9.  For the Father being Very God begat the Son like unto Himself, Very God Athanasius (ad Episcopos Ægypti, § 13), referring to 1 John v. 20, This is the true (ἁληθινός) God, writes:  “But these men (the Arians), as if in contradiction to this, allege that Christ is not the true God, but that He is only called God, as are other creatures, in regard of His participation in the Divine nature.”  Again (c. Arian. iii. 9), “He gave us to know that of the true Father He is the true Offspring (ἀληθινὸν γέννημα).; not as teachers beget disciples, not as Paul says to some, For in Christ Jesus I begat you through the Gospel 1 Cor. iv. 15..  For in this case he who was not a son by nature became a son by discipleship, but in the former case He was a Son by nature, a true Son.  Not as ye, who are to be illuminated, are now becoming sons of God:  for ye also become sons, but by adoption of grace, as it is written, But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on His name:  which were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God John i. 12, 13..  And we indeed are begotten of water and of the Spirit, but not thus was Christ begotten of the Father.  For at the time of His Baptism addressing Him, and saying, This is My Son Matt. iii. 17., He did not say, “This has now become My Son,” but, This is My Son; that He might make manifest, that even before the operation of Baptism He was a Son.