Son and Holy Ghost are not diftin& Persons in the Godhead, but only divers Names by Reafon of the Diversity of Office.

T

Of GOD the SoN.

HE Second Perfon in the Godhead, is God the Son, who is called the Word. And God the Son hath the

whole Divine Effence communicated to him from the Father alone by eternal Generation; and he with the Father produceth the Holy Ghoft. For he is the brightness of his father's glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon, Heb. i. 3. And as the Father hath life in himself: fo he hath given to the Son to have life in himself, John v. 26. And because the Son is of the Father alone, and is fent by him, and worketh from him, he is the fecond Perfon in order. And in this refpect the Father is faid to be greater than the Son, John xiv. 28. Because he is the firft in order of Being and Working.

AND as God the Son hath his Perfonal Being from the Father alone': So he is a real Perfon distinct from the Father and the Holy Ghoft. For God the Son, who was begotten of the Father from Eternity, in Time was manifefted in the Flesh, and reconciled us unto God by his Death, and purchased for us Remiffion of Sins and eter

nal

14.

nal Salvation, 1 Tim. iii. 16. Rom. v. 10. Col. i. Heb. v. 9. And what but a real Perfon could affume Flesh, and be made true Man? And who but a Divine Perfon could reconcile us unto God, and deliver us from the Curfe of the Law, and merit for us heavenly Happiness? For none lefs than God could pay the Price of our Redemption, and fatisfie the infinite Juftice of God for our Sins, and do all Things needful to bring us unto Heaven. And befides, the holy Scripture plainly afferteth, that Chrift, who redeemed us, is true God, I Joh. v. 20. and that he is over all, God bleffed for ever, Rom. ix. 5.

And firm ground alfo there is to believe, that God the Son is not only a Divine Perfon, but really diftin& from the Father and Holy Ghost. For the Son is begotten of the Father, and fent by the Father; and He with the Father produceth, and fendeth the Holy Ghost. And if God the Son were the fame Perfon with the Father and Holy Ghoft, then he fhould be begotten and fent of himself, and yet of another; and fo in the fame respect he fhould have his Perfonal Being of himself, and yet not of himself, which is impoffible. And befides, God the Son is exprefly said to be Another from the Father and the Holy Ghoft; as, John vii. 16. My Doctrine (faith our Saviour) is not mine, but the Father's that fent me. And, John xiv. 16. I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter. And if God the Son be Another from the Father and the Holy Ghost, then he must be either another God, which is abfurd, or another Perfon. And confequently he is really diftinct from the Father and the Holy Ghost.

AND

AND as God the Son is a Divine Perfon ; fo he is co-equal and consubstantial with the Father. For if the Divine Effence, Properties, Works, Names, and Worship, are in holy Scripture properly afcribed unto Chrift the Son of God, then he must needs be true God. But all thefe in holy Scripture are properly afcribed unto Chrift the Son of God.

Firft, THE whole Divine Effence is communicated from God the Father unto Chrift his Son, which is evident from these Texts of holy Scripture, Joh. xvi. 15. All things that the Father hath (faith Chrift) are mine. Joh. x. 30. I and the Father are one. They are diftin& Perfons, but one in Effence. Nay, 'tis exprefly faid, that in Chrift dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Col. ii. 9. And he being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, Phil. ii. 6. And if Chrift be equal with God, then he must needs be true God. And if the Fulnefs of the Godhead dwelleth in him, and he hath all Things which the Father hath, and be one with him, then he must needs have the fame Effence with the Father, and be equal to him. For though he that hath all Things from another by Grace and Favour be inferior to the Giver; yet Chrift who hath all Things from the Father of Neceffity by Nature is co-equal with him.

Secondly, THE Divine Properties are in holy Scripture afcribed unto Chrift the Son of God. For he is Eternal,. being before all Things, and having a Subfiftence in the Beginning with God before the Creation of the World, because all Things were created by him, John i. 1, 3. Col. i. 17. Nay, our Saviour faith exprefly, that he had Glory with the Father, before the World

was

:

was, John xvii. 5. And Chrift alfo is Immutable, being the fame yesterday, to day, and for ever, Heb. xiii. 8. He is every where present, and in a fpecial Manner where two or three are gathered together in his name, Mat. xviii. 20. He is omniscient, and knoweth all Things, Joh. xxi. 17. And he is a difcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any creature that is not manifeft in his fight: but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him, with whom we have to do, Heb. iv. 12, 13, And he likewife is omnipotent, able to Subdue all things unto himself, and able to fave them to the uttermoft, that come unto God by him, Rev. i. 8. Phil. iii. 21. Heb. vii. 25. And all these and the like Properties are peculiar to the true God, and belong to no other: And because they are afcribed unto Chrift, he muft needs be true God.

Thirdly, THE Divine Works are attributed unto Chrift the Son of God: For by him were all Things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth; and by him all Things confist, and are upheld by the Word of his Power, Col. i. 16, Heb. i. 3. And if Chrift the Son of God created all Things, and fuftaineth them, then he must neceffarily fubfift himself before the World was; and that not as a created Being, but eternally in the Godhead; feeing thefe are Works of Omnipotency, and can be performed by no other but God. And when our Saviour was upon Earth, he wrought fuch Works, as were evident Signs of his Deity, as himself declareth, Joh. xv. 24. If I had not done among them the Works which no other man did, they had not had fin, Joh. xiv. 11. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or elfe believe me for the very work fake. And these

mighty Works Chrift the Son of God performed by his own Power and Virtue. For what things Joever the Father doth, thefe alfo doth the Son likewife, Joh. v. 19. And fuch Works none can perform by his own Power, but he that is by Nature God. Fourthly, THE Divine Names are properly given unto Chrift; for he is called Jehovah, God, the Son of God, and the only Begotten of the Father. This is his name whereby he shall be called, the Lord our Righteoufnefs, Jer. xxiii. 6. God was manifefted in the flesh, 1 Tim. iii. 16. For this purpofe the Son of God was manifefted, 1 Joh. iii. 8. God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten fon, Joh. iii. 16. And feveral other Texts of Scripture there are, wherein Chrift is faid to be true God; the Son of God, and the Lord of Glory. And fure these Titles do not befit a Creature, but they are proper to Christ, who is the Son of God by Nature and Generation.

Fifthly, THE Divine Worship and Honour is required by the Holy Scripture to be rendered to Chrift the Son of God. For all muft honour the fon, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Fa ther, which fent him, Joh. v. 23. In the Name of the Son, as well as of the Father, Baptism is enjoined to be adminiftred, Matth. xxviii. 19. In the Son muft we believe as well as in the Father, Joh. xiv. 1. And to Chrift alfo are we to make our Prayers with firm Hope, that for his fake God will give us what we ask, Joh. xiv. 13, 14; and xvi. 24. Nay Chrift is the only Foundation of the true Religion, and there is no Salvation in any other, 1 Cor. iii. 11. Act. iv. 12. And therefore in Chrift and his Merits must we truft and depend for Salvation, and for all Graces

leading