined to his manhood. The prevalent theory, like its parent, was born in early antiquity. It has followed the footsteps of its progenitor, as the shadow pursues its substance, along the track of near fifteen hundred years. Like its parent, it has stretched its shade over continents and pervaded Christendom. Since the maturity of the prevalent hypothesis, and its kindred theory, in the fourth century,...