§. 50. Of the special kinde of Gods begetting.
IN the divine generation these distinct Points following are observable:
- 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 a 1.1 begat the Sonne of his very substance, very God of very God. The title God properly taken and frequently applied to this Sonne, gives proof here∣to (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. b 1.2 God 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.
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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, or* 1.3 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: and* 1.4 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 ho∣diè, to day: For it signifieth the present time: and in divine things there is a con∣tinuall presence or presentness, as I may so speak: neither is there any thing past* 1.5 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 (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 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 bec 1.6 God, and not one greater then another. This also did the Sonne receive of the Fa∣ther. 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 f 1.7 being 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.d 1.8 e 1.9