Exposition of John, Chapter 1 · Verse 13 – Verse 14
Ver. 17. For the Law was given by Moſes; but grace and truth came by Jeſus Chriſt.
In the third branch of this commendation, (which cleareth alſo the former, of his fulneſſe to communicate grace for grace, and therefore is joyned with it by the particle, for) John preferreth Chriſt not only to himſelf, but to Moſes alſo, on whom the Jewes doated ſo much: And that, both in reſpect of the Doctrine and benefits brought by either of them to the world; Moſes being the Miniſter of the Law, which reveales wrath, and pointeth out Chriſt in dark types, and ſanctification under Ceremonial waſhings; And Chriſt bringing grace and truth with him, to releeve ſuch as groaned under theſe Legal adminiſtrations: And, in reſpect of their perſons, and way of conveighing theſe benefits; Moſes being but an inſtrument and Meſſenger carrying that doctrine which he delivered, and Chriſt being the Author and procurer of theſe benefits which he revealed to the world. Doctrine 1. The faithful ſervants of Chriſt will not onelyonly be afraid to meddle with his glory themſelves, but will cry down all glory that is given to any other, to Chriſts prejudice; and will ſtudy to exalt him above the moſt excellent of men, conſidered in their beſt things; Therefore John preferreth Chriſt unto Moſes, as well as to himſelf, and that in theſe things wherein Moſes was moſt eminent; as his going up to the Mount to God, and his receiving of the Law from him. 2. Albeit the doctrine of free grace was revealed in Moſes time; and by him, and renewing grace, and grace as a remedy againſt the rigour of the Law was then known: Yet it was but very obſcurely revealed, and ſparingly let forth in compariſon of the times of the Goſpel; And in his Miniſtry, the paedagogy of the Law was much inſiſted on, preſſing the Moral Law of duties under the pain of the curſe, and holding out Chriſt under dark ſhadows; In this reſpect it is ſaid, the Law was given by Moſes, in oppoſition to grace and truth brought by Jeſus Chriſt. 3 The legal pedagogy as it is contradiſtinguiſhed from the grace offered in the Goſpel, is a very hard and unſupportable yoke; for, in that reſpect the Moral Law requireth compleat and perſonal obedience under the pain of Gods curſe, and yet giveth no ſtrength to performe any thing; it beareth in our duty upon us with rigour and terrour, diſcovereth our miſery without ſhewing a remedy, bringeth on a ſpirit of bondage without any hope of releaſe, irritates and provokes nature to ſin yet more, &c. And the Ceremonial Law contained but a ſhadow of good things to come, was a veile caſt over Moſes face, and was a toilſome yoke, for theſe cauſes the Law by Moſes is poſtponed to what Chriſt bringeth. 4. In Chriſt there is an caſe and relief to beleevers againſt all the burdenſomneſſe of the Law; And particularly, by the Goſpel he hath publiſhed the free grace and favour of God, accepting the ſelf-condemned ſinner in him, and freely juſtifying the ungodly through his imputed righteouſneſſe, conferring grace freely to ſanctifie and cure the perverſneſſe of mens nature, and ſo fitting them for glory. He hath alſo taken off the veile of Moſes face, being himſelf the ſubſtance of all the ſhadows. And having given the performance of all the promiſes; for, grace and truth came by Jeſus Chriſt. 5. Albeit Chriſt hath aboliſhed the Ceremonial Law, and hath aboliſhed the Moral Law to beleevers, in its condemning, curſing, and irritating power; Yet none get good of grace through Chriſt, but ſuch as are ſent by the Law as ſelf-condemned to him for a remedy, and ſuch as continue under the Law as a rule of life, being enabled to the obedience thereof by Chriſt; for, not onelyonly doth Chriſt bring truth of ſanctification, anſwering to all their legal purifications under the Law, but grace alſo, which preſuppoſeth a work of the Law diſcovering ſin and wrath, and grace enabling ſuch as come to him to endeavour obedience thereunto; And thus Chriſt eſtabliſhed the Law, not onelyonly by fulfilling the ſame in his own perſon, as our ſurety, but by making his members alſo to walk in ſome meaſure according to it, which the Law of it ſelf could not do. 6. Chriſt is above Moſes, not onelyonly in reſpect of the benefits or doctrine he publiſheth, but inreſpect of his efficiency about theſe benefits, he is above him, and all other Meſſengers, who are but inſtruments and meſſengers publiſhing the doctrine which they receive, and the benefits held out therein; whereas Chriſt is the Author and procurer, as wel as the publiſher of the ſpiritual benefits of the Goſpel; for, the Law was given by Moſes, as a Meſſenger, receiving the ſame from God, to deliver it to the people, but grace and truth came, (or was made, or brought to paſſe) by Jeſus Chriſt.
Ver. 18. No man hath ſeene God at any time: the onelyonly begotten Sonne, which is in the boſome of the Father, he hath declared him.
In the laſt branch of this commendation, Chriſt is preferred to all men in the point of ſeeing and knowing of God, and in particular, to Moſes, of whom it is ſaid, that he ſaw God, and God talked face to face with him, Deut. 34.10. Numb. 12.8. It is here declared that God is inviſible and incomprehenſible by any, ſave by his Sonne Jeſus Chriſt, who being one in eſſence with the Father, and upon all his councels, doth perfectly know him, and doth reveale unto mankind all that they know of him. Doctrine 1. God, as being a Spirit, is inviſible to the bodily eyes of any, though ſome rayes of his glorious Majeſty have at ſome times been ſeen; nor can any creature take up the infinitely glorious eſſence of God with the eyes of their minde, but very Angels cover their faces before him; Nor is there any knowledge of God at all attainable by men of themſelves, and what they ſee and know by revelation, is but as nothing in compariſon of what Chriſt hath: All this is imported in that, No man hath ſeene God at any time, to wit, with bodily eyes, or fully as Chriſt doth, or without him. 2. Albeit God be inviſible and incomprehenſible by any of themſelves, yet there is a declaration and manifeſtation of him to ſinful man, and a knowledge and ſight of him attainable in ſo farre as is neceſſary to ſalvation; for, ſo are we taught here, that God is declared. 3. As Chriſt perfectly ſeeth; and knoweth and comprehendeth the Father; ſo the declaration and manifeſtation of God to man, and eſpecially that which is ſaving and ſanctifying, is by Chriſt, who from the beginning of the world was the onelyonly revealer of God to the Church; And eſpecially at his incarnation, he hath revealed the Father in himſelf, and the knowledge of him and his will unto ſalvation, by his doctrine; for, the Sonne, he hath declared him. 4. Albeit God have many ſons by creation, (as Angels, Job 1.6. and Adam, Luke 3.38.) and by adoption; yet he hath onelyonly one natural Son begotten of his ſubſtance, by eternal and incomprehenſible generation, who as he perfectly comprehendeth the Father, ſo he cannot but infallibly declare him, being the expreſſe image of his perſon; for, Chriſt is the onelyonly begotten Sonne, and this is one ground of his declaring the Father. 5. Chriſt is one in eſſence with the Father, coexiſting with him from eternity, and is one with him in regard of familiarity and delight, and was and is upon all the Fathers counſels; And this doth yet further aſſure the Church of the certainty of what he declareth of God, and doth ſet out their happineſſe who have him for their friend and ſurety, who is ſo intimate with the Fathar; for, this is another ground of his declaring the Father, that he is in the boſome of the Father, which imports oneneſſe, intimacy and delight, that he hath a neere ſight, and intimate acquaintance with the Father. See Prov. 8.30.