Moreover, our Saviour is farther described, in scripture, as executing some of his mediatorial offices, or as having received a commission to execute them from the Father, or as having some branches of mediatorial glory conferred upon him, at the same time that he is called the Son of God, which gives us ground to conclude, that this is the import of his Sonship. Thus we read, Heb. iv. 14. that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God; and in John i. 29. John the Baptist gives a public testimony to him, as sustaining such a character, which belongs to him, as Mediator, when he says, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world; and afterwards, referring to the same character, he says, ver. 34. I saw, and bare record, that this is the Son of God; and at another time he gives a noble testimony to him, as God-man, Mediator, John iii. 29, &c. when he calls him, The Bridegroom which hath the bride, that is, who is related to, and has a propriety, in his church, and that he testifies what he has seen and heard, and that it is he whom God hath sent, who speaks the words of God, for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him; and then, as a farther explication hereof, he says, ver. 35. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. This is, in effect, the same, as when he is called elsewhere, his beloved Son; and, in Heb. iii. 6. Christ is said to be a Son over his own house, whose house are we; which denotes not only his propriety in his church, but his being the Head thereof, as Mediator; and the apostle, 1 Thess. i. 10. speaks of him, as the Son of God, whom we are to wait for from heaven; whom he has raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come; and, Gal. ii. 20. he speaks of the Son of God, as one who loved him, and gave himself for him; and Col. i. 13. he is spoken of as God’s dear Son, and, at the same time, as having a kingdom, into which his people are translated; and in the following verse, as the person in whom we have redemption, through his blood, who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature; which seems to be taken in the same sense as when he said, Heb. i. 2. to have been appointed Heir of all things, and so referring to him as God-man, Mediator.
Moreover, when he is considered as a Son related to his Father; this appears, from the context, to be a description of him as Mediator. Thus, John xx. 17. he says, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; to my God, and your God; that is, my Father by whom I am constituted Mediator, and your Father, namely, the God who loves you for my sake: he is first my God, as he has honoured, loved and glorified me; and then your God, as he is reconciled to you for my sake; so the apostle says, 2 Cor. i. 3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.
Object. 1. In these scriptures, and others of the like nature, there are two ideas contained; namely, one of our Saviour, as the Son of God, by eternal generation; the other of him, as Mediator; whereas we suppose that one contains only an explication of the other.
Answ. If Christ’s Sonship, in the sense in which it is generally explained, were sufficiently proved from other scriptures, which take no notice of his mediatorial character, or works, or could be accounted for, without being liable to the difficulties before-mentioned, and if his character, as Mediator, did not contain in it an idea of Personality, the objection would have more weight than otherwise it seems to have.
Object. 2. It is said, Gal. iv. 4. God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law; therefore he was the Son of God before he was sent into the world, when made of a woman, and under the law, that is, his Son by eternal generation.
Answ. The answer I would give to this objection is,
1. It is not necessary to suppose that Christ had the character of a Son before he was sent, though he had that of a divine Person; since the words may, without any strain, or force, upon the sense thereof, be understood thus; when the fulness of time was come, in which the Messiah was expected, God sent him forth, or sent him into the world, with the character of a Son, at which time he was made of a woman, made under the law; the end whereof was, that he might redeem them that were under the law.
2. If we suppose Christ had the character of a Son before he was sent into the world, it will not overthrow our argument: since he was, by the Father’s designation, an eternal Mediator, and, in this respect, God’s eternal Son; and therefore, he who before was so by virtue of the eternal decree, is now actually sent, that he might be, and do, what he was from all eternity designed to be, and do: he was set up from everlasting, or appointed to be the Son of God; and now he is sent to perform the work which this character implies in it.
Object. 3. It is farther objected, that his Sonship is distinct from his being Mediator, inasmuch as it is said, Heb. v. 8. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. Now it cannot, in propriety of speech, be said, though he were Mediator, yet he learned obedience, since he was under an obligation to obey, and suffer as Mediator; therefore the meaning must be, though he were a Son by eternal generation, yet he condescended to put himself into such a capacity, as that he was obliged to obey, and suffer, as Mediator.
Answ. The stress of the objection lies in the word which we render though, Και περ ων υιος &c. which may be rendered, with a small variation, though being a Son, he learned obedience by the things he suffered; but being made perfect, viz. after his sufferings, he became the author of eternal salvation, unto all them that obey him; and then it takes away the force of the objection. However, I see no absurdity if it be rendered, as it is in the vulgar Latin version, And, indeed, being a Son, he learned obedience[[102]], and then it proves the argument we are endeavouring to defend, q. d. it is agreeable to the character of a son to learn obedience; it was with this view that it was conferred upon him, and in performing obedience, and suffering as Mediator, and thereby securing the glory of the divine perfections in bringing about the work of our redemption, he acted in pursuance of that character.