Tent upon Earth as the word signifieth Joh. 1. 17. He dwelt amongst us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as in a Tent or Tabernacle Do but consider the difference of these two states that which Christ left and that which Christ took The former was a state of incomprehensible glory In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God What was the state of the Word See Joh. 17. 5. Now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was I had with thee glory before the world was Here is the Word with God in the state of glory From this state of glory he is pleased to descend To what To take shame It is emphatically said for that is one half of Christ's sufferings Shame is Heb. 12. 2. Looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame He came to Isa 53. 3 Luk. 23. 36 39 Luk. 17. 34. Matth. 9. 11 34. Matth. 12. 24. 10. 25. be buffeted and spit upon and reviled and called a friend of publicans and sinners a wine-bibber yea the prince of devills They called Christ Beelzebub Before he came into the world he was in a state of Joy as well as of Glory The Text saith He was with God and wheresoever God is there is joy as the Psalmist saith In thy presence is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore What is that Christ took instead of joy He came to sorrow sorrow and deadly sorrow surrounded his soul on every side From that eternall joy he is pleased to descend to those intolerable sorrows to be a man of sorrows acquainted with grief Blessed Saviour may we well say Isa 53. 3. What a change hast thou made for thy love to us of being with God to be with Man from the Father's Bosom to the Virgin 's Womb from Heaven to Earth from Glory as ye have heard to Shame and from Joy to Grief And all this for our sakes Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 8. 9. Christ saith the Apostle who though he were rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might become rich How should this fir'e and inflame our hearts with love to Christ He who was the delight of his Father from all Eternity had his delight with the sons of men How should the sons of men have their delight in him Hath Christ left Heaven for me and shall not I leave the world for Christ Hath he thus emptyed himself for me of his Joy and Glory for a time and shall not I deny my self for him in my pleasures and profits and ease What a poor sorry joy is that which the world affordeth us to that which Christ hath first given us Let us love him who loved us so as that he was pleased to become Emmanuel God with us So The Word was with God This is that which concerneth the Personall Co-existency of Christ with God the Father In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God There is hardly any place of Scripture more abused in a way of superstition than the beginning of this Gospell It was a common thing in times of Popery and I would to God it were abolished wholly at this day to write these words in certain Characters and to tye the paper or parchment about people's necks as a Charm against Agues or as a Spell to prevent some other mischief We shall I hope make better use of them by how much this Scripture hath been wronged by others These words are a Charm indeed but it is against Hereticall Opinions and carnall discouragements The Deniers of Christ's Divinity never had such a Charm as this is Joh. 11. We have made some of them to that end and hope to make more as we do proceed The Fifth Use from hence is that this very Proposition Vse 5 that the Word was with God holdeth forth Comfort to us For he that was with God in the beginning is with him still and will be with him for everlasting with God then and with God now and with God to all eternity And that under the notion of our Advocate 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If any man Christ our Advocate sin we have an Advocate with the Father So the phrase is here With the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins He is there as an Advocate to plead a cause And what cause His own as well as ours We know when a Counsellor is employed in a Cause that concerneth himself as well as his Clyent he is wont to be exceeding active in that businesse more than in other he will neglect no opportunity in such a Cause So Christ is such an Advocate as to be a Propitiation for our sins And Christ should lose the price of his own Blood if our Cause should miscarry before God the Father with him where he appeareth for us Heb. 9. 24. Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self to appear in the presence of God for us Observe that With God and For us He appeareth there as an Advocate appeareth for his Clyent when such a Cause is called upon he pleadeth that Cause as an Advocate So Christ appeareth for us as our Proctor He is God with us and for us and therefore able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him because he liveth to make intercession for them Heb. 7. 25. Never fear that any thing shall be wanting to thy salvation Christ will be sure to perfect it He will save to the uttermost because he liveth for ever Well may Satan's accusations trouble us on Earth they shall never trouble us in Heaven for Christ appeareth there for us He is ever with the Father I passe now to the third Clause of this first Verse which concerneth the Divine Essence of Christ The Word was God So with God a distinct Person from the Father as to be God of the same Essence with the Father The word God is taken essentially for the Father the First-Person in the Trinity This is a point of high concernment that Christ is God so high as whosoever buildeth not upon this buildeth upon the sands This is the Rock of our salvation The Word was God But there will be frequent occasion in this Gospell of meeting with it and therefore I shall speak now but briefly of it Take a few clear places such as our enemies know not how to evade that in Rom. 9. 5. Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for evermore Christ is here himself called God blessed for ever So Tit. 2. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearance of
the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Who is it that shall appear at the last Day in the Clouds but Christ who is called the great God and our Saviour God blessed for ever saith Paul to the Romans The great God saith Paul to Titus And lest any Heretick should hope to shift it off as they are as full of shifts as the Serpent is of turnings and windings and should say Why Angels are called gods and Magistrates are called gods To stop their mouths St. John telleth you He is the true God I and God properly so called The true God You know what they use to object against this as if the Object Father were onely called the true God And the place seemeth to have some colour in it Joh. 17. 13. This is life eternall that they know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ seemeth to be made a different Person from the true God I answer There is no necessity of limiting this phrase Answ The onely true God to the Person of the Father the First Person in the Trinity It is true indeed that the word Thee in the third Verse referreth to the word Father in the first Verse These words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said Father glorifie thy Son c. And this is eternall life that we know thee the onely true God Ye must know the word Father is taken two manner of waies in Scripture First Sometimes it is taken for the First-Person in the Trinity And Father is taken for the Divine Essence or rather for an Attribute that is common to all the Persons in the Trinity Every one is Father in this sense So Christ is Father as well as the First Person He is called The everlasting Father and The Prince of peace Isa 9. 6. Father in that sense is no more than God in his Essence Mal. 2. 10. Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us There is a concurrence of all the Persons in this great work of Creation and so in this Relation of Father That Jam. 1. 27. True religion and undefiled before God and the Father Father here belongeth to all the Persons 1 Pet. 1. 17. We know that all judgement is committed to Christ So that Father is taken here essentially and belongeth to all the Trinity If ye understand it so here then the Objection is of no force But Christ is conceived here as Mediator and as Man praying to the whole Trinity under the name of Father and saying This is eternall life to know thee onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent So that 1 Tim. 2. 5. is parallel There is one God and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Nothing is so familiar in Scripture as to distinguish Christ as Mediator from God taking the word essentially for all the Persons in the Trinity Secondly Suppose the word Father Joh. 17. be taken Personally for the First Person in the Trinity yet the word Onely is not here to be limited to the First Person I pray you observe that This is eternall life that they know thee the onely true God It is not Thee onely the true God as if the Father onely were the true God Indeed the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be tyed to the saying Thee onely but Thee God is to be tyed to the word Onely To know thee the onely true God So as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word Onely is not exclusive from the other two Persons the Son and God distinguished from Creatures and Idols not from the other Persons the holy Ghost but onely exclusive from the Creatures who are improperly called gods as sometimes Angels and sometimes Magistrates are called so and Idols so called falsly The onely true God excluding Idolls but not the Son and the holy Ghost You may as well argue from that place 1 Cor. 8. 5 6. that God the Father is not Lord as argue from this that Christ is not the true God for it is said there Though there be that are called gods both in heaven and in earth as there be gods many and lords many But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him But one Lord Jesus Christ May men from hence argue and say The Father is not the Lord Jesus Christ But many argue and say That Christ is not God because he saith There is but one God the Father of whom are all things I will not hold you long upon this because I hope there are not many here that need solution in this point though the errour be spreading Consider that place Matth. 11. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father saith Christ And None knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him None knoweth the Son but the Father Why doth not the Son know himself doth not the holy Ghost know the Son Yes It is said The Spirit searcheth the deep things of God Neither knoweth any the Father save the Son Doth not the Father know himself and the holy Ghost both the Persons Yes But this none excludeth Creatures from the other Persons So the true God is distinguished from Creatures and Idolls not from the other Persons in the Trinity I will make Use of this to meet with such Hereticks as Vse 1 deny this Would to God I could say there were none in this City but mine ears have heard a man stifly to deny the Divinity of Christ and dispute against it and blaspheme that great truth without which I think a man may safely say there is no possibility of salvation I wonder that of all the old Errors swept down into this latter Age as into a sink of time this of the Socinians and Arians Beware of Heresies should be held forth amongst the rest Let us beware of their doctrines shun their meetings and persons that come to us with the denyall of the Divinity of Christ in their mouths This was John's doctrine and his practise Irenaeus tells us that after he was returned from his Banishment and came to Ephesus he came to bathe himself and in the Bath he found Cerinthus that said Christ had no beeing till he received it from the Virgin Mary Upon the sight of whom John skipped out of the Bath and called his companions from thence saying Let us go from this place lest the Bath should fall down upon us because Cerinthus is in it that is so great an enemy to God Ye see his Doctrine see his words too 2 Joh. 10 11. If any come to you having not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God-speed for he that biddeth him God-speed is partaker of his evill deed What the Doctrine was ye may see
found in this Relation as to take away the bitternesse of all other dispensations and providences though in other respects very averse Our Chroninicles tell us of King Edward the first when he was in forraigne parts newes was brought him at once both of the death of his father and of his son The King was exceedingly struck into sadnesse at the relation but especially at the death of his father For saith he I may have more sons but never another father We may have more friends and more estates if we lose our friends or estates but we can have no more fathers if we once lose our God we shall never have such a Father as he lose him once and all is gone Am not I said Elkanah to Hannah better to thee then ten sons Well may God say to us Am not I better to you then ten thousand sons and ten thousand times ten thousand estates All sweetnesse concenters in this Relation God is our Father we are his Children But there may be a great deal of wealth and honour 5. It is a safe estate and freedome and sweetnesse and yet no safety may attend this condition This is a safe estate that is the commendations of it This honour and riches and freedome and sweetnesse they shall all continue The servant he abideth not in the house for ever but the son abideth ever saith our Saviour Joh. 8. 35. Therefore fear not little flock saith Christ It is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome Nothing shall intervene so as to hinder a son from the Inheritance It is his Fathers good pleasure and his will shall stand to give them a Kingdome in the issue So it is clear that this is an high priviledge What use shall we make of it First examine whether we be thus preferred yea or Vse 1 no. It is that which almost every one in the visible Church Examine our selves wherher we be sons or not pretendeth to be a son and daughter of God It is therefore worth the while to try whether the Lord Jesus Christ hath made us partakers of this priviledge It is a use both for the assurance of the Saints and for the discarding of Hypocrits that are but pretenders to it They favour even those men of whom Christ saith You are of your father the Devill They pretend sonship to God Joh. 8. 41. We say they be not born of fornication we have one Father even God And yet Christ saith to them ye are of your father the Devill We are of God say they ye are of your father the Devill saith Christ One way to try this and the onely one that I will name is by the spirit of adoption If we be sons then God hath sent forth into our hearts the spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba Father This ye have expressely laid down in so many words Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father Wheresoever there is sonship there will be crying Abba Father Crying implyeth fervency of spirit as Why cryest thou to me faith God to Moses when he was in a great strait at the Red-sea Because both the profane persons and formall professors will put on for a share before we can break the childrens bread we must discard them from the comforts of this If crying Father and if praying argue my sonship Formality and Prophaneness reproved then I am a son saith the profane person for I say my prayers ever and anon Alas what is this to the purpose Thy praying is but craving yea thy praying is but houling in God's esteem Isa 7. 14. They have not cryed to me with their hearts when they houled upon their beds How irksom is the houling of dogs to the ears of men such is that which profane persons call Praying in the ears of God The truth is their praying is but a driving of contradictions because their life all the while giveth their tongue the lie Our Father saith the profane person which art in heaven and in the mean while he serveth his father the devill which is in hell Hallowed be thy Name so say his lips but in the mean time he dishonoureth God in swearing and lying and whoring and drinking and prophaneness Thy kingdom come and in the mean while he opposeth the Kingdom of Christ in his heart and in the lives of his Saints and doth what he can to hinder the comming of it Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven and in the mean while he doth the will of Satan that will which the damned do in hell Give us this day our daily bread seemingly acknowledging that he receiveth all even his outward mercies from God and in the mean while perhaps sacrificeth to his own net commending his own skill for the estate he hath gotten Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us and in the mean while he goeth on in malice and envy sinning to his very hour of death as it were Lead us not into temptation in the mean while he tempteth the devill to tempt him He cryeth Deliver us from evill and delivereth himself up to evill while he saith so He layeth the reins upon the neck of his lusts that run away with him into all mischief Call you this praying I but saith the formall professor I pray and that frequently not in distress onely but haply keep a constant course of prayer Surely I must go for a child of God That we be not deceived let us consider It is one thing to draw nigh with the heart and another thing to draw nigh with the lips You know the complaint of Isaiah compare two places together Isa 1. 15. When ye so read forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and when you make many prayers I will not hear you And yet he complaineth of them by Isaiah Isa 4. They make many prayers and yet none heareth that prayer Why Because Isa 29. 13. This people draw near to me with their mouths but remove their hearts far from me Therefore they pray and their prayers are no prayers because their hearts are not in them I will not deny but many a formall professor may have attained to the gift of prayer but that which I make an argument of Sonship was a spirit of prayer the spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba Father What that is ye may see Zach. 10. 12. I will pour out upon Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication How worketh that They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn for me as one mourneth for his onely son Wheresoever the spirit Spirituall Prayer looks up to Christ of prayer is there will be a looking up to Jesus Christ in all our devotions The spirit of Adoption that commeth from the Son guideth to the Son and taketh us along with him in all our addresses to God They that
Adopted cannot enjoy the Adopter and the Inheritance both at once enjoy his father and the inheritance both at once till the adopting father be dead what is left him by the Adoptor doth not come into his hands But now herein lyeth another excellency of this Spirituall Adoption Every believer may at once enjoy both the Inheritance and the Father because he that adopteth him liveth for ever yea because his Father is his Inheritance So the truth standeth He that adopteth us to an Inheritance Himself is that Inheritance which he adopteth us to for we are adopted to the fruition of our God Psal 16. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance So that here is Father and Inheritance joyned both together because the Father is the Inheritance Lastly In Civill Adoption it is but some petty Inheritances 5. They are poor petty things that we are here adopted to which men are adopted to by their adopting fathers some poor things it may be a Farm or Lordship or Mannor What if it be a Kingdom It is in comparison but a poor thing to that Inheritance which Christ hath adopted us to which we shall find described to the life 1 Pet. 1. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you Here are the super-excellent properties of that Inheritance the consideration of which will exceedingly inhaunce this priviledge of Adoption First It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incorruptible inheritance 1. An incorruptible Inheritance Whatsoever Inheritances we have here below they are liable to corruption If a man's estate lie in Mony that may rust or the thieves may break through and steal it If in Cattle they may die if in Houses they may be burnt if in Lands an enemy may invade them But here is an Inheritance that cannot be corrupted because it lyeth in God For the Father is our Inheritance and the immortall God is not lyable to any corruption Secondly It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Inheritance undefiled 2. An Inheritance undefiled There are few inheritances here below but some defilement sticketh to them they are either ill got or ill kept An Inheritance may be got by oppression or if not so yet there may be defilement in the keeping of it He that commeth to inherit it may behave himself oppressively If when riches encrease the heart commeth to be set upon them there will be defilement with the inheritance But here is an Inheritance undefiled No unclean thing shall enter into heaven not so much as a Serpent to tempt in that Paradise that is above Mahomet telleth his followers of a defiled inheritance wherein there shall be a great deal of filthiness But Christ hath provided another kind of Inheritance for his which is without sin undefiled Thirdly It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Inheritance that 3. An Inheritance that fadeth not away fadeth not away a Metaphor taken from flowers The beauty of a flower and the sweetnesse of it is quickly gone withereth in a moment and fit for nothing then but to be cast away So it is with all other temporall Inheritances they lose their glory after a while they cease to minister that content which a man hoped to have found in them which may be had at the first possessing of them yea all the glory of the world is like the flower of the field that fadeth away But herein lyeth the excellency of this Inheritance it fadeth not away It is a flower that never withereth their joyes are alwaies flourishing a continuall spring of flourishing consolations ariseth from the enjoyment of God and every day sweeter and sweeter Fourthly It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inheritance 4. An Inheritance reserved reserved We cannot say so of temporall inheritances they may be gone A trick at Law may put a man out of his estate he may be wrangled out of it by some device or other an enemy may come and spoile him of it he can have no assurance Though men purchase houses and lands for themselves and their heirs for ever alas how soon are some men dead and gone and it may be the next generation knoweth no such houses or lands nor no such men But here is an inheritance reserved All the Devills in hell shall never wrangle a man out of This Possession reserved Lastly It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inheritancc reserved 5. An Inheritance reserved in Heaven in heaven which is still a farther addition Whatsoever is in Heaven is excellent Many fading things are on earth The least thing in heaven is above the best things in the world And it is a consideration that addeth much to the sweetnesse of the Inheritance to consider where it lyeth As Who would not rather desire to have a small competency of land in England amongst his own friends where he was born than to have much in the Indies amongst strangers It is an Inheritance reserved in heaven which is our Country the Believer's home Every man is born from above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his kindred live in Heaven his Father is there and his Mother there We are strangers upon earth therefore our inheritance is in heaven which is much more worth than our inheritance below So excellent is this Inheritance Therefore how great is this love of Christ in giving us this priviledge to become the sons of God Secondly Let us learn from hence to judge of our How to know whether we be the sons of God estates how things stand between God and us whether we be sons and daughters yea or no nothing concerneth us more Therefore time spent in this scrutiny will be profitable Our Sonship is evidenced two waies By way of Testimony and By way of Inference First By way of Testimony So we come to know our 1. By the witnesse of the Spirit selves to be sons and daughters by the witnesse of the Spirit which ye read of Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the children of God This Spirit it is that keepeth the Records of Heaven The holy Ghost is conscious to all the secrets of God knoweth what names are written in the book of life therefore he is able to make them known to us None but the Son of God can Redeem and none but the Spirit of God can Assure so as to make your Evidences clear and infallible and above all doubt and fear But this doth not now lie so clear in my way Secondly It is therefore evidenced by way of Inference Vers 8 9. Our Sonship dependeth upon our receiving 2. By way of Inference Christ It may be inferred from hence As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God Therefore every son of God hath received him and every one that hath received him may know himself to be the Son of God This I shall insist upon hoping you will excuse me
in me Duties say It is not in us Ordinances say We cannot give it Why It must come only from Jesus Christ Therefore the spirit of God usually letteth souls see an utter impossibility of salvation by any other than by Christ Fifthly It supposeth after all this a due apprehension 5. It supposeth pardon in and through Christ of a probability of obtaining pardon and grace in and through Christ And this setteth the soul a moving towards him and is an inducement as to the humble soul Lament 3. 29. To lay its mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope As to those Mourners in Joel Joel 2. 14. Who knoweth if God will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him Here is indeavour arising from probability So the Ninevites in the prophesie of Jonah Jonah 3. 9. Who can tell if God will turn and repent of his fierce wrath that we perish not Faith putteth it to the venture and putteth it selfe upon the free grace of God in Christ for Four grounds of probability to obtain pardon mercy as having a probability founded upon these four grounds of obtaining pardon First Upon the abundant goodnesse of God of which you 1. The aboundant goodness of God read Psal 130. 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord Why for with the Lord is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption There is abundant mercy and plenteous redemption with God therefore Israel may hope This appeareth to be the mercy of an Infinite God therefore he can pardon and take away the sins of a finite Creature here is one ground Secondly Probability of successe It is founded upon the 2. The powerfull Mediation of Jesus Christ powerfull Mediation of Jesus Christ Hebr. 7. 25. He is able to save to the uttermost those that come to God by Him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them His blood like a mighty Ocean is able to overflow as it were the mighty Rocks as well as the lowest Sand. The Sun of Righteousnesse is able to scatter the thickest Clouds as well as the slenderest mists Thirdly Upon the free and gratious breathings of the 3. The free breatheings of the holy Ghost Holy Ghost Joh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth thou hearest the sound thereof and knowest not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth So it is with the Spirit It hath breathed in others and may breathe in thee when it pleaseth him And therefore the soul resolveth hopefully to wait on God till the Spirit shall be pleased to breathe upon him and to that end it seeketh him in all the means wherein he is wont to breathe because the soul knoweth it is just that the Spirit of God should not breathe in any if he be not sought in all If they neglect some one means the influence of Grace may be with-held If any one of the Pipes be cut the water cometh not home to the Cistern And God is wont to convey grace to us by so many Ordinances as by so many Pipes if one Ordinance be neglected it is just with God to withdraw his grace If a soul will hear but not pray if he neglecteth any one Ordinance God may refuse to breathe Therefore the soul groundeth probability upon the free breathings of the Spirit Fourthly Upon the example of many that have been 4. Upon the example of many converted before converted before It seeth the example of the perishing of a multitude of sinners in the story of the Ninivites and of a multitude of sins in the story of Mary Magdalen and knoweth the story of mercy Such were some of you but ye are washed and cleansed and sanctified by the Lord Jesus Christ in the Spirit of God These are the apprehensions which our Saviour Christ supposeth All these more or lesse in an ordinary course taken with limitation Secondly There are certain acts of the Will which the 2. It supposeth severall Acts of the Will receiving of grace includeth which are specially these two First a present chusing of Christ upon Conjugall tearms Secondly a trusting on him for ever after First Receiving of Christ includeth in it a present chusing 1. Receiving Christ includeth our chusing him for our Husband of Christ for our Husband upon Conjugall tearms I take that Metaphor as most easie to expresse it by because he is received under many notions and under this amongst others As a Wife receiveth the Man in marriage so the Soul receiveth Christ It is a Choice and present Choice and a present Choice upon Conjugall tearms This is an act of the Will Chusing belongeth to the Will When the Will is enabled by the Spirit of Christ to choose him for his All in all and to make a present choice of him they are tearms not of the Future but of the Present Tense that make a Marriage It is not I promise to make thee my Wife in time to come that maketh a Contract but I do take thee to my Wife this is to make a Marriage It is not to take Christ when I am rich or older but it must be a present chusing of him that maketh the Match And it must be upon honourable tearms such as a woman taketh the husband upon so as to forsake father and mother and cleave to the husband Christ did so for us and we must do so for Christ Christ forsook his Father in some sense and came and emptied himself forsook Heaven and came down to us The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us that so he might be wedded to his Church upon earth There is something like that we have to do for Christ the Soul must forsake all for Christ As it is said of the Spouse Psal 45. 10. Hearken O daughter and consider and encline thine ear forget also thine own people and thy father's house So shall the King desire thy beauty There must be a forsaking of our former lusts and former waies and former carelesnesse a leaving of all to cleave to Christ That you may understand it better allude to that of Hos 14. 3. Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither will we say any more to the works of our hands Ye are our gods For in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idolls So when the Soul cometh to close with Jesus Christ The Law shall not save us we will not rest upon our own Duties our services shall not be our Saviours the means of grace shall not be our Mediators What have we to do any more with Idells and the lusts of our former ignorance and intemperancy and wantonnesse c Here a choosing of Christ supposeth a separation from all things else and a cleaving to him Being joyned to the Lord we are one spirit as the Apostle's phrase is cleaving to him so as to be subject to him that is on conjugall tearms on which Christ is to
of that term The Word which ye have twice in this Verse Let us now Apply it before we come to any of the Predicates First In that Christ is here called the Word in reference Vse 1 to the word conceived as being the expresse Image of his Father's Person as our thoughts are the image of the mind Let us learn from hence First to be helped here to understand something of that Eternall Generation What the Son of God is who of himself is inexpressible Who can declare his generation Isa 3. This may help us to conceive better of it than any expression in the world When we compare Christ with the conception of our own hearts there is nothing commeth so near the nature of that eternall generation of the Son of God The understanding that conceiveth a notion without difficulty without passion without agitation and stirring There is no conception no procession of any thing so purely inconcrete and simple and unmixt as the proceeding of the thoughts of our Understanding Such is the generation of the Son from the Father at least this of all things we can take into our imagination is the fittest to expresse Him And indeed if it were possible for a man to contract all his notions into one mark it if it were possible for him to conceive at once whatsoever he apprehendeth then that Conceit that he conceiveth in his understanding it would be that man's wisdom and that man's truth because it containeth whatsoever he hath in his heart Such a word is Christ in reference to his Father Whatsoever there is in the Father of wisdom it is expressed there whatsoever excellency is in God it is in the Son Thence it is that Christ is Christ both Wisdom and Truth so frequently called Wisdom and set forth by that name Prov. 8. And he is called Truth I am the way and the truth and the life And there would be the whole of a man's wisdom in that notion which will contain all his apprehension at once So it is in Christ which is the wisdom of his Father That is one thing It may help us something in conceiving the unconceivable and unexpressible Generation of the Son from the Father Secondly It may help us to conceive of the Father according to what we read of the Son and to conceive of the Son according to what we read of the Father because the Son is the expresse Image of the Father's Person Therefore it is of great use for poor penitent sinners that with the Publican stand afar off and dare not lift up their eyes to Heaven For howsoever they conceive some hope in regard of Christ yet they are affraid God the Father will never pardon them They look at Christ as a Saviour all of Bowells Many poor souls have strange apprehensions of God the Father as if he were altogether a consuming fire therefore no pardon to be expected from him But here is for thy comfort Christ Comfort to penitent sinners whatsoever he is is the expresse Image of the Father's Person therefore what thou findest in Christ thou maist find in the Father Was Christ so full and free-hearted as to be ready to help every poor soul in the daies of his flesh He is but the Father's Image and thou maist find the same disposition in the Father Thou maist go to God as to Christ if he were here in the flesh On the other side If any man Terrour to stubborn sinners be a stubborn and presumptuous sinner that dareth go on to walk in the lust of his eyes and pride of his heart and flatter himself with these thoughts Lord have mercy upon me will save him on his death-bed Howsoever there may be some rigour expected from the Father why Christ will have mercy upon him Christ dyed for him and will save him And he needeth make no question of the love of Christ of his affection and readinesse to help him though he walketh in the stubbornnesse of his wicked heart Let such a one know That God as he will by no means clear the guilty so nor will Christ too Mark that place for this Exod. 23. 20. Behold saith God there I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared That Angel was Christ for it is said that they provoked Christ in the Wildernesse Therefore it was Christ Now mark Beware of him and obey his voyce provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions Why for my name is in him Christ is just as I am saith God the Father here and as severe to sinners as I am Therefore provoke him not he will not pardon Kisse the Son lest he be angry The Son can be angry as well as the Father Though he be the Lamb of God yet that Lamb will turn Lion against them that disobey him and refuse to obey the Gospell of Christ The Lamb will be so angry as to make the great ones of the earth to cry Who shall deliver them from the wrath of the Lamb Rev. 6. Secondly In that Christ is called the Word in reference Vse 2 to the word uttering because he is the Interpreter of his Father's will and declareth the Father's mind to the sons of men Let us learn from hence to blesse Christ for all the knowledge we have of God and the things of God it is from him we have it he is the Word that hath declared it The onely begotten Son in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1. 18. If men think themselves so much beholding to their Tutors and School-masters that discover to them the hidden things of Arts and Sciences If Alexander was so much bound to his Master his School-master Aristotle his Instructor that he made a question Whether he were more bound to him for his teaching of him than to Philip his father for begetting of him Then what do we owe to Jesus Christ the great Tutor to whom we owe all our Learning Tutors and Fathers too for all Relations meet in him and all Duty is due to him And if He be the word uttering let none be ashamed of that work of the Ministry Some Gentlemen think it scorn to make their sons Ministers God the Father made his Son a Minister ye see and setteth the Lord Jesus Christ his onely Son to be a revealer of his will to the sons of men And if so something else may be learned from it Let us all take heed to what we hear It is Christ that is the word uttering What we find in Scripture and hear delivered according to the Scripture it is the word of Christ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom The power of the Word Preached Col. 3. 16. Ye must give me leave to tell you when men speak Scripture to you rightly interpreted and ye refuse to hear ye do not refuse men that speak from the
teacheth us to distinguish when he speaks of his being rapt up into the third Heaven Therefore there is a second and first as well as a third And these three Heavens were sweetly resembled by those three Courts in Solomons Temple There was the first Court the outward Court and the Court of the Gentiles which was common for all sorts of people to come into So is the first Heaven here below Men breathe in the aire birds and beasts they live and breathe in the aire which is the first Heaven The second Court was something more hidden In that the golden Candlesticks were which were the Lights that lighted the Temple So are the Sun Moon and Stars in the second Heaven The third Court was the Holy of Holies into which entred none but the high Priest And the third Heaven is the Heaven of Heavens into which Jesus Christ the high Priest is entred to prepare a place for all his Members All these Heavens were of Christ's making Hebr. 110. Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the World and the Heavens are the work of thy Hands The second head is the Earth the Circle of the World the pavement of this glorious Fabrick the foot-stool of the 2. Earth most high God Of his making it you have an excellent expression in Job Job 38. 4 5 6. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the Earth saith God there declare if thou hast understanding who hath laid the measure thereof if thou knowest or who hath stretched out the line thereof wherein are the foundations thereof fastned or who laid the Corner-stone thereof God hath so made it as to make it The admirablenesse of the fabrick of the Earth admirable to our understandings that such a vast body as the Earth is of a round figure and so fit for motion should be still immoveable a body so heavy should yet be able to hang as it doth in the midst of the air Why God hath fastned it by a Word of his own power Job 26. 7. He stretcheth out the North over the empty place and hangeth the Earth upon nothing Which of us can hang a ball in the aire without some support God He hangeth the Earth how upon nothing but upon the aire without side of it Then Thirdly the Sea Psal 95. 5. The sea is his and He made it so as to make all men rejoyce in the thoughts of it 3. Sea Psal 97. 1. The Lord reigneth let the Earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof It is with an Emphasis All sorts of men that dwell in Islands have much cause to rejoyce because God reigneth For if He did not Reign and Rule and bound the Seas with which they are compassed they would quickly be destroyed If God did God boundeth the Seas being above the Earth else the Islands would be destroyed not reign the naturall place of the Sea is above the Earth and how should we in this Island be overflowed in a moment if He bounded not the seas Ye shall see an elegant comparison in Job 38. 8 9 10. Who shutteth up the Sea with doors when it breaketh forth as if it had issued out of the Womb when I made the Clouds the garments thereof and thick darknesse a swadling band for it and brake up for it my decree'd place and set barres and doors Here he compareth the sea to a Child breaking out of the Womb of his Decree to a Child swadled as it were with a Cloud That is the expression Thick darknesse hath swadling bands for it And it is rock't as it were in a Cradle of Providence The fourth head is These All things as that place in Exodus telleth you are the things that are within this Heaven 4. All things and Earth and Sea And all things therein Which Paul reduceth to two heads Things Visible and Things Invisible Col. 1. 16. By Him were all things Created that are in Heaven and Earth visible and invisible Zanchius addeth a third branch to this distinction and maketh it more plain by saying That all things that were made are either visible or invisible or mixt Visible things as the Stars and Fouls and Clouds of Heaven the fish in the sea and beasts upon the earth Invisible things as the Angells they also were made They were not the Makers of the World as some Hereticks have thought Then there is a third sort of Creatures which are of a mixt nature partly visible in regard of their bodies and partly invisible in regard of their souls and those are Men. And so you have The all things Not to stand upon that I will passe to another head Secondly let us Consider In what order these things were made That so we may learn the more to magnifie the 2. In what Order Creatour This ye shall have under sundry Considerations No way more profitable First all things were made so in such an order as that 1. Heaven made before the Earth Heaven a place of blessednesse was made before the Earth the Stage of vanity In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth To teach us that we should begin our search and desires and love where God began his Work first at Heaven and then at Earth It is a Praeposterous course that is taken to begin with earth God did not so He first made the Heavens First seek the Kingdome of God Math. 6. 33. And yet through the Corruption of mens souls Curvae in terras animae Coelestium inanes The most are bowed down to the Earth and few look up towards Heaven There are in the Militant Church some dead and some living Children some true and some false Professors Suppose a Woman should have a dead and a living Child together in her Womb. The dead Child would make no way for his birth the living would so it is here such as are dead Professors in the Womb of the Church they do not make forward towards Heaven But every living soul that is born for Heaven and ordained for Heaven will to Heaven Every soul that is baptized with the Holy Ghost and with Fire hath a fire in it that will carry it up Heaven-ward Secondly as in order to the Creation Things of lesse perfection 2. Things lesse-perfect before more-perfect in the visible world were made before things that are more perfect as if ye come to the visible World especially not that otherwise the invisible Heavens are more perfect then any thing we see But I say the visible World God in the work of Creation went from things lesse perfect to those that had more perfection in them First he made the Elements then the mixt bodies compounded of them and amongst them such as had life before those that had sense and such as had sense before those that had reason A thing profitable to observe that so ye may look at Gods method both in Nature and Grace His method is
would have their voices to resound will make choice of Rocky places which send forth the best Eccho This Rock the Lord Jesus Christ is he that maketh our prayers to return with a blessing into our own bosoms You shall have many men that go to devotion and leave Christ behind them What a poor devotion is here The spirit of prayer is alwaies accompanied with Evangelicall humility with a mourning that floweth from our looking to Christ I know there is a great deal of legall sorrow in formall professors Men may go blubbering to hell without true repentance But here is a mourning that floweth from a looking up to Christ Where there is a spirit of Adoption men will speak from feeling which floweth from the apprehension of Christ and the certainty of God's grace in him Now this spirit of Adoption argueth Sonship But then commeth in the poor weak Believer and saith Object I am undone The other plead for themselves without a cause and he pleadeth as much against himself without a cause I cannot find such enlargement in prayer Surely the Spirit of Adoption is not in me if it were I should cry Abba Father with more importunity All Believers are not alike gifted there may be a gift of Answ prayer where there is not a spirit of prayer and a spirit of prayer where there are but poor gifts Haply thou canst onely chatter with Hezekiah like a Crane and Swallow yet consider whilst thou canst not speak there are two Spokes-men for thee the consideration whereof may render A Believer hath two Spokesmen to stand for him thee confident of success even in thy devotions how weak soever they be The lispings and stammerings of a child God liketh better then all the Oratory in the world The Spirit of God is in thee and the Blood of Christ is for thee The Spirit and We know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit maketh intercession in us And God knoweth the meaning of the Spirit and heareth the least whispers of his own Spirit in the soul of a poor Believer And then The Blood of Christ that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel the Blood of of Christ As Christ saith of himself it may be said of this Blood Father I know thou hearest me alwaies But I pass now from matter of Triall and I come now to matter of Exhortation All Dignity ye Use 2 know calleth for Duty Such as are partakers of this Priviledge To exhort to Duties of being the children of God they are obliged to certain Duties that flow from hence First Obedience The sons of Jonadab they were obedient 1. To Obedience to the commandment of their father Jer. 35. I set before the sons of the family of the Rechabites pots ful of wine and cups and I said unto them Drink wine But they said We must drink no wine for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father hath forbid us saying Drink no wine you nor your sons for ever Neither build houses nor sow seed nor plant ye vineyards but dwell in tents all your daies that ye may live all your daies upon the face of the earth where ye are inhabitants So we have hearkned to the voyce of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he commanded us So we drank no wine all our daies we nor our wives nor our sons nor our daughters When God hath said Drink not of the world's cup taste not of the world's dainties lest you surfeit on them it becommeth an obedint child to say My Father hath commanded me I dare not drink when he is tempted to the enjoyment of any unlawfull pleasures Mal. 3. 17. Ye read there of a son that serveth Indeed the best service God hath done him is by his sons all other services are little worth in comparison I will spare him as a man spareth his own son that serveth him The son goeth naturally and ingenuously about his father's work he doth it kindly much more kindly than a servant will that doth it onely for his wages Therefore of old they were wont to set their children to the work The chief work lay in husbandry We read of Rachel's keeping her father's sheep Gen 29. 6. and so of Jacob keeping his father in law's sheep Would we approve our selves children of God we must do the works of God Our Saviour beateth off the Pharisees from their plea upon this ground We are the children of Abraham say they If ye were saith Christ then would you do the works of Abraham Abraham believed in me No man can ever approve himself the child of God that doth not abound in the work of the Lord. The second Lesson is for Imitation Ephes 5. 1. Be ye 2. For Imitation followers of God as dear children It is naturall to children to imitate their parents look what the father doth the child is apt to learn the same If we be dear children we must be followers of God and walk in love as Christ hath loved us Blessed are the mercifull they shall be called the children of God Why Because that maketh it appear they follow God And so Be ye holy saith Peter 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy Thirdly We should learn from hence this Lesson that is 3. Learn Dependency upon God of Dependency Children hang upon their parents so should we upon God if we will carry our selves as becommeth sons This Argument Christ useth Matth. 6. 22. Take no thought saying What shall we eat and drink and be cloathed with for your heavenly Father knoweth you have need of all these things Leave the care of all these to your Father If ye were Orphans and had no father or if your father were not willing or not able to supply your wants then ye might be carefull but seeing you have an heavenly Father that knoweth all these things cast all your care upon him for He careth for you Doth not he tell us That he that provideth not for his owne family is the worst of Infidells Ye are of Gods family therefore be sure He will provide for you if ye trust Him Fourthly It teacheth us a lesson of Patience Hebr. 12. 4. It teacheth us to be patient 5. Forget not the exhortation which speaketh to you as Children My son despise not thou the Chastisements of the Lord For whom the Lord loveth He chastiseth Faint not under the correction of a Father and because it is from a Father that will lay on no more no longer than the Child standeth in need of it Herein that of our Saviour should be often in our thoughts Joh. 18. 11. The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it Why every affliction that befalleth me is a Cup out of my Fathers hand and from Him I should
Demetrius and the Silver-Smiths cried-up Act. 19. 28. Diana of the Ephesians because they got their Living by making of her Silver-shrines The merits of Christ will bring us more than the shrines of Diana can bring to them We shall have Life and Life Eternall with this Life Therefore we have more cause to cry up Great is the Lord Jesus Great is the Lord the Rock of our Salvation and our Righteousnesse And the rather because in few words the best way in the World to cry down both sin and errour is to cry up Christ Lust and Heresie both will fall like Dagon before the Ark if Christ were once up in men's hearts There is use of other Arguments and Considerations as of the Law and the terrour of the day of Judgement and torments of Hell these have their place There is nothing so effectuall to draw sinners out of hell as the setting up of Christ when they know Christ is Crucified they then are crucified with Christ A man may be terrified with the threats of the Law and thoughts of iudgement to come and yet have an heart filled with lust all this while If Christ once come into the heart he driveth out these lusts before him The like may be said of Errors Corrupt opinions If the Sun of Righteousnesse comes in it is his beams that causeth all these shadowes to fly away nothing so soon nothing so sure Instance in Popery There may be great use of preaching against the particular points of it against Purgatory Transubstantiation and Worshipping of images But if once a man could set up Christ in his heart How soon would these vanish Saith Calvin Popery cannot stand but where the ignorance of Christ is brought in for the knowledge of Christ maketh Popery to fall Christ and Antichrist are like two buckets in a Well if the one goeth up the other goeth down Popery cannot thrive in that soyl where Christ is planted Thus much from these words the manner of his bearing witnesse He came crying Thirdly For the Time that I told you lay in these 3. The time when he did bear witnesse words This was he of whom I spake Whence it is gathered That John the Baptist having testified of Christ when he came to his Baptism continued his bearing witnesse to him now when Jesus was gone into the wildernesse which ye know was presently after he was baptized That difference is between this Evangelist and the former he relateth what they omitted and omitteth many of those things that they relate The other had spoken of the testimony that John gave to Christ before he made himself known our Evangelist speaketh nothing of this but falleth upon those Testimonies which he gave to Christ after he was made known Now he was made known at his baptism This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Chemnitius maketh it appear plainly that what John saith in my Text was spoken after Christ was baptized when he was drawn aside into the wildernesse to be tempted of the Devill I said This was he yet he came after me and was before me Observe from hence this namely That the Baptist was honouring Christ when the devill was tempting of him Observ While Satan was using all his subtlery to overcome Christ in the wildernesse John is using all his earnestnesse and endeavour to cry him up to exalt him in the hearts of his hearers This is a speciall piece of Christian prudence for men to counterwork the devill to appear so much the more for Christ by how much the more Satan and his instruments appear against him There should be a kind of Antiperistasis in the soul of every believer as in the fire that burns hottest then when the aire round about it is coldest The middle Region is therefore coldest because the great heat of each takes the reflection from the lower and the upper heat above Such an Antiperistasis should be found in Christians they should be witnesses in the deadest times and their hearts should be softest in the hardest times and fullest of activity for Christ in the times of the greatest opposition against him As John is a honouring of him when the Devill is a tempting him The reason lyeth in that enmity which was put at first between the Serpent and the Seed of the woman for enmities work one against another contraries expell one another The Devill will be sure to crosse us if he can when we go to any spirituall duty as When the high Priest Zachary was standing before the Lord then it is said There was Satan standing at his right hand to resist him Zach. 3. 1. Therefore when we see Satan plotting any mischief we should stand at his right hand to resist him We should do what we can for Christ at such times more especially Then our service is most acceptable and most usefull For men not to be ashamed of Christ in the midst of a crooked and an adulterous generation yet for men to appear for Christ in a back-sliding generation run through the stories of all times and ye shall find this hath been the spirit of the Saints When Herod sought for Christ to destroy Matth. 2. 14. him in his Infancy then was Joseph and Mary most carefull of him and took him into Egypt When the Priests When Christ is most opposed then we should most appear for Him and Levites and Scribes and Pharisees did much oppose him in his Members then the Apostle's most of all appeared for him and tell the Rulers to their faces Whether it be better to obey God or man judge ye In the Primitive times when it was death to bear the name of a Christian then did Pausanius when they asked him what he was say My name is Christian and my sirname is Catholick His name was Christian to distinguish him from Hereticks and those that opposed Christianity I need not tell you of our Worthies in Queen Mary's daies that not onely by their Writings but by their Sufferings witnessed for Christ not onely in black and white but in red too It should be so still the very thoughts of their flames should kindle zeal in us Christ is opposed even at this day in many waies therefore we should strive for him There are many tempters and revilers now therefore Christ should have many Champions now Heaven and Earth may both teach us this lesson Time was when our Saviour came to the men of Bethlehem He came to his own and his own received him not they refused to entertain Christ as became him Then doth the Star from heaven own him that comes and sheweth Matth. 2. 9. the Wise-men where he was and standeth before the house Afterwards when his own rejected him Not him but Barabbas said they When the Jewes that pronounced Joh. 18. 40. him not worthy to live had got their ends then the Sun is darkned and the Earth quaked they owned their Lord and Maker then when the
such a Court that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now saith the Apostle the Law in this sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not lye against a righteous man If ye will have the clear meaning of this see Gal. 5. 23. The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace meekness Against such there is no law Make up the meaning betwixt these two Gal. 5. 23. and 1 Tim. 1. 9. The Law is not made for a righteous man That is Made to direct him not to condemn him Then to have done with this There is no such great cause why the Ministers of Christ should be afraid of medling with the Law in their Sermons So long as we preach the Law with the same intent that God gave it we may preach it without fear God gave the Law with a double subserviency Before our Conversion the Law is subservient to lead a man to Christ and after our Conversion the Law is subservient to direct us in the way to Christ God gave the Law for The Law given for Evangelical ends Evangelicall ends and men should preach the Law for Evangelicall ends not to set up a covenant of Works but to drive them out of themselves to Christ and then when they are in Christ to help to guid them in the way of holiness To preach the Law as Christ himself preached it Matth. 5. who spent a great part of that Sermon in the Mount upon the Law And then for People as well as for Preachers they need not fear having respect to the Law David said I shall not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy commandments Some seem to be ashamed to have respect to any of the commandments of God Certainly Brethren if ye will obey the Law out of Evangelicall principles as it was given for Evangelicall ends you need never to be afraid of observing it They are the same precepts to a man converted but they are observed out of new principles yet the precepts continue the same Hest 2. 10. it is said that she had not yet shewed her kindred and people as Mordechai had charged her that she should not shew it She was obedient to Mordechai all the while she had been under his government and when she was Queen yet still she doth the commandment of Mordechai When men are ingraffed into Jesus Christ they are still bound to do the commandments of the Law as before then they were bound under the curse of it for fear but now out of love Here the grace of Christ will make them more obedient because it teacheth them to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts I have done with this Now to the next Verse which runneth thus Vers 18. No man hath seen God at any time The onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father He hath declared Him Ye may perceive by what ye read Joh. 9. how zealous the Jews were for Moses and how prejudiciall against Christ Joh. 9. 28 29. Then they reviled him and said Thou art his disciple but we are Moses his disciples We know that God spake unto Moses but as for this fellow we know him not whence he is And therefore the Evangelist here to take away this misapprehension of theirs having in the seventeenth verse preferred Christ before Moses and the Gospel before the Law Because the Jews that spake so much of God's speaking to Moses and appearing to him were ready to object But God spake face to face with Moses Therefore the Evangelist here prefers Christ and sheweth a greater intimacy between God and Christ than between God and Moses No man hath seen God at any time no not Moses but the onely begotten Son Moses had some sight of God but in apparition He desired to see God face to face but was denyed onely he was not denyed the sight of some similitude of God Numb 12. 8. With him will I speak mouth to mouth even apparently and not in dark speeches and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold Moses beheld the similitude of the Lord but Christ was in the Father's bosom and so saw him face to face as never man saw him There are three Assertions in this place The first concerneth the Invisibility of God No man hath seen God at any time The second concerneth the Intimacy of Christ with the Father The onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father The third concerneth the Discovery of the Father by Christ He hath declared him Of these three in their order First That which concerneth the Invisibility of God No man hath seen God at any time For the right understanding whereof ye must know that God may here be considered either in reference to his Essence or his Counsell and accordingly there is a two-fold sight of God A Beatificall vision and A Scientificall vision A Beatificall vision of God in reference to his Essence And a Scientificall vision of God in reference to his Counsel I dare not exclude neither of these in reference to the Text because the words which follow seem to have Christ in both The onely begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Christ in the bosom of his Father when on earth Father That implyeth Christ to have a beatificall vision of God in his Essence even here upon the face of the earth because he was then even in the bosome of the Father And he must needs see the Essence of God that is essentially God himself He that hath the same essence with the Father must needs see the essence of the Father He is the onely begotten Son therefore he hath the beatificall vision of the Father Then He lyeth in the bosome of the Father therefore He hath the scientificall vision of the Father too in both which respects he was able to declare the Father Speak we then first of this Clause No man hath seen God at any time as it refers to the No man during the state of mortality can see God beatificall vision of God in his essence The meaning will be this No man that is no meer man for Christ who is God-Man must be excepted No man hath seen God that is God in his essence for God in apparitions hath been seen by many No man hath seen God at any time namely during his life during the state of mortality so it is to be limited That answer which God gave to Moses Exod. 33. 20. when he desired the sight of God The Lord said Thou canst not see my face for no man shall see me and live you must take it in sensu composito that is No man upon the face of the earth shall see me no living man while he liveth upon the face of the earth can see the face of God in his Essence Otherwise there is a time while men do live and live most happily namely when they are in a state of glory then they do see the face of God then face to face saith Paul
with faith in us that is a secret To keep the Sabbath is a common thing but to call the Sabbath a delight that is a secret Would we be acquainted with the secrets of the power of godlinesse let us go to Jesus Christ who is onely conscious to all the secrets of God seek to him that he would reveal them to us by his Spirit for He is in the bosome of the Father So I have done with the second thing I come now to the third thing concerning the discovery of the Father by Christ He hath declared him You have heard of a two-fold sight of God a Beatificall and Scientificall vision A Beatificall Vision in Reference to his Essence A Scientificall Vision in Reference to his Counsell And that Christ the onely begotten Son may not be excluded from either of these the next Clause implieth Which is in the bosome of his Father I say It implieth That Christ the Son hath a beatificall vision of God the Father even in his essence here while upon the face of the earth amongst the Children of men And besides this He must needs see the essence of God that is essentially God himselfe And His lying in the bosome of the Father implieth That he could not but have the scientificall vision of the Father Hence we inferre that none is fitter to declare the Father then he that saw the Father and none more able to shew forth the mind and the Counsell of the Father then he that lay in the Father's bosome The onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father He hath declared him The word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is an Emphasis in the expression and Erasmus noteth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de eo dicitur qui res alioqui latentes obscuras planè ac dilucidè declarat It is oftentimes spoken of him that revealeth obscure and hidden things and maketh manifest things otherwise not to be revealed And it is properly to be applied to Divine and Heavenly Mysteries Hence there ariseth a difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first is properly applied to divine and heavenly mysteries the other to vulgar and things more obvious and common And some think that Christ in the beginning of this Chapter is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word because he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father's Interpreter or he that declareth the mind and will of the Father So then Concerning the discovery of the Father by Christ two things are to be observed First The person declaring Christ Secondly The person declared the Father First The person declaring From hence note two things The Fitnesse of the Messenger The Fulnesse of the Message First The fitnesse of the Messenger by whom in these latter times the deep mysteries of the Father's Divine essence and will so farre as is necessary to Salvation is declared For Jesus Christ the onely begotten Son of God that lay in the bosome of the Father who is the expresse Image of his Person Heb. 1. 3. hath shewed to us the Invisible glory and made it visible so farre as we are capable to behold it An expression you have to confirm this out of the mouth of Christ himselfe Matth. 11. 27. All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom soever the Son will reveal him Joh. 6. 46. No man hath seen the Father save he that is of God he hath seen the Father Secondly The fulnesse of the Message that Christ hath declared which is indeed Every thing necessary for man's Salvation and whatsoever Christ hath declared is true profitable wholesome and sufficient Therefore no leaving the Word of Christ and flying to human Traditions for saith he Joh. 3. 11. Verily verily I say unto you we speak that we do know and testifie that we have seen And Hebr. 1. 1. God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son The words in the originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by piece-meal darkly by riddles and visions formerly but now he hath clearly declared not onely himselfe by his Son but whatsoever else so much as our frail natures and weak capacities can reach unto tending to the salvation of all the Elect of God Secondly The next thing is the Person declared That is the Father or the mind and will of the Father or more plainly Christ that lay in the bosome of the Father hath declared from the Father's bosome the glorious mystery of man's Redemption his Justification by faith and the way to everlasting happinesse and glory I now go on to as brief an Application First Doth Christ declare the mind of the Father get then Intimacy and Familiarity with Jesus Christ Take Him into thy heart that lay in the bosome of the Father For what greater stay can we have in the time of trouble and what more supporting Comfort and consolation in the hour of Temptation than to be acquainted with and united to him that is the Churches Head and our Lord and Saviour the onely begotten Son of God and to lye in the bosome of the Father Secondly Take notice of the Dignity of a Christian that hath so able and so gratious an Interpreter even the Eternall Son of God He it is that to us declareth the will and layeth open the whole Counsell of his Father Thirdly Let dignity oblige you to duty If Jesus Christ declareth the will of the Father then upon the life of your souls it exceedingly much concerneth you diligently to observe and carefully to attend unto what Christ declareth Learning alwayes to submit to the will of the Father thus declared by his Son that his Name alone may be glorified and our souls Eternally saved FINIS