Thomas Adams
VERSE 17.
THe Apostle might seeme to have delivered a wonder, a paradox, an incredible mystery: he must now stand to it, and declare the wonder, explaine the paradox, unfold the mystery. What was it? that they had Seene the majestie of Christ. His Majesty? This is that wonder, that paradox, that mystery. The world had seene his paine, his contempt, his poverty; but his Majestie? It had seene him come thirstie to the fountaine, hungry to anothers table, weary to his repose, desiring entertainment where he found it not: but his Majesty? It had seene him crowned with thornes, bleeding with scourges, forsaken on the Crosse: but his majesty? It had seene him in the forme of servant, full of ignominie, full of misery; but full of Majesty? It never saw that. Well then, this Majesty doth our Apostle declare: he hath said it, he will prove it. For he received from the Father honour and glorie. We say, that honour conferred by the King, is dyed in graine, and will hold colour: yet it hath the change, for though the colour hold, the garment it selfe will weare out. Now when the garment is tottered to rags, farewell colour: so when the body is consumed to dust, farewell honour. But when the King of heaven gives honour, it will hold indeed: —hunc nec Iovis ira, nec ignis, Non ferrum poterit, nec edax abolere vetustas.
As Isaac said Iacob, I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed: so God saith of that man, I have honoured him, and he shall be honoured.
He received from God the Father, &c.] You see, the forme of the words is Receptory; He received. The parcels are five: Who, Christ; He received. Of whom, God; Of God the Father. What, Honour and glory. When; When the voice came from the excellent glory. How; This is my beloved Sonne, &c.
There could be no Testimony, Plenius vel planius, manifestius vel magnificentius more perspicuous, or more glorious. Honour requires reverence: God hath honoured his Sonne, let us honour the Father, and give the devout reverence of humble hearts to the whole Trinity.
He received.] This is the first Circumstance, the person to whom this honour is given. He received, but Receiving implies want; now is there any want in Christ? Coloss. 1.9. It pleased the Father, that in him should all fulnesse dwell. The oyle of gladnesse did so fill him, that it ran over the brinkes of his Humanity, and fills us his members. Of his fulnesse we have all received, grace for grace, Ioh. 1.16. The Plenitude of Christ was not Plenitudo sufficientiae, a sufficient fulnesse, enough to serve his turne: but superabundantiae, an over-flowing fulnesse; a sea of grace, able to fill all our chanels. Not Transitionis, a passing or vanishing fulnesse; as a Cisterne may full, and emptied againe by cockes: but Habitationis, a permanent and inexhaustible fulnesse: it dwels in him. How then is hee said to receive? Could there be addition, where is no defect? Can a thing be more than full? This receit doth in nothing prejudice the immensenesse of the Deity: for Christ must be considered two waies, as he is God, and as he is man. He that mediates betweene both, must be both. Here then the answer is easie; It is God that gives, and it is man that receives. The Father hath not more glory, omnipotent, or perfection, than the Sonne, as he is God; but as this Son of God is made the son of man, he receives grace and glory. God gives to man, and receives nothing of him: man receives of God, and gives nothing to him. Heare him speake as God; All thine are mine, Ioh. 17.10. Heare him as man, Vers. 9. They whom thou hast given me, are thine. As man he receives of the Spirit, Luke 14.18. As God he communicates to the Spirit, Ioh. 16.14. He shall receive of mine. The Son takes of the Father, and the Spirit takes of the Son, vers. 15. Yet so that what is of one Person, is of the whole Deitie; excepting onely those personal and individuall proprieties; as the Father to be the Father, and to beget; the Son to be the Son, and begotten, not to beget; the Spirit neither to beget, nor to be begotten, but to proceed. So the Son onely to be man, not the Father nor the Spirit. As God he had no beginning, as man he received a beginning in time, Galath. 4.4. As man, he was made of his mother; as God, his mother was made by him: so he is both Mariae Factor, & Filius, the Father of Mary, and the Son of Mary. As God, he chargeth us to Continue in verbo suo, in his owne Word, Ioh. 8.31. and vers. 51. If a man keepe my saying, he shall never see death. As man, he confesseth, Ioh. 7.16. My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. As he Iohn 8.49. honours the Father, so hee receives honour of the Father, Ioh. 13.32. God doth glorifie him, and is glorified in him. As God he sayes, I have of mine owne: as man, All things are delivered unto mee of the Father. As God, he doth what he will in heaven, and earth, and all places: as man; All power is given to me in heaven and in earth, Mat. 28.18. Thus is this doctrine cleane; that CHRIST, who as GOD gives all things, as he is man receives something here, Honour and glory.
Now for whom doth Christ come to be a Receiver? For whose sake did eternity admit an estate to receive in time? Perfection it selfe to grow in stature? Wisdome it selfe to increase in knowledge? not for himselfe, but for us. Contentus recipere, ut posset tribuere; He would take of God, that we might take of him, Gen. 13.2. Abraham was wealthy, exceeding rich in cattell, silver, and gold: yet when he recovered the spoile of Sodome, and it was re-offered him by the King; he tooke somewhat: but how much? no more than he meant to give away, Gen. 14.23. I will not take away any thing from thee for my selfe, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: but I will accept a portion for the young men that went with me. Christ was so rich, that he need not receive honour and glory: yet was hee content to receive it of his Father, that he might give it to us his children.
From God the Father.] This is the second Circumstance, of whom he received it. Here observe the manifest distinction of Persons in the Deity. The Father gives honour, the Sonne receives it. The Father speakes from heaven, the Sonne heares it. Personae non confundendae, sed suis proprietatibus secernendae, Aug. There must be no confusion of the Persons, but a distinction of their proprieties. We beleeve, there is a Father, Eò quod habet filium, because he hath a Sonne: wee beleeve there is a Sonne, Eò quod habet Patrem, because he hath a Father. We beleeve here is an Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Sonne, coequall and coevall with the Father and the Son. Because he is a Divine Person, and neither the Father nor the Sonne. Non confusa in una Persona Trinitas, against Sabellius: non digisa in natura Divinitas, against Arrius. The father is not greater than the Son, nor the Sonne than the Spirit: Eadem aequalitas, eadem aeternitas. But the father is said to send the sonne, and the sonne to send the Spirit: this seemes to implie some superioritie of the sender to the person sent? The Father sends, and is not sent: the Sonne sends, and is sent: the Holy Ghost is sent, and sendeth not: yet is there no inequalitie. There are three wayes of sending. 1. Per authoritatem, By authoritie, so a superior sends an inferior. 2. Per consilium, by advise and Councell: so the lesse may send the greater. As the privy Councell may send the king to take the aire, or to lead an army. So an equall may send his equall; as Act. 15. the Elders sent Paul and Barnabas to Ierusalem. 3. Per originem, as the fountaine naturally sends forth the spring. So the Father sends the Sonne, the Sonne sends the spirit. The father as the fountaine begets, the Son is begotten, the Holy Ghost proceeds. CHRIST is said to be sent in respect of his acception of another nature. Gal. 4.4. When the fulnesse of time was come, God sent his Son made of woman. The man confesseth; My Father is greater than I: yet in regard of his Person, I and my Father are one, Ioh. 10.30. And Saint Iohn addes to them the Holy Ghost, and concludes; These three are one.
The word Trinitie, say our Papicolists, is not found in the Scriptures: yet the substance of the word is apparent, Matth. 3. At the Baptisme of CHRIST, there was a manifestation of the three Persons. Patris vox auditur, &c. the voice of the Father is heard, the Humanitie of the Sonne is felt, the visible signe of the Holy Ghost is perceived. Who spake of his Son, but the Father, who was baptised and spoken to, but the Sonne? Neither of these appeared in the forme of a Dove, but the Holy Ghost. A Trinitie did begin both the world and the word, that is the Scripture. Gen. 1 Creavit Elohim coelum & terram. The verbe is singular, Creavit; noting the most simple essence of God. The substantive plurall, not El, but Elohim, to shew the pluralitie of Persons. It is observed on, Deut. 6.4. Dominus noster Deus unus est Dominus. The Lord our God is one Lord. Why doth Moses thrice mention the name of God, but to shew the distinction of three persons? Why doth he apply the word Vnus, One, to all of them, but to shew the unitie of essence? Why is Noster, Our, put in the second place; not in the first, nor in the last, but in the middle or second place; but to shew that the second person should take our nature upon him? Aug. Esa. 6.3. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hostes, the whole earth is full of his glory. Ter Sanctus, thrice is God called Holy, to note unto us the three persons. Dominus non domini, deus non dii; once Lord, once God: and the earth is full of His glory, not Their glory; here is the unitie of the essence. Gen. 1.26. Let us make man in = Image, Faciamus, let Vs make; there is a Pluralitie of Person. Ad imaginem nostram, to our Image, not Images; there is the unitie of the Essence. Matth. 28.19. Baptisme in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost. The Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost; there are three distinct Persons: in Nomine, non in nominibus; in the Name, not names; there is one Essence. The Holy Ghost is called the finger of God, CHRIST the Hand of the Father: now as the finger is in the hand, and the hand in the body: so of one and the same most pure and simple essence is the Father, Sonne, and Spirit. But as it was reported of Alanus, when he promised his auditorie to discourse the next Sunday, more clearely of the Trinitie, and to make plaine that mysterie: while he was studying the point by the Sea-side, he spied a boy very busy with a little spoone, trudging often betweene the sea and a small hole he had digged in the ground. Alanus asked him, what he meant: the boy answers, I intend to bring all the Sea into this pit. Alanus replies, why doest thou attempt such impossibilities, and mispend thy time? The boy answers; So doest thou Alanus: I shall as soone bring all the sea into this hole, as thou bring all the knowledge of the Trinitie into thy head: All is equally possible: we have began together, we shall finish together: saving of the two, my labour hath more hope and possibility of taking effect. I conclude with Bern. Scrutari temeritas, credere pietas, praedicare securitas, noscere aeterna faelicitas. It is rashnesse to search, godlinesse to beleeve, safenesse to preach, and eternall blessednesse to know the Trinitie, yet let us know to praise the Trinitie. In the words of our Church; Glory be to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the Holy Ghost, And let all answer; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.
Honour and Glory.] This is the third circumstance, the matter what he received Observe we here three collections.
1 CHRIST would receive honour of his Father. The divell would have given him glory: Matth. 4.8. When upon a high mountaine he shewed him all the kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them: All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worship me. Where was Promissum and Pactum: his promise, all these will I give thee: his Covenant, bargaine, or condition, Si cadens adoraveris me. If falling downe thou wilt worship me. This seemes to be a faire match; for one crouch of his knee, to have so many Crownes for his head: for a little prostration, so great promotion. If the divell had proffered this to Alexander, or to Cesar; it had beene a bargaine. When he made this offer to the Hierarchie of Rome, they presently tooke him at his word. But our Saviour would none of it: he knew that Satan could give no honour to another, that had none himselfe: that this glory would dishonour him, and his Father also. Therefore he requited him with, Get thee hence Satan. Men would have given him honour: they purposed to have Crowned him King. Ioh. 6.15. but he refused it. I receive not honour from men, Ioh. 5.41. Divine and religious honour he refused not: they worshipped him, this he suffered. He that honours me, honours my Father; this he preached. But humane and temporary honour he rejected; and would none of their hasty coronation with carnall hands. Ioh. 18.36. My kingdome is not of this world. Yea more, he sought not to honour himselfe. Ioh. 8.50. I seeke not mine owne glory. Verse 54. If I honour my selfe, my honour is nothing. Teaching us to accept praises from others lips, not to be our owne trumpets. But when the Father gives him Honour, this he receives, this is onely worth acceptance. 2 Cor. 10.18. For not he that commendeth himselfe is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. For this he prayes. Ioh. 12.28. Father, glorifie thy Name. The Father in honouring the Sonne, honoured himselfe. As CHRIST said; He that hath seene me, hath seene the Father: He that beleeves in me, beleeves in my Father: He that receives me, receives my Father: so he that honoureth me, honoureth my Father. But Honor in conference, non in accipiente; honor is in the Person giving it, not in him that receives it: but Christ that received it, was also God the giver of it. It is he that gives honour and glory, and it is he that takes honour and glory, and to him he honour and glory for ever.
2 All honour and glory is CHRISTS; as being delivered to him by the Father, Luk. 10.22. He is Primogenitus, the first begotten, the only begotten of God; only worthy of the kingdome. Rev. 5.12. Worthy is the Lambe that was slaine, to receive power, and honour, and glory. Worthy; when he takes it, he doth not Invadere alienum, or arripere indebitum; arrogate that to himselfe which is not his owne right: but Dignus est, he is Worthy. It is his owne proprietie; yet he is content to communicate and impart it. The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, Ioh. 17.22. The same glory Qualiter non Aequaliter: the same glory, not the same degree of glory. Eandem in natura, non in mensura: the same in nature, not so much in measure. Let the priviledge of Primogeniture be reserved to himselfe. 1 Cor. 15.41. There is one glory of the Sun, another glory of the Moone, and another glory of the Starres. Christ is that Sun which gives glory to us the starres. Of his fulnesse we have received grace for grace here, glory for glory hereafter. On earth the glory that divided, seemes to be diminished: and one thinke that, so much honour is taken from himselfe, as is added to another. But in heaven the glory of Christ shall not abated to himselfe, though it be communicated to millions. Nor shall ones glory ecclipse anothers: Tanta singulis, quanta omnibus: such shall be to every one, as is any one. We see to whom we are beholden for our honour. 2 Sam. 9.7. David graced Mephibosheth, set him at his owne table, teste••ed him all the land of his grandfather Saul; and all for the love that he bare to his father Ionathan. So God honoureth us, sets us at his owne table, yea Rev. 3.21. with his Son in his Throne; restoreth to us all the Inheritance which our Grandfather Adam lost, yea more than ever he possessed; and all this for his Sonne, and our Father, IESUS CHRIST his sake. King Pharaoh, honoured the Eleven Patriarchs for Iosephs sake, gave them the fat of the land of Aegypt, and highly enriched them. So GOD honoureth us with his his grace this life, and with his glory in the life to come, and all for Iesus his sake.
3 All true and blessed honour comes from God, and is to be sought there. Iob sayes, it is He that girds on the kings girdle. Promotion commeth neither from the East, nor from the West; from North nor South, but only from the Lord; saith the Psalmist. It is true that wordly honour is often arrogated: and Datur indigno dignitas. Dignitas a doo, non Indignus: the honour is of God, not the us worthy person that hath it. He alwaies gives Principatum, the dominion: not alwayes Principem, the Governour: for he may come to it by Intrusion, and hold it by usurpation.
The honour of this world is meerely titular. Either infeoffed to the bloud: and what glory is it to the degenerate sonne, that such a noble Father begot him? All greatnesse had a beginning, and the beginning of that greatnesse was Desert. Am noble? let me know, this Noblenesse is the lest part of mine: my fathers wonne it by their vertue: they had the glory, I enjoy but the Titles. This priviledge of bloud, without respondent vertues, is but an empty conduit pipe: it is a pipe still, but it hath = water in it. Another by his just merite hath gotten honour: it is derided, because is not derived: yet is that man more truely honourable. For the other weares but the shadow of his Predecessors triumphs: this man weares the substance of his owne. Et que non fecimus ipsi, vix ea nostra voco. It was a witty answer, that a young gentleman gave to Arnobius, one who disgraced his honour because it was of the first head: my Genealogie. is a shame to mee, but thou art a shame to thy Genealogie. Or, as a Prelates sonne said to a noble heire, who twitted his upstart Gentry: Ego sum ortus domus meae, tuos casus tua: I am the East or rising of my house, thou art the West, and falling of thine. It is a shame for a man to thinke, that the booke of his Pedigree, and his Fathers Seale-ring, are sufficient emblemes of honour: that he is glorious enough, because he is flattered. Or, it may bee, there is an honour entailed to riches as in the Citie, credit growes just as fast as money: and in the countrey, reputation is measured by the acre. Then honour must be overtaken, when it cannot be met. And now some honourable progenitor must be found out, that either was dead many hundred yeares since, or never was noble or perhaps never was at all. Moses condemned it for a hainous sin to steale children: but we have those that think it no sin to steale parents. This is a popular, ticular, ridiculous honour. If thou wouldest know such a one, Nudum i•spice, loo•e upon him naked, saith Seneca. Deponat patrimonium, let him put off his patrimonie, let him put off the vaine acclamations of the multitude, let him put off his popularity, let him put of his opulencle; & al•• fo•tui•••dudaci•, and all the other const•••ties of 〈◊〉 ••une: corpus ipsum exuat, animum intuere: let him put off his very body, looke thou into his soule. Then thou must see, Quia•••i•l qua•t n•f••, •••no 〈◊〉 ••gnuo; how noble he is, by observing how good he is whether he swell with another mans subtance, or stand upon his owne worth. A good man will not follow honour, but is all if he let it overtake him. Honorem Cato non debuit petere, sed civit •s ob v•t••• non petenti reddere, Aug. It was not for Cato to beg honour of the Citie, but the Citie to give him honour for his vertue.
Quintus Curtius writes of a Gardiner, a very poore man rich in all plentie, = plentie of riches. Alexander of Macedon proffered him the kingdome of Sidon but he refused it with this answere. Nunquam erit mihi curiae perdere, quod [nunquam] erat mihi curae potere. That shall never trouble me with care to lose, which did never trouble me with care to get. Memorable and worthy, and such a [procedent] may cast a blush on the cheekes of Christians: for wee are all too greedy of honour.
Well if we would be honoured, let us honour CHRIST: for in is, and from him comes, al Honour. The most noble deriving of our selves, is from Christ: the best Nobilitie is the nobilitie of Faith, and the best Genealogie the genealogie of good workes. Mens earthly glories are like their shadowes in the Sunne: the bodies shadow is at morning before us, at noon beside us, at night behind us. So their honour is at morning before them, in a goodly lustre: at noone in the full beside them, with a violent heate: at evening in the wane behind them, with a neglected pitie. Only some differ in their noone or meridian of greatnesse: for in stead of having their honour besides them, they are besides their honour. 1 Sam. 2.30. Them that honour me, I will honour: and they that despise me, shall be light esteemed; saith the Lord. He that shall seeke the Lords honour, and neglect his owne: shall find his owne honour in the Lords. A man while hee hunts after his owne shadow, flies from the same and his shadow is still unovertaken before him: but when he turnes his face to the sunne, and followes that, his shadow will follow him. He that seekes honour, and turnes his backe upon CHRIST, cannot reach it; it is too swift of foote for him let him turne his face to CHRIST, and follow him; behold, honour waies at his backe, and will never faile to attend him. Now seeing we looke for all honour and glory from CHRIST, let us ascribe all honour and glory to CHRIST, singing that heavenly Hymne, Revel. 7.12. Blessing, and glory, and wisedome, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might bee unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
When there came such a voice to him from this excellent glory.] This is the fourth circumstance, the time when; the Apostle Beheld, and their Master record, this glory and Majestie. For to this we must restore the last clause of the former verse: They were eye-witnesses of his Majestie: when? at this time, when there come such a voice from the excellent glory. Considering therefore together, their ocular Testimonie, with his audible assurance from the supreme glory; we may justly conceive here three things:
A Spectacle, with the time of it; When they saw it. Oracle; Such a voice from heaven. Miracle; that a uoice should be heard on earth, which came, from the excellent glory.
So there is in the words, Quando, Qu•••ando, inde When it was; at the time of his glorious testification. How, by a voice, such a voice. From whence, from the excellent glory.
When there come.] The precise denomination of the time and place of this glorious revelation, but beene questionable, but without al doubt it we 〈…〉 figuration no the mount, for so the Apostle declares himselfe in the next verse. Albeit but his Majestie might appeare also at other times, and in other matters, yet here most conspicuously.
For they speake not here of Christs = in triumph to Ierusalem, 〈…〉 〈◊〉 . When the people gave the acclamation of Hosanna, and Blessed is he that [commeth]** in the Name of the Lord; they then saw his Majestie. Ver. 5. Tell yee the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy king commeth. Though meekely, sitting upon an Asse; yet thy King. The veile of his humility was so farre lifted up, that they might see his Majestie. But the Apostle speakes of a sight, not common to the people, but peculiar to themselves.
They speake not here of his miracles, wherein also appeared his Majestie. When he quieted the winds and seas, walked on the waters, raised the dead, cast out divelsl here was Majestie. When, Matth. 21.12. he went into the Temple, cast out all them that bought and sold in it, and overthrew the tables of the mony changers. Ierome conceives this to be the greatest of all his miracles. His wonders did evidently prove his majestie. Now these were of two sorts; such as he wrought upon the bodies of men, which we most admire because they are most visible, and subject to sense. And other, that he wrought upon the minds of men; Quantum ad immutandas interiores [vires], as the Schoole speakes; to the change of the inward power: and these were the greater miracles; but because they were not so visible, therefore not so remarkable. Act 4.13. The Iewes hearing the words, and seeing the wonders, wrought by Peter and Iohn and perceiving that they were unlearned men; Admirabantur, they thought it a miracle: and conclude, that they had beene with IESUS. If this [miracle] be wrought upon a man, that his conscience be sanctified, sure he hath beene with Iesus, or Iesus hath beene with him. Matth. 9.9. CHRIST findes Matthew at the receite of custom; and saies but, Follow me, and he arose and followed him. Though he sate at the custome house, like an Vsurer in his broking house, yet upon his call he followed him. Fulgur divinae majestatis videntem ad se traxit. Some strange lightning of Majestie appeared in his lookes, and miraculously drew a worldling unto him, Luk. 4.29. They brought him to the brow of a steepe hill, purposing to cast, him downe headlong; But he passing through the mids of them, went his way. Stare in [medio] insidiantum, & non apprehendi; to stand in the midst of his enemies, and no [man] able to lay hands upon him; here was a great majestie, Chrys. Ioh. 18.6. The blind rabble came with torches, the cowards with swords, a traitor with a band of men; = as if multitudes were not sufficient, there must be Officers among them: but what was the issue? Assoone as he said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. With the breath of two short wordes, sweetely and kindly spoken, Ego [sum], I am he; they were repelled. Quid faciet judicaturus, qui hoc fecit judicandus? Quid regnaturus poterit, qui hoc moriturus potuit? Aug. What can he doe when he shall iudge, that did thus when he was to be judged? What shall be his power raigning, when such was his power even dying? Here was Majestie. But of all, that Matth. [21.12]. did farre transcend in expressing his Majestie. That one man unarmed, without guard of souldiers, without a Commission from Herod or Cesar: in despight of the Scribes that hated him: of the people that contemned him: should cast forth men, tradesmen, covetous tradesmen! How Demetrius would have stormed to see his occupation of silver shrines endangered, endammaged; and cryed out two houres together; Great is Diana of the Ephesians! Yea, that he should cast forth abundance of them; such a multitude of men and cattell, that a pretty army could hardly have performed it. And that with a little Whip, without noise, contradiction, or tumult! Oh here was Majestie. Igneum quiddam & Sydereum radiabat in oculis ejus. Hieron. Something more bright than the fire or starres did certainely shine in his eyes. Such a Majestie of Divinitie appeared in his lookes, that none durst resist him. Origen. This was a greater miracle, than turning water into wine: there Inanimata materia, a matter without life doth yeeld unto him: but in this, Tot milium hominum [domantur] ingenia; the refractary and perverse hearts of many thousands of obstinate men are convinced. Here they might manifestly see his Majestie: but of this our Apostle discourseth not.
Nor yet of that visible scissure of heaven, Matth. 3. Where was manifest the heavens apertion, the Spirits descension, the Fathers testification; This is my beloved Sonne. There was a voice, and a voice from heaven, and witnessing the same thing that here: even there they were eye-witnesses of his majestie: but neither is that place meant here.
Now is it understood of that testimonie, Ioh. 12.28. There was also a voice, and a voice from heaven and from the Father in heaven; and a voice that honoured CHRIST, I have both glorified it, and I will glorifie it againe. The people said, it Thundred, others that an Angell spake; CHRIST, saies plainely, that the voice came for their sakes. Ver. 30. Here also were they witnesses of his Majestie: but neither to that testimonie hath our Apostle here a reference.
Nor is it meant of his Resurrection from death, worthy of all admiration. When out of a Sepulcher, a sepulcher not of earth, but of Stone, one entire stone without any seame or fissure in it: another stone rolled to it, that stone sealed that seale guarded: the Lord arose, bursting the bands of death, and triumphing over the grave: manifesting himselfe to one, to two, to tenne, to more than five hundred brethren at once, and thus dwelling on the earth fortie dayes! Here was a cleare demonstration of his powerfull majestie.
Lastly, it is not referred to his triumphant Ascension; when he led captivitie captive, and went up gloriously to the place whence he came. At this the Apostles were present, beholding while he was taken up, Act. 1.9. He was received out of their sight, therfore till that moment they had the sight of him. They saw the Angels the testified it; Why stand yee gazing up into heaven? This same Iesus shall come from heaven, in the like manner as yee have seene him goe into heaven. They saw him, and they worshipped him, Luk. 24.52. Here was also an apparant manifestation of his majestie. Act. 1.8. Yee shall be witnesses unto me. Himselfe told them immediately before, that they should be witnesses of this: and here was a sufficient Majestie for their testimonie, and they gave a sufficient testimonie of that Majestie.
But yet Saint Peter intends another, and that a more especially instance: not seene to the people, as were some of the former glories: nor to all the Apostles, as were the rest. But particularly to three, whom the LORD IESUS chose one. Matth. 17.1. Iesus taketh Peter, and Iames, and Iohn, and bringeth them up into a high mountaine apart: And was transfigured before them. Why this revelation was given to them three only; Non qui legit, sed qui elegit, novit: not he that reads it, but he he that chose them knowes. So far as we may soberly, and with due reverence search the next verse will fitly call on us to consider.
But why did the Apostle single out that Time and Place, more than any other, to exemplifie CHRISTS Majestie, and the honour confer’d on him by the Father. 2. Because Moses and Elias appeard to him there: in all the rest of his miracles he had no company but men on earth, now he had a testimonie from two glorious Saints in heaven. His command was knowen to be great over the creatures below, this was every day conspicuous: but that now it should extend to heaven, but was an ample shew of Majestie. 2. But especially because he was caelesti gloria vestitus; his face shining as the Sunne, and his rayment white as the light. Nil terrenum conspiciebatur, sed caelestis undique refulgebat Majestas. Nothing of earth was seene, but a divine and heavenly Majestie appeared. For this was a little mappe of heaven, a glimpse or abridgement of that infinite glory. Before his power might appeare, = under the veile of his mortall flesh: now the manhood is become glorious. As the fire makes every thing that is cast into it, like it selfe: so the glory circling him, and inherent upon his body, similem sibi reddidit humanitatem, made his humanitie gloririous like it selfe.
This was then the most magnificent demonstration of his Majestie; where heaven was brought downe to earth to illustrate it. He rose from the grave to the earth of the living, there was Majestie, Rom. 1.4. For in this he declared himselfe to be the Sonne of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead. He ascended from the earth to heaven, there was Majestie. But here he commanded heaven to come downe to him, this was the greatest declaration of his Majestie. Now he sits in heaven with Majesty, Hebr 8.1. On the right hand of the Throne of the Majestie in the heavens. He shall one day come to judge the world with Majesty. The Lord hath given him this honour and Majestie; A Name which is above every name. Let us ascribe glory to that majesty, and blessed be his Majesty for ever! Here now it is plaine, what the Apostles saw: the world was eye-witnesse of his misery, they, of his Majestie. The world beheld him in the forme of a Servant, they as their Master and Maker. The world, as a worme, not a man: they, as the King of glory. The world, as a thing not desireable: they, as Fairer than all the children of men, Psal. 45.2. Blessed eyes admitted to this vision! It was Saint Augustines wish to have seene three things: Rome in glory, Paul in the Pulpit, CHRIST in the flesh. That is now past hope here on earth, our labour must be to see him hereafter in Heaven. Esay 33.17. Thine eyes shall see the King in his beautie. LORD give us this vision, this fruition, and we are then blessed for ever.
Such a voice.] This is the second point, the manner how God testified, concerning the honour of his Sonne: by a voice, his owne voice. The Logicians distinguish betweene Sonus, Vox, and Verbum; a Sound, a Voice, and a Word. Sound of insensible things, as Lute, Organ, &c. Voice, of sensible, but irrationall, as beasts: a Word, of that which hath both sense and reason, man. Here is a Voice, at a Word with it. A word is first conceived in the heart, and then uttered by the voice: yet we heare the voice before we know the word. Iohn calls himselfe, The voice of a Crier: CHRIST the eternall Word, was before Iohn, and all other voices. For, Ioh. 1.1. In the beginning was the Word: and that beginning was before all beginnings, without beginning; Principium sine principio: yet the world knew not the Word, till it was preached by the voice of men and Angells. The word in it selfe is before the voice, yet to us the voice goes before the word, Iohn 1.15. Hee = commeth after me, was before me. Tully commends voices, Socrates for sweetnesse, Lysias for subtiltie, Hyperides for sharpenesse, Aeschines for shrilnesse, Demosthenes for powerfulnesse. Gravity in Affrican, smoothnesse in Laelius; rare voices! In holy Writ we admire a sanctified boldnesse in Peter, profoundnesse in Paul, loftinesse in Iohn, vehemencie in him and his brother Iames, those two sonnes of Thunder; fervencie in Simon the zealous. Among Ecclesiasticall Writers, we admire waight in Tertullian, a gracious composure of well mattered words in Lactantius, a flowing speech in Cyprian, a familiar statelinesse in Chrysostome, a conscionable delight in Bernard, and all these graces in good Saint Augustine. Some construed the Scriptures allegorically, as Origen: some literally, as Hierome: some morally, as Gregory: others pathetically, as Chrysostome: others dogmatically, as Augustine. The new writers have their severall voices: Peter Martyr copiously judiciall: Zanchius judiciously copious. Luther wrote with a cole on the walls of his chamber: Res & verba Philippus, res sine verbis Lutherus, verba sine re Erasmus, Nec res nec verba Carolostadius. Calvine was behinde none, not the best of them, for a sweet dilucidation of the Scriptures, and urging of sollid arguments against the Antichristians. One is happie in expounding the words, another in delivering the matter, a third for cases of conscience, a fourth to determine the Schoole-doubts. But now put all these together: an hundred Peters and Pauls, a thousand Bernards and Augustines, a million of Calvins and Melancthons: let not their voices be once named with this voice. They all spake as children, this is the voice of the Ancient of dayes, Ioh. 7.46. Never spake man, as GOD himselfe speaketh. Herod, it seemes, had a pleasing voice, when he drew to himselfe such an acclamation, Act. [12.22]. It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. But the Angell proved to Herods confusion, that acclamation to be the voices of men, not of God. But this voice that came from heaven concerning this God and man, was the voice of God, not of man. The Angell that talked with Zachary, spake Debarim tohim, debarim nehummim, Zach. 1.13. Good words, and comfortable words. But this voice is the voice of Power, the voice of comfort, the voice of love, the voice of life. Man hath virtutem vocis, power to speak: but God reserves to himselfe vocem virtutis, to speak in power, Psal. 67.33. Loe, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice. Saint Paul had a powerfull voice, when he said to the Creeple with a loud voice, stand upright on thy feet: And he leaped and walked, Act. 14.10. In so much that when the people saw it, they cried; The gods are come downe to us in the likenesse of men. S. Peter had a power full voice, when he perswaded three thousand soules at one Sermon. But this voice of power gave power to all their voices. Herodotus tells us of an Aegyptian, that had in shrill a voice, that From the Promontory of Hister he was heard by Histaeus, Admirall of Darius, being then at Miletum. But this is the voice, that shall one day be heard from one end of the world to the other. Christ here heard the voice of his Father, we shall all heare the voice of Christ, Ioh. 5.28. The houre commeth, in the which = that are in the graves shall heare his voice. This shall be a wonderfull voice, terrible to the wicked. When Ioseph revealed himselfe to his brethren; I am Ioseph, Gen. 45.3. they could not answer him, for they were terrified at his presence. But when he added, ver. 4. Frater vester, I am Ioseph, Your brother, they were then comforted. When Christ shall say to the reprobates, I am Iesus; Iesus whom yee contemned, scorned, persecuted, sacrilegiously robbed; whose servants ye have hated; they shall be confounded. But when he addes to the faithfull, Frater vester, I am Iesus, Your Brother; they shall be with heavenly peace rejoyced. Will you consider the power of the Lords voice? Looke Psal. 29. The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire. The Nightingale hath a sweet voice, but a leane carcase: vox & praeterea nihil; a voice, and nothing else but a voice: and so have all hypocrites. But the Lords voice will be against them with a Woe, Heb. 3.15. To day if ye will heare his voice, harden not your hearts. Let us now heare his voice with obedience, lest we one day heare it with a vengeance. Non vox hominem sonat, O Deus certè. It is not an ordinary voice, but Vox hujusmodi, Such a voice. Saul said to his subject, 1 Sam. 24.16. Is this thy voice, my son David? Well may we say; Is this thy voice, O Lord our King? We will then obey it, Psal. 85.8. I will heare what the Lord will speake, for he will speake peace to his people. The Lord, apply this voice to our hearts, and our hearts to this voice.
From the excellent glory.] This is the last circumstance, the place whence it came. There is a great distance betweene Mount Tabor and heaven: yet was a voice heare in the hill, which came De magnifica illa gloria, From that excellent glory. There be glories in the world, but they are not Excellent. Israel ascribes glory to Reuben, but hea ddes an instabilitie to it, Gen. 49.4. Reuben, the excellencie of dignitie, and the excellencie of power; but unstable as waters, thou shalt not excell. Vnstable as waters, that is, a fluid glory: Thou shalt not excell, there is a barre in the Armes. Such a the condition of all worldly glory; but the glory that shall bee revealed in us, is an exceeding and eternall waight, 2 Cor. 4.17. This Glory is admirable in foure excellencies: for the Dignity, for the Clarity, for the verity, and for the Eternity of it.
1 For Dignitie, it is a glory: and this hath beene the scope of most mens endevours and reaches. There is not the silliest Artizan, Manuary, or Mechanick, but would be glorious for something. Mutius Scevola burnt his owne hand for striking amisse. Curtius in glittering armour, mounted on his horse, cast himselfe headlong into a gulfe, to deliver his countrey from the plague: Vicit amor patria, laudúmque immensa cupido. If they did thus for a puffe, what should we doe for this excellent glory! Esa. 23.8. The Citizens of Tyre are said to have beene [compared] unto Princes: but in this glory, every Citizen is a crowned King: none but King 〈◊〉 free men of that Incorporation. Where a man shall videre ad voluntatem, habet [ad] voluptatem, frui ad securitatem; see what he liketh, have what he delighteth, and enjoy it without envie, without end. Non est timor in finibus tuis, quia Dominus posuit fines tuos pacem; There is no feare in the borders of it, for the Lord hath compa••• it with peace for ever.
2 For Claritie, it is not a hidden, but as Saint Paul saith, a Revealed glory. ki•• now indeed hidden; but when Christ our life shall appeare, then shall we also appeare with him in glory, Col. 3.4. Cleare, both for Condition, it shall be excellent: for cognition and apprehension, it shall be seene in the full excellencie of it. It is Perenne solstitium: nec [longitudo] terminum, nec claritas occasum, nec satietas fastidium habebit, Bern. It is an everlasting Solstice; the length is interminable, the brightnesse unchangeable, the fulnesse unweariable. Our very bodies shall be made glorious; The righteous shall shine as the Sunne. Qualis erit splendor animarum, quando solis splendorem habebit lux corporum? Bern. What shall be the glory of our soules, when the Sun it selfe shall not equall the glory of our bodies? If the glory of the body be but the body of glory: then the soule of glory is the glory of the soule. Yea, then the Sun shall septuple his owne glory, and we shall centuple the glory of the Sun. It is a glory to the Firmament, that it is stucke full of such shining lampes; a thousand times excelling the luster of precious stones. O then thinke what it will be, to walke in the Courts of heaven, and to behold so many millions of Stars; spirituall and intellectuall Stars: a sight able to ravish us! If they that dwell in the Courts of Kings, make such a glorious shew with their garments, borrowed from worms, or from the earths excrementall bowels: what a delightfull a sight will it be to behold the splendour of Gods owne immortall Courtiers!
3 For verity, it shall be indeed, not in shew only, but upon us. The worldling is all glorious without, but the Kings daughter is all glorious within, Psal. 45.14. That is a shadow, this a substance. Civill honour, sayes the Philosopher, is not in the person honoured, but honouring: the worldlings glory depends on the possession of vaine matters, and the breath of vaine men; therefore hath no true being. But this is a true and substantiall glory, because affixed to him whose glory is immutable, 2. Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us an exceeding and eternall weight of glory. The crosse is light, the crowne weightie. The crosse but for a moment, the crowne for ever. The pleasures of sin are but for a season; therefore nothing, being compared with that infinite waight of eternall wrath. But as the seven yeares of famine in Aegypt, did quite eat up the seven yeares of plenty: so the reprobates endlesse paines shall eat up their short pleasures. On the contrary, there is a time to weepe, and a time to laugh: the good man shall not much remember the dayes of his sorrow, because God answereth him in the joy of his heart, Eccles. 5.20. not much remember it, not all. Therefore Non quaeras in via, quod tibi servatur in patria, Aug. Let us not seeke for that in our journey, which is onely to be found in our countrey. Let the world take these shadowes; it is a portion my soule desireth not, only may she be sped of this substantiall glory through Iesus Christ.
4 For the Eternity; if it had an end, it were not excellent. We see commonly, that high glories here waste themselves, and goe out in stench; like great candles in windy houses: that can be no excellent glory. If we love this life, which we feele to be miserable, and and know wil end: how should we love that life, where is no feare, either to die, or to live in trouble. Nothing but happy eternity, and eternall felicitie, Ioh. 14.2. In my Fathers house are many mansions: here we have no abiding citie, but dwell in Tabernacles, set up to day, and pulled downe to morrow. Our best houses on earth, let them be never so glorious: if it were possible; let their walls be of gold, and their windowes of Saphire: yet they are no better than Innes for strangers. But our mansions in heaven abide for ever. I goe to prepare a place for you, saith Christ: but it is said, Matth. 25.34. Inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world. These were prepared before; now then did Christ goe to prepare them? Saint Augustine answers; They were prepared from everlasting, but the men that should inhabite them were unprepared. Parat quodammodo mansiones, mansionibus parando mansores; He went first to take possession of this Kingdome, and there sets open the doores of those prepared mansions for us.
Here is then the figure of heaven: it is glory, therefore excellent: yea, substantiall glory, more excellent: yea, a Crowne of glory, most excellent. It is a Kingdome, and Immobile regnum, a kingdome that cannot be moved. It is an Inheritance, and ann immortall inheritance; all excellent. It is excellent, and a Glory; yea, The excellent glory. What wouldst thou have? Is any thing better than life? Is any life better than a life of glory? Is any glory better than a kingdome of glory? Is any kindom surer than the Kingdome of Heaven? Yet this Kingdome, this Life, this Glory, this excellent Glory, is prepared for us. The Lord hath prepared this excellent glory for us; the Lord prepare us for this excellent glory!
This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am well pleased.] This is the last generall Circumstance of the Verse; the matter and substance of the Testimony from the Father. This; the word shewes him to be that Messias, long before prophecied, presently after the fall promised, ere the world was purposed, and now manifested. This, singularly; not another, but this is He. My Son, consubstantially, because begotten of mine owne substance. Originally mine, by union of nature: though in him other be made mine also, by adoption of grace. Beloved, Eternaliter; not in time accepted, but before all beginning begotten. In whom I am well pleased, and never was offended: all other men were the children of wrath, I could not be pleased with them: but in this Son I rest. He pleaseth the Father by himselfe, all other only by him. Here is Propriatas Personae, unitas naturae, Dignitas gratiae, Foelicitas meriti; This is, there is the Propriety of Person: My Son, there is the unity of nature: Beloved son, there is the Dignity of grace: In whom I am well pleased, there is the Felicity of merit. In him well pleased; in all with him, in none without him: in Himselfe without all, before all, above all. Here is the Testimony; This is my beloved Sonne, &c. For methods salt we observe in this heavenly voice three notes: Distinctionem Personae. This is my Sonne. Dilectionem Distincti. My Beloved Sonne. Sufficientiam Dilecti. In whom I am well pleased.
This is my Son.] Son, this distinguisheth his Person: Father and Son are relatives, one depending necessarily on the other, Luke 1.32. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. With this Christ opposed the Iewes, that questioned him concerning the Son of David. If David called him Lord, he must needs be the Son of God. Now he is the Son of God two wayes: First, by Nature, of the Eternall substance of his Father: not after a carnall manner, for hee departed with no substance, nor suffered any change, losse, or diminution. Secondly, as he was the Son of Mary: and this other Sonship in regard of God, was not by nature, not by adoption; for then there had been a time when he was not the Son of God: but by Personall union. The man Christ never was a Person of it selfe, but was at the first Personally united to the Son of God. The Son of Mary was ever the Son of God, but the Son of God was not ever or alwayes the Son of Mary. This was necessary, saith Augustine, that the Mediator betweene God and man, should be of the Natures, both of God and man. Ne in utro que homini similis, longe esset à Deo: vel in utro que Deo similis, longe esset ab homine; Lest being in every respect God, he had been too great to suffer for man: or being in every respect man, he had bin too weak to satisfie God. Non [alter] à Patre, alter à virgine: sed aliter à Patre, aliter à virgine, Eus. Emiss. God of God, God the Son of God the Father. Fulgent. Alter in Persona, non alius in natura; If he were the same Person, how is he here called Filius, a Son? If he were not the same Nature, how is he called Meus, My Son? Son, thou art therefore another Person. My Son, thou art therefore the same God.
This filiality doth not chalenge him of inferiority to God. But Phil. 2.6. he is said to be In the forme of God: yet it is added, He thought it no robbery to be equall with God. So it is said, Vers. 7. that he tooke upon him the Forme of a Servant. Si forma servi est natura humana, forma Dei est natura divina; If the forme of a servant be the nature of man, then the forme of God is the very nature of God. This the Iews could easily interpret; Iohn 5.18. He said that God was his Father, making himselfe equall with God. When he called God his Father, they could presently infer, Illum se fecisse parem Deo; That he made himselfe equall with God: and that is no other thing, than to be true God in nature and subsistence. Semper apud Patrem, semper cum Patre, semper de Patre, semper in Patre. Filius ex ipso, cum ipso, hoc quod ipse, Lomb. Alwayes with the Father, alwayes of the Father, alwayes in the Father, alwayes the same God that the Father. So also very man of mans flesh, according to mans nature, for mans sake, above mans condition. Psal. 2.7. The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. This might be said by God to David in type, but only agrees Christ in truth. David indeed was Gods son, as he was a man, as he was a King, as he was a Saint. 1. As man; so are all men, Act. 17.28. We also are his off-spring. Psal. 100.3. He made us, and not we our selves, therefore we are his sons, Deu. 32.6. Is not he thy Father that made thee? 2. As King, for all Princes are the Children of the most High, Psal. 82.3. Lastly, as a sanctified man; for he that is new-borne is the son of God, 1 Ioh. 3.9. He cannot sin because he is borne of God. But this title most properly belongs to Christ, and that in respect of his generation temporall and eternall. Some construe it of his temporary birth, because Hodie in the Scripture signifies this present life, Heb. 3.13. While it is called To day. Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee: that is, To day I have brought my begotten Son into the world. So Hebr. 1.6. When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world. Begotten before all beginning, but made flesh in time; proposed to the world in humane flesh, at the decreed fulnesse of time. Others understand it of Christs eternall generation: My Son; others are my sons improperly, but thou art properly my Son; my naturall, singular, substantiall Son. A Sonne, not by creation, as the whole world is: not through adoption, as the whole Church is: but by nature and incommunicable generation, as himselfe only is. Primogenitus, Vnigenitus, the expresse character of his Person, and brightnesse of his glory. But there is then exception against the Word Hodiè: why To day my Son, when as for ever his Son? Aug. Apud Deum nunquam crastinus, nunquam hesternus dies est, sed semper Hodiè; With God it never is Yesterday, nor To morrow, but alwayes To day: all times are present with him. Vbi dies nec hesterni fine inchoatur, nec initio crastini terminatur, semper hodiernus est; Where never was, nor can be night, must needs be eternall day.
My Sonne.] This Flesh that stands before you, is the naturall Sonne of God: which gives us to understand, the infinite honour that belongs to Iesus Christ. Though our nature was once poore and wretched through our degeneration, yet now it is made noble and blessed through this Personall union. And the Lord Iesus did habitually honour it, even above the nature of Angels, Hebr. 2.16. For Christ in his very birth, was the most excellent and noble man that ever was: and that both by Fathers side and Mothers side. By Father, being the Son of Almighty God: by Mother, descending of the Patriarkes and renowned Kings of Iudah. A truely great Prince! wherein consists a kingdom? In authority? Psal. 135.6. He doth whatsoeuer he will, in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and all deepe places. In Power, Mat. 8. The winds and the seas obey him. In multitude of subjects? Angels, Saints, and all Kings are his Subjects; either voluntary, or against their wils, Psal. 82.1. He standeth in the congregation of the mighty, and judgeth among the gods. In abundance? Psal. 16.11. In his presence is the fulnesse of joy. In continuance? He shall reigne over the house of Iacob for ever, Luke 1.33. and of his Kingdome there shall be no end. In amplitude and largenesse? The heaven is his, and the earth is his, and the fulnesse of them both. In subduing enemies? Luke 19.2. Bring those mine enemies, that would not have me reigne over them, and slay them before me.
The faithfull doe not hold Christ in small account, because of his poore estate in this world; but prefer him to Nobles and Kings. They had no such Herald, to blazon their Armes as he: even Iohn the Baptist, not a greater borne of women. Yea here, Matth. 11.11. even God himselfe with a voice from heaven proclaimes it. They have no such memoriall of their antiquity, as he, whom S. Luke lines from Adam, S. Matthew derives from David and Abraham. It is impossible for them: for there is no such Instructer of antiquity, or Recorder of Genealogie, as the Holy Ghost. Great Monarks have long and tedious titles: Christ is short in sound, but Eternal in sense; This is my beloved Son.
This gives comfort to us: for CHRIST being so royall, and taking our flesh, conveyes part of his noblenesse to us. Men stand much on their bloud, and the pedegree of their Ancestors: as if noblenesse consisted in that which descends from, man to man. All true and waighty honour is fetched from CHRIST: Not my Birth, but my Christianitie, makes me noble; faid that noble Martyr, Romanus. To so many as received Christ, he gave power to be the sonnes of God, Ioh. 1.12. This engraffing to Iesus, is the dignitie, true bloud Royall of God Himselfe. Not Generation, but Regeneration is truely noble. Sanctification is the best ornament of blood, the worthiest part of the Honourable Scutchion, the fairest flower in the Goodmans Garland. It is no discredit to mens honours, to honour Him. We love to peruse the Genealogie of Princes, and succession of States: but what are these to us? we are not heires to those honours. But if CHRISTS Title be good, ours is good in him. Thus we are enriched with the whole world. Cor. 3.22. Whether the world, things present, yea or things to come; All are yours, and yee are Christs, and Christ is Gods. But because the wicked have this world, that have no right unto it therefore Feare not little flocke, it is your fathers will to give you the kingdome, Luke 12.32. Bee we never so poore, even the contempt of this world; rich men scorning our acquaintance; yet he that is the onely Sonne of God, is not ashamed to call us brethren, Heb. 2.11. An earthly Prince may honour much; by enrobing a subject with Princely apparell, investing his head with the Crowne Royall, and mounting his person in the Kings owne Charriot, Esa. 6.8. But Christ doth honour infinitely more; by adorning us with white garments, Palmes in our hands, and Crownes on our heads, and that before the Angels in heaven. Psalm. 149.8. Such honour have all his Saints.
This is my Sonne;] This is he, which the Prophet, presignified, the types prefigured, the Lord himselfe promised, the Gospell presented, and is now universally preached; This is he. Elias was a great Prophet, but not He: Iohn Baptist was more than a Prophet, but not He. Ioh. 1.8. He was not that light, but a witnesse of it. This is He. He that fulfilled all the prophecies, performed all the promises, ended all the Ceremonies; This is Hee. Hager and Ishmael were kept in Abrahams house, till Isaac was borne and weaned: so were ceremonies reserved in the Church, till Christ was dead and risen. They were like a mould, whereinto we cast a bell: when the mettall is runne, and the bell made, we throw away the mould. He that was crucified himselfe, crucified all these. The Philistins aske for Sampson; who is he that hath given us so many overthrowes, triumphed in our ruines? This is hee. So, who is that strong God, that could say to the gates of death and hell, Ephphata, be yee opened? This is he. Who is he that conquered the devill, foiled death in his owne Throne, led captivitie captive, overcame sin that overcame the whole world; that pacified an infinite wrath, that made way to an infinite glory; who? This is he; this is my beloved Sonne.
Beloved Sonne.] Gods love to his Sonne is eternall, infinite, inexpressible. Ioh. 3.35. The Father loveth the Sonne, and hath given all things into his hand. Ioh. 17.24. Thou lovest me before the foundation of the world. Col. 1.13. Transtulit nos in regnum filii dilectionis suae: his deare Sonne; the Son of his love. 1. Because he is most worthy of all to be loved: as Iudas is called the Sonne of perdition, because hee was most worthy to be destroied. 2. Because he was begotten of his Fathers love from euerlasting. 3. Because he is infinitely filled with this love. So they are said to be children of the Bride-chamber, that are full of joy in respect of the wedding. 4. Because he makes other sonnes to be beloved. Filius dilectus, qui facit dilectos. 5. In respect of his humane nature; For God powred his love upon him with gifts beyond measure, wherewith that nature is admirably qualified. Beloved: here are two scandals taken away by this word. First, that we may not thinke Christ to be sent in the flesh ab irato Patre, from God the Father being angry: for he is his Beloved sin. Next, that when we are afflicted, we should not thinke our selves minus a Deo diligi, to be the lesse beloved of God, for he loves the Sonne, whom he scourges.
But how appeares this love, when God did so cast him downe that he seemed = to hate him? Law•. 1.1•. Vindemiavit me Dominus; The Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. God afflicts some in mercie, but this was in wrath. In his wrath God is not a like to all: some he afflicts more mildly; but this was in his fierce wrath. His sufferings, his Sweat, and Cup, import so much: they could not come, but from a wrath whereof never was the like. Two things especially may seeme to abate the Fathers love to his Sonne. First, his sweat in the Garden. Luk. [22.44]. Which was as it were great drops of bloud falling downe to the ground. When no manner of violence was offered him in body, none touching him: in a cold night, for they were glad of a fire within doores: lying abroad in the aire, and upon the cold earth; to be all or a sweat, and that sweat to be bloud, and that not a thinne faint one, but Grumosus, of great drops; and those so many as went through his apparell, and streamed to the ground in abundance: never was the like sweat. But secondly, to be in this distresse, and then to want comfort! This was his most sorrowfull complaint; not that his friends on earth, but that his Father from heaven had forsaken him. So that betweene the passioned powers of his foule, and whatsoever might refresh him, there was a Traverse drawne: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Martyrs in their most exquisite paines had some chearefulnesse. Augustine answers Martyres non eripuit, sed nunquid deseruit? God did not deliver them, but did he forsake them? He freed not their bodies, he left not their soules. But here, Direliquisti me, thou hast forsaken me. How then was he beloved? non solvit unionem sed subtraxit visionem. The influence was for the time restrained, the power of darkenesse let loose to afflict him, and the vision of comfort not permitted to releeve him: yet still the Lord loved him. But this shewes how immensely God loved us: when he seemed to forsake his Sonne for a time, that he might embrace his servants for ever. Yea, how much CHRIST loved us; that would be content to suffer a sense of this desertion for a while, that we might not be eternally lost. Thou wast forsaken for us, let not us forsake thee, neither doe thou forsake us, oh blessed Iesus!
In whom I am well pleased.] This was a voice never heard since the fall of man, till that instant. That God was justly angry with the world, it was manifest: but to have him now pleased with the world, or any man in it, this was rare and sweet. Never was man borne before of woman, that had this grace. Though it were said to Mary, Haile thou art highly honoured, or much graced; yet this was for her sons sake. Propter filii meritum, mater in enit gratiam: the honour done to the mother, was for the merite of the Sonne. The Father tooke all delight in the Sonne. Esa. 42.1. Behold mine elect, in whom my soule delighteth. And in him onely, he is delighted with = Cursed is that Religion, that makes him but a chiefe Saviour, and requires other concurring helpes: we must have only CHRIST, and wholly CHRIST. Our prayers are heard only through him, our wounds healed only by him, our soules saved only in him. To what end should we joyne others with him, seeing all are beloved only for him? Let this make all sin abhorred of us, for if we displease the Son, how shall we please the Father? The Father will be pleased with none, but for the Sonnes sake. Oh then let us alwayes seeke to please the Sonne. Kisse the Sonne lest he bee angry, and so yee perish, Psalm. 2.12. Oh deare Saviour, give us hearts to love thee, and faith to trust thee, and grace to please thee, that God may be pleased with us in thee.
This Son of God hath made us also sonnes: God hath right to us Iure Proprietatis, so hath the Father, Sonne, and holy Spirit: and Iure Propinquitatis, so hath CHRIST only, for he was a kinne to us. CHRIST is both our brother and our Father. Our Father as he is God; our brother as he is man. Hebr. 1.11. He that sanctified, and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. This is the Sonne, that makes us sonnes. Ioh. 1.12. To as many as receive him, he gives power to become the sonnes of God. Christ is Filius Dei, 〈◊〉 Trinitatis; nos filii Dei & Trinitatis: he is the Son of God, but not of the Trinitie we are the sonnes of God, and of the whole Trinitie: he by nature, we by grace it was the ambition of the heathens, to forget their owne parents, and to derive themselves from the parentage of some god; as Alexander from Iupiter, &c. Behold, as Christ hath honour naturally, so we gratiously in him, to be called the sons of God. How great is this happinesse, to be the Almighties sons? but perhaps there are diverse younger brothers, landlesse; No, they are all heires: there is not a child of Gods, but shall inherite the kingdome. Quid Pater negabit filiis, qui hoc dignatus est ut sit Pater? What will the father deny to his children, who hath already thus farre honoured them, to be their Father. Rom. 8.32. He that spared not his owne Sonne for us, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Nonne dabit sua, qui non [detinuit] nuit se? Will he deny us his goods, that hath given us himselfe? Qui dabit se [in meritum]; ritum; dabit & sua in praemium. He that parted with himselfe to merit for us, will not with hold his mercies to crowne us. As Abrahams servant said of Isaac to Rebekah. Gen. 24.36. He is my masters only sonne, and to him he gives all that he hath. So if God give us his onely Sonne, he will give us all things with him. Therefore was the Son of God made the Son of man; that the sons of men might be made the sons of God.
All love that comes from God to us, is through his Sonne, Ioh. 17.23. That the world may know, that thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Christ desired it, the Father will not deny it. Christ is Gods beloved, and we are Christ beloved. All things are ours, because we are Christs, and Christ is Gods. When we consider, how infinitely God loves Christ, and how infinitely Christ loveth us, we cannot despaire. Pater & filius sunt duo in persona, unum in desiderio. The Father and the Sonne are two in Person, but one in desire. It is not possible, that he should be hated, for whom Christ suffered. Hence it followes, that God will not faile to lift us up to the place where his owne beloved is. Ioh. 7.24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am. Rom. 8.17. We shall also be glorified together with him. It had beene a great favour to be admitted for doore-keepers in his house: great satisfactions to have our sinnes pardoned and that the Lord would be friends with us, considering our rebellion. But to be restored to that Paradise which Adam lost; this had beene more: but to be advanced further and higher than ever Adam was; even to the Lords owne throne; this is most of all. If all mens hearts were one heart, it could not comprehend the measure of this love. God hath life, for he is the fole fountaine of it: but how shall we come at it? Esa. 33.14. Who shall approch the devouring fire? who amongst us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings? Yes, the bloud of the Sonne hath qualified this fire, and quenched the wrath of the Father: thus that life is made ours. 1 Ioh. 5.11. God hath giuen us eternall life, and this life is in his Sonne. In dilecto, cum dilecto, pro dilecto. Excellent favour, not only to give us place and grace with the Angels; but even with his owne Sonne! We are made Lords of all creatures but the Angels: and our head [IESUS] is also head of the Angels. For his sake they are all ministring spirits, for the good of all those that are the heires of salvation. If we be thus loved in the beloved, we may bee sure of all necessary things. For howsoever God hath distinguished the things of this world in a proprietie: yet we have such interest in them, that the Sunne should not shine, not the world stand, but for the elects sake. The wicked are excluded from the Tree of life, and therefore from all things that should maintaine life: and through they be fat on earth yet they shall have double torment for their single merriment. For they are never in their owne house till they be in hell, Act. 1.25. For us, they shall be as well able to save themselves without God, as to hurt us having God: and the worst they can doe, is but to send us to GOD; and our desire is to bee with GOD for ever.
To conclude, Christ was Gods Son, his only beloved Son: we servants, •••s•ll servants: yet was this Sonne borne and slaine for these servants. This is the point we are bound to consider! how farre God suspended his love to his Son, and extended his love to his servants: even so far, that this Son of love died for those sons of wrath. Here me thinkes we should even stay and wonder. 1 Ioh. 3.1. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. This is a depth that cannot be sounded: cold language may utter it, and regardlesse attention heare it; but men and Angels stand amazed at it. That the Creator should die for the creature: that this Filius meus, the Son of God; and Servus tuus, the servant of man; should meet in one person. That the same, who is Dominus omnium, the Lord of all; should bee made Sacrificium nostrum, our sacrifice: that the Son of love should die for the sons of wrath! There have beene many demonstrations of love in the world, Gen. 42.37. Reuben yeelded much to his Father: Slay my two = if I bring him not to thee: it was in the behalfe of Benjamin. Here were two sons to be lost; Si If their uncle was lost. His owne sonnes were deare to him, as the objects of of a descending love; but intrusted to their Grandfather, whose love commonly transcends an immediate Fathers; Iudah tenders more for Benjamin, Gen. [43.9]. I will be surety for him; of my hand shall thou require him: he engaged himselfe, but it was a sonne ventured upon the mercie of his Father, Gen. 44.33. He goes further when Ioseph offered to detaine Benjamin, for whom Iudah had thus interpossed himselfe; he tenders his owne person for redemption. I pray thee let me abide in stead of the Lad, a bondman to my Lord: and let him goe home with his brethren. Yet he would be but a bondman, and that for his brother, and that in respect of his Father; and all to save all from the destruction of famine. Therefore this is a poore patterne to match with the love of God, that did not tradere filium pro patre, vel ex necessitate; deliver up a sonne for the fathers sake, or compelled by any exigent: sed pro hostibus, ex voluntate; but for his enemies, and that with a voluntary donation. The Poet speakes of a great love betwixt Nisus and Eurialus; me, me, adsum qui feci, in me convertite ferrum: Mea fraus omnis, nihil iste nec ausus, nec potuit.
Two friends are said to come into Vulcans shop, and to begge a boone of him: it as granted. What was it? that he would either beat them on his Anvile, or melt them in his fornace, both into one. But without fiction, here is a farre greater love CHRIST: for he would be melted in the fornace of wrath, and beaten on the anvile of death, to be made one with us. And to declare the exceeding love: here were not both to be beaten on the anvile, or melted in the fornace: but without us, he alone would be beaten on the anvile, he alone melted, that we might be spared. Esa. [53.6]. The Lord hath layd on him the iniquity of us all. They talke of an Athenian King, that offered his owne life to save his people. And no doubt, the zeale of Moses and Paul was great, when they desired Perire pro pereuntibus, to perish themselves for the redemption of others. Ionathans love was great to David, hazarding his owne life for him, 2 Sam. 1.26. Thy love to me was wonderfull, passing the love of women. Davids love was great to an evill sonne, 2 Sam. 18.33. Would God I had died for thee, Oh Absolom, my sonne, my sonne. Alas, all these copies are short of this originall: Come we yet neerer. Abraham had but one son, the son of his old age, likely to have no = Filius rei, filius spei; the heire of his estate, the pledge of the promise of his salvation: yet in love to his commander, he suffered him not to be banished, but killed: not behind his backe, but before his owne face: not by another, but by his owne hand. This was much: yet it was but to lose a sonne for a Father, a mortall sonne for an immortall Father; that could give him more sons, or raise up that son againe to life. But here God did give a Sonne, not for an immortall father, but for mortall enemies. He loved him ten thousand degrees better than Abraham could loue Isaac: yet he gave this Sonne, not by command as Abraham, but willingly: not to the hands of them that sorowed to kill him, but to butchers that delighted to torment him: not for his friends, as Abraham did, but for traitors that would have pulled him out of his Throne: not to a death that onely parts body and soule, and instantly directs to heaven, as Isaacs should; but to a death cursed and detestable: this not to be done in a secret place, as Abrahams was appointed; but before all his scornfull enemies: not to die as an innocent, like Isaac, but to hang as a notorious sinner; his accusation being no lesse than blasphemie; to have a murderer preferred before him in the peoples opinion: to be scorned of the basest, Iob 30.1. whose fathers he might disdaine to set with the dogges of his flocke. Yea, and which is yet most; while all this is doing on earth, that even then his Father should arraigne him above: that he should take off the burden of vengeance from the head of his adversaries, and lay it all on his Son. The comfort of all comforts is from above: let all forsake me, but let not my Father leave me: but the Lord afflicted him. The high Priest tooke him to be an offender in his owne Person, but God tooke him to be an offender in our person. He that deserved no sorrow, felt much; that we who deserved much, might feele none: by his woundes we are healed.
Now take the Person upon whom as one Center all these sorowes met my Text saies, It is my beloved Sonne. Sonne; this is enough: man loves his owne sonne, the walking Image of himselfe. Mine, that is more, the Sonne of God: as is the person, so is the passion. Beloved, if possible, yet more: for the love of God far transcends all love of man. If he had beene but as Pilate said, Behold the man; it was much, we pitie a dumbe creatures suffering this, much more a man. Yea, but he was [Iustus] homo, saies the Iudges wife, a righteous man: now we pitty malefactors, much more the innocent. Yea besides his integrity, he was Magnus & nobilis, a noble person, a Royall Prince: for whom men might justly complaine; Alas, that noble Prince, Ier. 22. All these are short: this Ecce homo, ecce agnus, ecce magnus; behold the man, behold the Lambe, behold the Prince; are true, but not enough. Here Ecce filius meus, behold my sonne; as the Centurion acknowledged, Truely this is the sonne of God; is above all gradation. If he had not beene the son of God, it had beene impossible for him to sustaine it: and yet being thus, he was brought so low that an Angell was dispatched from heaven to comfort him. Here all words forsake us, we blesse the Lord, and hold our peace.
Take the summe of this application: we have heard much of Gods Son, and of his dearenesse to the Father. Now joyne with it another Text, Ioh. 3.16. So God love the world that he gave this only begotten Son. Here meditate, wonder, and waigh the setence; Who, what, how, to what end. Who loved; God; that made us his friends by creation; whose enemies we made our selves by prevarication. What did hee love? the world, a bad world, a mad world, a blind world, a bloudy world; that hated him and all his, Ioh. 15.19. It was no wonder, that he should love the Angels, for they serve him: or the very reasonlesse creatures, for they obey him: but that he should love the rebellious and hatefull world, this is boundlesse mercie? How did he love it? So that he gave his onely begotten Sonne. If like Gideon, he had had threescore and tenne Sonnes, Iudg. 8.30. it had beene much to part with one of them; bee his onely sonne. Iacob rent his clothes, and went mourning in sackcloth many daies for losing one sonne of twelve, Gen. 37.34. Even an harlot pitied the fruit of her wombe, and her bowels yerned upon her sonne. 1 King. 3.26. Oh my LORD. give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: but GOD gave the onely Sonne of his love. To what end? That whosoever beleeveth in him, should not perish but have life everlasting. Where observe two things: the felicitie that is gotten, and the facility to get it. The felicity consists of two things; a deliverance, and an Inheritance. He shal not perish, there’s the deliverance. He shal have everlasting life, there’s the inheritance. For the facilitie; it is not to keepe the Law, but only to beleeve. Psal. 8.4. Lord what is man that thou shouldest so regard him! Yea, that to regard him, thou didst not regard thy selfe? It is reported of a great Souldier, that the very gingling of his spurre was a terror to his enemies. So the very sound of this Text makes all the divells in hell roare, all the foes of mans salvation to quake. This is the Christians armory, that Tower of David, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers a shield of mightie men, Cant. 4.4. If thy conscience be assaulted with guiltinesse of thy sins, remember first, that this CHRIST was the Son of God: and then that this Sonne was given for the world. Dedit filium, non servum suum, non alienum; unigenitum non de multis unum. God gave not a servant but a Sonne: not anothers but his owne Sonne: not one of many, but his onely Son. If Satan now object; Yes, but he gave him onely for the holy and just; answer, nay, So he loved the world; mundum immundum mundum therefore mundanum: he gave him not for the righteous, but for sinners. I am of that number, therefore I have my part in that favour. Paul = Eph. 6.11. Put on the whole armour of God: and Rom. 13.14. Put on the Lord IESUS CHRIST. In the one place, all those pieces of armour is but the Lord Iesus taken asunder: in the other, the whole armour is but the Lord Iesus put together. Psal. 2.12. Kisse the Sonne lest he be angry. To make peace with the Father, kisse Sonne. Cant. 1.2. Let him kisse me, was the Churches prayer: let us kisse him, that be our endeavour. Indeed, the Sonne must first kisse us by his mercie, before we can kisse him by our pietie. Lord grant us these mutuall kisses, and interchangeable embraces now: that we may come to the plenary wedding Supper hereafter. When the Quire of heaven, even the voices of Angels, shall sing Epithalamiums, nuptuall songs, at the bridall of the spouse to the Lambe.
