The Gospels Glory, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Treateth of the fulneſſe of the ſalvation of a ſinner, in the perſon who undertakes to work it out, even Gods own Son.
SECT. 1.
THe Perſon that undertaketh to work out the ſalvation of a ſinner, 2. Gods own Son undertaketh to work out the ſalvation of a ſinner; who he is. Gal. 4. 8. Heb. 1. 3. Rom. 8. 32 1 Joh. 4. 9. Joh. 3. 16. Rev. 1. 8. & 22. 13.is Gods own Son. The Apoſtle is expreſſe, God ſent his own Son, his Son by nature; taking the word nature, in that ſenſe in which the Apoſtle taketh it, when he ſaith of Idols, th…y by nature are no gods. His own Son, diſtinguiſhed from all other, and dear unto the Father, the expreſſe Image of the Fathers perſon. He spared not his own Sonne, his onelyonly begotten Son, who was not made, nor created, but begotten, the eternal Son of God: who of his grace aſſumed and took to him a true humane body and ſoul, of the ſeed of the Virgin Mary, and united it to his perſon, even this perſon the Sonne of the Father; this perſon, the own, only begotten Sonne of God the Father, is he whom God ſent: he who is by grace of perſonal union, and by conception of the Holy Ghoſt as he is man (the man Jeſus of Nazareth, the ſon of Mary) the Son of God alſo. But this Son-ſhip (if it may be ſo called) is of grace, not of nature, and not the thing intended here: and becauſe the humane nature of the Sonne of God, is of Adam, though not by Adam, he is alſo in that reſpect the Son of God Luk. 3. 38.by Creation. But when it is ſaid here expreſſely, God ſent his own Sonne; this notes out the perſon, who is the Son of God by nature, who that he might perform the work of ſalvation, did take to him that humane nature, a creature of God, and did unite, ſupport and Individuate it of his grace by his own perſon, inſeparably and for ever. The glory of this act is unconceivable, but that belongs to the work of ſalvation, and is not of conſideration in this ſaying. He is called the Son of his ſelf, foreign, becauſe he is Gods Son, not by grace, neither of perſonal union, as the humane nature of Chriſt his Son: not of Creation, as Angels, Adam and all men are Sonnes of God: nor of Mal. 2. 10.Communication of beams of Dominion, as Magiſtrates are Sons of God. Nor of Pſal. 82. 5. Ephe. 1. 6. Joh. 1. 11.Adoption, or of regeneration, as are all the Elect believers. No, he is one greater than all theſe, Gods own Son: This is the undertaker of our ſalvation. And this is the ſecond Medium, which produceth that grand concluſion afore delivered; A demonſtration thereof, Divine, and Apoſtolical, that is, that the ſalvation by Chriſt is full and abſolute: the Alſufficiency of our ſalvation appears abundantly Joh. 6. 96. Mat. 16. 16 1 Joh. 5. 7, 9, 10.in the perſon that undertakes the work, the Son of the living God. This is a doctrine of faith of neceſſity to be believed. Gods own Sonne, ſee here his glory, and from thence the alſufficiency of our ſalvation.
SECT. 2.
Behold his Glory: for,His glory.
1. He is of the ſame eſſence and nature with the Father, the brightneſſe of his Fathers Heb. 1. 3. 5glory, the expreſſe Image of his perſon. This honour and excellency is above all Angels, he is very God of very God, as the Nicene Creed hath it, foreign, of the ſame ſubſtance with God the Father, not, foreign, of a like ſubſtance, but the very ſame: not of another ſubſtance, foreign; not of unlike ſubſtance, foreign: not of the ſame kind of ſubſtance, not of the ſame ſpecies, foreign ▪ but he is foreign of that very eſſence, coeſſential: as the Creed of Athanaſius hath it. The God-head of the Father and of the Son is one. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Joh. 1. 1. 1 Joh. 5. 20 Phil. 2. 6.the Word was God; and therefore being true God, he is Co-equal with the Father, and it is no robbery at all. He is God of himſelf, foreign ▪ though he be not Son of himſelf, foreign, but Son of the Father; he is life of himſelf, foreign ▪ he is righteouſneſſe it ſelf foreign. There is alſo between him and the Father a mutual Joh. 14. 11. Joh. 8. 58.In-being (the Greek fathers call it foreign) the Father is in him, and he is in the Father.
He is Eternal, before Abraham was ſaith he, I am; He is Alpha and Omega, the firſt and the laſt. And this his eternity is the foundation of his eternal Kingdome, of whom it is ſaid, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. And again, Heb. 1. 8. Heb. 1. 10, 11, 12.Thou, Lord; in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thine hands: they ſhall periſh, but thou remaineſt, thou art the ſame.
He is Omniſcient, he knowes all things; Joh. 2. 24. & 1. 47, 48, 49. Rev. 2. 23.all men, all that is in man: neither needs he that any one ſhould teſtifie of man, for he knoweth what is in man, all their reaſonings, all their thoughts, all their wayes. He ſearcheth the heart and reines.
He is Omnipreſent, he is in every place. Lo, ſaith he, I am with you to the end of Mat. 28. 20the world. His preſence everywhere is that which gives the ground of the promiſe of his gracious preſence with all his Miniſters in all their Miniſterial performances, in all ages and places to the worlds end.
He is Omnipotent. Whatever the Father Joh. 5. 19.doth, that doth the Son likewiſe.
He is the Creatour of all things, viſible Joh. 1. 2.and inviſible. In him all things conſiſt.
He is the Ʋpholder of all, by his mighty Word of Command.Col. 1. 16.
He changeth all things at his pleaſure. Heb. 1. 12.Heb. 1. 3.
To him is due from men and Angels, Divine honour and worſhip, and Faith. Heb. 1. 6. Joh. 14. 1. Pſal. 2. 12.In him we ſhould believe, him we ſhould kiſſe and do homage unto. He is God Rom. 9. 5. Tit. …. 13.bleſſed for ever, the great God our Saviur.
2. He is aeternally and only begotten. Joh. 1. 1. Pro. 8. 22. Col. 1. 13. Mat. 17. 5. Joh. 1. 18.The word, the wiſdome of God, and therefore he is the Son of Gods love, the eternal delights of the eternal Father, In whom he is well-pleaſed. He that is in the boſome of the Father (foreign) and now he is neither leſſer, nor lower in the favour of his Father, becauſe he hath ſtooped ſo low as to become fleſh, and to be the Meſſiah.
SECT. 3.
2. From his truth, behold the alſufficiency The Alſufficiency of ſalvation by him in five things. 1 Joh. 5. …1 & 4. 9.of the ſalvation of Gods people: for,
1. In this Son is our eternal life placed. This is the Record, the ſumme of Gods Teſtimony witneſſed in the Bible, that God hath given to us eternal life: and this life is in his Sonne. God ſent his only begotten Sonne into the world that we might live through him. In this Sonne, the beloved, Pro. 8. 30. Mat. 3. 17.the Sonne of his boſome, his eternal delights, God the Father doth reſt well-pleaſed for ever.
2. This aſſure the abſolute ſufficiency of Chriſt Jeſus for his Office, he is the Mediatour who is the Son of God. The Son is the Prophet, he declares the Father, Joh. 1. 18. Joh. 3. 32. & 6. 68, 96 Joh. 5. 25, 28. Heb. 1. 8. Joh. 1. 49. & 10, 30.he teſtifies what he hath ſeen and heard, he hath the words of eternal life, his voice raiſeth the dead, the dead ſpiritually, out of their ſinnes; the dead Corporally, out of their graves. The Sonne is the King, greater than all, who hath all Soveraignty, authority and power.
The Sonne is the Prieſt, who is conſecr…ed Heb. 4. 14. & 7. 28.for ever more, who hath the heart and eare of the Father alwayes.
3. This puts a value and worth of infinite price upon all that he hath done, or 1 Joh. 1. 7.doth for us now in heaven; into his ſufferings, and into his interceſſion. The blood of Gods Sonne cler…ſeth us from all ſinne; the Sonne is conſecrated for evermore.
4. He can do all that we ſtand in need Joh. 1. 51. & 3. 13.of, becauſe he is the Sonne of God. He can create the heart anew, and give the Holy Ghoſt. He baptizeth with the Holy Ghoſt, and with fire. He opens heaven, and brings in the Angels-ſervice that they may miniſter unto us. He ſeeth the truth of grace in our hearts. He knoweth the workings, beatings, and breathings of our Joh. 1. 47, 48. & 10. 28, 29, 30. Joh. 5. 26, 28. Heb. 12. 16 23. Pſa. 89. 27. Jer. 31. 8. Exod. 4. 22 Pſa 89. 19.ſpirits: and all our ſecret duties; the guileleſſe ſpirited Nathanaels, their moſt retired meditations and prayers under the fig-tree. He gives the power or priviledge to be Sonnes of God; he makes free indeed; he gives life to whom he will; he preſerveth the life ſpiritual given, and gives eternal life; he fetcheth out of the graves; he makes us a Congregation of Gods firſt-born. God hath laid help for us upon one that is mighty.
5. There is no danger to adventure Jer. 17. 7. Joh. 3. 16. 36. Joh. 14. 9.here. No feare of that curſe, Curſed be the man that trusteth in man, for Jeſus Christ is the Lord Jehovah. It is no fault to believe on him, to worſhip, to ſerve, to call upon, to obey him. There is no periſhing to a believer. There is nothing but wrath to him that believeth not on him. Here is the only way to ſee the Father.
SECT. 4.
For the Application and Uſe, Improve it The Uſe.thus.
1. By this Doctrine Inform thy ſelf: 1. Of Information.Firſt, of the excellency of the word of Scripture which revealeth this truth, and eſpecially of the glory of the New Teſtament, which is the Gospel of the Sonne of God. Secondly, of the honour conferred on ſinful men, called to the faith of Jeſus Chriſt, they are called to fellowſhip with the Sonne of God. Thirdly, 1 Cor. 1. 9.of the faithfulneſſe of God in the wayes of his free and ſaving grace; he failed not to ſend his own Sonne into the world according to his promiſe: We may truſt him to make good all that he hath ſpoken; the heaven of heavens, and bleſſed life, and immortality there is not too much, nor too good for believers. It is not ſo good as his own Son.
2. Be perſwaded to dwell upon theſe 2. Of Exhortation. Epheſ. 4. 13. Gal. 2. 20.meditations, untill thy heart be winned and perſwaded, firſt, to believe in the Sonne of God; ſecondly, to ſeek growth in the knowledge of the Sonne of God; and then thirdly, to live by faith of the Sonne of God; and fourthly, to digeſt this truth in the power of it, that thou mayeſt triumph over all. Brethren, beloved, look above all to this faith, that Joh. 20. 31 1 Joh. 5. 12.you may receive and have the Sonne in you, and that you may know you have him. Let there be the hearing of faith, the Confeſſion of faith, the emptyings of faith to reject all for him, to forget all for him; the application of faith; that makes us apply our ſelves to him, to draw near to the ſaving of the ſoul, and not to Mark this diſtination of the applying act of faithdraw back; that applies him to our ſelves in deſires of the hungry and thirſty, and in high prizings of the poor in ſpirit, and in the repo…e of the weary and laden, and in the breathings and aſpirings of the lowly, and in the waitings of thoſe that know no other door of mercy, till we come to the applications of comfortable perſwaſions, the obedience of faith, the betrothed Mat. 22. 12love which faith worketh, and the wedding garment of all Goſpel-dreſſe that may become the Eſpouſals of ſuch a Bridegroom.
3. And why ſhould we not delight our 3. Of Conſolation. Iſa. 8. 9, 10 & 9, 5, 6. Pſa. 2. 1, 2, 5, 6. 1 Joh. 5. 5.ſouls in this glorious principle of Chriſtian Religion, which leads us unto the holy One, the mighty One of Iſrael? for here we ſee, and from hence we meditate and threaten terrour to the aſſociations of all enemies: We carry victories over the world's luſts and lyes, errours and terrours, vanities and violence: We know the advancing and amplitude of the Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt: We are confirmed Pſa. 2. 6, 8. Ro. 8. 32. Heb. 2. 2, 3 & 12. 25, 26. & 10. 29. Joh. …7. 26 1 Joh. 4. 9. Rom. 8. 31. 32, 39.in the ſtability of all the promiſes, and in the greatneſſe of the ſin and miſery of all the diſobedient and contemners of the Goſpel: We have the love of God manifeſted, the love wherewith he loves his own Sonne reaching and claſping us; A love that cannot but freely give us all things, a love that aſſures God is for us, a love from which nothing can ſeparate us.