The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 2 · Subpart 16 · Section 2
2 HOW CHRIST IS THE SONNE OF GOD.
CHriſt is the ſonne of God according to both natures, Chriſt is the ſonne of God by nature, according to his Godhead.but in diuers reſpects. According to his Godhead hee is the ſonne by nature, and his natural, or proper and onelyonly begotten ſonne: becauſe according to this nature he alone was from euerlaſting begotten of the ſubſtance of his father, after a manner altogether ineffable, beeing of the ſame nature and eſſence with him. Ioh. 5.26. As the father hath life in himſelfe, ſo likewiſe hath he giuen to the ſonne to hauehave life in himſelfe. The eternall father therefore hath communicated vntounto his ſonne the life, whereby both himſelfe by himſelfe neceſſarily is, and maketh all other things to be: which life is that one & eternal Deitie creatreſſe and defendreſſe of all thinges.Chriſt is the ſonne of God by grace of vnion according to his manhood. According to his humanitie hee is not the naturall and proper ſonne of god; becauſe his humanitie as touching it ſelfe, is not the perſon, and it iſſued from the ſubſtance of his mother, not from the ſubſtaunce of GOD: But he is the ſonne of god by grace, not of adoption, becauſe he was at no time not his ſonne, as that hee ſhoulde bee made of no ſonne, or of the ſonne of wrath, the ſonne of God; but by grace of conception by the holie ghoſt, and of vnion with the word. For his humanitie was from the very wombe ſanctified, and vnited to the Godhead of the Word, which Godhead is the ſonne by nature.That Chriſt according to his fleſh was a ſonne by grace, not by merit of his humane nature. And that a maſſe of fleſhe in ſo maruelous manner, by the power of the holy Ghoſt, ſhoulde bee ſeuered out of the fleſhe of the Virgin, and that thereof beeing ſanctified ſhoulde bee formed a true humane bodie, that is, quickened with a humane ſoule, & the ſame to be vnited to the verie ſonne of god into one perſon & ſubſiſtence, was not the merite of his humane nature, as which had not as yet any being, & is in it ſelfe but a creature; but the ſpeciall & free gift or benefite of God, as Paul in plaine woordes declareth, Coloſ. 1.19. It pleaſed (ſaith hee) the Father, that in him ſhould all fulneſſe dwell. And Phil. 2.9. God hath giuen him a name aboue euerie name. Chriſt therefore as touching his humane nature was as the Sonne of GOD by grace, euen preſently from that very moment when hee beganne to bee borne man, and that therefore, becauſe by the vertue of the holy Ghoſt he was borne, of the ſubſtance of the Virgin, pure from al ſtain or corruption, and ſo was perſonally vnited with the Word.
Obiection. Euerie ſonne is either natural, or adopted: Chriſt according to his humanitie is not the naturall ſonne of god: hee is therefore the ſonne of god by adoption. Aunſwere. The Maior of this reaſon, albeit it may be graunted according to ciuil conſtitutions, yet is it falſe in diuinitie; becauſe it compriſeth not a perfect and ſufficient enumeration of the ſonnes of God. For there are ſonnes of God by grace, as the Angels, Iob. 1.6. likewiſe Chriſt, according to his humanity, which yet are not adopted ſonnes. Replie. Grace is adoption: Chriſt according to his humanitie is the ſonne of GOD by grace: therefore hee is the ſonne of GOD by adoption. Anſwere. The Maior of this reaſon either is particular, and ſo nothing is inferred thereby: or if it be generallie taken, it is a fallacie. For grace is more large in ſignification then is adoption, and is in reſpect of adoption, as a generall in reſpect of a ſpeciall. For beſides the grace of adoption, there is alſo the grace of creation, in reſpect of God creating and conforming Angels and men vntounto himſelfe: the grace of conception and vnion, in reſpect of God the Father, the ſonne and the holy Ghoſt, forming and faſhioning after a ſingular maner the fleſh of CHRIST in the wombe of the Virgine, and vniting it vntounto the ſonne.