the Creatures as it were by these severall stages and let our affections goe on as God went on in working Fourthly But six dayes De Posse God might have done 4. To see how great things God can do in a short time it in a moment But defacto he did it in six dayes We see how great a thing God can do in a short time That which men and Angells could not have done though he had given them a thousand millions of years to have perfected it Thirteen years was Solomon a building the first Temple And forty yeares were the Jews a building the second Temple Here in six dayes Heaven and Earth and Sea and All things therein are made Therefore trust God be thou never so low in thy estate or name or body or Soul He that raised the World out of nothing in six dayes how soon is he able to raise thee to a Competencie of these things Lastly Six dayes and no more God cast it so as we may 5. To limit us a time of working think on purpose to limit us a time of working and a time of resting He himself wrought six dayes and rested the seaventh day from all his works To teach us That we should have six dayes to labour in and keep the seaventh as a Sabbath Levit. 23. 3. Six dayes shalt thou labour but the seaventh day is the Sabbath of rest an holy Convocation ye shall do no work therein It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings That is the third thing Ye have heard what these All-things are In what order they were made And in what space of time they were created See now next In what manner they were created Fourthly In what manner were they made They were made by the sole word of God without instruments 4. In what manner without materialls meerly by the word of Command Psal 148. 5 6. Praise him ye Heaven of heavens and ye waters that be above the Heavens let them praise the name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created He hath established them for ever and ever he hath made a decree which shall not passe You read of no Instruments Solomon could not make a Temple but he must have a thousand of Tools God doth but speak the word and the earth was made You read of no materials out of which he made the world What can men make if you give them nothing to work upon Let a Smith have Iron and a Mason Stone and they can make some Work but here God maketh all out of Nothing saith the Apostle Heb. 11. 3. Through faith we Understand that the World was framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Briefly God made Something of Nothing and then out of that Something made All things as one well expresseth it That which Gen. 1. is called the earth and the water and the deep that first matter it was made out of meer nothing There is something out of nothing and then out of that first-Matter were all things framed There is all things out of something so as mediately or immediately all the Creatures come out of Nothing There is Non-ens negativum And so the first matter commeth out of nothing There is Non-ens privativum And so the other things they came out of that which is Non-ens tale a thing that had no naturall disposition to receive such a form And here is the omnipotency of God seen in both For it requires as much power to produce such and such formes as to produce that God Omnipotent in the Creation first matter out of Nothing and yet This God hath done And this should teach us both Obedience and Humility The consideration of the manner of making all things He made them all by his word Who are we that we should disobey the word of God which every Creature was framed by It is a shame for a man to be the worst thing in his house All the World is a house made for Man and man approveth himself the worst thing in the World if he disobey the Word of God Fire Haile Ice Snow fulfill thy Word saith the Psalmist He did but say Let there be light and the light presently shined How many words have we had Ten words of the Law as the Ten Commandements all comprized in two Words under the Gospell Repent and Believe and how many are unbelieving and disobedient still The Creatures cast shame upon us in this particular As they were made without Instruments by a sole word of Command so they were made of Nothing This should take down our Pride shall we be proud of the Creature That is to be proud of Nothing Proud of our parts or gifts Who art thou the Son of Adam vvho is Adam the Son of dust What is that dust The Son of nothing All resolveth it self into Nothing And certainly he that hath brought something out of nothing can quickly reduce our something to nothing again if we begin to be proud of it As he did the parts and power of Nebuchadnezzar when he took away his understanding and turned him to eat grasse with the beasts of the field Some thing ye have heard about the Things and the Order and the Manner and the Time Fiftly See now the End for which all things were made 5. To what end Solomon telleth you in one word That they were all made for the glory of God Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself The Heavens declare the glory of God The firmaments shew his handy works Therefore this is the great improvement we should make of all the things that are made to read something of God in them And this is a duty that lyeth especially upon man Man as he is the most considerable part of the visible World so the only Creature that can consider the rest and it lyeth as a more strong engagement upon him to Glorifie God above all because no visible Creature can do it if man deny it And it lyeth as a more strong obligation upon Ministers to Preach the Word because Regularly none but they can Preach And also upon Kings to govern and Merchants to trade because none can govern none can trade in such things as they No none but Men can consider and praise God for what he hath done in the World Therefore every man should look at this great book of the Creature as that which is written all over with something of God Beloved There is many a man cast away for not reading when he is put to this book a Non legit here may destroy a man for not reading the book of the Creature Though some of us take it but for a morall fault Observe that Psal 28. 5. Because they regarded not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands he shall destroy them and not build them up Why Should God set before
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
Wherefore my Brethren pray that ye may understand these things for indeed they are things that depend upon Revelation therefore they call for prayer Saith Bernard of the Mystery of the Trinity The best way of seeking it and the easiest way of finding it is not to enter upon Disputings but Prayer To Prayer add the use of the best Means reading the Word of God in which these Mysteries are revealed that concern the Eternity and Personality and Divinity of Jesus Christ Scripture will help you more then Reason here There are two sorts of things Some things there are which we do first understand and then believe Others which we first believe and then come to understand If ye Naturall things are first understood then believed Supernaturals not so go to naturall things first ye understand them apprehend the inside and outside of them and then believe them because ye understand them But now in these great supernaturall Mysteries that ye may understand them you must first believe them For this there are two rules If ye will first set Reason on work believe no more then ye can find out in these Mysteries That will hinder Faith But if after ye have believed them ye will set reason a work that may help faith The Arians of old that denied the Divinity of Christ they got a great deal of advantage especially over Women by putting questions for grounds of reason to them They were wont to come to Women and The Arians delusion and sophistry aske them Hast thou born a Child say they Yes And art thou not older then the Child thou hast born why yes say they And yet say they our Adversaries They tell us that God hath a Son and that the Son is Co-eternall with the Father Athanasius goeth to work to confute them thus I aske you a question Canst thou build a house without Timber and Stone and other Materialls no yet God made the World without any of these things If Gods building be not as an Artificer's God made the World without Materialls He hath his Son from Eternity but not as a naturall parent for who can declare his generation If ye will aske a question Ask the Sun if ever it were without its beams Aske the Sun if it did not shine as soon as it was Created And aske the Fountain if ever it was without its streams As the Sun was never without its beams nor the Fountain without its streams so God was never without his Son In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God both Co-existent and Eternall Vers 3. All things were made by Him and without Him was not any thing made that was made Who is here meant by Him the fore-going verses tell you namely the Word And who is meant by the Word ye have heard at large namely Christ Whose Divinity the Evangelist had affirmed vers 1. The Word was God confirmed in the second verse The same was in the beginning with God And here he proveth it by a new argument from the Creation of the World All things were made by Him and without Him was nothing made that was made Now the Apostle telleth you Hebr. 3. 4. He that built Syllogism all things is God Christ built all things saith my Text Therefore Christ is God The argument lieth fair and undeniable But whereas the Apostle Paul speaks of a new Creation we are hinted to think of a double Creation There is the old Creation and the new Creation Now some Hereticks make a question which of the two is here meant There is the old Creation spoken of by Moses in Genesis In the beginning God Created Heaven and Earth And there is the new Creation spoken of by Paul 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are past away behold all things are become New The question is which of these the Text is meant of All things were made by Him Socinus who denieth the Socinus his damnable heresie and opinion Divinity of Christ together with his Satisfaction maketh it to lay hold upon the latter of these and saith that in the Text ye must understand the new Creation As In the beginning was the Word He understandeth the beginning of the Gospell not of the World All things were made by Him that is all things were made new when Christ was born of the Virgin Mary These are the all things meant in the Text saith Socinus As this is not true so it will not serve his turn It is not true nor consonant to the Text which doth not say that all things were made new by Him but that all things were made by Him and undeniably spoken of the Creation of the World Neither will it serve his turn He hopeth by this evasion to avoid the dint of this argument taken from the Creation of the World to prove the Divinity of Christ but it faileth him for take that which he granteth By all things here we must mean the new things the new Creature If this be the thing we will prove Christ to be God in spight of Socinus For who can turn a heart of stone into an heart of flesh who can work faith and love faith in an unbelieving heart love in an hating heart and meeknesse in a passionate heart who but God! Do not these things declare an Almighty power This by his owne Confession proves him to be God But we are to understand it of the old Creation of the World which Moses telleth us of All things were made by Him that is the proposition An illustration of it in the following words without Him was nothing made that was made In the proposition observe two things First the Effect All things were made Secondly The Efficient By Him This is an excellent help and of great Concernment The making of all things is the first lesson that God Almighty teacheth us in the Bible In the beginning the Lord made Heaven and Earth Therefore worthy the dwelling a while upon and making inquiry into these five things for the clearing of these words First What are the things here meant Secondly In what Order Thirdly In what space of time Fourthly In what manner Fifthly To what end were they all made When these are done we shall come clearly to shew that the Lord Jesus Christ had an influence as the Efficient cause of all these All things were made by Him First What things are here meant All things These 1. All things are here meant are words of a vast Comprehension but you shall find them all reduced to four heads by God himselfe In the fourth Commandement Exod. 20. 11. In six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all things that are therein These are the heads of the All things First the Heaven Heaven is a fair building a glorious Fabrick of three Stories the first second and third Heaven 1. Heaven So Paul
to begin with the lowest and so goe upward to begin with lesse perfection and so go on to more Do we aime at the top of Grace Wee must climb up by certain steps The New Creature goeth on as the Old Creature dyeth from the lesse perfect to the more perfect Never expect Love and Fear and Joy and all at the first God's work will be going on still from lesse to more perfection Thirdly as to the poynt of order in the making of all 3. The essentiall part of the world made before its Ornaments things God he made the Essentiall part of the World before he made their Ornaments As ye know he made the the Heaven and Earth and Sea before he made their furniture before He furnished the Heaven with Starres and the Earth with Plants and Beasts and the Sea with Fishes To teach us to look in the poynt of Grace too for the like proceeding There are Essentiall Graces and Graces that tend to Ornament Essentiall Graces that goe to the Constitution of a Christian Such are Faith and Love And accessary graces that tend to his Ornament and well-being Such are joy and assurance Observe now Gods method He first begins with the most essentiall happinesse but he that by faith layeth hold on Christ and by love cleaveth to Christ it may be God will make him stay some time for his Ornaments before he furnisheth him with full Assurance even as a Heaven before starres to furnish it Again It may be observed in order of Gods Creation 4. He made things dependent before the things they depend upon That he made some things which now depend upon others before the things upon which they depend For instance the light ye know dependeth upon the Sun the Sun being removed we shall have no light but yet God made the light before any Sun The light was the work of the second day and the Sun not made till afterwards The growing of Plants and Fruits now depend much upon the husbandry of men and upon showers and rain yet God made them before any raine or any man to till the ground Gen. 2. 5. Every plant of the field before it was in the earth and before it grew for the Lord had not caused it to rain upon the earth and there was not a man to till the ground To teach us thus much That all the Creatures though they be subordinate one to another doe yet depend more upon God the first Cause then upon any second Cause And to let us understand That we have reason to depend upon God though we see no meanes He that can maintain a light without a Sun and cause things to grow without rain he can maintain grace in thy heart though thou hast no means or but small means of thriving in that way I do but hint these things by the way as profitable Observations from the Creation of the World Lastly in poynt of order God made Man last of all He ye know was the workmanship of the sixth day and that to 5. He made Man last of all the end we might see both his wisdome and his goodnesse a great deal of wisdome in this That after God had raised such a glorious Fabrick as the world is he should do as sometimes men are wont to do A man that buildeth suppose a Library or Exchange or some such Monumentall place It is usuall for such persons to send their Pictures thither and to have them hanged up therein that all may know at whose charge that was done So God made the World and furnisheth it and then sendeth his own Picture and maketh man after his own Image and putteth him into the World And at such a time as the Wisdome of God had provided it and furnished it That man should be so made as to let him see that he was made to serve God as other things to serve him Therefore he is not created till the latter end of the sixth day immediately before the Sabbath that so the first work which he takes in hand might be the worship of God that made him Here is wisedome and goodnesse in this aboundant goodness God would not invite man unto bare walls but first he buildeth and furnisheth a house and then bringeth his guest into the house that Man at first might taste and see how good the Lord was And that all men might learn for ever to trust him He that provided for us a being will he not now he hath given us a being maintain us These things I observe to you from the Order Thirdly Let us inquire into the space of Time wherein 3. In what space of time all these things were made I do it the rather to let you see what Doctrine may be sucked out of these first Principles of Religion In six dayes the LORD created Heaven and Earth the Sea and all things therein Here are divers Considerations to be deduced from hence 1. God could have done all things in a moment yet it pleased him to be six dayes about this great work Dayes 1. To teach us Deliberation and not Moments First to teach us the necessity of Deliberation in all matters of Consequence We understand God could have done all in a Moment but he was pleased to take time about it that he might thereby inform us of the necessity of taking time when we undertake things of Consequence Many a man doth that in haste that he Serius absolvit qui nimiùm properat repenteth him of at leisure whereas he should not have had cause to repent if he would have taken leisure in doing of it Dan. 2. 16. He required time of the King when he had a hard taske Secondly dayes and not years Here is an observeable 2. To blesse God more for Redeeming us than for Making us difference between the work of Creation and the work of Redemption The one was finished in six dayes but it cost Christ three and thirty years pilgrimage upon earth before he came to say It is finished So much more noble is the one work than the other So much doe we owe more to God for his having Redeemed us than for his having Made us There is not one of us but oweth himself to God for his Creation If we had a thousand yea ten thousand selves we should owe them all to Christ for our Redemption because that is the greater worke it tooke God a longer time Thirdly in poynt of time All things were made in six distinct severall dayes That so God might help us the better 3. To help us the better to understand the making of all things to understand this great work It is too vast for us to comprehend at once The making of all things Therefore God was pleased to cast it into six severall dayes that so he might follow his work in our meditations Moses saith Such a day was such and such a Creature made that we might runne through all
concerning the Divinity of Christ which is the very end for which they bring this argument The builder of all things is God Heb. 3. 4. Christ was the builder of all things saith my Text. Therefore Christ is God In the beginning God Created Heaven and Earth and Sea and all therein saith Moses Christ created Heaven and Earth and the Sea saith my Syllogism Text. Therefore Christ is God To bring things together that are infinitly distant requireth an infinite power The distance which is between Beeing and No-beeing is infinite Therefore He must needs be God that can bring all things out of nothing and he that Createth doth so This exalteth God above all Idolls None of them can make a World So the Apostle argueth Act. 14. to turn them from Idolls to the living God 15. vers We are men of like passion with you and preach to you that you should turn from these Idolls to the living God which made Heaven and earth and all things therein Justin Martyr quoteth two Greek verses out of Pythagoras to prove there is but one God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. saith Pythagoras If any will assume to himself and say I am God except onely one let him lay such a Worid as this is to stake and say This World is mine then I will believe him otherwise not He is God that made the World Christ made the World Therefore he is God Secondly It instructeth us concerning the Excellency of Christ above all things By him were all things made Therefore he himself must needs be better then all things for he made them The cause is better then the effect The Carpenter better than the house and the Shipright then the ship Look whatsoever excellency is in the Creature it All creature excellency is from Christ came from Christ Therefore he hath a greater excellency than the Creature hath Yea whatsoever are in the Creatures they meet in Christ Therefore it is that there are names borrowed from all the most excellent Creatures to decipher Christ by in Scripture to shew that all their excellencies are eminently in Him from whom they have their beeing Amongst things in earth that have barely a beeing the most excellent are Jewells and pretious Stones Christ taketh a name from thence He is called the Corner-stone elect pretious 1 Pet. 2. So Isa 28. he is the great pretious stone the Jewell of Jewells Amongst Vegetables Plants and Trees the most excellent is the Vine and Olive Christ is the true Vine Joh. 15. and the good Olive-tree Rom. 11. Amongst Beasts that have sense the most excellent amongst wild Beasts is the Lion and amongst tame Beasts the Lamb Christ taketh name from these The Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1. The Lion of the tribe of Judah as in the Revelations And so if ye look up into Heaven the most excellent Quality is the Light the most excellent Luminary is the Sun Christ hath names from both these This is the true light that lighteneth every man that commeth into the world And The Sun of Righteousnesse with healing under his wings Mal. 4. So as it sheweth to us in the second place the excellency of Christ above all things Thirdly It instructeth us concerning the primitive good 3. Christ so good as to make nothing ill of all the Creatures they are all of Christ's making and therefore must needs be good good in themselves and good to us For he is so good as that he can make nothing ill He beareth such affection to us as that he will do us no harm He that in fulnesse of time was made for us of a Woman made under the Law will make all things usefull for us that he undertakes to create It is true many things are now become hurtfull to man Whence commeth this Not from Christ It is said by Moses in the end of the Creation God looked upon the works of his creation and behold they were all good If any thing be evill now in the end of the world we may thank our selves and the Devill for that for they came all good from Christ Therefore let not us play the Balaam and beat the Asse when we are in the fault as he did Jude telleth you vers 15 16. of a generation of men and the world is full of them that are Murmurers and Complainers men that alwaies find fault with what God hath made their lot This very consideration might help us to complain of our selves not of God not of the Creator As Physitians sometimes do when a man bleedeth excessively at the nose they open a vein in the arme to divert the blood If we will be complaining here is a diversion Our complaint should onely be against sin not against God we should complain of our sinne that hath brought all this misery kill sinne and all is good Nothing more frequent then for a man to deal with God as Hiram did with Solomon 1 King 9. 11 12 13. It is there said that Solomon gave Hiram twenty Citties in the land of Galilee and he came out from Tyre to see the Citties which Solomon had given him and they pleased him not and he said What Citties are these which thou hast given me and he called them the land of Cabul to this day which signifieth Dirty Solomon had bestowed Cities upon Hiram and in all likelyhood they stood in very fertile places only they had this Inconveniencie with their fertility they were Mire and Dirty therefore he was displeased at them God hath bestowed many blessings upon us and yet if there be any dirt goeth along with the fruit many times the fattest soile is lyable to that we are apt to call them Cabul never looking at God that gave them Let us remember that all creatures as they came from God are good Therefore if we will be finding fault find fault with our selves I now come to the Consolations Vse First here is matter of Comfort in case of the want of the Of Consolation in case of Want Creatures When men are destitute either of temporall blessings ot spirituall blessings that belong to the new creature Let them solace themselves in this Though the creatures be wanting if faith be not wanting they have Christ that made them all and they may have the comforts of all in Him Thus the Psalmist comforteth himself in such a case Psal 146. 5 6. He had said before Put not your trust in princes nor in the sons of men in whom there is no help His breath goeth forth he returneth to the earth in that very day his thoughts perish Here he speaketh against the creatures the greatest men Princes they are gone What followeth Man's happinesse in trusting in God and not in Man Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is therein
we lost in the first Adam we shall have restored in the Second there is no other way to come by it but this The Mint in which Knowledge Holinesse and Joy are coyned it goeth in Heaven and no where else Christ is the Master of that Mint That you may be encouraged to seek to Christ for this set me tell you Beloved That if the Lord Jesus Christ be 1. Sweeter Knowledge by Christ then that we lost in Adam pleased to renew this Image in you and restore you to this state of light you shall have a sweeter Knowledge ye shall have a surer Holinesse and a more lasting Joy than Adam himself had in Paradise The light that the second Adam giveth is better in some respect than the light which the first Adam lost Ye shall know that which Adam never knew the heighth and depth and breadth and length of the love of God in Christ That which did not come within the compasse of Adam's knowledge to know what belonged to a Redeemer but that is made known to the Saints in whom the Image of God is renewed Ephes 3. 17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth and to know the love of God which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fulnesse of God Adam knew much of the love of God as a Creator but now we know the love of God as a Redeemer This must needs be a sweeter knowledge because this second is a greater love The misery of the person to whom love is shewed heightneth the love That which God in Christ Pitty in misery heightneth love sheweth to man fallen is love in mercy love joyned with mercy is greater love therefore the knowledge of this is sweeter knowledge And as ye shall have sweeter Knowledge so surer Holinesse 2. Surer Holinesse I do not say a purer Holinesse Adam was more pure in the state of Innocency than any man on this side Heaven he had no corruptions stirring in him But surer Holinesse That Holinesse which Adam had he was capable of losing it and did lose it That which Christ restoreth to them in whom this Image is renewed it is not left to their own keeping He himself keepeth it for them and no man shall take them out of his hand Joh. 10. 28. They shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand As it fareth sometimes with a man that hath broke his leg or arm if he light upon a good Chirurgion that setteth it well again the arm or leg is stronger than before the breaking of it and we say He fell into the hands of a good Chirurgion So we were broken in Adam but we have by Christ a stronger Holinesse than we had at first And so you shall have a more lasting Joy than you could 3. More lasting Joy have in the first Adam It was a joyfull state as ye have heard but how long endured it The Psalmist saith Sorrow endureth for a night but joy commeth in the morning Here joy endured for the morning and sorrow came at evening Some think Adam did not stand in his integrity a whole night sure he did not stand long but lost his joy presently That joy which is given to whom this Image is renewed is such as no man or devill can take from them Joh. 16. 22. You all shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man tâ—â—e from you Bernard saith Gaudium â—â—it in fine sed Gaudium sine fine It shall be joy in the end but it shall be a joy without end which Adam's was not This is the Generall Use There is another more Particular that is to such as are Particular Use restored to this Image of God and a new state of life from which Adam sell that they might walk as children of the light How is that The Exhortation ye have Ephes 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord Walk as children of the light That is Walk knowingly walk piously walk cheerfully for light includeth all these three Hath Christ restored you to what ye fell from First then Walk knowingly have a care to see your way 1. Walk Knowingly before you whatsoever ye do it upon warrantable and good grounds take up no Opinion upon trust follow no Principles without a warrant from the Scripture He that walketh in darknesse faith Christ Joh 12. 35. knoweth not whither he goeth And so Prov. 4. 19. The way of the wicked is as darknesse they know not at what they stumble So long as a man is in the dark he knoweth not whither he goeth nor at what he stumbleth he reeleth sometimes this way and sometimes that way runneth his head against a post or falleth into a ditch into this error or that He stumbleth now upon a mad Principle and then upon a bad Principle because he knoweth not whither he goeth In the dark there is no discerning of colours all things are alike fair So it is with men in the state of unregeneracy there is no difference between civility and grace between formality and truth between faith and fancy He that will walk as a child of light must discern of things that differ for It is light that maketh manifest Secondly As he must walk knowingly so Piously Put on saith the Apostle the armour of light and let us walk 2. Walk Piously honestly as in the day Rom. 13. 13. Would you know how Cast your eyes upon Ephes 5. 8 9 10. Walk as children of light For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth proving what is acceptable to the Lord. This place sheweth you that the light of holinesse which is in the souls of the Saints it is a Prolificall Light which bringeth sorth fruit Walk as children of the light For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth It is the light of the Sun that begeteth creatures which the light of a Candle doth not Many Creatures have no other father but the Light as Philosophers say Putredo mater Sol pater Putridity is the mother and the heat of the Sun that is the father of them So it is with all inferiour Lights they are like the light of a Candle the naturall light of Reason and the utmost improvement of naturall abilities this light make the best of it till it come to be supernaturall and to have infusion from Christ it hath no quickning power in it it will not reform a man's life it begets no work truly good Whereas the light of Holinesse like the light of the Sun it ingenders and bringeth forth good works The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse Then there will be a proving of what is acceptable to the will of God Men will not
came the Prophets after them the Evangelists and Apostles So as this Age enjoyes the benefit of all the light that former times have had Thus you see it is made good that a light from Christ hath continued to shine in all Ages ever since the Fall This letteth us see that ignorant persons in all Ages have been inexcusable they cannot say but that God sent them light more or lesse Rom. 1. 20. The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternall Power and Godhead so that they are without excuse No age can plead any thing for it self by way of excuse if it looketh not after God and this age least of all for Christ who hath continued to shine in all ages shineth out most gloriously now They had but as it were the Star-light before Moses afterwards I will take in all that under Moses too it was but a Star-light in comparison In John the Baptist's time they had as it were the light of the morning peeping out he was the Lucifer the Morning-star that came before the Day Then came the Day-spring from on high to visit us the Lord Jesus Christ himself in the Ministry of the Gospell he being both the Subject and Christ both the Subject and the Preacher of the Gospell the Preacher of the Gospell Then the Sun arose and so the light shined more and more to the perfect day He sent forth his Apostles and endowed them with infallibility of spirit And the holy men writ as being moved by the Spirit of God So as in the ages since God hath been pleased to make good that which was Prophecied of old by Isaiah first and afterwards by Habbakuk The time shall come when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord even as the waters cover the sea Isa 11. 9. Former times had but poor Ebb-tydes in comparison there are now Spring-tydes since the comming of Christ into the world The earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea You may see if you will a little by what degrees Light came in Heb. 1. 1. God revealed himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God revealed by degrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in severall waies and at severall times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by piece-meals in many parts which the word implyeth As for instance He first made known to Adam that he would send Mankind a Mediator that should be born of a A little light revealed to Adam Woman there is the light with him The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's head And that manifestation goes no further After commeth a further light that is to Abraham a little more to Abraham where he telleth him In thy seed shall all the nations of the world be blessed And to him is given Circumcision as a seal of this covenant of Grace A further light came in more to Jacob Jacob's time and discovered the time when Shiloe should come into the world Gen. 49. 10. After him the Propheticall Office of Christ is revealed to Moses A Prophet like more to Moses to me will God raise up to you of your brethren him shall ye hear Deut. 18. 18. Then commeth in another Sacrament and more afterwards to the Jews the Passeover and all the Ceremoniall Law which was the Jews Gospell every thing there pointed at Christ Afterwards clearer manifestation still Isaiah telleth you what kind of Mediator he shall be not descended of a pompous A clearer light to Isaiah way but as a man of sorrow He telleth you of whom he shall be born A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son Micah more to Micha telleth you the very place where he shall be born Thou Bethlehem out of thee shall come forth to me him that shall be the Ruler in Israel Mich. 5. 2. And so by degrees light came in How much is this Age of the world bound to God We under the Gospell have all the light of former Ages for the enjoyment of all the light of former Ages so as if still we are ignorant of Christ we are of all men most inexcusable It was but a little that our fore-fathers enjoyed in comparison Look but back a few years to Henry the Eighth's time and to Queen Mary's daies the Protestants then had but little light in comparison of what they have now As it is in Reason our Reason should answer our Light so it is in Nature when the Sun appeareth at noon-day then it is hottest Naturalists say Calor Lux concrescunt Light and heat encrease together But alas notwithstanding the light in our heads what a coldnesse is there in the most of our affections Let me say this to you Our fathers in those daies they walked to Heaven as it were by Candle-light But Oh! if we shall now post to Hell by day-light What will become of us how inexcusable will our guilt and insupportable will our condition be I have done with the second Observation The light shineth in darkness It followeth The Darkness comprehended it not The Point from hence is this That it is naturall to man Observ 3 since the Fall not to comprehend the light of Christ The Apostle speaketh in plain tearms 1 Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned It is not with this Metaphoricall light as it is with the Naturall the naturall light scattereth the darknesse where it commeth Let the Sun arise Darknesse giveth way But here the Metaphoricall darknesse will not give way that resisteth the light when it commeth and prevaileth against it Thus in St. John's language It comprehendeth it not Job 24. 13. These are they that abhor the light they know not the wayes thereof nor abide in the paths thereof They are of those that rebell against the light For the light that shineth in the works of God darknesse comprehendeth Light shining in the Works of God it not God hath gloriously appeared in the works of Creation but with what issue 1 Cor. 1. 21. Seeing the world by wisdom knew not God in the wisdom of God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe There was a great deal of wisdom appeared in the works of Creation In wisdom hast thou made them all saith the Psalmist of the works of God and yet the world by wisdom knew not God All that appeared of God by the creatures could not bring man to a taking knowledge of him Therefore you see God is put upon another way of saving man viz. The foolishness of Preaching as this place telleth you Something men did apprehend of this light but they comprehended it not fully The light shineth in darkness but the darkness comprehendeth it not Again This light
We are all sick sick to death and the Lord Christ is offered to us in the Gospell Is it not madnesse to refuse him If a poor woman that were deep in debt should have a Serjeant come upon her and arrest her and be dragging of her to prison and at the same time should have a good march offered to her a rich husband that will pay all her debts Were not she an unwise woman if she would not take him for her husband It is our case We are all deep in God's debt ready to be dragged to the prison of hell there to lie and die and rot for ever Now the Lord Jesus offereth to take us and to be married to us And for us to refuse him who will pay all our debts and advance us to an high and glorious condition Is it not madnesse And yet there is no greater and more common and frequent sin To refuse Christ offered is the great damning sin in the world than this The not receiving Christ it is the great damning sin It is this that argueth the prophanenesse of man's heart as Esau is called prophane Why Because he sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage the brand of prophannesse is fastned upon him in this respect So prophanenesse is in the hearts of all the ungodly they sell their birth-right for some messe or other of the devill 's pottage for pleasures or profits They let Christ go Not him but Barabbas not Christ but credit not Christ but wealth and estate Therefore still the Lord hath occasion to complain of men that they would not receive him Ye would not come to me that ye might have life and sonship This is laid for the first ground Jesus Christ should be received If he be not it proceedeth from the folly of men Secondly To the true receiving of Christ there must be 2. A speciall Concurrence to the receiving of Christ a speciall Concurrence of Faith As many as received him Who are they Believers That believed in his Name In his Name Name in the Scripture is often put for Person as Rev. 3. 4. Thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments that is a few men and women a few persons The Receivers of Christ are said to believe in his name because the direct object of their faith is the Person of Christ for this or that purpose That Christ died for all or for me or for the elect onely It is not the believing of any of these Propositions that saveth but in Christ The Person of Christ his Name is the object of faith Believed in his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a known distinction amongst Divines that of Credere Deum Credere Deo Credere in Deum It is one thing to believe that there is a God that is Credere Deum so the devills believe and tremble And another thing Credere Deo to believe God that is what God saith to be true But that which saveth is Credere in Deum to believe in God That is Cedere credendo in Deum By believing to passe into God and cleave to him and close with him So the same may be said of Christ It is one thing credere Christum to believe that Christ is and another thing credere Christo to believe what Christ hath said in the word of truth but another thing credere in Christum to believe in Christ Joh. 14. 10 11 12. ye shall find all these Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me Here is credere Christum to believe that Christ is and what he is that he is in the Father and the Father in him Vers 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me That is credere Christo because he hath said it Vers 12. Verily verily I say unto you He that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also Here is credere in Christum that is the faith in the Text that is required to the true receiving of Christ believed in his Name Believing on him that is relying upon him Faith lyeth in recumbency therefore faith the act of faith is often expressed in Scripture by acts of relying and staying our selves upon God 2 Chron. 16. 7. 8. because thou hast relyed on the King of Assyria and not on the Lord thy God therefore is the hoste of the King of Assyria escaped from thy hands Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a great host with very many chariots and horsemen Yet because thou didst rely on the Lord he delivered them into thy hands Here is believing exprest by relying on the Lord. That in case of a temporall deliverance faith exerciseth the same kind of act as towards God in spiritualls Isa 10. 20. It shall come to passe in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as have escaped of the house of Jacob shall no more again stay upon him that smote them but shall stay upon the Lord the holy one of Israel in truth Here is believing in his Name relying upon and staying on Christ And God hath been pleased to make faith the instrument of receiving Christ for two reasons intimated by the Apostle Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed 1. Faith the Instrument of receiving Christ both to justifie and to save First Faith is chosen out from all other graces to be the instrument of receiving Christ to Justification and to Salvation that it might be of grace that the free grace of God might more appear in this way of dispensation If God should have chosen Love or Zeal or Hope or any other Grace this would carry some shew of worth and merit in it and bring something to God with it Whereas Faith is an emptying Grace bringeth nothing but an empty hand that God might fill it And therefore it is of faith that it might be so much the more of grace because faith is a meer naked Receiver In point of Sanctification faith is a purger and worker but in point of Justification it is a meer receiver And that magnifieth the grace of God so much the more that it might be of grace Secondly That the Promise might be sure Should God 2. Salvation dependeth upon Faith that the Promise might be sure have hanged our Salvation upon any other Condition than of faith Believers could never have attained that assurance which they may now arive at by the help of the Spirit of grace Why Because God requireth nothing of us now but the taking of Christ as to point of Justification Should the Condition have been our Obedience as under the first Covenant of works Do this and live Though God had treated with us upon very low tearms Never be drunk in thy life and thou shalt be saved Forbear adultery and murder and thou shalt be saved the
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
of the Father implieth 2. It teacheth us to set our affections upon Christ the dearnesse of affection between the Father and the Son And this teacheth us who are bound to be followers of God as dear children to set our affections upon Christ because God doth so He who is the Son of God's love should be the object of our love God hath a bosome for Christ we should have a bosome for Christ too It is said of Ignatius that after his death his body being opened the name Jesus was found written in his heart That is a fable yet hath a good morall every soul should have Jesus written in the heart because the love of the heart should be bestowed upon Christ as the noblest object and best deserving it Again ye have an expression that comes home to that in the Text Cant. 1. 13. ye shall see where the Church laid Christ A bundle of myrrhe is my well-beloved to me He shall lie all night between my breasts Here the Church maketh a room for Christ to lie in her bosome This is a most significant expression This comparing Christ to a bundle of myrrhe which is of a bitter tast but a sweet smell And so fitter to represent Christ Crucified in whose death there was a concurrence of these two bitternesse and sweetnesse Nothing so bitter in it self as the passion of Christ the token of which was the paschall Lamb which was to be eaten with bitter herbs He indured more then we can comprehend His owne soul onely could know that bitternesse As there was a great deal of bitternesse in it so a great deal of sweetnesse too as in myrrhe He offered himselfe to God a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour Ephes 5. 2. saith the Apostle Myrrhe they say is of speciall use to keep from putrefaction to dry up moist humours therefore they took myrrhe to inbalm Christ's body withall And such drieth up the superfluous humours of the soul As Physitians say That in nature a bundle of myrrhe between the breasts is Cordiall surely we have no such Cordialls as Christ in the bosome Therefore A bundle of myrrhe my beloved is to me He shall lie all night between my breasts Nothing so bitter as my sins were but the crucifying of Christ and yet nothing so sweet as that Christ was crucified for my sins to take them away Therefore let us find a bosome to lay Christ in for the time to come If we will be glad of his bosome when we die He will be content to lie in ours now if we will but receive him Certainly it concerneth us to know what we do with our affections How we bestow our love Loe here is an object to be beloved more then the wife of the bosome more then the husband of the bosome Here is the Mediator in the bosome If any thing will draw-out love from us it is the consideration of that love which he hath shewed to us Love is the Load-stone of love See how he Amor magnes amoris hath opened his bosome to us how he hath exceeded all the patterns of love We find in Scripture Rebecca loved Jacob better then Esau Therefore she put him into a way of getting the blessing And when Jacob was afraid of the event lest his father should curse him The curse be Gen. 27. 13. upon me my son saith she The Lord putteth us into a way of getting an eternall blessing from God the Father and for the procuring of this he himselfe is become a curse for us He was made sin for us and a curse that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Jacob loved Rachel better then Leah therefore was content to serve so many years For us the Lord took upon him the form of a servant and in that form served for us three and thirty years and more here in the flesh Jonathan loved David and to manifest his love he put his owne garment upon him Christ so loved us as to cloath us with his owne righteousnesse David loved Mephibosheth and therefore set him at his owne Table to eate bread continually though he were lame Christ so loveth us notwithstanding all our lamenesse and imperfections as to provide a Table for us where we shall one day sit down with Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven Beloved do you provide a room for Christ in your bosomes and he will provide a room for you in Abrahams bosome yea in his owne Thirdly This being in the Fathers bosome implieth Communication 3. It teacheth us to go to Christ for illumination of secrets Let us learn from hence to go to Christ for Illumination that he who knowes the secrets of the Father would discover them to us so farre as they are necessary for our salvation or the edification of our brethren Whither should we go but to the great Counsellour for advice The Disciples took this course Luk. 11. 1. One of the Disciples said to him Lord teach us to pray So Lord teach us to hear Lord teach us to meditate and Lord teach us to conferre to go to Christ for all teaching If any man want wisdome let him aske it of God Jam. 1. 5. Who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not we cannot be wise to Salvation unlesse Christ be made wisdome to us otherwise the Devill will be too hard for us he is so cunning and subtile as to make fools of us As soon as a subtile man will cheat a Child of what he hath so soon will the Devill cheat us There are wiâ—es of the Devill depths of Satan mysteries of Iniquity How shall we be able to shun these to avoid the danger of them if we be not instructed by Him who knoweth the secrets of the Father As there are mysteries of Iniquity so of Godlinesse too The Gospell it selfe Paul calleth it wisdome in a Mystery And that even amongst the perfect 1 Cor. 2. 6. Howbeit we speak wisdom amongst them that are perfect ver 7. We speak the wisdome of God in a mystery Which mystery wisdome in a mystery such is the Gospell So mysterious that one mystery is wrap't in another wisdome in a Mystery and that hid and that amongst the perfect How shall we come to find out this wisdome if the Lord Jesus the wisdome of God be not made wisdome to us As there are mysteries in every point of Doctrine so there are secrets in every point of Practice which without the help of Christ we cannot come to be made masters of Psal 25. 14. The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him In every duty we can put our hands to there is a secret It is a Common thing to pray but to pray in the Holy Ghost is a great secret It is a Common thing to come to the Lords Table but to discern the Lords body that is a secret It is a Common thing to hear the word but so as it may be mixt
with faith in us that is a secret To keep the Sabbath is a common thing but to call the Sabbath a delight that is a secret Would we be acquainted with the secrets of the power of godlinesse let us go to Jesus Christ who is onely conscious to all the secrets of God seek to him that he would reveal them to us by his Spirit for He is in the bosome of the Father So I have done with the second thing I come now to the third thing concerning the discovery of the Father by Christ He hath declared him You have heard of a two-fold sight of God a Beatificall and Scientificall vision A Beatificall Vision in Reference to his Essence A Scientificall Vision in Reference to his Counsell And that Christ the onely begotten Son may not be excluded from either of these the next Clause implieth Which is in the bosome of his Father I say It implieth That Christ the Son hath a beatificall vision of God the Father even in his essence here while upon the face of the earth amongst the Children of men And besides this He must needs see the essence of God that is essentially God himselfe And His lying in the bosome of the Father implieth That he could not but have the scientificall vision of the Father Hence we inferre that none is fitter to declare the Father then he that saw the Father and none more able to shew forth the mind and the Counsell of the Father then he that lay in the Father's bosome The onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father He hath declared him The word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is an Emphasis in the expression and Erasmus noteth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de eo dicitur qui res alioqui latentes obscuras planè ac dilucidè declarat It is oftentimes spoken of him that revealeth obscure and hidden things and maketh manifest things otherwise not to be revealed And it is properly to be applied to Divine and Heavenly Mysteries Hence there ariseth a difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first is properly applied to divine and heavenly mysteries the other to vulgar and things more obvious and common And some think that Christ in the beginning of this Chapter is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word because he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father's Interpreter or he that declareth the mind and will of the Father So then Concerning the discovery of the Father by Christ two things are to be observed First The person declaring Christ Secondly The person declared the Father First The person declaring From hence note two things The Fitnesse of the Messenger The Fulnesse of the Message First The fitnesse of the Messenger by whom in these latter times the deep mysteries of the Father's Divine essence and will so farre as is necessary to Salvation is declared For Jesus Christ the onely begotten Son of God that lay in the bosome of the Father who is the expresse Image of his Person Heb. 1. 3. hath shewed to us the Invisible glory and made it visible so farre as we are capable to behold it An expression you have to confirm this out of the mouth of Christ himselfe Matth. 11. 27. All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom soever the Son will reveal him Joh. 6. 46. No man hath seen the Father save he that is of God he hath seen the Father Secondly The fulnesse of the Message that Christ hath declared which is indeed Every thing necessary for man's Salvation and whatsoever Christ hath declared is true profitable wholesome and sufficient Therefore no leaving the Word of Christ and flying to human Traditions for saith he Joh. 3. 11. Verily verily I say unto you we speak that we do know and testifie that we have seen And Hebr. 1. 1. God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son The words in the originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by piece-meal darkly by riddles and visions formerly but now he hath clearly declared not onely himselfe by his Son but whatsoever else so much as our frail natures and weak capacities can reach unto tending to the salvation of all the Elect of God Secondly The next thing is the Person declared That is the Father or the mind and will of the Father or more plainly Christ that lay in the bosome of the Father hath declared from the Father's bosome the glorious mystery of man's Redemption his Justification by faith and the way to everlasting happinesse and glory I now go on to as brief an Application First Doth Christ declare the mind of the Father get then Intimacy and Familiarity with Jesus Christ Take Him into thy heart that lay in the bosome of the Father For what greater stay can we have in the time of trouble and what more supporting Comfort and consolation in the hour of Temptation than to be acquainted with and united to him that is the Churches Head and our Lord and Saviour the onely begotten Son of God and to lye in the bosome of the Father Secondly Take notice of the Dignity of a Christian that hath so able and so gratious an Interpreter even the Eternall Son of God He it is that to us declareth the will and layeth open the whole Counsell of his Father Thirdly Let dignity oblige you to duty If Jesus Christ declareth the will of the Father then upon the life of your souls it exceedingly much concerneth you diligently to observe and carefully to attend unto what Christ declareth Learning alwayes to submit to the will of the Father thus declared by his Son that his Name alone may be glorified and our souls Eternally saved FINIS