recorded by the holy Ghost Exod. 2. 10. as a certaine proofe of his faith and trust in God that when he came to age he refused to be called the Sonne of Heb. 11. 24. Pharaohs daughter Indeed he was but to be call'd so For Pharaohs daughter had not liberty to adopt whom she list Well might she be at the charge of his nursing and allow him maintenance like a Princess and honour him with her fauour and countenance but shee could not giue him any right to the Crowne of Aegypt If then it were so greate an honour to be called the Sonne of Pharaohs daughter that Moses for refusing of it is registred to all posterity as a man that preferred the seruice of God before the glory of the world what a prerogatiue is it To be the Sonne of God Dauid when he was vrg'd and prest by the continual perswasion of many Courtiers to put himselfe forward and become the kings Sonne in lawe excuseth himselfe by his pouerty the meanness of his reputation Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a kings Sonne in lawe seeing I 1. Sam. 18. 23. am a poore man and of small reputation It is no great matter for a kings Sonne to marry a kings daughter There is no disparagement in the match to the wife no increase of honour to the husband But if a man of meane estate and birth be admitted to such aduancement by marriage how is he preferred how is hee honoured It shall be fit therefore and needfull to the ende wee may the better conceiue the excellency of our prerogatiue in being made the Sonnes of God to consider as the high estate to which we arise so the lowe degree from which we were raised Was it not in euery mans iudgement greater preferment for Ioseph to be made ruler of all Aegypt then for Putiphar to haue beene aduaunced to the same honour and autority Ioseph was taken from prison at the lowest step or rather not neere the stayer-foot Putiphar was already aboue the midst of the grees and could almost reach the top from whence he stood Let vs then cast downe our eies from the glorious estate of the Sonnes of God to the Shall I say meane or base conditiō The words are too light To the wretched fearefull damnation of the Sonnes of the Diuell Oh that I were able to vtter or you to conceiue either the misery in which we were plunged or the maiestie to which we are aduaunced It was cast in Ionathans teeth as a foule reproche by his angry Father that He was the Son of a wicked rebellious woman And cōtrarywise Salomō 1. Sam. 20. 30. rekons it vp amongst his titles of honor that he was the Sonne of Dauid The parables of Salomon the Sonne of Prou 1. 1. Dauid For as the dignity of the master is a credit to the seruant and the ones dishonour the others disgrace so much more as the bond betwixt them is neerer the glory or shame of the Father is the reputation or discredit of the Sonne Who is so vile so wicked so odiour as the Deuill His former happinesse makes his present misery the greater as heate opens the pores of the body and prepares a way for the more cold to enter He is cast out of the presence of God for euer he is vtterly forsaken of all vertue and goodnes Hee hath neither power nor will remaining to doe any good Hee repines against God he enuies the Angells hee seekes continually the destruction of men Such as the Father is such are the Sonnes Haters of God despisers of Angells murderers of men both others and themselues too Are these meete persons to bee made the Sonnes of God Surely as the children of Israell profest of themselues that when the Lord turned the captiuity of Sion they Psal 126. 1. were like them that dreame so is it with mee in the meditation of this incredible alteration Am I that was the child of the Deuill become the Sonne of God Haue I a title to heauen to whō hel had iust intrest Shal I raign in the glory of Christ that seru'd most basely in the bōdage of Satan I am not worthy O Lord to bee called thy Sonne It is more honour then I durst hope for or Luk. 15. 19 almost desire to be made one of thy hired seruants There are a greate many degrees betwixt these two estates It were much that thou shouldst at all receiue mee into seruice Yet if it please thee to vouchsafe mee that fauour the meanest or lowest place or office in thy Palace were to good for mee To bee a door-keeper in thy house It were a seruice sit for thy holy Angells not for mee a prophane man If thou wouldst needes of thy wonderfull bounty preferre me higher thou might'st make mee free at the most and so ridde thy hands of me Will not all this serue but must I haue the prerogatiue to bee thy Sonne too Me thinks I should but dreame of these fauours and not possesse them indeed they are so farre beyond not only expectation but credit too Peter when the Angell came to deliuer him out of prison the night before hee Act. 12. 9. 10. should haue beene executed though hee arose and followed his guide passing the first and second watch going through the iron gate which opened by it owne accord yet still thought that hee had but seene a vision and could not perswade himselfe that he was indeed set at liberty How much more vnlikely is it that poore miserable damned Sonnes of the Diuell should find such fauour as to be made the Sonnes of God Sarah laughed as at a thing vnpossible when the Gen. 18. 12. LORD told Abraham that shee should beare him a Sonne and the worthy matrone of Shunem that entertained 2. King 4. 16. the Prophet Elizah when he promist her the like blessing from the Lord could not be perswaded of the truth thereof Oh my Lord thou man of God saith shee doe not ly vnto thy handmayd Is it as straunge for a woman though shee bee old to haue a Sonne as for a man to become the Sonne of God This is that mystery which the Angels desired to behold As if they coulde 1. Pet. 1. 12. not satisfy themselues with thinking on it This was the Ioh. 8. 44. prerogatiue which some of the Angels could not abide should be vouchsaf't to men but murmured against 2. Pet. 2. 4. God for it rebelled to aduance themselues whereby they lost both their place and their honour It is not so easy a matter my brethren to beleeue this point as it is commonly thought to bee And whereas it is so generally receiued for truth of all that professe themselues to be Christians I am wholly of opinion that it is rather a light perswasion then a grounded beleefe Doost thou beleeue that as many as trust in Christ are thereby the Sonnes of
amplyfied then by propounding the chiefest of all the blessinges whereof wee are made partakers by him And what one is comparable to this The sauing vs from our sinnes to speake properly rather frees vs from miserie then brings vs to happinesse Sanctification doth no more but refresh the image of God in vs which was decayed or restore it being lost which can make vs but good seruants at the best If any man thinke that to bee an heire is a degree aboue being a sonne he must vnderstand that this implyes that Christ makes none sonnes but hee makes them heyres too by the same Kom 8. 17. title And therefore questionlesse there is no blessing obtained by him that may stand in comparison with this To bee the sonnes of God I deny not then but that this might bee respected of our euangelist in his choise of this benefit but I thinke there were also other reasons of it Hee spake immedately before of the Iewes not receiuing of the Messiah Now the Iewes were the men that held themselues onely to be the sonnes of God by reason of Abraham from whom they were descended Therefore the Lord challengeth them by the Prophet Mal. 1. 6. that they did not honour him A sonne honoureth his father If I bee a father where is mine honour Contrarie to this conceite of theirs the holy Ghost giues them to vnderstand that the honour to bee the sonnes of God is not appropriated to the Iewish nation as they falsely imagined but is common to all the Gentiles that will beleeue As for them their refusall to beleeue in him made them wholly destitute of that prerogatiue What other blessing afforded vs by Christ would so fittely haue met with that proud conceite of the vnbeleeuing Iewes Forgiuenesse of sinnes they little or not at all regarded being puft vp with an ouer weening of their owne righteousnesse They lookt for rewarde not Cyril in Ioan lib. 1. cap. 13. for pardon Fitly therefore to abate this pride doth Saint Iohn put them in minde of other sonnes of God Ambros de fide lib. 4. cap. 4 August in tract in Ioa 2. Bed ad huÌ„c loc such as they knew themselues not to bee for all their bragging Another reason is added and may be admitted that this was therefore especially named because it is that which being proper to Christ hee and hee onely could giue that it may appeare hee hath wholly communicated himselfe vnto vs if hee haue imparted that which was so truely and neerely his owne Ought wee not then to bee so much the more carefull both to knowe and obtayne so incomparable a fauour Can we content ourselues to be ignoraÌ„t of it Can wee indure one hower to be without it Had we rather bee seruants then sonnes First let vs vnderstand what it is to bee a sonne of God A matter easily knowne will some man say For what is it else but to haue our beginning and as it were birth from GOD So is Adam sayde to bee the Luk. 2. 10. Mal. 2. 10. sonne of God So speaketh Malachy of the Iewes Haue wee not all one Father hath not one God made vs If this bee all To be a sonne is no more then to be a creature or at the most such a creature as is made after the image and likenesse of God But this wee haue by nature in our creation not by grace in regeneration This they haue that are borne after the ordinary course of men of bloud of the will of the flesh of the will of man So are not they borne of whome our Euangelist heere intreateth Not of bloud sayth hee but of God That manner of birth is common to all men in all times and places this is a priuiledge voutchsaft to some onely The former was already bestowed vpon the Iewes in that they were men The later was to be receiued by the gift of Christ by their becomming faithfull or beleeuing men To conclude if the holy Ghost had meant such kinde of sonnes he would neuer haue required faith in the name of Christ What is it then To be the sonne of God The Euangelist aunsweres in the next verse To bee borne of God And are they to whome our Lord giues this honour of being sonnes Borne of God It should seeme then they are the naturall sonnes of God For what is it to be the naturall sonne of any man but to bee borne of him but this is meerely impossible Because our Sauiour Christ is the onely begotten or borne sonne of GOD and is thereby equall to his father both in time and dignitie whereas these sonnes haue their beginning in time and are no way comparable to God in any degree Therefore wee may not at any hand when wee read or heare of this birth whereof more hereafter in the next verse and especially in the thirde Chapter once imagine that we are properly sayd to be borne of God but that the speech is tropical that is to say turned from the naturall signification and applyed to another by way of similitude or likenesse I wil Mâ—taphora speake no more of the point at this time then is needefull for our vnderstandinge of the matter For the helpe whereof let vs consider how God is our father and wee his sonnes in respect of our naturall being by creation Euery man knowes that he is not properly our father no nor was Adams For then must he needs haue beene God by nature and God hauing begotten him as his naturall sonne must of necessitie haue beene such as Adam was and we all now are How then is God Adams father I confesse he is so though I doe thinke that Saint Luke is not so to bee vnderstood in the place formerly Luk. 3. 38. alleaged where those words the sonne of God seem rather to belong to Iesus then to Adam Well yet is Adam the sonne of God and not the natural sonne What sonne then If I shall aunswere directly to the question I say hee is the Tropicall and in particular the Metaphoricall sonne of God To speake to the capacitie of the meanest and simplest who haue as much interest to this knowledge reuealed by God for our instruction as the noblest and wisest Adam is the sonne of God by a borrowed speech For as men are naturally the fathers of them who haue their being in particular from them so is Adam so are all men the sons of God because they haue their first originall from him Adam also may bee sayde somewhat more particularly to bee the sonne of God because hee was fashioned and formed by him of the dust of the ground without any other meanes then the will and word of God himself And in this respect may an Image cut cast or painted by any man â—e called the sonne of him that was the maker of it So may the bookes that men write be tearmed their children And as all men in this sense are the Sonnes of God touching
often as there is any mention of Gods speaking to man helping man or being conuersant with him but he neither brings example of it nor quotes any place onely hee boldly auoucheth that the learned shall finde it to be so euery where and the vnlearned must take it vpon his word and knowledge They that will may giue credit to his report but I am sure he that will compare the Originall Hebrew and the Chalde Paraphrase together shall not finde one place in 20. so translated if any at all be It is vsuall with the Paraphrast to put w for Iehouah not Memar I thought good to note this by the way that all men may know what credit such authors deserue vpon their word and yet he is otherwise one of the best interpreters that I haue read of the Papists But though the Chalde Paraphrast doe not alwayes nor perhaps often or euer so translate the word Iehouah yet he puts Memar sometime where God perchance the second person is signified x Gene. 22. 16 By my selfe haue I sworne saith God to Abraham The Hebrew is so and so the Apostle expoundeth it y Heb. 6. 13. when God made the promise to Abraham because he had no greater to sweareby hee swore by himselfe Here the Paraphrast hath Binenni by my word In an other place where the Lord assureth Iacob that * Gene. 28. 15 he will be with him and keepe him the Chalde hath My word shall be thy helpe A gaine when Laban pursued Iacob Moses tels vs that a Gene. 31. 24 God came to Laban the Aramite in a dreame by night said The Chalde saith Memar The or rather a word came from the face of God But none of these places vnles perhaps the 2. need to be or may be expounded of the 2. Person in the Trinity our Sauiour Iesus Christ There remaines the last not the most vnlikely reason why our Sauiour should be called the Word namely because he was so often spoken of promised by the Lord. Now a promise as in our ordinary speech so in the Scripture is cōmonly called a word the septuagint translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the name our Euangelist here vseth b Psal 105. 8. He hath remembred his couenant c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his word that he made to a thousand generations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in d Psal 119. 25. 119. Psal often Quicken me according to thy word e Verse 49. Remember the promise or word made to thy seruant f Verse 65. Thou hast dealt gratiously with thy seruant according to thy word g Verse 74. I haue trusted in thy word h Verse 76. According to thy word to thy seruant Where the Chalde hath the very word i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Memar So k psal 130. 5. Ps 130. I haue trusted in thy word The main promise thē being the Messiah that indeed wherupon al other that are truly blessings fauours depend it is no meruaile that the Iewes should speake ordinarily of our Sauiour as of him that was promised by the name word or that the holy Ghost should direct our Euangelist to make choice of that title for him by which the Iews that translated the old Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke so often expressed the promises of God Hereupon it followes that although diuers l Tertullian de Trinit saepe Cipria ad Quirin lib. 2. cap. 3. 6. Hilar. de Trinit lib. 2. Erasm Caloni Beza c. ancient later Diuines haue translated the Greek by the Latin Sermo speech yet it seemes better to cal it Verbū the word For a mans promise is not tearmed his speech but his word But this reasō of the name is excepted against by m Maldonatus ad hunc locum a learned Papist as well because of the authors therof who in his Pharisaicall censure are heriticks as also for that it hath in it no liklihood of truth if al that he speaks be oracles Let his slander go let vs heare his reason If the Son saith he be called the word because he was promised in the beginning he was not the word because he was not promised As if our Euangelist said He was the word in the beginning not rather The word was in the beginning that is as I will say anon whē I deliuer the sense of the Text He that was promised for the Messiah had already his being when all created things began first to be Therfore wee may boldly cōclude that this respect of the promise is either the true or at least a likely reason of the name whosoeuer mislike or cōdemn it If any mā be of opiniō that the Greek should rather be trāslated Wisdome or Reason thē word as indeed it signifieth the one as well as the other n Michael de Palatio in Ioan. cap. 1. enarrat 1. we may think that S. Iohn in this place alludes to that in the o Prou. 8. 22. Prouerbs where the Sonne of God is brought in vnder the name of wisdom speaking in this sort The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set vp from euerlasting from the beginning before the earth c. This may seeme the more likely because as here so there also after the description of the word wisdome followes a discourse of the creation Here it is said that p Ioh. 1. 3. all things were made by the word q prou 8. 27. There Wisdome affirmes that she was present whē God prepared the heauens set the compasse vpon the deepe Neither only was she with him but as r Verse 30. a nourisher she maintained preserued all things which effect of preseruing nourishing diuers interpreters thinke to be signified in this chap. by those words ſ Iohn 1. 4. In it was life All which notwithstanding I had rather follow the translatiō which is most generally receiued especially since it is grounded vpon such great likelihood of reason that the Son may wel be signified to be the wisdom of God because he is the word of God both conceiued in the Father as the word t Isai 9. 6. reuealing to vs the wisdome of the Father promised u 8. Cor. 1. 30. made to be wisedome to vs. Therefore then is the Messiah fitly called the Word because he is in God as our inward conceptiō in vs because he hath declared vnto vs the wil of his Father and whatsoeuer else it seemeth good to the Lord to acquaint vs withal as it is manifest in this Chapter x Iohn 1. 18. No man hath seene God at any time but the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him And lastly because he is the promised seede of whom as it is also in y Iohn 1. 45 this Chapter Moses and the Prophets
dispatch of some businesse e Gen. 24. 7. He shall send his Angells with thee saith Abraham to his seruant and againe The Lord before whome I walke will send his Angells with thee and prosper thy Iorney The books of the old Testament are full of examples to this purpose Yea the new also affords not a few f Mat. 1. 20. 2. 13. 19. The Angell of the Lord appeared to Ioseph in a dreame once twice thrice g Luk 1. 11. There appeared vnto Zachary an Angell of the Lorde Therefore it is our of all question that the Angells had a beginning of their being by creation and whatsoeuer had so tooke that beginning from him without whome nothing was made that was made In the acknowledgment of this h Heb. 1. 6. when the Lord brings his first begotten Sonne into the world he saith i Psal 97. 7. And let the Angels of God worship him Wil you see this homage as it were and seruice perform'd Before his conception k Luk. 1. 26. the Angell Gabriell was sent to giue notice of it After his coÌ„ception before his birth l Mat. 1. 20. an Angell appeared to Iosoph to testifie that his conception was by the holy Ghost Presently after his birth m Luk. 2. 9. the Angell of the Lorde brought newes therof to the Shepheards about Bothlehem Yea straight way there was with the Angell a multitude of heauenly souldiers praysing God for his comming into the world Which was the mysterie that the Angells as n 1. Pet. 1. 12. Saint Peter tels vs desired to behold After his temptation in the wildernesse o Mat. 4. 11. The Angels came and ministred vnto him I might go forwarde in this kinde but what needes it His they are and at this commaund to bee imployed The Sonne of man shall send foorth his Angels q Mat. 24. 31. Hec â— Mat. 13. 41. shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet Wilt thou take a view now of some little part of thy happines by beleeuing in Iesus Christ the maker of all things and namely of these holy Angels Looke about thee then and behold them guarding thee and attending vpon thee on euerie side r Psal 91. 11. 12 Hee hath giuen his Angells charge ouer thee to keepe thee in thy wayes They shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foote a gainst a stone It is thought to be a goodly matter in the world for a man to be waited on with a great traine of nis followers people gaze vpon such an one and hee himselfe oftentimes dotes vpon his owne greatnes So many proper men in so braue liueries decked with rich cognizances of silke siluer or golde clad in veluet or Satin set out with chaynes of golde scarfes brooches armed with gilt rapiers and daggers in a word what can bee supposed to bee wanting either for glorie or for safety Shall I compare one of these wonders of the world with a poore Christian that beleeueth truely and soundly in Iesus Christ Thinke not scorne of the comparison whosoeuer thou art All the braue rie of thy gallantest followers is but beggerie being compared to the glory of the meanest of his attendaÌ„ts The gold and siluer of thy Retinue glisters in the eyes of them that gaze vpon it Thou hadst need haue a faire day and a bright shunshine or else halfe thy shew wil be vtterly lost It is not so with him whom thou despisest one of his Angels is able to inlighten any place in the darkest night Å¿ Luk. 2. 9. As the Shepheardes were watching their flockes by night the Angell of the Lord came vpon them and the glorie of the Lord shone about theÌ„ What is become of thy glistring in the night time Torches and candles are the light of thy glory take them away and all is nothing There is not so much ods betwixt a black flint a well watered diamond as betwixt the least glimpse of the Angels brightnes and the greatest light of thy seruants brauerie Doost thou boast of thy multitude How canst thou for shame if thou remember how the Prophet Elisha was attended t 2. King 6. 17. Behold the mountaine was full of horses and Charets of fire round about Elisha Dost thou heare The mountaine was full Alas a little hill will holde all thy followers Thou art faine to stretch them out to the vttermost by two and two that they may make som shew The Prophet had the mountaine full Hee hath giuen his Angels charge ouer euerie one of his children He names no certaine number that wee may knowe the charge is common to all And though all cannot bee in all places at once yet is no place without great multitudes of them u Dan. 7. 10. Hee hath thousand thousands mini string vnto him and ten thousand thousands standing about him But admitte as some men teach I thinke without sufficient warrant that euery man had his proper Angell and no more many thousands of men might not bee compared with such a guard for safetie x 2. King 19. 35. The Angell of the Lord went out and slew in one night an hundred fourescore and siue thousand in the Camp of the Assyrians Yea the very appearance of an Angell is not without dread and terror y Luk. 1. 12. When Zachary saw the Angell hee was troubled and feare fell vpon him So was Ver. 29. 2. 9. the Virgin Mary so were the Shepheardes And yet the messages they brought to these were full of comfort and ioy To * Luk. 1. 13. Zacharie word was brought by the Angell That his prayer was heard The Angell assured the noly Virgin That shee had found fauour with God And Ver. 30. 2. 10. hee that came to the Shepheards Brought them tidings of great ioy that should be to all the people If his presence were fearefull to them for whose comfort hee was sent what will it bee to them against whome hee comes as an Enemie for their destruction Who then would not cast himselfe for his protection and saluation vpon him that was the Creator of these glorious and mighty Angels Wouldst thou be honorably attended Behold the Angels ready to waite vpon thee a Heb. 1. 14 For they are all ministring spirits sent foorth to minister for their sakes which shall bee heires of saluation Would'st thou be safely guarded a Psal 103. 20. The Angels excell in strength c Mat. 28. 2. Beholde there was a great Earth-quake for the Angell of the Lord descended from heauen and came and rowled away the stone from the doore of the Sepulchre wherin our Sauiour was buried and sat vpon it and his countenance was like lightning Ver. 3. and his rayment white as snowe and for feare of him the keeâ—ers were astonied and became as dead men What if they Ver. 4. bee not ordinarily to bee seene
In this signification when the matter is of beleeuing God to iustification saluation sometimes the word is vsed by it selfe sometimes it hath an other word which we call a preposition ioined with it Of the former sort these may be examples Ioh. 5. 24. Hee that heareth my word and beleeueth him that sent me hath euerlasting life What is this beleeuing but that which we heard of euen now out of the Apostle Hee that beleeueth in him that iustifieth the wicked and that Rom. 45. which we are to heare of if it please God in the course of this Gospell yee beleeue in God The like is to bee said Ioh. 14. 1. of that in the Acts of the Iaylor He reioiced that he with all his housholde beleeued God Would you knowe what Act. 15. 34. beleefe this was We may learne that out of the Apostles former instruction and exhortation Beleeue in the Verse 31. Lord Iesus Christ There is yet a plainer testimony then this if any thing can be plainer in the same book where S. Luke writing the history of Crispus and his conuersion to the faith speaketh thus And Crispus the cheefe ruer Chap. 18. 8. of the Synagogue beleeued the Lord. The Lord that is our Sauiour Christ had not spoken to him but the Apostle Paul had taught him the doctrine of the Gospel that he was to beleeue in Iesus Christ for saluation To this he obayed and therefore is said to beleeue the Lord that is to beleeue in him When the prepositions are added the signification of the word is more fully exprest The most common and vsuall whereof wee haue very many examples in this Gospell is In. His Disciples beleeued in him Trusted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 2. 11. Chap. 3. 16. to him as to the Messiah That whosoeuer beleeues in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting VVhosoeuer resteth vpon him for saluation Almost euery Chapter affords vs the like examples so do the other bookes of the newe Testament especially the Epistle to the Romans that I may spare time and labour and hasten to the other preposition which though it bee vsed more seldome yet is most significant It is as much in english as vpon or on It was known throughout all Ioppa and many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 9. 42. beleeued vpon or on him That is many rested vpon him for Saluation VVhat must I doe to bee saued saith Chap. 16. 30. Verse 31. the Iaylour Paul and Silas answered him Beleeue on or vpon the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt bee saued But no one place doth so plainely and fully expresse the nature of this phrase as that to the Romans Behold Rom 9. 33. I lay in Syon a stumbling stone and a rock of offence and euery one that beleeueth on it shall not bee ashamed Heere our Sauiour is compared to a Rocke at which many doe stumble not acknowledging him to bee the Messiah but seeking other meanes to saue themselues by This Simeon foretold of our Sauiour that hee should be an occasion of falling to many in Israell But Luk. 2. 34. they that shall settle themselues vpon that rocke and renounce all other causes and meanes of attaining to euerlasting life shall neuer be asham'd of that their trust in him but shall come to the ende of their hope euen the eternall saluation of their soules by him So that if any man be desirous or willing to vnderstand what it is to beleeue in Christ this one place may giue him ful satisfaction out of which as it hath beene shewed hee may learne that it is nothing else but to cast himselfe vpon Christ to bee iustified and saued by him Thevse of the worde being as hath beene said so diuerse in what sense shall we take it in this text That we shall knowe by vnderstanding what it was that Iohn laboured to perswade men to by his preaching For wee haue learned that his witnesse beareing was Teaching and wee see heere that the ende of his teaching was Beleefe that all men might beleeue What was this beleeuing Onely an aslenting to the truth of that which they heard Iohn deliuer If that had beene all surely hee would neuer haue taken so much paines and spent so much time in exhorting all men to consider their owne estate and in convincing them of sinne that they might finde in what neede they stood of deliuerance by the Messiah But that I may make as short as I can wee may fetch the aunswere to this doubt from the Apostle Paul who thus describes the office and doctrine of Iohn the Baptist Iohn verely baptized Act. 19. 4. with the baptisme of repentance saith the Apostle saying vnto the people that they should beleeue in him which should come after him that is in Christ Iesus So then whereas our Euangelist tells vs that the ende of Iohns comming was that all men shoulde beleeue hee giues vs to vnderstand that hee taught men the mystery of redemption by Christ though not so distinctly as it was afterwarde deliuered with a purpose and desire that they shoulde take our Sauiour CHRIST for the Messiah and rest vpon him that their sinnes might bee taken away Beholde saith hee the lambe of God that taketh away the sin of the world It is true that beleeuing properly signifieth no more but giuing credit or assenting to the truth but seeing wee finde the ende of Iohns preaching to reach farder then so wee must needs hold that the other degrees of beleeuing are implied in this one and first step to faith by which we are iustified The like we are to conceiue of the word wheresoeuer in the new Testament wee finde that ascribed to beleeuing which cannot be attain'd to but by faith in Christ I wil indeavor to make this plaine by an example or two He Mark 16. 16. that beleeueth is baptized shall be saued What is meant here by beleeuing Nothing but assenting to that which the Apostles taught in regard of the truth thereof But that cannot bring saluation to any man which is not to be obtain'd without resting vpon Christ for iustification Therefore to beleeue in that text of Mark is as much as to beleeue in Christ or to rely vpō Christ for saluation Dost thou beleeue in the Sonne of God saith Ioh. 9. 35. our Sauiour to the man whome hee had before restored to his sight He answered and said Who is hee Lord that I may beleeue in him And Iesus said Both thou hast seene him he it is that talketh with thee Then he said Lord I beleeue What did he beleeue That Christ was the Son of God Was that all Our Sauiour asked him if hee did beleeue in the Sonne of God Had it beene sufficient for him to professe that he beleeued him to be the Sonne of God No sure But it behoued him for the answering of the question to affirme that he beleeued in him
or no. Let mee reason against thee as thy selfe didst ere while God will not haue all men to bee Schollers Therefore will I neuer bestow any paines in study I may say the like of Marchants Marriners Mercers Grocers and of euery trade So that by this gay reason no man shoulde euer betake himselfe to any course of life but wander idly vppe and downe or rather lye still and sterue And yet such are the goodly argumentes by which prophane men blaspheame the vnsearchable counsails of God and procure iust damnation to their own soules That which they may cleerely see they will not looke vpon That which they cannot possibly discerne they wil be alwaies gasing on They are curious to search out what God hath determined of them in himselfe Careless to vnderstand what he hath appointed for theÌ„ in his word It is set downe in plaine words and often that God will haue all men to bee saued and to come to the â— Tim. 2. 3. Tit. 2. 11. knowledge of his truth that the grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared The Scripture is full of such speeches All these are past ouer as many anâ— as plaine as they are and wretched men to cloake their owne wickednesse wil heare and thinke of nothinge but Gods secret predestination I haue been too long in this point already let me conclude in one worde where the light shines if any maÌ„ be not inlightned it is because he cares not for the light not that the light hides it selfe from him Then maist thou conceiue good hope that sighest gronest vnder the burden of thine ignorance seeking by al meanes to come to knowledge VVill hee thinkst thou that offereth his light where it is refus'd despised withdraw it where it is desired and sought for He came as himselfe professeth to seeke and to saue Mat 18. 11. 12. 28. that which was lost And wil he cast away those that seek to him Com to me al ye that labour are heauy laden Doth he cal them to him that he may beat them away when come No no the promise followes And I will refresh you Him that comes to mee I cast not away saith hee in another Iâ—h 6. 37. place But I cannot come to him saist thou for want of knowledge Nay say I thou wouldst not come to him but that thou hast knowledge knoweledge that thou art a sinner knowledge that hee is a Sauiour Art thou not inlightned The darknesse doth not comprehend him No man acknowledgeth him truly to be the Lorde of life but hee that hath learned of God that hee is so It fares with thee as it did with Peter when the Angell brought him out of prison Hee rose and followed the Angell and knewe not that it was true Act. 12. 9. which was done by the Angell but thought it had beene a vision And it is said of the Iewes in the Psalme that they Psal 126. 1. were like men that dreamt when the Lord brought againe the captiuity of Sion Thy case is much like these mens Thou hast receiued light and knowst it not But admit thou wert not inlightned Surely thou maist bee if thou wilt The light thou seest shines all about thee wherefor but to bee seene and receiued why not by thâ—â— aswell as by an other It lights it inlightneth euery man Plucke vppe thy hearte wipe the teares from thine eies that dymme thy sight Doe not thinke thou hast no light because a farre of thou seest a greater then thine is If an other man haue a Torch or a Cresset to light him and thou but a candle to shewe thee the way yet thou art not without light Perhaps he hath farder to goe perhaps his way is more daungerous It may bee if thy light were greater thy care and heedfulnesse would be lesse God hath proportioned out thy light according to thy need thou hast light though not so much as thou wouldst haue If thou haue none thou shalt haue He inlighttens Act. 12. 9. Psal 126. 1 euery man that commeth into the world Such is the effect of the light in its owne nature such would it be in the hearts of men if it were receiued as it desires and ought to bee The Evangelist told vs before that the light shineth in darknesse but without any good intertainement The darknesse comprehended it not Those two points he amply fieth farder in these verses first the offer which the light makes of it selfe Hee was in the world He came to his owne Then the refusall of that offer the world knewe him not His owne receiued him not I will handle the verses as they ly and speak seuerally of His being in the world and not being knowne of his comming to his owne and not being receiued by them So that each verse hath two partes our Sauiour Christs kindnesse in offering and mens vnkindnesse in refusing In the former verse the offer is in these wordes Hee was in the world the refusall in the rest For the vnderstanding of the offer we must consider these 2 things what is meant by the world what by being in the world is signified The knowledge of these two points will discouer the Euangelists meaning First therefore of the world which hath diuers significations in the Scripture as this oneverse may teach vs where it is taken in two different senses at the least if not in 3. That I may speake of it as orderly and as plainly as I can wee are to vnderstand that The world generally signifies the whole creature or whatsoeuer was created The inuisible things of God saith the Apostle are seene by the creation of the world This is that Rom. 1. 20. world which in this verse is said to haue beene made by Christ The same a little before was called All things By him were all things made Only it may Verse 3. well be thought that in the former place the Angells are not signified because Saint Paul speakes of the knowledge of God by the light of nature which perhaps will not serue to shew vs the Angels In this sense also it is to be vnderstood wheresoeuer there is speech of the beginning or foundation of the world As hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world Eph. 1. 4. that is before any thing was created All other significations of the worde flowe from this one which is the first and principall varyed as necessity required or delight perswaded The next most generall obseruation is this that the worde is put for some part or member of the whole Sometimes for the whole frame compasse of heauen and earth wherein the rest of the creatures are contained So speakes the Apostle God Act. 17. 24. that made the worlde and all things that are therein If euery thing that Iesus did should bee written I suppose saith Saint Iohn the world would not containe the books Ioh. 21. 25.
because I spake of it somewhat largely vpon the first occasion that offered it selfe in this Gospel at the seauenth verse That all men through him might beleeue The breefe oâ— Verse 7. that which then was deliuered touching this point is this that To beleeue is an action either of the vnderstanding or of the will The former that is Beleeuing as it hath place in the vnderstanding is either an holding of some point as a truth ingraffed in vs by nature as wee beleeue there is a God or an assenting to some thing reuealed vpon the credit of him that reueales it as wee acknowledge the Scripture to be the worde of God and euery thing in it to be sure and certaine according as wee are perswaded by the holy Ghost to whome wee giue absolute credit vpon his owne worde The other Beleeuing which is seated in the will and ariseth from the former in the vnderstanding is a resting vpon or trusting to some person or thing for some benefit to be obtained thereby So the Reubenites Gadites and the halfe Tribe of Manasseh when the Hagarenes made warre 1. Chr. 5. 18. 19 20. vpon them trusted to God for succour and were holpen against them with a glorious victory But the children of Israell would not trust to him or rely on him for food in the wildernesse Therefore fire was kindled in Iacob as it is in the Psalme and also wrath came vpon Psa 78 21 22 Israell Because they beleeued not in God and trusted not in his helpe Of this nature and meaning is the worde Beleeuing when it concernes iustification or saluation This may easily appeare by those kinde of phrases that the holy Ghost often vseth in this matter To beleeue in or vpon God and Christ Hee that beleeues Ioh. 6. 47. in mee saith our Sauiour Christ hath euerlasting life Beleeue on the Lorde Iesus Christ saye Act. 16. 31. Paul and Silas to the laylour and thou shalt bee saued And whereas sometimes in this very point of beleeuing to euerlasting life the worde is not so significant I shewed that the sense and purpose of the Spirite of God notwithstanding is all one It will not be amisse perhaps to make it plaine by an example or two First what is simply to beleeue in Ioh. 1. 7. this case Iohn was sent to beare witnesse that all through him might beleeue What beleefe was it that Iohn taught The Apostle Paul tells vs that they should beleeue in him Act. 19. 4. which should come after him that is in Iesus Christ Do you not see that vnder the bare word beleeuing faith in Christ is implyed Sometimes there is a little addition as Abraham is said not only to haue beleeued but to haue Rom. 4. 3. 4. beleeued God How doth the Apostle expound this beleefe By beleeuing on or vpon God What is that else but Verse 5. resting vpon God So the same Chapter teacheth vs to vnderstand that manner of speech which beleeue on him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead Verse 18. that is trust to him to be iustified and acquited of their sinnes Adde herevnto if you please that of the Apostle Peter out of the Prophet Isai Behold I put in Sion a cheefe corner-stone elect and pretious hee that 1. Pet. 2. 6 beleeueth theron shall not be ashamed How is this stone to be beleeued on but by a mans setling and reposing himselfe there vpon Therefore the Hebrew in the Prophet Isai 28. 26. is shall not make haste as if he should haue said shall cast himselfe vpon God to be succoured by him and wait with patience for the performance of his gratious promise The greeke expresseth the euent that shall insue vpon this beleeuing by a denyall of the contrary set out to our view by a tropicall speech of being a shamed For he that lookes for succour and by fayling of it is ouerthrowne vsually is ashamed both of his trust of his foile So shall not he be saith the Lord that resteth vpon Iesus Christ as vpon the rock of saluation This also the Chalde paraphrase expresseth shall not be moued Paraph. Chald. ad Isai 28. 16. Mat. 7. 25. being built as our Sauiour saith in the Gospell vpon a Rock against which the windes waues beat in vain making a great noise but doing no hurt at all because the house is grounded vpon a Rock But you will say There are diuers places of Scripture where that faith by which wee are iustified anâ— saued is confined to the vnderstanding and signifie no more but an assent to the truth of that which is deliuered by God to be beleeued Such is that touching Abrahams faith which was imputed to him for righteousnes First he is said not to haue bin weake in faith not to haue considered the deadnesse of his owne or his wife Sarahs Rom. 4. 3. 23. body not to haue doubted of the promise of God through vnbeleefe c. Then this faith or beleeuing is exprest to haue beene a full assurance that he which had promised was Verse 21. also able to do it What is there in all this great commendation of Abrahams faith but only an amplification of his beleeuing God that he had promised him no more then he was well able to performe So in the Epistle to Heb. 11. 3. the Hebrewes wee are said by faith to vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God and yet all men graunt as also the former Chapter euidently sheweth Chap. 10. 38. 39 that the Apostle speakes of such a faith as the iust liue by It is not my purpose to enter into a full disputation or discourse of faith which I reserue for my exposition of the Epistle to the Romans yet I may not leaue these doubts vnsatisfied nor the nature of faith vnknowne Therefore to these and such like places of Scripture and obiections from them I answere first in generall that beleeuing as it belongs to the vnderstanding is sometimes mentioned alone because it is the roote and fountaine from which the other doth spring and flow For it is vnpossible that any man should rely vpon God for the performance of that which he doth not beleeue he hath promised or doubts whether he be able to doe or no. Yea I say farder that such a beleefe in the minde is signified in all such places as is alwaies necessarily accompanied with trusting to God for that which wee beleeue hee can bring to passe If you demaund farder why I should not content my selfe with the former faith only seeing it is diuers times set alone in the point of Iustification I answere that therefore I take the other also to bee implyed in it because I find it very often exprest in the Scripture and a new kind of speech as it were purposely deuised by the holy Ghost to make vs the more easily and fully vnderstand what faith hee meanes
in the matter of our iustification I deny not that the Hebrew addeth the preposition ◠often times which the 70 sometimes expresse sometimes ouerpasse but this I say that the phrase which the holy Ghost most commonly vseth in the new Testament to expresse Beleeuing in Christ is neither in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greeke translation of the old nor for ought I could euer yet find in any greeke Author whatsoeuer except those that writ since and tooke it from the Scripture To beleeue in God or in Christ for the substance and sense is no more but to trust to God or Christ and this kinde of speech is vsuall in the greeke tongue and writers To helpe vs in the vnderstanding of this the 70. in their greek afford an other phrase maruelous significant To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beleeue vpon or on God This the holy Ghost might haue contented himselfe withall vsing it often as hee doth and by this the Hebrew Preposition is now and Act. 16. 13. Rom. 4. 5. 18. then exprest in the Greek But as if hee would haue vs out of al doubt touching a matter of so great importāce he becomes autor of a new phrase himselfe To beleeue in Christ Shall any man perswade me that hee meanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no more by it but a bare assenting to the truth What needed this straunge manner of speech which doth rather darken then inlighten the vnderstanding for the right conceiuing of the holy Ghosts true meaning Abraham beleeued God Euery man knows what this means especially if it signifie no more hut giuing credit to the truth of that which is spoken But the Apostle expoūds it by Beleeuing in or on God Is not this to make the matter doubtfull by an exposition whereas of it selfe it was plaine and certaine enough It cannot bee therefore but that the holy Ghost by this new kind of speech notes somewhat more then simply to assent to the truth of God vpon the autority of the speaker In particular I say farder touching that of Abraham Rom. 4. 5. first that his beleeuing as we haue often heard is a beleeuing in God or resting vpon God 2 that beleeuing could not haue profited Abrahā if he had only acknowledgd the truth of that which God promised and not trusted to him for the performance thereof What can it auaile any man to Iustificatiō that he holds IESVS CHRIST to be the only Sauiour and faith in himt he only means of saluation if he doe not withall rely vpon him to bee saued by his mediation Thirdly it must bee considered that the Apostle applying that particular of Abraham to all beleeuers expoundeth that beleeuing by relying vpon God Which beleeue on him that raised vp Iesus our Lorde from the dead What is it think you to beleeue on Verse 24. him that raised Iesus To assent to the truth of Scripture that tells vs he was raised Then should the Apostle rather haue spokē thus which beleeue God who saith he hath raised him But it is required that wee beleeue on him and there is no speech nor thought of any thing affirmed by God which wee should beleeue Let vs vnderstand it thus which beleeue that God raised Iesus Certainely if this had beene the Apostles meaning hee would neuer haue spokē so doubtfully of so weighty a matter where he had a plaine and easy speech to expresse that which he intended to the vnderstanding of euery man whereas no man woulde euer conceiue what he meant by these wordes if they signified no more but giuing credit to the truth of our Sauiors resurrection As for the other place out of the Epistle to the Hebrewes what can possibly bee concluded out of it against Heb. 11. 7. that I haue deliuered touching the nature of that faith by which we are iustified What if by it we vnderstand that the world was ordained of GOD Is this all that is required to the iustifying of a man in respect of faith There is no such thing either exprest or implyed in the words Nay rather all the examples that follow are so many proofes that the faith whereof the holy Ghost there speakes can not bee seuered from be leeuing in God I will not stand vpon the particulars at this time the later part of the next Chapter before vpon occasion whereof the Apostle falles into this discourse of faith giues sentence for me The iust shall liue Chap. 10. 38. 37. by faith By what faith by that which only giues credit to the truth of God No but by such a faith as makes vs rest vpon God for the performance of his promise which presupposeth the truth thereof How chance thē that the Apostle in setting forth the nature of faith asscribes such effects therevnto as may bee without any resting vpon God Shall wee say that this faith spreds it selfe ouer the whole soule and is seated aswell in the vnderstanding as in the affection I see not how it can stand with reason to place any habit or quality in two diuers partes or faculties of the soule VVhat then Is not beleeuing of the truth required to iustification Yes surely There is no possibility of saluation without it For how shall any man trust in Christ to be iustified by him it hee doe not beleeue that hee is appointed by God to be a Sauiour of all them that trust vnto him But the question is first whether Beleefe bee nothing else but an assenting to the truth Secondly whether the true nature of that faith which is availeable to our iustification consist in resting vpon Christ to be iustified by him or no Assent is required as the roote and foundation but the very forme of iustifying faith is beleeuing in Christ as it shall appeare I hope when I haue iust occasion to define it and handle it at large In the meane while that no man may bee troubled about that place to the Hebrewes let vs remember that the Apostle being to sette forth iustifying faith and to perswade continuance in obedience therevnto enters into a commendation of fayth in generall for the amply fying of that particular But for the settling of our minds in the true knowledge of that beleefe which is required to our iustification nothing I take it can be of greater force then the consideration of the worde as it is vsed ordinarily in the olde Testament VVhen any blessing is to bee receined from God what beleefe is it that the Lorde expecteth of his people to the ende they may haue his protection and assistance A fewe examples will shew the nature of it Because thou hast rested on the king of Aram and hast not rested vpon the Lorde thy God therefore is the hoast of the king of Aram escaped out of thy 1. Chro. 5. 18. 19. 20. hands Thus did Hanani the Seer reprooue Asa king of Iuda shewing him that the reason why hee preuailed not against the Aramites
was his not trusting in God The same point hee amplifyed in the verse following The Aethiopians saith he and the Lybians were Ver. 8. they not a great hoast with Charrets hors-men exceeding many Yet because thou didst rest on the Lorde he deliuered them into thy hand Therefore doth Iehosaphat exhort his people to the like trust in God and assureth them of deliuerance from their enimies therevpon Put your trust on the Lord your God saith he and yee shall be assured Chap 20. 20. We heard of the Reubenites before that the Hagarins were deliuered into their hands because they trusted in God 1 Chro. 5. 20. That the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the Israelits Because they beleeued not in God trusted not in his helpe Psal 78. 22. To this trust is blessednesse ascrib'd Blessed are all that Psa 2. 12. trust in him Yea with such a blessednesse as shal neuer fayle them They that trust in the Lord shall bee as mount Psal 125. 1. Syon which cannot be remoued but standeth fast for euer Tast and see saith the Psalme how gracious the Lord is Psal 34. 8. blessed is the man that trusteth in him Such a man will not be afrayd of euill tidings his heart is fixed and beleeueth in the Lord. This is to beleeue to saluation euen to haue his heart settled and to repose himself wholly and only Ps 112 7. Act. 16. 31. vpon Iesus Christ As for that perswasion which euery man must haue and wherein some woulde haue faith consist it followes him that is iustified and goes not before any mans iustification as faith must needes doe for the condition to be performed on our part to iustification is to Beleeue So then to beleeue in Christ is to rest vpon Christ but what is it To beleeue in his name Must his name bee rested vpon as if there were some especiall vertue in it In which of his names In IESVS or in CHRIST For of Imanuell it is needlesse to say any thing because hee is not once so called in all this Gospell and if the Euangelist speake of a name doubtlesse hee speakes of such a name as was knowne and ordinary neither woulde hee haue omitted it in the history if it had beene of such importance and vse It may seeme perhaps that Iesus is the name in which all men that will be saued must beleeue For that is it by which Saint Iohn commonly calls our Lord in his gospell and by which he was well knowne amongst men as hauing beene giuen him at the time of his circumcision Luk. 2. 21. and continued according to the custome of the Iewes We haue found him saith Philip to Nathaneel of Ioh. 1. 45. whome Moses did write in the law and of whome the Prophets writ Iesus the Sonne of Ioseph And of this name Iesus many excellent things are spoken in the Scripture That is said to haue cured the man that had beene a cripple Act. 3. 16. 6. from his mothers wombe At that name euen at the name of Iesus must euery knee bow By that name wonders haue beene Phil. 2. 10. wrought according as the Apostles prayed to God that healing and signes and wonders might be done by the name of his Act. 4. 30. holy Sonne Iesus Neither is this name effectuall for bodily cures only but as the Apostle Saint Peter profeseth Ver. 12. There is giuen no other name vnder heauen by which we must be saued But is there indeed such power in the name What then needed our Lord to haue come himself in the flesh seeing there were more then one of that name many yeeres before he was conceiued in the wombe of the blessed virgin in his mother Iesus the Sonne of Iosedec is Hag. 1. 12. famous in Hagge being high Priest after the peoples return out of the Captiuity But much more famous was osua 1. 1. 2. 3. the other Iesus who brought the people of Israell into the Land of Canaan and diuided to euery Tribe his proper in heritance That the names are all one though some would make a curious and an idle distinction betwixt them both the nature of the wordes shewe and the holy Gost in the new testament hath made it manifest by calling Iosua Iesus without any kind of difference in the name If Iesus had giuen them rest Afterwarde Heb. 4. 8. the Apostle in the same Chapter hauing occasion to name Iesus our Sauiour that hee might bee vnderstood to speake of him and not of Iosua addes his title Iesus the sonne of God What should that haue needed Ver. 14. if the name it selfe had afforded sufficient note of difference betwixt them But it is plaine in the originall Greeke and in the Syriake and Latine translations as also in our English that there is none The 70. Iewes that turned the olde Testament out of Hebrew into Greeke so exprest the names both of that Leader and of the high Priest Iosua 1. 1. Nowe after the death of Moses the seruant of the Lord the Lord spake vnto Ioshua Iesus sayeth the Greeke and so through out that whole booke So of Iehoshua the highe Priest Zach the third and the first And hee shewed mee Iehoshua or Iesus the high Priest so in the 3 6 and 8 verses of the same Chap. If the name giuen to our Sauiour Christ by Gods owne appointment had been diuers from the other surely the holy Ghost would not haue confounded them But now of purpose the same is retained that all men might vnderstand the reason of it as it is partly signified in that place to the Hebrewes concerning another Rest into which Iesus Christ hath brought the people of Israell the true children of God Hebrewes 4 8. For if Iesus had giuen them rest who was this Iesus but Ioshua then woulde hee not after this daye haue spoken of another What should I trouble you with many wordes of this matter By the name the partie whose name it is is signifyed Let the Apostle Peter expound himselfe His name hath made this man sound through faith in his Act. 3. 16. name Is it the name or faith in the name Iesus and not rather Iesus himselfe and faith in him And the faith which is by him sayeth the Apostle hath giuen him his perfect health The like wee haue touchinge the same matter in the next Chapter By the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth by him doth this man stand heer Chap. 4. 10. before you whole This sheweth that the Miracles which were wrought proceeded from the power of Christ not from any vertue in his name How then should saluation come from or by it Hearken what the Angell sayth when hee giues the name Thou shalt Mat. 1. 21. call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Not his name but Hee For the name had neither bloud nor life to giue in