John 1:1

CHAP. I.

IN this Chapter, first, John describeth Christ the subject of the Gospel, pointing out his divinity, and his manifestation of himself to the world, before, and by his incarnation, to v. 15. Next, he confirmeth this doctrine from sundry testimonies of John the Baptist, concerning Christ, to v 37. Lastly, He relateth the calling of five disciples, to the end of the Chapter.

In the first part of the Chapter John asserteth the divinity of christ, v. 1, 2. and confirmeth his assertion, and proveth his subsistence, and manifestation of himself to the world before his incarnation, v. 3, 4, 5. Then, to make way for the doctrine of his manifestation in the flesh, he begins with the sending of John the Baptist, his forerunner, v. 6.7. By occasion of whom he describeth yet more of Christ, his excellency and dignity in his manifestations, and offices, to v. 14. And in the last place, he describeth his incarnation, and proveth that he became God and man in one person. ver. 14.

In this verse the Godhead of Christ is asserted, and confirmed from his eternity, from his coexistence and society with the Father, and by express assertion declaring him to be true God, one in essence with the Father, and the holy Ghost, Doctr. 1. Christ is called the Word both here, and ver. 14. and 1 John 1.1. and 5.7. Rev. 19.13. and elsewhere; not only because he is the chief subject of the written Word or Scripture; being the promise made and often repeated in the Old Testament, He in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen, the substance and truth of all the Law-types and shadowes, the end of the Law, and kernel of the Gospel. But further, because as a word is a mean of revealing a mans mind to others; so Christ hath revealed the Father in his own person, being the brightnsse of his glory and the expresse image of his person, Heb. 1.3. so that God is to be taken up, and is savingly known onely as he hath revealed himself in Christ; And in his office, as he is the wisdome of the Father, Prov. 8.12, 22, 23. and knoweth all the Fathers secrets, so he is the Word of the Father, as declaring him, his minde, and will to the Church in all ages, Matth. 11.27. John 1 18. 2. As Christ in his person, natures and offices, is the great Theame of the Gospel, and ought to be the matter of our studie; so particularly it is needful that beleevers do know, and take him up as God; Not onely that they may avoid errours concerning his person, but, That they may see how little need he had of the son of men, whom yet he came to seek and save for their own good, not to receive from them, but to give unto them; That their faith may be led through the vaile of his flesh, to this rock of his God head, where it will get sure sooting in his essence and attributes, against all assaults; That the ignominy of his Crosse may not obscure his glory, but they may have high and honourable thoughts of their humbled Lord in his lowest estate; That they may see the infinite worth that is in his sufferings, to satisfie justice, and to expiate sin, considering the dignity of his person; And, That this may teach them rightly to receive his doctrine, and not to be ashamed of his truth, and the profession of his Name, or to suffer for him, who is so excellent a Lord: for these (among other) reasons, doth John begin this Gospel, with so sublime a description of the Godhead of Christ. 3 The Godhead of Christ doth appear in his being eternal; and that he had his proper, and perfect subsistence; not onely before his incarnation, but before the first point of time, wherein God began to create all things; for, In the beginning was the Word: He doth not say as Moses, Gen. 1.1. (whom he imitates in this beginning of his Gospel) In the beginning God created the Word; but, in the beginning, when all things created got a begining, the Word was, and did actually subsist. He thus describeth his eternity, that he was in the begining, because there is nothing before the first period of times beginning, but eternity; and because our shallow conceptions can follow eternity no farther, but onely over the border of time. 4. Christ as God, is a person distinct from the Father, yet undivided and unseparable from the Father in his essence, with whom he eternally coexists; and this is another evidence of his Godhead; for the Word was with God; where the word in the Original rendered God, with the Article, is taken personally, for the Father (as is also cleared. 1 John. 1.2.) signifying that he is one person, and the Father another with whom he was; As also that, notwithstanding the distinction of the Persons, yet he is inseparably with the Father, in the same essence and nature, being in (as well as with) the Father, and the Father in him John 14.10, 11. and eternally with him; so that the Father is never without him, John 17 5. 5. However men may take liberty to carp at these proofs of Christs Godhead, alleadging from his incarnation, that he was but man, or that there being but one God, the simplicity of the Divine essence cannot admit of plurality of persons, or that Christ in the exercise of the Mediatory office declareth that his Father is greater then he; or whatsoever else unstable and deluded men may pretend; Yet the Holy Ghost puts the Godhead of Christ, his equality, and unity in essence with the Father out of all controversie, & would have it out of doubt in the hearts of believers, and all their reasonings in this supernatural mystery subjected to the revealed Word, which saith, and the Word was God: Where the Greek word signifying God, without the Article, is taken essentially, for the Divine nature, signifying, that as the Son is a distinct person from the Father, so he is one God with him, in the same indivisible nature and essence, communicate unto him from the Father, and with him to the holy Spirit; so that their name, nature, properties, glorie, and working are one.