SERM ON CXX. Jefus, the Son of God, proved by his refurrection. ROM. i. 4. And declared to be the Son of God with power, aecording to the Spirit of holiness, by the refurrection from the dead. ST an (T. Paul, in the beginning of this epiftle (accor ding to his custom in the reft) ftiles himself Apoftle particularly called and fet apart by God for the preaching of the gofpel; the main fubject whereof was, Jefus Christ our Lord; who as he was, according to his divine nature, the eternal Son of God; fo, according to his human nature, he was not only the fon of man, but also the Son of God. According to the flesh (that is, the weaknefs, and frailty, and mortality of his human nature) he was the fon of David, that is, of his pofterity by his mother, who was of that house and line. Made of the feed of David, according to the flesh, ver. 3. But according to the Spirt of holiness, (that is, in regard of that divine power of the Holy Ghoft, which was manifested in him, efpecially in his refurrection from the dead) he was demonftrated to be the Son of God; even according to his human nature; declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the refurrection from the dead. All the difficulty in the words is concerning the meaning of this phrafe, of Chrift's being declared to be the Son of God: The word is op vlos, which most frequently in fcripture does fignify predeftinated, decreed, determined; but it likewife fignifies, that which is defined, declared, demonftrated, put out of all doubt and controversy. And in this fenfe our VOL. VI. F tranfla tranflation renders it. As if the Apoftle had faid, that our Lord Jefus Chrift, though according to the frailty and weakness of his human nature, he was of the feed of David; yet in refpect of that divine power of the Holy Ghoft, which manifefted itself in him, especially in his refurrection from the dead, he was declared to be the Son of God with power, that is, mightily, powerfully demonftrated to be fo; fo as to put the matter out of all difpute and controverfy. And therefore, following our own tranflation, I fhall handle the words in this fenfe, as containing this propofition in them; That the refurrection of our Lord Jefus Chrift from the dead, by the Holy Ghoft, is a powerful demonftration that he was the Son of God. And it will conduce very much to the clearing of this propofition to confider thefe two things: First, Upon what account Chrift, as man, is faid to be the Son of God. Secondly, In what fenfe he is faid to be declared to be the Son of God by his refurrection from the dead. The confideration of these two particulars will fully clear this proposition, and the Apoftle's meaning in it. First, Upon what account Chrift, as man, is faid to be the Son of God. And for our right apprehenfion of this matter, it is very well worthy our obfervation, that Chrift,as man,is no where in fcripture faid to be the Son of God, but with relation to the divine power of the Holy Ghoft, fome way or other eminently manifefted in him; I fay the divine power of the Holy Ghoft, as the Lord and giver of life, as he is called in the ancient creeds of the Chriftian church, For as men are naturally faid to be the children of thofe from whom they receive their life and being; fo Chrift, as man, is faid to be the Son of God, becaufe he had life communicated to him, from the Father, by an immediate power of the Spirit of God, or the Holy Ghoft; firft at his conception, which was by the Holy Ghost. The conception of our bleffed Saviour was an immediate act of the power of the Holy Ghoft, overfhadowing, as the fcripture expreffeth it, the blefled mother of our Lord. And then at his refur. refurrection, when after his death, he was, by the operation of the Holy Ghoft, raised to life again. Now upon these two accounts only, Chrift, as man, is faid in fcripture to be the Son of God. He was really fo upon account of his conception; but this was fecret and invifible: but moft eminently and remarkably fo, upon account of his refurrection, which was open and visible to all. 1. Upon account of his conception by the power of the Holy Ghoft: That upon this account he was called the Son of God, St. Luke most exprefsly tells us, Luke i. 35. where the Angel tells the virgin Mary, that the Holy Ghost should come upon her, and the po wer of the Highest should overshadow her, and therefore that holy thing which should be born of her, should be called the Son of God. And this our Saviour means by the Father's fanctifying him, and fending him into the world; for which reafon he fays he might justly call himself the Son of God, John x. 35, 36. If he call them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the fcripture cannot be broken: Say ye of him, whom the Father hath fanctified, and fent into the world, Thou blafphemeft; because I faid, I am the Son of God? If there had been no other reason, this had been fufficient to have given him the title of the Son of God, that he was brought into the world by the fanctification, or divine power of the Holy Ghost. 2. Chrift is alfo faid in fcripture to be the Son of God, and to be declared to be fo, upon account of his refurrection from the dead, by the power of the Holy Ghoft. His refurrection from the dead is here in the text afcribed to the Spirit of holiness, or the Holy Ghoft. And fo in other places of fcripture, Rom. viii. 11. If the Spirit of him that raifed up Fefus from the dead dwell in you: And 1 Pet. iii. 18. Being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit; that is, he fuffered in that frail mortal nature which he affumed: but was raifed again by the power of the Holy Ghoft, of the Spirit of God which refided in him. And upon this account he is expressly faid in fcripture to be the Son of God. Pfal. ii. 7. i will declare the decree; the Lord hath faid unto Ser. 120. me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee; to which perhaps the Apoftle alludes here in the text, when he fays, that Chrift was decreed to be the Son of God, by his refurrection from the dead. To be fure thefe words, this day have I begotten thee, St. Paul exprefsly tells us were accomplished in the refurrection of Chrift; as if God by raifing him from the dead, had begotten him, and decreed him to be his Son. Acts xiii. 32, 33. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the fame unto us their children, in that he hath raifed up Jefus again; as it is alfo written in the fecond pfalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. He was the Son of God before, as he was conceived by the Holy Ghoft; but this was fecret and invisible, and known only to the mother of our Lord: And therefore God thought fit to give a publick and vifible demonftration of it, fo as to put the matter out of all queftion; he declared him in a powerful manner to be his Son, by giving him a new life after death, by raising him from the dead; and by this new and eminent teftimony given to him, declared him again to be his Son, and confirmed the title which was given him before upon a true, but more fecret account, of his being conceived by the Holy Ghoft. And as our Saviour is faid to be the Son of God upon this twofold account, of his conception by the Holy Ghoft, and his refurrection to life by the Spirit of God: So the fcripture (which does folicitoufly purfue a refemblance and conformity between Chrift and Chriftians) does likewife upon a twofold account (anfwerable to our Saviour's birth and refurrection) call true believers and Chriftians the children of God, viz. Upon account of their regeneration or new birth, by the operation of the Spirit of God; and upon account of their refurrection to eternal life, by the power of the fame Spirit. Upon account of our regeneration, and becoming Christians by the power and operation of the Holy Spirit of God upon our minds, we are faid to be the children of God, as being regenerated and born again by the Holy Spirit of God: And this is our first adoption: And for this reafon the Spirit of God conferred upon Chriftians at their baptifm, and dwelling and refiding in them afterwards, is called the Spirit of adoption; Rom. viii. 15. Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby you cry, Abba Father; and Ġal. iv, 5, 6. Believers are faid to receive the adoption of fons; God having fent forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts, crying Abba Father; that is, all Chriftians, forafmuch as they are regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God, and having the Spirit of God dwelling in them, may with confidence call God Father, and look upon themselves as his children. So the Apoftle tells us, Rom. viii. 14. That as many as are led (or acted) by the Spirit of God, are the fons of God. But though we are faid to be the children of God upon account of our regeneration, and the Holy Spirit of God dwelling and refiding in Chriftians; yet we are eminently fo, upon account of our refurrection to eternal life, by the mighty power of God's Spirit. This is our final adoption, and the confummation of it; and therefore, Rom. viii. 21. this is called the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, becaufe by this we are for ever delivered from the bondage of corruption; and by way of eminency, the adoption, viz. the redemption of our bodies. We are indeed the fons of God before, upon account of the regenerating and fanctifying virtue of the Holy Ghost; but finally and chiefly upon account of our refurrection by the power of the divine Spirit. So St. John tells us, that then we fhall be declared to be the fons of God, after another manner than we are now: 1 John iii. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the fons of God. Now we are the fons of God, (that is, our adoption is begun in our regeneration and fanctification) but it doth not yet appear what we shall be; we fhall be much more eminently fo at the refurrection. We know, that when he shall appear, we hall be like him, F 3 But |