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
Christ Here is one sort of spirituall life that Christ giveth and that in abundance I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly because where God is reconciled he beareth abundance of good-will to such a soul In thy favour is life and that favour aboundeth so much as that God loveth every reconciled soul with the same love wherewith he loveth Christ himself Joh. 17. 23. That the world may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me faith Christ That sheweth abundant love All love falleth first upon Christ as the head Divine love doth and so descendeth to the skirts of his garments It falleth upon us from Christ and through Christ Secondly there is a life of Justification which standeth 2. A life of Justification in opposition to the guilt of sin and of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. and telleth you what abundance of righteousnesse accompanyeth it Rom. 5. 15 17. If through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many For if by one man's offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ It is called Justification of life there vers 18. Even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men to Justification of life Thirdly There is a life of Sanctification that standeth 3. A life of Sanctification in opposition to the power of sin as that of Justification did to the guilt of sin This is likewise from Christ and of it Paul speaketh Gal. 2. latter end I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live to the Lord. I am crucified to the world notwithstanding I live yet not I but Christ that liveth in me This commeth in from Christ in great abundance Hence are those expressions 2 Cor. 8. 17. Therefore as ye abound in every thing in faith and utterance and knowledge and all diligence and your love towards us see that ye abound in this grace also Rom. 9. 8. God is able to make all grace abound towards you This is that that Christ saith That he giveth life and more aboundantly Fourthly There is a life of Consolation which standeth in opposition to the discouragements that arise both from 4. A life of Consolation the power of sin and the guilt of sin that strike the soul dead And therefore a soul that is glad is said to live Psal 69. 32. The humble shall see this and be glad and your heart shall live So you see that to be glad and to live is all one This is founded in Christ and there is abundance of this communicated to believers See that 1 Cor. 2. 15. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Here is consolation abundant consolation and both by Christ The last thing is a life of Glory which standeth in opposition 5. A life of Glory to that misery that ariseth from all the former from the wrath of God and the guilt and power of sin and the discouragements that arise from thence all these bring misery after the soul's death Now there is a life of Glory that freeth the soul from this that is hid in Christ You are dead but your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory There is a glorious life for believers but it is now hidden like the sap in the root in the winter-time It is hidden in Christ who is their glorifi'd Head already This they shall have and have it more abundantly because of that aboundant happinesse which accompanieth this life of Glory They shall be aboundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and made to drink of the rivers of thy pleasures For with thee is the fountain of life Psal 36. 8 9. When there is but a little small Brook and a whole Army commeth to drink at it they are ready to emulate one another because there is not enough to serve them all As he said Xerxes's Army drunk up whole Rivers But where there are Rivers of pleasure there is enough for all commers there needs be no emulation all shall be satisfied They shall be abundantly and Thou shalt cause them to drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures Thus ye see what strong Encouragement ariseth from hence that life is in Christ as in the Fountain So I have done with that Clause of the fourth Verse In him was life The next is And the Life was the Light of Men. Vers 5. And the Light shined in Darkness and the Darkness comprehended it not We proceed to that which concerneth the Creation of Light of Life Men in particular The life was the light of men That is as I take it The Life which was originally in the Eternall Word and conveyed to the creature according to their severall ranks and degrees was a life of Vegetation in Plants and a life of Sense in Brutes and a Life and Light of Men. It was so in the Angels as well as in Men. But the Evangelist because the Scripture was made for the use of Men and not of Angels contenteth himself onely to mention them The life was the light of men By Light I am soath to understand onely Knowledge as is Knowledge Grace and Joy some do or onely Grace as other some I rather take in both and add a third thing which is the result of both namely Joy For all these three come under the notion of Light Then make this our Observation That man was created by God at first in a state of light The life was the light of men Do but compare this place with that Joh. 8. 12. for the understanding of the phrase Then spake Jesus again to them saying I am the light of the world He that followeth me shall not walk in darknesse but shall have the light of life The light of life and the life of light is all one and both come from Christ without any great difficulty Next the life was the light of men And he shall have the life of light saith Christ here but that he speaketh of Conversion My Text confineth me to what was in the Creation Christ is presented to us as the Maker of all things So then Man was created by Christ at first in a state of light that is in a state of Knowledge of Holinesse and of Joy for these three things come under the notion of Light in the Scripture First Knowledge See in that 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who 1. Man created in the light of knowledge commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ This light of
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
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
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
Essence goeth a great deal further into the knowledge of God than Reason can and yet we cannot apprehend God in his essence no not by the eye of Faith Thence it is that faith is opposed to sight 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith and not by sight Implying that all the while we have no higher principle than faith in us all that while we come short of God to see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. Now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face Then speaking of a time after this life when that which is perfect is come and that which is imperfect shall be done away Then face to face not till then Here by the eye of faith we see as through a glasse darkly These are two excellent expressions though something darkned by the Translation For it is as through a glasse in a riddle here is the glasse to the eye and the riddle to the eare both imply that faith giveth us but a dark knowledge of God in comparison of the light of glory What we see in a glasse we see by reflection The Angels see God face to face by direct beams We see him as in a glasse the glasse of the Creatures and of the Scriptures There shall be no need of these glasses in Heaven where all Ordinances shall cease and God shall be all in all But here as through a glasse and as in a riddle What men apprehend in a riddle they may have true apprehensions of it As in the riddle that Sampson put Judges 14. 14. forth But it doth not convey a thing so clearly as if it were spoken in plain words Whatsoever we see we see it as in a glasse Whatsoever we hear we hear as in a riddle but then face to face saith the Apostle then we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. So now ye have had an explication of this proposition according to the first sense That no man hath seen God at any time That is No man in the state of mortality hath a beatificall vision of God in his Essence I proceed now to the second That No man here attaineth No man attaineth a scientificall vision of God here in reference to his Counsell to a Scientificall vision of God in reference to his Counsell That also is proper to Christ Compare if you please Joh. 6. 46. with Luk. 10. 22. In John thus of that No man hath seen the Father save hâ—â— which is of God he hath seen the Father What is that Luk. 10. 22. All things are delivered to me of my father and no man knoweth who the Son is but the father and who the father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Seeing is usually put for knowing in Scripture and seeing of God for the knowing of his Counsell This onely Christ doth Therefore called the wonderfull Counsellor Isa 9. 6. He could not be a Counsellor to us in discovering the great secrets of God if he were not first privy to Gods secrets Who but Christ could have made known that way of salvation which he hath opened through his owne flesh to the way of Heaven It was impossible for Angels or Men to have found out a way to have been recovered to God when man was once fallen had not Christ revealed it This knowledge of God no man hath For he saith Rom. 11. 34. having said vers 33. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God How unsearchable is his wisdome He addeth Who hath known either the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour That is proper to Christ No man may assume it I say no more of it here because it will come in again in the next Clause The onely begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father Come we now to the Observation of the invisibility of God for Application First By way of reproof we might from hence take occasion of lashing the Papists in the first place And in the Vse 1 next place the disputers of this World and especially the Arminians The Papists First and that both in point of their Idolatry Popish Idolatry reproved and of their boasting of their Idolatry First No man hath seen God at any time And yet they presume to make Images of Him visible shapes of the Invisible God Deut. 4. 15 16. Take ye good heed to your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire lest you corrupt your selves and make you a graven Image the similitude of any figure the likenesse of Male or Female If we will be worshipping any Image of God let us worship Christ who is the expresse Image of his Father's Person And no Image of God but Christ may be worshipped They were wont to kisse their Images of old Ye know what God saith of so many souls who have not bowed the knee to Baal nor kissed him In reference to 1 King 19. 18. this kisse the Son Psal 2. No man hath seen God at any time And yet if you believe them they tell you strange stories of some of their Grandees that have seen the blessed Trinity as they say of one Matinius that was continually incompassed with the glorious light either of the whole Trinity or of some glorious Person of the Trinity As he said of a Jesuite That he lay a long time in prison because during his life-time he had not earnestly desired to see the glorious Trinity They shall never make me believe that God will discover to any Jesuite of them all what he denied to his servant Moses I come to what is more for Edification to refute the Arminians refuted great disputers of this World and especially the Arminians that speak as if they were privy to the Counsels of God and had a Scientificall vision here below and therefore will believe no more then they can bring within the compasse of their owne reason Not considering what Job saith Job 33. 12 13. Behold in this thou art not just I will answer thee That God is greater then man why doest thou strive against him for he giveth not account of any of his matters Two Queries are made by Paul that might stop the mouths of all over-curious Quaerists in the World Nay but oh man Who art thou that repliest against God There are too many that are ready to reply against God to chop logick with their Maker when they will not believe what God revealeth because they cannot fathome it 1 Cor. 1. 20. Where is the Wise and the Scribe and the Disputer of this World The disputer of this world and Emphatically Of this world because there will be no disputing in the next World Then cometh the day of 〈◊〉 Revelation of the righteous judgements of God as Paul speaks Rom. 2. When God will make it apparent to every man that whatsoever he
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
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
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
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