Works (Vol 4) - Newton - XXVII - Sermon XXVII (Messiah, the Son of God)

Required reading
The Works (Vol 4) of John Newton (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Sermon XXVII (Messiah, the Son of God).

My summary
This week Newton preaches on: 'For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?' (Heb 1:5).

Newton asserts that the Messiah is the Son of God by discussing the following proof texts:
(i) For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one (1Jo 5:7);
(ii) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Mat 28:19);
(iii) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (Joh 3:16);
(iv) The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old...Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men (Pro 8:22-31);
(v)  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Luk 1:35);
(vi) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law (Gal 4:4);
(vii) And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee (Act 13:32-33);
(viii) And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead (Rom 1:4).

What grabbed me
I appreciated Newton's hesitancy in speaking about Jesus' divinity: 'The verse contains three terms which require explanation,  'My Son,' 'Begotten,' ' This day.' But who is sufficient for these things? If I attempt to explain them, I wish to speak with caution and modesty becoming the sense I ought to have of my own weakness, and to keep upon safe ground ; lest, instead of elucidating so sublime a subject, I should darken counsel by words without knowledge. And I know of no safe ground to go upon in these inquiries but the sure testimony of Scripture. It would be to the last degree improper to indulge flights of imagination, or a spirit of curiosity or conjecture, upon this occasion. These are the deep things of God, in which, if we have not the guidance of his word and Spirit, we shall certainly bewilder ourselves. Nor would I speak in a positive dogmatizing strain ; at the same time I trust the Scripture will afford light sufficient to preserve us from a cold and comfortless uncertainty.'

The divinity of Christ is a doctrine that deserves much respect.

Next week's reading
Read Sermon XXVIII (Messiah worshipped by angels).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.