Ritter Raphael

Ritter Raphael , Doctor, though of German extraction, as may be inferred from his name, was born in London ; and was the reputed author of a small tract, entitled, "A brief Demonstration, that Christ is not himself God the Father, or coequal with him." This tract, which he was at great pains to disseminate in Ducal Prussia, and among the Students in the University of Konigsberg, was answered by John Wigand, Bishop of Pomerania, in a work, entitled, "Arian Mists, spread in Prussia by Mr. Raphael Ritter, of London, dispersed by the Light of Divine Truth. Konigsberg, 1575," 8vo. But that the author of the tract, to which this was intended as a reply, was no Arian, appears evident from the tract itself ; for the writer not only disavows a belief in the doctrine of the Trinity, and that of two natures in the person of Christ, but argues also against our Lord's preexistence. No copy of the "Brevis Demonstratio" has ever come under the present writer's observation ; but the whole of it was interwoven into the reply, and Sandius, in his account of Ritter, has extracted the concluding part of it, of which the following is a translation.

"It cannot be dissembled, that many are ignorant, why Christ is called 'the Son of God.' They think that he was begotten of the essence, or substance of God, and is therefore called 'the Son of God.' This is a very ancient error, but must not be tolerated on that account. For the God Jesus neither is, nor is called 'the Son of God,' on account of his being born of the substance of God. These are the idle dreams of the Sophists. The pious reader should rather learn, from the Gospel, the cause of Jesus Christ being called 'the Son of God: 'for there the angel, instructing the Virgin Mary concerning the mode of her wonderful conception, addresses her after this manner. ' The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee ; therefore, also, that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.' Here the cause of the Messiah's being called 'the Son of God' is pointed out with the greatest clearness ; namely, that he was conceived, and born without the intervention of man. Therefore Gabriel says, 'that holy thing shall be called the Son of God,' because, after the Holy Spirit had come upon her, and the power of the Most High had overshadowed her, a most holy infant would be conceived. But let it be observed, that the angel did not say of Christ, that he had formerly been called 'the Son of God,' or that he was then ' the Son of God;' but that he would be called 'the Son of God,' when he was born. It was not that Spirit, therefore, which had descended from heaven, but that man, who was born of the Virgin Mary, who was called 'the Son of God;' and that, simply because he was conceived, and born, by the immediate agency of God, contrary to the order of nature. Hence it is, that, though all the Prophets had predicted that he would come, and had said many things concerning him, yet he was nowhere called 'the Son of God' till he appeared, and was baptized in the Jordan. For Jesus Christ is 'a man,' as the Apostle calls him. 'The Son of man,' however, as he calls himself, is nevertheless God ; but only in the way in which we have stated above. Away then with the fables, and inventions of the Sophists, about a Tri-une God, and about a Christ' begotten of the Father before all worlds ; 'about two natures in this Christ; and similar trifles! There is One God, whom no man hath at any time seen. Christ is God, because he is ' the image of God.' But this God is a real man, consisting of a soul and flesh, and born of the Virgin Mary ; through whom to God, the Father, be praise and honour for ever. Amen."

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