God-Man, Exposition · Verse 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was Text.with God, and the Word was God.
YE have here the Subject, and the Predicate, which are laid down in three Propoſitions. The ſubject in every propoſition is the ſame, the Word. And there are in theſe three propoſitions, three things predicated of this Word.
Firſt, an eternall exiſtency, and that in the firſt Propoſition. The Word was in the beginning.
Secondly, a Perſonall Co-exſiſtency of Chriſt with the Father. The Word was with God, namely, as a diſtinct perſon from God. That is the ſecond Propoſition.
Thirdly, a divine Eſſence. The Word was God: a diſtinct Perſon, indeed, therefore ſaid to be with God; but of the ſame Nature, therefore ſaid to be God. Myſteries have more need of Adoration than Locution.
The firſt thing we are to underſtand, is, a diſcourſe of the Subject of theſe three Propoſitions. The Word. And for the clearing of that, three Quaeries we ſhall reſolve.
Firſt, what Perſon is here meant by the Word? Quarie: 1
I anſwer clearly, The ſecond Perſon in the Trinity. Of Reſpon. whom; ye ſhall find him called not onelyonly by St. John, Chriſt is called the Word by Iohn.but by St. Luke, and Paul too. Jeſus Chriſt is called by St. John, The Word, 1 John 5. 7. There are three that beare record in Heaven, The Father, the WORD, & the Holy Ghoſt. Here the Word cometh in, in the ſecond place, between the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt, to denote the ſecond Perſon, Revel. 19. 13. He was cloathed in a veſture dipt in Blood, and His Name is called the Word of God. Neither is John the onelyonly man that calleth Him ſo, though, by the way, St. John himſelfe, above all the Apoſtles, got the name of foreign, John the Divine. (A word too much ſcorned now a daies) foreign, why? becauſe he did ſet forth foreign. He is called Divine, becauſe he held forth the Divinity of the Word, namely of Chriſt. Others did it as well as He. But not ſo much. Ye ſhall find Luke calling Chriſt the Word in that place, though not often, yet worthy your noting, Luke 1. 2. Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eye witneſſes, and Miniſters of the Word. What is that? not Preachers of the Goſpell, but foreign followers of Jeſus Chriſt. St. Luke had that relation from the Apoſtles themſelves, who were eye-witneſſes of Chriſt; and from the Seventy Diſciples, who were likewiſe ſervants of the Word. And, in all reaſon, this muſt be the ſenſe, that, by Word here, Luke ſhould mean the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe it ſuiteth ſo well, with what the other Apoſtles ſaid. As John begins his Epiſtle. He telleth them, he would ſpeak to them, of whom they had heard and ſeen, of the Word of Life, 1 John 1. 1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, and ſeen with our eyes, and have look't upon, and have handled, of the Word of Life. So Luke telleth them, he ſpake what he received By Luke.from the Miniſters of the Word. Which ſuiteth with that place, 2 Pet. 1. 16. We have not followed cunningly deviſed fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of Jeſus Chriſt, but we were eye-witneſſes of his Majeſty.
But if this be not the meaning, then conſider, How much wanting doth Luke ſeem to be to his Readers. He intendeth to write of Jeſus Chriſt, and to make a Preface of Chriſt, and fully mentioneth him whom he intendeth to write upon. Ye ſhall find Paul calling Chriſt the VVord, in that fare-well-ſpeech of his to the Church of Epheſus, By Paul.which is recommended, Act. 20. 32. Now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the VVord of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are ſanctified. I know, this place is commonly interpreted of the Goſpell; and, that the Goſpell is called the VVord of Grace, in another place of the Acts of the Apoſtles: but yet, they queſtion, whether that be the meaning here or no; and that upon this ground, becauſe that Word is here meant, to which the Saints are commended. Now, the Goſpell is commended to the Saints, but the Saints are not commended to the Goſpell. But, ſome other Word is here meant, that is, Chriſt: I commend you to God, namely, to God the Father; and to the VVord, namely, to Chriſt. Indeed, for the Goſpell to be commended to the Saints, is an uſuall thing; 2 Tim. 1. 13, 14. Hold faſt Uſuall for the Goſpel to be commended to the Saints, not the Saints to the Goſpel.the form of ſound words, which thou haſt heard of me, in faith and love, which is in Jeſus Chriſt. That good thing which was committed to thee, keep by the holy Ghoſt, which dwelleth in us. And ſo, in the ſecond Chapter of that Epiſtle, verſ. 2. The things that thou haſt heard of me amongſt many witneſſes, the ſame commit thou to faithfull men. Here is the Goſpell committed to the Saints. But where do you find the Saints committed to the Goſpell? To God, ye find them committed again and again: Act. 4. 26. Having commended them to the grace of God. Here are men commended to God. And ſo in that ſenſe I take it here. I commend you to God, and to the Word of his grace, to Jeſus Chriſt, who is called, The VVord of his Chriſt the Author of Grace, and Reconciliation with God.grace, here; becauſe it is Chriſt, that God is reconciled to us by. He is the Author of all that grace, and reconciliation, and favour, which we have with God. So underſtand the VVord of grace, as you underſtand the VVord of life, that is Chriſt, clearly: VVhat we have heard and ſeen, of the VVord of life; that is, Chriſt, the Author of that. Ye ſhall find Paul calling Chriſt by the name of the VVord, in another place, which is commonly otherwiſe interpreted; Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is quick and powerfull, and ſharper than any two-edged ſword, piercing even to the dividing aſunder of ſoul and ſpirit, and of the joynts and marrow, and is a diſcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifeſt in his ſight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him, with whom we have to do. The VVord, clearly, here is a Perſon; I ſay, a Perſon: for, the VVord of God is quick. All things are manifeſt in His ſight. All things are naked, and open in the eyes of Him. He, and Him, and His; theſe imply, that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of a Perſon: not of the Word revealed, but of the Eſſentiall vord of God, which is Chriſt. Not but that ſomething may agree to the revealed Word, becauſe it hath the ſtamp of Chriſt upon it; but ſomething cannot be given to it. The Word is a Revealer of the thoughts of the heart, when it is powerfully Preached. But, Who can properly ſay of the word, that every creature is naked and open before the word of God. Before Chriſt, every creature is open. Chriſt is called, foreign, the ſearcher of all hearts, in a proper ſenſe. Take the end of the thirteen Verſe, All things are naked and open to the eye of him, the word namely, with whom we have to do. Our Tranſlation readeth it thus, which the Originall doth very well bear, All things are open to the eye of him, to whom we muſt give an account. foreign; not, With whom we have to do; but, To whom we muſt give an account: foreign there, ſignifieth Account, compared to Rom. 14. 12. So then, every one of us ſhall give an account of himſelf to God, foreign; the ſame word that is in Heb. 12. To whom muſt we give account? to the revealed Word? No, but to the Word, that is, to Jeſus Chriſt: We muſt all ſtand before the judgment-ſeat of Chriſt, Heb. 12. 13. The very word that is in this place, ſpeaks expreſly of Chriſt, Seeing then we have a great high Prieſt that is paſſed into the heavens for us, let us do ſo and ſo. The Word is the ſame with the High Prieſt.
The ſecond Quere, then, is this. Why is Chriſt rather Quaere. 2 called by this tearm, The Word, than by the name of the Why Chriſt is called the VVord, rather than the Son of God.Son of God, here in the beginning of this Goſpell? why doth not John rather ſay, The Son of God was in the beginning, and was God, and was with God? But, In the beginning was the Word. Why, for this reaſon probably, becauſe he would not at firſt alienate the hearts of his Readers. John knew, neither Jewes nor Gentiles would indure the tearm of the Son of God; They could not indure to hear of a ſonſhip in the Deity and Godhead: but, with this tearm Word, applied to the Godhead, they were well acquainted, both Jewes and Gentiles. But John had often met with it in the Old Teſtament in this ſenſe, for the ſecond perſon in the Trinity. I ſhall ſhew you a place or two. Pſal. 33. 6. By the Word of the Lord, were the Heavens made; and all the hoſts of them by the breath of his Mouth. Here is JEHOVAH the Lord, and the Word of the Lord, for the Second Perſon, and the Spirit of his Mouth for the Third. The Creation is aſcribed to the whole Trinity. So here is Word. In the ſame ſenſe ye ſhall find Jeſus Chriſt is called the Word, 2 Sam. 7. 21. in that ſpeech of David; For thy VVord's ſake, and according to thine own Heart, haſt thou done all theſe great things. What is that? For thy VVord's ſake, 1 Chron. 17. 19. Compare theſe two places, O Lord for thy Servant's ſake, and according to thine own Heart, haſt Thou done all theſe things. Thou haſt done them, for thy VVord's ſake, ſaith Samuel. Thou haſt done them, for thy Servants ſake, in the Chronicles; And who is that Servant, but Chriſt? My ſervant whom I have Choſen, and in whom I delight, &c. There is a place in Haggai, that calleth Chriſt the VVord, Haggai 2. 4, 5. Yea, now be ſtrong, Oh Zerobbabel, ſaith the Lord; and be ſtrong, Oh Joſhua ſon of Joſedeck the High Prieſt; and be ſtrong all ye people of the Land-ſaith the Lord, and work, for I am with you, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts: according to the VVord that I Covenanted with you, when ye came out of Egypt, ſo my Spirit remaineth amongſt you; fear ye not. Here is JEHOVAH, and VVord, and Spirit: (according to) ye may ſee by the Character, is not in the Originall, it is in another Letter in our Tranſlation of it. Therefore, thus according to the Originall, or more neerly, I am with you ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, with that VVord, in whom I covenanted with you. In quo vobiſcum pepegi, I am with you together with that VVord, in whom I covenanted with you, when ye came out of Egypt. So that, God promiſeth the Church deliverance in the Name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt. Well then, the Jewes you ſee were well acquainted with this tearm of VVord, applied to the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity; They had it in the beginning, and in the Chaldee Paraphraſe, (which is applied to JEHOVAH) it is rendred, the VVord of God. What JEHOVAH is ſaid to do, they tranſlate it, The Word of God did it; applying the Word of God to Chriſt. Yea the very Heathens (whom John would likewiſe take, and therefore baiteth his hook accordingly) the Heathens had a ſtrong notion of the Word. They ſaid, There was an eternall Mind, from which proceeded foreign a Word, which was the Creator of all things. Ye have it in Plato, Triſmegiſtus, and divers of the Philoſophers; yea the very Oracle. Pheuros the King of Egypt, ſendeth to the Oracle to know, Who ſhould be the greateſt in the World, hoping the Oracle would have named him. But he received this anſwer, foreign, expreſſing the whole Trinity clearly and expreſly: Firſt God, ſaith the Oracle, then the Word, and together with them, the Spirit. So then this tearm Word being known, and applied to God, both by Jewes, and Heathens; and St. John knowing that Ebion, and Cerinthus were better verſed in this Philoſophy, than in the Scriptures of God; he, to win them, baits his hook with this expreſſion of the Word: whereas the expreſſion of the Son of God would have angred them. In this ſenſe, John practiſeth, what St. Paul confeſſeth, to become all things to all men. He ſetteth forth Chriſt under the term of foreign, the Word, which they would better receive.
Whence the third Quaerie doth ariſe, which is the main; How doth it appear, that Chriſt is fitly called by this Quaerie. 3 term, The Word?
We muſt diſtinguiſh. There is a two-fold Word: There Reſponſ. is foreign, A word conceived in the mind. I pray you ſet you ſelves to underſtand it. As, when ye read, The fool hath ſaid in his heart, There is no God. Here is what the fool thought, He ſaid; that is, within himſelf. When the mind ſpeaketh to a man's ſelf, that is a word conceived.
Secondly, there is foreign, a word delivered; that is two-fold, either verbum quod, or verbum quo. The word delivered is either that word, which is one's mind expreſſed; that is, the thing which he hath ſpoken. Then it is ſaid, he keepeth his word, when he hath done the thing uttered. And then, there is the verbum quo; that is, that thing by which a man's mind is expreſſed. Yet, more plainly, take it thus.
There is a three-fold word.
| Verbum mentale. | A word conceived. |
| Verbum reale. | A word uttered. |
| Verbum orale. | A word uttering. |
The word conceived, verbum mentale, is the Apprehenſion that a man hath in himſelf, which we call a Notion, or a Conception.
The word uttered, verbum reale, is the thing that is ſpoken. In the Originall, ſee Luk. 1. 37. With God, nothing can be impoſſible; foreign, with God, no word ſhall be impoſſible. So in the Originall. There is nothing that God hath ſpoken, but it ſhall come to paſſe. Ye have a very clear place for that, Matth. 4. 4. Man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. As I take it, the moſt proper meaning of that place is. By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, we underſtand, every creature which God hath ordained for food. And ye will be of that mind, too if you ſee Deuter. 8. 3. He humbled thee, and ſuffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with Manna, which thou kneweſt not, nor thy fathers before thee; that he might make thee know, that man doth not live by bread onelyonly, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Whatſoever the word of God maketh food, whatſoever God appointeth to be inſtrumentall, as he did Manna here; There is verbum reale.
Then, verbum orale, the word uttering, is the expreſſion by which that thing is delivered. That is the end, why God hath given us ſpeech. If we were to deal onelyonly with God, we ſhould need no tongue or ſpeech, becauſe God knoweth the thoughts of our hearts. If we were to deal onelyonly with our ſelves, we ſhould need no ſpeech; for every man knoweth Why the uſe of Speech is given to man.what himſelf thinketh. But becauſe we are to deal one with another, therefore God giveth us the uſe of ſpeech, that there might be a word uttering and declaring to one another, what one another thinks, Pſal. 139. 4. There is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knoweſt it altogether.
Now, Chriſt is therefore called the Word, becauſe he reſembleth all theſe. He reſembleth the word conceived, as being the expreſſe Image of his Father's Perſon; even as our conceptions are the image of our minds.
Again. He reſembleth the word uttered, as being that Thing, which is the very ſuhſtance of all his Father's Revelations and Promiſes.
And again. He reſembleth the word uttering,, as being the Interpreter of his Father's will, in all Ages. In all theſe three reſpects, Chriſt is called the word.
Firſt, in reference to a word conceived. Look as the word conceived in the mind, is the image of the mind, or 1. Chriſt is the Word conceived, in reference to his Father's Perſon.conception, or notion; it repreſenteth our underſtanding to the ful: So, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, He is the Image, the expreſs Image of his Father's Perſon, Heb. 1. 3. therefore his Father's word. There is no ſuch repreſentation of a man, as his conception. No ſuch repreſentation of God, as Chriſt, the expreſſe image of his Father's Perſon. Mark that, I pray you. There is a great deal of difference to be put between a Shadow, a Picture, and a Statue. A Statue, to which this expreſſion ſeemeth to refer. He is the engraven image of his Father's Perſon. A Shadow, that is a kind of a ſleight repreſentation of a body, but not a clear one; and ſuch a repreſentation of God is all the Creatures. We ſee ſomething of God even in the Graſſe and Trees, and Beaſts of the field. A Picture, that repreſenteth him a great deal more lively than a Shadow can; it hath uſually a man's feature and complexion, which a Shadow hath not. And there is a kind of Picture of God, drawn upon the Souls of Men and Angels.
But there is a further repreſentation than either of theſe, that is, in a Statue: A Character that repreſenteth further than a Picture; a Picture may ſhew but half the face, or half the body, to the middle; but a Statue, that repreſents the whole man, Cap à pe, from top to toe. Whereas a Picture; (though you may have one drawn more fully, yet) is, for the moſt part, ſo framed, as to repreſent, though the whole body, yet not in its full proportion; not the limbs ſo big as in a living man. That alſo Statues have above Pictures, they repreſent not onelyonly the ſhape, but the proportion of every limb: Chriſt is the Character of his Father's Perſon. Thus he doth not onelyonly hold forth God, but whole God, altogether. Chriſt is Omnipotent, as the Father; and Omni-preſent, as the Father; and Omniſcient, as the Father. And thus be is fitly called the Word, in reference to the word conceived, as being the expreſſe Image of his Father's Perſon.
Secondly, In reference to the word uttering, to the 2. Chriſt, the VVord uttering, as the Interpreter of his Father's will.verbum orale; becauſe Chriſt is the Interpreter of his Father's will. Look, as we expreſſe our ſelves one to another, by our words; ſo God, in all Ages; hath expreſſed himſelf to the world, by his Son. The great Interpreter of His will, in all Ages, hath been Chriſt. Matth. 11. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father, ſaith Chriſt. And no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father ſave the Son, and he to whomſoever the Son will reveal him. God; that dwelleth in the light inacceſſible, had been for ever hidden to the eye of the world, and unknown to them, if the Lord Jeſus Chriſt had not been the word to reveal him. Joh. 1. 18. No man hath ſeen God at any time, but the onelyonly begotten Son in the boſom of the Father; he hath declared him. All the knowledge we have of God in the world, we may thank Chriſt for it; He hath declared him. We ſhould never know one another's minds, if we had not the uſe of ſpeech to declare our ſelves. Chriſt is the word, by which God declareth himſelf to man. He it was, that was the word uttering. The firſt Promiſe that ever was, that which was made to Adam in Paradiſe, The Gen. 3. 15.ſeed of the woman ſhall break the ſerpent's head. He it was that delivered the Law to Moſes, and that ſpake by the Prophets, and in them; 1 Pet. 1. 10, 11. Of which ſalvation, the Prophets have enquired and ſearched diligently, who propheſied of the grace that ſhould come unto you; ſearching what, and what manner of time, the Spirit of Chriſt, which was in them, did ſignifie, &c. It was the Spirit of Chriſt in the Prophets, that ſignified whatſoever they foretold. And ſo in the Apoſtles after them, Chriſt was the Speaker in them: 2 Cor. 13. 3. Ye ſeek a proof of Chriſt ſpeaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty Chriſt the Church's Oratour to God, and God's Oratour to the Church:in you. This word in the Text, as it is the Church's Orator to God, ſo he is God's Orator to the Church. He ſpeaketh to God for the Church, and to that end he ſitteth in Heaven, at the right hand of God, interceding for us. And he ſpeaks from God to the Church, and in all Ages hath made known the will of the Father. And ſo reſembleth the word uttering.
Chriſt is reſembled by the word uttering, the verbum orale, as being the ſubſtance of all his Father's Revelations and Promiſes; the ſum of all that God hath uttered, ſince the beginning of the world, and the Product, Chriſt himſelf to be the ſumma totalis of all God's Revelations. What was the thing promiſed to Adam in Paradiſe? The ſeed of the woman. What to Abraham? Chriſt, who was the ſeed, in whom all nations ſhould be bleſſed. All the Types of the Ceremonial Law, What was the ſubſtance of them? Chriſt. Indeed, the Ceremonial Law was the Jews Goſpell. Chriſt the Subſtance of all God's Revelations.Every thing pointed to Chriſt, the ſubſtance of all thoſe Revelations of God. To him give all the Prophets witneſſe. The Prophets and the Law both. It is the ſpeech of Nathaniel, Joh. 1. 45. We have found him, of whom Moſes in the Law, and the Prophets did write, Jeſus of Nazareth. The ſum of all Divinity is the Scripture, the ſum of the Scripture is the Goſpell, the ſum of the Goſpell is Chriſt: He is the word uttering in all. What is the world, but God unfolded? What is the Scriptures, but Chriſt unfolded? As the Prince of Antwerp, one of that Houſe; a Prince, and yet a Preacher by Profeſſion: It is ſaid to be his expreſſion, Scripturae ſunt faciae, in quibus involutus eſt puer Jeſus: All the Scriptures are but ſwadling-clothes, in which Chriſt, the Child Jeſus, is wrapped up.
So he is likewiſe reſembled by the word uttering, as being the ſubſtance of all his Father's Revelations and Promiſes. For, in him (Chriſt), all the promiſes are Yea and Amen, 2. Cor. 1. 20. This for Explication of that term, [The Word,] which ye have twice in this Verſe.
Let us now Apply it, before we come to any of the Predicates.
Firſt, In that Chriſt is here called the Word, in reference Vſe 1 to the word conceived, as being the expreſſe Image of his Father's Perſon; as our thoughts are the image of the mind: Let us learn from hence,
Firſt, to be helped here, to underſtand ſomething of that Eternall Generation, What the Son of God is, who, of himſelf is inexpreſſible: Who can declare his generation? Iſa. 3. This may help us to conceive better of it, than any expreſſion in the world. When we compare Chriſt with the conception of our own hearts; there is nothing commeth ſo near the nature of that eternall generation of the Son of God. The underſtanding that conceiveth a notion, without difficulty, without paſſion, without agitation and ſtirring. There is no conception, no proceſſion of any thing, ſo purely inconcrete, and ſimple, and unmixt, as the proceeding of the thoughts of our Underſtanding. Such is the generation of the Son from the Father; at leaſt, this, of all things we can take into our imagination, is the fitteſt to expreſſe Him. And indeed, if it were poſſible for a man to contract all his notions into one; mark it, if it were poſſible for him to conceive at once, whatſoever he apprehendeth; then that Conceit, that he conceiveth in his underſtanding, it would be that man's wiſdom, and that man's truth, becauſe it containeth whatſoever he hath in his heart. Such a word is Chriſt, in reference to his Father: Whatſoever there is in the Father, of wiſdom, it is expreſſed there; whatſoever excellency is in God, it is in the Son. Thence it is, that Chriſt is Chriſt, both Wiſdom and Truth.ſo frequently called Wiſdom, and ſet forth by that name, Prov. 8. And he is called Truth, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. And there would be the whole of a man's wiſdom in that notion, which will contain all his apprehenſion at once. So it is in Chriſt, which is the wiſdom of his Father. That is one thing. It may help us ſomething in conceiving, the unconceivable and unexpreſſible Generation of the Son from the Father.
Secondly, It may help us to conceive of the Father, according to what we read of the Son; and to conceive of the Son, according to what we read of the Father; becauſe the Son is the expreſſe Image of the Father's Perſon. Therefore it is of great uſe for poor penitent ſinners, that, with the Publican, ſtand afar off, and dare not lift up their eyes to Heaven. For howſoever they conceive ſome hope in regard of Chriſt, yet they are affraid, God the Father will never pardon them. They look at Chriſt, as a Saviour all of Bowells. Many poor ſouls have ſtrange apprehenſions of God the Father, as if he were altogether a conſuming fire, therefore no pardon to be expected from him. But here is for thy comfort: Chriſt, Comfort to penitent ſinners.whatſoever he is, is the expreſſe Image of the Father's Perſon; therefore, what thou findeſt in Chriſt, thou maiſt find in the Father. Was Chriſt ſo full and free-hearted, as to be ready to help every poor ſoul, in the daies of his fleſh? He is but the Father's Image, and thou maiſt find the ſame diſpoſition in the Father. Thou maiſt go to God, as to Chriſt if he were here in the fleſh. On the other ſide, If any man Terrour to ſtubborn ſinners.be a ſtubborn and preſumptuous ſinner, that dareth go on to walk in the luſt of his eyes, and pride of his heart, and flatter himſelf with theſe thoughts, [Lord have mercy upon me, will ſave him on his death-bed: Howſoever there may be ſome rigour expected from the Father; why, Chriſt will have mercy upon him, Chriſt dyed for him, and will ſave him: And he needeth make no queſtion of the love of Chriſt, of his affection, and readineſſe to help him, though he walketh in the ſtubbornneſſe of his wicked heart:] Let ſuch a one know, That God, as he will by no means clear the guilty, ſo nor will Chriſt too. Mark that place for this, Exod. 23. 20. Behold, (ſaith God there) I ſend an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. That Angel was Chriſt; for it is ſaid, that they provoked Chriſt in the Wilderneſſe. Therefore it was Chriſt. Now mark, Beware of him, and obey his voyce; provoke him not, for he will not pardon your tranſgreſſions. Why? for my name is in him. Chriſt is juſt as I am, ſaith God the Father here, and as ſevere to ſinners as I am: Therefore provoke him not, he will not pardon. Kiſſe the Son, leſt he be angry. The Son can be angry as well as the Father. Though he be the Lamb of God, yet that Lamb will turn Lion againſt them that diſobey him, and refuſe to obey the Goſpell of Chriſt. The Lamb will be ſo angry, as to make the great ones of the earth to cry, Who ſhall deliver them from the wrath of the Lamb? Rev. 6.
Secondly, In that Chriſt is called the Word, in reference Vſe 2 to the word uttering, becauſe he is the Interpreter of his Father's will, and declareth the Father's mind to the ſons of men: Let us learn from hence to bleſſe Chriſt; for all the knowledge we have of God, and the things of God, it is from him we have it, he is the Word that hath declared it: The onelyonly begotten Son in the boſome of the Father, he hath declared him, Joh. 1. 18. If men think themſelves ſo much beholding to their Tutors, and School-maſters, that diſcover to them the hidden things of Arts and Sciences; If Alexander was ſo much bound to his Maſter, his School-maſter, Ariſtotle, his Inſtructor; that he made a queſtion, Whether he were more bound to him, for his teaching of him, than to Philip his father for begetting of him: Then, what do we owe to Jeſus Chriſt, the great Tutor, to whom we owe all our Learning, Tutors, and Fathers too? for all Relations meet in him, and all Duty is due to him. And if He be the word uttering, let none be aſhamed of that work of the Miniſtry. Some Gentlemen think it ſcorn to make their ſons Miniſters; God the Father made his Son a Miniſter, ye ſee; and ſetteth the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, his onelyonly Son, to be a revealer of his will to the ſons of men. And if ſo, ſomething elſe may be learned from it.
Let us all take heed to what we hear. It is Chriſt that is the word uttering. What we find in Scripture, and hear delivered according to the Scripture, it is the word of Chriſt: Let the word of Chriſt dwell in you richly, in all wiſdom, The power of the Word Preached.Col. 3. 16. Ye muſt give me leave to tell you, when men ſpeak Scripture to you, rightly interpreted, and ye refuſe to hear; ye do not refuſe men, that ſpeak from the Pulpit, but him that ſpeaketh from Heaven, which is Chriſt himſelf; according to what we read, Heb. 12. 25. See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaketh. For if they eſcaped not, who refuſed him that ſpake on earth; much more ſhall not we eſcape, if we turn away from him that ſpeaketh from heaven. Chriſt ſpeaketh from Heaven in every Sermon, wherein truth is delivered unto you. He ſaith to the drunkard from Heaven, Become ſober; and to the wanton he ſaith from Heaven, Become chaſte; to the unbeliever, Lay hold on Chriſt. It is ſaid from Heaven, when it is ſaid from the Pulpit. If men will go on in ſin in ſpight of Heaven, God will confound them in ſpight of the world; they muſt to Hell in ſpight of the world: Though hand joyn in hand, they ſhall not go unpuniſhed. If men will not hear him ſpeak on earth, they muſt not expect to have him to hear, when they would have Heaven. That is the third thing. Chriſt is called the word, in reference to the word uttering; becauſe he is the ſubſtance of all his Father's Revelations and Promiſes.
Let us therefore learn from hence, to grow in the knowledge of what we read, and whatſoever we hear from the word of God, becauſe he is the ſubſtance of all. Thus, take any Scripture, gage it, and you will find Chriſt in the bottom of it: If it be a Precept, it leadeth you to Chriſt for ſtrength to perform it: If it be a Threat, it leadeth you to Chriſt for grace to eſcape it: If it be a Promiſe, it clearly conveyeth Chriſt; In him all the promiſes are Yea and Amen, and therefore called, Pretious promiſes; not that they have any more price in them, of themſelves, than any other Truths have; but pretious promiſes. That is a pretious Box, that hath a rich Jewell in it. Every Promiſe is pretious, that hath Chriſt in more latitude, than other places of Scripture have. Therefore let us labour to find Chriſt in every one. The old World had but one Promiſe, for a great many years together; from Adam to Abraham, we read but of one Promiſe which God made to Adam in Paradiſe; and yet Adam a holy man, and Enoch a holy man; and yet but one Promiſe. Now, we that have ſo many Promiſes, cannot we find Chriſt in ſome of them to rely upon? Having therefore theſe promiſes, dearly Beloved, let us cleanſe our ſelves. Let us ſeek for Chriſt, and Cleanſing, in the Promiſes. I have done now with the Subject of theſe three Propoſitions, The Word.
The firſt thing that is predicated of the Word, is, that Propoſiti∣on. 1 which we meet with in the firſt Propoſition, namely, His eternall Exiſtency, In the beginning was the word. The other Evangeliſts, eſpecially Matthew and Luke, they have ſpoken fully of the temporall Generation of Chriſt. So Matthew beginneth, The book of the generation of Jeſus Chriſt, the ſon of David, the ſon of Abraham. Now John, whoſe aim was to inſiſt upon thoſe things, that concern the Divinity of Chriſt, he beginneth with his Eternall Generation.
In the Beginning was the Word.
Beginning and was, ſaith Baſil, theſe two terms are like two Anchors, which the ſhip of a man's ſoul may ſafely ride at, come what ſtorms will come. None of thoſe Hereſies that deny the Divinity of Chriſt, ſhall be able to ſhame that man, that layeth hold upon theſe, In the beginning, and Was. There was a Beginning, when other things received their Beeing; I, but Chriſt was in that Beginning, and ſo before the things had received their Beeing. Much ado there is amongſt Interpreters, to little purpoſe, to find out ſeverall ſenſes of this word [Beginning]. I will not trouble you with them: That of Mark will clearly give you the meaning of it, In the beginning of the Creation of God, Mar. 13. 19. Such as was not from the beginning of the Creation, which God created. Here is the thing clear. The beginning of the Creation that God created, is the ſame that Moſes meaneth, Gen. 1. 1. In the beginning God created heaven and earth. It is ſomething remarkable, that Moſes, with whom God ſpake face to face; and John the Evangeliſt, who lay in Chriſt's boſome, ſhould both of them have one Exordium; In the beginning, ſaith Moſes; and, In the beginning, ſaith John. It is thought, that John doth allude to Moſes, onelyonly with this clear difference; Moſes ſpeaking of the Creation of the World, ſaith, In the beginning, God made heaven and earth. He ſpeaks of a World that was made. John ſpeaking of a Word that was not made, ſaith, In the beginning was the word. He doth not ſay, He was made, as if Chriſt were a creature; but, when all other creatures were made, Chriſt was. Chriſt had a Beeing, when they did but begin to be; therefore he was before them. That which was in the beginning muſt needs be eternall; Why? Why, becauſe, before the creatures began to be, there was nothing but God.
What was before the Beginning? Let that be the queſtion. Queſt.
It will lead you into the Abyſſe of Eternity, what may Anſw. be before the Creation. Here Faith may enter into the darkneſſe of Eternity, where it may loſe it ſelf, and can ſee nothing, but God before all, and God after all, and God in all. Before the Creation, nothing but God. Chriſt was before the Creation; when they began to be, he was. Therefore Chriſt was Eternall, there was no beginning before that Indeed, there was God before the Creation, but God hath no beginning. Though there be principium ordinis, there is not principium temporis; as, the Father firſt, and The Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt, Eternall.Son ſecondly, and the holy Ghoſt the third. Here is principium ordinis, Order; but no Time, wherein the Father, Son, or holy Ghoſt began to be. So, Chriſt was in the beginning, had a beeing then. There was no beginning till the Creation, Therefore Chriſt was from all Eternity.
This may be confirmed with more ſtrength, becauſe the holy Ghoſt, throughout the Scripture, when he would expreſſe Eternity, uſeth to do it thus; Such a thing was before the world; that is, it was Eternall. Pſal. 90. 1, 2. Lord, thou haſt been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadſt formed the earth or the world, from everlaſting to everlaſting, thou art God. How proveth he that? Becauſe he was, before the Mountains or Earth was made. Chriſt was before the world, therefore God from everlaſting to everlaſting. Joh. 17. 5. Now, O Father, glorifie thou me with thine own ſelf, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. That is, from Eternity▪ Take a clear place (for thoſe that clearly apprehend Chriſt to be meant by Wiſdom, as undoubtedly He is) Prov. 8. 22. and ſo forward to the 30 verſe; a place, to which our Evangeliſt is thought to have alluded here, and it is fully parallel; where Wiſdom ſaith, The Lord poſſeſſed me in the beginning of his waies: Juſt as in the Text, In the beginning was the word. The Lord poſſeſſed me in the beginning of his waies, before his works of old. I was ſet up from everlaſting, from the beginning, or ever the world was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were ſetled, before the hills were brought forth, &c. Another teſtimony ye have of Chriſt's Eternity: it is in the Type of Melchiſedeck, Heb. 7. 2, 3. King of Righteouſneſſe, and King of Salem, which is King of Peace. Without father or mother, or without deſcent; having neither beginning of daies, nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, which abideth a Prieſt continually. What cauſe have we to adore, as Tertullian ſpeaketh (not onelyonly to admire, but to adore) the fulneſſe of the Scriptures? The very ſilence of the Scriptures ſpeaks deep Myſteries. The Apoſtle arguing from the Scriptures the Eternity of Chriſt, ſpeaketh nothing of Melchiſedeck's father or mother. Moſes ſpeaking of the Worthies in Scripture, he is wont to ſpeak of their parentage, when they began, and when they dyed. But the Apoſtle, when he ſpeaks of this Prieſt, ſaith, He was without father or mother. Another place, of the Eternity of Chriſt, ye have, Mich. 5. 2. where he ſpeaketh both of the temporall and eternall Generation of the Son of God; Thou Bethlehem Ephrata, though thou be little amongſt the thouſands of Judah, yet out of thee ſhall he come forth unto me, that ſhall be Ruler in Iſrael: Out of thee ſhall he come forth. That is, of his temporall Government. Here he ſpeaketh of his eternall Generation, Whoſe goings forth have been from everlaſting. In the beginning was the word. That is, Chriſt was from everlaſting. He had a beeing, before the greateſt began to be. And this may ſerve briefly, for the Explication of that Propoſition.
I now come to the Application, becauſe I intend to be as brief as may be. What ye have heard of Chriſt's Eternity, of having a being before the creatures were made, will afford you,
Firſt, matter of Comfort.
Secondly, matter of Duty.
Firſt, Matter of Comfort from hence: becauſe this lets Vſe 1 Of Comfort.us ſee, that our happineſſe ſtandeth upon an everlaſting foundation, upon one who was in the beginning, before any creature began to be: And what ſhall overthrow that Building, whoſe foundations are laid in Eternity? Shall the Creatures, which are but of yeſterday? What can they do, to undo, what the eternall God hath ordained before the world was? That is the foundation of all, Epheſ. 1. 4. According as he hath choſen us in Chriſt, before the foundation of the world, that we ſhould be holy, and without blame before him, in love. Our ſalvation beareth date before the world was; therefore there is nothing in the world ſhall prejudice it, much leſſe overthrow it. It reſteth upon him who was in the beginning, and who will be after the end; upon him, who is Alpha and Omega; more antient than the beginning, and more laſting than the end of the creatures. Alas, poor creatures! time was, when they were not, but then was He, In the beginning was the word; and there will come a time when they ſhall not be; but no time, wherein it can be ſaid, Chriſt is not. The Devill is a creature, Shall he be able to undo, what the Eternall hath appointed? He was not when Chriſt was; and though he ſhall now live for ever to be in torment, yet the time ſhall come, when he ſhall not be a Tempter. Then Chriſt ſhall be a Saviour, be ſure. Hab. 1. 12. See what a ſpring of conſolation doth ariſe from this conſideration of Strong Conſolation, from the conſideration of Chriſt's Eternity.Chriſt's Eternity; Art thou not from everlaſting, O Lord my God, my holy One, art thou not from everlaſting? we ſhall not die. Certainly, we that have an everlaſting Saviour, ſhall be freed from everlaſting death, we ſhall not die. This is the lot of as many, as lay hold on him by faith. Our eternall Saviour loveth to do all things like himſelf. Leſt you ſhould fear either want of love or might, both his love and power are eternall, even as Himſelf is. He hath everlaſting kindneſſe in him, and intendeth to ſhew it unto us, Iſa. 54. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, And from his Love and Power.but with everlaſting kindneſſe will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer. And his Power is as everlaſting as his Love, Iſa. 20. 4. Truſt ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlaſting ſtrength. The conſideration of theſe two, ſhould fill us with everlaſting conſolation, as Paul ſpeaks, 1 Theſſ. 2. 16. Everlaſting conſolation, and good hope through grace. He that was in the beginning, will be with us to the end; I, and in the end of our daies too. It is a great comfort, when a man commeth to die, to think, Whom my Salvation dependeth upon; why, upon an everlaſting Redeemer, that dyeth not.
There is a time when we muſt go out from all the creatures, and have no more to do with thoſe things, that are ſo pleaſing to us in the world. There is a time when we muſt go into Eternity; and there is Chriſt. The creatures we delighted in, they remain not; I, but the God we go to, He remaineth; From everlaſting to everlaſting, thou art God. Here is a living Comfort for a dying Creature.
Secondly, Here is matter of Duty, as well as matter of Vſe 2 Of Duty.Comfort. If Chriſt were in the beginning, before all the creatures, then let him not come after any of them in our eſteems. That is one Leſſon we learn from hence. It is expreſly ſaid of Chriſt, Col. 1. 17. He is hefore all things, and by him all things conſiſt. He is before all things, in regard of his own beeing: Let him be before all things, and above all things, in our eſteem. He was before all the creatures, O let him not come after them in our hearts. In the beginning was the word, when no wealth, no profit, no pleaſure, no preferment, ſuch as men now dote upon. Chriſt is before all theſe things, Why ſhould he go after them in the eſteem of men?
As it was amongſt the Heathens, they placed their happineſſe in the exerciſe of vertue; and yet ſome of them cryed, Virtus poſt nummos, quaerenda pecunia primùm. Let Lib. 1. Epiſt. Horat. ad Moecenatem.vertue come after wealth. They firſt laboured to get a good eſtate, and then look'd after good qualities and diſpoſitions. So it is with many Chriſtians, who, in their Doctrins and Profeſſions, place their happineſſe and fellowſhip with Chriſt after riches; let Chriſt come after. Which of us doth not wonder, and cry ſhame of the Gadarenes, that preferred their ſwine before Chriſt, rather let him go out of their coaſts, than part with their heards. Certainly, we, in effect, do the ſame, when we prefer our ſwiniſh luſts, before the embracing of, and yielding obedience to, our bleſſed Saviour. We are ready to defie the Jewes for crying, Not him, but Barabbas; and yet our actions cry as loud, Not Him, but the world; not Him, but the fleſh. Rather imitate good Tremelius, who was himſelf a Jew born: and after, when he turned Chriſtian, in reference to what his Country-men, the Jews, had once ſaid, Not him, but Barabbas; he made this his Motto, Non Barabbam, ſed Chriſtum; Not Barabbas, Tremelius his Motto, after his Converſion.but Chriſt; to intimate, his having renounced all, for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Let it be thine: Not the world, but Chriſt; not the creature, but Chriſt; not the fleſh, but Chriſt. He was before all, and ſhall be before all in my eſteem. Whom have I in heaven but thee? Pſal. 73. 25. That is one Duty we are to learn from hence.
Secondly, Seeing Chriſt is Eternall, truſt him for Eternall things; expect ſuch from him, that is an everlaſting Father, Iſa. 9. 6. Do you think, an everlaſting Father will lay up none but temporall bleſſings for his children? He that was from the beginning, hath provided ſomething that ſhall be after the end, for everlaſting for you, if ye will ſeek after him. Remember what the Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Cor. 4. ult. While we look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen; for the things which are ſeen are temporall, but the things which are not ſeen are eternall. Oh! look at thoſe eternall things, truſt in an eternall Saviour, who hath purchaſed them firſt, and ſince provided them for you. He is gone before, to provide heavenly things for you. Grace is a thing, which hath ſomething of eternity in it. The way of holineſſe, the Scripture calleth it, the everlaſting way, Pſal. 139. ult. Lead me in the way everlaſting. Seek to Chriſt for that. For your everlaſting Saviour will give you that which Grace begets Glory.hath an influence into eternity; ſo Grace hath. It is an immortall ſeed, that begets its glory, and that is everlaſting too. Ye have a Promiſe, Iſa. 45. 17. Iſrael ſhall be ſaved in the Lord with an everlaſting ſalvation. He that was before the world, hath happineſſe world without end, for all that believe in him. So much for the firſt Propoſition, namely, In the beginning was the word.
The ſecond is that, that concerneth the Perſonall Coexiſtency Propoſiti∣on. 2d of the Word with the Father; and it lyeth in theſe words, The word was with God.
By the Word, we ſtill underſtand the ſame Perſon, Jeſus Chriſt. By God, in this Propoſition, ye are to underſtand the Father. For you muſt know, this tearm [God] is taken two manner of waies in this Verſe. Sometimes the term [God] is taken eſſentially, and ſo it is appliable to all the Perſons in the Trinity; as when it is ſaid, God is a Spirit; God there is taken, ſo as to ſignifie the Nature of God, and the Eſſence of God, which is common to all the three Perſons. And ſo it is taken in the laſt clauſe of this Verſe, The word was God.
But otherwhile it is taken Perſonally, and ſo it ſignifieth not the whole Eſſence, but ſome one Perſon in the Trinity: As when it is ſaid, God was in Chriſt, reconciling the world to himſelf. The Father in the Son. When it is ſaid, Joh. 3. 16. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son. Here is God loving the world, and giving Chriſt. So in the ſecond Propoſition, The word was with God; that is, with God the firſt Perſon. This implyeth at once, a Nearneſſe, and a Diſtinction. A Nearneſſe to God, The word was God; and yet a Diſtinction from him, for it was but with him. Now, that which is with another, doth imply a perſon diſtinct. We do not ſay, a man is with himſelf, but Peter is with Paul, or Paul with Peter. So here, The word was with God. Take two or three places to help you to underſtand this. Joh. 1. 18. No man hath ſeen God at any time; the onelyonly begotten Son, which is in the boſome of the Father, &c. Here is the Son in the boſom of the Father, that is, the Word with God. Here is a nearneſſe, and yet a Perſonall Chriſt near to, and yet diſtinct from, the Father.diſtinction. Nearneſſe, for it is in the boſom; and yet a Perſonall diſtinction, it is the Son in the Father's boſom. One more clear, that is fully parallel with the Text; that is, 1 Joh. 1. 2. The life was manifeſted, and we have ſeen it, and bear witneſſe, and ſhew to you that eternall life which was with the Father. Eternall life is a Perſon here. By Eternall life ye muſt underſtand the very ſelf-ſame Perſon, who is called the word of life, in the firſt verſe. Eternall life is ſomething that was ſeen, and born witneſſe to, namely, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, of whom, ſaith he, verſ. 1. they have ſeen him, and lookt upon him, and have handled the word of life. So that it is no new thing for John to call Chriſt, the Eternall life. He ſaith, This is the true God, and eternall life. What doth he ſay of this Eternal life? Why, that we have ſeen it, and bear witneſſe: That is, of that Eternall life which is with the Father. Take another, which is parallel to the Text, Prov. 8. 29, 30. where, by Wiſdom is underſtood Chriſt, which ſaith of it ſelf, Then I was by him as one brought up with him, and was daily his delight▪ Rejoycing alwaies before him, rejoycing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights were with the ſons of men. Where Chriſt is ſpoken of, as a ſon, in the preſence of the Father. He is ſaid to be with him, as here in the Text. Take notice of two Praepoſitions, there uſed, in reference to Chriſt; In, and With; foreign, and foreign. It is ſaid, Joh. 14. 10. Believeſt thou not? (ſaith Chriſt to Philip) He that hath ſeen me hath ſeen the Father. And then he ſaith, I am in the Father, and he in me. Here Chriſt is ſaid to be in the Father, and, in my Text, with the Father; with this difference, [in] that noteth Unity; [with] that importeth Diſtinction: [in] that falls upon the Eſſence, [with] that falleth upon the Perſon. So as, in plain tearms, Chriſt is in the Father, in regard of the Unity of the Eſſence, which is the ſame with that of the Father. Chriſt is with the Father, in regard of the Diſtinction of his Perſon. So as between the Son and the Father, there is alius & alius, but not aliud & aliud, as Divines ſay: That is, The Son is another Perſon from the Father, but not another thing from the Father. The Father and the Son are Unum, but not Unus; the Father and the Son are one Thing, but not one Perſon. Ye may truly ſay, The Son is with the Father, as my Text hath it; but ye cannot ſay, The Son is the Father, becauſe there is diſtinction of Perſons, and yet a perſonall Co-exiſtency, The word was with God. So ye have the meaning of that Propoſition.
Let us now make Uſe of it.
Firſt, Take notice, here, of the diſtinction of Perſons in Vſe 1 the Godhead, a diſtinction without their Divinity. Here is the Son, the word with God, and the Son with the Father, not divided from him. And yet one Perſon with another, and ſo diſtinct one from another. With him, not without diſtinction; and in him, without diviſion. As in the night-time, if a man ſet up three Candles in a room, all theſe concurr to the lightning of the room; yet there is but one light: So, but one Eſſence in the Divinity. Yet here are three Candles that give that Light, but no man can ſay, that this light is peculiar to the Firſt Candle, and this to the Second, for all ſhine together; and yet the light of the ſecond Candle is with the firſt, but the light is all one. But O the depth! It is no wading here, farther than a man hath footing out of Scripture, for fear of being paſt our ſtanding, and be drowned. The Word of God is with God, and one Perſon with another; but, the manner How, as Baſil ſaid, when he met with ſome knots of difficulty in this Myſtery, I believe, ſaith he, I do not buſie my ſelf in ſearching over far; what we cannot make out in plain reaſon, we muſt make out in believing, where we have the Scripture for our bottom; onelyonly take notice of ſuch a thing. Certainly, there is a diſtinction of Perſons in the Trinity. Here, is One with Another. The word was with God.
Secondly, Learn from hence to worſhip God, according Vſe 2 to a diſtinction of Perſons. Learn we to worſhip, and look at Chriſt, as a Perſon diſtinct from the Father, and the holy Ghoſt; or elſe we worſhip not Chriſt, but our own fancies. If we conceive him not as he is, as he is diſtinct. This is the great difference, between the Chriſtian and the Turkiſh Religion, I might ſay, the Jewiſh too; for, the Turks and Jews agree, in that they hold one God, but deny a diſtinction of Perſons in the Godhead. We Chriſtians, according to Scripture, acknowledge that too; There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit and theſe three are one. And ſome kind of neceſſity appeareth, in a way of reaſon, which we may take notice of, for the ſtrengthning of our faith in this great Myſtery, that there ſhould be a diſtinction of Perſons. God The benefit of the diſtinction of Perſons.the Father was the Perſon offended. Reconciliation was to be made. None but God hath enough in him to ſatisfie God. Therefore it was requiſite there ſhould be a Perſon, to ſatisfie the Perſon offended. That, the ſecond Perſon, the Lord Jeſus undertakes, and goeth through with it. But how ſhall this be made known? Poor man is as far off as ever he was, if he be left here; he hath no power in his own nature to reach this. Therefore there is a Third Perſon, the holy Ghoſt, who diſcovereth this, and applieth it. So that the Salvation of Man, is by the concurrence of the whole Trinity.
But I muſt here again take off my ſelf, with, O the depth! as Bernard did, Hoc magnum eſt Myſterium, This is a great Myſtery, a Myſtery rather to be adored, than ſearched into. Well, ſaith he: Quomodo eſſet Pluralitas in Unitate, & unitas in Pluralitate; How there ſhould be a Plurality in Unity, and how a Unity in Plurality; three Perſons, and yet but one Eſſence; Scrutari temeritas eſt, It is raſhneſſe to ſearch too far into it. Credere pietas, it is piety to believe it. Cognoſ…ere vita aeterna, It is life eternall to know it. We can never have a full comprehenſion of it, till we come to enjoy it.
Thirdly, This may ſerve to Anſwer that Queſtion, which ſome make, What was God a doing before he made the Vſe 3 world? Object.
It might ſuffice to Anſwer them, as Auguſtine did in Anſw. the ſame caſe, with a ſhort Anſwer, He was a making Hell for ſuch as put theſe Queſtions. But there is a fairer Anſwer in the Text, which telleth you, That the Word that was in the beginning, before the Creatures were made, that Word was with God. God was delighting himſelf in his Word. God and his Word were a contriving the Redemption of Mankind, and had thoughts of peace towards the Elect from all Eternity. That place, Prov. 8. ſpeaketh ſomething to it, When he appointed the foundations of the world, verſ. 30, 31. then I was by him, as one brought up with him; or, as a Nouriſher, in Intention or decreeing of the Creatures, that were to be made; or out of the Church, that was to be gathered out of the world. I was daily his delight, rejoycing God delighting in his Son, before the world wasalwaies before him. This God was a doing before the world was made, he was delighting in his Son; this Text ſaith ſo, clearly. So ſaith Peter, 1 Pet. 2. 19, 20. The pretious blood of Chriſt, as of a Lamb without blemiſh, and without ſpot; who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifeſted in theſe laſt times for you. Before the foundations of the world, what was God a doing? Plotting (as I may ſpeak with reverence) the work of mans Redemption; projecting my Redemption and thine. Before we were, he had thoughts of peace and mercy towards us. Therefore we may truſt him as long as we live. When we think little of him, he thinks much of us.
The fourth Uſe we may make of this, is this; It ſhould Vſe 4 teach us, and I pray God we may all learn, infinitely to prize the love of Chriſt; I ſay, to prize and adore the love of Chriſt; Who, though he were from all Eternity, the Word with God, yet was pleaſed, in the fulneſſe of time, to become Emmanuel, God with us. What an act of reſpect and love was it in Moſes, to his Country-men the Jews, Moſes his exceeding love to his Country-men, the Jewes.poor Hebrews, in ſore bondage; and he in Pharaoh's Court, brought up in all the learning of the Egyptians, adopted by the King's daughter, full of honour (ſome ſay, Lord Treaſurer of Egypt; and they build their conjecture upon that, becauſe it is ſaid, He forſook the treaſures of Egypt): It was a great thing for him to leave the Court, and ſort himſelf with poor Labourers at Brick-kilns; yet, that he did. Here is an act of great condeſcention in Moſes, of much reſpect to his Country, and love to the poor Hebrews. But what is this of Moſes to that of Chriſt, who was with God in the Court of Heaven, taken up with the mutuall delights, which the bleſſed Trinity had in each other? To leave this, all this, for a time, and to come to be Man with us! To leave his Manſion, which was Heaven, and to pitch his Tent upon Earth, as the word ſignifieth, Joh. 1. 17. He dwelt amongſt us, foreign; that is, as in a Tent or Tabernacle. Do but conſider the difference of theſe two ſtates; that which Chriſt left, and that which Chriſt took: The former was a ſtate of incomprehenſible glory, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. What was the ſtate of the Word? See, Joh. 17. 5. Now, O Father, glorifie thou me with thine own ſelf, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I had with thee glory before the world was. Here is the Word with God, in the ſtate of glory. From this ſtate of glory he is pleaſed to deſcend: To what? To take ſhame. It is emphatically ſaid, for that is one half of Chriſt's ſufferings, Shame is. Heb. 12. 2. Looking to Jeſus, the Author and Finiſher of our faith; who, for the joy that was ſet before him, endured the croſſe, and deſpiſed [the ſhame]. He came to Iſa. 53. 3: Luk. 23. 36, 39 Luk. 17. 34. Matth. 9. 11, 34. Matth. 12. 24. & 10. 25.be buffeted, and ſpit upon, and reviled, and called a friend of publicans and ſinners, a wine-bibber; yea, the prince of devills. They called Chriſt Beelzebub. Before he came into the world, he was in a ſtate of Joy, as well as of Glory. The Text ſaith, He was with God; and whereſoever God is, there is joy; as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, In thy preſence is fulneſſe of joy, and at thy right hand are pleaſures for evermore. What is that Chriſt took inſtead of joy? He came to ſorrow; ſorrow, and deadly ſorrow, ſurrounded his ſoul on every ſide. From that eternall joy, he is pleaſed to deſcend to thoſe intolerable ſorrows, to be a man of ſorrows, acquainted with grief. Bleſſed Saviour! may we well ſay, Iſa. 53. 3.What a change haſt thou made, for thy love to us? of being with God, to be with Man; from the Father's Boſom, to the Virgin's Womb; from Heaven, to Earth; from Glory, (as ye have heard) to Shame; and from Joy, to Grief: And all this, for our ſakes. Ye know the grace of our Lord Jeſus 2 Cor. 8. 9.Chriſt, (ſaith the Apoſtle) who though he were rich, yet for your ſakes he became poor, that ye, through his poverty, might become rich. How ſhould this fir'e and inflame our hearts with love to Chriſt! He, who was the delight of his Father from all Eternity, had his delight with the ſons of men; How ſhould the ſons of men have their delight in him? Hath Chriſt left Heaven for me, and ſhall not I leave the world for Chriſt? Hath he thus emptyed himſelf for me, of his Joy and Glory, for a time; and ſhall not I deny my ſelf for him, in my pleaſures, and profits, and eaſe? What a poor ſorry joy is that, which the world affordeth us, to that which Chriſt hath firſt given us? Let us love him, who loved us ſo, as that he was pleaſed to become Emmanuel, God with us. So, The Word was with God.
This is that which concerneth the Perſonall Co-exiſtency of Chriſt, with God the Father.
In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
There is hardly any place of Scripture more abuſed, in a way of ſuperſtition, than the beginning of this Goſpell. It was a common thing in times of Popery (and I would to God it were aboliſhed wholly at this day) to write theſe words in certain Characters, and to tye the paper or parchment about people's necks, as a Charm againſt Agues; or as a Spell, to prevent ſome other miſchief. We ſhall, I hope, make better uſe of them, by how much this Scripture hath been wronged by others. Theſe words are a Charm indeed, but it is againſt Hereticall Opinions, and carnall diſcouragements. The Deniers of Chriſt's Divinity, never had ſuch a Charm as this is, Joh. 11. We have made ſome of them to that end, and hope to make more, as we do proceed.
The Fifth Uſe from hence, is, that this very Propoſition, Vſe 5 that the Word was with God, holdeth forth Comfort to us: For he that was with God in the beginning, is with him ſtill, and will be with him for everlaſting; with God then, and with God now, and with God to all eternity: And that under the notion of our Advocate, 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2. If any man Chriſt our Advocate.ſin, we have an Advocate with the Father (So the phraſe is here, With the Father) Jeſus Chriſt the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our ſins. He is there as an Advocate to plead a cauſe: And what cauſe? His own as well as ours. We know, when a Counſellor is employed in a Cauſe, that concerneth himſelf as well as his Clyent, he is wont to be exceeding active in that buſineſſe, more than in other; he will neglect no opportunity in ſuch a Cauſe. So, Chriſt is ſuch an Advocate, as to be a Propitiation for our ſins. And Chriſt ſhould loſe the price of his own Blood, if our Cauſe ſhould miſcarry before God the Father, with him, where he appeareth for us; Heb. 9. 24. Chriſt is not entred into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into Heaven it ſelf, to appear in the preſence of God for us. Obſerve that, [With God] and, [For us]. He appeareth there as an Advocate appeareth for his Clyent; when ſuch a Cauſe is called upon, he pleadeth that Cauſe as an Advocate. So, Chriſt appeareth for us as our Proctor; He is God with us, and for us; and therefore able to ſave to the uttermoſt all that come to God by him; becauſe he liveth to make interceſſion for them, Heb. 7. 25. Never fear, that any thing ſhall be wanting to thy ſalvation, Chriſt will be ſure to perfect it. He will ſave to the uttermoſt, becauſe he liveth for ever. Well may Satan's accuſations trouble us on Earth, they ſhall never trouble us in Heaven, for Chriſt appeareth there for us. He is ever with the Father.
I paſſe now to the third Clauſe of this firſt Verſe, which concerneth the Divine Eſſence of Chriſt.
The Word was God.
So with God a diſtinct Perſon from the Father, as to be God, of the ſame Eſſence with the Father. The word, [God] is taken eſſentially for the Father, the Firſt-Perſon in the Trinity. This is a point of high concernment, that Chriſt is God; ſo high, as whoſoever buildeth not upon this, buildeth upon the ſands. This is the Rock of our ſalvation, The Word was God. But there will be frequent occaſion in this Goſpell of meeting with it, and therefore I ſhall ſpeak now but briefly of it. Take a few clear places, ſuch as our enemies know not how to evade; that in Rom. 9. 5. Of whom, as concerning the fleſh, Chriſt came, who is over all, God bleſſed for evermore. Chriſt is here himſelf called, God bleſſed for ever. So, Tit. 2. 13. Looking for that bleſſed hope, and the glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Who is it that ſhall appear at the laſt Day in the Clouds, but Chriſt, who is called the great God, and our Saviour? God bleſſed for ever, ſaith Paul to the Romans; The great God, ſaith Paul to Titus. And leſt any Heretick ſhould hope to ſhift it off (as they are as full of ſhifts, as the Serpent is of turnings and windings) and ſhould ſay, Why, Angels are called gods, and Magiſtrates are called gods. To ſtop their mouths, St. John telleth you, He is the true God; I, and God properly ſo called, The true God.
You know what they uſe to object againſt this, as if the Object. Father were onelyonly called the true God. And the place ſeemeth to have ſome colour in it, Joh. 17. 13. This is life eternall, that they know thee, the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. Jeſus Chriſt ſeemeth to be made a different Perſon from the true God.
I anſwer, There is no neceſſity of limiting this phraſe, Anſw. [The onelyonly true God] to the Perſon of the Father, the Firſt Perſon in the Trinity. It is true indeed, that the word Thee in the third Verſe, referreth to the word Father, in the firſt Verſe, Theſe words ſpake Jeſus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and ſaid, Father, glorifie thy Son, &c. And, this is eternall life, that we know thee the onelyonly true God. Ye muſt know, the word Father is taken two manner of waies in Scripture: Firſt, Sometimes it is taken for the Firſt-Perſon in the Trinity. And Father is taken for the Divine Eſſence, or rather for an Attribute that is common to all the Perſons in the Trinity: Every one is Father, in this ſenſe. So, Chriſt is Father as well as the Firſt Perſon. He is called, The everlaſting Father; and, The Prince of peace, Iſa. 9. 6. Father, in that ſenſe, is no more than, God in his Eſſence. Mal. 2. 10. Have we not all one Father? hath not one God created us? There is a concurrence of all the Perſons in this great work of Creation, and ſo in this Relation of Father. That, Jam. 1. 27. True religion, and undefiled before God and the Father. Father here belongeth to all the Perſons. 1 Pet. 1. 17. We know that all judgement is committed to Chriſt. So that Father is taken here eſſentially, and belongeth to all the Trinity. If ye underſtand it ſo here, then the Objection is of no force.
But Chriſt is conceived here as Mediator, and as Man praying to the whole Trinity, under the name of Father, and ſaying, This is eternall life, to know thee onelyonly true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. So that, 1 Tim. 2. 5. is parallel, There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Chriſt Jeſus. Nothing is ſo familiar in Scripture, as to diſtinguiſh Chriſt as Mediator from God, taking the word eſſentially, for all the Perſons in the Trinity.
Secondly, Suppoſe the word [Father] Joh. 17. be taken Perſonally, for the Firſt Perſon in the Trinity; yet the word [OnelyOnly] is not here to be limited to the Firſt Perſon. I pray you obſerve that, This is eternall life, that they know thee the onelyonly true God. It is not, Thee onelyonly, the true God, as if the Father onelyonly were the true God. Indeed, the foreign is not to be tyed to the ſaying, [Thee onelyonly] but, [Thee, God] is to be tyed to the word [OnelyOnly] To know thee the onelyonly true God. So as foreign, the word, [OnelyOnly] is not excluſive from the other two Perſons, the Son, and God diſtinguiſhed from Creatures and Idols, not from the other Perſons.the holy Ghoſt; but onelyonly excluſive from the Creatures, who are improperly called gods, as ſometimes Angels, and ſometimes Magiſtrates, are called ſo; and Idols ſo called, falſly. The onelyonly true God, excluding Idolls, but not the Son and the holy Ghoſt. You may as well argue from that place, 1 Cor. 8. 5, 6. that God the Father is not Lord, as argue from this, that Chriſt is not the true God; for it is ſaid there, Though there be that are called gods both in heaven and in earth, as there be gods many, and lords many. But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord, Jeſus Chriſt, by whom are all things, and we by him. But one Lord Jeſus Chriſt. May men from hence argue, and ſay, The Father is not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? But many argue and ſay, That Chriſt is not God, becauſe he ſaith, There is but one God the Father, of whom are all things. I will not hold you long upon this, becauſe I hope there are not many here, that need ſolution in this point, though the errour be ſpreading. Conſider that place, Matth. 11. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father, ſaith Chriſt. And, None knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any the Father ſave the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. None knoweth the Son but the Father. Why, doth not the Son know himſelf? doth not the holy Ghoſt know the Son? Yes. It is ſaid, The Spirit ſearcheth the deep things of God. Neither knoweth any the Father ſave the Son. Doth not the Father know himſelf? and the holy Ghoſt, both the Perſons? Yes. But this none excludeth Creatures, from the other Perſons. So the true God is diſtinguiſhed from Creatures and Idolls, not from the other Perſons in the Trinity.
I will make Uſe of this, to meet with ſuch Hereticks as Vſe 1 deny this: Would to God I could ſay, there were none in this City; but mine ears have heard a man, ſtifly to deny the Divinity of Chriſt, and diſpute againſt it, and blaſpheme that great truth, without which, I think, a man may ſafely ſay, there is no poſſibility of ſalvation. I wonder, that of all the old Errors, ſwept down into this latter Age, as into a ſink of time, this of the Socinians and Arians Beware of Hereſies.ſhould be held forth amongſt the reſt. Let us beware of their doctrines, ſhun their meetings and perſons, that come to us with the denyall of the Divinity of Chriſt in their mouths. This was John's doctrine, and his practiſe. Irenaeus tells us, that after he was returned from his Baniſhment, and came to Epheſus, he came to bathe himſelf; and in the Bath he found Cerinthus, that ſaid, Chriſt had no beeing, till he received it from the Virgin Mary: Upon the ſight of whom, John skipped out of the Bath, and called his companions from thence, ſaying, Let us go from this place, leſt the Bath ſhould fall down upon us, becauſe Cerinthus is in it, that is ſo great an enemy to God. Ye ſee his Doctrine, ſee his words too, 2 Joh. 10, 11. If any come to you, having not this doctrine, receive him not into your houſe, neither bid him God-ſpeed: for he that biddeth him God-ſpeed, is partaker of his evill deed. What the Doctrine was, ye may ſee to be the Doctrine of the Divinity of Chriſt. This is one word to Miniſters, to confute the gainſayers; but it is not the main: I will not therefore ſtand upon it in this Auditory. As it is with the Angels that are miniſtring Spirits, for the good of the Church; ſo it ſhould be with the Miniſters, that are called, the good Angels of the Church. The Angels are fometimes put upon conflicts with the Devil, they have many combats with the wicked Spirits, as may be gathered out of Daniel. But, this is but in order to their miniſtring for the good of the Elect. They conflict with evill Spirits, that they may be ſerviceable for the good of the Church. So ſhould Miniſters conflict with evill Angels, but in reference to the good of the Church. Speak comfortably to Jeruſalem, ſaith the Lord to the Angel. Therefore I ſhall paſſe to another Uſe of Conſolation.
The Word was God.
Beloved, If this be not true (ſay Hereticks what they Vſe. 2 can) if this be not true, That Chriſt was God, our Preaching is in vain, and your Faith in vain; ye are yet in your ſins. Who can forgive ſins but God? Ye expect forgivneſſe The promiſes cannot be made good; if Chriſt be not God.of ſins by Chriſt. What ſoul can get to Heaven, if Chriſt be not God? He hath promiſed eternall life to all that love him, and believe in him; How ſhall a man have this Promiſe made good, if He be not God? If a man that hath never a foot of land in England, ſhall make his Will, and bequeath to thee ſuch and ſuch Houſes, and Land, in ſuch a Town and County, whereas he was never the owner of any ſuch Houſes or Land: Certainly, this Deed is null, thou art never a whit the nearer enriching thy ſelfe with ſuch a Legacy. If Heaven be not in Chriſt's diſpoſe, how can we have it as his gift? If Chriſt be not God, we cannot have Heaven. If Chriſt be not God, we are all ſtill in our ſins. For, the Juſtice of God expects ſatisfaction to be made, for the ſins of men; we cannot make ſatisfaction, but our Surety muſt. Chriſt is our Surety. If Chriſt be not God, our Satisfaction is null; for, an infinite Juſtice offended, muſt have an infinite Price paid. A man may ſatisfie the Juſtice of man, but what man can ſatisfie the Juſtice of God? Will God accept the firſt-born of thy body for the ſin of thy ſoul? No, he will not. Yet he will accept His Firſt-born for the ſins of the world, for in him he is well pleaſed. There lyeth a great deal of ſtrength upon that place, it is a ſpeciall foundation of faith; Act. 20. 28. Over which the holy Ghoſt Chriſt is God.hath made you over ſeers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchaſed with his own blood. The Church of God, which he hath purchaſed with his own blood. This muſt needs relate to Chriſt. And Chriſt is here called God, and Chriſt's Blood is called the Blood of God. Chriſt could never have gone through with the purchaſe of the Church, if the Blood he ſhed had not been the Blood of God. Whatſoever the Juſtice of God can exact, that the Blood of God can diſcharge. The blood of man would not have done it; the blood of men or Angels would not have done it. Man ſinned, and Man muſt ſatisfie. Therefore the Human Nature muſt be aſſumed by a Surety, for a man cannot do it. If an Angel ſhould have aſſumed Human Nature, it would Humane nature aſſumed by none but God.have polluted him; Human Nature was ſo defiled by ſin, that it could not be aſſumed by any but God. Now Chriſt being God, the Divine Nature purified the Human Nature, which he took, and ſo it was a ſufficient Sacrifice. The perſon offered in ſacrifice was God, as well as Man. This is a ground whereupon a Beleever may challenge Satan to ſay his worſt, and doe his worſt! Let him preſent God, as terrible; Let him preſent me, as abhominable in the ſight of God, by reaſon of my ſins; Let him aggravate the heighth of God's diſpleaſure, and the heighth, and depth, and length, and breadth, of my ſins; I grant all. And, againſt all this, I oppoſe this infinite Satisfaction of Chriſt. Though the Juſtice of God cannot be bribed, yet it may be ſatisfied. Here is a proportionable Satisfaction; here is God anſwering God.
The VVord was God.
This Word was He that laid down his life, and ſhed his blood for us. And now let Satan urge the Juſtice of God as much as he can. The Juſtice of God maketh me ſure of Salvation, Salvation aſſured by Gods Juſtice.Why? Becauſe his Juſtice obligeth him to accept of an adequate Satisfaction, of his own appointing. The Juſtice of God maketh me ſure of mine own happineſſe: becauſe, if God be juſt, that Satisfaction ſhould be had; when that Satisfaction is made, Juſtice requireth, that the perſon for whom it is made, ſhall be received into favour. I confeſſe, that unleſſe God had obliged himſelf by Promiſe, there were no preſſing his Juſtice, thus far, becauſe Noxa ſequitur caput. There was mercy in the Promiſe of ſending Chriſt out of mercy, to undertake for us; otherwiſe we cannot ſay, that God was bound, in Juſtice, to accept of Satisfaction, unleſſe he had firſt, in mercy, been pleaſed, to appoint the way of a Surety. Juſtice indeed requireth Satisfaction, but it requireth it of the perſon that ſinneth. Here commeth in Mercy, that a Surety ſhall be accepted; and what he doth, is, as if the perſon that offended ſhould have done it himſelf. Here is Mercy and Salvation ſurely bottomed upon both. So much ſweet comfort floweth from this conſideration, That Chriſt is God. I come now to the ſecond Verſe.