1. God is a Father, even the first Person in Trinity, begetteth. In this respect, the Son of God is called the begotten of the Father, Joh. 1. 14.
2. God the Father abegat the Son of his very substance, very God of very God. The title God properly taken and frequently applied to this Son, gives proof hereto (as Joh. 1. 1. Rom. 9. 5.) and especially the title Jehovah (which is given to none but to the true God) Gen. 19. 24. Josh. 5. 14.
3. bGod the Father communicateth his whole essence to the Son: He begat another self of himself, even that which he himself is. In which respect this son of God saith, I and my Father are one. The Father is in me, and I in him, Joh. 10. 30, 38.
4. God the Fathers begetting his Son, is truly and properly eternal. It was before all time, it continueth throughout all times, it shall never have any date, or3 end. In relation hereunto saith this Son of God, I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was, when there were no depths, I was brought forth: before the hills was I brought forth, &c. Prov. 8. 23, 24, 25. In this sense he was called the first-born, Col. 1. 15. First-born, because he was begotten before all things: and4 only-begotten, because he alone was properly begotten of God.
Some of the ancient Fathers and later Divines, do in this sense take this word hodiè, to day: For it signifieth the present time: and in divine things there is a continual presence or presentness, as I may so speak: neither is there any thing past5 as if it ceased to be: or to come, as if it were not yet: or as if there had been a time when it was not. The Greek word, whereby eternity is set out ([Greek or Hebrew]. Arist. l. 1. ds Coelo) signifieth a continual being of things.
5. God the Fathers begetting his Son, manifesteth an equality of Father and Sonne. For if the nature of both be enquired after, it will hereby be found to bec God, and not one greater then another. This also did the Son receive of the Father. He did not beget him equal, and then add to him, when he was begotten, equality, but in begetting him he made him equal. For fbeing in the form of God, to be equal with God was no robbery (Phil. 2. 6.) but nature: because he obtained it by being begotten, he did not usurp it by a proud advancing of himself. Where equality is, there is the same nature, and one substance.de
1. God is a Father, even the first Person in Trinity, begetteth. In this respect, the Sonne of God is called the begotten of the Father, Joh. 1. 14.
2. God the Father abegat the Sonne of his very substance, very God of very God. The title God properly taken and frequently applied to this Sonne, gives proof hereto (as Ioh. 1. 1. Rom. 9. 5.) and especially the title Iehovah (which is given to none but to the true God) Gen. 19. 24. Iosh. 5. 14.
3. bGod the Father communicateth his whole essence to the Sonne: He begat another self of himself, even that which he himself is. In which respect this sonne of God saith, I and my Father are one. The Father is in me, and I in him, Joh. 10. 30, 38.
4. God the Fathers begetting his Sonne, is truly and properly eternal. It was before all time, it continueth throughout all times, it shall never have any date, or3 end. In relation hereunto saith this Sonne of God, I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was, when there were no depths, I was brought forth: before the hills was I brought forth, &c. Prov. 8. 23, 24, 25. In this sense he was called the first-born, Col. 1. 15. First-born, because he was begotten before all things: and4 only-begotten, because he alone was properly begotten of God.
Some of the ancient Fathers and later Divines, do in this sense take this word hodiè, to day: For it signifieth the present time: and in divine things there is a continuall presence or presentness, as I may so speak: neither is there any thing past5 as if it ceased to be: or to come, as if it were not yet: or as if there had been a time when it was not. The Greek word, whereby eternity is set out (. Arist. l. 1. ds Coelo) signifieth a continual being of things.
5. God the Fathers begetting his Sonne, manifesteth an equality of Father and Sonne. For if the nature of both be enquired after, it will hereby be found to be
- aUnigenitum Filium de sua substantia genuit Pater, Aug. Epist. 66.
- bGignit hypostasis. Athan. Dialog. 2. de Trin.
- 3Ex ipsa essentia Patris est genitus. Chrysost. Hom. 2. in Heb. 1.
- 4Genuit de se alterum see. Genuit id quod ipse est. Aug. Epist. 66.Genuit de se alterum se. Genuit id quod ipse est. Aug. Epist. 66.
- 5Sic genuit ex se Filium, ut totum quod in se erat, esset & maneret in Filio. Chrysol. Serm. 60.
- cPrimogenitus, ut ante omnia genitus. Unigenitus, ut solus ex Deo genitus. Tertul. advers. Prax.
- fIn forma Dei aequalem esse Deo non ei rapin• suit, sed natura; quoniam id nascendo sumpsit, non superbie•do praesumpsit. Aug. ibid. Ubi •qualitas est, ibi e• dera natura, unaq▪ substantia. Hier. l. 9. Comment. in Quest. 28.
- dQuod dicit, ego hodiè, Deus H•ri & Cras non habet, sed semper Hodie habet. Arnob. in Psa. 2. Aug. Enar. in Psal. 2. quo sempiternam generationem ut catholica sides pradicat. Hier. in Psal. 2. Haymo in Psal. 2. Per hodiè aeternitatem intelligi voluit. Zanch. de tribus Elob. l. 2. c. 4. Mollerus praelect. in Psal. 2. 8. allique. Of this day, See §. 58, &c.
- eIn Deo Patre & Deo Filio, si utriusque natura quaeratur, uterque Deus: nec magis magnus alter altero Deus. Aug. Epist. 66. Lege plura ibid.
