A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 51. Of the Fathers and Sons one and the same essence.

* 1.1

THe Fathers begetting of the Son giveth evidence to the two great mysteries of our Christian Faith, which were implied under these two Metaphors, Bright∣ness of his glory, and expresse image of his Person.

The two Mysteries are these.

• 1. The Son is of the same Essence with the Father.
• 2. The Son is a distinct Person from the Father.

For the first, To beget doth in generall imply a communicating of his essence, that begetteth to him that is begotten. But the speciall begetting here intended declareth a communicating of the whole essence. Hence by undeniable consequence it fol∣loweth, that the begotten Son of God is of the same essence with the Father.

To make this mystery the more clear, the Greek Church used a b 1.2 compound Greek word which signifieth consubstantiall, or of the same essence; A word which hath been used by the c 1.3 ancientest Fathers, and d 1.4 put into the N•…•…cene Creed (which was ratified by the subscription of 318. Bishops there assembled) and thus transla∣ted in our English Liturgy, of one substance with the Father. All the places▪ that set out the Unity of the Father and the Son e 1.5, such as these, I came forth from the Fa∣ther, Joh. 16. 28. I and my Father are one, Joh. 10. 30. and all the places that stile the* 1.6 Son GOD, give proof hereunto: So do the divine incommunicable properties at∣tributed to the Son, as Eternity (Isa. 9. 6. Col. 1. 17.) Ubiquity (Matt. 18. 20. & 28. 20.) Omnipotency (Phil. 3. 21.) Immutability (Heb. 1. 12.) Omniscience (Joh. 1. 48. & 21. 17.) The like may be said of divine effects done by the Son, as Creation▪ (Joh. 1. 3.) Sustentation (Col. 1. 17.) Miracles (Joh. 15. 24.) Remitting sin (Mat. 9. 6.) Quickening the dead in sin (Joh. 5. 21.) Raising himself (Rom. 1. 4.) Raising others Joh. 5. 28, 29.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Quem constat de Patre natu∣raliter genitum, constat non aliud esse quam Deum. Hic itaque de Ratre sempiter∣nus existens, unam ten•…•…it cum Deo Patre na∣turam, &c. Fulgent▪ ad Trasim▪ Reg. l. 3. c. 3.
• b 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• c 1.3

  Iustin Mart.
• d 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Ruffin. Eccl. Hist. l. 1. c. 1, 9.
• e 1.5

  Aliud non est •…•…omousion▪ quam quod dicit, ego de Deo Patre exivi•…•… & ego & Pater unum sumus. Ambr. de Fide contra Arr. c. 5.
• * 1.6

  Epiph advers. Haer. Art. Haer. 69. §. 11.