whether prosperous or adverse, Life or Death.
_Au._ In Truth your Confession is very sound so far. What do you think
concerning the second Person?
_Ba._ Examine me.
_Au._ Dost thou believe Jesus was God and Man?
_Ba._ Yes.
_Au._ Could it be that the same should be both immortal God and mortal
Man?
_Ba._ That was an easy Thing for him to do who can do what he will: And
by Reason of his divine Nature, which is common to him with the Father,
whatsoever Greatness, Wisdom, and Goodness I attribute to the Father, I
attribute the same to the Son; and whatsoever I owe to the Father, I owe
also to the Son, but only that it hath seemed good to the Father to
bestow all Things on us through him.
_Au._ Why then do the holy Scriptures more frequently call the Son Lord
than God?
_Ba._ Because God is a Name of Authority, that is to say, of
Sovereignty, which in an especial Manner belongeth to the Father, who is
absolutely the Original of all Things, and the Fountain even of the
Godhead itself. Lord is the Name of a Redeemer and Deliverer, altho' the
Father also redeemed us by his Son, and the Son is God, but of God the
Father. But the Father only is from none, and obtains the first Place
among the divine Persons.
_Au._ Then dost thou put thy Confidence in _Jesus_?
_Ba._ Why not?
_Au._ But the Prophet calls him accursed who puts his Trust in Man.
_Ba._ But to this Man alone hath all the Power in Heaven and Earth been
given, that at his Name every Knee should bow, both of Things in Heaven,
Things in Earth, and Things under the Earth. Although I would not put my
chief Confidence and Hope in him, unless he were God.
_Au._ Why do you call him Son?
_Ba._ Lest any should imagine him to be a Creature.
_Au._ Why an only Son?
_Ba._ To distinguish the natural Son from the Sons by Adoption, the
Honour of which Sirname he imputes to us also, that we may look for no
other besides this Son.
_Au._ Why would he have him to be made Man, who was God?
_Ba._ That being Man, he might reconcile Men to God.
_Au._ Dost thou believe he was conceived without the Help of Man, by the
Operation of the holy Ghost, and born of the undented Virgin _Mary_,
taking a mortal Body of her Substance?
_Ba._ Yes.
_Au._ Why would he be so born?
_Ba._ Because it so became God to be born, because it became him to be
born in this Manner, who was to cleanse away the Filthiness of our
Conception and Birth. God would have him to b
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