Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 1 · Verse 17

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 1 · Verse 17

p. 305VERSE 17. For he received from God the Father, honour and glory, when there came ſuch a voice to him from the excellent glory; This is my beloved Sonne in whom J am well pleaſed.

THe Apoſtle might ſeeme to have delivered a wonder, a paradox, an incredible myſtery: he muſt now ſtand to it, and declare the wonder, explaine the paradox, unfold the myſtery. What was it? that they had Seene the …ajestie of Chriſt. His Majeſty? This is that wonder, that paradox, that myſtery. …he world had ſeene his paine, his contempt, his poverty; but his Majeſtie? It had …ene him come thirſtie to the fountaine, hungry to anothers table, weary to his re…ſe, deſiring entertainment where he found it not: but his Majeſty? It had ſeene …m crowned with thornes, bleeding with ſcourges, forſaken on the Croſſe: but his …ajeſty? It had ſeene him in the forme of ſervant, full of ignominie, full of miſery; …ut full of Majeſty? It never ſaw that. Well then, this Majeſty doth our Apoſtle de…are: he hath ſaid it, he will prove it. For he received from the Father honour and glo…e. We ſay, that honour conferred by the King, is dyed in graine, and will hold co…ur: yet it hath the change, for though the colour hold, the garment it ſelfe will …eare out. Now when the garment is tottered to rags, farewell colour: ſo when the …ody is conſumed to duſt, farewell honour. But when the King of heaven gives ho…our, it will hold indeed:

—hunc nec Iovis ira, nec ignis,

Non ferrum poterit, nec edax abolere vetuſtas.

…s Iſaac ſaid Iacob, I have bleſſed him, and he ſhall be bleſſed: ſo God ſaith of that …an, I have honoured him, and he ſhall be honoured.

He received from God the Father, &c.] You ſee, the forme of the words is Re…ptory; He …ceived. The …arcels are …ive:

Who, Chriſt; He received.

Of whom, God; Of God the Father.

What, Honour and glory.

When; When the voice came from the excellent glory.

How; This is my beloved Sonne, &c.

p. 306There could be no Teſtimony, Plenius vel planius, manifestius vel magnificent… more perſpicuous, or more glorious. Honour requires reverence: God hath honoured his Sonne, let us honour the Father, and give the devout reverence of humble hearts to the whole Trinity.

He received.] This is the firſt Circumſtance, the perſon to whom this honour is given. He received, but Receiving implies want; now is there any want in Chriſt? Coloſſ. 1.9. It pleaſed the Father, that in him ſhould all fulneſſe dwell. The oyle of gladneſſe did ſo fill him, that it ran over the brinkes of his Humanity, and fills us … members. Of his fulneſſe we have all received, grace for grace, Ioh. 1.16. The Plenitude of Chriſt was not Plenitudo ſufficientiae, a ſufficient fulneſſe, enough to ſerve his turne: but ſuperabundantiae, an over-flowing fulneſſe; a ſea of grace, able to fill all … chanels. Not Tranſitionis, a paſſing or vaniſhing fulneſſe; as a Ciſterne may be…l, and emptied againe by cockes: but Habitationis, a permanent and inexhauſtible fulneſſe: it dwels in him. How then is hee ſaid to receive? Could there be addition, where is no defect? Can a thing be more than full? This receit doth in nothing prejudice the immenſeneſſe of the Deity: for Chriſt muſt be conſidered two waies, as he is God, and as he is man. He that mediates betweene both, muſt be both. He… then the anſwer is eaſie; It is God that gives, and it is man that receives. The Father hath not more glory, omnipotent, or perfection, than the Sonne, as he is God; b… as this Son of God is made the ſon of man, he receives grace and glory. God gives to man, and receives nothing of him: man receives of God, and gives nothing to him. Heare him ſpeake as God; All thine are mine, Ioh. 17.10. Heare him as man, Verſ. 9. They whom thou haſt given me, are thine. As man he receives of the Spirit, Luke 14.18. As God he communicates to the Spirit, Ioh. 16.14. He ſhall receive of mine. The Son takes of the Father, and the Spirit takes of the Son, verſ. 15. Yet ſo that what is of one Perſon, is of the whole Deitie; excepting onelyonly thoſe perſonal and individuall proprieties; as the Father to be the Father, and to beget; the Son … be the Son, and begotten, not to beget; the Spirit neither to beget, nor to be begotten, but to proceed. So the Son onelyonly to be man, not the Father nor the Spirit. As God he had no beginning, as man he received a beginning in time, Galath. 4.4. As man, he was made of his mother; as God, his mother was made by him: ſo he is both Mariae Factor, & Filius, the Father of Mary, and the Son of Mary. As God, he chargeth us to Continue in verbo ſuo, in his owne Word, Ioh. 8.31. and verſ. 51. If a man keepe my ſaying, he ſhall never ſee death. As man, he confeſſeth, Ioh. 7.16. My doctrine is not mine, but his that ſent me. As hettIohn 8.49.John 8:49 honours the Father, ſo hee receives honour of the Father, Ioh. 13.32. God doth glorifie him, and is glorified in him. As God he ſayes, I have of mine owne: as man, All things are delivered unto mee of the Father. As God, he doth what he will in heaven, and earth, and all places: as man; A… power is given to me in heaven and in earth, Mat. 28.18. Thus is this doctrine cleane; that CHRIST, who as GOD gives all things, as he is man receives ſomething here, Honour and glory.

Now for whom doth Chriſt come to be a Receiver? For whoſe ſake did eternity admit an eſtate to receive in time? Perfection it ſelfe to grow in ſtature? Wiſdome it ſelfe to increaſe in knowledge? not for himſelfe, but for us. Contentus … pere, ut poſſet tribuere; He would take of God, that we might take of him, Gen. 13.2. Abraham was wealthy, exceeding rich in cattell, ſilver, and gold: yet when he recovered the ſpoile of Sodome, and it was re-offered him by the King; he tooke ſomewhat: but how much? no more than he meant to give away, Gen. 14.23. I will … take away any thing from thee for my ſelfe, leſt thou ſhouldeſt ſay, I have made Abra… rich: but I will accept a portion for the young men that went with me. Chriſt was ſo rich, that he need not receive honour and glory: yet was hee content to receive it of his Father, that he might give it to us his children.

From God the Father.] This is the ſecond Circumſtance, of whom he received it. Here obſerve the manifeſt diſtinction of Perſons in the Deity. The Father p. 307…ives honour, the Sonne receives it. The Father ſpeakes from heaven, the Sonne …eares it. Perſonae non confundendae, ſed ſuis proprietatibus ſecernendae, Aug. There muſt be no confuſion of the Perſons, but a diſtinction of their proprieties. We be…eeve, there is a Father, Eò quod habet filium, becauſe he hath a Sonne: wee be…eeve there is a Sonne, Eò quod habet Patrem, becauſe he hath a Father. We beleeve here is an Holy Ghoſt, proceeding from the Father and the Sonne, coequall and …oevall with the Father and the Son. Becauſe he is a Divine Perſon, and neither the Father nor the Sonne. Non confuſa in una Perſona Trinitas, againſt Sabellius: non digiſa in natura Divinitas, againſt Arrius. The father is not greater than the Son, nor …he Sonne than the Spirit: Eadem aequalitas, eadem aeternitas. But the father is ſaid to …end the ſonne, and the ſonne to ſend the Spirit: this ſeemes to implie ſome ſuperio…tie of the ſender to the perſon ſent? The Father ſends, and is not ſent: the …onne ſends, and is ſent: the Holy Ghoſt is ſent, and ſendeth not: yet is …here no inequalitie. There are three wayes of ſending. 1. Per authoritatem, …y authoritie, ſo a ſuperior ſends an inferior. 2. Per conſilium, by adviſe …nd Councell: ſo the leſſe may ſend the greater. As the privy Councell may …end the king to take the aire, or to lead an army. So an equall may ſend his …quall; as Act. 15. the Elders ſent Paul and Barnabas to Ieruſalem. 3. Per originem, …s the fountaine naturally ſends forth the ſpring. So the Father ſends the Sonne, the Sonne ſends the ſpirit. The father as the fountaine begets, the Son is begotten, the Holy Ghoſt proceeds. CHRIST is ſaid to be ſent in reſpect of his acception of …nother nature. Gal. 4.4. When the fulneſſe of time was come, God ſent his Son made of woman. The man confeſſeth; My Father is greater than I: yet in regard of his Perſon, I and my Father are one, Ioh. 10.30. And Saint Iohn addes to them the Holy Ghoſt, and concludes; Theſe three are one.

The word Trinitie, ſay our Papicoliſts, is not found in the Scriptures: yet the …ubſtance of the word is apparent, Matth. 3. At the Baptiſme of CHRIST, there was a manifeſtation of the three Perſons. Patris vox auditur, &c. the voice of the Father is heard, the Humanitie of the Sonne is felt, the viſible ſigne of the Holy Ghoſt is perceived. Who ſpake of his Son, but the Father, who was baptiſed and …poken to, but the Sonne? Neither of theſe appeared in the forme of a Dove, but …he Holy Ghoſt. A Trinitie did begin both the world and the word, that is the Scripture. Gen. 1 Creavit Elohim coelum & terram. The verbe is ſingular, Creavit; …oting the moſt ſimple eſſence of God. The ſubſtantive plurall, not El, but Elohim, …o ſhew the pluralitie of Perſons. It is obſerved on, Deut. 6.4. Dominus noſter De…s unus eſt Dominus. The Lord our God is one Lord. Why doth Moſes thrice mention the name of God, but to ſhew the diſtinction of three perſons? Why doth he apply the word Vnus, One, to all of them, but to ſhew the unitie of eſſence? Why is Noſter, Our, put in the ſecond place; not in the firſt, nor in the laſt, but in the middle or ſecond place; but to ſhew that the ſecond perſon ſhould take our nature upon him? Aug. Eſa. 6.3. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hoſtes, the whole earth is full of his glory. Ter Sanctus, thrice is God called Holy, to note unto us the three perſons. Dominus non domini, deus non dii; once Lord, once God: and the earth is full of His glory, not Their glory; here is the unitie of the eſſence. Gen. 1.26. Let us make man in …ur Image, Faciamus, let VsUs make; there is a Pluralitie of Perſon. Ad imaginem noſtram, to our Image, not Images; there is the unitie of the Eſſence. Matth. 28.19. Baptiſme in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghoſt. The Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt; there are three diſtinct Perſons: in Nomine, non in nominibus; in the Name, not names; there is one Eſſence. The Holy Ghoſt is called the finger of God, CHRIST the Hand of the Father: now as the finger is in the hand, and the hand in the body: ſo of one and the ſame moſt pure and ſimple eſſence is the Father, Sonne, and Spirit. But as it was reported of Alanus, when he promiſed his auditorie to diſcourſe the next Sunday, more clearely of the Trinitie, and to make plaine that myſterie: while he was ſtudying the point by the Sea-ſide, p. 308he ſpied a boy very buſy with a little ſpoone, trudging often betweene the ſea and a ſmall hole he had digged in the ground. Alanus asked him, what he meant: the boy anſwers, I intend to bring all the Sea into this pit. Alanus replies, why doeſt thou attempt ſuch impoſſibilities, and miſpend thy time? The boy anſwers; So doeſt thou Alanus: I ſhall as ſoone bring all the ſea into this hole, as thou bring all the knowledge of the Trinitie into thy head: All is equally poſſible: we have began together, we ſhall finiſh together: ſaving of the two, my labour hath more hope and poſſibility of taking effect. I conclude with Bern. Scrutari temeritas, credere piet…, praedicare ſecuritas, noſcere aeterna faelicitas. It is raſhneſſe to ſearch, godlineſſe to beleeve, ſafeneſſe to preach, and eternall bleſſedneſſe to know the Trinitie, yet let us know to praiſe the Trinitie. In the words of our Church; Glory be to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the Holy Ghoſt, And let all anſwer; As it was in the beginning, … now, and ever ſhall be world without end. Amen.

Honour and Glory.] This is the third circumſtance, the matter what he received Obſerve we here three collections.

1 CHRIST would receive honour of his Father. The divell would have given him glory: Matth. 4.8. When upon a high mountaine he ſhewed him all the kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them: All theſe will I give thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worſhip me. Where was Promiſſum and Pactum: his promiſe, all theſe will I give thee: his Covenant, bargaine, or condition, Si cadens adoraveris …t. If falling downe thou wilt worſhip me. This ſeemes to be a faire match; for one crouch of his knee, to have ſo many Crownes for his head: for a little proſtration, ſo great promotion. If the divell had proffered this to Alexander, or to Ceſar; it had beene a bargaine. When he made this offer to the Hierarchie of Rome, they preſently tooke him at his word. But our Saviour would none of it: he knew that Satan could give no honour to another, that had none himſelfe: that this glory would diſhonour him, and his Father alſo. Therefore he requited him with, Get thee hence Satan. Men would have given him honour: they purpoſed to have Crowned him King. Ioh. 6.15. but he refuſed it. I receive not honour from men, Ioh. 5.41. Divine and religious honour he refuſed not: they worſhipped him, this he ſuffered. He that honours me, honours my Father; this he preached. But humane and temporary honour he rejected; and would none of their haſty coronation with carnall hands. Ioh. 18.36. My kingdome is not of this world. Yea more, he ſought not to honour himſelfe. Ioh. 8.50. I ſeeke not mine owne glory. Verſe 54. If I honour my ſelfe, my honour is nothing. Teaching us to accept praiſes from others lips, not to be our owne trumpets. But when the Father gives him Honour, this he receives, this is onelyonly worth acceptance. 2 Cor. 10.18. For not he that commendeth himſelfe is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. For this he prayes. Ioh. 12.28. Father, glorifie thy Name. The Father in honouring the Sonne, honoured himſelfe. As CHRIST ſaid; He that hath ſeene me, hath ſeene the Father: He that beleeves in me, beleeves in my Father: He that receives me, receives my Father: ſo he that honoureth me, honoureth my Father. But Honor in conference, non in accipiente; honor is in the Perſon giving it, not in him that receives it: but Chriſt that received it, was alſo God the giver of it. It is he that gives honour and glory, and it is he that takes honour and glory, and to him he honour and glory for ever.

2 All honour and glory is CHRISTS; as being delivered to him by the Father, Luk. 10.22. He is Primogenitus, the firſt begotten, the only begotten of God; only worthy of the kingdome. Rev. 5.12. Worthy is the Lambe that was ſlaine, to receive power, and honour, and glory. Worthy; when he takes it, he doth not I… dere alienum, or arripere indebitum; arrogate that to himſelfe which is not his owne right: but Dignus eſt, he is Worthy. It is his owne proprietie; yet he is content to communicate and impart it. The glory which thou gaveſt me, I have given them, Ioh. 17.22. The ſame glory Qualiter non Aequaliter: the ſame glory, not the ſame degree of glory. Eandem in natura, non in menſura: the ſame in nature, not ſo much p. 309i… meaſure. Let the priviledge of Primogeniture be reſerved to himſelfe. 1 Cor. 15.…1. There is one glory of the Sun, another glory of the Moone, and another glory of the …rres. Chriſt is that Sun which gives glory to us the ſtarres. Of his fulneſſe we have received grace for grace here, glory for glory hereafter. On earth the glory that divided, ſeemes to be diminiſhed: and one thinke that, ſo much honour is taken …m himſelfe, as is added to another. But in heaven the glory of Chriſt ſhall not abated to himſelfe, though it be communicated to millions. Nor ſhall ones glo… ecclipſe anothers: Tanta ſingulis, quanta omnibus: ſuch ſhall be to every one, as is any one. We ſee to whom we are beholde… for our honour. 2 Sam. 9.7. David …aced Mephiboſheth, ſet him at his owne table, teſte…ed him all the land of his grand…ther Saul; and all for the love that he bare to his father Ionathan. So God honou…h us, ſets us at his owne table, yeattRev. 3.21.Rev 3:21 with his Son in his Throne; reſtoreth to us all the …heritance which our Grandfather Adam loſt, yea more than ever …e poſſeſſed; and … this for his Sonne, and our Father, IESUS CHRIST his ſake. King Pha…h, honoured the Eleven Patriarchs for Ioſephs ſake, gave them the fat of the …nd of Aegypt, and highly enriched them. So GOD honoureth us with his his grace this life, and with his glory in the life to come, and all for Ieſus his ſake.

3 All true and bleſſed honour comes from God, and is to be ſought there. Iob …es, it is He that girds on the kings girdle. Promotion commeth neither from the Eaſt, …r from the Weſt; from North nor South, but only from the Lord; ſaith the Pſal…iſt. It is true that wordly honour is often arrogated: and Datur indigno dignita…. …ignitas a doo, non Indignus: the honour is of God, not the us worthy perſon that …th it. He alwaies gives Principatum, the dominion: not alwayes Principem, the …overnour: for he may come to it by Intruſion, and hold it by uſurpation.

The honour of this world is meerely titular. Either infeoffed to the bloud: …d what glory is it to the degenerate ſonne, that ſuch a noble Father begot him? …ll greatneſſe had a beginning, and the beginning of that greatneſſe was Deſert. Am noble? let me know, this Nobleneſſe is the leſt part of mine: my fathers wonne it …y their vertue: they had the glory, I enjoy but the Titles. This priviledge of bloud, …ithout reſpondent vertues, is but an empty conduit pipe: it is a pipe ſtill, but it hath …o water in it. Another by his juſt merite hath gotten honour: it is derided, becauſe is not derived: yet is that man more truely honourable. For the other weares …ut the ſhadow of his Predeceſſors triumphs: this man weares the ſubſtance of his …wne. Et que non fecimus ipſi, vix ea noſtra voco. It was a witty anſwer, that a young …entleman gave to Arn…bius, one who diſgraced his honour becauſe it was of …he firſt head: my Genealogie. is a ſhame to mee, but thou art a ſhame to …y Genealogie. Or, as a Prelates ſonne ſaid to a noble heire, who twitted …s upſtart Gentry: Ego ſum ortus domus meae, tuos caſus tua: I am the Eaſt or ri…ng of my houſe, thou art the Weſt, and falling of thine. It is a ſhame for a man …o thinke, that the booke of his Pedigree, and his Fathers Seale-ring, are ſufficient …mblemes of honour: that he is glorious enough, becauſe he is …attered. Or, it may …ee, there is an honour entailed to riches as in the Citie, credit growes juſt as faſt as money: and in the countrey, reputation is meaſured by the acre. Then honour muſt …e overtaken, when it cannot be met. And now ſome honourable progenitor muſt …e found out, that either was dead many hundred yeares ſince, or never was noble … perhaps never was at all. Moſes condemned it for a hainous ſin to ſteale children: …ut we have thoſe that think it no ſin to ſteale parents. This is a popular, ticular, ridi…ulous honour. If thou wouldeſt know ſuch a one, Nudum i…ſpice, loo…e upon him …ked, ſaith Seneca. Depona… patrim…nd, let him put off his patri…io…ie, let him … …ff the vaine acclamations of the multitude, let him put off his popularity, let him … of his opulencle; & al… fo…tui…dudaci…, and all the other conſt…ties of … …une: corpus ipſum exuat, animum intuere: let him put off his very body, looke … …o his ſoule. Then thou muſt ſee, Quia…i…l qua…t n…f…, …no … …gnuo; how noble he is, by obſerving how good he is w…ither he …well with …ther mans ſubtance, p. 310or ſtand upon his owne worth. A good man will not follow honour, but is all if he let it overtake him. Honorem Cato non debuit petere, ſed civit …s ob v…t… non petenti reddere, Aug. It was not for Cato to beg honour of the Citie, b… the Citie to give him honour for his vertue.

Quintus C…i…e writes of a Gardiner, a very poore man rich in all plentie, … cept plentie of riches. Alexander of Macedon proffered him the kingdome of S… but he refuſed it with this anſwere. Nunquam erit mihi curiae perdere, quod … erat mihi curae potere. That ſhall never trouble me with care to loſe, which did … ver trouble me with care to get. Memorable and worthy, and ſuch a proced… may caſt a bluſh on the cheekes of Chriſtians: for wee are all too greedy … honour.

Well if we would be honoured, let us honour CHRIST: for in is, and … him comes, al Honour. The moſt noble deriving of our ſelves, is from Chriſt: the … Nobilitie is the nobilitie of Faith, and the beſt Genealogie the genealogie of g… workes. Mens earthly glories are like their ſhadowes in the Sunne: the bodies … dow is at morning before us, at noon beſide us, at night behind us. So their ho… is at morning before them, in a goodly luſtre: at noone in the full beſide them, wi… a violent heate: at evening in the wane behind them, with a neglected pitie. Only ſome differ in their noone or meridian of greatneſſe: for in ſtead of having their … nour beſides them, they are beſides their honour. 1 Sam. 2.30. Them that honour me, I will honour: and they that deſpiſe me, ſhall be light eſteemed; ſaith the Lord. H… that ſhall ſeeke the Lords honour, and neglect his owne: ſhall find his owne hono… in the Lords. A man while hee hunts after his owne ſhadow, flies from the ſame and his ſhadow is ſtill unovertaken before him: but when he turnes his face to the ſunne, and followes that, his ſhadow will follow him. He that ſeekes honour, a… turnes his backe upon CHRIST, cannot reach it; it is too ſwift of foote for him let him turne his face to CHRIST, and follow him; behold, honour waies a… his backe, and will never faile to attend him. Now ſeeing we looke for all hono… and glory from CHRIST, let us aſcribe all honour and glory to CHRIST, ſinging that heavenly Hymne, Revel. 7.12. Bleſsing, and glory, and wiſedome, … thankſgiving, and honour, and power, and might bee unto our God for ever and e…. Amen.

When there came ſuch a voice to him from this excellent glory.] This is the fourth circumſtance, the time when; the Apoſtle Beheld, and their Maſter record, this glory and Majeſtie. For to this we muſt reſtore the laſt clauſe of the former verſe: They were eye-witneſſes of his Majeſtie: when? at this time, when there come ſuch a voice from the excellent glory. Conſidering therefore together, their … Teſtimonie, with his audible aſſurance from the ſupreme glory; we may juſtly conceive here three things:

A

Spectacle, with the time of it; When they ſaw it.

Oracle; Such a voice from heaven.

Miracle; that a uoice ſhould be heard on earth, which d…e, from … excellent glory.

So there is in the words, Quando, Qu…ando, inde When it was; at the … of his glorious teſtification. How, by a voice, ſuch a voice. From whence, ſ… … excellent glory.

When …b…ir come.] The preciſe denomination of the time and place of … glorious revelation, but al…e queſtionable, but without al doubt it we … figuration no the …o…t i… for ſo the Apoſtle declares himſelfe in the next verſe. … but his Majeſtie might appeare alſo at other times, and in other matters, yet … moſt conſpicuouſly.

For they ſpeake not …er… of Chriſts …ding in triumph to Ieruſalem, … …. When the people gave the acclamation of Hoſanna, and Bleſſed is he that … p. 311…th in the Name of the Lord; they then ſaw his Majeſtie. Ver. 5. Tell yee the daugh… of Sion, Behold, thy king commeth. Though meekely, ſitting upon an Aſſe; yet thy …ng. The veile of his humility was ſo farre lifted up, that they might ſee his Ma…ſtie. But the Apoſtle ſpeakes of a ſight, not common to the people, but peculiar to …emſelves.

They ſpeake not here of his miracles, wherein alſo appeared his Majeſtie. When …e quieted the winds and ſeas, walked on the waters, raiſed the dead, caſt out divelsl …re was Majeſtie. When, Matth. 21.12. he went into the Temple, caſt out all them …at bought and ſold in it, and overthrew the tables of the mony changers. Ierome …nceives this to be the greateſt of all his miracles. His wonders did evidently prove …s majeſtie. Now theſe were of two ſorts; ſuch as he wrought upon the bodies of …en, which we moſt admire becauſe they are moſt viſible, and ſubject to ſenſe. And …her, that he wrought upon the minds of men; Quantum ad immutandas interiores …res, as the Schoole ſpeakes; to the change of the inward power: and theſe were …e greater miracles; but becauſe they were not ſo viſible, therefore not ſo remar…ble. Act 4.13. The Iewes hearing the words, and ſeeing the wonders, wrought … Peter and Iohn and perceiving that they were unlearned men; Admirabantur, they …ought it a miracle: and conclude, that they had beene with IESUS. If this mira…e be wrought upon a man, that his conſcience be ſanctified, ſure he hath beene with …ſus, or Ieſus hath beene with him. Matth. 9.9. CHRIST findes Matthew at the …ceite of cuſtom; and ſaies but, Follow me, and he aroſe and followed him. Though …e ſate at the cuſtome houſe, like an Vſurer in his broking houſe, yet upon his call he …llowed him. Fulgur divinae majeſtatis videntem ad ſe traxit. Some ſtrange light…ng of Majeſtie appeared in his lookes, and miraculouſly drew a worldling unto …m, Luk. 4.29. They brought him to the brow of a ſteepe hill, purpoſing to caſt, …m downe headlong; But he paſsing through the mids of them, went his way. Stare in …edio inſidiantum, & non apprehendi; to ſtand in the midſt of his enemies, and no …an able to lay hands upon him; here was a great majeſtie, Chryſ. Ioh. 18.6. The …ind rabble came with torches, the cowards with ſwords, a traitor with a band of men; …d as if multitudes were not ſufficient, there muſt be Officers among them: but …hat was the iſſue? Aſſoone as he ſaid unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to …e ground. With the breath of two ſhort wordes, ſweetely and kindly ſpoken, Ego …m, I am he; they were repelled. Quid faciet judicaturus, qui hoc fecit judicandus? Quid regnaturus poterit, qui hoc moriturus potuit? Aug. What can he doe when he ſhall …dge, that did thus when he was to be judged? What ſhall be his power raigning, …hen ſuch was his power even dying? Here was Majeſtie. But of all, that Matth. …1.12. did farre tranſcend in expreſſing his Majeſtie. That one man unarmed, with…ut guard of ſouldiers, without a Commiſſion from Herod or Ceſar: in deſpight …f the Scribes that hated him: of the people that contemned him: ſhould caſt forth …en, tradeſmen, covetous tradeſmen! How Demetrius would have ſtormed to ſee …is occupation of ſilver ſhrines endangered, endammaged; and cryed out two houres …ogether; Great is Diana of the Epheſians! Yea, that he ſhould caſt forth abundance …f them; ſuch a multitude of men and cattell, that a pretty army could hardly have …erformed it. And that with a little Whip, without noiſe, contradiction, or tumult! Oh here was Majeſtie. Igneum quiddam & Sydereum radiabat in oculis ejus. …ieron. Something more bright than the fire or ſtarres did certainely ſhine in his …yes. Such a Majeſtie of Divinitie appeared in his lookes, that none durſt reſiſt him. …rigen. This was a greater miracle, than turning water into wine: there Inanimata …ateria, a matter without life doth yeeld unto him: but in this, Tot milium hominum …omantur ingenia; the refractary and perverſe hearts of many thouſands of obſtinate …en are convinced. Here they might manifeſtly ſee his Majeſtie: but of this our Apoſtle diſcourſeth not.

Nor yet of that viſible ſciſſure of heaven, Matth. 3. Where was manifeſt the …eavens apertion, the Spirits deſcenſion, the Fathers teſtification; This is my beloved p. 312Sonne. There was a voice, and a voice from heaven, and witneſſing the ſame thing th… here: even there they were eye-witneſſes of his majeſtie: but neither is that pla… meant here.

Now is it underſtood of that teſtimonie, Ioh. 12.28. There was alſo a vi…, and a voice from heaven and from the Father in heaven; and a voice that ho… CHRIST, I have both glorified it, and I will glorifie it againe. The people ſaid, i… Thundred, others that an Angell ſpake; CHRIST, ſaies plainely, that the voice came for their ſakes. Ver. 30. Here alſo were they witneſſes of his Majeſtie: but …ither to that teſtimonie hath our Apoſtle here a reference.

Nor is it meant of his Reſurrection from death, worthy of all admiration. When out of a Sepulcher, a ſepulcher not of earth, but of Stone, one entire ſtone without any ſeame or fiſſure in it: another ſtone rolled to it, that ſtone ſealed th… ſeale guarded: the Lord aroſe, burſting the bands of death, and triumphing over the grave: manifeſting himſelfe to one, to two, to tenne, to more than five hundred brethren at once, and thus dwelling on the earth fortie dayes! Here was a cleare demonſtration of his powerfull majeſtie.

Laſtly, it is not referred to his triumphant Aſcenſion; when he led captivitie captive, and went up gloriouſly to the place whence he came. At this the Apoſtles were preſent, beholding while he was taken up, Act. 1.9. He was received out of their ſight, therfore till that moment they had the ſight of him. They ſaw the Angels the teſtified it; Why ſtand yee gazing up into heaven? This ſame Ieſus ſhall come from heaven, in the like manner as yee have ſeene him goe into heaven. They ſaw him, and they worſhipped him, Luk. 24.52. Here was alſo an apparant manifeſtation of his majeſtie. Act. 1.8. Yee ſhall be witneſſes unto me. Himſelfe told them immediately before, that they ſhould be witneſſes of this: and here was a ſufficient Majeſtie for their teſtimonie, and they gave a ſufficient teſtimonie of that Majeſtie.

But yet Saint Peter intends another, and that a more eſpecially inſtance: … ſeene to the people, as were ſome of the former glories: nor to all the Apoſtles, a… were the reſt. But particularly to three, whom the LORD IESUS choſe one. Matth. 17.1. Ieſus taketh Peter, and Iames, and Iohn, and bringeth them up into a high mountaine apart: And was transfigured before them. Why this revelation was given to them three only; Non qui legit, ſed qui elegit, novit: not he that reads it, but he he that choſe them knowes. So far as we may ſoberly, and with due reverence ſearch the next verſe will fitly call on us to conſider.

But why did the Apoſtle ſingle out that Time and Place, more than any other, to exemplifie CHRISTS Majeſtie, and the honour confer'd on him by the Father. 2. Becauſe Moſes and Elias appeard to him there: in all the reſt of his miracles he had no company but men on earth, now he had a teſtimonie from two glorious Saints in heaven. His command was knowen to be great over the creatures below, this was every day conſpicuous: but that now it ſhould extend to heaven, but was an ample ſhew of Majeſtie. 2. But eſpecially becauſe he was caeleſti gloria … tus; his face ſhining as the Sunne, and his rayment white as the light. Nil terrenum … ſpiciebatur, ſed caeleſtis undique refulgebat Majeſtas. Nothing of earth was ſeene, but a divine and heavenly Majeſtie appeared. For this was a little mappe of heaven, a glimpſe or abridgement of that infinite glory. Before his power might appeare, … under the veile of his mortall fleſh: now the manhood is become glorious. As the fire makes every thing that is caſt into it, like it ſelfe: ſo the glory circling him, and inherent upon his body, ſimilem ſibi reddidit humanitatem, made his humanitie gloririous like it ſelfe.

This was then the moſt magnificent demonſtration of his Majeſtie; where heaven was brought downe to earth to illuſtrate it. He roſe from the grave to the earth of the living, there was Majeſtie, Rom. 1.4. For in this he declared himſelfe to be the Sonne of God with power, by the reſurrection from the dead. He aſcended from the earth to heaven, there was Majeſtie. But here he commanded heaven to come downe p. 313… him, this was the greateſt declaration of his Majeſtie. Now he ſits in heaven with …ajeſty, Hebr 8.1. On the right hand of the Throne of the Majeſtie in the heavens. He …all one day come to judge the world with Majeſty. The Lord hath given him this …onour and Majeſtie; A Name which is above every name. Let us aſcribe glory to that …ajeſty, and bleſſed be his Majeſty for ever! Here now it is plaine, what the Apo…es ſaw: the world was eye-witneſſe of his miſery, they, of his Majestie. The …orld beheld him in the forme of a Servant, they as their Maſter and Maker. The …orld, as a worme, not a man: they, as the King of glory. The world, as a thing …ot deſireable: they, as Fairer than all the children of men, Pſal. 45.2. Bleſſed eyes ad…tted to this viſion! It was Saint Auguſtines wiſh to have ſeene three things: Rome …her glory, Paul in the Pulpit, CHRIST in the fleſh. That is now paſt hope …re on earth, our labour muſt be to ſee him hereafter in Heaven. Eſay 33.17. Thine …es ſhall ſee the King in his beautie. LORD give us this viſion, this fruition, and we …e then bleſſed for ever.

Such a voice.] This is the ſecond point, the manner how God teſtified, con…rning the honour of his Sonne: by a voice, his owne voice. The Logicians di…inguiſh betweene Sonus, Vox, and Verbum; a Sound, a Voice, and a Word. Sound of inſenſible things, as Lute, Organ, &c. Voice, of ſenſible, but irrationall, as …eaſts: a Word, of that which hath both ſenſe and reaſon, man. Here is a Voice, at a Word with it. A word is firſt conceived in the heart, and then uttered by the …oice: yet we heare the voice before we know the word. Iohn calls himſelfe, The …ice of a Crier: CHRIST the eternall Word, was before Iohn, and all other voi…s. For, Ioh. 1.1. In the beginning was the Word: and that beginning was before … beginnings, without beginning; Principium ſine principio: yet the world knew not …e Word, till it was preached by the voice of men and Angells. The word in it …lfe is before the voice, yet to us the voice goes before the word, Iohn 1.15. Hee …at commeth after me, was before me. Tully commends voices, Socrates for ſweetneſſe, …ſias for ſubtiltie, Hyperides for ſharpeneſſe, Aeſchines for ſhrilneſſe, Demoſthenes …r powerfulneſſe. Gravity in Affrican, ſmoothneſſe in Laelius; rare voices! In ho… Writ we admire a ſanctified boldneſſe in Peter, profoundneſſe in Paul, loftineſſe in …hn, vehemencie in him and his brother Iames, thoſe two ſonnes of Thunder; fer…ncie in Simon the zealous. Among Eccleſiaſticall Writers, we admire waight in …ertullian, a gracious compoſure of well mattered words in Lactantius, a flowing …eech in Cyprian, a familiar ſtatelineſſe in Chryſoſtome, a conſcionable delight in Ber…rd, and all theſe graces in good Saint Auguſtine. Some conſtrued the Scriptures …egorically, as Origen: ſome literally, as Hierome: ſome morally, as Gregory: …hers pathetically, as Chryſoſtome: others dogmatically, as Augustine. The new …riters have their ſeverall voices: Peter Martyr copiouſly judiciall: Zanchius ju…ciouſly copious. Luther wrote with a cole on the walls of his chamber: Res & …rba Philippus, res ſine verbis Lutherus, verba ſine re Eraſmus, Nec res nec verba Ca…lostadius. Calvine was behinde none, not the beſt of them, for a ſweet diluci…tion of the Scriptures, and urging of ſollid arguments againſt the Antichriſti…s. One is happie in expounding the words, another in delivering the matter, a …ird for caſes of conſcience, a fourth to determine the Schoole-doubts. But now …t all theſe together: an hundred Peters and Pauls, a thouſand Bernards and Au…tines, a million of Calvins and Melancthons: let not their voices be once na…ed with this voice. They all ſpake as children, this is the voice of the An…ent of dayes, Ioh. 7.46. Never ſpake man, as GOD himſelfe ſpeaketh. Herod, it …emes, had a pleaſing voice, when he drew to himſelfe ſuch an acclamation, Act. ….22. It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. But the Angell proved to Herods …nfuſion, that acclamation to be the voices of men, not of God. But this voice that …me from heaven concerning this God and man, was the voice of God, not of man. …he Angell that talked with Zachary, ſpake Debarim tohim, debarim nehummim, …ach. 1.13. Good words, and comfortable words. But this voice is the voice of Power, p. 314the voice of comfort, the voice of love, the voice of life. Man hath virtutem … cis, power to ſpeak: but God reſerves to himſelfe vocem virtutis, to ſpeak in power, Pſal. 67.33. Loe, he doth ſend out his voice, and that a mighty voice. Saint Paul had a powerfull voice, when he ſaid to the Creeple with a loud voice, ſtand upright on …y feet: And he leaped and walked, Act. 14.10. In ſo much that when the people ſaw it, they cried; The gods are come downe to us in the likeneſſe of men. S. Peter had a power full voice, when he perſwaded three thouſand ſoules at one Sermon. But this voice of power gave power to all their voices. Herodotus tells us of an Aegyptian, that had in ſhrill a voice, that From the Promontory of Hister he was heard by Histaeus, Admirall of Darius, being then at Miletum. But this is the voice, that ſhall one day be heard from one end of the world to the other. Chriſt here heard the voice of his Father, we ſhall all heare the voice of Chriſt, Ioh. 5.28. The houre commeth, in the which … that are in the graves ſhall heare his voice. This ſhall be a wonderfull voice, terrible … the wicked. When Ioſeph revealed himſelfe to his brethren; I am Ioſeph, Gen. 45.3. they could not anſwer him, for they were terrified at his preſence. But when he added, ver. 4. Frater veſter, I am Ioſeph, Your brother, they were then comforted. When Chriſt ſhall ſay to the reprobates, I am Ieſus; Ieſus whom yee contemned, ſcorned, perſecuted, ſacrilegiouſly robbed; whoſe ſervants ye have hated; they ſhall be confo… ded. But when he addes to the faithfull, Frater veſter, I am Ieſus, Your Brother; they ſhall be with heavenly peace rejoyced. Will you conſider the power of the Lords voice? Looke Pſal. 29. The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire. The Nightingale hath a ſweet voice, but a leane carcaſe: vox & praeterea nihil; a voice, and nothing elſe but a voice: and ſo have all hypocrites. But the Lords voice will be againſt them with a Woe, Heb. 3.15. To day if ye will heare his voice, harden not your hearts. Let us now heare his voice with obedience, leſt we one day heare it with a vengeance. Non … hominem ſonat, O Deus certè. It is not an ordinary voice, but Vox hujuſmodi, Such a voice. Saul ſaid to his ſubject, 1 Sam. 24.16. Is this thy voice, my ſon David? Wel… may we ſay; Is this thy voice, O Lord our King? We will then obey it, Pſal. 85.…. I will heare what the Lord will ſpeake, for he will ſpeake peace to his people. The Lord, apply this voice to our hearts, and our hearts to this voice.

From the excellent glory.] This is the laſt circumſtance, the place whence it came. There is a great diſtance betweene Mount Tabor and heaven: yet was a voice heare in the hill, which came De magnifica illa gloria, From that excellent glory. There be glories in the world, but they are not Excellent. Iſrael aſcribes glory to Reuben, but hea ddes an inſtabilitie to it, Gen. 49.4. Reuben, the excellencie of dignitie, and the excellencie of power; but unſtable as waters, thou ſhalt not excell. Vnſtable as waters, that is, a fluid glory: Thou ſhalt not excell, there is a barre in the Armes. Such a the condition of all worldly glory; but the glory that ſhall bee revealed in us, is an exceeding and eternall waight, 2 Cor. 4.17. This Glory is admirable in foure excellencies: for the Dignity, for the Clarity, for the verity, and for the Eternity of it.

1 For Dignitie, it is a glory: and this hath beene the ſcope of moſt mens endevours and reaches. There is not the ſillieſt Artizan, Manuary, or Mechanick, but would be glorious for ſomething. Mutius Scevola burnt his owne hand for ſtriking amiſſe. Curtius in glittering armour, mounted on his horſe, caſt himſelfe headlong into a gulfe, to deliver his countrey from the plague: Vicit amor patria, … dúmque immenſa cupido. If they did thus for a puffe, what ſhould we doe for this excellent glory! Eſa. 23.8. The Citizens of Tyre are ſaid to have beene compa… unto Princes: but in this glory, every Citizen is a crowned King: none but King … free men of that Incorporation. Where a man ſhall videre ad voluntatem, habet … voluptatem, frui ad ſecuritatem; ſee what he liketh, have what he delighteth, and enjoy it without envie, without end. Non eſt timor in finibus tuis, quia Dominus poſuit fines tuos pacem; There is no feare in the borders of it, for the Lord hath compa… it with peace for ever.

2 For Claritie, it is not a hidden, but as Saint Paul ſaith, a Revealed glory. ki… p. 315now indeed hidden; but when Chriſt our life ſhall appeare, then ſhall we alſo appeare with him in glory, Col. 3.4. Cleare, both for Condition, it ſhall be excellent: for cognition and apprehenſion, it ſhall be ſeene in the full excellencie of it. It is Perenne ſolſtitium: nec …ongitudo terminum, nec claritas occaſum, nec ſatietas faſtidium habebit, Bern. It is an everlaſting Solſtice; the length is interminable, the brightneſſe unchangeable, the fulneſſe unweariable. Our very bodies ſhall be made glorious; The righteous ſhall ſhine as the Sunne. Qualis erit ſplendor animarum, quando ſolis ſplendorem habebit lux cor…orum? Bern. What ſhall be the glory of our ſoules, when the Sun it ſelfe ſhall not equall the glory of our bodies? If the glory of the body be but the body of glory: then the ſoule of glory is the glory of the ſoule. Yea, then the Sun ſhall ſeptuple his owne glory, and we ſhall centuple the glory of the Sun. It is a glory to the Firmament, that it is ſtucke full of ſuch ſhining lampes; a thouſand times excelling the luſter of precious ſtones. O then thinke what it will be, to walke in the Courts of heaven, and to behold ſo many millions of Stars; ſpirituall and intellectuall Stars: a ſight able to raviſh us! If they that dwell in the Courts of Kings, make ſuch a glorious ſhew with their garments, borrowed from worms, or from the earths excrementall bowels: what a delightfull a ſight will it be to behold the ſplendour of Gods owne …mmortall Courtiers!

3 For verity, it ſhall be indeed, not in ſhew only, but upon us. The worldling is all glorious without, but the Kings daughter is all glorious within, Pſal. 45.14. That is a ſhadow, this a ſubſtance. Civill honour, ſayes the Philoſopher, is not in the perſon honoured, but honouring: the worldlings glory depends on the poſſeſſion of vaine matters, and the breath of vaine men; therefore hath no true being. But this is a true and ſubſtantiall glory, becauſe affixed to him whoſe glory is immutable, 2. Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us an exceeding and eternall weight of glory. The croſſe is light, the crowne weightie. The croſſe but for a moment, the crowne for ever. The pleaſures of ſin are but for a ſeaſon; therefore nothing, being compared with that infinite waight of eternall wrath. But as the ſeven yeares of famine in Aegypt, did quite eat up the ſeven yeares of plenty: ſo the reprobates endleſſe paines ſhall eat up their ſhort pleaſures. On the contrary, there is a …ime to weepe, and a time to laugh: the good man ſhall not much remember the dayes of his ſorrow, becauſe God anſwereth him in the joy of his heart, Eccleſ. 5.20. not much remember it, not all. Therefore Non quaeras in via, quod tibi ſervatur in patria, Aug. Let us not ſeeke for that in our journey, which is onelyonly to be found in our countrey. Let the world take theſe ſhadowes; it is a portion my ſoule deſireth not, only may …he be ſped of this ſubſtantiall glory through Ieſus Chriſt.

4 For the Eternity; if it had an end, it were not excellent. We ſee commonly, that high glories here waſte themſelves, and goe out in ſtench; like great candles in windy houſes: that can be no excellent glory. If we love this life, which we feele to be miſerable, and and know wil end: how ſhould we love that life, where is no feare, either to die, or to live in trouble. Nothing but happy eternity, and eternall felici…ie, Ioh. 14.2. In my Fathers houſe are many manſions: here we have no abiding citie, but dwell in Tabernacles, ſet up to day, and pulled downe to morrow. Our beſt houſes on earth, let them be never ſo glorious: if it were poſſible; let their walls be of gold, and their windowes of Saphire: yet they are no better than Innes for ſtrangers. But our manſions in heaven abide for ever. I goe to prepare a place for you, ſaith Chriſt: but …t is ſaid, Matth. 25.34. Inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Theſe were prepared before; now then did Chriſt goe to prepare them? Saint Augustine anſwers; They were prepared from everlaſting, but the men that ſhould …nhabite them were unprepared. Parat quodammodo manſiones, manſionibus parando manſores; He went firſt to take poſſeſſion of this Kingdome, and there ſets open the …oores of thoſe prepared manſions for us.

Here is then the figure of heaven: it is glory, therefore excellent: yea, ſubſtantiall glory, more excellent: yea, a Crowne of glory, moſt excellent. It is a Kingdome, and p. 316Immobile regnum, a kingdome that cannot be moved. It is an Inheritance, and ann immortall inheritance; all excellent. It is excellent, and a Glory; yea, The excellent glory. What wouldſt thou have? Is any thing better than life? Is any life better than a life of glory? Is any glory better than a kingdome of glory? Is any kindom ſurer than the Kingdome of Heaven? Yet this Kingdome, this Life, this Glory, this excellent Glory, is prepared for us. The Lord hath prepared this excellent glory for us; the Lord prepare us for this excellent glory!

This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am well pleaſed.] This is the laſt generall Circumſtance of the Verſe; the matter and ſubſtance of the Teſtimony from the Father. This; the word ſhewes him to be that Meſsias, long before prophecied, preſently after the fall promiſed, ere the world was purpoſed, and now manifeſted. This, ſingularly; not another, but this is He. My Son, conſubſtantially, becauſe begotten of mine owne ſubſtance. Originally mine, by union of nature: though in him other be made mine alſo, by adoption of grace. Beloved, Eternaliter; not in time accepted, b… before all beginning begotten. In whom I am well pleaſed, and never was offended: all other men were the children of wrath, I could not be pleaſed with them: but in thi… Son I reſt. He pleaſeth the Father by himſelfe, all other only by him. Here is Propriatas Perſonae, unitas naturae, Dignitas gratiae, Foelicitas meriti; This is, there is the Propriety of Perſon: My Son, there is the unity of nature: Beloved ſon, there is the Dignity of grace: In whom I am well pleaſed, there is the Felicity of merit. In him well pleaſed; in all with him, in none without him: in Himſelfe without all, before all, above all. Here is the Teſtimony; This is my beloved Sonne, &c. For methods ſalt we obſerve in this heavenly voice three notes:

Diſtinctionem Perſonae. This is my Sonne.

Dilectionem Diſtincti. My Beloved Sonne.

Sufficientiam Dilecti. In whom I am well pleaſed.

This is my Son.] Son, this diſtinguiſheth his Perſon: Father and Son are relatives, one depending neceſſarily on the other, Luke 1.32. He ſhall be great, and ſhall be called the Son of the Higheſt. With this Chriſt oppoſed the Iewes, that queſtioned him concerning the Son of David. If David called him Lord, he muſt needs be the Son of God. Now he is the Son of God two wayes: Firſt, by Nature, of the Eternall ſubſtance of his Father: not after a carnall manner, for hee departed with no ſubſtance, nor ſuffered any change, loſſe, or diminution. Secondly, as he was the Son of Mary: and this other Sonſhip in regard of God, was not by nature, not by adoption; for then there had been a time when he was not the Son of God: but by Perſonall union. The man Chriſt never was a Perſon of it ſelfe, but was at the firſt Perſonally united to the Son of God. The Son of Mary was ever the Son of God, but the Son of God was not ever or alwayes the Son of Mary. This was neceſſary, ſaith Auguſtine, that the Mediator betweene God and man, ſhould be of the Natures, both of God and man. Ne in utro que homini ſimilis, longe eſſet à Deo: vel in utro que Deo ſimilis, longe eſſet ab homine; Leſt being in every reſpect God, he had been too great to ſuffer for man: or being in every reſpect man, he had bin too weak to ſatisfie God. Non … ter à Patre, alter à virgine: ſed aliter à Patre, aliter à virgine, Euſ. Emiſſ. God of God, God the Son of God the Father. Fulgent. Alter in Perſona, non alius in natura; If …e were the ſame Perſon, how is he here called Filius, a Son? If he were not the ſame Nature, how is he called Meus, My Son? Son, thou art therefore another Perſon. My Son, thou art therefore the ſame God.

This filiality doth not chalenge him of inferiority to God. But Phil. 2.6. he is ſaid to be In the forme of God: yet it is added, He thought it no robbery to be equall with God. So it is ſaid, Verſ. 7. that he tooke upon him the Forme of a Servant. Si forma ſer… eſt natura humana, forma Dei eſt natura divina; If the forme of a ſervant be the nature of man, then the forme of God is the very nature of God. This the Iews could eaſily interpret;Iohn 5.18.John 5:18 He ſaid that God was his Father, making himſelfe equall with God. When he called God his Father, they could preſently infer, Illum ſe feciſſe parem Deo; That he p. 317made himſelfe equall with God: and that is no other thing, than to be true God in nature and ſubſiſtence. Semper apud Patrem, ſemper cum Patre, ſemper de Patre, ſemper in Patre. Filius ex ipſo, cum ipſo, hoc quod ipſe, Lomb. Alwayes with the Father, alwayes of the Father, alwayes in the Father, alwayes the ſame God that the Father. So alſo very man of mans fleſh, according to mans nature, for mans ſake, above mans condi…ion. Pſal. 2.7. The Lord hath ſaid unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. This might be ſaid by God to David in type, but only agrees Chriſt in truth. David indeed was Gods ſon, as he was a man, as he was a King, as he was a Saint. 1. As man; ſo are all men, Act. 17.28. We alſo are his off-ſpring. aaPſal. 100.3.Ps 100:3He made us, and not we our ſelves, therefore we are his ſons, Deu. 32.6. Is not he thy Father that made thee? 2. As King, for all Princes are the Children of the moſt High, Pſal. 82.3. Laſtly, as a ſanctified man; for he that is new-borne is the ſon of God, 1 Ioh. 3.9. He cannot ſin becauſe he is borne of God. But this title moſt properly belongs to Chriſt, and that in reſpect of his generation temporall and eternall. Some conſtrue it of his temporary birth, becauſe Hodie in the Scripture ſignifies this preſent life, Heb. 3.13. While it is called To day. Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee: that is, To day I have brought my begotten Son into the world. So Hebr. 1.6. When he bringeth in the firſt begotten into the world. Begotten before all beginning, but made fleſh in time; propoſed to the world in humane fleſh, at the decreed fulneſſe of time. Others underſtand it of Chriſts eternall generation: My Son; others are my ſons improperly, but thou art properly my Son; my naturall, ſingular, ſubſtantiall Son. A Sonne, not by creation, as the whole world is: not through adoption, as the whole Church is: but by nature and incommunicable generation, as himſelfe only is. Primogenitus, Vnigenitus, the expreſſe character of his Perſon, and brightneſſe of his glory. But there is then exception againſt the Word Hodiè: why To day my Son, when as for ever his Son? Aug. Apud Deum nunquam crastinus, nunquam heſternus dies eſt, ſed ſemper Hodiè; With God it never is Yeſterday, nor To morrow, but alwayes To day: all times are preſent with him. Vbi dies nec heſterni fine inchoatur, nec initio craſtini terminatur, ſemper hodiernus est; Where never was, nor can be night, muſt needs be eternall day.

My Sonne.] This Fleſh that ſtands before you, is the naturall Sonne of God: which gives us to underſtand, the infinite honour that belongs to Ieſus Chriſt. Though our nature was once poore and wretched through our degeneration, yet now it is made noble and bleſſed through this Perſonall union. And the Lord Ieſus did habitually honour it, even above the nature of Angels, Hebr. 2.16. For Chriſt in his very birth, was the moſt excellent and noble man that ever was: and that both by Fathers ſide and Mothers ſide. By Father, being the Son of Almighty God: by Mother, deſcending of the Patriarkes and renowned Kings of Iudah. A truely great Prince! wherein conſiſts a kingdom? In authority? Pſal. 135.6. He doth whatſoeuer he will, in heaven, in earth, in the ſea, and all deepe places. In Power, Mat. 8. The winds and the ſeas obey him. In multitude of ſubjects? Angels, Saints, and all Kings are his Subjects; either voluntary, or againſt their wils, Pſal. 82.1. He ſtandeth in the congregation of the mighty, and judgeth among the gods. In abundance? Pſal. 16.11. In his preſence is the fulneſſe of joy. In continuance? He ſhall reigne over the houſe of Iacob for ever, Luke 1.33.Luke 1:33and of his Kingdome there ſhall be no end. In amplitude and largeneſſe? The heaven is his, and the earth is his, and the fulneſſe of them both. In ſubduing enemies?Luke 19.2.Luke 19:2 Bring thoſe mine enemies, that would not have me reigne over them, and ſlay them before me.

The faithfull doe not hold Chriſt in ſmall account, becauſe of his poore eſtate in this world; but prefer him to Nobles and Kings. They had no ſuch Herald, to blazon their Armes as he: even Iohn the Baptiſt, not a greater borne of women. Yea here,Matth. 11.11.Matt 11:11 even God himſelfe with a voice from heaven proclaimes it. They have no ſuch memoriall of their antiquity, as he, whom S. Luke lines from Adam, S. Matthew derives from David and Abraham. It is impoſſible for them: for there is no ſuch Inſtructer of antiquity, or Recorder of Genealogie, as the Holy Ghoſt. Great Monarks have long and tedious titles: Chriſt is ſhort in ſound, but Eternal in ſenſe; This is my beloved Son.

p. 318This gives comfort to us: for CHRIST being ſo royall, and taking our fleſh, conveyes part of his nobleneſſe to us. Men ſtand much on their bloud, and the pedegree of their Anceſtors: as if nobleneſſe conſiſted in that which deſcends from, man to man. All true and waighty honour is fetched from CHRIST: Not my Birth, but my Chriſtianitie, makes me noble; faid that noble Martyr, Romanus. To ſo many as received Chriſt, he gave power to be the ſonnes of God, Ioh. 1.12. This engraffing to Ieſus, is the dignitie, true bloud Royall of God Himſelfe. Not Generation, but Regeneration is truely noble. Sanctification is the beſt ornament of blood, the worthieſt part of the Honourable Scutchion, the faireſt flower in the Goodmans Garland. It is no diſcredit to mens honours, to honour Him. We love to peruſe the Genealogie of Princes, and ſucceſſion of States: but what are theſe to us? we are not heires to thoſe honours. But if CHRISTS Title be good, ou… is good in him. Thus we are enriched with the whole world. Cor. 3.22. Whether the world, things preſent, yea or things to come; All are yours, and yee are Chriſts, and Chr…ſt is Gods. But becauſe the wicked have this world, that have no right unto it therefore Feare not little flocke, it is your fathers will to give you the kingdome, Luke 12.32. Bee we never ſo poore, even the contempt of this world; rich men ſco… our acquaintance; yet he that is the onelyonly Sonne of God, is not aſhamed to call us brethren, Heb. 2.11. An earthly Prince may honour much; by enrobing a ſubject with Princely apparell, inveſting his head with the Crowne Royall, and mounting his perſon in the Kings owne Charriot, Eſa. 6.8. But Chriſt doth honour infinitely more; by adorning us with white garments, Palmes in our hands, and Crownes on our heads, and that before the Angels in heaven. Pſalm. 149.8. Such honour ha… all his Saints.

This is my Sonne;] This is he, which the Prophet, preſignified, the types prefigured, the Lord himſelfe promiſed, the Goſpell preſented, and is now univerſally preached; This is he. Elias was a great Prophet, but not He: Iohn Baptiſt was more than a Prophet, but not He. Ioh. 1.8. He was not that light, but a witneſſe of it. This is He. He that fulfilled all the prophecies, performed all the promiſes, ended all the Ceremonies; This is Hee. Hager and Iſhmael were kept in Abrahams houſe, til… Iſaac was borne and weaned: ſo were ceremonies reſerved in the Church, till Chriſt was dead and riſen. They were like a mould, whereinto we caſt a bell: when the mettall is runne, and the bell made, we throw away the mould. He that was crucified himſelfe, crucified all theſe. The Philiſtins aske for Sampſon; who is he that hath given us ſo many overthrowes, triumphed in our ruines? This is hee. So, who is that ſtrong God, that could ſay to the gates of death and hell, Eph…, be yee opened? This is he. Who is he that conquered the devill, foiled death in his owne Throne, led captivitie captive, overcame ſin that overcame the whole world; that pacified an infinite wrath, that made way to an infinite glory; who? This is he; this is my beloved Sonne.

Beloved Sonne.] Gods love to his Sonne is eternall, infinite, inexpreſſible. I…. 3.35. The Father loveth the Sonne, and hath given all things into his hand. Ioh. 17.24. Thou loveſt me before the foundation of the world. Col. 1.13. Tranſtulit nos in reg… filii dilectionis ſuae: his deare Sonne; the Son of his love. 1. Becauſe he is moſt worthy of all to be loved: as Iudas is called the Sonne of perdition, becauſe hee was … worthy to be deſtroied. 2. Becauſe he was begotten of his Fathers love from euerlaſting. 3. Becauſe he is infinitely filled with this love. So they are ſaid to be children of the Bride-chamber, that are full of joy in reſpect of the wedding. 4. Becauſe he makes other ſonnes to be beloved. Filius dilectus, qui facit dilectos. 5. In reſpect of his humane nature; For God powred his love upon him with gifts beyond meaſure, wherewith that nature is admirably qualified. Beloved: here are two ſcandals taken away by this word. Firſt, that we may not thinke Chriſt to be ſent in the fleſh ab irato Patre, from God the Father being angry: for he is his Beloved ſin. N…, that when we are afflicted, we ſhould not thinke our ſelves minus a Deo diligi, to be p. 319the leſſe beloved of God, for he loves the Sonne, whom he ſcourges.

But how appeares this love, when God did ſo caſt him downe that he ſeemed …ven to hate him? Law…. 1.1…. Vindemiavit me Dominus; The Lord hath afflicted me … the day of his fierce anger. God afflicts ſome in merciemercy, but this was in wrath. In …is wrath God is not a like to all: ſome he afflicts more mildly; but this was in his …ierce wrath. His ſufferings, his Sweat, and Cup, import ſo much: they could not …ome, but from a wrath whereof never was the like. Two things eſpecially may …eeme to abate the Fathers love to his Sonne. Firſt, his ſweat in the Garden. Luk. …2.44. Which was as it were great drops of bloud falling downe to the ground. When …o manner of violence was offered him in body, none touching him: in a cold night, …or they were glad of a fire within doores: lying abroad in the aire, and upon the …old earth; to be all or a ſweat, and that ſweat to be bloud, and that not a thinne …int one, but Gr…moſus, of great drops; and thoſe ſo many as went through his ap…arell, and ſtreamed to the ground in abundance: never was the like ſweat. But ſe…ondly, to be in this diſtreſſe, and then to want comfort! This was his moſt ſorow…ull complaint; not that his friends on earth, but that his Father from heaven had …orſaken him. So that betweene the paſſioned powers of his foule, and whatſoever might refreſh him, there was a Traverſe drawne: My God, my God, why haſt thou for…aken me? Martyrs in their moſt exquiſite paines had ſome chearefulneſſe. Auguſtine …nſwers Martyres non …ripuit, ſed nunquid deſeruit? God did not deliver them, but …id he forſake them? He freed not their bodies, he left not their ſoules. But here, Direliquiſti me, thou haſt forſaken me. How then was he beloved? non ſolvit unio…em, ſed ſubtraxit viſionem. The influence was for the time reſtrained, the power …f darkeneſſe let looſe to afflict him, and the viſion of comfort not permitted to re…eeve him: yet ſtill the Lord loved him. But this ſhewes how immenſely God lo…ed us: when he ſeemed to forſake his Sonne for a time, that he might embrace his …ervants for ever. Yea, how much CHRIST loved us; that would be content to …uffer a ſenſe of this deſertion for a while, that we might not be eternally loſt. Thou waſt forſaken for us, let not us forſake thee, neither doe thou forſake us, oh bleſſed Ieſus!

In whom I am well pleaſed.] This was a voice never heard ſince the fall of man, …ill that inſtant. That God was juſtly angry with the world, it was manifeſt: but to …ave him now pleaſed with the world, or any man in it, this was rare and ſweet. Never was man borne before of woman, that had this grace. Though it were ſaid to Mary, Haile thou art highly honoured, or much graced; yet this was for her ſons ſake. Propter filii meritum, mater in enit gratiam: the honour done to the mother, was for …he merite of the Sonne. The Father tooke all delight in the Sonne. Eſa. 42.1. Be…old mine elect, in whom my ſoule delighteth. And in him onelyonly, he is delighted with …s. Curſed is that Religion, that makes him but a chiefe Saviour, and requires o…her concurring helpes: we muſt have only CHRIST, and wholly CHRIST. Our prayers are heard only through him, our wounds healed only by him, our ſoules …aved only in him. To what end ſhould we joyne others with him, ſeeing all are be…oved only for him? Let this make all ſin abhorred of us, for if we diſpleaſe the Son, how ſhall we pleaſe the Father? The Father will be pleaſed with none, but for the Sonnes ſake. Oh then let us alwayes ſeeke to pleaſe the Sonne. Kiſſe the Sonne leſt he …ee angry, and ſo yee periſh, Pſalm. 2.12. Oh deare Saviour, give us hearts to …ove thee, and faith to truſt thee, and grace to pleaſe thee, that God may be pleaſed with us in thee.

This Son of God hath made us alſo ſonnes: God hath right to us Iure Proprie…atis, ſo hath the Father, Sonne, and holy Spirit: and Iure Propinquitatis, ſo hath CHRIST only, for he was a kinne to us. CHRIST is both our brother and our Father. Our Father as he is God; our brother as he is man. Hebr. 1.11. He that ſanctified, and they who are ſanctified, are all of one: for which cauſe he is not aſhamed …o call them brethren. This is the Sonne, that makes us ſonnes. Ioh. 1.12. To as many p. 320as receive him, he gives power to become the ſonnes of God. Chriſt is Filius Dei, … Trinitatis; nos filii Dei & Trinitatis: he is the Son of God, but not of the Trinitie we are the ſonnes of God, and of the whole Trinitie: he by nature, we by grace it was the ambition of the heathens, to forget their owne parents, and to derive themſelves from the parentage of ſome god; as Alexander from Iupiter, &c. Behold, a… Chriſt hath honour naturally, ſo we gratiouſly in him, to be called the ſons of God. How great is this happineſſe, to be the Almighties ſons? but perhaps there are diverſe younger brothers, landleſſe; No, they are all heires: there is not a child of Gods, but ſhall inherite the kingdome. Quid Pater negabit filiis, qui hoc dignatus … ut ſit Pater? What will the father deny to his children, who hath already thus farre honoured them, to be their Father. Rom. 8.32. He that ſpared not his owne Sonne for us, how ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things? Nonne dabit ſua, qui non …it nuit ſe? Will he deny us his goods, that hath given us himſelfe? Qui dabit ſe in… ritum; dabit & ſuaii… praemium. He that parted with himſelfe to merit for us, will n… with hold his mercies to crowne us. As Abrahams ſervant ſaid of Iſaac to Reb…. Gen. 24.36. He is my maſters only ſonne, and to him he gives all that he hath. So i… God give us his onelyonly Sonne, he will give us all things with him. Therefore wa… the Son of God made the Son of man; that the ſons of men might be made the ſons of God.

All love that comes from God to us, is through his Sonne, Ioh. 17.23. That the world may know, that thou haſt loved them, as thou haſt loved me. Chriſt define… it, the Father will not deny it. Chriſt is Gods beloved, and we are Chriſt beloved. All things are ours, becauſe we are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods. When we conſider, how infinitely God loves Chriſt, and how infinitely Chriſt loveth us, we cannot deſpaire. Pater & filius ſunt duo in perſona, unum in deſiderio. The Father and the Sonne are two in Perſon, but one in deſire. It is not poſſible, that he ſhould be hated, for whom Chriſt ſuffered. Hence it followes, that God will not faile to lift us up to the place where his owne beloved is. Ioh. 7.24. Father, I will that they alſo whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am. Rom. 8.17. We ſhall alſo be glorified together with him. It had beene a great favour to be admitted for doore-keepers in his houſe: great ſatisfactions to have our ſinnes pardoned and that the Lord would be friends with us, conſidering our rebellion. But to be reſtored to that Paradiſe which Adam loſt; this had beene more: but to be advanced further and higher than ever Adam was; even to the Lords owne throne; this is moſt of all. If all mens hearts were one heart, it could not comprehend the meaſure of this love. God hath life, for he is the fole fountaine of it: but how ſhall we come at it? Eſa. 33.14. Who ſhall approch the devouring fire? who amongſt us ſhall dwell with the everlaſting burnings? Yes, the bloud of the Sonne hath qualified this fire, and quenched the wrath of the Father: thus that life is made ours. 1 Ioh. 5.11. God hath giuen us eternall life, and this life is in his Sonne. In dilecto, cum dilecto, pro dilecto. Excellent favour, not only to give us place and grace with the Angels; but even with his owne Sonne! We are made Lords of all creatures but the Angels: and our head [IESUS] is alſo head of the Angels. For his ſake they are all miniſtring ſpirits, for the good of all thoſe that are the heires of ſalvation. If we be thus loved in the beloved, we may bee ſure of all neceſſary things. For howſoever God hath diſtinguiſhed the things of this world i… a proprietie: yet we have ſuch intereſt in them, that the Sunne ſhould not ſhine, not the world ſtand, but for the elects ſake. The wicked are excluded from the Tree of life, and therefore from all things that ſhould maintaine life: and through they be …t on earth yet they ſhall have double torment for their ſingle merriment. For they are never in their owne houſe till they be in hell, Act. 1.25. For us, they ſhall be as well able to ſave themſelves without God, as to hurt us having God: and the worſt they can doe, is but to ſend us to GOD; and our deſire is to bee with GOD for ever.

To conclude, Chriſt was Gods Son, his only beloved Son: we ſervants, … ſ…ll p. 321ſervants: yet was this Sonne borne and ſlaine for theſe ſervants. This is the …oint we are bound to conſider! how farre God ſuſpended his love to his Son, and …ttended his love to his ſervants: even ſo far, that this Son of love died for thoſe ſons …f wrath. Here me thinkes we ſhould even ſtay and wonder. 1 Ioh. 3.1. Behold, what …anner of love the Father hath beſtowed upon us that we ſhould be called the ſons of God. …his is a depth that cannot be ſounded: cold language may utter it, and regardleſſe …tention heare it; but men and Angels ſtand amazed at it. That the Creator ſhould …e for the creature: that this Filius meus, the Son of God; and Servus tuus, the …rvant of man; ſhould meet in one perſon. That the ſame, who is Dominus omni…m, the Lord of all; ſhould bee made Sacrificium noſtrum, our ſacrifice: that the …on of love ſhould die for the ſons of wrath! There have beene many demonſtrati…ns of love in the world, Gen. 42.37. Reuben yeelded much to his Father: Slay my two …ns, if I bring him not to thee: it was in the behalfe of Benjamin. Here were two ſons …o be loſt; Si If their uncle was loſt. His owne ſonnes were deare to him, as the ob…cts of of a deſcending love; but intruſted to their Grandfather, whoſe love com…only tranſcends an immediate Fathers; Iudah tenders more for Benjamin, Gen. 43.…. I will be ſurety for him; of my hand ſhall thou require him: he engaged himſelfe, but it …as a ſonne ventured upon the merciemercy of his Father, Gen. 44.33. He goes further …hen Ioſeph offered to detaine Benjamin, for whom Iudah had thus interpoſſed him…lfe; he tenders his owne perſon for redemption. I pray thee let me abide in ſtead of …e Lad, a bondman to my Lord: and let him goe home with his brethren. Yet he would …e but a bondman, and that for his brother, and that in reſpect of his Father; and …l to ſave all from the deſtruction of famine. Therefore this is a poore patterne to …atch with the love of God, that did not tradere filium pro patre, vel ex neceſsitate; …eliver up a ſonne for the fathers ſake, or compelled by any exigent: ſed pro hoſtibus, … ex voluntate; but for his enemies, and that with a voluntary donation. The Po… ſpeakes of a great love betwixt Niſus and Eurialus; me, me, adſum qui feci, in me …nvertite ferrum: Mea fraus omnis, nihil iſte nec auſus, nec potuit.

Two friends are ſaid to come into Vulcans ſhop, and to begge a boone of him: it as granted. What was it? that he would either beat them on his Anvile, or melt …hem in his fornace, both into one. But without fiction, here is a farre greater love CHRIST: for he would be melted in the fornace of wrath, and beaten on …e anvile of death, to be made one with us. And to declare the exceeding love: here …ere not both to be beaten on the anvile, or melted in the fornace: but without us, he …one would be beaten on the anvile, he alone melted, that we might be ſpared. Eſa. …3.6. The Lord hath layd on him the iniquity of us all. They talke of an Athenian King, …at offered his owne life to ſave his people. And no doubt, the zeale of Moſes …d Paul was great, when they deſired Perire pro pereuntibus, to periſh themſelves for …e redemption of others. Ionathans love was great to David, hazarding his owne …fe for him, 2 Sam. 1.26. Thy love to me was wonderfull, paſsing the love of women. …avids love was great to an evill ſonne, 2 Sam. 18.33. Would God I had died for thee, …h Abſolom, my ſonne, my ſonne. Alas, all theſe copies are ſhort of this originall: …ome we yet neerer. Abraham had but one ſon, the ſon of his old age, likely to have no …ore: Filius rei, filius ſpei; the heire of his eſtate, the pledge of the promiſe of his …lvation: yet in love to his commander, he ſuffered him not to be baniſhed, but …lled: not behind his backe, but before his owne face: not by another, but by his …wne hand. This was much: yet it was but to loſe a ſonne for a Father, a mortall …nne for an immortall Father; that could give him more ſons, or raiſe up that ſon …gaine to life. But here God did give a Sonne, not for an immortall father, but for …ortall enemies. He loved him ten thouſand degrees better than Abraham could …ue Iſaac: yet he gave this Sonne, not by command as Abraham, but willingly: not to the hands of them that ſorowed to kill him, but to butchers that delighted to …rment him: not for his friends, as Abraham did, but for traitors that would have …alled him out of his Throne: not to a death that onelyonly parts body and ſoule, and inſtantly p. 322directs to heaven, as Iſaacs ſhould; but to a death curſed and deteſtable: this not to be done in a ſecret place, as Abrahams was appointed; but before all his ſcornfull enemies: not to die as an innocent, like Iſaac, but to hang as a notorious ſinner; hi… accuſation being no leſſe than blaſphemie; to have a murderer preferred before him in the peoples opinion: to be ſcorned of the baſeſt,ddIob 30.1.Job 30:1 whoſe fathers he might diſd… to ſet with the dogges of his flocke. Yea, and which is yet moſt; while all this is doing on earth, that even then his Father ſhould arraigne him above: that he ſhould take off the burden of vengeance from the head of his adverſaries, and lay it all on his Son. The comfort of all comforts is from above: let all forſake me, but let … my Father leave me: but the Lord afflicted him. The high Prieſt tooke him to be an offender in his owne Perſon, but God tooke him to be an offender in our perſon. He that deſerved no ſorrow, felt much; that we who deſerved much, might feele none: by his woundes we are healed.

Now take the Perſon upon whom as one Center all theſe ſorowes met my Te… ſaies, It is my beloved Sonne. Sonne; this is enough: man loves his owne ſonne, the walking Image of himſelfe. Mine, that is more, the Sonne of God: as is the perſon, ſo is the paſſion. Beloved, if poſſible, yet more: for the love of God far tranſcends all love of man. If he had beene but as Pilate ſaid, Behold the man; it was much, we pitie a dumbe creatures ſuffering this, much more a man. Yea, but he was Inſ… homo, ſaies the Iudges wife, a righteous man: now we pitty malefactors, much more the innocent. Yea beſides his integrity, he was Magnus & nobilis, a noble perſon, a Royall Prince: for whom men might juſtly complaine; Alas, that noble Prince, Ier. 22. All theſe are ſhort: this Ecce homo, ecce agnus, ecce magnus; behold the man, behold the Lambe, behold the Prince; are true, but not enough. Here Ecce filius … us, behold my ſonne; as the Centurion acknowledged, Truely this is the ſonne of God; is above all gradation. If he had not beene the ſon of God, it had beene impoſſible for him to ſuſtaine it: and yet being thus, he was brought ſo low that an Angell wa… diſpatched from heaven to comfort him. Here all words forſake us, we bleſſe the Lord, and hold our peace.

Take the ſumme of this application: we have heard much of Gods Son, and of his deareneſſe to the Father. Now joyne with it another Text, Ioh. 3.16. So God love the world that he gave this only begotten Son. Here meditate, wonder, and waigh the ſetence; Who, what, how, to what end. Who loved; God; that made us his friends by creation; whoſe enemies we made our ſelves by prevarication. What did hee love? the world, a bad world, a mad world, a blind world, a bloudy world; that hated him and all his, Ioh. 15.19. It was no wonder, that he ſhould love the Angels, for they ſerve him: or the very reaſonleſſe creatures, for they obey him: but that he ſhould love the rebellious and hatefull world, this is boundleſſe merciemercy? How d… he love it? So that he gave his onelyonly begotten Sonne. If like Gideon, he had had threeſcore and tenne Sonnes, Iudg. 8.30. it had beene much to part with one of them; bee his onelyonly ſonne. Iacob rent his clothes, and went mourning in ſackcloth many daies for loſing one ſonne of twelve, Gen. 37.34. Even an harlot pitied the fruit of her wombe, and her bowels yerned upon her ſonne. 1 King. 3.26. Oh my LORD. give her the living child, and in no wiſe ſlay it: but GOD gave the onelyonly Sonne of his love. To what end? That whoſoever beleeveth in him, ſhould not periſh but have life everlaſting. Where obſerve two things: the felicitie that is goo…, and the facility to get it. The felicity conſiſts of two things; a deliverance, and an Inheritance. He ſhal not periſh, there's the deliverance. He ſhal have everlaſting life, there's the inheritance. For the facilitie; it is not to keepe the Law, but only to beleeve. Pſal. 8.4. Lord what is man that thou ſhouldeſt ſo regard him! Yea, that to regard him, thou didſt not regard thy ſelfe? It is reported of a great Souldier, that the very gingling of his ſpurre was a terror to his enemies. So the very ſound of this Te… makes all the divells in hell roare, all the foes of mans ſalvation to quake. This is the Chriſtians armory, that Tower of David, whereon there hang a thouſand bucklers a p. 323ſhield of mightie men, Cant. 4.4. If thy conſcience be aſſaulted with guiltineſſe of thy …ns, remember firſt, that this CHRIST was the Son of God: and then that this …onne was given for the world. Dedit filium, non ſervum ſuum, non alienum; unige…tum, non de multis unum. God gave not a ſervant but a Sonne: not anothers but his …wne Sonne: not one of many, but his onelyonly Son. If Satan now object; Yes, but he …ve him onelyonly for the holy and juſt; anſwer, nay, So he loved the world; mundum …mundum: mundum therefore mundanum: he gave him not for the righteous, but …r ſinners. I am of that number, therefore I have my part in that favour. Paul …ies Eph. 6.11. Put on the whole armour of God: and Rom. 13.14. Put on the Lord …ESUS CHRIST. In the one place, all thoſe pieces of armour is but the Lord …ſus taken aſunder: in the other, the whole armour is but the Lord Ieſus put toge…er. Pſal. 2.12. Kiſſe the Sonne leſt he be angry. To make peace with the Father, kiſſe …onne. Cant. 1.2. Let him kiſſe me, was the Churches prayer: let us kiſſe him, that …e our endeavour. Indeed, the Sonne muſt firſt kiſſe us by his merciemercy, before we can …ſſe him by our pietie. Lord grant us theſe mutuall kiſſes, and interchangeable em…aces now: that we may come to the plenary wedding Supper hereafter. When …e Quire of heaven, even the voices of Angels, ſhall ſing Epithalamiums, nuptuall …ngs, at the bridall of the ſpouſe to the Lambe.