CHAPTER IX.
The pre-eternity of Christ farther evinced — Sundry texts of Scripture vindicated.
In the consideration of the ensuing testimonies, I shall content myself with more brief observations upon and discoveries of the cor- ruptions of our adversaries, having given a large testimony thereof in the chapter foregoing. Thus, then, they proceed : —
Ques. What are the testimonies of Scripture ivherein they think that this pre- eternity of Christ is not indeed expressed, hut yet may thence he proved?
Ans. Those which seem to attribute to the Lord Jesus some things from eter- nity, and some things in a certain and determinate time.^
Let the gentlemen take their own way and method ; we shall meet with them at the first stile, or rather brazen wall, which they endea- vour to climb over.
Q. What are the testimonies which seem to attribute some things to the Lord Jesus from, eternity ?
A. They are those from which they endeavour to confirm that Christ was be- gotten from eternity of the essence of his Father. ^
These are some of the places wherein this property of the God- head, eternity, is ascribed to our Saviour, it is confessed.
Q. But from what places do they endeavour to prove that Christ was from eternity hegoticn of the essence of his Father?
A. From these chiefly, Mic. v. 2; Ps. ii. 7, ex. 3 ; Prov. viii. 23.^
1. These are only some of the testimonies that are used to this pur- pose. 2. It is enough to prove Christ eternal if Ave prove him be- gotten of his Father, for no such thing can be new in God. 3. That
1 " Quse vcro sunt testimonia Scripturse in quibus putant non exprimi quidem prce- ffitcrnitatcra Christi, ex lis tamen effici posse ? — Ea quaa videntur Domino Jesu quasdam res attribuere ab ijeterno, quasdam vero tempore certo et definito."
^ " Quamam sunt testimonia qute Domino Jesu ab ajterno res quasdam attribuere vidcntur ? — Sunt ea ex quibus conantur exstruere Christum ab a;teruo ex essentia Patris genitum."
* " Ex quibus vero locis exstruere conantur Christum ab Eeterno ex essentia Patris genitum ? — Ex his potissimum, Mic. v. 2 ; Ps. ii. 7, ex. 3 ; Prov. viii. 23."
DEITY OF CHRIST PROVED, ETC. 237
he is the only-begotten Son of the Father, which is of the same im- port with that here opposed by our catechists, hath been before de- clared and proved, chap. vii.
Q. But how must we answer these testimonies ?
A. Before I answer to Ccach testimony, it is to be known that this generation of the essence of the Father is impossible ; for if Christ were begotten of the essence of his Father, either he took his whole essence or but part. Part of his essence he could not take, for the divine essence is impartible ; nor the whole, for it being one in number is incommunicable.^
And this is the fruit of measuring spiritual things by carnal, in- finite by finite, God by ourselves, the object of faith by corrupted rules of corrupted reason. But, — 1. That which God hath revealed to be so is not impossible to be so.^ Let God be true, and all men liars. That this is revealed hath been undeniably evinced. 2. What is impossible in finite, limited essences, may be possible and conve- nient to that which is infinite and unlimited, as is that whereof we speak. 3. It is not impossible, in the sense wlierein that word must here be used, if any thing be signified by it. " It is not, it cannot be so in limited things, therefore not in things infinite ;" — "We cannot com- prehend it, therefore it cannot be so;" — " But the nature of the thing about which it is is inconsistent with it." This is denied, for God hath revealed the contrary. 4. For the parting of the divine essence, or receiving a part of the divine essence, our catechists might have left it out, as having none to push at with it, none standing in the way of that horn of their dilemma. 5. We say, then, that in the eternal gene- ration of the Son, the whole essence of the Father is communicated to the Son as to a personal existence in the same essence, without multiplication or division of ifc, the same essence continuing still one in number ; and this without the least show of impossibility in an infinite essence, all the arguments that lie against it being taken from the properties and attendancies of that which is finite.
Come we to the particular testimonies. The first is Micah v. 2, " But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel ; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting," or " the days of eternity."
Q. How must thisjlrst testimony of the Scripture he answered?
A. This testimony hath nothing at all of his generation of the essence of his Father, and a pre-eternal generation it no way proves ; for here is mention of be- ginning and days, which in eternity have no place. And those words, which in
' " Qui vero ad hiec testimonia respondendum est ? — Antequam ad singula testimonia respondeam, sciendum est, earn ex essentia Patris gencrationcm esse impossibilem; nam si Christus ex essentia Patris genitus fuissct. aut partem essentia) sunipsisset, aut totam. Essentia partem suiiici-e non potuit, eo quod sit impartibilis divina essentia; ncque totam, cum sit una numero, ac proiude incommunicabilis."