this Tomb for nothing And so indeed the creature hath no satisfaction in it A man comes and thinks to find much and he hath there nothing but a sad lesson for himself to carry away with him Wherefore let us no longer play the Prodigall seeing there is bread in our Father's house let us not go to feed upon husks the creatures are no better All is vanity and worse they are not onely vanity but vexation of spirit which ariseth from the disappointment of a man's hopes when a man is vexed when he is frustrated looks for much and finds a little That is his case here a man looks for contentment and findeth trouble As our Saviour in the daies of his flesh it is said He went to the fig-tree expecting Mar. 11. 13. fruit and found none therefore he was provoked and cursed the tree Many a one leaves the creature with a curse which he sought after with expectation of satisfaction from it Oh! it is a cursed preferment and pleasure saith he even of that very thing which he thought would have fully satisfied his soul when he first enjoyed it But now this fulness of Christ is such as there is no vanity in it no vexation from it nay so far is it from vexation that it giveth satisfaction which nothing else can give Psal 36. 8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them to drink of the rivers of thy pleasure For vexation in the one here is satisfaction in the other and for those drops of pleasure which men find in the creature here is rivers of pleasure such are those everlasting joyes that are in Christ For the pleasures of the creature here are Rivers every man may have his fill If it were a Cistern an Army might come and empty that But here is enough therefore I need not to envy another's satisfaction there is enough for all that come to Christ I have now done with the first Observation of the first part of my Text. The Second hath diverse Branches The first that offers it self is the Partakers hereof and those are a great many We all saith the Apostle here We all have received even grace for grace A short Observation is to be taken from thence namely Observ That all the members of Christ are partakers of some spirituall endowments We all have received of his fulnesse Not one but Christ imparts something to in his measure Therefore it is clearly said by the Apostle Ephes 4. 7. Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Here is grace and grace to every one and grace from Christ to every one yet to every one in his measure not alike measure to all but some measure to each One star saith the Apostle differs from another in glory Not a Star but receiveth light from the Sun the 1 Cor. 15. 41. one receiveth more light than the other Therefore there is a different glory in the Stars The Lord Jesus shineth upon every believing soul but not upon every one in a like lustre You know there was a time when Esau question'd his father's store strongly Hast thou but one blessing my father Gen. 27 38 but no man needeth to question the store of this everlasting Father he hath more blessings than one he hath some blessings Christ hath blessings for every Member for every Member of his We have all received Therefore it is said Mal. 2. 15. And did not he make one yet had he the residue of the spirit Some read Abundance and some read Residue of spirit both well God hath given endowments of spirit to an hundred and he hath a residue of spirit for a thousand more and when he hath endowed a thousand thousands he hath a residue of spirit for ten thousand millions more Ephes 2. 5. Which is the head Even when we were dead in sins hath he quickned us together with Christ by grace ye are saved Here is one head but many members The Head is Christ the Believers are the members All the members of the body they are compact together saith this place The whole body is joyned together by the bones that meet in the joynts and let into one another Compact by that which every joynt supplieth So the souls of believers as they are all knit to Christ their Head so they are let into one another by a spirit of love And something every joynt supplieth therefore every joynt hath its particular work As there is a vegetative power in the soul that putteth forth it selfe to every member One member to the proportion of an arm another of an hand another of a finger So there is a working of the spirit of grace in the whole body of Christ that brings every member to its proportion one to this degree another to that which God hath predestin'd him to Therefore it is that the growth of every member upon the increase of the body helps to the edifying of it selfe in love Look then that as in the body every member shares with the soul that bringeth it to the perfection due to that member So doth every believer share with the spirit of Christ in some spirituall indowment fit for his station It may be of great use to us First It may serve as an Antidote against scornfulnesse and contempt Secondly As a spurre to improve First The consideration of this truth That all the members of Christ partake of some spirituall indowment We 1. Spirituall indowments are as Antidotes to keep us from scorning and contemning one another all have received serveth as an Antidote against scornfulnesse and contempt of one another If every man hath received his part Who art thou that despisest thy brother Prov. 17. 5. Who so mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker And he that is glad at Calamity shall not be unpunished It pleaseth God to make him so therefore to mock him is to reproach God so to contemn the poor Saint for want of those parts to expresse himselfe by that thou hast thy reproach is to the Spirit of God God hath purposely dispenced his gifts and graces so that there is no believer but hath some and none that hath all indowments in an eminent way None hath all that he may not think to stand alone And none but hath some that every one may have use of another that the highest should not contemn the meanest The head should not say to the foot I have no need of thee As it is in Countries Non omnes fert omnia Tell us one Country produceth Wines another Sugars another Spices God hath purposely so done this that one Kingdome might have interest one with another In the like manner God hath ordered things in his mysticall body and given to all his members severall indowments that they might not contemn one another As it is in a materiall building where there is a sort of stones laid
Christ seen in his Oracles In his Oracles In his Miracles First In his Oracles namely his discourses and Sermons and Heavenly sayings that proceeded out of his mouth They came from him with such a glory as amazed the hearers and made them acknowledge that he spake with authority Matth. 7. 28 29. It came to passe when Jesus had enae these sayings the people were aston shed at his Doctrine For he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes Here was a dazelling glory shined out from the words of Christ in so much as they could scarce apprehend him they had not power to lay hold on him but returned and said Never man spake like this Man What was flatteringly said of Herod is true of the Lord Jesus Christ in regard of his Ministry The voice of God and not of man not of meer man but of him that was both God and Man So this glory the Apostles saw in his Oracles for they conversed with him Secondly In his Miracles Divine glory shined in them 2. In his Miracles As it is said of the first Miracle he did Joh. 2. 11. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Canaan of Galilee and manifested forth his glory and his Disciples believed on him And so when he had raised Lazarus from the dead it is said Joh. 11. 4. This sicknesse is not to death but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified thereby The Lord Jesus Christ intended his owne glory in raising of Lazarus And so by all his other Miracles This was a Divine glory Because never any raised the dead as he did Other instances ye have of others raising some dead ones as Elisha the Shunamites son 2 King 4. â—3 34. and Paul Eutychus Acts 20. 10. But here is the difference Christ raised them by his owne power they by the power of Christ So The glory as the onely begotten of God appeared onely in his Miracles and not in theirs Luk. 14. 7. It is said of Christ He touched the bier and they stood still And Christ said I say to thee Arise Here Christ speaks to men I say to thee whereas what the Apostles did they acknowledged it done not by their owne power but by Christ Acts 3. 12 13. And when Peter saw it he answered unto the people Ye men of Israel why marvail ye at this or why look ye so earnestly on us as though by our own power and holinesse we had made this man to walk The God of Abraham and of Isaack and of Jacob the God of our fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus whom ye delivered up and denied him in the presence of Pilate His Name through faith in his Name hath made this man whole So as it was the Glory of Jesus that appeared even in the Miracles of the Disciples These are the things wherein he did especially appear For the times they are these two 2. The times when The time of his Transfiguration The time of his Ascension First The Disciples beheld his glory as the glory of 1. At his Transfiguration the onely begotten of the Father at his Transfiguration of which ye read Matth. 17. When his Face shined and his Raiment glittered having Moses and Elias James Peter and John there who were the spectators of all This Moses had begged long before and said Lord shew me thy Exod. 33. 13. glory Some piece of an answer God gave him when he passed before him and shewed some piece of his glory But here God sheweth his glory upon mount Tabor when Christ was Transfigured We beheld his glory namely at the Transfiguration John was one there and Peter was another as well as John And he speaks dearly of it 2 Pet. 1. 17. For he telleth you of the voice that came from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him Referring to that time and that place the time of our Saviours Transfiguration upon that Mount Mark 9. 2 3 4 5. vers And after six daies Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves and he was transfigured before them and his raiment became shining exceeding white as snow so as no fuller on earth can whiten them And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses and they were talking with Jesus The second time wherein they beheld this glory of Christ was the time of his Ascension which the Disciples 2. At his Ascension were spectators of Acts 2. 9. And when he had spoken these things while they beheld him He was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight This cloud was Veh culum Regale a Royall Chariot wherein Christ rode up to glory And glory was not onely the terme to which he went but he went in a glorious way As you may understand that in Timothy Great is the mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh seen of angels believed of in the world received up into glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You see by this time the truth of the Proposition Let us see what use we can make of it and then proceed First take notice of one great end of Christ's Incarnation Use 1 which was That his glory might be seen He was made Christ was incarnated to shew his Glory flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory Till then the glory of Christ was invisible but now by taking flesh he exposed himself and his glory to view God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. Indeed the flesh of Christ was a vail to him but a mirror and glasse to us To him a Vail to observe the glory which he had from all Eternity with God the Father as the Son of God but to us a Mirrour in which we beheld this glory of God which was never till now exposed to view or not so fully As God is invisible so his glory is too dazling for our weak eyes But we that cannot behold the Sun in its sphear may behold the Sun in a bason of water We that cannot behold the glory of God as in it self may behold it in Christ in the veil of his flesh Therefore he was manifested that he might be seen Secondly Be exhorted from hence to take a view of 2. Let us take a view of his glory as the Disciples did the glory of Christ as the Disciples did We cannot in the same manner yet we have one way wherein we may do it For Christ exposeth himself and his glory to believers in the glasse of the Gospell 2 Cor. 3. ult But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even aâ— by the Spirit of the Lord. To that end he hath appointed the Ministry of the Word and furnished his Ministers with gifts 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded light
to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hears that we should give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Therefore in your attendance upon the Ministry of the Gospell let it be your aim still to see something of Christ's glory in it And do as the Disciples did We beheld his glory as in a Theater Let it be our care to view Christ and the things of Christ as they are represented to us in a Theater Ye know how greedy men are of such objects they cannot satisfie their eyes with seeing Pageants and such kind of showes besides things upon a Stage are seen with a great deal of delight Insomuch as Augustine when he would exphesse the joyes of Christians in the midst of their greatest sorrow hath this excellent expression of it Orantium dâ—lciores sunt lachrimae quà m omnium gaudia Theatrorum saith he The tears of praying Christians have morè sweetnesse in them than all the joyes of the Theaters or of the Stages Certainly there never came such a spectacle never such a thing to be viewed as the glory of Christ is never any thing so well worth the viewing Let it therefore be our care to do as the Apostle exhorts us to be looking up to Jesus That is very emphaticall Heb. 12. 2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of God The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath a double force in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 looking off first and then looking upon We must look off from the world which our hearts are too much glued to and then look up to Jesus otherwise if we busie our minds too much with carnall things our hearts will be so full of the relish of them as we cannot savour of the things of God Certainly brethren we have presidents for this take Paul a man that busied himself in this great work of beholding the glory of Christ throughout his whole course after his conversion therefore he desired no other learnlng but Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. I determined not to know any thing amongst you save Jesus Christ and him crucified He valued no other wealth The knowledge of Christ to be preferred before all things but the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3. 8. I count all things but losse and drosse for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ Where was his learning and wealth and joy and great delight It was in the beholding of Christ he gloried in nothing else Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ Beloved the Crosse of Christ shall be our Crown if we love to make the glory of Christ our study Thirdly take this third use into your meditations of 3. Meditation on Christ's excellency raiseth our apprehensions above all created glories the excellency of Christ raising your apprehensions above all created glories for his glory is the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father Ye wrong Christ if your apprehensions of him be not higher than those you have of any creature His hath a glory far above theirs above the glory of the Celestiall bodies and the glory of Men above the Angels and Cherubims Therefore the Apostle taketh a great deal of pains to prefer Christ above the Angels that our thoughts may go beyond in the excellency of Christ above any other creatures Whence it is that Joh. 5. 23. all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him So I have done with that Clause 4. The fourth thing in my Text remaineth that is The singular Qualifications of Christ's Person Full of Grace and Truth Christ was full of grace and truth That is our Observation All sorts of grace in Christ It pleased the Father saith the Apostle Col. 1. 19. that in him should all fulnesse dwell all fulnesse of all sorts of grace whether ye look to the kinds or degrees of grace the fulnesse of both sorts There were all kinds of grace in Christ Those graces which were scattered amongst the Saints one excelling in this grace another in that Moses in meeknesse Job in patience David in thankfulnesse and Joseph in chastity and so in the rest they are all united in Christ So for the measure and degrees of grace as he hath of all kinds so the utmost degree of every kind To Ministers graces are given in a scant proportion and measured out according as God hath allotted to every one his proportion as the Apostle speaks Ephes 4. 7. Unto every one of us is grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ But to Christ himself it is above measure Joh. 3. 34. God gave not the Spirit by measure to him he doth not stand meting it out but poureth it out upon him So that look whatsoever grace a human nature void of sin is capable of that was all poured out upon Christ Full of grace It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it should be the mansion-house of all fulnesse so as there shall be no defect Adam was full of grace in his condition but fell from it and the Angels full but many of them turned Apostates but Christ hath no defect in his Nature it is a fulnesse and a dwelling fulnesse But this is too generall Full Of what Full of grace and full of truth First Of grace Grace is a word of various acceptation 1. Christ is ful of grace and admitteth of many distinctions I shall onely meddle with such as are applicable to this place Grace is twofold it is taken either Active or Passive There is Active-grace Gratia gratis dans Givinggrace Passive-grace Gratia gratis data Grace given Active grace is that good-will out of which God bestoweth his benefits upon the gratious Passive grace grace given is that which is bestowed either upon the body or upon the soul or upon the whole person First A grace bestowed upon the bodies of men and r. Grace bestowed upon the bodies of men that is Beauty which properly cometh under the notion of grace in that sense Favour is deceitfull and beauty is vain Prov. 31. 30. Gratia fallax est saith the Latine translation grace is deceitfull taking grace for beauty So the Heathens they called those goddesses of theirs Charites the Graces That is grace upon the body but that is the lowest Secondly There is grace bestowed upon the Soul and 2. Upon rhe Soul those are rather Gifts tending to Edification as gifts of Prophecy and the like or to Salvation as
ΘΕἈÎΘΡΩΠΟΣ OR God-Man BEING AN EXPOSITION Upon the first Eighteen verses of the first chapter of the Gospel according to St JOHN Wherein is most Accurately and Divinely handled the Divinity and Humanity of Jesus Christ proving him to be God and Man Coequall and Coeternall with the Father To the confutation of severall Heresies both Ancient and Modern By that Eminently Learned and Reverend Divine JOHN ARROWSMITH D. D. Late Master of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge and Professor of Divinity there The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before the works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was Prov. 8. 22 23. Quid est Deus Mens universi Quid est Deus Quod vides totum et quod non vides totum Sic demum Magnitudo sua illi redditur quia nihil majus excogitari potest Si solus est omnia opus suum extrà et intrà tenet Seneca London Printed for Humphrey Moseley and William Wilson and are to be sold at the Prince's Armes in St Paul's Church-yard and in Well-yard neer St Bartholomew's Hospitall 1660. TO THE READER WHat was said to the highest praise and Commendations out of the mouth of Truth it selfe concerning John the Baptist John 5. 35. may not unfitly be spoken of the Learned Authour of this mysterious Treatise That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was a burning and a shining Light who by his indefatigable and unwearied studie in the sublime mysteries of the Gospel did spend and waste himself to the socket and utmost end of his last breath to explicate the darkest places of the sacred Scriptures that he might give light to others in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And though this Piece be a Posthumus yet it speaketh the living praise of its departed Authour And cannot but discover its selfe to be the product of so holy and learned a Divine as the Author was The matter it selfe declareth the excellencie of his worth and the largenesse of his capacity in the right apprehending and dividing of the word of truth to the confuting of heresies and damnable errors It may well be said of him as of Athanasius of old Maluit sedem quà m fidei syllabam mutare He had while he was rather have lost whatsoever profits and preferments were cast upon him than to have altered or forsaken the least syllable or Iota of his Christian-faith who after he had fought a good fight kept the faith and finished his course with joy is accepted into glory Our losse and the Churches deprivation of him became his gain his advantage For the Prophets doe not live for ever Zach. 1. 5. which may give us just occasion to wish Jeremiah's wish Oh that our heads were full of water and our eyes fountaines of teares that we might weep day and night for the Prophets that are taken away from us And amongst them for this Prophet of whom I may say the Poets words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he was one of a Thousand With what diligence and with what studie and paines with what good conscience with what integrity and uprightnesse he did carry himselfe in the constant course of his life those that were most intimate with him cannot but testifie All that knew any thing of him knew the truth of all His manner of Preaching did shew indefatigable great pains and labour being one of the most hard courses that could be undergone which was by way of Paraphrase and Explication of the most mysterious and obscure Texts of the Sacred Scriptures Great dexterity good judgement and profound and admirable learning were everywhere manifested in his Ministry He was noted in the Vniversity for one of prime wit and sharp conceipt plain in the delivery of the word yet so that any one might discern there was both judgement much learning and wisdome mixt therewith He had a soul that aspired after much more than so weak and sickly a body was able to undergoe He put forth his strength beyond his strength to doe good Even as a Taper that doth wast it self to give light to others so did he exhaust himself strengh and vitall parts to give light to all Nothing made him for some time before his death to give off his Ministry but weakness disability of body So that he must have this testimony that he did service to God and his Church as long as God would have him to do service to him on earth And many have cause to weep though not for him who is now translated to glory yet for themselves in the loss of so faithfull and carefull a dispencer of the word of God I dare say no more lest while I indeavour to declare his worth and dignity I should do him wrong Had he lived to have supervised this work no question but it would have passed his hand with more politenesse and authority I now desire thee not only to read but throughly to weigh and consider the worth and excellency of the heavenly matter contained therein That that God that causeth light to shine out of darknesse may cause the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ to shine in all our hearts more more to the perfect day Which at the Throne of grace shall be continually prayed for by him that is Thine in the Lord T. A. ΘΕἈÎΘΡΩΠΟΣ OR GOD made MAN JOHN 1. ver 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God ANcient Records tell us That before the first Writing of this Book The Churches of God set upon the Work of Fasting and Prayer by the Appointment of St. John That so they might seek Divine assistance How much more need have I at this time to beg your Prayers before I begin and all the while I shall continue to expound this Glorious Gospell It is therefore my hearty and humble request to you all that your Prayers may neither be denied nor sparingly put up for me That as Augustine pray'd for himselfe in reference to the whole Scriptures Domine sint Castae deliciae meae Scripturae Sanctae Lord let thy holy Scriptures be my chast delight Nec fallar in iis nec fallam alios ex iis Let me neither be deceived in them nor let me deceive others out of them So that you would pray on my behalfe That I may neither my selfe be deceived in the mis-understanding of the sublime places of this Book not mis-guide you by giving you either false or impertinent Interpretations of them What progresse I shall make herein God onely knoweth But in the Confidence of His assistance not in mine owne strength which I acknowledge to be farre below many others I shall enter upon this first Chapter after I have premised by way of preface something concerning The Title of this sublime book The Writer The Occasion The Scope And likewise something concerning the Difference
between it and the other Three Gospells First for the Title It is a Gospell The Gospell according to St. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth Glad-tidings Salvation by Christ imparted gladdeth the heart good newes No tydings in the world so good as those that impart Salvation by Christ And that Message was never so clearely delivered as under the New Testament though under the Old it was but more obscurely Therefore though there were Gospell in the Old Testament yet yee do not find it called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Promises But in the New Testament this message goeth under a new name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely the Gospel Rom. 1. 1. Paul a servant of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle separate to the Gospell of God The four first Books of the New Testament because they do most lively hold forth to you the History of Christ's Incarnation and Conversation and Passion and Resurrection and Ascension and his Sermons and Miracles Therefore they are called peculiarly by this name of Gospell All the other Books they do but inlarge and apply and illustrate these four Evangelists Even as all the Prophets under the Old Testament were but as so many Commentators upon Moses Now if it be lawfull to compare Scripture with Scripture for some kind of difference there is As in pieces of Gold though all be pure Gold yet some have a clearer stamp then others So all divine truths in Scripture are divine truths yet there is a clearer truth in some places then in others Therefore you Evangelium Sancti Iohannis est Evangelium Evangeliorum may call this of John The Gospell of Gospells as Solomon's Song was called the Song of Songs If it be lawfull to compare Scripture with Scripture He that brings glad Tydings we say He may knock at any man's door Here are glad Tydings indeed The Gospell what is that Certainly glorious things are spoken of Thee Oh Thou Gospell of God as he said of the City of God Glorious things c. It is called the Glorious Gospell of the Blessed God Such a phrase you have 1 Tim. 1. 11. according to the Glorious Gospell of the Blessed God which is committed to my trust It is called else where The Gospell of the Kingdome There is no coming to Heaven but by the Gospell Math. 4. 23. Preaching the Gospell of the Kingdome It is called the Gospell of Peace Rom. 10. 16. How beautifull are the feet of them that Preach the Gospell of peace and bring glad Tydings of good things It is called the Gospell of the Grace of God Acts 20. 24. That I might finish my Course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospell of the Grace of God Would you then have Glory or Peace or Grace or Kingdome listen then to the Gospell So much for the Title Secondly for the Writer of this Book The Pen-man of it It is John The Gospell according to John Matthew Mark Luke and John these four drew the Chariot in which Christ rid all the World over And amongst them four John hath a kind of preheminency The Ancients are wont to compare these four to those four beasts in Ezekiel Ezek. 1. 10. who had the faces of a Man of an Oxe of a Lyon and of an Eagle and they make John the Eagle because he soareth aloft more than all the rest in the Contemplation of Christ's Divinity The Eagle maketh his Nest on high as it is in Job The Eagle can do that which the other fouls of the aire are not able to do It can look upon the Sun in its highest beauty Behold the Eagle of the Gospell looking upon Christ in his Divine nature and expressing that more then all the other Evangelists They that are given to Divine speculation know the flight of this Eagle You that would be heavenly-minded listen to what John telleth you John John's Title whom the Lord loveth That is his Title There was leaning on Jesus Bosome one of his Disciples whom Jesus loved The likelier man to reveale secrets who was in the Bosome of Christ We are wont to communicate our secrets to our friends to those whom we love most You may expect to hear of Christs secrets from the Disciple whom Jesus loved And therefore saith Augustine John drew out of the bosome Christs secrets are revealed to his best beloved ones of Christ the very Heart of Christ what he was about to make known to the World The King sendeth a messenger to you and by his Favourite you expect to know the whole mind of the Prince because his Favourite is the messenger Here is the Disciple whom Christ loved And not onely so but John the Sonne of Thunder that is a true Title of his which onely he and his brethren shared in Mark 3. 17. James the sonne of Zebedee and John the brother of James He nameth them Boanerges which is the sonnes of Thunder to rowse men from security Here is Thunder in the Gospell So many Words so many Thunder-Claps John was now to deal with desperate Heretiques That denied the Divinity of Christ and here is Thunder for them enough to affright them all Junius was not able to stand Junius how converted before the force of this Thunder-clap He himselfe telleth us That in his youth he was given to Atheism and drowned in Cursed principles and the first thing that brought him to the Knowledge of a God was the beginning of this Chapter of John He cast his eyes upon these words and professed that he was not himselfe of a long time after he sâ—w so much Majesty therein beyond all humane Rhetorick that he was not himselfe of a long time after This Junius that Translated the Bible speaketh of himselfe There is a mistake amongst people as if there were no powerfull preaching but that which is Clamorous preaching As if the goodnesse of a mans Sermon were to be made out of the goodnesse of his Longues and not out of the matter by the goodnesse of the delivery and not by the sublimity of the Doctrine Here is John the meekest of the Disciples the most beloved Disciple of them all a Man of a meek spirit as we read in his Story yet this John hath something of Thunder in him How By the effect of his Doctrine not by the height of his voyce As it is said of Pericles a great and famous Orator in Athens He Thundered and ratled in his speech And so John in his Doctrine the sonne of Thunder in that respect Thirdly you must Consider the occasion of John's writing this Gospell When the Pastor was absent the Wolves broke in upon the Flock When John was banished into Patmos by Domitian Ebion and Cerinthus and other Heriticks The reasons why the Gospel of Iohn was written there were that denied the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and this
shineth in another light a better and higher light The light of the Word How speedeth that Light shining in the Word of God Why darknesse comprehendeth not that neither See what the Prophet Hosea saith of the Law Hos 8. 12. I have written to them the great things of thy Law but they were counted as a strange thing If a Master shall deliver his will to his Servant he expecteth obedience if he do but speak the word but if he should give the servant his mind in writing then he taketh it extreamly ill if the errand be not done the servant's neglect is inexcusable God hath not onely declared his will manifested his Law but written his Laws and they were counted as a strange thing people regard them no more than if they were things that nothing concerned them strange things which they had nothing to do withall It may be the Gospell had better entertainment surely It deserved better Why no Darknesse comprehended not the light of the Gospell neither Rom. 10. 16. They have not all obeyed the Gospell for Isaiah saith Lord who hath believed Isa 53. 1. our report Isaiah complaineth Paul complaineth both in the same words Who hath believed our report or to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Not but that some did entertain the Gospell in all ages but that doth not invalidate the truth of the Point because it was not by Nature that they did it but by an over-powering work of Grace The darknesse is said not to comprehend it because there were very few in all ages that entertained the Gospell in comparison of them that refused it It is said by John What he hath seen and heard that he testifieth and no man received his testimony None Yes some received his testimony the Apostles and the Virgin Mary in those daies received it yet it is said No man received it that is few or none in comparison Thus in all ages though the light did shine in darknesse yet the darkness comprehended it not If so let not Ministers be discouraged to find it so at this day It is bred in the bone and it will never out of the flesh It is naturall with man so to do not to comprehend the light though it shine upon him never so clearly If Isaiah complaineth and Paul complaineth Who hath believed our report what wonder is it if Ministers have the like occasion to complain now adaies Are they more Evangelicall Preachers than Isaiah and more wise than Paul Nay did not Christ himself complain I have spent my strength in vain they are his words Isa 49. 4. Yet if any such be here let me speak to them for encouragement If thou art a Minister of Christ imitate Christ continue to let thy light shine though the darknesse comprehend it not so did Christ As a late faithfull Minister said If men repent not Ministers must preach though the people do not repent upon my Preaching however it shall not repent me that I have preached to them though my Doctrin be not a sweet savour of life to them I my self shall be a sweet savour to God even in their damnation I have done with this Verse and passe to the next that followeth Vers 6. There was a man sent from God whose name was John Vers 7. The same came for a Witnesse to bear witnesse of that Light that all men through him might believe The Evangelist beginneth to confirm what before he had asserted namely That the light of man was originally in Christ and derived from him the true Light And this he doth by the testimony of John the Baptist whom he describeth here 1. From his Nature There was a man 2. From his Calling sent from God 3. From his Name whose name was John 4. From his Office The same came for a witness to bear witness of that Light that all through him might believe In all likelyhood some of these are hid in this very tearm The Jews conceit of the Fore-runner of the Messias of Man There was an opinion amongst the Jews that there should come some Angel to be the Fore-runner of the Messias which was grounded upon that place in Malachi Mal. 3. 4. Behold I send my Messenger and he shall prepare thy way before thee The same word signifieth both Messenger and Angel Therefore they looked for an Angel to come before the Messias came When John Baptist came Men that understood what Circumcision was and saw him circumcised men that considered the austerity and strangenesse of his course of life began to imagine there was something in him more then man They knew not what to make of him as ye may see by their questions Joh. 1. 21 22. When they had heard him say I am not the Christ they asked him What then Art thou Elias He answered No. Art thou that Prophet He said No. Who art thou that we may give an answer to them that sent us What saist thou of thy self He telleth them what he was There was a man sent from God whose name was John Let us not passe it without some Observation namely That God hath ordained the ministry of men to be used amongst Observ God teacheth men by men men An Observation of some use and worthy of our consideration It is the great Ordinance of God that men should teach men that men should bear witnesse to Christ And this God hath done partly in respect to his own Glory and partly in respect to our Necessity First Partly in respect to his own Glory which ye have the Apostle clearly telling you 2 Cor. 4. 7. God shineth in our hearts to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ But we have this treasure in earthen vessells that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us If God should teach men by Angels Language not by Angels Creatures more noble than themselves the Messengers would go near to shame them they are sent to But God hath put treasures purposely into earthen vessells that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us Poor earthen vessells crasie men a feavour commeth and breaketh the earthen vessell in pieces Such is the best of men earthen vessells Yet how much treasure doth God put into some of them whom he intends to make instruments for his glory Why That the excellency of the power may be of God It is God's carriage to make use of weak vessells that 1. In respect to his own Glory the praise may be for himself As men that have a Jewell they put it into a box of Crystall that it may be seen through the Case that the radiancy of the Jewell may appear through the transparency of the Glasse So God putteth his Word into earthen vessells that the excellency of the power may appear through the meannesse of them He therefore purposely maketh choice of such Instruments If the Devill be to
Christ who is the heir of all things The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son And our errand is to beseech you to go over and leave your own father's house and forsake all your lusts and worldly Correspondencies and be married to this Jesus This is the end of our Ministry to perswade men to believe in Christ because we know there is no other Name under Heaven by which we can be saved Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other No there is no other Name given under Heaven by which men must be saved We might tell you as they do in the Church of Rome Popery a foppery of Pardons Indulgences and Pilgrimages but this is but to still Children with rattles We might tell you of your own works of praying and reading and giving of Alms but this is but to send you to Hopâ—er and Arpad the Rivers of Damascus for there is no salvation to be had but by Him Therefore the end of our Ministry is that all might believe in him because As there is no other Name but his by which we must be saved So no other way to lay hold upon him but by believing The just they live by faith The Righteousnesse of God is revealed from faith to faith Ye know how it was with the Woman in the Gospell that came to Christ in the crowd and got healing from him No question in such a crowd many touched Christ for He was in the midst of the throng as well as that Woman But none received healing but that woman because she believed that if she could but touch him she should be healed So it is here There is a crowd of Professors that seem to come to and follow after Christ but none receive healing but those that believe indeed and to them cometh a healing vertue Well then if this be the end of all Ministers witnesse-bearing that through them their hearers might believe in Christ First learn from hence to look at these Ministers as Ministers to be accompted publick blessings publick blessings here is one John the Baptist A man sent from God that all through him might believe All that were within the compasse and reach of his Ministry if they were not wanting to themselves might be the better for him That all through him might believe It is no small matter this whatsoever people may make of it the Apostle happily setteth a high price upon it All are yours who in the first place whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas He reckoneth up the Minister as a great part of their goods there Ephes 4. 11 12. speaking of the Ascension of Jesus Christ and setting Him forth as a great Prince he telleth you what gifts He gave Princes are wont in the dayes of their Coronation to give largely to their Subjects Christ was Ascended and Crowned with Glory He led Captivity Captive and was in his Triumph He ascended up on high and gave gifts to men what gifts He gave some Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists these were gifts indeed They were men of infallible spirits But he gave Pastors and Teachers and Ministers for the edifying of the Body of Christ Secondly seeing this is the end of their witnesse-bearing learn to give heed to their Testimony because they are Their Testimony to be received sent by God on purpose that you through them might believe They are Instruments as of your faith so of your happinesse Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 14. The Philosophers make hearing the sense of Discipline The Apostles make it the sense of faith Faith cometh by Hearing Those that cry out of too much preaching are as if they were afraid of too much faith Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God It is the great ordinance that God hath appointed to beget faith in the hearts of men Unbelief came by hearing by Eve's harkening to the Serpent So God will have faith come by hearing that we might beat the Devil at his owne weapon Eve heard the serpent and was drawn aside from God We by hearing of the Ministry of the Gospell are brought home to God As Calvin saith sweetly That we who were deceived by the subtilty of the serpent might be saved by the foolishnesse of God so the Scripture calleth the preaching of the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 21. It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that believe This is not an arbitrary businesse that ye may take or leave without danger or losse to them that teach you rightly It must cost you dear For out of the witnesses mouths cometh fire to devour their Enemies Revel 11. 5. If any man would hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouths and devoureth them These Sermons which are so sleighted at present may be as fire in your consciences another day It was the manner under the Law for the Witnesses before a Malefactor was stoned to lay their hands upon his head they were the first men that stoned him Levit. 34. 34. Bring forth him that is to be stoned without the camp and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head and then let all the congregation stone him This the Witnesses did to make it appear that they translated all the guilt from off themselves and laid it where it ought upon the head of the Malefactor So may Ministers do that come to be Witnesses to the Light they may say as Paul did I have declared to you the whole counsell of God I am free from the blood of all men They that have faithfully preached Christ in any place may safely say We have delivered our own souls and done what in us lyeth to deliver yours if you would believe We come to bear witness to the truth that all men through us might believe So I have done with his Office as it is directly laid down Secondly It is laid down in opposition to a false conceit The Jews falsly conceit John the Messias that the Jews had of John as if he had been the Messias To meet with this He was not that light saith the Evangelist here This conceit of theirs ye shall find Luk. 3. 15. As the people were in expectation and all men mused in their hearts of John whether he were the Christ or no. Now to meet with this and to clear it saith the Evangelist here He was not that light He was a light indeed but not that light He was as Christ himself saith a burning and a shining light he said so of John the Baptist Joh. 5. 35. He was a burning and a shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light There may be a Candle that is not lighted a Candle may be lighted and burn and yet give but a small light But here John was a burning light and a shining light too Therefore the greater wonder perhaps why it is said here He was not
TO THE UNKNOWN GOD Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship him declare I unto you God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is Lord both of heaven and earth dwelleth not in Temples made with hands No wonder if the Heathen did not know Christ as the Creator for the Jews after Christ was come in the flesh and began to put forth a creating power in their sight yet would not own him as Creator of the world To make him see that was born blind and to raise him that was dead requireth no lesse strength than the same power that made the world This Christ putt forth to the Jews Lazarus cometh out of the grave even as the world came out of the Chaos at first at the commandment of Christ He then said Let there be light and there was light He now saith Let there be life and there is life And Gen. 1. 3. yet he was not owned as the Creator The world knew not him as the Second Person in the Trinity neither as Mediator nor as Creator I now proceed to the Application of this First By way of Admonition It teacheth us all to take Vse 1 heed of being ignorant of Christ You see it is laid to the To teach us to take heed of being ignorant of Christ charge of the Gentiles here that they knew him not and how much more heavy will the charge be against us that enjoy other kind of means than the Gentiles had They indeed had he works of Creation and Providence We have them too and a greater light than so we have the Word to be a light to our feet and a lamp to our paths They had the Oracles of the Sybbils we have the Writings of Moses and the Prophets of the Evangelists and Apostles Therefore such as refuse to use the means of knowing Christ as a Saviour they must certainly expect to know him as an Avenger For He will come ere long saith the Apostle with his mighty Angels in flaming fire to render vengeance to whom to them that know not God and obey not the Gospell of Jesus Christ 2 Thess 1. 8. Indeed God will not reckon with men for their Negative Ignorance that is for their bare not knowing what they are not bound to know but for their Privative knowledge for not knowing what they ought to know and what God giveth means to them to know for that he wil be sure to reckon with them And those that continue wilfully ignorant in such things must be miserable against their wills Wherefore to the end ye may all thirst after the knowledge of Christ more and more I shall propound to you two things The Excellency and of this Knowledge The Necessity First Consider the Excellency of the knowledge of The Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Christ of which ye read Phil. 3. 8. I eount all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of the Lord Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and account them dung that I may win Christ All is but dross and dung to Paul in comparison of the knowledge of Christ How is it that amongst us men run after dross and dung and neglect the knowledge of Christ as preferring that before him For the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord. Nothing in the world so excellent as knowledge no knowledge so excellent as that of Christ Other knowledge may perhaps make a man famous this onely can make him holy and happy other knowledge can give him the esteem of a learned man this onely can make him to be a Saint Therefore an excellent knowledge Secondly There is a necessity of this knowledge whether The Necessity of the knowledg of Christ you look to Justification There is a necessity of the knowledg of Christ Sanctification or Salvation First If ye look to Justification By his knowledge shall 1. As to Justification my righteous servant justifie many Isa 53. 11. His knowledge that is not cognitione suâ but cognitione suî not by that knowledge which is inherent in Christ but by that knowledge which we have of him By his knowledge that is by the knowledge of Him shall my righteous servant justifie many Here knowledge is put for faith which justifieth because there is such a necessary connection between faith and knowledge Amongst men some are better known than trusted it is not so with God for according to our knowledge of him so there will be a proportionable trusting in him Psal 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee No knowledge no faith and according to the measure of our knowledg so will the measure of our faith be Thus you see a necessity of knowledg in point of Justification Secondly In point of Sanctification which may be gathered from that of the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. 3 4. Hereby we 2. As to Sanctification know him if we keep his commandments He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him Where there is a fatherly knowledge there will be obedience for this knowledge of an Object so amiable will ingender love and that love will be the fulfilling of the Law Thirdly It is necessary in point of Salvation Not to insist long upon these things Hence it is that all these three 3. As to Salvation things namely the state of salvation the ministry of the Gospell and the knowledge of Christ come under one and the same notion in Scripture under the notion and name of Eternall life The everlasting stare of Happiness that is called Eternal life Matth. 25. ult They shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall The Ministry of the Gospell that is called Eternall life Act. 13. 46. It was necessary saith Paul to Barnabas there that the word should first be spoken to you but seeing you put it from you and judg your selves unworthy of everlasting life we turn to the Gentiles They that reject the Ministry of the Gospell are said to account themselves unworthy of everlasting life Thirdly the knowledge of Christ is called so Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God and Christ Jesus whom thou hast sent What is the reason of this Because these make way for the other the Ministry of the Gospell that maketh way for the knowledge of Christ the knowledge of Christ maketh way for the state of Blisse and Glory Therefore all cometh under the notion of Eternal life We come to a second thing Notwithstanding Christs being Christ in the world not known by the world in the world and the world being made by him the inhabitants of the world knew him not Secondly This lets us see by way of Information the unthankfulnesse of the world the patience of Christ the Vse 2 happinesse of Christians First See the unthankfulnesse of
is there is a farther thing then restraining grace there is holinesse of life Ephes 4. 24. That ye put on that new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Now holinesse goeth farther than to the abstaining from some evill and doing of some good Holinesse reacheth to the mortification of lust where there is a new man created after holinesse lust will be pursued not onely to imprisonment but to death The Woolf is not onely tied up but turned into a Lamb the Sow is not onely put into a pasture but changed into a Sheep A woolf tyed up doth not so much mischief as before a Sow in a pasture is not so swinish and filthy as when it walloweth in the mire but their natures still remain So it is in restraining grace their natures are the same if not some change in their conversation Where the new-birth is there is a change of the heart and a new nature wrought therefore men do duties with delight and constantly Men look at lusts now not as David did at Absolom but as Joab did at Absolom that I may use that comparison Asolom he rebelled ye know David and Joab they both set themselves against him but so as David though he could not but be displeased with Absolom's rebellion yet he carrieth affection towards him and desireth that the young man may be dealt gently withall On the other side Joab when he getteth an opportunity throweth dart upon dart and never 2 Sam. 18. 14. leaveth till he hath slain him So ye have many a man that hath some work of grace upon his heart that yet hath a months mind and longing after sin he would have his sin supprest as David would have Absolom but yet Absolom must live though a rebellious son Many would have sin supprest that it may not expose them to hell and damnation but all this while their sins must live But the new creature is carried out with hatred against sin therefore it is not content without its destruction Mortifie your earthly members saith the Apostle Such a sin saith the regenerate soul will have my death therefore I will have its death I will not be content till it be crucified with the lusts and affections thereof I shall now proceed to the 14 Verse Vers 14. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld the glory thereof as the glory of the onely begotten Son of the Father full of Grace and Truth Heretofore the Evangelist having proved the Divinity of Christ's manifestation in the flesh and the glory of his Person in both Natures Jesus Christ he commeth now to tell us of his manifestation in the flesh and of the glory of his Person consisting of both Natures So as this Verse calleth to us for attention because it holdeth forth the Object of our faith the Person of Christ in both his Natures And certainly every soul that is married to Christ will be affected with his Person and therefore desirous to hear of that The difference between a wife and a harlot is The wife desires and loveth the husband's person therefore careth not for his tokens unlesse his person be enjoyed The harlot loveth the token and careth not for the person It is the property of the Spouse not to be content with the Love-tokens of Christ but with the Person of Christ And concerning him ye have four things laid down here First The Incarnation of Jesus Christ The Word was made flesh Secondly His Conversation on earth And dwelt amongst us Thirdly Here is a speciall manifestation of his glory And we behold his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father Fourthly The singular Qualifications of his Person Full of grace and truth First I shall begin with the Incarnation of Christ in these words And the Word was made flesh A Clause out of which Bees may suck hony and Spiders may gather poison These words have been a stumbling-block to many Hereticks and on the other side a sure and strong hold to many Saints Some think that when the children of Israel were in the land of Goshen and had some Egyptians mixed with them at the same time the Scriptures are light to Saints darknesse to unbelievers Hebrewes drew wholesome waters out of the fountains and the Egyptians bloody water at the same springs and that it was dark to the Egyptians in the same house and light to the Hebrewes If so me-thinks It affordeth that which may lead us into the Consideration of this and the like places of Scripture Hereticks have darknesse and Believers light The one draweth bloody waters and the other wholesome waters out of the same Text of Scripture as ye shall hear in the application what use may be made of this Clause Apollinarius saith That because the Word was made flesh Therefore Christ took upon his flesh the body but not the soul of a man Three things are here to be declared to you First Who is meant by the Word Secondly What is meant by the Flesh Thirdly In what sense the word was made Flesh First The divine nature of Christ is in the Word Secondly The human nature of Christ The Flesh Thirdly The personall union The Word made Flesh These are mysteries by some more spoken of and lesse understood Things that we cannot be ignorant of without danger nor discourse of without all Reverence Things that no Eloquence of man can reach no soul of man apprehend in the full latitude of them Yet some thing we shall speak hereof by God's assistance First Who is here meant by the Word I answer the 1. By the Word is meant the second Person in the Trinity second person in the Trinity so called in that known place There are three that bear witnesse in Heaven the Father and the Word and the Spirit and these three are one 1 Joh. 5. 8. The same person that is called the word in the beginning of this Chapter is said to be with God I shall not speak of that because heretofore I have been large in it but come to the second Secondly What is here meant by Flesh Flesh signifieth 2. By Flesh is meant the whole man the whole man in diverse places of Scripture Man ye know consisteth of two parts which are sometimes called flesh and spirit and sometimes called soul and body Now by a Synecdoche either of these parts may be put for the whole sometimes the soul is put for the whole man As when it is said there were so many souls in the Act. 27. 37. Gen. 46. 27. ship with Paul And seventy souls went down into Egypt with Jacob sometimes flesh or body is put for the whole man Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you brethren by the Mercies of God offer up your bodies a living sacrifice That is offer up your selves And sometimes flesh which is the word in the Text Rom. 3. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law shall
Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us that is Conversed amongst men as a man And therefore that of Cajetan hath no validity in it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometimes signifie on as well as in Act. 18. 11. He continued there a year and six months teaching the Word of God amongst them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so our Translators well have it here Dwelt not in but amongst us Well then The word made flesh pitched his Tent upon earth and dwelt amongst men If ye will have it in a way of Observation that must be so Ye have the Emphasis of the originall words For the explication of this Three sorts of men were wont to dwell in Tents And the allusion here may be to all three Shepherds Sojourners Souldiers Shepherds First Isaiah 38. 12. Mine age is departed and is removed from me as a shepherd's Tent. Sojourners Secondly as the Israelites in the wildernesse they dwelt in Tents and in memory of that they after kept the feast of Tabernacles Psal 120. 5. Wee is me that I sojourn in Mesheck that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar Souldiers Thirdly And David said to him Go home unto thine owne house But Vriah said to David Is the arke of Israel and Judah abiding in Tents And my Lord abiding in the open field And shall I go home to my house Now Christ was all these three a Shepherd a Sojourner and a Souldier and therefore is said to dwell in these three respects as in a Tabernacle First As the great and good Shepherd for both these 1. Christ the good Shepherd terms are given to him Joh 10. 11. I am the good shepherd saith he the good shepherd giveth his Life for his sheep That is a good shepherd indeed Other shepherds they provide food for their sheep but they cannot give them a fleece Christ provideth both food and fleece for his sheep And whereas other shepherds sell their sheep to the slaughter that they themselves may be maintained by them here is a shepherd slaughtered for his sheep I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his Life for the sheep Some other good shepherds may venture their life for their sheep As David run a hazard to venture his Life to rescue the sheep from the Lion But Christ did more than run a hazard for He gave his Life Then Christ dwelt in Tents as a Sojourner Ye have a 2. Christ a Sojourner distinction of Viatores and Comp chenso es amongst Divines They say that all the people of God in their Pilgrimage towards Heaven are Viatores and the Saints above in the state of Glory are Comprehensores in that they are at home now the Lord Jesus Christ he is both There is that difference between a Saint in Heaven and a Saint on this side Heaven Christ in the dayes of his flesh was at once a Traveller and a Comprehensor For he alwayes had the fruition of God in that respect he was a Comprehensor and yet in the 33 years of his abode in the flesh he was a Viator and a Traveller in the way therefore he is said to have drunk of the brook in the way He speaks of a sojourner as one going to and fro Joh. 16. 8. I came forth from the Father and am come into the World and again I leave the World and go to the Father Here is his Jistes as it were severall journies that Christ took in the dayes of his Pilgrimage as a Sojourner Thirdly He pitcht his Tents here amongst men as a 3. Christ a Souldier Souldier for indeed so he is Ever since the fall the World hath been divided into two parts all shall be united then but now the Devill goeth away with the greatest part as the Prince of this World and the Lord Jesus appeared on the other side as the Captain of our salvation Ye have him under that notion Hebr. 2. 10. It became him from whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings Accordingly he appeared to Josuah Jos 5. 13. with a sword in his hand as the Captain of the Lord's hosts Therefore it is that when a man is excommunicated the Apostle's phrase is That he may be delivered up to Satan because he is now cast our of the visible Church and so deduced again unto Satan's government In all these respects ye see both as a Shepherd a Sojourner and a Souldier Christ is properly said to pitch his Tents amongst us which is the importance of the Greek word in the Text. I shall not passe this over without some Application Vse 1 The consideration of Christ's dwelling amongst us may be of use to let us see the Faithfullnesse of God for our Incouragement and the Condescention of Christ for our Imitation First The faithfullnesse of God for our incouragement 1. Gods faithfulness for our incouragement Be pleased to look into Exodus and Leviticus you shall find an old promise that God would come and dwell amongst his people It is said in Exodus 12. 43. I will dwell amongst the Children of Israel and will be their God It is said Leviticus 26. 12. I will walk amongst you and will be your God and ye shall be my people Now this promise is of the nature of diverse in the Scripture that have their graduall accomplishments and are fulfilled by piece-meal by degrees I will dwell amongst you saith God He promised then when the people of Israel were in the wildernesse The first fulfilling of this promise was when the Tabernacle was made in the wildernesse that was a Testimony of the presence of God A further fulfilling of this promise was when Solomon built the Temple 2 Chron. 6. 2. I have built an house and habitation for thee and a place for thy dwelling for ever But when Christ came in the flesh here was a farther fulfilling of that promise Then came He of whose Body the Tabernacle and Temple were but types Destroy this Temple saith he and I will build it up in three daies speaking of his body now here is the promise fulfilled in a remarkable way and yet there is to be a farther fulfilling of the same promise still That ye may see that God maketh good the same promise many times diverse times over Revel 21. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God There is a farther state of happinesse yet to come wherein this promise is to be made good That God will dwell amongst men Secondly see the Condescension of Jesus Christ 2. Christ's Condescension to dwell amongst men though He was the delight of his Father from all Eternity Prov. 8. Yet to shew his delight to the sons of men he will come and dwell amongst them Prov. 8. 31. I
We beheld his glory which is the shining forth of excellency such appeared in Christ The specification of that Object What kind of glory Why the glory as of the onely-begotten of the Father Ye read in Scripture of severall sorts of glory There is the glory of the Celestiall bodies the Sun 1. Glory of Celestiall bodies Moon and Stars of which it is said 1 Cor. 15. 41. There is one glory of the Sun another glory of the Moon and another glory of the Stars for one Star differeth from another in glory We read of the glory of Man 1 Pet. 1. 24. All flesh is 2. Glory of Man grasse and all the glory of man as the flower of the grasse The glory of Man because as the Stars and Sun and Moon excell inferiour bodies so they excell the Beasts there is a shining forth in him beyond what is in the creatures that have no reason We read likewise of the glory of the Angels who are 3. Glory of Angeis therefore called the Cherubims of glory Heb. 9. 5. And over it the Cherubims of glory shadowing the Mercy-seat of which we cannot now speak particularly But there is beyond all these for all these are but created 4. The Glory of God Glories there is the glory of God of which he himself saith He will not give it to any other This is the Glory of which we read in the Text He will not give it to another Isa 42. 4. I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give to another I but Christ was himself of the same Nature with himself therefore the glory they saw in Christ was the glory as of the onely-begotten of the Father Some difference is in these words First In that Christ is said to be the onely begotten Do Object 1st we not read in the thirteenth Verse of this Chapter of other children of God which were born not of blood nor of flesh nor of the will of man but of God How then is Christ the onely begotten seeing God hath other children and other begotten children too That will not serve the turn to say We are adopted Christs as his begotten Saith James Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures If God hath begotten us how then is Christ the onely begotten of the Father I answer Out of this place of St. James Of his own will Answ 1st begat he us There lyeth the differences Christ is the begotten of the Nature of the Father we are begotten of the Will of the Father Of his own will begar he us Christ is a Son of eternall generation we are sons by adoption He begotten of his Nature and we begotten of his Will And so in that sense Christ is the onely begotten because the onely Naturall Son of God Still here is a farther difference We beheld his glory as Object 2d the glory of the onely begotten of the Father In this Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is but as another thing is not the same thing simile non est idem Why now we hold out and that according to truth that the glory of Christ was the very self-same glory which God the Father had the self-same glory which is due to God is due to the Son of God Therefore it is here said It was the glory as of the onely begotten For that you must know that the Hebrew Caph and the Answ 2d Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is two-fold there is a two-fold As in Scripture one of Similitude the other of Identity There is as Similitudinis Veritatis an as of comparison As for example If one shall see a Noble-man richly attired and bravely attended to go through the streeets and say Such a Noble-man goeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a King here is an as of similitude If the King himself should be going to Parliament in great state we may truly say of him he goeth in state 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a King Here is an as of Verity and Identity The former was but an as of similitude Aand there are many places of Scripture where as doth not note a likenesse but the self-samenesse as I may so speak an Identity It is said of John the Baptist that all the people looked at him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Prophet Matth. 14. 5. When * Herod he would have put him to death he feared the multitude because they counted him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a prophet Do you think the multitude looked at John as if he had been something like a prophet No they took him for a Prophet indeed yea it is expressed they counted him for a prophet Phil. 2. 8. the Apostle speaking of Christ being found in fashion of a man he humbled himself What was not Christ really Man Yes But he being found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fashion as a man Here as is an as of Identity not an as of similitude As a man that is really so As a man that is the onely begotten Son of God that is really the onely begotten Son of God Ye have the words expounded Now for the proof of this The Disciples beheld the glory of Christ as the glory of the onely begotten Son of God you shall have their owne Testimony 1 Joh. 1. 1 2. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have look't upon and our hands have handled of the Word of Life for the life was manifested and we have seen and bear witnesse and shewed unto you that Eternall Life which was with the Father and was manifested to us Other men To see Christ and to see into Christ is not the same thing they saw Christ as well as the Disciples did but not so much into Christ as the Disciples did As the Temple of Solomon was all beautifull without of costly work fair and comely stones but within it was all over-laid with Gold The Passengers that went by they could see the out side of the Temple and could not but acknowledge a beautifull frame but the Priests that served within they saw it all over-laid with Gold and so saw a farther beauty All the Jewes amongst whom Christ conversed might behold his out side but the Disciples had a farther in sight into Christ We beheld him that is we beheld him as the word of Life and saw his glory that is as of the onely begotten Son of God Whereas others saw his glory that is as of a Man that did many glorious things but these saw the glory of God through the Manhood For the farther manifestation of this I shall shew you in what things and at what time the Disciples beheld the glory of Christ and then proceed to Application First In what things 1. The things wherein Christ's glory appeareth 1. The glory of
Joab was David's servant therefore David must have the praise All the ability and grace that thou hast laid out in this service they are Christ's therefore not to be ascribed to thee Thou canst not go one step before Christ comes in to thy assistance Joab bringeth the work to perfection and yet David absent a great way off The Lord Jesus Christ is alwayes present with any that do a good work therefore all the praise is to be given to him When Peter drew up the multitude of fish doth he sacrifice to his owne Net no but he giveth the glory of it to the Lord Christ though it was Peters net and Peters hand that drew up the net yet it was not Peters strength Therefore give to the Lord all the praise that so we may preferre Christ before all as John the Baptist did Vers 16. Of his fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace I shall say something of the Coherence and then come The Coherence to the particulars I hinted that to you before wherein I understood this to seem to relate to the end of the fourteenth verse where it is said That Christ was full of grace and truth And here he proves it He that is the fountain of grace must needs be full of it himselfe Christ is so Christ the fountain of grace For of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace Onely there is a great doubt and Controversie amongst Interpreters whether these be the words of John the Baptist or of John the Evangelist Some think them to be a continuation of John the Baptist's Testimony which I discoursed to you of out of the former verse This was he of whom I spake He that comes after me is preferred before me for he was before me Others think they are the words of John the Evangelist and cohere with those words in the end of the fourteenth verse Full of Grace and Truth And I rather joyne with them Partly for that reason and partly because that the graces of Christ which he speaks of here and in the following verse The Law came by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ were not so fully manifested when John the Baptist spake as when John the Evangelist wrote this Gospell For the law of Moses as to the shadowes of it were then expired The truth of Christ was then exhibited the Holy Ghost come down and aboundance of grace shed abroad all the World over So that the Evangelist may well say Of his fulnesse we have all received The Law came by Moses and now grace and truth is come by Jesus It was so when the Evangelist wrote in the full exhibition of it The matter in difference is not very great But let us take them as to the Coherence and then for the parts You have in this short verse aboundance of particulars The generall parts they are but two But the latter is subdivided First Here is a store-house an Heavenly store-house of Treasure that is the fulnesse of Jesus Christ Of his fulnesse Secondly The improvement hereof for the chiefest good of it We have all received even grace for grace And in this four particulars First The persons All we Secondly The participation Have received Thirdly The proportion not his fulnesse But of his fulnesse de plenitudine and not plenitudinem some share of his fulnesse Fourthly The treasure it selfe which was imparted that is Grace for grace Of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace I shall now close with the first of these which is the Magazine the Store-house the Treasury in the text namely The fulnesse of Christ whence I commend to you this Observation That There is aboundant fulnesse in Jesus Christ Observ There is an aboundant fulnesse in Jesus Christ of whom it is said Col. 2. 19. It pleased the Father in him should all fulnesse dwell All fulnesse All for kind and All for degree And it therefore pleased the Father That all fulnesse should dwell in him because he was to be the head of the All fulnesse in Christ as the head of the body body He is the head of the body the Church for it pleased the Father That in him should all fulnesse dwell It concerned Christ to be full of all grace because he was to be the head of his Church As in the naturall body because the head is to convey sense to all the body therefore all the Organs of sense are placed in the head The eye whereby we see and the ear whereby we hear and the nose by which we smell the palate by which we tast Jesus Christ is to be the head of the Church Therefore all fulnesse was to be in him He was to be an universall Cause which was to have an universall Influence therefore there must needs be in him an universall fulnesse As in the first Adam there was a fulnesse of human nature and of righteousnesse too as long as he stood because he was to convey the human nature together with the Image of God to his posterity if he had continued So in the second Adam There was to be a fulnesse of grace because he was to convey all grace to all believers to the end of the World Joseph fill'd the Granaries of Egypt with Corn Why Because not onely Egypt but all the Countries there about were to be suppli'd with Corn in time of Famine So it pleased God that in Christ should all fulnesse dwell That all Jewes and Gentiles might come to him for grace All must go through the hands of Joseph to the people Even as the Liver is full of blood because it conveyeth blood to the members of the body The Sea is full of water because it conveyeth water to all the Rivers And the Sun full of light because it conveyeth light to all the Stars So Christ is full of grace because He was to be the Conveyer of grace To speak a little more distinctly There is a threefold fulnesse in Christ A threefold fulnesse in Christ A fulnesse of Divinity A fulnesse of Sufficiency A fulnesse of Efficacy See the distinction and difference between them First There is in Christ A fulnesse of Divinity and so 1. A fulnesse of Divinity commonly it is said Col. 2. 9. In him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily There are to be found in others gifts and graces that flow from the Godhead These were in Angels and Adam and all Saints But the Godhead it selfe is in Christ And that not according to some portion of it as the Heathens had a conceit that the Divinity was dispersed and scattered That one had one part of it and another another part And therefore they made many sorts of Gods because they thought no one sufficient to contain the whole Deity therefore they made Bacchus and Apollo and the rest to have their severall imployments But here is in Christ not the parts of the Godhead but
of righteousnesse which is in Christ as our Priest 3. The third fulnesse which is in Christ is The fulness 3. The fulness of Efficacy of Efficacy putting forth it self for the benefit of the Church Such a fulnesse is in Christ that filleth all that come to him and will not leave one believing soul empty A fulness of efficacy Hence it is that he is said to fill all in all Ephes 1. 23. Which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Christ filleth all Graces in all believers Whatsoever there is either in the Understanding or Will or Memory or any where else it is of Christ's putting there The first Miracle Christ did was a filling of the water-pots with wine our Evangelist tells us it was the first Miracle Ioh. 2. 6. he did in Canaan And there was in that Miracle a kind of representation of what Christ will do ever after He began with filling and goeth on with filling and endeth with filling Insomuch as there is no believing-soul in the world but he putteth some fulnesse into it every one hath its proportion Ephes 4. 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of God to a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Christ here is Christ Mysticall Christ Mysticall that is the Church He being the Head and believers the Members As the fulnesse of a Naturall body is made up of the Compleatnesse of every member Thar is a full body when every member is grown to its due proportion So the Body of Christ is made up when there is a fulnesse in every Believer answerable to that state and relation and place which such a member bears in the body of Christ All have not the like measure of fulnesse One is full as an arme another is full as an hand another as a little finger yet he hath the fulness of a member And all these put together make up the fulness of Christ To shew you the fulnesse of Efficacy see how Christ In this fulnesse Christ comes in the fulnesse of the Gospell of peace filleth those that come to him and live upon him He giveth them first a fulnesse of blessing That which ye read of Romans 15. 29. I am sure when I come unto you I shall come in the fulnesse of the blessing of the Gospell of peace Wheresoever the Gospell of Christ is entertained there comes a fulnesse of blessing The truth is All other things in the World are but empty blessings in comparison of this Nay a man may say where the Gospell is not received there are Cursed Blessings Mal. 2. 2. saith he there If ye will not hear and lay it to heart to give glory to my Name saith the Lord of Hosts I will even send a Curse upon you and will Curse your blessings Health and riches and means and friends all blessings in themselves are Cursed blessings to them that forsake the Gospell Where that is entertained the Curse is removed so Christ comes with the fulnesse of the blessing of the Gospell of peace Secondly He giveth them a fulnesse of Content suitable 2. In the fulnesse of Content to their severall conditions I speak of such as walk in Christ as well as those that have received him and that live up to their principles I say a fulnesse of content in their condition Of this Paul speaks Phil. 4. 18. I have all saith he and abound I am full It was a sorry pittance Paul had in outward respects and yet he wanted nothing He hath all he is full Why full why because he was contented The first Adam brought emptinesse upon all the Creatures and so they all became subject to bondage and vanity by reason of his sin The second Adam put a kind of fulnesse into them Ye read of some in Job of whom it is said In the midst of their sufferings they shall be in straits And poor Saints they have in their straits many times a sufficiency because they are contented with their Conditions Thirdly There is a fulnesse of spirituall knowledge 3. In the fulnesse of spirituall knowledge that Christ conveyeth to his Members Rom. 15. 14. I my selfe am perswaded of you my brethren that ye also are full of all goodnesse filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another Though the parts be weak yet where Christ hath taken possession of the heart there the soul hath a fulnesse of spirituall knowledge The fulnesse of a small vessell is fulnesse though small but yet a fulnesse He that hath least hath his proportion and a fulnesse in his degree That which is hardly a fulnesse if ye compare him to any unregenerate man his parts perhaps are beyond his They shall all know me from the least to the greatest I write to you little Children saith John because ye have known the Father even the least of God's people know him Whereas the greatest Schollar in the World if he hath not entertained Christ knoweth him not There is a fulnesse in Christ though little in comparison whereof the greatest Schollars in the World are but empty men He knoweth Christ as a man knoweth Hony that hath tasted it which is another kind of knowledge than he hath that hath onely heard of it and discoursed of it and never tasted of it in his Life Again There is a fulness of the fruits of Righteousness 4. In the fulnesse of the fruits of Righteousnesse Phil. 1. 11. Being filled with the fruits of Righteousness by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God Filled with the fruits of Righteousness Christ hath no barren Trees in his Orchard they are all filled with fruit fruits of Righteousness whence it comes to passe that believers living up to their principles as I said before they follow God fully As it is said of Caleb Numb 14. 24. My servant Caleb had another spirit with him and hath followed me fully They do not follow Christ by halfes Christ a little and the World much but follow him fully close with him even as two plain Superficies Suppose two pieces of boards smoothed and plained they close one with another in every part Whereas a round thing doth close onely in some one point if ye put it to a thing that is plain If ye lay a round ball upon a smooth Table the ball closeth to the Table but it is but in a point Ye have false-hearted men that seem to close with God and Christ but it is in this or that particular opinion that may stand with their gain Whereas the poor soul that followeth God and Christ followeth him fully in every truth and every particular thing that makes for God and Christ so there is a fulnesse of obedience as well as a fulnesse of knowledge Again There is a fulness of joy This Christ giveth 5. In the fulnesse of joy where he communicateth himselfe He speaks
hath said is True and whatsoever he hath done is Just whether we can believe the truth of the one and consent to the Justice of the other yea or no. Therefore it is good to take the counsell of Augustine Vis tu disputare mecum Potiùs admirare mecum Wilt thou be disputing with me rather wonder with me and cry Oh Profunditas Oh the depth Let us both thou and I agree in fearing and trembling at the Counsels of God lest we both perish for our Curiosity in searching too farre into them And of all Disputers none more guilty in this kind than the Arminians therefore I name them Men that take upon them to state the Decrees of God as if they had been of his Councill when he made them men that seem to wade where Paul was past his depth which made him cry O the depth They make it clear to you to give you a reason of all God's Decrees if you take for granted what they say If you ask them Why Peter was elected and Judas not they say Because God foresaw Peter would believe and Judas not Why Peter was saved and Judas not Because Judas willed to persevere in sin and Peter did not Are not here men of God's Council that leave nothing unsearched Saith Paul when he was discoursing of these high points Rom. 9. 13 14. It is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated What shall we say then Is there unrighteousness with God God forbid He speaketh as a man puzl'd and non-plussed at the thoughts of this how God should come to chuse Jacob and hate Esau He saw no unrighteousnesse with God God hath done it and therefore Just And yet these people speak as if they could have fetched Paul out of his non-plus which is but to say That God foresaw that Jacob would believe and Esau would not therefore he loved the one and hated the other So as a man according to this reckoning may learn more in Arminius his School in a few daies then Paul had learned in the third heavens Let us take this for a conclusion As God cannâ—◠〈◊〉 seen in his Essence so not known in his Counsels to any man on this side Heaven 2. The second Use is this No man hath seen God at any time Why then let us all from hence be set to long for Use 2 heaven where we shall enjoy that which is not attainable by any man here below a sight of God a beatificall sight a scientificall sight ye shall have them both there in one place 1 Cor. 13. 12 13. Now we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face there is the beatificall Now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known there is the scientificall St. John tells you in another place a speech that might set the hearts of the people of God a leaping within them for joy to think of that day 1 Joh. 3. 2. Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth Excellent things are spoken of the City of God not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Who would not long for this day and for this appearance When he shall appear we shall see him as he is No day so joyfull as this to the people of God The Sabbath that is a joyfull day therefore the Saints have learned to call the Sabbath a delight as it is in Isaiah Behold here a rest for the people of God an eternall Sabbath a Sabbath that hath no working-day after it a Sabbath which whosoever hath once arrived at shall rest from his labours for evermore It was a joyfull day that when the people of Israel passed over Jordan and got into the land of Canaan which they had been so long looking for Think of that spirituall Canaan of which the other was but a type flowing with better milk and hony in likeness to God and vision of God We shall be like him and see him as he is If Moses longed for that think what cause the people of God have to long for the other because there they shall have the sight of God The year of Jubilee was a joyfull time before the appearing of Christ When we shall be restored to that we fell from in Adam we shall partake of the glorious liberty of the sons of God as the Apostle speaketh But that which is so joyfull is the sight of God which cannot be attained till then The very sight of Ghrist in the flesh afforded much joy Simeon got him in his arms and desired to die Now let thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation The Greeks Joh. 12. they came to Philip and said Sir we would see Jesus It was a joyfull sight to see Christ even in the flesh What is it then to see Christ in his glory and God in his Essence as far as a finite creature can be capable of such a sight If the Disciples upon the Mount were so over-joyed with the sight of Christ and two glorified creatures with him Moses and Elias so as Peter forgot himself there What joy will there be in the souls of men that come to see Christ attended with thousand thousand times ten thousand Saints and Angells not Christ transfigured but Christ in his utmost glory Wonder not if I speak but Balbusantèr of these things for all words come short let us make it up in affections Learn to long for this sight and for that place where it is attainable But then take this with you before I leave the Point Caution how to walk that we may see God Be carefull as you desire to have that which you cannot attain here a beatificall and scientificall sight of God be carefull to walk in Purity and in Peace for the sight of God is promised upon these conditions First In Purity Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God It is not for every eye to see 1. In Purity God the pure in heart they shall see him Sore eyes cannot endure to see the light impure souls shall never be honoured with the sight of God The Jews whom Christ was speaking to here were men that stood much upon legall purifications He putteth them off from them and saith Blessed are the pure in heart A man that was not legally pure might not come to see God in the Sanctuary so will morall uncleanness much more keep us from the sight of God in Heaven Walk in Purity I and in Peace too so saith the Apostle Heb. 12. 14. 2. In Peace Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. As not without holiness so not without peace He that hopeth to see the Prince of peace in another world to his comfort must carry the Son of peace here That of Augustine is an
excellent speech which he writeth concerning this subject of seeing God in his hundred and twelfth Epistle where he had disputed largely about this thing he taketh himself off and saith Let us be wise â—o sobriety and not be too full of heat In the carrying on of this Argument let us dispute fairly lest while we seek in a way of contention and bitternesse how God may be seen we lose that peace without which God cannot be seen Follow peace and holiness without which it is impossible to see the Lord. I come now to the second thing the Intimacy of Christ The Intimacy of Christ with his Father with the Father which lyeth in these words The onely-begotten Son which lyeth in the bosome of the Father Christ is the onely begotten Son that is in the bosom of the Father that lyeth clearly in my Text. Of his being the onely begotten Son I shall need to say nothing now because I spake before to it upon the fourteenth Verse And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth This expression is to be opened here Which is in the bosome of the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not which was to be before the Incarnation or which was to be in the bosome of the Father after the Ascension but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in the bosome of the Father When these words were uttered and in every moment of time yea from eternity Christ is in the bosom of the Father The phrase I take it implyeth these three things The unity of Natures The dearnesse of Affections The communication of Secrets First It implyeth unity of Natures and so there is something 1. To be in the bosome of the Father implyeth unity of Natures more in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more in unity of Natures then distinction of Persons In the bosome of the Father The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But for the unity of Natures they use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus the bosome is the child's place Look to the Scripture-expressions Ye find Moses speaking of himself as a father carrying Israel as a child in his bosome Numb 11. 12. Have I conceived all this people have I begotten them that thou shouldest say unto me Carry them in thy bosom And so in Nathan's Parable 2 Sam. 12. 3. A poor man had nothing save onely a little ewe-lamb which he had brought and nourished up and it grew up together with him and with his children it did eat of his own meat and drank of his own cup and lay in his bosome and was unto him as a daughter A daughter in the bosome And so accordingly here The onely begotten Son that is in the bosome of the Father to shew the unity of Natures that is between the Father and the Son Christ being God co-equall with the Father Secondly As it implyeth unity of Natures so it implyeth 2. It implyeth dearnesse of Affection dearnesse of Affection Bosom as it is for children so for nearness of Relation The wife of thy bosome and The husband of thy bosome Deut. 28. 54. His eye shall be evill towards the wife of his bosome and verse 56. Her eye speaking of a wife shall be evill against the husband of her bosome Because of those dear affections which that nearnesse of Relation as that of Marriage calleth for between man and wife John the beloved of the Lord ye find him lying nearest Christ even in his bosome Joh. 13. 23. And there was leaning on Jesus his bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved The posture of leaning upon Christ's bosome was an argument that Christ loved him In this sense Jesus is the Son of the Father's bosome because the Son of the Father's love He shall translate us into the kingdom of the Son of his love This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased saith the Voice from heaven Matth. 3. 17. Thirdly Being in the bosome implyeth communication 3. It implyeth communication of Secrets of Secrets the bosome is a place for them It is a speech of Tully to a friend that had betrusted him with a secret Crede mihi c. Believe me saith he what thou hast committed to me it is in my bosome still I am not ungirt to let it slip out But Scripture addeth this hint too where it speaketh of the bosome as the place of Secrets Prov. 17. 23. A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome to pervert the waies of judgment speaking of a bribe Prov. 21. 14. A gift in secret pacifieth anger and a reward in the bosome expiateth wrath Here is secret and bosome all one as gift and reward are one So Christ lyeth in the Father's bosome this intimateth his being conscious to all the Father's secrets So have ye an opening of this phrase Much is to be learned from it 1. Give the same Worship to Christ as to the Father First Seeing Christ's being in the bosome of the Father implyeth unity of natures this should teach us to give the same worship to Christ as we give to the Father because there is the same nature in both It is that that Christ expecteth and calleth for Joh. 5. 23. The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him Jesus Christ requireth the same honour which we give to God the Father it is fit he should have it and it is fit this honour should be pleaded for now in this age wherein many plead against the Divinity of Christ We should give him the same honour that we give to the Father Heb. 1. 6. When he bringeth him in as the first-born of the world he saith Let all the Angels in heaven worship him If they then how ought all the world to worship him We should give him the honour of Invocation praying to him as Stephen did when they stoned him he called upon God and said Lord Jesus receive my spirit As with Worship and Invocation so with Faith It is said that Abraham gave glory to God by believing in him We should give honour to Christ by exercising the act of believing in him this he called for Let not your hearts be troubled ye Joh. 14. 1. Christ the proper object of Faith believe in God believe also in me He is the proper object of faith as he justifieth Circumferentia fidei est Verbum Dei sed Centrum est Deus The whole Word of God is the circumference of faith every thing learned in it is to be believed But the center of faith as the Word justifieth that is the Word God that is Jesus Christ blessed for evermore Secondly His being in the bosome
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
was by him as one brought up with him I was daily his delight rejoycing alwaies before him rejoycing in the habitable parts of the world and my delights were with the sons of men To manifest this before he did actually come in the flesh he was often pleased to take a body for a time and to lay it down again to appear in human shape praeludere Incarnationi as they use to call it He acted the Prologue of his Incarnation before he came really He appeared to Abraham and to Joshua But after he did assume a reall body into personall union with himself which he did never till now he took it of the Virgin Mary Here is infinite condescention that he who lay in the Father's bosome should not abhor the Virgin 's womb If it were such a commendation of Moses his faith Heb. 11. though he were in great pomp at the Court yet by faith he chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Though he were a favourite at Court yet he would joyn himself with a sort of poor Brick-makers Then what a condescention is it of the love of God that he would send his Son to dwell amongst us poor dust and ashes Then from Christ's dwelling amongst us as in a tabernacle 1. As our Shepheard he protects us in our fallen condition as it referreth to his condition as a Shepheard Something we may learn from hence Whom to have recourse to and to be protected by in our fallen and relapsed condition We were all as sheep going astray 1 Pet. 1. ult but are now returned to the Shepheard of our souls Poor sheep going astray and must for ever go astray they cannot know the way to return home But now Lo Christ commeth dwelleth and pitcheth his tents amongst us that under him we may have protection I shall want nothing saith David for the Lord is my shepheard Psal 23. ult Seeing Christ came to pitch his tents we should hear his voice My sheep hear my voice Now Christ is in heaven no voice is to be heard but by the Ministry therefore all those Exhortations which the Minister giveth to the people they all come from this great Shepheard and are accordingly to be heeded Eccles 12. 11. The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastned by the masters of assemblies which are given by one shepheard Those Officers which Christ hath fastned in the Church they are as nailes fastned to the Assemblies Therefore such as listen to the voice of inferiour shepheard according to the Word when this great Shepheard shall come they shall receive a Crown of life Secondly Christ pitched his tents amongst us as a Sojourner 2. Christ as a Sojourner teacheth us to reckon our selves strangers in the world This should teach us to be conformed to Christ even in this particular He did but pitch a tent he did not take up his aboad upon the face of the earth We must carry our selves as strangers and pilgrims in the world and not look at our selves as at home here Ye know what the Psalmist saith I am a stranger Psal 39. 12. Hear my prayers O Lord and give ear to my cry hold not thy peace at my tears for I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were Ye know what is said of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and those Patriarks of old they dwelt in tents saith the Apostle Heb. 11. 8 9. By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise For he looked for a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God And so vers 16. Now they desired a better country that is an heavenly Beloved not to dwell hear Look about you and ye will find nothing but Tabernacles no Mansions till ye come to heaven While we live What are our bodies but as so many tabernacles to our souls It is a Scripture-expression 2 Pet. 1. 13 14. I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir you up knowing that shortly I must put off this tabernacle While we live our bodies are but tabernacles to our souls and when we are dead the graves are but tabernaeles to our bodies Psal 16. 9. Therefore did my heart rejoyce and my tongue was glad moreover my body shall rest in hope Because neither must our souls remain long in our bodies nor our bodies in the grave If we will have Mansions we must look to Heaven In my Father's house are many mansions Therefore dream not of mansions here below Thirdly Christ pitched his tent amongst us as the Captain 3. Christ as a Souldier learneth us to be encouraged of our salvation Let this encourage us we have one that 's able to encounter with Satan if he bring all his forces into the field together Let him be a roaringlion here is a ruling Lion the Lion of the tribe of Judah that can encounter him that putteth upon us the whole armour of God They say that a very Army of Harts and Hares led by a Lion their Commander are able to do great matters because the Leader putteth courage into them by his valour Let Christ put courage into us As that great Commander said when the Scouts came and told him that so many thousands were comming against him more than they were Why saith he How many thousands do you reckon me for intimating that he was worth many thousands of his enemies So For how many thousands do you reckon Christ when you go out against the World and the Flesh and the Devill I passe to the next And we beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son of God Here is the speciall manifestation of Christ's glory The Disciples beheld the glory of Christ as the glory of the onely begotten Son of the Father Let us take the words as they lie Here the Spectators were the Disciples of Christ they were the men that beheld and in that respect they were the blessed men more blessed then the Fathers before them Matth. 3. 16 17. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear For verily I say unto you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them We beheld there is the View The word is emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we beheld as in a theater as men behold things presented to them on a Stage they behold them with a great deal of earnestnesse and delight That the word implieth Ye have heard what the Object is the glory of Christ