Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth, Part 2 · Chapter 6

Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth · Part 2 · Chapter 6

CHAP. VI. Concerning the Teſtimony of the FATHER.

WE muſt begin, as we did before, with the Witneſſes in Heaven: the firſt of which, you know, is the FATHER; who ſpake three times from Heaven by an audible voice, to teſtify to our Lord Jeſus. And if you examine again all that he hath ſaid, you will find both theſe things recorded in his words, that he hath given us ETERNALL LIFE, and that this LIFE is in his Son.

I.

The firſt time that God the FATHER ſpake from Heaven was at our Saviour's Baptiſm; when the Heavens were opened, and a Voice came from thence, which ſaid, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleaſed. iii. Luk. 22. In which words there are two things very p. 166remarkable, which plainly teſtifie to the Truth of thoſe two now mentioned, that LIFE is in his Son, and that we ſhall partake of it.

I. That He calls Jeſus his SON, and his beloved Son. Which being ſpoken from heaven in ſuch a glorious manner as the Goſpell deſcribes it, muſt needs ſignifie him to be his SON in the moſt eminent ſenſe; for it was never ſaid to any Angel in this ſort, Thou art my Son, my beloved Son. This declared him to have the fulneſs of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily, to be inveſted with his own authority and power, and to be that Seed promiſed who ſhould bleſs all the World: which is a thing too great for any one to doe but for GOD himſelf. It was by an audible voice from heaven that the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham, to tell him the LORD had ſworn by himſelf, that in his ſeed all the nations of the earth ſhould be bleſſed. xxii. Gen. ver. 15, 16, 18. And ſo now, to ſhew us the Seed was come who ſhould be ſuch a great Benefactour to mankind, the LORD himſelf ſpeaks by a voice from Heaven, declaring Jeſus to be his SON, the Authour of that Univerſall p. 167Bliſs which he had promiſed. Which tells us plainly enough that LIFE is in him: (which is one of the things that St. John affirms upon this Record:) for elſe he would not be ſuch a Son as he now declared him, able to bleſs all Nations. Who it is manifeſt had him not for their viſible Leader, as the Iſraelites had Moſes and Joſhua to give them a temporall inheritance; and therefore were to have his ſpirituall Divine Benediction in another world, where He is the authour of eternall Salvation to all that obey him.

And leſt you ſhould imagine this to be merely a collection of mine own, which I have forced out of theſe words, I will refer you to our Saviour's own interpretation of them in that ſpeech of his v. Joh. 26. For as the Father hath life in himſelf, ſo hath he given to the Son to have life in himſelf. Here he teaches us to argue, that, if he be the SON of God, as this voice ſaid he was, then he is by the ſame voice declared to have LIFE in himſelf; becauſe the Father hath ſo, whom his SON, his onelyonly SON, doth perfectly reſemble. And he teaches us withall, that this is a power communicated to him, as he is the Chriſt: for he ſaith the Father hath given p. 168him to have life in himſelf, and that (as you reade in the next verſe) becauſe he is the Son of man; that is, the great perſon he promiſed to ſend of the ſeed of Abraham. Now we reade of no other time when the Father might be ſaid to have given him this power, but now, when he owned him for his SON, and anointed him, as you ſhall hear, with the Holy Ghoſt, to preach the glad tidings of immortal life. Now God the Father ſealed and authorized him to be the perſon, to whom we muſt repair for the meat that endureth to everlaſting life. vi. Joh. 27. He declared him now to be the bread of God, as he calls himſelf, which gives life to the world, ver. 33. the bread of life, ver. 35. the living bread, ver. 51. the manna which came down from heaven, and nouriſhes to eternall life: in ſhort, to have all things committed to him, that whatſoever things the Father doeth, theſe alſo, you may be ſure, the Son doeth likewiſe. v. Joh. 19. He doeth them foreign, after the ſame equality and perfect likeneſs of power: (as Greg. Nazianz **Orat. 36. p. 584. D.. expounds the word foreign likewiſe in this place.) So that we need no more doubt of his ability, then we do of God the Father's, to give eternall life to all his followers.

p. 169II. And that he will imploy his power to make us partakers of it, (which is the other part of the Record concerning this Eternal Life,) is manifeſt from the next part of this voice of God the Father, which ſaid, in thee I am well pleaſed. He expreſſes here, that he takes a ſingular delight in this perſon, and bears ſuch a dear affection to him, that there is nothing he will deny him. Now that hereby is denoted alſo his exceeding great love and good will towards all thoſe that belong to his Son, you may be ſoon ſatiſfied, by obſerving that theſe are the very words wherein God declares his lovingkindneſs towards his Church in the days of Chriſt, lxii. Iſa. 4. There the Lord calls her foreign Hephzi-bah, foreign, (as ſome Greek verſions render it,) my delight is in her. That's the reaſon he himſelf gives of her name, as it there follows, for the LORD delighteth in thee. Where the LXX uſe the very word in which this voice from heaven is recorded, foreign, for the LORD is well pleaſed in thee. From whence I think it reaſonable to conclude that, the ſame thing being ſaid of both, God declared his delight in all Chriſtians, and the pleaſure he will take in beſtowing his p. 170benefits on them, when he declared himſelf to be well pleaſed in this his dear Son, whom they acknowledge for their Lord and Maſter. He tells us by this voice, that he will be reconciled to us, and, forgetting our ill behaviour towards him, will eſpouſe us to himſelf (as it follows in the Prophet) in the tendereſt love, and rejoice to beſtow his choiſeſt favours on us.

And that this is no inference merely wrung from theſe words, or a notion of my own contrivance, you may preſently agree, if you conſider that thus John Baptiſt, in all likelihood, underſtood them. For ſeeing Jeſus, a little after he had baptized him, coming towards him, he cried out, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the ſins of the world. i. Joh. 29. And again, the next day after this he pointed two of his Diſciples unto Jeſus, and ſaid in part the very ſame words, Behold the Lamb of God, ver. 36. Now what is it to be the Lamb of God, but to be a Sacrifice of God's own appointment, ſo pleaſing and acceptable to him, that it obtains all the ends for which it was offered? And what is it to take away the ſins of the world, but by overcoming all the temptations to p. 171which Adam yielded, and being obedient even to the death, to reſtore us unto a right of entring Paradiſe again, from whence our Sins have excluded us? to open the Kingdom of heaven to all believers, by removing, as I may ſay, the flaming Sword; that is, taking thoſe obſtacles out of the way that debarred us from approaching to the Tree of life? This, no doubt, is the compleat meaning of Carrying away the ſins of mankind, which are the onelyonly impediments that hinder us from the enjoyment of immortality: and therefore being gone, we have free leave to return to it. Now John the Baptiſt had no other ground that we can find for this Concluſion, but onelyonly this Voice, which I proved he heard, from the Father, concerning the pleaſure which he took in his Son. Whereby he did as good as affirm, that his delight in Jeſus, who delighted to doe his will, was ſo great, that he would reſtore us into his ancient love for his ſake, and be perfectly appeaſed and reconciled to us by his means: ſo that we ſhould be no longer baniſhed from his bleſſed preſence, but by the forgiveneſs of our ſins be placed again in that happy ſtate, from which we had ſtood ſo long exiled.

p. 172II.

Now from hence let us paſs to take a review of the Second Teſtimony of the Father to him; where we ſhall find the ſame thing recorded again, that He hath given us eternall life, and that this life is in his Son; i.e. it is in his power to give it. The places are well known where we may meet with it, in xvii. Matt. and other Evangeliſts, which tell us that Jeſus, being on an high Mountain with three of his Diſciples, who were wont to attend him on particular occaſions, was transfigured before them, and a voice came from Heaven, which ſaid, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed; hear him. It would be too tedious to ſpeak of this Mountain, and his Transfiguration there, in ſuch a glorious manner that his Countenance ſhone as the Sun: (though this may reaſonably be thought (as I ſhewed in the former Treatiſe) to be a repreſentation of his Aſcenſion into heaven, where he ſhines at the right hand of the Father, and is the Lord of glory.) And therefore I ſhall onelyonly obſerve two things: firſt, the words now added to the voice formerly delivered; p. 173ſecondly, the manner wherein they were ſpoken in the audience of thoſe Apoſtles.

I. As for the words now added in this ſecond voice to thoſe of the firſt, (wherein he had declared him, as he doth here again, his beloved Son, in whom he delighted,) they are theſe, HEAR YE HIM. Which are the very words that Moſes ſpake to the Children of Iſrael when he propheſied of the Meſſiah, and ſaid, (xviii. Deut. 15.) unto him ye ſhall hearken. And it may be one reaſon why Moſes was now preſent when God ſpake theſe words in the Mount; that he might conſent to this truth which was now ſo ſolemnly pronounced in his hearing, that Jeſus was the Great perſon of whom he had propheſied. Now God bidding the Apoſtles HEAR HIM, and Moſes himſelf, to whom they had hearkened all this while, being content that he ſhould take his room; it is an argument of ſomething to be declared by him that Moſes had not ſpoken. And what ſhould that be, but onelyonly the words of Eternall Life, which was but obſcurely intimated and ſhadowed in the ancient Law; but by him was preached ſo clearly and diſtinctly, p. 174that the voice of the Heavens is not more audible?

There is nothing, I ſhall ſhew in due place, that our Saviour preached ſo frequently, nothing upon which he inſiſted ſo long and earneſtly, and took ſuch pains to ſettle in mens minds, as this belief, that Eternall Life ſhall be the portion of all that doe well. And therefore when God the Father bad them hear him, who made it his principall buſineſs to publiſh this glad tidings to the World, it was the very ſame as if this Voice had ſaid in expreſs words, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed; believe it, He ſhall give you eternall life.

This is the Commandment his Father gave him, as you heard before, xii. Joh. 50. This is the will of him that ſent him, vi. Joh. 40. This is the promiſe that he hath promiſed us, even eternall life, 1 Joh. ii. 25. And therefore he ſtands engaged to beſtow it, and we agree with him for it when we enter into his ſervice. For you may obſerve farther, that as to hear Moſes was to embrace the Covenant that God made with them by him: ſo we can underſtand no leſs by hearing the Son of p. 175God, then our entring into the New Covenant, of which he is the Mediatour; which is founded upon better promiſes then the former, whereby we have a title to a celeſtiall, not an earthly inheritance, whereof he is the Lord, and to which he hath engaged himſelf to be our Conductour.

And indeed Moſes and Elias, who were never called the Sons of God, much leſs by a voice from heaven ſo termed, appearing now with our Saviour in glory, it was a notable ſign that He ſhould be taken up to a far greater glory then theirs, and have power of changing men into ſuch a condition as that wherein he was now transfigured; and in the mean time ſhould preach that life and immortality, which they ſaw conferred upon thoſe two perſons to honour him.

Whom the Diſciples, you may obſerve again, ſaw in a glory ſo much greater then the Law-giver himſelf now had, that if the voice from heaven had been ſilent, it would have been an argument our Saviour ſhould be the Lord of glory. For when they deſired to make their abode there, and for that purpoſe to p. 176build three Tabernacles, they ſay, one for thee, and one for Moſes, and one for Elias; putting him in the firſt place before the other two: which they would not ſure have done, had not Moſes and Elias done reverence to him as a greater perſon then themſelves.

I ſhall end this with a Tradition among the Hebrews, which, if it ſignifie any thing, may ſerve to ſhew that Jeſus is their long-expected Chriſt. For R. Bechai ſaith **in xlix. Gen. 10.Gen 10, that when Jacob ſpeaks of the coming of Schilo, he comprehends not onelyonly the laſt Redeemer, (the Meſſiah,) but the firſt Redeemer alſo, i. e. Moſes, who ſhall have the honour then to attend upon the Meſſiah, and enter into the holy land: according to what the Maſters ſay upon xv. Exod. 1. where the words are, then Moſes foreign ſhall ſing. And in the great Commentary upon Deuteronomy they write, (as the ſame Authour goes on,) that God ſaid to Moſes, Becauſe thou didſt give thy life for them in this world, (deſiring that God would blot his name out of the book of life, to preſerve theirs,) in the world to come, i.e. the days of the Meſſiah, when I ſhall bring Elias to them, you two ſhall enter in together. p. 177Which may poſſibly be the meaning of thoſe words i. Joh. 21. Art thou Elias? and he ſaid, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? i. e. Moſes, who alone was worthy of the name of foreign, the Prophet, above all others. Now if there were any ground of ſuch expectation, that theſe two ſhould come in their own perſons, you ſee it here fulfilled on this holy Mount; where Moſes, who was ſo much in mount Horeb, and Elias, who uſed mount Carmel, now appeared, and had communication with him about his foreign departure out of this world, unto his heavenly Kingdome. ix. Luk. 31.

The Mount where they met, and where Jeſus was transfigured, is generally believed to be Tabor; as Hermon, a little hill near Jordan, there is a tradition, was the place from whence Elias was taken up to heaven. In theſe two Mountains, ſaies Proclus **Orat. viii., our Lord Jeſus was proclaimed the Beloved Son of God, from whom we may expect immortall bliſs. At Hermon, when he was baptized in Jordan; on Tabor, when he was transfigured, and appeared in a glory as much greater then Elias's, as the high mountain Tabor was above the little hill of Hermon. And ſo p. 178was fulfilled, ſays he, that prophecie of the Pſalmiſt, lxxxix. 12. Tabor and Hermon ſhall rejoyce in thy Name. In both places was publiſhed this joyfull news, that God had ſent his Son to be the Saviour of the World. Firſt in the mount from whence Elias was tranſported into heaven; and then in the mount where he came to attend on our Lord when he was transfigured, God the Father, foreign, confirming his Sonſhip, proclaimed again with a loud voice, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed; hear him. For he that heareth him, heareth me, as Proclus there gloſſes; and he that is aſhamed of him and his words, of him will I be aſhamed in my glory.

Let us liſten to him therefore: and ſince we hear him ſay, as I noted before, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, he that heareth my words, and believeth on him that ſent me, hath everlaſting life, and ſhall not come into condemnation, but is paſſed from death unto life; (v. Joh. 24.) let us take it for as expreſs a declaration from God the Father, as if that voice which required them to hear Jeſus had ſaid, You that are obedient to my Son have everlaſting life, and are in no danger to periſh, p. 179being tranſlated from the dominion of death to be heirs of life.

II. And now from the conſideration of the words that were ſpoken, let us paſs to the manner wherein they were delivered: which is ſo vaſtly different from that wherein God ſpake formerly to Moſes and the children of Iſrael from another mountain, that I cannot but think it was intended to ſignifie ſomething of the grace of Eternall Life, which Jeſus brings to us. When he was transfigured, and his face ſhone as the Sun, the Evangeliſt tells us moreover, that his raiment became gliſtering, exceeding white as ſnow, and that a bright cloud alſo overſhadowed them, out of which the voice before named came, ſaying, This is my beloved Son, &c. Which, if it be compared with former divine Manifeſtations of the ſame kind, we may reaſonably look upon as an indication, that this Perſon came to diſcover (1.) ſomething more glorious then Moſes had done, and (2.) ſomething that expreſſes more abundant love and kindneſs of God towards men; which is nothing elſe but Eternall Life.

p. 180Firſt, I ſay, ſomething more glorious and reſplendent, or, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Cor. iv. 6. the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, which we behold in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. For the Mount to which Moſes went up, and where he and the people heard God ſpeak to them, was all covered with clouds and thick darkneſs. Thus God himſelf told him beforehand he would appear. xix. Exod. 9. And ſo he did when the day prefixed for it came: verſ. 16, 18. Unto that thick darkneſs Moſes drew near: xx. 21. And the people alſo ſtood underneath the mountain, beholding it burn with fire into the midſt of heaven, with darkneſs, clouds, and thick darkneſs. iv. Deut. 11. xix. Exod. 17. All which places the Reader may be pleaſed to conſult; together with xxiv. Exod. 18. where we find that Moſes went into the midſt of this cloud, and there was covered and quite obſcured from their ſight. A very fit emblem of the obſcurity of the knowledge which they then had of God and of his will; and of the terrours of the Law, which was a miniſtration of death, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, and ſo aſtoniſhed them with the thunders and lightning, which came out of the cloud, that they p. 181fled and ſtood afar off. xx. Exod. 18. As on the other ſide, God appearing now to our Saviour in a quite contrary manner, on the top of another Mountain, where there was no black cloud, (though it was in the night,) no ſmoak or ſulphureous vapour, much leſs a thick darkneſs hiding him from his Diſciples ſight, nothing but a bright and lightſome cloud which overſhadowed them, and ſhewed them the glory wherein he ſhone; it was a lively repreſentation of the light which he (the Light of the world) came to give to them that ſate in darkneſs and in the ſhadow of death, and of the glory and bliſs whereof he was the Miniſter; unto which he invited mankind in words of grace and ſweetneſs, as he did his Diſciples to ſtay here on the mountain by thoſe chearfull beams wherewith the glory of the Lord ſurrounded them.

For this manner of appearing (as I ſaid Secondly) plainly ſuggeſts ſome greater manifeſtation of the love and kindneſs, the goodneſs and bounty of Heaven to mankind, then had been made before in that way of revelation to Moſes, which was ſo much different from the ſweetneſs and amiableneſs of this. When Moſes p. 182converſed with God upon mount Sinai, he deſcended thither in Fire, as the places before mentioned tell you; And the ſight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire, in the eyes of the children of Iſrael. xxiv. Exod. 17. v. Deut. 22, 23. But when our Bleſſed Lord took his Apoſtles with him to a ſight of the Divine Glory, there was onelyonly the appearance of a wonderfull bright and chearful light; ſome mild rays from heaven, which had nothing of terrour in them, but raviſhed them with joy to find themſelves in ſo glorious a Preſence. And therefore they were not left at the foot of this high mountain, as Moſes left the Iſraelites at the bottom of the other; but he brought them up with him. xvii. Matth. 1. And they were not put into a fright, as the Iſraelites were, who removed their ſtation at the ſight of the fire on mount Sinai; nor did they ſhriek, as their Forefathers did there, who cried out, ſaying, Why ſhould we die? for this great fire will conſume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we ſhall die. Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God ſpeak with us, leſt we die. v. Deuter. 25. xx. Exod. 19. But they were raviſhed out of themſelves with the glory of this ſight; which was ſo inviting to p. 183their eyes, that they wiſht for no other ſtation, but deſired to remain perpetually fixed there. They were ſo far from running away, that they ſaid, Let us make here three Tabernacles; as if they meant to pitch there the place of their abode, and never take their eyes from ſo beautifull a Light.

It is obſervable alſo, that in the dark Mountain where Moſes was, together with the fire and thunder and lightnings, there was the noiſe of a Trumpet exceeding loud; which made not onelyonly all the people tremble, but the whole mount quaked greatly. xix. Exod. 16, 18. And God ſpake likewiſe to the people with a great voice; (v. Deut. 22.) wherewith both they were ſo aſtoniſhed as to wiſh never to hear it more, and Moſes himſelf alſo (ſo terrible was the ſight together with the noiſe) ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake. xii. Heb. 21. Whereas on the Mountain where our Lord was transfigured there was not one ſuch frightfull flaſh, nor the leaſt dreadfull ſound; nothing but his own gliſtering Body, the ſplendour of Moſes and Elias, the brightneſs of a heavenly cloud, and this one ſweet voice, which proclaimed nothing but love and grace in their p. 184ears, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed; hear him.

St. Matthew indeed tells us that, when the Diſciples heard, they fell on their faces, and were ſore afraid: xvii. 6. But this doth not ſignify that they were ſeiſed with any horrour at the dreadfulneſs of the ſound; but onelyonly amazed at the ſuddenneſs of the voice, and the marvellous ſplendour of the Light. And therefore the other Evangeliſts do not mention any ſuch terrour after the voice; which, being accompanied with a glory they had never beheld, might well amaze them, but did not make them tremble. The very apparition of Angels was wont to be ſo ſurpriſing as to dazzle mens eyes, and make them bow their faces to the ground. xxiv. Luk. 5. And therefore ſuch a glorious ſplendour as this, equalling that of the Sun, might well make the Apoſtles fall proſtrate upon the earth, in great fear or amazement. But then our Lord preſently came and comforted them by a gracious touch, bidding them ariſe, and not be afraid, though they ſaw ſuch a light, and heard ſuch a voice as this: to which indeed they had not been accuſtomed, but was the moſt amiable, and ought to be p. 185the moſt welcome, of any that could ſalute the eyes and ears of mankind.

St. Mark, it is obſervable, ſays that, before this voice came out of the heavenly glory, they were ſore afraid; ix. 6. i. e. were ſo amazed at ſuch an unwonted ſight, or, as Proclus **Orat. viii. in Transfigur. Domini.calls it, foreign, the ſtrangeneſs and unexpectedneſs of the Divine Brightneſs ſhining on them, that it put them quite beſide themſelves. But that it was a ſweet mixture of thoſe devout paſſions, fear and joy, is manifeſt from the foregoing verſe, with which thoſe words cohere: where you reade, they were ſo delighted and raviſhed with the ſight, that they thought not of going down from thence any more; but were projecting for their perpetuall habitation in that happy place. Which Rapture ſeems to have been a foretaſte of the joy which they were to expect, when he ſhould aſcend to that glorious ſtate, which was now repreſented in his Transfiguration on the Mount.

Before I conclude this, I ſhall here take notice, as I paſs to what remains, of ſomething that may help to prove, our p. 186Lord Jeſus is the perſon by whom God always intended to ſpeak his mind to the World. For it was at this very time (when the Iſraelites, by reaſon of the terrible ſights and thundring noiſes, deſired God they might hear his voice no more,) that he promiſed to ſpeak to them by ſuch a Prophet as Moſes, and in a more familiar manner; requiring them to hear that perſon, when he came and ſpake, as they themſelves deſired. So you reade xviii. Deut. 15, 16, 17, 18. where, when they ſay, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me ſee this great fire any more, that I die not; the Lord ſaid, They have well ſpoken, I will raiſe them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and I will put my word in his mouth, and he ſhall ſpeak unto them all that I have commanded him. Which was perfectly fulfilled in our Bleſſed Saviour, (whatſoever leſſer meaning it might have before,) who ſpake the words of God, and not of himſelf, but as the Father gave him commandment; and was a Prophet like to Moſes, as in other regards, ſo in this, that he was with God upon the Mount, heard him ſpeak there to theſe Iſraelites his Diſciples, is commended to them as the perſon they ſhould p. 187hear; but in a voice ſo ſweet and in a way ſo agreeable, that they did not wiſh never to hear it more, but rather always to be ſo happy, as to have ſuch friendly converſe with Heaven, and receive ſuch tokens of God's Fatherly love.

For as the fire and ſmoak and darkneſs, together with thoſe terrible noiſes, were teſtimonies from God to Moſes, that they who would not hear him, but tranſgreſſed his Laws, ſhould be the objects of his dreadfull diſpleaſure, and be deſtroyed from among their neighbours: So this univerſall light and brightneſs which ſmiled on them, in the cloud and in his raiment, and in his countenance and in his company, when theſe gracious words ſounded in their ears, were moſt manifeſt tokens from heaven of the extraordinary favour of God towards thoſe that obey the Lord Jeſus; who ſhall be ſaved from death, and made exceeding happy and glorious.

The far greater part of the Precepts of the Law being negative, as is evident even from the Ten Commandments, (to ſay nothing of the computation which the Jews have made of the whole,) it p. 188abounds more with Threatnings and fearfull denunciations of Judgement, then it doth with gracious and inviting Promiſes. But moſt of the Precepts of the Goſpell being affirmative, obliging us to doe all the good we can, and to be abundant in the work of our Lord; you reade therefore more frequently of exceeding great and precious Promiſes to incourage our labour of love, then of Threatnings to deterr us from evill doing. And conſonant to this, as that frightfull appearance of old on Mount Sinai, was to ſhew God's anger and fiery indignation againſt offenders: ſo this comfortable Preſence now on Mount Tabor, was to repreſent his loving-kindneſs and tender mercy to all obedient perſons. And as the anger of God, declared by the fire and ſmoak, was his inflicting Death upon them: ſo his good will, declared by this friendly light and clearneſs in the heavens, is his beſtowing upon us Life. And as by the former Moſes was noted by God to be the Miniſter of death to all tranſgreſſours: ſo our Lord was hereby repreſented as the Miniſter of Life and Righteouſneſs to all that in him live godly.

p. 189Now that all theſe Obſervations are not the product of mere fancy, but have ſome reall truth in them, this is none of the leaſt arguments; That the Jews themſelves **Pirke Eliezer c. xl.make it a Queſtion worth the anſwering, why God uttered his voice to Moſes out of the midſt of the fire and darkneſs, and not rather out of the midſt of light. Which is a plain acknowledgment of the nobleneſs and perfection of this way wherein God manifeſted himſelf upon the Holy Mount, (as St. Peter calls it;) and that it was far more deſirable then that wherein he appeared to Moſes; elſe they would not have moved this doubt, and endeavoured ſo laboriouſly to ſolve it: pretending that it was onelyonly to ſhew in what a diſmall condition they were without the Law, which was not to be ſent till after forty days were paſt; during all which time the Court of the heavenly King was hung with black, and not with white. Which as it is a frivolous conceit, ſo hath no truth in it. For God ſpake the Ten Words or Commandments out of the fire and ſmoak, before Moſes went to ſtay in the Mount forty days; where he onelyonly received the pattern of God's Houſe (which he was to make) and all belonging to it, together with the Two Tables p. 190whereon thoſe X Commandments were engraven. All the reſt of the Laws were ſpoken to him out of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, after he had built it: (i. Levit. 1.) and we do not find then the heavens hung with white, (to uſe their phraſe,) as they were now when he ſpake concerning our Saviour, and bad his diſciples hear him.

But I intend not to trouble my ſelf with confuting their idle fancies. The uſe that I make of this Queſtion is, That if they would have thought it a diſparagement to their Maſter Moſes, (did they not ſatisfie themſelves with this ridiculous reaſon for it,) to be ſpoken unto after ſuch a manner as the Scripture of truth relates; then, by their own confeſſion, it is a great honour to our Lord and Maſter, and argues his high dignity, that the Divine Majeſty ſpake to him in ſuch a way as they cannot but eſteem moſt perfect, and agreeable to his Divine Goodneſs. And we may look upon this pure Light (in which God is ſaid to dwell) as a ſign that Heaven was to be opened by this Perſon, and that he would reſtore us to the Glory of God, of which we we all faln ſhort; and bring p. 191mankind to that joy and ſatisfaction of heart, which the Diſciples began to feel in themſelves at this moſt comfortable ſight.

And I make no queſtion, had not the holy Books told us ſo expreſly, that God ſpake to them in clouds and fire and vapour, they would have fabled that he appeared to their Maſter in pure light, and ſhone about him in the brightneſs of his glory, without the leaſt darkneſs to obſcure it. For I find that many of thoſe things which the holy Story of the New Teſtament reports in honour of John Baptiſt or of our Bleſſed Saviour, they have thruſt into the Story of Moſes, (where he himſelf in his Books hath not confeſſed the contrary,) to keep him in the greater credit with their Nation in this time of their calamitous deſertion. It being recorded, for example, that John Baptiſt was born when his parents were very old, and could not believe it was poſſible for them to have a child; (which makes his birth a wonder, being out of the courſe of Nature;) they have made bold to tell the ſame of Moſes, (but with a large addition of years,) whoſe mother Jochebed, they ſay, was no leſs then an p. 192hundred and thirty years old when ſhe was delivered of him: which Aben Ezra, in his Notes upon the text **A. Ezra in ii. Exod. ver. 1., is deſirous ſhould paſs for a current truth. And as we reade that, when our Saviour came into the world, the Glory of the LORD (an exceeding great light from heaven) ſhone round about the ſhepherds who had the firſt news of it; (which was intended as a note of his Divinity and heavenly deſcent:) So they have deviſed **R. Solomon in ii. Exod. 3.Exod 3that, at the Nativity of Moſes, the houſe where he was born was filled with ſuch a light, that they could not ſee by reaſon of its ſplendour.

In like manner the Apoſtle proves our Lord to be greater then the Angels, far above all principality and power, &c. (i. Heb. 3, 4. i. Eph. 19, 20.) and therefore Moſes, forſooth, muſt be raiſed to this wondrous pitch; … Moſes Haccozi.whom ſome of their Rabbins (all are not ſo immodeſt) will have to be higher foreign then the Angels of Miniſtry; far above all creatures (as another expreſſes it) both ſuperiour and inferiour. R. Joſhuah F. Sobib in xxx. Exod.As if they meant to equall him with that great Lord who we believe is raiſed far above every name that is named, not onelyonly in this world, but alſo p. 193in that which is to come. And becauſe alſo our Lord we affirm, and are ſure, is now the Miniſter of the heavenly Sanctuary, where he preſents his own bloud before God for us, as Aaron did the bloud of beaſts in the earthly Sanctuary: therefore they likewiſe have feigned (as Maimonides relates from the mouth of their Doctours **Ludov. Capell. ex pr…fat. in Talm. Not. in xvii. Matth. 3.Matt 3) that their Maſter Moſes is not dead, but aſcended, foreign and miniſters to God in the heavenly places. And becauſe our Lord is here ſaid to be transfigured on this Mountain, and his face ſhone like the Sun: they have therefore transformed Moſes alſo; who, they ſay, was found by the Angel of death (whom God ſent to the Mountain whether he was gone up, to take away his life,) writing the great Name of God; and his face was as the Sun, and he himſelf like an Angel of the Lord. I have obſerved the ſame before about the Bath kol voice from heaven, which ſpake to our Saviour, whoſe glory they ſtudy to eclipſe by ſpreading abroad a number of tales concerning the like approbation given to their Doctours.

I am bold to call theſe reports by that name, and to aſcribe them to that cauſe, p. 194becauſe there are no footſteps of ſuch things in the hiſtory which Moſes wrote of himſelf; (who by all juſt ways endeavoured to beget in them a belief that he was a Prophet ſent of God;) and becauſe ſuch inventions might eaſily come into the minds of thoſe obſtinate perſons, who knew not how to confute Chriſtianity, which intereſt and prejudice would not let them receive, but were deſirous by any means, though never ſo falſe, to raiſe Moſes to the ſame degree of greatneſs and eſteem with the Authour and finiſher of our faith. But it is to be conſidered then, that they ſuppoſe ſuch things to be a notable ſign of the excellency of that perſon to whom they really belong: and conſequently, that our Lord Jeſus, who hath theſe very marks upon him which they would ingrave on Moſes, being thus deſcribed in thoſe Books that are certainly Divine among us, as clearly as Moſes is in any other regards commended in thoſe that are truly holy among them, is a Great Prophet indeed, far greater then Moſes, (who never durſt ſay any ſuch thing of himſelf, nor is ſo magnified by any of the ſucceeding Prophets,) the Authour of a better Covenant, and of more divine Promiſes, ſuch as this of p. 195ETERNALL LIFE; which it is moſt agreeable for him to beſtow, whoſe Kingdom was not in this world, (as Moſes's was,) but he reigns in the other world Lord of all for evermore.

III.

To him God the Father hath given a third Teſtimony; (unto which it is now time to paſs;) and it is a very expreſs Record of this Truth, that we have Eternall Life, and that it is in his Son. It is ſet down, you know, in the xii. Joh. 28. where, upon our Saviour's requeſt to God that he would glorifie his own Name, a voice from heaven gave this anſwer, I have both glorified it, and will glorifie it again. The particle (it) hath nothing anſwering to it in the Greek, but is put in by the Tranſlatours to ſupply the ſenſe. And ſome are of the opinion, that the word foreign is to be underſtood, and the meaning to be thus rendred, I have both glorified thee, and will glorifie thee again. But there is no need of this; we may as well refer the word glorifie to Name, as our tranſlation doth, and it will come at laſt to the ſame ſenſe: for God's name was glorified by glorifying p. 196his Son, Fragment. L. viii. in Joh.as appears from xi. Joh. 4. And ſo St. Cyrill of Alexandria obſerved long ago: Whether the Scripture be, glorifie thy Son, or, glorifie thy Name, foreign, it is all one in exact contemplation of things.

Now if the truth of theſe words be throughly examined, how he had glorified him, and how he would glorifie him again, we ſhall meet in both with a plain teſtimony that Eternall Life is in his Son, to beſtow on us. Let us conſider them briefly apart.

I. As for the former, I find that God had already glorified him, before he ſpake theſe words, three ways.

1. By his Transfiguration, of which I now diſcourſed; for then St. Luke ſaith, ix. 32. they ſaw his glory. And that by this Glory which they ſaw the Father teſtified he ſhould be made glorious in the heavens, and able to make us ſo; I refer you to what I have ſaid already on this Argument.

2. And I need not uſe many words to ſhew, that he had alſo glorified him very p. 197frequently by the many wonderfull works which he had wrought; for in them it is likewiſe expreſly ſaid, ii. Joh. 11. he manifeſted forth his Glory: and the multitude were excited by them to magnifie him with Hoſanna's, and to cry out, Glory in the higheſt. xix. Luk. 37, 38. By theſe alſo he ſhewed the power wherewith he was indued to doe any thing that he had promiſed: and they moved his Diſciples hearts, as you reade in the place now mentioned, (ii. Joh. 11.) to believe on him.

3. But there was a third glorification of him, to which I believe theſe words have a more ſpeciall reference; becauſe it was very famous, and but newly paſſed: Which was his raiſing Lazarus from the dead. By this Jeſus ſaid expreſly that glory ſhould redound to God the Father, and that He, the Son of God, ſhould alſo be glorified thereby. xi. Joh. 4. For this very end, he there teaches his Diſciples, Lazarus fell ſick, and he therefore delayed to go and recover him, (though his great friend,) that there might be a fit opportunity, by the miraculous reſurrection of ſo noted a perſon, (as Lazarus was, it appears by p. 198the coming of ſuch numbers to comfort his ſiſters, verſ. 19.) and in a place ſo nigh to Jeruſalem, (verſ. 18.) where the greateſt oppoſition was made againſt him, to doe honour to Jeſus; and to make it known, that he aſſumed not more glory to himſelf then God the Father gave him. This was a very great teſtimony from God, that indeed LIFE was in him, and that he did not vainly call himſelf (verſ. 25.) the reſurrection, and the life; becauſe he now, with his almighty word, reſtored one to life who had been ſo long dead, that there was no poſſibility of his reviving but by the very LIFE it ſelf.

Hereby he declared that, as the Father hath Life in himſelf, ſo he hath given the Son to have Life in himſelf. v. Joh. 26. What he had ſaid before in his preaching, he now juſtified by his works; according as he himſelf foretold he would, when he ſaid, Verily, verily, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God: ver. 25. The hour which was then coming, yea was juſt at hand, ſeems to be this time when he raiſed Lazarus up out of his grave: declaring thereby both the truth of what he had p. 199ſaid, (v. Joh. 26.) that he had life in himſelf; and likewiſe that there would be another hour, (as it preſently there follows ver. 28, 29.) wherein all men whatſoever ſhall riſe out of their graves at his voice, and they that have done good ſhall come forth unto the reſurrection of life, as they that have done evill, unto the reſurrection of damnation. They might well believe it, becauſe he ſaid it who proved himſelf to be the Truth, by ſuch works as none could doe but he that was the Life.

II. But this is not all that we are to conſider in this Teſtimony of the Father; who doth not onelyonly ſay that he had glorified him, but that he would glorifie him again: which was done alſo at three ſeverall times.

1. At his Death, when many of the graves of the Saints that ſlept were opened. xxvii. Matth. 52. For the very rocks rent, and the earth did quake, and the veil of the temple was torn in ſunder from the top to the bottom, and the Sun refuſed to give its light; and ſuch an amazement came upon the Centurion, who was then upon the guard, that he glorified God (xxiii. Luk. 47.) by confeſſing that Jeſus p. 200was a righteous man, and no pretender to a title that did not belong to him; but, as other Evangeliſts expreſs it, the Son of God. To theſe wonderfull things concurring at his death to glorifie him and doe him honour, the voice from Heaven ſeems to have had ſome reſpect, becauſe of what follows, ver. 31, 32, 33. Now ſhall the prince of this world be caſt out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he ſaid, ſignifying what death he ſhould die. For even now, when he ſeemed moſt weak, he began to tread the Devill under his feet. Now he began to draw not onelyonly the Jews to him, but other men, the Romans alſo; one of whoſe Captains, in the midſt of his reproach, confeſſed him to be the Son of God. The very opening of the graves ſerved to adorn the triumph he was about to make over the powers of darkneſs; being a ſign that he had now deſpoiled him who hath the power of death, which is the Devill; and that he had Life in himſelf, and will give it us, eſpecially now that he hath finiſhed his triumph, and is glorified at God's right hand. Of which the rending of the veil alſo was no obſcure token, ſhewing that we have liberty (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks x. Heb. 19.) p. 201to enter into the Holieſt by the bloud of Jeſus.

It may ſeem indeed an uncouth form of ſpeech, to call his Crucifixion by the name of foreign, lifting up from the earth, or exaltation: but one may ſay, and with great truth, that Chriſt's death upon the Croſs (as S. Fragment. L. viii. in Joh.Cyrill of Alexandria ſpeaks) foreign, was his promotion, contrived for his fame and glory: for he is glorified perpetually for this, having procured many benefits to mankind by its means. This is one part of the Record of the Father to this Truth, when he ſaid he would glorifie our Saviour. Which you ſee was as much as to ſay, He would make it appear, even when he hung upon the Croſs, that he was able to open mens graves, and unlooſe the chains of death, and in due time raiſe them up to everlaſting life. For,

2. God farther glorified him at his Reſurrection; which was attended with the reſurrection of the dead bodies of thoſe Saints whoſe graves were opened at his death. xxvii. Matth. 52, 53. There were ſeverall witneſſes of this in Jeruſalem, to whom thoſe perſons deceaſed appeared; p. 202as there were of his own reſurrection, which was atteſted by choſen perſons to whom he ſhewed himſelf openly. And then he was lifted up from the earth in another more noble and ſublime ſenſe, then he had been before upon the Croſs. Then Angels came in bright array to teſtify to him what he had ſaid of himſelf, xiii. Joh. 31, 32. that God, having been glorified in him, had glorified him in himſelf. This was a very glorious teſtimony that indeed he hath Life in himſelf, and ſhall be the Authour of eternal Life to us. And therefore he is called the Prince (or Authour) of life, iii. Act. 15. becauſe by that which overcame death (his reſurrection) foreign, &c **S. Cyril. ib. in xii. Joh. 28.. we know him to be LIFE, and the Son of the living God. But of this more hereafter.

3. Another Act whereby this ſaying (I will glorifie thee again) was verified, I take to be his Exaltation by God's own right hand to the throne of glory in the heavens. This he prayed for with the greateſt ardency and the moſt aſſured expectation, xvii. Joh. 1, 2. becauſe God the Father, he ſaith, had given him power (i. e. the promiſe of it) over all fleſh, that he might give eternall life to as many as p. 203God had given him. This promiſe, I underſtand it, was made to him when God uttered this voice from heaven, I have both glorified thee, and will glorifie thee again. Then God gave him a power to raiſe up all, as he had lately done Lazarus, and to give them immortall happineſs: of which as he had then the grant, ſo he now deſires in this prayer to be put in poſſeſſion. And therefore when he ſays verſ. 1. Father, the hour is come; glorifie thy Son, &c. I take the meaning to be as if he had thus ſpoke, Now is the time to doe that which thy voice from heaven aſſured me ſhould be done, viz. to glorifie me in ſo compleat a manner, that I may glorifie thee, and give eternall life to all the faithfull. This he ſpake with eyes lifted up to heaven, from whence that voice came, which bare witneſs of him that he ſhould be glorified more then ever, and gave him authority to lay claim to the higheſt power, of beſtowing immortality.

Which power when God the Father had actually put into his hands, according to this prayer and his own promiſe, (of which he could not fail, having ingaged himſelf before a multitude to glorifie him,) p. 204then, being made perfect, he became the Authour of eternall Salvation to them that obey him. v. Heb. 9. Then he was made a Prieſt for ever, (vii. 16, 17.) not after the Law, which was but a weak inſtitution, but after the power of an endleſs Life: whereby he is able to ſave them to the uttermoſt that come unto God by him. He can raiſe up us, and all that ſucceed us, as well as he did Lazarus and others: in whom he gave onelyonly a little taſte of his power to give us Life, that ſhall never die.

This now is the Third Teſtimony of the Father, who, in the audience both of Friends and Strangers, ſaid, He had both glorified him, and would glorifie him again. That he had, was then very well known; and it was as certain (becauſe he ſaid it) that he would doe the ſame again. By the teſtimony alſo of ſufficient perſons it appears, that he made good this promiſe, even at his Death; after which he raiſed him out of his grave, and lift him up far above all heavens: that he may be glorified once more (2 Theſſ. i. 10.) by raiſing us up from the dead, and promoting us to eternall glory with himſelf.

p. 205O wonderfull News! Athanaſius in Aſſumption. Chriſti.He that was lifted up to hang on a Croſs, is preferred now from his grave to a glorious throne! And to come at it, he takes a journey through the air! the clouds running under his feet become his chariot! the sky opens to him, and the heavens with open arms receive him! the troups of Angels joyn together in triumphall Songs; and perſuade his amazed Diſciples to keep that day a feſtivall on earth, as they did in heaven! Do not ſtand gazing here, ſay they, any longer, but go and preach this wonder to the world. By his departure, repreſent his coming again: for ſo ſhall he come, in like manner as ye have ſeen him go into heaven.

O how wonderfull are thy works, O Lord! which give us hope (as the bleſſed St. Paul ſaid when he thought of theſe things) that we ſhall then be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and ſo ſhall we be ever with the Lord. We can doe no leſs then, to thoſe voices which came ſo oft from heaven to teſtifie this, adde our poor voice of praiſe and thanksgiving; ſaying with the Angels, when He came into the world, GLORY BE TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST; and with the multitude p. 206when they met him at mount Olivet, Bleſſed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord, PEACE IN HEAVEN, AND GLORY IN THE HIGHEST. Cyrill. Hieroſ. in occurſ. Domini.Glory be to him who is the Fountain of Life, coming from the Fountain of Life, the Father. Glory be to him who is the River of God, proceeding from the Divine Abyſs, and inſeparably one with it: the Treaſure of the Father's Goodneſs, and of ever-ſpringing Bleſſedneſs: the Water of life, who gives Life to the World: the increated beam of the Father of Lights, from whom he is undivided: who being in the form of God, took on him the form of a Servant; not leſſening the dignity of his Divinity, but ſanctifying the maſs of our Humanity.

Him the Angels praiſe, the Archangels worſhip, the Authorities reverence, the Powers glorifie; the Cherubims doe him ſervice; the Seraphims acknowledge his Divinity; the Sun and Moon miniſter to him: who hath broken in pieces the gates of Hell, and opened the gates of Heaven, and aboliſhed Death, and confounded the Devill, and diſſolved the Curſe, and made Sorrow ceaſe, and trodden Sin under foot, and reſtored the Creation, and inlightened the p. 207World. And therefore let us ſing hymns to him with the Angels, and rejoyce in the light of the glory of God with the Shepherds, and adore him with the Wiſe men, and joyfully magnifie him with the bleſſed Virgin, and confeſs him with Simeon and Anna, who were glad to ſee his Salvation: that ſo we at laſt may alſo be poſſeſſed of eternall good things, through the grace and the bowels of mercy, and the loving-kindneſs of our Lord and God and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghoſt be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.