and hi8 Son !fefus Chri[l. ~ Chap. 4- ---------------------------------------~· ~ CHAP. IV. What kind of Son he is to (jod, or in rvhat Senfe he is the Son of (jod. He is tbe proper .Son of (jod in a jpecial peculiar manner, jucb as no other Per– fon c,an be f aid to be. He is fiiled the only begot– ten Son of God, TPbicb can be affirmed of no Crea– ture. This imports that his eternal Generation is the Foundation of his Sonjhip. He is called the Son of the Liiling God; that he is begotten of him in his orvn Likenefj· : and is of the fame !J\(_a– ture and Subjlance TPitb bim, Tbat he is God by an Identity of one, and the fame EJ!ence of the God-head, and not by Union onfy, or Office, · TO demon!l:ratc in what Senfe Chrift has this Title ofSon of God, I fhall herein alfo proceed by degrees. I. It is given him by way ol Singularity, in comparifon of all others that have the Title ofSon<; this all acknowledg. As God the fir!1: Perfun by way ofSingularity, ordinarily is called the Father, One God the Father: So fre<Juently, in the fame way of Singularity, is Chrill: termed the Son, in Relation unto this God as the Father. And it hatb been ob– ferved by fame, That whereas Vi@> e•~, that is to fay, A Son of God, is common to others, i, e. to us with him; yet oUi@> -n< e•~. The Son ofGod, is never given to any but to him. 2. God the Father bimfelfby way of a fpecial Appropriation fets him forth, and eJ>hibits him as his Son, with difference from all others. He !aid it himfelf from Heaven, Thi1 i1 my beloved Son, Luk.9.35· This Perfon, this is the very He, He ofall others individually, and alone He, and none other; and then he adds, let all elfe hear him. Thus when he prefents him to the World, hear him, ac– knowledg, and re.:eive him, as he who bath Power to make you Sons to me ; , Job. I. 12. Bnt a1 many a1 rereived him, to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on hi1 Name. But this General is far lhort of what the Scriptures [peak concerning what, or wherein hi• Sonn1ip confifis. Even the ']ew1 feem to conceive and apprehend; that he who lhould be the Chri!1:, lhould have the Title ofthe Son ofGod given him by way ofeminency above all others, yet all that while conceiving of him, as to the Subftance ofhis Perfon, that it was but only a Man, that lhould tran– fcendently have God's prefence with him: and that God lhould appear in him, in a more glorious manner, than in all Men elfe. And not the Jew1 only, but the Gentzle1 were firuck with a fenCe of Come one fpecial Perfon's being the Son of God, as in this Sence underftood. Thus far, and in fuch refpect Pi/ate had Apprebenfions that Chrill: poiTibly might be the Son ofGod. For when the Jew I bad told him, that one Jefus made himfelf (or took up.on him to be) The Son of God, Joh. 19. 7· When '?ila~e heard that Saymp, fimhtbe Text, He wa1 the more afraid. It cannot.be Imagi– ned, that 'Pzlute s Dtvmtty reach'd to convmce him to be the fi1bClanual Son of God, but be thought, he might (for all that he knew) be fame eminently Divtne
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=