One Hundred Select Sermons, New Testament · Sermon 20
SERMON XX.
JOH. 1.18.
No man hath ſeen God at any time, the onelyonly begotten Son, which is in the boſome of the Father, he hath declared him.
Of the Equality of the Son of God with the Father, we heard in part the last day, out of that Scripture which was then at that time handled by us. In this Scripture we have our Saviour inſtructing and informing us in the things of God, who by how much the nearer he is to him, the better is he accepted with him, and ſo conſequently the better able to acquaint us with him alſo in the midſt of our own ignorance and incapacity. And this is that which we have here offered unto us in this Verſe, which I have now read unto you, No man hath ſeen God at any time, &c.
IN the Text it ſelf there are two General Parts conſiderable: Firſt, a Defect premiſed. Secondly, a ſupply of this Defect propounded. The Defect premiſed we have in theſe words, No man hath ſeen God at any time. The Supply of this Defect, that we have in thoſe, The onelyonly begotten Son who is in the boſome of the Father. &c.
We begin with the firſt of thoſe Parts, viz. the Defect which is here premiſed, No man hath ſeen, &c. This is agreeable to ſome other places of Scripture beſides, which have the ſame or like expreſſions in them. In 1 Joh. 4.12. we have the ſame words expreſly, No man hath ſeen God at any time; and in 1 Tim. 6.16. that which is equivalent, where St. Paul ſpeaking of God, ſays, He dwells in that light which no man can approach unto, whom no man bath ſeen, nor can ſee. And in other places he is called the Inviſible God. This will require a little Explication from us, becauſe at the firſt hearing of it, it ſeems to be repugnant and oppoſite to ſome others as declaring the contrary; as if God indeed both might and had been ſeen. Thus we read of Moſes, Exod. 33.11. that God ſpake with him face to face; Panim elpanim. and Num. 12.8. mouth to mouth; Peh el peh a-mareeh, apparently or viſibly, after an open and familiar manner. So likewiſe of Jacob. Gen. 32.30. he relates it concerning himſelf, I have ſeen God face to face, and my life is preſerved. And therefore he called the name of the place Peniel, which ſignifies the face of God. So likewiſe the Prophet Iſaiah, in Iſa. 6.2. I ſaw the Lord ſitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, &c. And that we might know what Lord he means, he adds preſently afterwards in the fifth verſe, Mine eyes have ſeen the King the Lord of Hosts; not Adonai onelyonly, but Jehovah, that is, the true God. Theſe and ſuch like places of Scripture, which ſometimes we meet withall, they do ſeem to imply, as if God ſometimes had been ſeen by men. And therefore we muſt ſpeak ſomewhat for the explanation of this paſſage here before us, and the reconciling of it with thoſe other Scriptures, that at firſt hearing ſeem to contradict it.
Now this will beſt be done by removing Truth from Falſhood, and by conſidering how far it does hold good; and again, how it does not hold good, that any man hath ſeen God, &c. For in a different ſenſe and reſpect, there is a truth in either Propoſition, which may be obſerv'd by us. We may, for methods ſake, reduce the terms of Explication to three Heads. Firſt, to the Object. Secondly, to the Act. And thirdly, to the Medium. When we have fully conſidered of theſe three, we ſhall be able to underſtand this Propoſition which we have now before us, according to its true, proper, and genuine meaning.
Firſt, the Object; that is here expreſs'd to be God: No man hath ſeen God. Now God, in this Text, is not to be taken Eſſentially, but Perſonally: God, that is, God the Father, the First Perſon in the Bleſſed Trinity; no man hath ſeen Him at any time. It was not the Father that appeared to the Patriarchs, but the Son, who though inviſible alſo in his own Nature, yet by way of Preamble to his Incarnation, would appear unto them in humane ſhape, or in the ſimilitude of an Angel; and thus he appeared to Jacob: Hoſea calls him an Angel, Hoſ. 12.4. So the Holy Ghoſt is ſaid to have appeared in the ſhape of a Dove, at the Baptiſm of Chriſt, in Matth. 3.16. and of cloven fiery tongues on the day of Pentecoſt, in Acts 2.3, 4. Theſe two Perſons, the Son and the Spirit, they have ſometimes appeared and been ſeen; but the Father never took upon him any viſible ſhape, but hath always and altogether remained inviſible, namely, as to Diſpenſation. That's the firſt thing here conſiderable, viz. the Object, God.
Secondly, here is conſiderable the Act, which is denied to this Object, and that is Sight, hath not ſeen. This is to be taken in the full latitude of ſeeing, whether corporal or mental, whether with the eyes of the body, or with the eyes of the mind; no man hath ſeen God either of theſe ways.
Firſt, not with the eyes of the Body, he cannot be ſeen ſo. For the act ſeeing preſuppoſes the Object to be viſible; now this God is not, becauſe he is a Spirit, and ſo hath neither corporeal Light, nor Colour, nor Figure, nor any thing elſe which is requiſite to the viſibility of any Object.
No, nor ſecondly, with the eyes of the Mind can he be ſeen here neither; namely, as to his Divine Subſtance and Eſſence. There is a two-fold kind of ſeeing of God, which our minds in ſome reſpect are capable of; but neither of them reaching or extending to this which we now ſpeak of. The one is the ſight of God by the Light of Nature and Humane Reaſon; and the other is the ſight of God by the Light of Grace and Divine Revelation, which is a further advancement of it.
Firſt, take it as to the Light of Nature and Humane Reaſon. There is thus far ſome kind of ſight and knowledge of God, which even the Heathens themſelves did partake of, as the Apoſtle Paul declares to us ſufficiently, in the firſt Chapter of his Epiſtle to the Romans. But this comes ſhort of the ſight of him in his Eſſence, which is here now intended. There are three manner of ways eſpecially which Divines do uſually aſſign to Reaſon for the diſcovery of God; the one is by way of Cauſality; the other is by way of Negation; and the third is by way of Eminency. But each, and all of theſe are, I ſay very imperfect and defective.
Firſt, by way of Cauſality, when as by the Creatures, whereof God is the Cauſe, we do contemplate the Creator. But notwithſtanding this Knowledge, the Eſſence of God is inviſible: For the Effect cannot ſhow the Eſſence of its Cauſe, but when it is the ſame with it in kind, and has the whole virtue of the Cauſe in it. The Creature ſhews that there is a God, from whom all things receive their Being; but what this God is it doth not ſhow. And ſo the ſight of God on our part it is but ſhort in the way of Cauſality.
The ſecond is by way of Negation or Remotion; when conſidering the imperfections of the Creatures, as Mortality, Paſſibility, Peccability, and the like, we do remove theſe from God in our minds, and conceive him as wholly free from them, and uncapable of them, as who cannot die, ſuffer, nor ſin. But this does not yet diſcover to us what God is, but onelyonly what He is not. And no Privatives are de Eſſentia poſitivi. We are ſtill to ſeek of the Eſſence of God for all this.
The third and laſt is by way of Eminency, when as conſidering the ſeveral perfections which are ſcattered and diſperſt through the Creatures, we do attribute them and aſcribe them to God after a more eminent and tranſcendent manner. As becauſe Goodneſs, and Wiſdom, and Holineſs, are Perfections of the Creature, therefore we conclude them to be in God in the higheſt degree, when we call him moſt Good, most Wiſe, moſt Holy, and ſo of the reſt. But neither hereby do we yet attain to the ſight of God in his Eſſence, becauſe none of thoſe are predicated of God and the Creature after an univocal manner; and they do onelyonly ſhew what manner of one he is, but not what he is. And thus for the ſight of God by the Light of Nature, or Humane Reaſon, as being here deficient.
The ſecond is the Light of Grace, or Divine Revelation, whereby we come alſo to the Knowledge of God; but yet not of his Eſſence neither, whiles we are here in this world. And this again is of two ſorts, either Ordinary, or Extraordinary; Ordinary, in the Diſcoveries of Faith; Extraordinary, in that which is cauſed from Prophetical and immediate manifeſtation by God himſelf.
Firſt, there is the diſcovery of Faith, and the ſight of God by that. This is that whereby Moſes is ſaid to have ſeen him that is inviſible, Heb. 11.27. but this but an obſcure and imperfect ſight of him, and therefore ſometimes oppoſed to ſight, 2 Cor. 5.7. We walk by faith, and not by ſight; as if it were hardly any ſight at all. Surely it is not a ſeeing of God in his Eſſence, but onelyonly of what he is towards us, for our particulars. And the Scripture does ſpeak of it as imperfect. Thus, 2 Cor. 13.12. Now we ſee through a glaſs darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then ſhall I know even as alſo I am known. Where are three words of diſparagement which are put upon this kind of ſight, in compariſon with that which is more perfect.
Firſt, it is but in a Glaſs, foreign; we know that ſuch ſights as thoſe are, they are but imperfect, becauſe they are but reflexive. As the ſight of the Sun-beams in Heaven, which cannot be look'd upon directly; ſo is knowledge of God by Faith, it is tantum in ſpeculo.
The ſecond is darkly; foreign, as we conceive of things in a Riddle or Myſtery, which implies a great deal of cloudineſs and miſtineſs, and obſcurity in it.
The third is, but in part; foreign, which ſtill denotes a ſhortneſs in it. And this for that diſco very which we have of God in a way of ordinary Revelation, by the ſight of Faith.
The ſecond is Extraordinary, in Prophetical manifeſtation. Thus ſome of the Servants of God in former times had a ſpecial elevation of mind peculiarly vouchſafed unto them, whereby they were enabled to have notable apprehenſions of God, and a glorious ſight of him; as in the inſtances above-mentioned: Iſaiah ſeeing him upon the Throne; Jacob, face to face; Moſes beholding his glory, &c. But yet neither did theſe reach ſo high as the Eſſence of God: Moſes, that ſaw the moſt of him, he is ſaid to ſee but his back-parts; that is, ſome imperfect image and repreſentation of his glory, his face he could not, nor might not ſee, Ex. 33.20. Thou canſt not ſee my face; for no man ſhall ſee my face and live. This imports, That Moſes did not ſee the Substance of God; but onelyonly that God did, after a familiar manner, reveal himſelf to him, and in ſome reſemblance ſhew him his Glory, ſo far forth, namely, as Moſes was capable of it; which did wonderfully affect him. And thus we have the ſecond thing here conſiderable, for the explaining of this paſſage; and that is, the Act, No man hath ſeen God at any time; that is, perfectly, in his Divine Subſtance and Eſsence; and that as to ſight, in the full latitude and extent of it; whether Corporeal, with the eyes of the Body; or Mental, with the eyes of the Mind. And for this latter, in all its varieties alſo, whether of Nature or Grace, of Reaſon or Revelation: not by way of Cauſality, not by way of Negation, not by way of Eminency, as to the obſcurity of Reaſon; nor yet either by the ſight of Faith, as more ordinary; or by the light of Propheſie, as more extraordinary; as to Divine Revelation.
The third and laſt is the Medium, or Means by which. That muſt be alſo here taken in for the explication of this paſſage to us. No man hath ſeen God but in Chriſt, whereby he hath made himſelf in a manner viſible and conſpicuous to us; ſo that He who cannot be ſeen otherwiſe, yet in Him is ſeen after a moſt illuſtrious manner. Hence he is ſaid to be the Image of the inviſible God, Col. 1.15. becauſe all the Excellencies and Perfections of God, they are entirely in Chriſt. Thus even the Father Himſelf, which we ſhewed before was never ſeen, yet comes to be ſo; according to that of our Saviour to Philip, Joh. 14.9. He that hath ſeen me, hath ſeen the Father; namely, becauſe the glory of the Father does ſhine forth in the face of Jeſus Christ. As it is again in Joh. 1.14. We beheld his glory, the glory as of the onelyonly begotten of the Father, &c. No ma hath ſeen God to purpoſe any other ways, than as revealed in his Son. And thus we have the full explication (as I conceive) of this preſent Propoſition, That no man hath ſeen God at any time, No man hath ſeen the Father: No man hath ſeen the Father Eſſentially; No man hath ſeen the Father but in Chriſt. There's the Object, the Act, the Medium.
Now (to give you ſome account of the Point) there is a two-fold ground which may be aſſign'd hereof unto us, why God cannot be ſeen by us, whiles we live here in this world, in the ſenſe which I have now given of it; the one is taken from God, and the other is taken from our ſelves.
Firſt, on Gods part; there's an obſtruction from the Incomprehenſibleneſs of his Nature, which cannot be fully reached unto by any Creature, whether in Heaven or Earth. Even the bleſſed and glorious Angels themſelves, who are in a ſtate of Comprehenſion, though they comprehend ſo much of God as the Creature is comprehenſive of; yet they can never comprehend ſo much of him, as is indeed comprehended in him. Our God (to ſpeak ſtrictly of him) is beyond and above all Comprehenſion. Therefore this foreign; here, which we tranſlate no man, may be as well rendred no Creature; and it agrees with other places in Scripture, as Matth. 11.27. No man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son. It is foreign, that is, no perſon whatſoever. So Rev. 5.3. No man in heaven and earth was able to open the book; it is alſo foreign, that is, no creature. The Nature and Eſſence of God in the Fulneſs, it is beyond any created Comprehenſion. And ſo there is an obſtruction to our perfect ſeeing of Him on His part.
But ſecondly, There where he is alſo comprehenſible, and ſhall be alſo comprehended hereafter; yet there is at preſent an Obſtruction of it on ours; and that again two manner of ways. Firſt of all, from the frailty of our Nature, as we are fleſh and blood. And ſecondly, from the corruption of our Nature, as we are ſinful fleſh and blood.
Firſt, there's the frailty of our Nature, as we are fleſh and blood. Who ſhall dwell with the devouring fire, &c. There is ſuch an Infinity betwixt the glorious God, and poor mortal man, as there is no coming near unto him. Here ſome even of the Servants of God, when God has appeared unto them, have conceived preſently they ſhould die; as Gideon, in Judg. 6.22. and Manoah, Judg. 13.22. We ſhall die, becauſe we have ſeen God face to face.
Secondly, As from the frailty of our Nature, as it is fleſh and bloud; ſo from the corruptions of our Nature, as it is ſinful fleſh and bloud. Thus in the place before cited, Iſa. 6.5. Iſaiah bewails himſelf as one undone, becauſe being an unclean perſon, and of polluted lips, he had ſeen the King the Lord of Hoſts. And Job, when his eye had once ſeen God, he then ſays, he abhorred himſelf, and repented in duſt and aſhes, in Job 42.5, 6. Thus is there an obſtruction on our part, for our ſeeing and beholding of God after ſuch a manner.
Now the uſe of this Point may be drawn forth into a varions improvement: Firſt, as a confutation of that fond conceit of the Anthropomorphites, certain Hereticks of old, who would make God like unto man, aſcribing to him humane ſhape, and bodily lineaments. If he were ſo, he might then be ſeen by the eyes of man, which, it is here ſaid, he cannot be. That which they ground their errour upon, which is ſuch parts mention'd in Scripture, as Eyes, and Ears, and Hands, will not hold, they being taken in a Metaphorical ſenſe, and not properly.
Seondly, It is a confutation alſo of Papiſts, in their Idolatrous Worſhip of God under the Image of a Man. God himſelf preſſes this as an Argument againſt ſuch kind of practiſes, as we may ſee in Deut. 4.5. Take ye therefore good heed unto your ſelves; for ye ſaw no manner of ſimilitude on the day that the Lord ſpake unto you.
And ſo (which is pertinent hereunto) it is likewiſe againſt all apprehenſions in the mind of God in the likeneſs of any viſible Object; and teaches us how we ſhould in our thoughts conceive of him; namely, as he is revealed in his Word, as of an Eternal Eſſence, moſt Holy, moſt Wiſe, &c. who made all things, and governs them by his Infinite and Almighty Power.
Thirdly, ſeeing no man can ſee God perfectly, whiles he is here below, it ſhould make us therefore ſo much the more to cheriſh that imperfect ſight of Him, which at preſent is vouchſafed unto us in our communion with him by his Spirit, and in the exerciſe of the grace of Faith. We ſhould ſee him as much as we can, till we can ſee him better. Whiles we cannot look upon him directly, let us at leaſt look upon him in his reflections, look upon him as he ſhines forth in the Goſpel, and in the face of Jeſus Christ, wherein we have a glorious view of him, according to that ſtate and condition in which we are. It is the priviledge of us under the New Teſtament, above them which were under the Old, that we now all with open face may behold, as in a glaſs, the glory of the Lord, and may be changed into the ſame image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord; as it is in 2 Cor. 3.18.
We ſhould look upon God in his Ordinances, in his Creatures, and in his Children, wherein he has repreſented himſelf to us, and whereby, in a ſort, we may have communion with himſelf; if we love not them whom we have ſeen, how ſhall we love him whom we have not ſeen? 1 Joh. 4.20.
Laſtly, Seeing here in this preſent life God becomes thus inviſible to us, that we cannot ſee ſee him, and yet notwithſtanding our happineſs does conſiſt in the viſion of him, it ſhould make us to breathe and long after that bleſſed place, and ſtate, and condition, wherein we ſhall ſee him face to face, as the Apoſtle Paul gives us an inſtance and example in himſelf, in Phil. 2.23. and in 2 Cor. 12.2, &c.
And further, we ſhould ſo order and frame our lives at preſent whiles we are here below in the fleſh, that we may be made meet at laſt for the beholding of ſuch a ſight as this is. We ſhould by all means labour and endeavour to be pure in heart, becauſe that ſuch ſhall ſee God, Matth. 5.8. And we ſhould follow after peace and holineſs, without which, no man ſhall ſee the Lord, Heb. 12.14. And as we deſire, when he appears, to be like him, and to ſee him as he is; ſo having this hope in us, we ſhould be careful to purifie our ſelves even as he is pure, as the Apoſtle John exhorts us, 2 Joh. 3.2, 3. And ſo now I have done with the firſt General Part of the Text, which is the Defect premiſed, in thoſe words, viz. No man hath ſeen God at any time.
The ſecond is the ſupply of this Defect propounded, in theſe, The onelyonly begotten Son, who is in the boſom of the Father, he hath declared him; where what is wanting on our parts, we have very happily made up to us in Chriſt. In this paſſage it ſelf there are two branches further conſiderable. Firſt, the Perſon mentioned. Secondly, the Action, which is attributed or aſcribed to this Perſon. The Perſon mentioned, that is Chriſt, in theſe words, The onelyonly-begotten Son, who is in the boſome of the Father. The Action attributed to this Perſon, is the diſcovery of the Father unto us, in thoſe words, He hath declared him.
Firſt, to ſpeak of the former, viz. the Perſon mentioned, who is Christ; and this Perſon is here exhibited to us under a double deſcription: Firſt, from his Relation: and ſecondly, from his Reſidency. From his Relation, that is; that he is the OnelyOnly-begotten Son of the Father. From his Reſidency, that is, that he is in the boſom of the Father.
Firſt, here is conſiderable his Relation, whereby Chriſt is here deſcribed unto us, and that is, foreign, the onelyonly-begotten Son. Thus we find him called in other places by this Apoſtle. There is two things at once in it. Firſt, that he is begotten. And ſecondly, that he is the onelyonly-begotten. He is the begotten firſt of all; Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee; it is the ſpeech of God to Chriſt, Pſal. 2.7. and it is again recited by the Apoſtle in Heb. 2.5.
The manner of this begetting is to us incomprehenſible, and ſo ineffable; but we may take it according to theſe following conceptions of it, as pertinent to it. Firſt, that God the Father begat the Son of his very Subſtance; very God of very God. And hence hath the Son the Name of God faſtned upon him; The Word was God, Joh. 1.1. and, God bleſſed for evermore, Rom. 9.5. Yea, he has the name of Jehovah, which is attributed to none but to him that is the true God; Gen. 19.24, &c.
Secondly, God the Father communicateth his whole Eſſence to the Son: He begat another Self of Himſelf, even that which Himſelf is. In which reſpect the Son of God ſaith, I and the Father are one. The Father is in me, and I in him, Joh. 10.30.38.
Thirdly, God the Father's begetting of the Son, it is truly and properly Eternal: I was ſet up from everlaſting, ſays he, Prov. 8.22, &c. I was brought forth before the hills, &c. as I ſhewed the laſt day. This Generation of the Son of God, it is coeternal with God himſelf, which is further conſiderable unto us.
Laſtly, This Divine Generation, it denoteth an Equality of Nature and Eſſence in thoſe Two Perſons, the Father and Son. Hence in Phil. 2.6. it is ſaid, that being in the form of God, he thought it no robbery to be equal with God. No robbery, becauſe it was his due, and of right belonging to him, as of the ſame Eſſence.
That which lies upon us is to adore this great Myſtery, and to ſtand in admiration of it, whiles we are unable to dive into it, or to comprehend it; And withall, to be comforted from it, as matter of great comfort unto us, that we have indeed ſuch a Glorious Redeemer as this is: The great God, and our Saviour, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as the Apoſtle Paul ſtiles him, in Tit. 2.13. And this for this expreſſion of him, in that he is ſingly called, The begotten of the Father.
We may here alſo further take notice, that he is called the OnelyOnly-begotten of him foreign not onelyonly Genitus, but Ʋni-genitus. And this will require briefly a little explication from us. How Chriſt is ſaid to be the OnelyOnly begotten of God, when-as there are divers others begotten beſides; for thus are all true Christians and Believers. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth, ſays St. James, in Jam. 1.18. Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope, ſays St. Peter, in 1 Pet. 1.3. He that is begotten of God, keepeth himſelf, and that wicked one toucheth him not, ſays St. Joh. 1. Joh. 4.18. All this is ſpoken of the Saints and Servants of God, who are ſaid to be begotten by him. And yet here, and in other places beſides, it is ſpoken of Chriſt, that He is the OnelyOnly begotten.
For the ſolution of this, we muſt conſider in what ſenſe this is ſpoken, that Chriſt is the OnelyOnly-begotten, namely, in regard of his Divine Nature, and as to Eternal Generation, as begotten of the Substance of his Father; ſo there is none begotten of him but alone; He is the Son of God from all Eternity, we in Time; and he is the Son of God by Nature, we by Grace; He by Natural Generation, we by Voluntary Adoption, as Divines uſe to expreſs it; he foreign, we foreign, &c. He is the OnelyOnly-begotten Son, becauſe he is the ſame that is onelyonly-begotten after an extraordinary manner: As Iſaac is ſaid to be the onelyonly-begotten of Abraham, Heb. 11.17. although he had Iſhmael begotten of him alſo, becauſe he was begotten of him after a ſtrange and miraculous diſpenſation. And ſo much may ſuffice to be ſpoken of the Firſt deſcription here of Chriſts Perſon, namely, which is taken from his Relation, The onelyonly-begotten Son of the Father.
The ſecond is, which is taken from his Reſidence, as I may ſo expreſs it; Who is in the boſome of the Father. This was a phraſe which fitted very well the mouth of the Apoſtle John, and who himſelf lay in the boſome, and was the boſome-Diſciple of Chriſt; what he himſelf was to Chriſt, he ſignifies Chriſt to be to his Father; yea indeed a great deal more: It is a Metaphorical expreſſion, and ſo we are to look upon it; not as if God had properly any boſome in him, but ſuch as ſpeak after the manner of men, for our better capacity and apprehenſion of ſo great a Myſtery, as is indeed couched and comprehended in it. Thus, as God has his Bowels, ſo alſo his Boſome. There are divers things which ſeem to be implied and contained in this expreſſion, as applied to Chriſt, of his being in the Boſome of God; we may reduce them to theſe following particulars.
Firſt, a Conjunction of Nature, or Identity of Eſſence: He is in his Boſome, that is, he is of the ſame Substance with him; foreign, as Chryſostom expreſſes it, is that which is here pointed out unto us, the parity and propinquity of Being. This agrees with that which was ſaid before of his Generation, where it was ſaid, that he was begotten of the Father; and it contains the ſame Truth inlarged and amplified unto us, concerning the Conſubſtantiality of the Second Perſon in Trinity with the Firſt, as being Both of them One; one in Eſſence, though diſtinct in Perſonality.
Secondly, The Intimacy of Affection, that's alſo in being in the Boſome; and it is uſually ſo expreſt unto us in other places, where things which are any thing dearer than other, are there diſpoſed of. Ruth 4.16. Naomi, of Boaz's child, it is ſaid, that ſhe took it, and laid it in her boſom, as a teſtimony, namely, of her great love and tenderneſs towards it. Moſes carried the Iſraelites in his boſome, Numb. 11.12. and Chriſt himſelf his Lambs, Iſa. 40.11. We read of the Husband of the boſome, and the Wife of the boſome; that is, the dear Husband or Wife. The Boſome, it is an expreſſion of dearneſs. And this is another thing obſervable in Chriſt towards God, he is very near and dear unto him. The Father loveth the Son, Joh. 5.20. and he is therefore called the Son of his love, in Col. 1.13. and ſo he teſtiſied of him both at his Baptiſm, and his Transfiguration; This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleaſed. God has a great deal of affection for Chriſt, as a Father for the Son of his Bowels, and for the Son of his Boſome. And that's a ſecond thing here implied, to wit, Intimacy of Affection.
Thirdly, The nearneſs of Preſence. Things which are in the boſome are at hand, and preſently come to. Whiles Chriſt therefore is ſaid to be in the boſome of his Father, there is thereby ſignified his great Proximity or nearneſs unto him. He is always in the preſence of God, and ready for converſe with him. Thus, Prov. 8.30. I was by him, as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight; rejoycing always before him. And ſo he is ſaid to the like purpoſe to ſit at the right hand of God; which are expreſſions of his continual fellowſhip and ſociety with him.
Laſtly, The participation of Secrets, that's alſo in his being in the Boſome. The Boſome, it has that notion and emphaſis with it amongſt the reſt. A Friend in the boſome knows more of mens counſels, than ſtrangers; and ſo it is here. Chriſt being in the boſome of the Father, he knows all that the Father himſelf knows, which he reveals unto him. Thus, Joh. 5.20. The Father loveth the Son, and ſheweth him all things that he himſelf doth, and will ſhew him greater things than theſe, that ye may marvel. Thus we ſee how in all theſe reſpects, this expreſſion does well agree to Chriſt, of being in the boſome of his Father; from the Conjunction of Nature, as of the ſame Subſtance with him; from the Intimacy of Affection, as being dear and precious to him; from the Nearneſs of Preſence, as being always and continually before him; and from the Participation of Secrets, as being throughly acquainted with him.
Now the conſideration of this Point is very uſeful by way of Application; namely, as matter of great comfort and conſolation to the Servants of God in all particulars. Seing Chriſt is in the boſome of the Father, this reflects very ſatisfactorily upon all thoſe that are the Members of Chriſt, and that according to the ſeveral explications of this phraſe unto us.
Firſt, as to the Conjunction of Nature; it is very pleaſing and ſatisfactory here to conſider, that our Nature is ſo highly advanced, as to be taken into union with the Nature of God himſelf, for ſo it is whiles it is taken into conjunction with the Son of God. Our Nature is hereby ennobled, and raiſed to a very high pitch, even in this reſpect, above the Nature of the bleſſed and glorious Angels themſelves, which has no ſuch conjunction.
Secondly, as to the intimacy of affection; it is a moſt ſweet and comfortable point as any elſe is beſides, and none like it, that Chriſt is thus dear to his Father; for by this means we are ſo likewiſe from our union and relation to him. Chriſt being in the boſom of the Father, and we being in the boſom of Chriſt; therefore that affection which the Father bears to Chriſt, he does proportionably bear to us alſo for Christs ſake, and in reſpect to him. And thus we have it expreſly in Joh. 17.26. That the love wherewith thou loveſt me may be in them, and I in them.
What a wonderful ſweet point, I ſay, is this, eſpecially if it be throughly digeſted; and we ſhould improve it, and make uſe of it upon all occaſions, and ſet it in oppoſition againſt all doubtings and ſuſpitions to the contrary. When Satan would go about to perſwade us to queſtion the love of God towards us, and our own miſgiving hearts are ready alſo to joyn with him in this particular, let us have recourſe to this preſent Argument and Conſideration which we have here now before us, of the love of God to Chriſt; and think, that whiles he loves him, he cannot hate us, who by Faith are united to him; and who have Him alſo given to us Becauſe he looks upon us ſo far forth as one indeed with Him. And we ſhould be content with that love likewiſe which God afforded to Christ; and not think he does not love us, if he deals but with us as he did with Him afore us, by ſuffering us to fall into ſad and afflicted conditions, as he ſometimes did with Him. God did not put Chriſt out of his boſom, when he ſuffered him to be tempted, to be perſecuted, to be reproached, and ſhamefully uſed; no, nor then, when he ſeem'd himſelf, in a manner, to deſert him; no more does he do ſo with any others that are Members of him; he does not forbear to love them, notwithſtanding theſe his dealings with them. If the Adopted Sons of God be no worſe dealt with than was once His Natural, they will have no cauſe to complain of the want of Gods love unto them at all, but to ſatisfie themſelves with it; becauſe when he dealt worſt of all with him, he bare an intimate affection to him.
And ſo as for the Certainty, and Conſtancy, and Perpetuity of the love of God towards us, it holds likewiſe here; that as Gods love to his Son is eternal, as lying in his boſome, ſo it is eternal likewiſe towards thoſe who are his Members, as in whom he loves them: and as neither can ſeparate or remove Gods love from the one, ſo neither can it do it from the other, who has reſpect unto it; the Superſtructure being anſwerable to the Foundation.
Thirdly, From the nearneſs of Chriſts preſence, we may raiſe matter of comfort from hence alſo, as that therefore we have one ſtill at hand to ſtand by us upon all occaſions, we need not be afraid of any evil which may ſurprize us unawares, or Adverſary which may take advantage againſt us; for He is near that juſtifies us, as it is, Iſa. 50.7. What ever accuſations may be brought to God againſt us, he is in his boſom to take them off.
Laſtly, From the Communication of Secrets, we have great comfort here likewiſe; that therefore there can be no ſecret kept or concealed from us. which is fitting for us our ſelves to know. The ſecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, Pſal. 25.14. and, his ſecret is with the righteous, Prov. 3.31. To you it is given to know the ſecrets of the kingdom of heaven, &c. Matth. 13.11. and, Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear hath not heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed theſe things to us by his Spirit; for the Spirit ſearcheth all things, 1 Cor. 2.9, 10. And again, Matth. 11.27. No man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. And, He has hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and revealed them unto babes. But ſo much may ſuffice to have ſpoken of the firſt Branch in this ſecond General, to wit, the Perſon mentioned; and that according to his two-fold deſcription; Firſt, from his Relation, the onelyonly begotten Son. And ſecondly, from his Reſidence; In the boſom of the Father.
The ſecond is the Action attributed to this Perſon; and that is in theſe words, He hath declared him. Which words may again be taken two manner of ways, and ſo at this time looked upon by us. Firſt, by way of ſimple Propoſition. And ſecondly, by way of emphatical Appropriation. The Son hath declared the Father, and it is he (upon the point) alone that hath declared him.
Firſt, To look upon this clauſe in its ſimple and abſolute Propoſition, where we have ſignified to us, That Chriſt, the onelyonly begotten Son, and that is in the boſom of the Father, hath indeed declared him. According to the common form and regularity of Speech, the words ſhould have been ſet thus, No man hath ſeen God at any time; but the Son, he hath ſeen him. But the Evangeliſt chooſes rather to ſay, declared him, as being a word of greater comprehenſion, and expreſſing both the perfection and Sufficiency of Chriſt himſelf; as alſo the extent of it to us, for our benefit and advantage. There are three things at once which are included in this expreſſion, He hath dclared him. Firſt, it is a word of Knowledge. Secondly, it is a word of Communication. And thirdly, a word of Perſpicuity.
Firſt, He hath declared him; it is a word of Knowledge, which is implied and involved in it. If Chriſt had not known the Father himſelf, he could not have revealed him to others; but whiles he declares him, he does firſt of all diſcern him. Chriſt being in the boſom of the Father, and ſo intimate with him, and to him, he does fully and perfectly know him and understand him; yea, ſo indeed, as none in a manner does know him but he: as we have it in the place before cited. In Chriſt are hid all the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge, in Col. 2.3. Thoſe Myſteries which are ſaid by the Apoſtle to be hid in God, they are not hid from Chriſt, but he has a diſtinct knowledge of them; yea, he has the knowledge of God himſelf, in the full extent and infiniteneſs of his Eſſence.
Secondly, He hath declared him; it is a word of Communication: As he hath known him, ſo he hath made him known. The knowledge of God by Chriſt is not onelyonly in Chriſt himſelf, but from him, imported to us for our information. There is neither envy in Chriſt, nor neglect, nor affectation of reſervedneſs in this particular; but free and open dealing, with a great deal of alacrity indeed. His declaration is not anſwerable and proportionable to his apprehenſion; we may not imagine ſo, for that is incongruous. Chriſt does not declare ſo much of the Father as he knows, becauſe we are incapable of it; but ſo much as is fitting for us, and that we can receive, he does diſcover: He declares God himſelf, and all ſuch Truthes as lead us to further fellowſhip and communion with him.
Thirdly, He hath declared him; it is a word of Perſpicuity. He hath not onelyonly barely and ſimply propounded him in a dark and obſcure manner, but he hath explicated him, and revealed him unto us. This is emphatically ſignified in the Greek word foreign, which is an expreſſion of manifeſtation, and does imply a bringing of things to light, which before were more hard and difficult to be underſtood: And as the Criticks and Grammarians obſerve of it, it is properly applied to Divine and Excellent matters; whereas foreign does more properly belong and appertain to things vulgar and obvious. This is that which Chriſt hath done for us, as Philip ſometime deſired of him; he hath ſhewn to us the Father, he hath cleared to us the great Mysteries of our Salvation, which were unknown unto us, or which before were propounded but in a dark and enigmatical manner, and with much obſcurity.
This is the great excellency of the New Teſtament above the Old, and of the time of the Goſpel above the Law; that the Vail is now taken away, and we have things more clearly revealed unto us than were to them in former days. There is the light of the knowledge of God now ſhining out unto us; Chriſt hath cleared both the things themſelves, as alſo our minds and underſtandings for the conception of them; and exhibited theſe things in reality, which Moſes gave an hint of but in Types and Legal adumbrations.
The conſideration of this point makes much for our heed and attention to ſuch things as theſe are, and cloſing with them. See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaketh, as it is, Heb. 12.23. ſeeing Chriſt declares them, let not us turn away from them; we ought to give the more earneſt heed unto them, leſt at any time we let them ſlip; elſe we ſhall not eſcape, if we neglect ſo great ſalvation; as it is again, Heb. 2.3. There is nothing which we can here plead by way of excuſe and tergiverſation, but all the Arguments that may be to engage us. Here is the knowledge of our Teacher himſelf; here is his willingneſs to impart his knowledge to us, and alſo his skill and ability for it, that we may be partakers of it. And ſo much may be ſpoken of this paſſage in its firſt notion, to wit, in its ſimple Propoſition.
The ſecond is in its Emphatical Appropriation, He hath declared him; that is, upon the matter, He alone. This word foreign in the Text, it is not demonstrative onelyonly, but reſtrictive. This declaring of the Father, it is reſtrained and appropriated to the Son, as more peculiarly belonging unto him, to be done by him: He has declared him; that is, he onelyonly has declared him. Therefore it is that he is called, foreign, the Word, not onelyonly upon the account of his Nature or Perſon, but upon the account of his Office; he is called ſo upon the account of the former, in regard of His Eternal Generation; becauſe as Speech is the birth of the mind, ſo is the Son of the Father. And he is called ſo upon account of the latter, in regard of His Miniſterial Diſpenſation; becauſe as a man remembers the meaning of his heart by the words of his mouth, ſo God revealeth his Word by his Son: He is the Interpreter of the will of his Father, and the Prophet and Teacher of his Church. And both of the Titles, whereby Chriſt is here in the Text deſcribed unto us, do ſeem eſpecially to qualifie him for this purpoſe. Therefore he is fitteſt to declare God, becauſe he is His onelyonly-begotten Son; and therefore alſo he is fitteſt to declare him, becauſe he is in the boſom of the Father. Thus, Heb. 1.1, 2. God, &c. hath now ſpoken to us by his Son. That which is our buſineſs at this time, is, to conſider how far forth this Action is here appropriated to Chriſt, which we may take according to this enſuing explication. Firſt, it is He Primarily, and by His own Authority, that does declare him; others have been uſed as Inſtruments, but they have done it by delegation from Him, who has inſtituted them and appointed them hereunto; they have done it by his appointment, and they have done it by his ennablement, who has directed them and aſſiſted them in it. The Son of God firſt made known to his Apoſtles all thoſe things that he heard of his Father; as we have it in Joh. 15.15. All things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. And the ſame Son ſent his Spirit to inſtruct them, and to bring all thoſe things to their remembrance which he had formerly taught them; as we have it alſo in Joh. 14.26. And ſo Acts 1.7, 8. Ye ſhall have power, after that the holy Ghoſt is come upon you, and ye ſhall be witneſſes unto me, &c. So is Chriſt Primarily, though it be others Miniſterially that do declare him Chriſt does it in his own Name, but the Apoſtles and other Miniſters in the Name of Chriſt.
Secondly, It is he Perfectly and Infallibly Others, unleſs ſuch as were immediately inſpired by him, they were ſubject to human error and infirmity, and they have now and then ſomewhat of themſelves mixt in their declarations; but Chriſt does it without all exception, and ſo as there is no doubt, or ſcruple, or queſtion at all to be made of it, he does it ſo exactly.
Thirdly, It is he that declares it effectually, and with the beſt ſucceſs. He declares the Father, and perſwades our hearts to the receiving of him; ſhews us the Truth, and leads us and perſwades us into it; inlightens our underſtandings, and inclines our wills, opens our eyes, and overpowers our conſciences; reveals God not onelyonly to us, but reveals him in us. As God does likewiſe his Son, according to the phraſe which is there uſed to this purpoſe in Gal. 2.16. Thus we ſee how it is He, and he alone, that declares the Father unto us.
The ſum of all may be drawn up to theſe Heads. Firſt, from hence to take notice how much we are beholding to Chriſt. We have heard of late of many ſingular benefits and advantages which we have by him; let us now take in this to the reſt, in that by him we come to have a further diſcovery and knowledge of God, whom he declares unto us; and whom he declares alſo ſtill with advantage, as reconciled in himſelf, for that's alſo pertinent to the right knowledge and diſcovery of him. To declare God abſolutely conſidered, that has but little contentment in it; but to declare him to purpoſe, is to declare him as pacified in his Son, in whom he is well pleaſed. And this is that which is here done even by the Son himſelf, which ſhould accordingly engage us in all acknowledgments and thankfulneſs to him.
Secondly, We learn from hence alſo, to yield all Honour, and Service, and Worſhip, and Obedience to God that poſſibly we can, who is thus manifeſted and made known unto us. We cannot now plead ignorance for an excuſe or defence of our ſelves; for he is now here declared, and that alſo by ſuch a Perſon as is able to declare him unto us. If the Gentiles be ſo liable to condemnation, for not living anſwerably to that knowledge of God which they have by Nature, what ſhall be their condemnation that improve not that knowledge which they have of him by ſuch ſpecial and particular revelation as is imparted to them by Chriſt.
Thirdly, We ſee here the excellency of Chriſtianity above all other Arts and Myſteries whatſoever beſides in the world; wherein we meet with ſuch excellent Points and Truths communicated to us, as we have here now before us: and thoſe are concerning God himſelf, who herein is made known unto us; and whom to know, and His Son Jeſus Chriſt, is even eternal life it ſelf, as himſelf has told us in Joh. 17.3. If there be any felicity or contentment in Speculation, and Knowledge, and the like; here is that which tranſcends and carries it above any Art or Science whatſoever.
And ſo I have done with the Second General Part of the Text, which is the Supply of the Defect premiſed; and ſo with this whole Verſe, in the words which I have now handled and finiſhed, No man hath ſeen God at any time. The onelyonly begotten Son, which is in the boſom of the Father, he hath revealed him.