Now the first reason, why Christ is called the Son of God, is (say they) not because of any eternal generation from the Father, as if he had been God before he was man from all eternity, but from this miraculous and wonderful production in time; And they affirm, Nothing can be plainer, because when he had said, The holy Ghost should over shadow her, then is added, Therefore he should be called the Son of God. The Remonstrants they do (or at least seem to do) hold Christ to be the Son of God by eternal generation,1 and also to be called so for other causes also, as (viz.) by this miraculous production; And it may not be denied but Maldonate the Papist doth plead for this, as the reason in the Text, why he should be called the Son of God: So that (saith he) if Christ had been a pure man, yet by this miraculous production, he would have been made the Son of God. But Gontzen his fellow Jesuit doth answer his reason; Zanchy also is too liberal in this point, acknowledging that Christ is here to be called the Son of God, because of this miraculous communication of an humane being to him. But his is no ways to be received, for the note of inference is not from the holy Ghosts overshadowing, as a cause of his filiation, but as from the sign; It is (I say) an argument not from the cause, but the sign; so that the meaning is, This extraordinary way of conceiving without a man, is a sign that he is the true God, who was before promised by the Prophet Isaiah, Chap. 9. That a Virgin should conceive, and his Name should be called Immanuel, God with us; For that there is a respect to that Prophecy, appeareth plainly by Mat. 1. 23. And indeed it must needs be so, for Christ is never called the Son of God, because born of a woman, though in a miraculous manner, but the Son of man always; And if this Exposition should be granted, Christ would have two filiations, one as whereby he was made the Son of God, and another as whereby he was made the Son of man. It is also absurd to say, Christ may be called the Son of God for several causes, when there is one true and proper one, he that is a Son by natural generation, cannot be by Adoption, or any other adventitious cause.
Now the first reason, why Christ is called the Sonne of God, is (say they) not because of any eternal generation from the Father, as if he had been God before he was man from all eternity, but from this miraculous and wonderfull production in time; And they affirm, Nothing can be plainer, because when he had said, The holy Ghost should over shadow her, then is added, Therefore he should be called the Sonne of God. The Remonstrants they do (or at least seem to do) hold Christ to be the Sonne of God by eternal generation,1 and also to be called so for other causes also, as (viz.) by this miraculous production; And it may not be denied but Maldonate the Papist doth plead for this, as the reason in the Text, why he should be called the Sonne of God: So that (saith he) if Christ had been a pure man, yet by this miraculous production, he would have been made the Sonne of God. But Gontzen his fellow Jesuite doth answer his reason; Zanchy also is too liberal in this point, acknowledging that Christ is here to be called the Sonne of God, because of this miraculous communication of an humane being to him. But his is no wayes to be received, for the note of inference is not from the holy Ghosts overshadowing, as a cause of his filiation, but as from the sign; It is (I say) an argument not from the cause, but the sign; so that the meaning is, This extraordinary way of conceiving without a man, is a sign that he is the true God, who was before promised by the Prophet Isaiah, Chap. 9. That a Virgin should conceive, and his Name should be called Immanuel, God with us; For that there is a respect to that Prophecy, appeareth plainly by Mat. 1. 23. And indeed it must needs be so, for Christ is never called the Son of God, because born of a woman, though in a miraculous manner, but the Sonne of man alwayes; And if this Exposition should be granted, Christ would have two filiations, one as whereby he was made the Sonne of God, and another as whereby he was made the Sonne of man. It is also absurd to say, Christ may be called the Sonne of God for several causes, when there is one true and proper one, he that is a Sonne by natural generation, cannot be by Adoption, or any other adventitious cause.
- 1Apol. Confes. c. de Trin.
