(John l:14, R.V.)

In order to rightly confess the truth concerning the Incarnate Word, His essential Deity and Godhead glory must be jealously maintained. Verily, "The only begotten Son" is coeternal, coexisting with the Father. "Whenever any thing else began, the Word WAS-not 'began.' The Word had no beginning" (Numerical Bible, John 1:1, Notes).

The fact that He is "the Only Begotten of the Father," does not simply imply priority of being as to others, but that God the Son is, and ever was, of the same essence or substance as the Father. There are many prophetic utterances throughout the Scriptures which speak of the Incarnate Son; and care must be exercised not to confound these prophecies with our Lord's eternal Sonship.

In Proverbs, chap. 8, for example, we find these statements:"I was set up (anointed) from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was.. .When there were no depths, I was brought forth" (vers. 23, 24). And then:"I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him; rejoicing in the habitable parts of His earth, and My delights were with the sons of men" (vers. 30,31).

In the eternal counsels and purposes of Deity, "before the earth was," the Incarnation of God the Son was foreordained; and God's purposes are inseparably linked with their fulfilment. In actual accomplishment, our blessed Lord was "brought forth," became Man, "in the days of Herod the king." And He was "set up," or anointed, at His baptism in Jordan. Acts 2:22,23; Gal. 4:4; Eph. 1:4-12, without further references, make these facts plain enough.

But Is. 9:6 declares that Jesus at His birth should be called "the Father of Eternity." A Babe in Bethlehem's manger, yet, in very truth, the One bringing forth eternity! "These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God" (Rev. 3:14), points to Him as Originator of God's "new creation," there can be no thought here of origin as referring to the Person of God the Son. Indeed, we have no Scripture record of "origin" as applicable to the Triune God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Knowing that Scripture fully states the truth of the eternal Deity of "God our Saviour," it is equally clear in teaching the virgin birth and moral glory of His Manhood. Our adorable Lord was, and is, and ever shall be fully Man, as to body, soul and spirit, even as He was, and is, and ever shall be God in the fullest sense. And so when Simeon took the Child Jesus up in his arms he blessed God and said, "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word:for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation." To be that it was necessary for Him to be fully man as well as fully God.

By the Holy Spirit Simeon knew that the Babe in his arms was "the Lord's Christ"-"A Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of Thy people Israel." The Creator of the universe, He "who is over all, God blessed forever," came to His creation as that little Child. The manner of Him being thus brought forth, the angel Gabriel announced to Mary, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." And "the Holy Thing" thus conceived and brought forth is to be called "the Son of God"- Son not merely as so born, but Son because He who was so born was Son from all eternity.
It is marvelous to think of the acorn as a tiny seed-cup which contains all the life elements of a mighty oak. But how amazing the holy mystery that the Babe of Bethlehem is He of whom it is true that the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in Him-that He to whom every attribute of Deity pertained should become flesh so that of Him it could be said:"And the Child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom.. .and Jesus increased in wisdom and stature."

And while this was true of Him, yet let us remember that though Scripture clearly distinguishes between the three Persons in the Godhead, it never separates Them. They being three distinct Personalities, are One God, with absolute unity of thought, of purpose and of action. They do not-They cannot-purpose nor act independently of one another; for all through the Scriptures we see God the Father, God the Son, and. God the Holy Spirit working in perfect consistency, and together.

So whatever is said concerning the growth into manhood of our blessed Lord, He was never separated from the power of the Highest, and the Holy Spirit who had His place in the work of creation (Gen. 1:2, though in connection with that work it is said of the Word, the Son, "All things were made by Him"), as He, the Holy Spirit, had His place in the marvelous accomplishment of the Incarnation. Thus we may say He performed for and with the Son from the beginning. And when Jesus had ascended to the right hand of the Father, it is by the Spirit that He works in and through His people- "And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following'" (Mark 16:20; see also John 16:7, etc.). Thus the mutual love, harmony and fellowship within the Godhead is clearly set forth in the Scriptures. This unity in the triune God is woven into the texture of the Bible. All nature declares it (Ps. 19 with Rom. 1:19, 20), And so God has left no room in His written or unwritten Word for the faintest shadow of Unitarian error.

Words fail utterly as the soul breathes forth its praises and adoration, "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood. And hath made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father:to Him be the glory and might to the ages of ages. Amen." "Arid confessedly the mystery of piety is great. GOD has been manifested in flesh" (1 Tim. 3:14)-miracle of all miracles! Herbert Cowell
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