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 AT 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 
 SAMUEL AGNEW, 
 
 "»■ ''"II-ADELPHIA, PA. ( 
 
 P^^^tyi^C^ ^cf'/^, ^^^ 
 
 dT 
 
Chrifius Sacrce Scrtpttir^e Nucleus^ ^^' 
 
 C H R I s T 
 
 THE 
 
 Sum and Substance 
 
 Of all the 
 
 Holy Scriptures^ 
 
 IN THE 
 
 Old and New Teftament. 
 
 Written in the German Language, by 
 Augustus Hermannus Tranck, D. D. 
 
 Now rendered into EngUp^ 
 
 By an Antient Doctor of Physic k. 
 
 L O N 2) Q Ni 
 
 Printed by J. D o w n i n o in Sartholomew-Chfe. 
 M.DCC.XXXII, 
 

 THE 
 
 PREFACE- 
 
 ^f^HEN a Book pleafes us, we 
 "^ are naturally curious about the 
 Author : we love to know the 
 Progrefs, by which his Mind came into 
 fuch a train of Thought : and his Story 
 often ferves to illuftrate and confirm his 
 Notions. This has made me inquifi- 
 tive, concerning the Character of Pro- 
 fcffor Franck: and having feen fome Pa- 
 pers^ in which he himfelf had defcribed 
 the former Part of his Life ,• I thought 
 the Subftance of them might furnifh a 
 proper Preface, for the following Tran- 
 flation. 
 
 JUGUSTUS Herman Franch was 
 born at Ltiheck^ on the 12th oi March 
 ^.2). 1653. his Father yiY.JohnFranck^ 
 was a Counfellor at Law j and his Mo- 
 ther Ann^ was Daughter of Mr. T>avid 
 G/oxm fenior, Burgomafter of Luhak. 
 
 A 2 Mr, 
 
IV rioe PREFACE. 
 
 Mr. John Franck the Father^ was 
 Syndick of the Chapter of the Cathe- 
 dral Church, and of the feveral States 
 of the Principality of Ratzejihirgby at 
 the Time when Augttfttis was born^ but 
 three Years after^ he removed with his 
 Family to Gotha^ having accepted the 
 Office of Aulic Councellor to his moft 
 ferene Highnefs^ Ernefius Tins Duke of 
 Saxe Gotha. He lived but four Years af- 
 4:er this removal, and died when this 
 his Son was feven Years old. But before 
 his Death, he had obferved in the 
 Child, fuch early Indications of Piety, 
 and particularly a great love of the Ho- 
 ly Scriptures, that he had defigned him 
 for the Church : and his Mother, conti- 
 nuing the fame Refolution, had him, to- 
 gether with fome Children of the neigh- 
 bourhood, infiruded by a private Tutor. 
 
 It is grievous to refleft, how early 
 the Converfation of the World is infec- 
 tious. Even the little Plays of Chil- 
 dren left to themfelves, are not harm* 
 lefs. They wrangle, they cheat, and 
 opprefs one another : and thofe of them, 
 who are naturally the mod innocent, 
 find themfelves not a Match for their 
 Fellows, till by often fuffcring little 
 Frauds or Violence, they are provoked 
 to pradtifc them in their turn, to do as 
 they are done by, and become unjuft, 
 
 deceit- 
 
rioe PREFACE, V 
 
 deceitful^ and mifchicvous, as it were in 
 their own Defence. 
 
 The young Jugtijitis experienced 
 this, as he after acknowledged and la- 
 mented : but his own little Deviations 
 proved ferviceablc, for preventing in a 
 great Mcafure the like Errors in the 
 vaft Number of Children, whofe Edu- 
 cation has been fince committed to his 
 Care by Divine Providence,- for it was 
 his Cuftom always to appoint fome fo- 
 ber Perfon to be prefent at their Play- 
 Times, to intcrpofe in their Difputes, 
 and moderate their growing Paifions 
 with a gentle but unremitted Difcipline. 
 
 H E had, as was faid before, from his 
 Infancy, difcovered a great Difpofition 
 to Piety and Devotion -, which as long 
 as his Father lived, had been cultivat- 
 ed with Care, and fenced from the 
 Contagion of bad Examples ; but after 
 his Father's Death, he was left more to 
 himfelf and Companions of his own 
 Age, with whom he contradled evil Ha- 
 bits, and loft much of that Senfe of God 
 which had before prevailed in his Heart. 
 
 However, about the tenth Year of 
 his Age, it again revived, andjie felt 
 (as he 'himfelf defcribes it) a UDwfne 
 Attratiion in his Soul, which made him 
 difrelifli and dcfpife the common A- 
 mufcments of Childhood. He then re- 
 A 3 mem- 
 
vl 7}je P REFACE. 
 
 membred the Words of Chriji^ Matt. vi. 
 6. When tboiiprayeji^ enter into thy Clojety 
 and earneflly delired his Mother to allow 
 him fuch a retreat. She granted it, and 
 every Day after, when his Tutor difmif- 
 fed him^inftead of going to play, he went 
 to his Clofet, and kneeling down, with 
 Hand and Heart lifted towards Heaven, 
 he faid his Prayers with great Ferven- 
 cy. He ufed often to repeat the fol- 
 lowing Words, which he had never been 
 taught, but were the pure Suggeftions 
 of his own Mind, or rather of the Holy 
 Spirit that prayed in him : " Dear God ! 
 ^' it is neceffary that there fliould be 
 *^ various Employments among Men^ 
 '^ which have their different Ends ; yet 
 *^ all finally concur to the manifeftation 
 '^ of thy Glory. I humbly befeech thee, 
 '^ that my Employment may be fuch, 
 ^^ as may tend folely and immediately 
 !' to thy Glory.'' 
 
 He was not a little aflifted in thefe 
 good Difpofitions by his elder Sifter, 
 who had feared God from her Infancy, 
 and was early removed from this World 
 to a bleffed Eternity,- fhe had a great 
 Zeal for the fpiritual Improvement of 
 her Brother, and for that End, had en- 
 gaged him, when he was very young, to 
 read the Holy Scriptures, and John 
 Jrndts Treatife- of Trtie Chrijiianity^ 
 
 with 
 
The PREFACE. vii 
 
 with other pious Books. Her edifying 
 Converfation, was a daily LefTon to him, 
 and her good Advice, was fo authoriz- 
 ed and enforced by her good Example, 
 that it had a great Effed upon him. 
 
 H E continued to advance very much 
 in his Studies, fo that after having been 
 one Year at the great School at Qotha^ 
 he was publickly eleded for the Uni- 
 verfity at the Age of thirteen. He has 
 fince declared, upon mentioning this his 
 uncommon Proficiency, that he has found 
 by a long Experience, that the more 
 alUduous he was in Devotion, the great- 
 er Progrefs he made in his Studies,- and 
 that when he negleded his Prayers, he 
 could do nothing well at his Book, al- 
 tho' he exerted himfelf with the great- 
 eft Application. It fhould feem, that 
 his Talents, which were deftinated 
 to the Service of Religion, could not 
 improve under any other Influence. 
 
 He was in a very good Difpofitioo, 
 when he firft went to the publick School 
 at Gotha : He was frequent and fervent 
 in Prayer, and particularly, he be- 
 fought God to grant him the Acquain- 
 tance of fuch Friends there, as had the 
 fame Defign with himfelf, to ferve God 
 faithfully. But fuch Friends are rarely 
 found in any part of Life, and more 
 rarely among Boys at School : and he 
 A 4 being 
 
vui rh^ PREFACE. 
 
 being of a friendly, fecial Spirit, foon 
 grew familiar and intimate with fuch as 
 he met with : whofe bad Examples had 
 an ill EfFed upon him, fo that he in- 
 fenfibly loft his former Zeal \ and got 
 worldly Tafts and Defires j fo that his 
 Learning became a fubjed of Vanity, 
 and his Induftry the tool of Ambition. 
 
 'Tis the Misfortune of good-natur'd 
 ingenuous Spirits, that they are fo ea- 
 lily wrought upon j their Modefty and 
 Complaifance are often Snares to them; 
 Mr. Franck learnt this by himfelf, and 
 thence ufed to infift, with great earneiU 
 tiQ^Sy ' upon the neceflity of arming the 
 Minds of young Perfons with repeated 
 Advices of the Corruption of the World. 
 Religion in Youth is almoft always a 
 fingularity ^ and he that will maintain 
 it, muft dare to be good at the price of 
 being ridiculous. 
 
 Altho' Mr. Franck was nominated 
 fo early for tlie Univerfity, yet he did 
 not go thither till two Years after, and the 
 Interval was employed under a private 
 Tutor in Academical Studies, which for 
 the eight Years following, he profecut- 
 ed at the Univerfities of Erfttrt^ Keil^ 
 Leipfichj and Lunekirg^ with fuch Ap- 
 plication and Succefs, that he excelled 
 in almoft every Branch of Science, and 
 was, of his Age, one of the moft learn- 
 ed 
 
rhe PREFACE. ix 
 
 ed Men then living. To the Knowledge 
 of the learned Languages, he had added 
 that of the French^ Italian^ and 'En- 
 gUJtj : but his greateft Application had 
 been to the Hehrezs) Tongue, which he 
 itudied under the famous Ezdras Ed- 
 zard^ and in which he perfeded him- 
 felf by teaching it to Mr. Jfeichmans- 
 hatifen^ fmce Profeflbr of Hebrew at 
 Wittenberg, 
 
 In the Year 1685. He commenced 
 Mailer of Arts at Leipfick^ and foon 
 after, he w-as very inllrumental in fet- 
 ting up a Society called Collegium Thilo- 
 "BihUmm. The Intention of this Socie- 
 ty was, to cultivate the Knowledge of 
 the Scriptures in the Original Lan- 
 guages : for which End, many Mailers 
 of Arts agreed to meet every Sunday 
 after Divine Service, from 4 till 6 in 
 the Afternoon. In thefe Alfemblies was 
 read a certain Portion of the Old and 
 the NewTeflament in the Originals, and 
 then a Conference was held, in w^hich 
 they propofed feverally, what occurred 
 to them as proper to explain, or illuf- 
 trate, or apply what had been read. A 
 great Number of the Scholars attended 
 thefe AlTemblies as Auditors ; and many 
 of the Profefiors themfelves, honoured 
 them with their Prefence. This Socie- 
 ty proved a happy Seminar}^, which 
 
 produced 
 
X rhe PREFACE. 
 
 produced many illuftrious Ornaments of 
 the Lutheran Church. 
 
 About this time, there happened 
 an Accident, which feems to have been 
 the occalion of his firft becoming ac- 
 quainted with the myftick or fpiritual 
 Writers. The Doiftrines of MoUnos had 
 been juft then cenfur'd by the Inquifition 
 at Rome^ and he condemn'd to a per- 
 petual Imprifonment. The News-Pa- 
 pers, after their Manner, gave fome ac- 
 count of his Tenets : and an extraft of 
 his Writings, made by his Adverfary 
 Segnerio^ was inferted in the JSia Em- 
 ditonim Leipfenfiam. Upon thefe Ma- 
 terials, one of the Students, without 
 having ever feen any of MoUnos his 
 Writings, kept an A6t de Qjiictifmo con- 
 tra Molinojum. The Principles of Mo- 
 Unos had l3een for fome time a common 
 Subject of Converfation, and this Dif- 
 putation raifed the curiolity of the Pub- 
 iick, fo that there was a general Defire 
 to read the Author himfelf. A Perfon 
 of Note defired Mr. Franck^ who un- 
 derftood the Italian^ to make a Latin 
 Tranflation of his Writings, which he 
 undertook, with the Approbation and 
 Encouragement of feveral of the Pro- 
 fefTors : and after having confulted the 
 Myftic Authors therein referr'd to, and 
 taken pains to make MoUnos his Senfe 
 
 as 
 
He PREFACE. xi 
 
 as plain as pcfllble^ he publiftied in i^- 
 tin his Spiritual Guide and T>aily Com- 
 munion^ with a fhort Preface, in which 
 he fully declared his own Intention. 
 
 But fome time after, the Adverfa- 
 ries of Mr. Franck took this handle to 
 afperfe him, as one that had imbibed 
 the Principles of Molinos^ and after- 
 wards inftilled them into others. To 
 which charge he made the following 
 Apology. 
 
 Firfi^ The reading and tranflating 
 the Works of Molinos was not the be- 
 ginning of my Converfion, as I fliall 
 relate hereafter more at large. 
 
 Secondly y I never faid, either in Pub- 
 lick or in Private, that I could approve 
 or defend all that Author faies. 
 
 Thirdly^ I rather perfwade others to 
 read the Holy Scripture, and onely fuch 
 Books as build their Doftrine upon the 
 fure Foundation of the Word of God. 
 Tho' I do not deny my Abhorrence for 
 the abfurdity of thofe, who condemn 
 this Author without underftanding, or 
 even reading him : yet charge him with 
 monftrous Opinions, which mod proba- 
 bly never came into his Mind. In op- 
 pofition to fuch rafh Cenfurers, I have 
 maintained, that many ufeful and edi- 
 fying Obfervations were contained in his 
 Book, which I never fhould, or could 
 
 dif- 
 
xii rhe PREFACE. 
 
 difapprove, or condemn. Truth is pre- 
 cious from whatever Hand it comes, 
 and the Scripture commands us to try 
 all Things, and hold faft and adhere 
 to that which is good : Such for In- 
 ftance, is what he faies of Humility in 
 his third Book, of which I heartily pro- 
 fefs my Approbation : Such are the few 
 Admonitions which he gives to the 
 Father ConfelTors in the fecond Book, 
 which are generally worthy to be 
 obferved : Such alfo, is his Do(5trine 
 of Chrijiy as the only Way^ and the 
 only Door^ by, and through whom we 
 are to come to God, and in whofe 
 Blood we are to be purified, that we 
 may become acceptable in his fight. 
 Again, the Expreflions which are inter- 
 fperfed through his Works concerning 
 fpiritual Temptations are grounded up- 
 on Experience ; whereof a mere animal 
 and worldly-minded Man is not a ca- 
 pable Judge: But thofe who have tailed 
 of that bitter Cup, will often find them 
 juft and edifying. There are many 
 other Paflages, which neither I, nor 
 any true Believer can difapprove, be- 
 caufe they are grounded upon Scripture, 
 and agreeable to the eftabliflied Arti- 
 cles of our Church. But if any fliould 
 find in this Author, fomething contrary 
 to Scripture^ let fuch know, that I ne» 
 
 vcr 
 
rJje P REFACE. xiii 
 
 ver defire to be Partaker of his Error ; 
 yet I fliall not, however^ to gain any 
 Man's favour^ condemn what 1 do not 
 underftand, or rejed what I find war- 
 ranted by Scripture, altho* it comes from 
 a Perfon of a different Perfwafion. It is 
 certainly very unjuft, to charge him 
 with the Errors of any Book, who ap- 
 proves what is good in it : you may 
 with as much Reafon call him a Hea- 
 then, who commends T'liilys Offices : Or 
 brand him for a Papift, who takes a 
 good Interpretation of a Scripture Text 
 from EJims^ Cornelius a Lapide^ or other 
 Commentator of that Communion ; Or 
 ftigmatizehim for aCalvinifl:,whofhould 
 confefs that the Book called SelfT)eceit^ 
 had difcovered to him his finfui State : 
 or that Sotit horns golden Jewel had a- 
 wakened his Confcience, or that he had 
 been edified by any of the fo called J^^'- 
 formed "Books. Thofe who are fo for- 
 ward to cenfdre others, have fcldom 
 any Reafon to give but their wicked 
 Suipicion, which rafli Judgment, the 
 juft Judge will not leave unpuniflicd. 
 
 To conclude, I have read and tran- 
 flated the Books of Molinos^ without 
 any Intention of making myfelf a Party 
 in the Difpute : I have approved thcni 
 no farther, than they are agreeable to 
 Scripture i fo that no Perfon can pretend 
 
 that 
 
xiv The PRE FACE. 
 
 that he has been offended by any Dif- 
 courfe of mine upon that Subjed: : I 
 appeal to all lovers of Truth, and Men 
 of Confcience : And as to my own par- 
 ticular in this Point, my Confcience 
 applauds me before the righteous Judge 
 of the World. 
 
 I HAVE tranfcribed at length, this 
 Apology of Profeffor Franck for two 
 Reafons : Firji^ Eecaufe many feri- 
 ous Perfons have, and may hereafter 
 (land in need of the lame Defence againft 
 the blind partiality of Sectarian Zeal : 
 And Secondly^ Becaufe his acquaintance 
 with thofe fpiritual Writings was foon 
 after followed by his total Converfion, 
 which happened about this time : For 
 hitherto his Studies had been principally 
 direfted ad Tompam^ as he expreflfes it ,• 
 his main Defign had been to get Learn- 
 ing, Preferment, Riches, and an eafy 
 Life ; and tho' he had frequent Fits of 
 Serioufnefs and Devotion, fo that he 
 often began to reform, yet he was ftill 
 drawn away by the Multitude, and his 
 Knowledge of Divinity proved only a 
 dead and fruitlefs Speculation. I was 
 (faith he) in my Heart a mere animal 
 Man, who had a great deal in his Head, 
 but was ftill a Stranger to that real 
 Subftance and Truth which is in Chriji 
 Jefus* 
 
 But 
 
7^^ PREFACE. XV 
 
 B u T at the time abovementioned, 
 which was in the twenty fourth Year of 
 his Age, God was pleafed to touch his 
 Heart more effedually, and make him 
 fenfible, that a mere fpeculative Know- 
 ledge of Divinity as a Science, was by no 
 means a fuflficient Qualification for the 
 Miniftry : And that he ftiould impofe up- 
 on the World, if he undertook the Office 
 of Preaching, before he had himfelf prac- 
 tifed the evangelical Doftrines : And 
 hereupon, he befought the Lord with 
 great earneftnefs, to work in him a 
 total Converfion. The Effeft of this 
 Prayer, was a greater Senfe of his de- 
 pravity and worldly mindednefs, and 
 his utter Incapacity to deliver himfelf 
 by his own Endeavours. Hence he fell 
 into great Perplexities and Agonies of 
 Mind : he felt more and more his own 
 wretchednefs : and as his Diftrefs en-* 
 creafed, fo did his Defires of Delive- 
 rance. 
 
 A PROVIDENTIAL Accidcnt at the 
 fame time concurred to the fetting him 
 loofe from the World ; For the Patron 
 of an Exhibition which he received, 
 advifed him to go from Leipjick^ to 
 the Univerfity of Liinehurg^ to hear the 
 Divinity Ledures of the famous Super- 
 intendent Sandhagen ; This at once 
 broke off all Engagements of Company 
 
 and 
 
xvi 77^^ PREFACE. 
 
 and old Acquaintance. At Lunehirg^ 
 he Boarded in a private Family ^ but 
 fpent the greateft Part of his time in his 
 Chamber, where he gave himfelf conti- 
 nually to Prayer and Meditation. 
 
 Some time after his Arrival, he was 
 defired to Preach at St. yohns Churchy 
 and had a confiderable time allowed 
 him to prepare his Difcourfe, the Text 
 he chofe was the 31 Verfe of the 20th 
 Chapter of St. John^ 'Thcfe are written^ 
 that ye might leliez^e that Jefus is the 
 Chrift the Son of God : and that helie'V' 
 ing^ ye might ha^ve Life through his 
 Name. From thefe Words, he pro- 
 pofed to fiiew the Properties of a true 
 and living Faith, as diftinguiihed from 
 that which is a mere human Imagifia'* 
 tion or Prefumption. As he was medi- 
 tating upon this Subje£t, he refleded 
 that he himfelf was dellitute of the 
 Faith he would defcribe j this put a 
 Stop to his Study, and turned all his 
 Thoughts upon himfelf. He fell into 
 great agonies of Spirit, and continued 
 for feveral Days inconfolable, till at 
 length it pleafed the Lord to lift up 
 the Light of his Countenance upon him, 
 and to fill him with that Faith, for 
 wliich he was rightly difpofed by a due 
 Senfe of his Want of it. 
 
 Two 
 
n^e PREFACE. xvii 
 
 Two Days after he Preached the 
 Sermon, which he had promifed, upon 
 the Text abovementioned ; and could 
 truly apply to himfelf thofe Words of 
 the Apoftle^ 2 Cor, iv. 13. Hating the 
 fame Spirit of Faiths according as it is 
 written^ Iheliet'ed^ and therefore hat'e I 
 fpoken : we alfo heliece^ and therefore 
 fpeah " This (faid he^ is the time, 
 from which I date my real Conver- 
 lion ; for ever lince^ I have always 
 found it eafy to deny all Ungodlinefs 
 and worldly Lufts, and to live fober- 
 ly, righteoully, and godly in this pre- 
 fent World. Ever lince I have kept 
 clofe with God, and have accounted 
 as nothing all Promotions and Prefer- 
 ments in this World, and the Gran- 
 deurs, Riches, Eafe, and Pleafures 
 thereof. And whereas I had but too 
 much idolized Learning, I now per- 
 ceive that a Grain of Faith far ex- 
 ceeds all humane Sciences ^ and that 
 all Attainments at the Feet of Ga- 
 maliel^ are to he 'valued like "Dttng^ 
 in comparifon of the Excellency of the 
 Knowledge of J e fits Chriji our Lcrd.'\ 
 Some of that Knowledge, he has endea- 
 voured to communicate in the follow- 
 ing Treatife ,♦ wherein the "Divine Glory 
 of Jcfus Chriji^ is vindicated with luch 
 and io many Arguments^ that as no- 
 
 a thing 
 
xviii Tloe P RE FACE. 
 
 thing more need, fo little more can, be 
 faid upon that Subjeft. The pious Read- 
 er will be particularly pleafed and edi- 
 fied, by the Author's large Comment 
 upon the beginning of the Gofpel by St. 
 John^ wherein the Generation of the 
 Word is defcribed, and his necejjhrily 
 eternal Exiftence, demonftrated in the 
 cleareft and flrongeft Lights ,- for it is 
 fliewed undeniably, that the Word and 
 Wifdom of God are the fame : from 
 whence may be drawn as a certain Con- 
 fequcnce, that to fuppofe God without 
 his Word or Wifdom, is to make him a 
 dumb Idol, which is equally abfurd and 
 blafphemous. 
 
 B u T to rcaflume our account of the 
 Author. I have obferved in the Lives of 
 holy Men, that tho' they have all the 
 Virtues in fome certain Degree, yet 
 commonly each of them excels in fome 
 particular Virtue, which conftitutes his 
 particular Character. The great Virtue of 
 Faith^iccms to have been the diftinguiflh- 
 ing Charad:eriftick of Profeflor Franck^ 
 as the Reader may have remarked in his 
 Converiion. This Divine Quality pre- 
 vailed in him afterwards, to a degree 
 that fcems miraculous, as will appear 
 by many Inflances, in the Hiftory of 
 the Orphan-houfe at Qlaiicci near Hall 
 which is a Univeriity in Saxony^ but 
 
 fubje(::t 
 
Tie PREFACE, XIX 
 
 fubjevil to the King of Tnijjia^ by whofe 
 Appointment, Mr. Franck was here 
 made Profeflbr of Divinity, and at the 
 fame time Paftor of the Parifla of G/ati- 
 ca^ which is in the Suburbs^ 
 
 This Eftabliiliment of this HofpitaJ, 
 as the Faith from whence it fprung, 
 may be compared to the Grain of Mttf- 
 tard'feed^ mentioned in the Gofpel ; Its 
 Beginning was exceeding fmall and con- 
 temptible, but its Progrefs was furprif* 
 ingly great, and fo drew the Attention 
 of the^Publick, that in the Year 1700. 
 Frederic the Firft, Father of the pre- 
 fent King oi^Trtiffia^ gave a Commiirioii 
 to four Privy Counfeilors, that they 
 fhouid examine, and bring him full In- 
 formation concerning it. They, after 
 taking an exaft Survey of all the Parti- 
 culars relating thereto, commanded the 
 ProfefTor Franck^ to give them in Writ- 
 ing a full Account of that Affair, ^jiz^. 
 by what Means the Hofpital was erect- 
 ed and maintained j and to what Ufes it 
 was employed. He did fo, and the 
 Royal Commiflion being much talked of, 
 a general Curiofity was raifed ,• and the 
 ProfefTor was importuned by many Per- 
 fons, to publifli the Subl^ancc of what 
 he had laid before the Commiflioners. 
 To latisfy thefe, and at the fame time 
 to confute many Calumnies and Mifre- 
 a 2 prefen- 
 
XX the PREFACE. 
 
 prcfcntations that had been fpread a- 
 broad ^ he printed an Hiftorical Account 
 of the whole Affair (as it had been laid 
 before his Tmjfian iMajefty) by the Title 
 of Tietas Hallenfis : the Subftance of 
 \\1iich is as follows. 
 
 In thofe Parts, the Poor have no 
 Settlement upon Pariflies ,• but it is an 
 ancient Cuftom in the City and Suburbs 
 of Hall^ to appoint a particular Day 
 every Week, whereon the Poor affemble 
 at the Doors of fuch charitable Perfons 
 as are difpofed to relieve them. 
 
 A RENDEZVOUS of Bcggars is a Spec- 
 tacle, which in the generality of Behol- 
 ders, moves fome fuperficial Sentiments 
 of Pity, with a Mixture of Ridicule 
 and Contempt. The Profeffor faw them 
 with other Eyes : he was intimately 
 touched with CompafTion for all their 
 Wants, but efpecially for their grofs 
 Ignorance, and want of Religion. Our 
 common Beggars are, generally fpeak- 
 ing, the Dregs of Mankind, as well in 
 their Vices, as their Poverty : and their 
 Children, almoft fatally engaged in the 
 fame Wretchednefs, are bred only to 
 make a tranc of their Mifery : they are 
 heathenifli and brutal, and even loft to 
 all Senfe of Shame, that lail Defence 
 of Virtue. Such Dillrefs in Fellow- 
 Creatures, cannot but touch the Heart 
 
 • of 
 
rhe PREFACE. xxi 
 
 of a good Man, but it is difficult to 
 know how to fuccour it. Prefent lle- 
 liaf may ferve to protrad their wretched 
 Lives, but the only etFedual Service 
 that can be done them is, if pollible^to re- 
 claim tlicmfrom their profligate Courles, 
 
 This was what the ProfelTor had 
 very much at Heart, and to make fome 
 EfTay towards it, one T^hurfday (which 
 was the Day of their Meeting before his 
 Door) he called them all into the Houfe, 
 and having placed the grown Perfons on 
 one fide, and the Children on the other, 
 he in a familiar and engaging Manner 
 asked the latter, ^nz. the Children, 
 what they underltood of the Principles 
 of the Christian Religion, as taught in 
 Lather s Catechifm. The elder Perfons 
 were not examined, but only attended 
 to what was faid : and after the Pro- 
 feflor had fpent about a Quarter of an 
 Hour in teaching and explaining the 
 Catechifm, concluding with a fhort 
 Prayer, he difiributcd his Alms as ufual : 
 and told them, that for the future, both 
 fpiritual and temporal Provifion was 
 defigncd for them, and fliould be admi- 
 niftred after this Manner, at their Week- 
 ly Meetings at his Houfe. This was 
 about the Beginning of the Year 169^. 
 
 By this praftice, the Profcflor grew 
 
 more nearly acquainted with the Tem- 
 
 a 3 per 
 
xxii I'he PREFACE. 
 
 per and Manners of this fort of People : 
 and as he was ufed to conlider all 
 Things in their relation to God and ano- 
 ther World, he was principally folici- 
 tous about their Inftrudion : But this 
 he found a very hard Task^ and, as he 
 exprefles it, he fcarcc knew where to 
 begin the Cultivation of fo barren a 
 Soil : His chief Hopes were of the 
 Children^ and therefore he refolved to 
 pay for their Schooling ; But befides 
 this Expence, he had feveral poor Houfe- 
 keepers to fupport, and his own little 
 Fund foon fell fhort ; So he bought an 
 Alms-Boxj and fent it about every Week 
 among the Students, and others that were 
 charitably difpofed : By this Means he 
 collected about the Sum of two Shillings. 
 
 It is neceflary here to inform the 
 Reader, that in that Part of Germany^ 
 the value of Money is very different 
 from what it is in England. One Shil- 
 ling there will go as far as fix here : 
 and fuch Allowance mull: be made in 
 the Sums hereafter fpecified. 
 
 The Alms-Box above mentioned, was 
 handed about for fome Weeks , but as 
 none were applied to but fuch as were 
 charitably difpofed , the Collections 
 proved fo fmall, as not to anfwer the 
 Trouble; fo that Method was laid afide. 
 What followed upon this, fliall be related 
 
 in 
 
rhe P REFACE. xxiii 
 
 in the Author's own Words. "^^ I fixed 
 " (fays he) a Box in my own Parlour, 
 " with thcfe Words written over it, 
 " John iii. 17. Whofo hath this Worlds 
 " good^ and feet h his brother ha^ve needy 
 " and jloiitteth tip his 'Bowels of Compaf- 
 " fion from him^ how dwelleth the Lo've 
 ^' of God in him ? And under it, 2 Cor. 
 " ix. 7. E'very Man according as he pur- 
 " pofeth in his Hearty Jo let him gi've^ 
 " not griidgingly^ or of necejfity : for God 
 " loz'eth a chearful Gi'ver. This was 
 " intended for a tacit Admonition to all 
 " that came in, to open their Hearts to- 
 " wards the Poor. The Box was put 
 " up in the Beginning of the Year i(5pj. 
 "And thus I w^as taken up a great 
 ^^ while, with contriving elFedual Me- 
 " thods to provide for the Poor, and 
 "• each of them hath been bleffed in its 
 " Degree. One Day before I fixed 
 " the aforefaid Box for the Poor in my 
 '^ Houfe, I took the Bible, and as it 
 '^ were by Accident, did light on thefe 
 " Words: 2 Cor. ix. 8. God is able to 
 make all Grace abound towards yotiy 
 that ye always having all fnfficiency in 
 all. Things^ may abound to every good 
 Work, This Sentence made a deep 
 Impreffion on my Mind, caufing me 
 '•^ to think : How is God able to make 
 this ? IJJooiild be glad to help the Toor^ 
 a 4 t\ had 
 
 cc 
 
xxiv rhe P RE FACE. 
 
 had I wherewithal y whereas how I am 
 forced to fend many away empty and 
 tmrelie'ved ! Some Hours after, I re- 
 ceived a Letter from a Friend, who 
 heavily complained that he, and all 
 his Family, were like to perifli with 
 Want^ faying he would borrow no 
 more, but if any one would for God's 
 fake make him an Objed of his Cha- 
 rity, he fhould ever retain a grateful 
 Remembrance of it. This minded 
 me afrefli of W'hat I had read a little 
 while before, and made ftill a deeper 
 ImprefTion on me, attended with Sighs 
 and Afpirations. After fome debates 
 in my Mind, I thought on a Projed, 
 how to relieve effeftually this poor 
 Man in his prefent Want, and yet 
 in a Chriftian manner, and without 
 giving the lead trouble to any Perfon 
 whatfoeven This then I fpecdily 
 put in Execution, and the faid Fami- 
 ly was fo fuccefsful, as to get within 
 the compafs of one Year, about {a) an 
 Hundred and Fifty Crowns by this 
 Means : And fo their falling into ex- 
 treme Poverty was happily prevented. 
 This proved a fufficient Demonftra- 
 tion, how God is able to make us a- 
 bound to every good Work ,• which I 
 could not forbear here to mention 
 
 3 
 
 '*^ becaufe 
 
 W Thirty Pound Sterling Engiijh, 
 
T:he PREFACE. XXV 
 
 *^ becaufc it helps to difcover, as well 
 the outward Caufc, which our Un- 
 dertaking took its Rife from, as the 
 frame of my Mind, which the Lord 
 upheld for carrying on the Work.'^ 
 The Children, whofe teaching the 
 Profeflor paid for, were negligent, or 
 neglefted at the School : fome of them 
 flayed often away, and in general, they 
 made no Improvement : fo that he 
 was very de(irous to have a School of 
 his own, where they might be taught 
 under his Infpeftion. And while he had 
 this defign at Heart, a certain Perfon 
 put into the Box fet up in his Houfe, to 
 the value of Eighteen Shillings and 
 Six-pence Engiijh^ this was about ^af- 
 t^r 1695. When he found this Sum, 
 he faid in full affurance of Faith r 
 *^ T^bis is now a confiderahle Fiind^ wor- 
 *^ thy to he laid out in fome important 
 " Undertaking ^ wherefore I will even 
 " take this for the Foundation of a Cha- 
 '^ rity-SchcoL The Hime Day, he laid 
 out eight Shillings in Books for the 
 Children to read in : A Room before 
 his Study Door was fitted up for the 
 Charity School : and a poor Student 
 was hired for one Shilling a Week, to 
 teach the Children two Hours a Day. 
 Seven and twenty Books were diftribut- 
 cd to as many Children, but only four of 
 
 * PietMs HaUenJtf, p. 1 1. §. 5, 6, Ed. 17c J. thcle 
 
xxvi rhe'p REFACE, 
 
 thefe returned again to the School : the 
 reft ran away with their new Books^ 
 and the ProfelTor heard no more of them. 
 ThiSjinftead of difcouraging him, convin- 
 ced him fo much the more, of theNecef- 
 fity there was of endeavouring to reclaim 
 fuch young Vagrants, So he bought 
 more Books, and got more Scholars ^ 
 and that' he might not again lofe both 
 together, he made them leave the Books 
 at the School. 
 
 In this School, he had put up another 
 Alms-BoXjWith this Infcription over it,- For 
 defraying the Charges of Schoolings ^ooks^ 
 and other Necejfaries for poor Children^ 
 Anno 1695. And under it, He that 
 hath pity upon the Toor^ lendeth unto the 
 Lord: and that which he hath gi^en^ 
 fhall he paid him again. 
 
 About Whitfontide^ till which time, 
 (as the Profeflbr had before computed) 
 his little Stock lafted , when it was now 
 juft fpent, fome Friends, who came to 
 vifit him, pleafed with this ElTay of 
 Charity, contributed fome Crow^ns to 
 the Support of it. 
 
 After Whitfontide^ fome of the In- 
 habitants feeing how carefully the poor 
 Children were taught, defired that they 
 might fend their Children to the fame 
 Mafter, paying him for his Trouble : fo 
 he agreed to teach five Hours a Day, 
 
 and 
 
77j^ P re face. xxvii 
 
 and his Salary was encreafed to two 
 Shilling's and lix Pence a Week. 
 
 Alms were now diftributed two or 
 three times a Week to the Children, that 
 they might be engaged to come more 
 conftantly to School, and be kept in bet- 
 ter Order. And as this little Beginning 
 came to be known abroad, feveral Per- 
 fons fent in Money and Cloathing 
 for the Children, thereby to hire 
 them, as it were, to receive Inftruftion. 
 The Profellbr already found in part 
 that Promife verified, that God would 
 make him abound to every good Work : 
 lince befides maintaining his School, he 
 had wherewithal to affilt poor Houfe- 
 keepers j for he difpofed of what Provi- 
 dence fent, as faft as it came, without 
 foUicitude for Futurity. 
 
 Before the end of this Summer, a 
 Perfon of Quality fent to the ProfelTor 
 five hundred Crowns, upon Condition, 
 that fome Part of it fliould be difpofed 
 of to poor Students in the Univerfity. 
 This greatly encouraged him, and he 
 prefently enquired after the more nccef- , 
 litous among the Students, to twenty 
 of whom he gave a weekly Allowance. 
 He looked upon this as a Call of' Tro- 
 mdence^ to make indigent Scholars a 
 Part of his Care, which he continued 
 to do, as long as he lived, making an 
 
 Efta- 
 
xxviii Tie PREFACE. 
 
 Eftablifhment for them in his Hofpital, 
 as will be hereafter related. 
 
 Soon after, another Perfon of Qua- 
 lity fent a hundred Crowns for the Poor, 
 and a Friend gave twenty towards the 
 School : " So that, as he faith himfelf, 
 *^ God mightily fupported what was be- 
 '^ gun, and his Bounty ftreamed down 
 '^ more plentifully, to fliew us, that he 
 '^ was ready to do ftill greater Things, 
 *^ if we could but believe. 
 
 The Number ol the poor Children, 
 andthofe of the Inhabitants, encreafed to 
 fuch a degree, that in the beginning of 
 the Winter, he was obliged to hire a 
 fecond Room : and then he feparated 
 the Children of the Inhabitants from 
 thofe of the Poor,- appointing each a 
 peculiar Mailer, 
 
 But as the fpiritual Welfare of the 
 -poor Children, had been the firft and 
 principal View of the Profeflbr, in the 
 Care he took pf them \ he found that, 
 after all his Pains, this was little ad- 
 vanced, becaufe the Good they got at 
 School, was loft at Home. This made 
 him refolve to fingle out fome Chil- 
 dren, and venture upon their Mainte- 
 nance, as well as their Education ,• and 
 this firlt difpofed him to concert Mea- 
 fures for an Hofpital, before he knew of 
 any Fund for its Maintenance. 
 
 When 
 
rhe P RE FACE. xxix 
 
 When he difcovered his Project to 
 fome Friends, one of them fettled five 
 hundred Crowns, the Intereft of which 
 was appointed for the Maintenance of 
 one Orphan ^ four were prefentcd to the 
 Profeflbr, for him to make his Choice. 
 He ventured (as he fpeaks) in the Name 
 of God^ to take them all four. In lefs 
 than a Fortnight, he received at differ- 
 ent Times five more, and boarded them 
 with Perfons that had a good Senfe of 
 Religion. 
 
 The Divine Providence eminently 
 concurred with this pious Enterprize : 
 for foon after, above one thoufand four 
 hundred Crowns were fent from diffe- 
 rent Hands. The ProfefTor thus fupplied, 
 and encouraged outwardly, and led and 
 fupported inwardly, by fuch fubhme 
 Degrees of Faith, as nothing but expe- 
 rience like his can give us worthy No- 
 tions of, bought, fitted up, and fur- 
 nillied a Houfe to ferve as an Hofpital, 
 for the reception of the Orphans under 
 his Care. Their Number was increafed 
 to twelve, when they were removed into 
 this Houfe, from the private Families 
 where they bad been Boarded. 
 
 In this little Hofpital, every Child 
 was laid in a Bed by himfelti they 
 were well cloathed, and fed and taught ; 
 they were kept in great Order ,• and a 
 
 general 
 
A TABLE 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 
 Sect. ^'^^§ HO is the Sum and Siibftance 
 I- %^wWi of the whole Sacred Wri- 
 tings, Page I 
 Sfct. II. IVhat our Duty is in 
 
 this Important Affair^ 2 
 
 Sect. III. IVtth what Mind, and with what In-- 
 tcntion, this Knowledge is to he fought , ibid. 
 
 Sect. IV. 27:?^^ this Wifdom is of the higloeji 
 Efiimationy 3 
 
 S E c T. V. In what School this Ififdojn is to be 
 learnt, 4 
 
 Sect. VI. /// this School, no one perfe^ly learns 
 all things, ibid. 
 
 Sect. Vll. He that has learned any i'hing in 
 this School, tho' it he never fo fmall, ought not 
 altogether to conceal it, 5 
 
 S.E c T. VIII. Who muft fupply Strength for per- 
 forming this 'Part, 6 
 
 Sect. IX. IVhat ought to he our Scope in read- 
 ing the Holy Scriptures, ibid. 
 
 S E c T. X. fhe Means of attaint fig to this End, 7 
 
 Sect. 
 
xxxvi 1 he CONTENTS. 
 
 Sect. XL ^hat this is not to he obtained by 
 Prayers alone, but that Meditation is alfo re- 
 quijite, 8 
 
 Sect. XII. IVhat Means may be ufed, if Me- 
 ditation does not fiiccecd according to our IViJhy 
 
 9 
 
 Sect. XIII. Alfo what to be done^ if many Via- 
 CCS feeni difficult and oh f cure, i o 
 
 Sect. XIV. By what Degrees, an entrance is 
 made to the reading of the Holy Scriptures, 12 
 
 Sect. XV. fhat great Benefit may he hoped 
 for, from comparing the ^eftimonies of the 
 Prophets, with thofe of Chrift and his Apo- 
 ftles, ,13 
 
 Sect. XVI. ^bat fingular Profit may be ex- 
 pe5ied from fuch Comparifons, 1 5 
 
 Sect. XVII. ^hat we ought to give ftri^ At- 
 tention to all the Words of Chriil: and his 
 Apollles, 1 6 
 
 Sect. XVIII. ^bat great Diligence is required 
 in this Medication on the Holy Scriptures, 
 
 ibid. 
 
 Sect. XIX. ^That we ought always to perfevere 
 in Diligence and Humtltty, 1 7 
 
 Sect. XX. After a diligent and frequent Peru- 
 fal of the New Teftament, Chrift will be 
 clearly difcerncd in the Old, 18 
 
 Sect. XXI. ^hat the Old Tejftament refleffs 
 Light upon the New, ip 
 
 Sect. XXII. ^Tbat this may he iUuftrated by 
 Ei< ample, 20 
 
 Sect. XXIII. "the JVords of St. John are recit- 
 ed, on which the Meditations are framed, 21 
 
 The 
 
The CONTENTS, xxxvii 
 
 The First Meditation. 
 
 Of the Divhie Simplicity which St, John 
 ufes in the Beginning of his Gofpel. 
 
 Sect. XXIV. T'/jat thefe are not the fuhlime 
 Words^ which St. Paul accounts as alien from 
 tie Divine Wifdorn^ 23 
 
 Sect. XXV". ^bat great Simplicity may he ch- 
 ferved in St. John^j IVords^ 26 
 
 Sect. XXVI. IV hat is to he thought of too ma- 
 ny learned Men^ who often wreft thefe Words 
 (o/6if. John) from their ;;^7///r^/ Simplicity, to 
 a manifcftly wrong Signification ^ 2p 
 
 Sect. XXVII. fhat there are known Exam^ 
 pies of Rationalifs, having heen effe5iudly 
 ftruck and convinced hy this Simplicity of the 
 Words of St. John, 30 
 
 Sect. XXVIll. 'That the Mind of St. John was 
 fo humble and hone ft ^ that we may from thence 
 conclude his Words proceeded from the great eft 
 Simplicity, 3 2 
 
 Sect. XXIX. Why this Simplicity of St. John 
 is a little more largely propofed to Confidera-- 
 
 . tiony 34 
 
 Sect. XXX. A Prayer to Chrift, for the 'True 
 Knowledge of the Simplicity and Perfpicutty 
 of the Holy Scriptures, 3 5 
 
 The 
 
xxxvlii The CONTENTS. 
 
 The Second Meditation. 
 
 In which the Beginning of St. JoLms 
 Golpel is compared with the Beginning 
 of the Book of Genejis, 
 
 Sect. XXXI. ^hat St. John, in the Beginning 
 
 ofbisGofpel, doth refer to the Beginning of 
 
 Geiielis, 3 7 
 
 Sect. XXXII. A Prayer to he joined with 
 
 this cornparitig of Mofcs and John, 40 
 
 The Third Meditation. 
 
 In which the Beginning of St. John^ Gof- 
 pel is compared with other Places of 
 Scripture, of the Old and New Tefta- 
 ment. 
 
 Sect. XXXIII. nat thefe Words of St, John 
 may he alfo explained by other Places of the 
 Old and New feftainenty 41 
 
 Sect. XXXIV. Other Places of Scripture tend- 
 ing to illujirate this Mattery 44 
 
 Sect. XXXV. What Benefit may he hoped for 
 from fuch Meditations and Comparifons, 58 
 
 Sect. XXXVI. A Prayer for the opening the 
 Eyes of our Minds in this important Coficerny 
 
 59 
 The Fourth Meditation. 
 
 Of the fingular Emphafis, and ftrong Sig- 
 
 nificancy of the Words and Expreffions 
 
 of St. John, in the Beginning of his 
 
 Gofpel. Sect, 
 
The C O N T E N T S. xxxix 
 
 Sect. XXX VII. fhat many i'hiyigs remain 
 fiill hid in the emphatic al ExpreJJions ^u^tich 
 St. John ufes, 60 
 
 Sect. XXXVIII. 37;^?^ fo great Depths, un^ 
 fathomable plainly to Keafon, lie hidtn that one 
 JVord KoyQ-y \_or the Word J as ought to en- 
 creafe our Hui/iiliation, 64 
 
 Sect. XXXIX. What things are further to 
 he confidered in thefc emphatic a I Words of St, 
 John, 66 
 
 Sect. XL. What peculiar Account may he giv- 
 en of the Words ysTi?^ct^zv, v^pi^ctiiovy and Ika^ov^ 
 or comprehending and receiving, 71 
 
 Sect. XLI. Why in treating here of the Eter- 
 nal Word, there is mention made of John the 
 Baptift, y4 
 
 Sect. XLII. ^hat there is alfo a peculiar Em- 
 phafis in the Words q KhyQ- laKhvuinv iv -^^v^ 
 The Word dwelt among us, yS 
 
 Sect. XLIII. Why the Evangelift returns afreflo 
 to fpeak of John the Baptift, and what is to he 
 underftood by Ki)c^,yiy He cried, 8 1 
 
 Sect. XLIV. In what the I'efiimony of John 
 the Baptift confiftsy 83 
 
 Sect. XLV. What is to he ohferved concerning 
 Grace for Grace, and comparing of the Law 
 and Grace and Truth one with another, 85 
 
 Sect. XLVL How great Senfe is comprifed in 
 the 18'^ Verfe, where there is fo notable men- 
 tion made of the only begotten Son, who is in 
 the Bofom of the Father^ and hath declared 
 him, 88 
 
 Sect. XL VIL IVhat Prayers the Confederation 
 on all thefe 'things Jloould draw from our 
 Hearts y pi. 
 
 The 
 
xl The CONTENTS. 
 
 The Fifth Meditation. 
 
 Wherein fix Argumenis, proving the true 
 Divinity of Chriji^ which occur in the 
 Beginning of St. Johns Golpel, are di- 
 ligently examined. 
 
 Sect. XLVIII. 'I'he Firft Argument y p5 
 
 Sect. XLIX. fhc Second Argument y p8 
 
 Sect. L. ^be 1'bird Argument y lop 
 
 S E c T. LI. ^he Fourth Argument y 1 20 
 
 Sect. LII. "ithe Fifth Argument y I2p 
 
 Sect. LIII. 'the Sixth Argume?2ty 1^2 
 
 Now this Argument comprifes fifteen im- 
 portant Points. 
 
 1. that all the Holy Scriptures inculcate 
 upon Men this Faith /;/ Chriil:. 
 
 2. that Chriil fends not Men to any othety 
 hut calls them to Himfelf 
 
 3. that the Apollles have required the fame 
 Faith in Chrift our Lord. 
 
 4. that this 'whole Faith confifts of fuch 
 Particulars^ as are not to he attributed to any 
 created Being. 
 
 5. that Faith is to he given to CWi^y not 
 as a Minifter, hut as the Lord of our Salvation. 
 
 6. that we are commanded to live and die to 
 Chrift, is likcwife an Evidence of his Divinity. 
 
 7. What is fgnified hy thofe Expreffions. 
 
 8. that our Duty to renounce all things 
 for Chrift'j Sake^ gives teftimony alfo of his 
 Divine Glory. 
 
 p. that Chrifl is to he loved above all 
 things y is alfo a teftimony of his Divinity. 
 
 10. the 
 
The CONTENTS. xlf 
 
 lo. fbe Obligation of putting our Trufl in 
 Chrift, as in God himfelf^ is an Indication 
 likewtfe of his Divine Glory. 
 
 ii. ^hat we are commanded to give our 
 Hearts unto Chrift, is another Argument to con* 
 firm this Affertion. 
 
 1 2. A farther Confirmation hereof iSy that 
 we are to ferve Chrift in Right eoufnefsy and 
 Peace^ and Joy in the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 13. ^hat the Honour of religious Woriliip/o 
 he performed to Chrift, is alfo an Atteftation 
 of his Divine Glory. 
 
 i^.Our being baptized in the Name of Chrift ^ 
 is alfo a Demonftration of his Divine Glory, 
 
 15. Chrift *s be ft owing eternal Life^ is ano- 
 ther Proof of his Divine Glory. 
 
 Sect. LIV. What further ufe may be made of 
 the fis preceeding Argument Sy ly^ 
 
 Sect. LV. IVhat ought to be confidered of by 
 Perfons who are manifeftly given up to contra^ 
 ry Opinions^ and are become Champions for 
 theMy i8i 
 
 Sect. LVI. What ought to be thought of fuch^ 
 who deny the Godhead 0/ Chrift, and yet migh-- 
 iily pretend to good Moral Do^rine^ and inte- 
 grity of Life, ipi 
 
 Sect. LVII. fhat all Morality deftitute of 
 the Foundation of a livi ng Faithy is unprofitable 
 and infufficient ; what Advice is to be given 
 to thofe who depart from this Foundation of 
 true Morality y 1^4 
 
 Sect. L VIII. /^to Prayers and ?raiks fiould 
 from thefe Conftderations be ep;citedin our Minds y 
 
 4 The 
 
xlii The CONTENTS. 
 
 The Sixth Meditation. 
 
 Of the Myftery of the Incarnation. 
 
 Sect. LIX. fbat 'tis to he confideredy who 
 Chrill: was before his Incarnation^ and who He 
 now isy after he was made Man^ 200 
 
 The Seventh Meditation. 
 
 Of the Benefit we enjoy by Jefus Chriji, 
 
 Sect. LX. fhat God has embraced us in his 
 Son with an eternal Love^ and that from hence 
 all manner of Good is derived to us^ 205; 
 
 The Eighth Meditation. 
 
 Concerning the truly divine X)rder wherein 
 we are made Partakers of all the Bene^ 
 Jits that accrue to us by Chriji J ejus. 
 
 Sect. LXI. In what Manner and in what Or- 
 der we are to ufe the Benefits of Salvation, ob- 
 tained by Chrill for us, 212 
 
 The Ninth Meditation. 
 
 How we may be inftruded, from the Be- 
 ginning of St. Johns Gojpel, to know 
 Chriji, as the Sum and Subftance of the 
 other Writings of St. Jobriy and of all 
 the Holy Scriptures, 
 
 Sect, 
 
The CONTENTS, xliii 
 
 Sect. LXII. fhat from the Beginning of St. 
 John'j Gofpel, we may alfo learn aftar what 
 Manner y in his other IVritings^ and throughout 
 the whole Scripture, Chrift is to be known^ 
 
 Sect. LXIII. JVhat hefides this Inftance, more 
 at large explained, may farther conduce to the 
 Knowledge of Chrill, as the Sum and Sub- 
 fiance of the Holy Scriptures, 225 
 
 Sect. LXIV. ^at a diligent Confideration of 
 the Names and Appellations of Chrift, affords 
 alfo great Injiru^ion. 234 
 
 S i c T. LXV. fhat 'tis not fafficient for us to 
 know all thefe things of Chrift, hut that he- 
 fides this Knowledge, there is ftiU more requir- 
 ed of us, 255 
 
 Sect. LXVI. In what things, and efpecially 
 in what Manner,Chnik Myftical is to he fought ^ 
 
 260 
 
 Sect. LXVII. ^he true and fafeft Way of foU 
 lowing and poffefjing Chrift, 2^2 
 
 Sect. LXVIII. What Courfe is to he taken, 
 when Chrift long fought after is not found by 
 thee, 2(^4 
 
 Sect. LXIX. How all this fo difficult a Work 
 ought to he recommended to God by Prayers, 
 
 27a 
 
 Chrifius 
 
• ■!;(■■>«■« ■■■••■ ■■■■■■■■■! 
 
 Chrtjlus Sacrce Scripturce Nucleus: 
 
 O R, 
 
 CHRIST the Sum and 
 Subftance of all the 
 
 Holy Scriptures, (s^c. 
 
 SECT, I. 
 
 Who is the Sum and Subftance of the 
 whole Sacred Writings. 
 
 ^^mm^RA'T Chrijl is the Sum and 
 ®.|?^|fe Subftance of all the Holy Scrip- 
 ^'S "V ^^ tures^ all do indeed confels ; 
 K^^^^P but there are few who uiider- 
 e^i^^^^kj ^^j^^ ^j^^ Meaning of thefe 
 
 Words ; fewer labour much to find out 
 this Subftance, and know in what manner 
 to make their Inquiry 3 the feweft of all, 
 are thofe who advance fo far in it, as tru- 
 
 B ly 
 
2 Chriji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 ly to eat of this Kernel, or Subfiance^ and 
 life it for the Nourilhment and Support 
 of their inward Man. 
 
 S E C T. 11. 
 
 What our Duty is i?i this important 
 Ajfair. 
 
 SINCE therefore This is of all others 
 onr greateft Concern, 'tis fit the Reader 
 of the Holy Scriptures fliould in the firft 
 Place be admoniflied, not to ftick in the 
 Rind of their external Hiftory, Letter, 
 and Words; but that he ought to feek 
 Chriji himfelf, as the Kernel (ov Subjiance) 
 of the Holy Scriptures^ and to feek Him in 
 fuch a manner that he may certainly find 
 Him, and fatisfy his Soul with Him. 
 
 SECT. III. 
 
 With what Mind^ ajid with what In- 
 tentioriy this K7J0wledge is to be fought. 
 
 THIS is (nnsn Dnn:m mn^iD ddn) 
 
 T'ruth in the inward Farts, and Wijdoni 
 in the hidden Part^^ which is not acquir- 
 ed by loading the Memory only with the 
 various Interpretations and Opinions of 
 learned Men, nor the moft acute Refearches 
 
 of 
 
 * Pfnlm li. 6. 
 
of ail the Holy Scriptures. 3 
 
 of a natural Underftanding : Nor does it 
 confift in bare Knowledge ; but is rather 
 firft founded in the moft ardent Defire, 
 and faithful follicitude of refcuing one's 
 Soul from Deftrudion. It creates a 
 Change of the Heart into the divine Na- 
 ture and -f- Temper; and, declares its high 
 and heavtmly Dignity by its divine Light, 
 Operation, and real Virtue and Efficacy; 
 great Peace, continual Joy, purity of 
 Heart, fvveet Union W\i\\ God, Commu- 
 nion in and with God, and the fpiritual 
 and heavenly Exercife of Love, (whereby 
 whatfoever Good redounds to the Soul 
 from God, diffufes itfelf to all others with- 
 out Diftindion) by all thefe, I fay, it de- 
 clares its high and divine Dignity. 
 
 SECT. IV- 
 
 T'hat this Wifdom is of the highefi 
 EJiimation. 
 
 THIS Wifdom far furpaffeth all hu- 
 man Wifdom ; as Life is preferable to 
 Death, Light to Darknefs, Subftance to a 
 Shadow. For in this Wifdom alone is 
 Truth, Light, and Life. The moft cele- 
 brated Arts of all learned Men, compar'd 
 with This, are Smoak. Hence the Scrip- 
 B 2 ture 
 
 f John i. 12, 13. 2 Cor, iii. 18. 2 Pet. i. 4. 
 
4 Chriji the Sum and Suhjiance 
 
 ture faith, * Let not the wife Man glory m 
 his Wifdom. 
 
 SECT. V. 
 
 In what School this Wifdom is to be 
 learned. 
 
 THIS Wifdom is learnt in the School 
 of the Holy Spirit. Unlefs God himfelf 
 perform the Office of a 'Teacher^ not even 
 the firft Foundation of it can be laid. For 
 Chrifi fays, -f- No Man can come to mCy 
 except the Father which hathfent me draw 
 him : And again, it is written in the Pro- 
 phets, And they fl)all be all taught of God, 
 Every Man therefore that hath heard^ and 
 hath learned of the Father^ comet h unto me. 
 
 SECT. VI. 
 
 In this School no one perfeSily learns 
 all 'Things, 
 
 I N this School, no Mortal perfeftly and 
 fufficiently learns all Things : But 'tis a 
 Thing very pleafing to God^ when we re- 
 cite to one another what we have learned, 
 as diligent and attentive Scholars. Since 
 he is fo merciful as to vouchfafe his Blef- 
 fing to this Exercife, and to edify and 
 
 ftrengthen 
 
 * Jer, ix, 23. I Cor. i. 3 1 . f 'John vi. 44, 45. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 5 
 
 ftrengthen one Perfon by another, tho' it 
 be not lawful for any Man to call himfelf 
 Majler : * for One is our Majier, 
 
 SECT. VII. 
 
 He that has learned any thing in this 
 School'^ thd it be never fo fmally 
 ought not altogether to conceal it. 
 
 A S to my felf, I reckon I am but a 
 Novice, and one of the leafl Difciples in 
 this School; and that I have tajfted but 
 fome little Drop of this vaft Ocean of 
 Wifdom, which is in 'Jefus Chrifi^ and 
 have greater Caufe than -f Job^ to fay ; 
 How little a Portion (ppn yt^^) have we 
 heard of him : Yet, with Simplicity of 
 Mind, I adventure to rehearfe my Leffon, 
 and impart to others according to my 
 Knowledge, as far as it can be done, in 
 few Words, in what manner they ought 
 to feek, find, and tafte Chriji^ as the Ker- 
 nel (or Sum and Subftance) of the Holy 
 Scriptures -, and to nourifh, fatiate, and 
 fuftain their Soul with him, unto Eter- 
 nal Life. 
 
 B 3 SECT. 
 
 * Matt, xxiii. lo. f Job xxvi. 14. 
 
6 Chrijl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 SECT. VIII. 
 
 TVho 7nujl fupply Strejtgth for per- 
 forming this Fart. 
 
 MAY Goi, through his infinite Grace 
 and Mercy, blefs my Endeavours, and by 
 them bring many into the Way, by which 
 
 they may have Life^ and that they may have 
 it more abundantly * . 
 
 SECT. IX. 
 
 What ought to he our Scope in read- 
 ing the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 WHOSOEVER therefore thou art 
 that defireft to come to the true Know- 
 ledge of Chrift, who is the Sum and Sub- 
 ftance of the Holy Scriptures, and to be 
 made a Partaker of him, let it be recom- 
 mended to you above all Things, to con- 
 fideryir "what Re aj on you do read the Holy 
 Scriptu7''es 5 or what End you propofe to your 
 felf in def.gning to peruje the whole f acred 
 Writings \ what it is you feek or look for 
 by it ; for every thing is to be referred to 
 its true ajid full Scope or Intention -, o- 
 therwife the true arid full Fruit thereof 
 cannot be expedted. In reading the Ho- 
 
 ly 
 
 ■>l:n X. 10. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptuf^es, 7 
 
 ly Scriptures, the whole Intention of the 
 Mind muft be levelled at this, and no 
 other Scope whatever, That (i) we may- 
 come to Chrift, and (2) by Chrilt, to eter- 
 nal Salvation *. 
 
 SECT. X. 
 
 T'he Means of attaining to this End. 
 
 THAT you may well and happily 
 attain this End, by Means agreeable to 
 the Divine Ordinance, and approved of 
 God, you muft not fet about it, tru fling 
 in your own Strength, Wifdom, and Un- 
 derflanding ; or imagine, that by dihgent 
 Reading, Meditation and Enquiry, you 
 will be able to fearch it out ; or that then 
 you have compaffed your End, when you 
 have acquired fome external Knowledge 
 of Chrijt^ his Perfon, his Natures, Offices, 
 States, and all the Degrees of his Exina- 
 nition and Exaltation. But you mnft 
 humble your felf before God, like a little 
 Child, and begin all your reading of the 
 Holy Scriptures, witii a fubmlfiive Ac- 
 knowledgment of your own Infufficiency, 
 and with ferious and moft ardent Prayers 
 and Sighs to God , nor ought you ever to 
 defift from fuch concinual Humiliation of 
 your felf, though having made fome Pro- 
 B 4 grefs 
 
 * 2 Tin m. i^. AlsY.-^T,. 7^7;? XX. 31. 
 
8 Chrift the Simi and Subjlance 
 
 grefs therein,you may find great Knowledge 
 in the Holy Scriptures. But If you became 
 and remained truly humble^ and innocent, 
 like a very little Child hanging at his Mo- 
 ther's Breafts, furely the pure Milk of the 
 Gofpel would, without Hindrance, flow 
 into you, and would replenifli your Heart, 
 more than it might your Memory. Con- 
 cerning this WiJ'dom of Babes, See Matt. 
 xi. V. 25, 26, 27. 
 
 SECT. XI. 
 
 T^hat this IS not to be obtained by Pray- 
 ers alo7te^ but that Meditation is al- 
 fo requijite. 
 
 NEVERTHELESS the Things now 
 fpoken, are not to be fo underftood, as if 
 you were not to read the Holy Scriptures^ 
 nor to meditate on what you read. Medi- 
 tation is of admirable Ufe, being tinged, as 
 it were, with Prayer^ and exercifed by the 
 guidance of the Holy Spirit. By Degrees 
 you will learn, howfoever difficult it may 
 feem at firft ; i. To attend to the genuine 
 Scope of any entire Text. 2. To weigh 
 rightly the Antecedents and the Confe- 
 quents. 3. To conflder diftindly the Cir- 
 cumftances, "-ciz. Who? What? Where? 
 By what Affiftance ?^hy ? How ? When ? 
 4. To compare one Sentence with ano- 
 ther. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 9 
 
 ther, the OW, with the lS!ew Tejlamenty 
 Mojes with the Prophets and the Pfalms^ 
 &c. to explain fome Things by others, the 
 difficult Texts by the more eafy ones. 5. 
 To receive the Words of the Men of God^ 
 in a Divine Senfe, with which they were 
 imbued, (which they have declared more 
 clearly and fully in fome Places than in 
 others) not according to their external 
 Sound, nor in a carnal Senfe, as the World 
 is accuftomed to do. 6. To colled: one 
 Truth out of another. And 7. To con- 
 template with Pleafure, the fweet Har- 
 mony and Connexion of Divine truths ; 
 as there is a Handle given in what follows 
 to fuch falutary Meditations. 
 
 SECT. XII. 
 
 JVhat Means may be ufed^ if Medi- 
 tation does not fucceed according 
 to our Wifh. 
 
 NOR ought you to be too anxious 
 when you begin your Meditations on the 
 Holy Scriptures \ for if you join ardent 
 Prayers and a holy Defire of knowing 
 Chriji^ to your reading of them, the mat- 
 ter will thereupon grow better, you will 
 unawares be conduced by God himfelf in- 
 to the moft pleafant and fweet Meditation 
 of his eternal T'ruthy and he will by little 
 
 and 
 
io Chrtfi the Sum and Suhjlance 
 
 and little, difcover to you the inexhaufted 
 Profundities and Treafures of Wifdom and 
 Knowledge, that are hid in Cbrifi Jefus *. 
 And for this purpofe, a Treatife publiflied 
 by me, and called, A jhort a?id clear In^ 
 JiruBion for the better Readhig the Holy 
 Scriptures with 'Edification^ maybe of Ser- 
 vice to you. And alfo my IntrodtiBion to 
 the Reading the Holy Scriptures^ publifhed 
 in the Ger?na?i Tongue -f*. 
 
 SECT. XIII. 
 
 ^Ifo what to be done^ if many Placet 
 feem difficult and obfcure. 
 
 NOR are you to wonder, if at firft 
 in reading the Holy Scriptures, many 
 things feem to you obfcure, and lefs in- 
 telligible, and that it is neceifary for you 
 to read the fame Chapters again and a- 
 gain, before you find any thing that can, 
 in your own Opinion, affift you in the 
 Knowledge of Chrifi. Labour not anxi- 
 eufly to underftand things that are too 
 difficult for you, but willingly let them 
 pafs, until you have your Senfes more ex- 
 erciied in the Divine Myfieries, In the 
 
 mean 
 
 * Col. ii. 3. f In this Tntroduftion, there is fuccindly 
 lliewn the Scope of the Books of the Nezv T^ejia7nent, and 
 lately publifiied in Latins with the Scope of the Books of 
 i\^z '0!d Ttfiament. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 1 1 
 
 mean time you will always dilcover fome- 
 thing that may lead you forwards to the 
 Knowledge of Chrift. The few Things 
 which you find to be eafy, you may pru- 
 dently turn to your own Benefit, and may 
 ufe them to the eftabliiliing and ftreng- 
 thening your felf in the Love of Chriji : 
 Thus difficult Places will, by degrees, be- 
 come obvious to you. If any Fruit fas 
 fays the Reverend Dr. opener on this Sub- 
 je(5t, in his Book of the Dodrine of Faith, 
 p, 495. J hang higher than you can reach, 
 vou muft be content to feed on that which 
 is lower. Perhaps God alfo keeps fecret 
 in your Heart, this or that Paffage, which 
 at prefent you do not perceive or under- 
 iland,but will afterwards be madeintelligi- 
 bk to you, if, like Mary, * you diligently 
 ponder it ifi your Heart ; while you faith- 
 fully obey all the profitable Counfel that 
 is given you, the Divine Light will quickly 
 ftine forth unto you, and Chriji, as the Sum 
 of the Holy Scripture,Wi\\ difperfe the thick 
 Cloud that is on your Mind, and will illu- 
 ftrate all its Chapters, Verfes, and Words, 
 that you may difcover T'hat in them, 
 which you could not before by any means 
 be perfwaded of. 
 
 SECT. 
 
 * John xiii. 7. 
 
1 2 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 SECT. XIV. 
 
 By what Degrees an Entrance is 
 made to the Reading of the Holy 
 Scriptures. 
 
 BUT that you may have the fafeft 
 and fureft Inftrudion, how you are to 
 proceed by Degrees, and fo the fitteft and 
 beft Help may be adminiftred to your 
 Weaknefs, and to your Senfes, as yet but 
 little exercifed in the Word of God-y it is 
 meet, if you defire to feek rightly, and to 
 find Chriji in the Holy Scriptures, that 
 you begin with fuch Things as are moft 
 clear and eafy in this Point. Now the 
 Ne^v Tejiamejit^ in what it teaches con- 
 cerning Chriji the Saviour of the World, 
 is much more explicit than the old, nay, 
 without Controverfy, it is the true Key 
 of the Old Tefl anient ; while, i. He is 
 therein made prefent to us, who is pro- 
 mifed in the Old ^ejlamenty and there pre- 
 figured by Types and Shadows 5 and 2. 
 Whilft the Evangelijls and Apojiles do 
 hardly any thing elfe, but fas B. Lu" 
 ther ^i^iiksj compel and fend us to the 
 Old Tejlament in Search of Chriji. Here 
 then it is fuppofed, that the whole Bible^ 
 or all the Writings of the Old and New 
 T'eJIament.h^LVQ been once at leaft read over, 
 
 and 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 1 3 
 
 and the Courfe of Things, defcribed in 
 both Teftaments, fummarily underflood 
 by this Perufal 5 but afterwards, when 
 the more folid, and more proper Know- 
 ledge of Divine Truth comes to be dif- 
 cuft by a nicer and fuller Enquiry, from 
 the Foundation now laid, the moll: con- 
 venient Method for underftanding the Do- 
 ftrine, is chiefly, and in the firft Place, to 
 begin with the Writings of the New T!e- 
 fiament^ to meditate upon them with the 
 greateft Induftry, and to render them fa- 
 miliar to you. 
 
 SECT. XV. 
 
 "that great Benefit maybe hoped for 
 from comparing the Tefiimonies of 
 the Prophets, with thofe of Chvi^ 
 and his Apoftles. 
 
 I N the reading of the New Covenant, 
 this ought to be always the chief, nay, 
 the only Defire of your Soul, that you 
 may come to the faving and lively Know- 
 ledge oijefus Chriji. But that you may ar- 
 rive at this, it is not only neceffary, that you 
 have your Mind and Heart piouily and de- 
 voutly fixt on the Perfon,Words and Works, 
 as alfo on the Paffion of Chrift, but that 
 you diligently examine alfo the Words al- 
 
 ledged 
 
14 Chrtjl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 ledged in the New T'ejlament out of the 
 Old, as Teflimonies concerning Chriji ; 
 that you turn to them in the Book of the 
 Old T'ejlament ; frequently read over the 
 antecedent and following Texts in Mofes^ 
 the Pi^ophets, and the Pfabns^ where the 
 cited Teflimonies are adduced, and moft 
 humbly pray to God, and earneftly be- 
 feech him, that he would open your Un- 
 derftanding to perceive and know, how 
 Chri/i and his Apojiles did interpret the 
 Old T^efiament. Which Pains if you ihall 
 not grudge to take, ffince to a Mind de- 
 firous of the true Knowledge of Chrifl^ 
 it is rather true Pleafure and Joy, than 
 Labour^ you will unawares tread in the 
 fafell and moft certain Way of coming 
 to true Wifdom. For you will procure 
 Chriji himfelf and his Apojiles, to be your 
 Teachers and Inftrudors, and by them 
 you will, like a Child, be brought into 
 Difcipline, you will be inftruded, you will 
 be, as it were, led by the Hand to know 
 rightly, how you ought to feek and find 
 ChriJl, as the Sum and Subftance of all 
 the Scriptures, for the quieting and faving 
 of your Soul. 
 
 SECT. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 1 5 
 
 SECT- XVI. 
 
 That ft7igular Profit may he expeSied 
 from fuch Comparifons. 
 
 WHEN you have, for fome time, 
 frequented this School of Chriji and of 
 hh Apofiksy and being introduced by thefe 
 Majflers into the Old Tejl anient, that is, 
 Mofes, the Prophets, and the Pfahns, and 
 iliall have well learnt, like a diligent and 
 attentive Scholar, v^hat Places are chiefly 
 alledged by them, for the Inflrudion and 
 Convidlion of Men, concerning the Perfon 
 of the Mejjiah, his Office, and Benefits, 
 that Jefus is he of whom Mofes and the 
 Prophets have written, to wit, the So7i of 
 God, and the true Saviour of the World ; 
 then you ought to mark thofe Places for 
 Fundamentals, or in them to lay a Foun- 
 dation of a fure and faving Knowledge of 
 ChriJl. Which Foundation being rightly 
 laid in the School of ChriJl and his Apo- 
 Jlles, you will, in a fhort time, better 
 apprehend all their Difcourfes. For you 
 will perceive, in their very Words, and 
 ufual Ways of fpeaking, that they every 
 where have Refpedt to the Old T^cjlament^ 
 and do, as it were, fearch into its inmoft 
 Vitals, through the Condudt of the Spirit 
 of Wifdom, fo that even one little Word 
 fas Luther fpeaksj fhall look through all 
 tlie OldTeftament, SECT. 
 
^ 6 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 SECT. XVII. 
 
 Hat we ought to give JiriSi Atten- 
 tion to all the Words of Chrift 
 and his Apoflles. 
 
 WHEREFORE it is not only moft 
 neceffary to lay very carefully the above- 
 mentioned Foundation, from the Places 
 quoted out of the Old T'ejiament, by 
 Chrijl and his Apojlles, but you muft ac- 
 cuftom your felf to attend to, and confider 
 every Word which they have fpoken, and 
 examine diligently v^hence it is taken, and 
 what particular Emphajis it hath; nay, 
 you muft continually accuftom your felf, 
 by the Help of the Scriptures of the New 
 ueftametit^ to converfe with Chrijl and his 
 Apojlles^ as your beft Friends, and by me- 
 ditating on their Words and Difcourfes, 
 to enter upon every Day, as it were a fa- 
 miliar Conference with them. 
 
 SECT. XVIII. 
 
 "That great Diligence is required in 
 this Meditation on the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 AFTER this manner David hath 
 treated the Words of the Lau\ as is to 
 
 be 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, 1 7. 
 
 be feen in the iigth Pf a /m. Hence he 
 could fay, * Mine Eyes preve?2f the Night^ 
 watchesy that I might meditate 07i thy Word, 
 How much more does it behove us care- 
 fully to ponder the Words of the New 
 Covenant, which declare unto us fo great 
 Salvation ? and if God fo blefled the Me- 
 ditation of David, can we think he will 
 deny us his Grace ? Oh, that the Things 
 we have fpoken of, were performed with 
 a Mind, humble, docile, and defirous of 
 divine Grace, with the Bleffing of God 
 always earneftly implor'd ! we fhould then 
 be good Proficients ; digging thus, we 
 fhould penetrate deep, lay a firm Foun- 
 dation, and acquire true Wifdom. 
 
 SECT. XIX. 
 
 77)at we ought always to perfevere 
 in Diligence ^;^(^ Humility. 
 
 FOR he that watcheth for Wifdo7n, 
 (0 et>/pi/Tj/»(raf, whom the Study of Wifdom 
 hardly fuffers to deep, but takes away his 
 Reft) Jhall quickly be without Care -f-. But 
 he that is contumacious and refracftory, 
 and behaves not himfelf in this School, 
 with Lowlinefs and Humility, but quickly 
 loaths the heavenly Manna of the Words 
 
 C of 
 
 "^Pfalm cxix. 14^. f Wifdom \\. 6. 
 
1 8 Chrifi the Sum and Suhjianee 
 
 of Chri/i, the Apojlles^ and Evangelijls ; 
 that refufes to examine all Things with a 
 calm Spirit, nor cares to proceed gradu- 
 ally, but prefently affumes a haughty Spi- 
 rit, as thofe learned Men, who are wife 
 according to the Flefli, are wont to do, 
 fuch an one will never arrive to any firm- 
 nefs and certainty, nor be made a Parta- 
 ker of Chrijl^ the very Suhfiance of the 
 Jioly Scriptures^ to the Delight of his 
 Soul. 
 
 1 T behoves you therefore to obferve 
 well the Counfel that has been given you, 
 if indeed you feriouily defire to feek and 
 fo to find Chrili in the Scriptures, that not 
 by unprofitable Science, but by the lively 
 Efficacy of a full and fruitful Knowledge, 
 you may exp^iri^uce him as a true Prefer- 
 ver and Saviour of your SolI. 
 
 SECT. XX, 
 
 After a dilige7tt and frequent Peru-- 
 
 fal of the New Tefiament^ Chrtft 
 
 will be clearly difcerned in the Old. 
 
 WHEN you have thus rightly learnt 
 to know the Key of the Old Teftament, 
 and are taught by Chrijl and his Apojiles^ 
 how you ought to ufe this K-ey to Advan- 
 tage ; then, and not before, you will pro- 
 ceed in proper Order, to the Reading, Me- 
 
 di- 
 
of all the Holy Sc?Hptures 1 9 
 
 ditation, and more accurate Confideration 
 of the Old Teftament; you take as it 
 were a Key with you, as often as you go 
 to the Old Tertament ; you devoutly 
 compare the Old with the New, the 
 Shadow with the Subrtance, the Types 
 with the Antitype, Prophecies with their 
 Completion. Thus you will underftand 
 for what Reafon St. Augufiin faid, * T^he 
 Old liejlament has 7ig true Relif:^ if Chrijl 
 be not under jlood in it. On the contrary, 
 you will be fenfible there is much Joy, 
 Comfort and Delight to be found in the 
 Writings of the Old Teftament,(efpecially 
 in reading thofe Places which were before 
 wearifome, and almoft irkfome to you) 
 when you perceive Chriji fo fweetly de- 
 painted there. 
 
 SECT. XXL 
 
 That the Old Tefta7nent refletls Light 
 upon the New. 
 
 THE more you are exercifed in me- 
 ditating on the New, fo much the eafier 
 and quicker will be your Progrefs in the 
 Old Teftament. And as before you were 
 introduced into the Senfe of the Old Te- 
 ftament, by Means of the New, fo now 
 C 2 Mj- 
 
 * In his ninth Tract on S^ J )hn 
 
10 Chrifi the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 Mofes, the Prophets, and the Pj'alms, will, 
 in their Turn, aflift you in acquiring fo 
 much a more fohd and accurate Un- 
 derftanding of the New Teftament. The 
 perpetual Harmony and Agreement alfo 
 between the New and the Old Tejiament^ 
 will caufe in you a (TAMpo^opIcey) great Ful- 
 nefs of Faith, or will certainly very much 
 confirm and encreafe the Faith you have. 
 
 SECT. XXII. 
 
 T^hat this may be illujlrated by Ex- 
 ample. 
 
 SINCE all Things are better con- 
 ceived and underftood hy Ex ajfiple, than 
 by bare Inftru6tion, we will apply the Be- 
 ginning of St. Joh?i^ Gofpel, for the 11- 
 luftration of what we have faid. For it 
 cannot be denied, but that this particular 
 Scripture Is to be reckoned among the moft 
 admirable, and therefore is wont to be laid 
 as a Foundation in all the Doftrine con- 
 cerning Jejiis Chrijl, Add to this, that 
 it remits us very much to the Old Tefta- 
 ment, and for the moil part is efteemed 
 hard to be underftood. Indeed it is not 
 my Intention at this Time, to lay before 
 you the univerfal Scope of the Spirit in 
 this Place, the Breadth, Length, Heighth 
 and Depth of it, iince this is neither in 
 
 any 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 2 1 
 
 any Man's Power to perform, (becaufe all 
 the Riches of Divine Wifdom and Know- 
 ledge are hid in it) nor does the View of 
 this plain Inftruction require a Deduftion 
 of the Myjleries contained in it, which 
 yet might be made through the Affiftance 
 of Divine Grace. 
 
 I N the mean time, fince my Defign is 
 to render the Reader's Meditatiom on the 
 Holy Scriptures more eafy, and efpecially 
 his Enquiries concerning Chrtjl himfelt in 
 them, it will be necefl'ary to form divers 
 Meditations from this Subject, ^cix, the Be- 
 ginning of the Gofpel of St. "John^ which 
 will be nine- 
 
 SECT. XXIII. 
 
 I'he Words of St. John are recited^ 
 on which the Meditations are 
 framed. 
 
 HIS Words are thefe, ver, i. /;; the 
 Begifinhig was the IVord, and the Word 
 was with God, and the Word was God. 
 2. The fame was in the Beginiiiiig with 
 God, 3. All things were made by him^ 
 and without him was not any thing made, 
 that was made, 4. In him was Life, and 
 the Life was the Light of Men, 5. And 
 the Light f^ineth in Darknefs, and the 
 Ddrk?iefs comprehended it not, 6. there 
 C ^ wa^ 
 
2 2 Chrtfi the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 was a Man font from God, wbofe Name 
 was yohn. 7. The fame came for a Wit- 
 nefs^ to bear Witfiefs of the Light, that all 
 Men through him might believe, 9. He 
 was the true Light which lightneth every 
 Man that cometh into the World. 10. He 
 was in the World, and the World was made 
 by him, and the World knew him not. 
 II. He ca?ne unto his own, and his own 
 received him not. 12. But as many as 
 received him, to them gave he Power to 
 become the Sons of God^ even to them that 
 believe en his Name, 13. Which were 
 born, not of Blood, nor oj the Will of the 
 Flefb, nor of the Will of Man, but of God. 
 14. And the Word was made Flefh^ and 
 dwelt among us [and "i^'e beheld his Glory^ 
 the Glory as of the only Begotten of the Fa- 
 ther) full of Grace and Truth. 15. fohn 
 bare Witnefs of him, and cried, faying, This 
 was he of whom I f pake. He that cometh 
 after me, was before me [or was preferred 
 before me) for he was before me. 16. And 
 of his Fulnefs have we all received^ and 
 Grace for Grace. 17. For the Law was 
 given by Mofes, but Grace and Truth came 
 by Jefus ChrijL 18. No Man hath feen 
 God at any Time, the only begotten Son, 
 which is in the Bofom of the Father, he hath 
 declared him. 
 
 Con- 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 23 
 
 Concerning thefe Words, now fol- 
 lows the hrft Meditation. 
 
 O F the Divine Simplicity which St. 
 yohn ules in the Beginning of his Gof- 
 pel. 
 
 SECT. XXIV. 
 
 That thefe are not thefublime Words 
 which St. Paul accounts as alien 
 fro?n the Divine TVifdom. 
 
 WHAT St. Faul writes, i Cor, ii. i, 
 2, 4,5. holds not good of him alone, but 
 is the true Propriety of all the Apoflles 
 of the Lamb. /, Brethren^ fays he, when 
 / came to you^ came not with Excelloicy of 
 Speech^ or of JVifdom^ declari?ig unto you 
 the T'ejlimony of God. For I determined 
 not to know any thing among you^ fave J ejus 
 Chriji^ and him crucified. And 7ny Speech 
 and my Preaching was not with enticing 
 Words of Mans Wifdom^ but in Demon- 
 fir at im Qf the Spirit^ and of Power. That 
 your Faith fl:ould not fiand in theWifdom 
 of Men^ but in the Power of God. If any 
 one therefore think otherwife concerning 
 this Beginning of St. John's Gofpel, he 
 knows not the Mind of St. John^ who, 
 C 4 lying 
 
24 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 lying in the Bofom of Jefus^ perfeftly 
 learned the true Wifdom, and pureft Sim- 
 plicity of Children. But that he may 
 leem to ufe a fublime kind of Speech, is 
 to be attributed partly to the Sublimity of 
 the Things which he declares, and to the 
 Efficacy and Illumination of the Holy Spi- 
 rit^ whereof he had been made Partaker ; 
 partly to the Perverfenefs of the C^vxtr^At) 
 natural Man, unable to judge truly of fpi- 
 ritual Things. The natural Man, when 
 he hears of Simplicity, looks upon it as 
 no better than Ignorance and Foolifhnefs ; 
 whereas indeed the divine Simplicity in- 
 finitely furpaffes the greateft Wifdom of 
 Men. In this Simplicity, the fpiritual 
 Man confiders only the Matter itfelf, and 
 is no way follicitous about the Loftinefs 
 of Words, and the artificial Ornaments 
 of Speech, which the eloquent of the 
 World are wont to demand. He feeks 
 a certain and firm Foundation of Wifdom, 
 in which he may find true Reft for his 
 Soul ; which Foundation when he has ob- 
 tained, and reftsfecurely upon it, the moft 
 fimple and common Words, whereby a 
 thing is fo exprefs*d, as to be bed under- 
 ilood by all, are to him the moft grateful 
 and agreeable. Thus ought we to think 
 of the Beginning of St. Johi's Gofpel. 
 Here you have not the exalted Words 
 of Man's Wifdom, nor a pompous and 
 
 ela- 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 25 
 
 elaborate Stile, but the greateft and clear- 
 ell Simplicity^ which derogates not at all 
 from the Majefly and Sublimenels of the 
 things themfelves, , nay, the more fu- 
 blime the things are which he propoles, 
 the more fimple were the Words which 
 he chofe to exprefs them by. For St. 
 yohn was a Teacher of the univerfal 
 Church, who ought fo to order his Mi- 
 niftry for the Intereft of the Gofpel, that 
 fimple and ignorant Men, as well as the 
 acute and intelligent, might enjoy the 
 Benefit of it. And indeed it is the juft 
 Appointment of Gody that to this very 
 Day the Learned and the Wife lliould ad- 
 mire the Wildom of thofe, who were 
 with JefuSy being ignorant and unlearned 
 Mens as heretofore the Rulers and El- 
 ders, and Scribes, and Annas the High 
 Prieft, and CaiphaSy and as many as were 
 of the Kindred of the High Prieft, fee- 
 ing the Boldnefs of Peter and Johuy and 
 perceiving that they were unlearned and 
 ignorant Men, marvelled at them*. Thus 
 thofe Things are underftood to be true 
 which are written : / ivill dejlroy the 
 Wijdom of the JViJiy and will bring to no^ 
 thing the Under jlanding of the Prudent. 
 Where is the Wife ? Where is the Scribe ? 
 Where is the Difputer of this World ? 
 
 Hath 
 
 * J/ls iv. 5,9, 13. 
 
2 6 Chriji the Stim and Subjiance 
 
 Hath not God made foolijf: the WiJdo?n of 
 this World * ? 
 
 SECT. XXV. 
 
 That great Simplicity maybe obfervcd 
 in St. JohnV Words. 
 
 I F we confider the very Words of Sr. 
 yohn^ what I pray do we find in them of 
 the Sublime ? Nay, does he utter a fingle 
 Word, wherein there is not the greateft 
 SimpHcity ? He fpeaks of ChriJI the Son 
 of God, he calls him the Wordy ^ttefts he 
 was in the Beginnings and that he was 
 with Gody his moft beloved Father, be- 
 fore the World was made. And fmce he 
 fo attributes Eternity to him, as a Di- 
 vine Property, and neverthelefs affirms of 
 him that he was with God-^ from whence 
 perhaps it might be collected, that this 
 would clafh with the Unity of God, he 
 prefently obviates this finifter Interpreta- 
 tion of his Words, by fubjoining, that this 
 Word was God himfelf, and of the fame 
 ElTence with him from the Beginning. 
 Nay, his manner of Speech was fo very 
 pure and genuine, that he repeats what 
 the Wife of this World may not think 
 needful to be repeated : The fame, viz. 
 (this Word) faith he, was in the Begin- 
 
 ning 
 
 * I Cor. i. I o, 20. Ifalah yiy\x. 14. ch, Xxxiii. 13. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 2 7 
 
 7itng with God. However, this Repetition 
 is not unneceffary. For St. ^0/;;^* through- 
 ly underftood how great Majefty lay hid 
 in this eternal and incomprehenfible Union 
 of the Elfence and Will of the Father and 
 the Son-, and fince by the illumination of 
 the Holy Spirit^ he had before his Eyes the 
 Glory which xhcSon had with theF^//vr be- 
 fore the World was. He thus exprefles the 
 fame thing in the mofl plain and natural 
 Words : T'his Word was in the Begiitning 
 with God. There cannot poffibly be more 
 vulgar, plain, and fimple Words than thefe 
 are ; but the things contained and involved 
 in them cannot be confidered with Admi- 
 ration, but by a meek and calm Spirit, 
 which ihcHolyGhoJi hath vouchfafed to il* 
 luminate; but by reafon of their Profound- 
 nefs, can never be (throughly) underftood 
 by any mortal Man, Now let any one 
 alfo conlider the other Words of St. Johriy 
 provided he bring with him an ho?ieJi Mind, 
 he cannot well judge otherwife of them, 
 but that they are all plain and perfpicuous; 
 for the underftanding of which, no one 
 ftands in need of the Arts of the learned 
 Men of this World, but 'tis necelfary only 
 that a Man fhould receive thefe Things fo 
 clearly and plainly laid before his Eyes, 
 with Faith and a fincere Mind, that he 
 
 feek 
 
 * Job/ xv'ii. 5. 
 
2 8 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 feek for Joy and Comfort from them, and 
 lovingly and thankfully in Spirit and Truth 
 join himfelf with the moft kind and moft 
 loving Son of God^ as with eternal Life, 
 and the true Light ^ who did therefore u- 
 nite himfelf with Humanity, that he might 
 bring Men into the everlafling and moft 
 bleifed Fellowfhip of an incorruptible Life, 
 and of his glorious Light, that they might 
 receive from his Fulnefs, Grace for Grace. 
 A Concern, which, to the Grief of all good 
 People, the learned Men of the World do 
 exceedingly negledl, when they ftrain all 
 the Strength only of their natural Wit, 
 (^yet effedt nothing by it^ to attain to the 
 true Senfe of St. Johis Words. It is a 
 Angular Mercy of God, if they do not 
 fwerve even from the external Truth, fo 
 evident before their Eyes, but maintain 
 from thence the Eternal Divmity, and the 
 true Humanity of Chrijl^ together with 
 the Benefits obtained for us by his Incar- 
 nation, For where they adl thus, they do 
 not at leaft deprive others of the only 
 Foundation of their Safety: but they 
 themfelves will reap no Benefit therefrom, 
 but will one Day find, by fad Experience, 
 that their Darknefs did not comprehend 
 the Lights becaufe they would not obey 
 him, who would have called the?n out of 
 Darknefs into his marvellous Light "*. / 
 
 am 
 
 * I Pel. ii. 9. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 29 
 
 am that Light of the World, fays the eter- 
 nal Word of God ; He that followeth me^ 
 Jhall not "Walk in Darhiefs, but Jhall 
 have the Light of Life"^, Wherefore, 
 to the attaining this Light of Life, dili- 
 gent Search, acute Difputation, literal 
 Science, and external Erudition, avail 
 nothing ; but 'tis neceffary that you fol- 
 low the Light of the World f Jefus Chrift) 
 with Simplicity of Mind. 
 
 SECT. XXVL 
 
 What is to be thought of too many 
 learned Men^ who often wrejl thefe 
 Words (of St. ]o\\nJ from their 
 natural Simplicity^ to a manifeflly 
 wrong Signif cation. 
 
 I T is meet we {hould tremble for Fear, 
 and ftand amazed, when we behold the 
 moft grievous Judgments of God, viz. 
 How he confounds the LTnderftanding of 
 the Learned of this World, whilft manv 
 Perfons, not indeed at all deftitute of a 
 good natural Sagacity and Underftanding, 
 are fo oifended at the great Simplicity of the 
 Holy Scriptures, that they have found out 
 divers ways of inverting the Senle of clear 
 Words, and ufe their ucmofl Endeavours 
 
 to 
 
 * 'John viii. 12. 
 
3 o Chriji the Sum and Subjla7ice 
 
 to deny their plain Meaning, draw them to 
 a foreign Senfe, or accommodate them to 
 the Tail of their corrupt Reafon, altho' 
 the Words themfelves be fo manifeftly 
 perfpicuous, as even to glare in their Eyes. 
 The Example of thofe Men, who look up- 
 on thefe Words of St. ^John as divinely 
 infpird, and neverthelefs impugn the eter- 
 nal Divi?iity and Majejiy of our Lord Je- 
 /us Chriji^ ought to render us cautious and 
 circumfped, that we do not pervert the 
 Holy Writings to our own Deftrud:ion ; 
 on the contrary, that we ftrive with the 
 greater Earneftnefs to receive the plain 
 Truths of God with plain and honeft 
 Hearts, and earneftly pray to him for 
 the true Senfe thereof, that in his Light 
 we may fee Light. 
 
 SECT. XXVIL 
 
 77)at there are known Examples of 
 Rationalijis having been effeEiually 
 Jiruck and C07tvi?tced by this Sim- 
 plicity of the Words of St. John. 
 
 SOMETIMES the great Simplicity 
 of Words breaks through all the Bars and 
 Obftacles of corrupt Reafon, and earthly 
 Wifdom, fo that it takes away from Men 
 all Contradictions, or at lead holds it as 
 
 it 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 31 
 
 it were down, by a fuperior Force. Thus 
 ^beopbilus Spizelius, in his Scrutiny of A- 
 theifm^ has recorded of a certain * Man 
 fallen into Atheifm, or at leaft an idleNeg- 
 led: and Contempt of a Deity ; that upon 
 reading only the former Words of St. 
 yohn\ Go/pel^ which he light upon by 
 Chance, or rather by the merciful Gui- 
 dance of God's Providence, reflefted with 
 great Compunftion on the miferable and 
 
 dan- 
 
 * This was Trancifcus Junius., a moll noted Divine a- 
 mong the Reformed, who (in his Life, premifed before his 
 Theological Works printed at Geneva, 1705, in fol. p. 10.) 
 relates at large, that when he was a young Man, he fell un- 
 der a moft grievous Calamity, vix. Atheijm, by the Boldnefs 
 of others, and his own Imprudence, and was fo far gone in 
 it, that his Mind was become hardened and infenfible. But 
 how he got out of it, he tells us;>. 1 1. in thefe Words : I 
 happened to open that Book called the l^ew Teftamcnt, which 
 was freely offered to the World from God : The Thing that 
 immediately prefented itfelf to my View, whiljl I was bufied 
 about another Matter, was that moil auguil Chapter of St. 
 John the Evangelill and Apollle : /;/ the Begi?ining was the 
 Word, &c. I read part of the Chapter, and, during, the 
 Time, was fo inwardly agitated and affedcd, as prefently to 
 perceive, tliat the Divinity of the Argument, and the iMa- 
 jelly and Authority of the Writing, did far excel all the 
 lofty Strains of human Eloquence ; my Body trembled, my 
 Mind was aftonifhed, and all that Day I was fo difquictcd, 
 that I hardly knew what I was. O Lord my God, Tlioii didll 
 remember me, according to thy infinite Mercy, and didll 
 receive the lojl Sheep into thy Flock. From that time, when 
 it had thus pleafed God, by the Influence of his Holy Spirit, 
 to itrikc fo powerfully upon me, I began to read and treat other 
 Subjeds with greater Coldnefs and Indifference, but to think 
 oftner, and to be more earneftly converfant about pious Mat- 
 ters. Compare herewith the Hi/lory oi Athajm, written by 
 Mr. Je/ikin Thomas Philipps, cap. xi. §. 2. where ih 
 Words of Junius are alfo alledged. 
 
 CHJ 
 
32 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 dangerous Condition of his Soul, and 
 turned himfelf truly to the eternal and 
 living God. Glory be to the infinite 
 (<i»/Aflt^^P<yTi*) or Love of God our Saviour, 
 who leaves not himfelf unattefted, even 
 to thofe who feem moft alienated from 
 him. 
 
 A N D I may add, that this Relation of 
 Junius is alfo copioully recited, in an ex- 
 cellent and ufeful Book of the late pious 
 and learned Dr. yofiah Woodward, called 
 Fair Warni?2gs to a carelefs World, very 
 worthy to be read by all that have any 
 Curiofity to know the Sentiments of great 
 Men, relating to Things of the greateft 
 Importance. 
 
 SECT. XXVIIL 
 
 That the Mind of St. John was fo 
 humble and ho?2eJl^ that we may 
 from thence conclude his Words 
 p7^oceeded from the greatefi Sim- 
 plicity. 
 
 B U T if any would know the great Hu- 
 mility, the fweet Simplicity, and Child- 
 like undifguifed Sincerity, in the Words 
 of St. "John^ it is neceffary that he implore 
 and receive God'^ Grace and Mercy, that 
 he may look into the fubmiffive, humble 
 
 and 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 3 3 
 
 and gentle Mind of the Difciple of our 
 Lord^ and from thence judge of his whole 
 Difcourfe. Surely the Breaft of this Dif- 
 ciple was fo replenifhed with the un- 
 feigned Love of the Son of God, that his 
 Spirit feemed intent on nothing elfe, than 
 how he (hould moft deeply imprint on 
 hir Mind, the Glory^ the Majejly, and the 
 Fulnefs of Divine Grace and Truth, that 
 was in the only begotten Son from his Fa^ 
 ther ; and by the Benefit of this moft 
 bleifed Knowledge, fhould be more and 
 more united to him. Therefore as this 
 moft ardent Love, which St. John had 
 for him, who had loved him from the Be^ 
 ginni?2g unto the End * , led him into a 
 more profund Contemplation of his Glo- 
 ry, and caufed him to forget, as it were, 
 every thing elfe, for the dear Love he bore 
 to him alone ; fo he had nothing nearer, 
 nothing dearer to him, than how he fliould 
 declare his Glory unto all Mankind. How 
 therefore could this moft flagrant Love 
 of his towards our Saviour, permit him 
 to ufe any fublime Words (above our Ca- 
 pacity) or render the Thing itfelf diffi- 
 cult and obfcure ? But this Love rather 
 fuggefted to him the Ufe of the plaineft, 
 and moft intelligible Words, that lb every 
 one might underftand him ; and unlefs 
 Men would peevifhly refift the Operation 
 
 D of 
 
 * Ji^hn xiii. i. 
 
34 Chriji the Sum and Sub fiance 
 
 of the Holy Spirit, they might obtain the 
 fame moft precious Faith, for the Deli- 
 verance of their Souls from the Kingdom 
 of Darknefs, and the Tranflation of them 
 into the Kingdom of the Son of God. 
 
 SECT. XXIX. 
 
 IFhy this Simplicity of St. John is 
 a little more largely propofed to 
 Confideration. 
 
 B U T we have therefore entred upon 
 this Meditation concerning the Simplicity 
 of St. John"^ Words, becaufe Things are 
 almoft come to that pafs, that learned 
 as well as unlearned Men, do as it 
 were ftartle at them, and take them for 
 fublime Words, which are hard to be un- 
 derftood, and clouded with fuch Obfcurity 
 and Darknefs, that only the moft excel- 
 lent and moft fubtle Wits ftiould be ex- 
 crcifed in the Interpretation of them. Cer- 
 tainly this Error carries with it no fmall 
 Detriment, and therefore nothing is more 
 requifite, than that we ftiould recommend 
 to humble Minds the great Simplicity of 
 the Divine Word, (xho there is fuch a 
 Veil over the Eyes of the Learned, that 
 they will not acknowledge it.^ Ho ! * cries 
 
 Wif- 
 
 * Ifaiah Iv. i , 2, 3, 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, 2>^ 
 
 Wifdom, every ojie that tkirftethy come ye 
 to the Waters, and he that hath 7io Money ^ 
 come yCy buy and eat, yea, come, buy Wine 
 and Milk without Money, and without Price. 
 Wherefore doye Jpend Money for that which 
 is not Bread ? and your Labour for that 
 which fatisfeth not ? Hearken diligently 
 unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and 
 let your Soul delight itfelf in Fainefs. In- 
 cline your Ear, and come luito me, hear and 
 your Soul pall live, and I will make an 
 everlafiijig Covenant with you^ even the Jure 
 Mercies of David. 
 
 SECT. XXX. 
 
 A Prayer to Chrift for the true 
 Knowledge of the Simplicity and 
 Perfpicuity of the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 O Lord, open Thou our Eyes, that we 
 may difceni the moft pure Simplicity of 
 thy Word, leaft, whilft vainly boafting of 
 its Clearnefs, we may, in reality, find ic 
 cloudy and obfcure. Grant that we may 
 rightly attend to thy Word, as to a Light 
 fhining in a dark Place, (where not thy 
 Word, but the Place is dark) yea, do Thou 
 Thyfelf iliine in our Hearts, fhine in them 
 as the true Day, arife in us like the Mor- 
 D z ning 
 
36 Chriji the Sum and Suhjiance 
 
 ning Star, that we may, in thy Light, fee 
 the ferene Light of thy Words, which are 
 Spirit and Life. Do Thou incline our 
 Ears to hear, and take away the Veil from 
 our Hearts, that we may, like Thine own 
 little Sheep, hearThy Voice, and the Voice 
 of Thy Servants, and may follow Thee. 
 Deftroy all the Arts of Men, which per- 
 vert Thy Word, and hinder us from com- 
 ing to a clearer Knowledge of Thee. But 
 reftore the Simplicity of Thy old faith- 
 ful Servants, who did with great Humi- 
 lity of Mind acknowledge the Wifdom 
 of God, hidden in a Myftery ; and did 
 therein ,with fo ftrong and firm a Faith, 
 receive Thee as the Lord of Glory\ that 
 they efteemed it matter of great Joy, when 
 they had an Opportunity of glorifying 
 Thee by their Death. Grant, O fweeteft 
 Saviour^ that we alfo may be fo taught 
 of God, to come unto Thee, f which is 
 the one only and true Knowledge) that 
 we may rightly and favingly underftand 
 Thy JVord. 
 
 The 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 3 7 
 
 The Second Meditation. 
 
 I N which the Beginning of St. Jolm's 
 Gofpel is compared with the Beginning 
 of the Book of Genefis, 
 
 SECT. XXXL 
 
 T'hat St. John, in the Beginning of 
 his Gofpel^ doth refer to the Be- 
 ginning of Genelis. 
 
 PRAY what can be more evident 
 than that St. John^ in the Beginning of 
 his Gofpel, had his whole Mind intent 
 upon the Beginning of the firft Book of 
 Mofes? Mofes, m defcribing Eternity, 
 when nothing was yet made, and Time 
 was not begun, faid, In the Begi?2m?jg, 
 St. Joh/iy in like manner, lays hold of this 
 Word, and begins his Gofpel with itj 
 as if he would fay, what then was in the 
 Beginning, of which MoJ'es fpeaks ? J?i the 
 Begi?2?2i?2gy fays he, was the JVord, For 
 when there was nothing as yet made, to 
 whom, or with whom God could fpcak, 
 it is immediately faid : And God [aid ; 
 wherefore as Mofes places the word, faid^ 
 next to God.y (as a word which is in the 
 Mind, is near eft to the Maii^ fo St. Johji 
 D 3 like- 
 
3 8 Chrijt the Sunt and Subjlance 
 
 likewife fays, the Word was with God^ 
 ver. I. But iince Man (fuch is the Blind- 
 nefs of his Mind) knows nothing but of 
 the human and imperfe<5t word, and 
 therefore ealily forms fuch an Idea to 
 himfelf concerning the Word of Gody as 
 he does, concerning the word of a Man ; 
 therefore St. John interprets the Words 
 of MofeSy faying, that Word was God^ that 
 is, you muft not think either that this 
 Word was not God, or that there muft 
 needs be two Gods ; for that Word was 
 of the fame Eflence with God, and fo 
 was itfelf in the Beginning, and from all 
 Eternity, by an indilToluble Effence, with 
 God, Moreover, as Mofes alfo teftifies 
 through that whole Chapter, that all 
 Things were created by the -n dicere^ or 
 Word of Gody fo John alfo fpeaks, in Hke 
 manner : All Things were made by him^ 
 and without him was not any thing made 
 that was made. And as Mofes faid. And 
 the Spirit of God moved upon the Face of 
 the Waters^ fo the Spirit in St. fohn te- 
 ftifies, that this enlivening and fertilifing 
 Motion or Incubation of the Divine Spi- 
 rit, or all Life and univerfal Origin of 
 Life, is in the V/ord \ as Mofes Afo atfirms, 
 that all created living Things were pro- 
 duced by the ^ dicere, og Word of God, 
 Wlien Mofes fpeaks of the Light, which 
 
 was 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 3 9 
 
 was made by God\ faying, And^ that God 
 Jaw this Light was good -, St. John teftifies 
 that the true Light, and the Origin of all 
 Light, is no other but that eflential IVord 
 ef God, with whom, if that created Light 
 be compared, it will be only a Shadow, 
 an outward Figure and Reprefcntation. 
 When Mofes fays, the Earth was without 
 Form and void, and Darknefs was upon the 
 Face of the Deep : but that God created the 
 Light, and divided theLight from the Dark" 
 7iefs', calling the Light Day, and the Darknefs 
 Night : St. John writes thus, The Light pn- 
 neth in Darknefs, but the Darknefs compre^ 
 bended it not, even as the Night does not 
 Comprehend the Day. And becaufe St. 
 Johns Concern was fo much about the 
 new Creation, whofe Image and Figure 
 the firft Creation was, he had before his 
 Eyes the yth verfe of the 2d chap, of Gen. 
 where it is faid, The Lord God breathed 
 into Mans Noftrils the Breath of Life, and 
 Ma?i became a living Soul. Therefore 
 faith St. John, In the IVord was Life, and 
 the Life was the Light of Men, That was 
 the true Light which lighteth every Man 
 that cometh into the World. From thefe 
 few Things it may be feen, That the fame 
 Word of God, which fpake by MoJ'es, does 
 likewife interpret Mofes by St. John, Bur 
 D 4 by 
 
 * let there be Light' 
 
40 Chriji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 by this fhort comparing of Mofes and St. 
 John^ the whole is far from being un- 
 folded ; but thefe Collations comprife a 
 great deal more -, for the Words are plain, 
 and agree fo exadtly, that every one is 
 able to fee and underftand they do fo ; 
 but the Myfteries lying hid in them, are 
 profound, nor can they be throughly ex- 
 haufted. 
 
 SECT. XXXII. 
 
 A Prayer to be joined with this corn- 
 faring of Mofes and John. 
 
 GRANT to us, O Lord "J ejus, moft 
 mercifully that fame Spirit of Thine, 
 which equally fpake and ufed the fame 
 Language in the Old and New Tefta- 
 ment ; may it be with us, and abide with 
 us for ever, that by this divine Aid, we 
 may attain the true Senfe of thy Word. 
 
 The 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 41 
 
 The Third Meditation. 
 
 I N which the Beginning of St. Johis 
 Gofpel is compared with other Places of 
 Scripture, of the Old and New Tefta- 
 ment. 
 
 SECT. XXXIIL 
 
 That thefe Words of St. John may 
 he alfo explained by other Places 
 of the Old and New Tejlament. 
 
 THESE Words of St. John may firft 
 and chiefly be compared with Prov. viii, 
 where the Wijdom of God fpeaks thus, 
 i)er. 22, &c. " The Lord poffelTed me in 
 " the Beginning of his Way, before his 
 " Works of old. I was fet up from 
 " everlafling, from the Beginning, or 
 " ever the Earth was. When there were 
 " no Depths, I was brought forth, when 
 " there were no Fountains abounding 
 " with Water. Before the Mountains 
 " were fettled, before the Hills, was I 
 " brought forth. While as yet he had 
 " not made the Earth, nor the Fields, 
 " nor the higheft Part of the Duft of 
 " the World. When he prepared the 
 " Heavens, I was there j when he fet a 
 
 " Com- 
 
4 2 Chrifi the Sum and Suhjlance 
 
 " Compafs upon the Face of the Deep • 
 " When he gave to the Sea his Decree, 
 " that the Waters (hould not pafs his 
 *' Commandment, when he appointed 
 ** the Foundations of the Earth : Then 
 *^ I was by him, as one brought up with 
 *' him : and I was dally his Delight, re- 
 *' joicing always before him. Rejoicing 
 *^ in the habitable Part of his Earth, and 
 *^ my Delights were with the Sons of 
 " Men. Now therefore hearken unto 
 " me, O ye Children, for bleffed are they 
 ^* that keep my Ways. Hear Inftruftion, 
 " and be wife, and refufe it not. Blef- 
 " fed is the Man that heareth me, watch- 
 ** ing daily at my Gates, waiting at the 
 " Polls of my Doors. For whofo findeth 
 " me, findeth Life, and fliall obtain Fa- 
 *^ vour of the Lord". Thefe Words, 
 B. "^ohn Arndius (with many others) has 
 compared with the Words of St. John^ 
 after this manner, as St. John fays : In 
 the Beginning "was the Word : fo the f^Fif- 
 dom of God fays : ^he Lord pojfeffed me in 
 the Beginning of his Way. J was fet up 
 from everla/iing^ from the Beginnings or 
 ever the Earth was, 2. As St. John fays : 
 And this Word was with God : fo the 
 Wifdom of God fays in this Place : T'he 
 Lord pojfefj'ed me in the Beginning of 
 his Wa)\ before any Time began, when 
 there were no Depths^ I was brought forth^ 
 
 when 
 
t)f all the Holy Scriptures. 43 
 
 iSDhen there were no Foiinta'ms abounding 
 with Water^ before the Mountains were 
 fettled^ when he ejlabliped the Clouds a^ 
 bove, 3. As St. John fays, All 'things 
 were made by him : fo fays the Wifdom 
 of God : When he laid the Foundations of 
 the Earthy then I was the Framer thereof 
 with him, 4. As St. John fays : In him 
 was Life : fo here Wifdom fays : He 
 that findeth me^ findeth Life, 5. As St. 
 Jolm fays : T^he Word was made Flejh^ and 
 dwelt amo7ig us : fo here fays the Wifdom 
 of God ; / rejoiced in the habitable Part 
 of the Earthy and my Delights were with 
 the Sons of Men, 6. Again, As St. fohn fays : 
 And we beheld his Glory, the Glory , I fay, 
 as of the only Begotten of the Father : fo 
 here fays the Wifdom of God : He that 
 findeth me^Jhall obtain Favour of the Lord, 
 7. He whom Solomon calls, the eternal 
 Wifdom^ St. fohn calls the eternal Word 
 of the Father ; for the Word, by which 
 all Things were made, is the eternal Wif- 
 dom of God, and eternal Wifdom is the 
 Word : and both fpeak with one Mouth 
 and Spirit, and moft fweetly and mutu- 
 ally confer together, as Pfalm Ixxxv. te* 
 ftifies, that Kindnefs and Faith a7'€ met 
 together, that is, T'ruth and Mercy, For 
 Truth here meets with Mercy, viz, the 
 Truth of the Promifes of the Old Tefta- 
 ment, meets with Mercy, or that Mercy^ 
 
 which 
 
44 Chrijl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 which God has manifefted to ns by the 
 Incarnation of his Son ; both do, as it 
 were, mutually meet in Chrijl ; therefore 
 St. John declares, that Chriji is full of 
 Grace and T'ruth, 
 
 SECT. XXXIV. 
 
 Other Places of Scripture tending to 
 illujirate this Matter. 
 
 BESIDES this remarkable Place it- 
 felf, every one of St. Johns Words might 
 be eafily compared with peculiar Places 
 of the Holy Scriptures, and illuftrated 
 from them. Like as St. John faith : In 
 the Beginning [was the Word] fo Micah 
 faith, chap. v. ver. 2. whofe goi?jgs forth 
 have been from of old [from the Begin- 
 ning] frojn everlajli7jg, Ifaiah thus in- 
 troduces him, chap. xliv. ver. 6. Thus 
 faith the Lord, the King of Ifraely and 
 his Redeemer, the Lord of Hojis, I am the 
 frji, and I am the loft, and hefides me 
 there is no God -, which Words may alfo 
 be compared with Ifaiah xli. 4. chap, 
 xlviii. 12. Rev/u 17. chap. xxii. 13. and 
 Pfalm cii. ver. 24, 25, 26. 27, 28. Thus 
 it is fpoken of him ; 1 faid, my God, 
 take me not ais:ay in the midf of my Days : 
 thy Tears are throughout all Ge?ierations. 
 Of old haft thou laid the Foundation of 
 
 the 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures] 45 
 
 the Earth : a?td the Heavens are the Work 
 of thy Hands, They Jhall perijlo^ but thou 
 /halt endure : yea^ all of them Jhall wax 
 old like a Garment ; as a Vejlure Jhalt thou 
 change them^ and they pall be changed. But 
 thou art thefame^ and thy Tears pall have 
 no End, T%e Children of thy Servants 
 pall continue^ and their Seed pall be efa^ 
 bliped before thee. With which Words 
 may likewife be compared Heb,\, 11, 12. 
 In which Place, not only the Eternity of 
 the Son of God^ but alfo the Omnipotence^ 
 afcribed to him from the Creation of 
 Heaven and Earth, are both confirmed 
 and clearly explained ; which Things St. 
 yohn alfo fays : Ml things were made by 
 bini^ and without him was not any thing 
 made that was made. And further. He 
 was in the Worlds and the World was 
 made by him ; which St. Paul very em- 
 phatically and fully thus expreffes : Who 
 is the Image of the invifble Gody the Firjl-^ 
 born of every Creature, For by him were 
 all things created that are in Heaven^ and 
 that are in Earthy vifible a?id invifble^ 
 whether they be T'hroneSy or Do?}2i?iio?2s, or 
 Principalities^ or Powers-:, all Things were 
 created by him^ and for him. And he is 
 before all Things^ and by him all Things 
 confifi *. When the Son of God is by St. 
 
 fohn 
 
 * Col, i. 15, 16, 17, 
 
46 Chrifi the Sum and Suhflance 
 
 John called the Word, it is confonant to 
 PJahn xxxiii. 6. By the Word of the Lord 
 were the Heave?is made -, and all the Hoji 
 ef them by the Breath of his Mouth, With 
 which Place may alfo be compared i 
 *fohn i. I. V. 7. Apoc, i. 2. chap. xix. 13. 
 Heb, iv. 12, 13. In the Epift. to the Heb. 
 chap. i. 3. he is ftiled, T^he exprefs hnage 
 of his Perfon^ (m uVos-^^saj) in the fame 
 Senfe wherein the Word of God is here 
 taken. But he is alfo therefore called the 
 Word of Gody becaufe all Revelation is 
 made in and by the Son. Hereto belong 
 the Words of Hofea^ chap. xii. 10. fay- 
 in which Chrift, the Angel, with whom 
 yacob aded as a Prince, who is the Lord 
 God of Hojisy the Lord is his Memorial^ 
 ver. 5. faith, I have fpoken by the Pro- 
 phets, and I have multiplied VifonSy and 
 i/fed Similitudes. 
 
 When he is called by St. John, chap, 
 i. 18. &?;/, which is [in the Bofom of the 
 Father;] that was^ ver. i, 2, 9, 10. and 
 that comethy ver. 9. (which is to be refer- 
 red to the antecedent Word Light,) All 
 thefe Things are comprehended in Apoc. 
 i. ver. 4, 8. where it is faid : Who isy and 
 who was, and who is to come. When St. 
 ^ohn fays : In him was Life, and the 
 Life was the Light of Men ; in like man- 
 ner. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 47 
 ner, FJalm xxxvi. 9. Life and Light are 
 joined together ; with thee is the Foun- 
 tain of Life^ in thy Light pall we fee 
 Light. Who is that Fountain or Origin 
 of Life ? And wherefore is this Origin 
 oi Life faid to be with God ? Is it not 
 the Wordy which is with God, and which 
 is the Life, fo indeed, as that Life is the 
 Light of Men ? therefore David faid, In 
 thy Light we fee Light, Thus likewife 
 in other Places he joins together Light 
 ^nd Life, and from thence fetches moft 
 effeftual and greateft Comfort. The * 
 Lord is my Light and my Salvation^ whom 
 fiall I fear ? The Lord is the Stre?igth of 
 my Life^ of whom fiall I be afraid? Our 
 Saviour himfelf joins them both toge- 
 ther : 'f I am the Light of the World ; 
 he that followeth me, Jloall not walk in 
 Darknefsy but Jhall have the Light of 
 Life. Moreover our Saviour is faid to 
 be the Life and the Light % . And that 
 we may underftand, what the faithful 
 Children of God in the Jewijh Church 
 have obferved, that the Prophets prophe- 
 fied of a certain, Angular, and eminent 
 Light, which was more than a barely il- 
 luminated Man, (tho' fuch an illuminated 
 Man alfo is ufually called Light, becaufe 
 the Divine Light is in him, and others ftill 
 
 im- 
 
 * ASis xiii. 47. Luke I. 79. Vfalm xxvii. i. _f John 
 Viii. 12, XJohn xiv. 6. Luke ii. 32. Ijaiab xlix. 6. 
 
48 Chrifi the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 immerfed in the Darknefs of Sinners, are 
 enlightened by Means of that Light) St. 
 ^ohn ftiles him not merely Light, but 
 with a peculiar Emphafis, the Light of 
 Me?t, that is, with which no other Light 
 can be compared, and which diffufes its 
 Splendor over all Mankind ; nay, he here 
 makes mention of that very Man, who 
 he knew was called by Chriji himfelf, a 
 burning and a Jhining Light *. For altho' 
 John the Baptiji was in no wife a falfe, 
 but altogether a true Light^ forafmuch as 
 being internally kindled by a divine Fire, 
 he gave forth a Luftre truly divine 5 yet 
 in this Place, he utterly fas it werej 
 rejefts John the Baptift, and fays. He 
 ivas not that Lights but was fent, that 
 he jnight hear JVitnefs of that Light ; as if 
 he fhould fay, altho' John was the greatejt 
 cf thofe that are born of Women^ and was 
 fo great a Minifter of God, that from 
 thence all Men took Occafion to efteem 
 him for the Mejjiah or Chrif ; yet there 
 is no Account at all to be made of that 
 Light, when compared with Chrifi fmce 
 in this Place the Enquiry is of the Ori- 
 gin of all Light, effential Light, eternal 
 Light, the Light of Life^ from which 
 John the Baptiji received both his Light 
 and Life, The Faithful are alfo called 
 by Cbrift himfelf and his Apoftles, the 
 
 Light 
 
 * John V. 35, 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 49 
 
 Light of the World * j Light in the Lord'f ; 
 Tea^ Jhining as Lights in the World %. 
 Like Lights in the Firinament of Heaven^ 
 which God created the fourth Day, to 
 give Light upon the Earth ||. But the 
 Holy Scriptures call Chriji the Sun^ as 
 Malachi ** on this Subjed: prophefies ; 
 Unto you that fear my Name^Jball the Sun 
 of Righteoifnefs arife^ with Healing in his 
 JVings. Therefore, to this Sun is afcrib- 
 ed all Illumination ; as St. Paul "f -f- thus 
 fummarily comprehends the Prophecies of 
 the Prophets concerning this great Light : 
 Wherefore he faith^ Awake thou that Jleep- 
 efl^ and arife from the Dead, and Chrift 
 pall give thee Light, To this Light, he 
 afcribes his own, and the Illumination of 
 others ; which alfo overfpread the Face 
 of Mofes X% ^^^^ a typical Brightnefs : 
 to which alfo are to be referred, what Job 
 fays, Ch. iv. 18. He gave Light to his An- 
 gels ; (hath pined in their Hearts^ 2 Cor. 
 iv. 6.) otherwife, they are liable to be 
 darkned, like the Moon, when it borrows 
 not its Light from the Sun. Moreover, 
 John teftifies of Chrift, that He came un- 
 to his own. If we compare This with 
 the Old Teftament, we fhall eafily fee 
 what is to be underftood by his own -, to 
 
 E icOtf. 
 
 * Matt- V. 14. t Ephef. v. 8. ^ Phil. ii. 15. 
 {] Gen. i. 15. *^ Mai. iv. 2. ff Epbef v. 14. 
 t^ Exod. xxxiv. 30. 2 Cor. iii. 7. 
 
5 o Chrijl the Sum and Subfiance 
 
 li/)*. For the Lord fays by Mofes^ * I 
 will fet my I'abernacle amo7igli you^ (the 
 Sons of Ifrael) and my Soul jhall not ab-* 
 hor you. And I 'will walk among you^ 
 and will be your God^ and ye fiall be my 
 People, And in another Place -f- the Lord 
 fays, If ye will obey my Voice indeed^ and 
 keep my Covenant^ then ye jhall be a pe^ 
 ciiliar '\treafure unto me^ above all People : 
 for all the Earth is mine. And ye Jhall 
 he unto me a Ki?tgdojn of Priejis, and an 
 holy Nation, From this Comparifon, it 
 manifeftly appears, who it was that fpake 
 to the Children of Ifrael at that time ; and 
 who called them his People, and his Pro- 
 priety 'y and who He is, whofe Voice they 
 ought to obey J. That is, it appears that 
 St. John knew by the Holy Spirit, that 
 this was Chrijl, the So7i of the blefed Gody 
 as he who made the whole World, and 
 fo had Dominion over all People : But 
 when the World, in its Darknefs, did not, 
 and would not comprehend him, Dark- 
 nefs and Ignorance overfpreading the Na- 
 tions of the Earth ; that he feleded one 
 People out of all the reft, the Children of 
 Ifraelytobt his own peculiar People; to the 
 End that Light ihould fo ihinc and glitter 
 among them, that other People alfo might 
 come to this Light, and be made Parta- 
 kers 
 
 '* Lev.xxy'i. 11,12. f Exud. xix. 5,6. 
 
 $ Exod. xxiii. 21, 22. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, 5 1 
 
 kers of the Splendor of it. That there- 
 fore Mojes and the Prophets bore witnefs 
 of him, as of the true Light, Yea, that 
 for this Reafon, he at length came him- 
 felf to this his pecuHar People, that He 
 might no longer fpeak to them by his 
 Prophets, but offer his own Voice to 
 be heard by Them, and try whether they 
 would acknowledge him for that Per- 
 fon, whom their Fathers expefted iliould 
 Gome J and fo by obeying his Voice truly, 
 and not in Appearance only, (the fame 
 which Mofes had inculcated upon Them *) 
 They might become his People, his Pe^ 
 culium, and proper Sheep ; to wit, the 
 true Ifrael of God. When, -j- moreover, 
 John teftifies of the Son of God^ that as 
 ma?iy as received hi my to them gave he 
 Power to become the Sons of God, The 
 Old Teilamefit, in like manner, affirms 
 this : For it is faid in Ifaiah, % One jh all 
 J'ay^y I am the Lord's j and another pall 
 call himfelf hy the Name of Jacob : and 
 another pall fubfcribe with his Hand, un- 
 to the Lordy and frname himfelf by the 
 Name of Ifrael. And in the || PfahnSy 
 From the Womb of the Morni?ig, thou haji 
 the Dew of thy Youth : By which Words, 
 this holy Offspring, this People of Mel- 
 chifedecky both in relation to their Mul- 
 E 2 titude, 
 
 * Deut. xviih fj. f John x. 4, 14, 26, 27, 28. i Pa- 
 ii. 9. Gai. \u 16, :^ Ifa, xliv. 5, || Pfai ex. 3. 
 
5 2 Chrtfi the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 titude, and to their Divine Original (even 
 as Majina) is * defcribed. To which Jfaiah 
 agrees, laying, -f- Shall I bring to the 
 Birth, and not caufe to bring forth, faith 
 the Lord ? Shall I caufe to bring forth^ 
 and fmt the Womb ? faith thy God: 
 Which Words afford Light alfo to the 
 Divine Birth, fpoken of John i. 14. 
 where that Evangelift attefts of the JVordy 
 that it dwelt aynong us j or, that by 
 his taking of Flefli, He did as it were 
 pitch a Tabernacle among us for himfelf. 
 The fame was denoted in the Old Tefta- 
 ment, when it was thus faid of the Ta- 
 bernacle ; X T^hen a Cloud covered the Tent 
 of the Congregation, and the Glory of the 
 Lord filed the Tabernacle, And Mofes 
 was not able to enter into the Tent of the 
 Congregation, becaufe the Cloud abode there- 
 on, aJtd the Glory of the Lord filled the 
 Tabernacle. And when the Cloud was ta- 
 ken up from over the Tabernacle, the Chil- 
 dren of Ifrael we?tt onward in all their 
 fourneys : But if the Cloud were ?iot taken 
 up, then they journey d not till the Day 
 that it was taken up. For the Cloud of 
 the Lord was upon the Tabernacle by Day, 
 and Fire was on it by Night, in the fight 
 of all the Houfe of Ifrael, throughout all 
 theif fourneys. The || Children of Ifrael 
 
 were 
 
 * Exod. xvi. 13, 14. f 7/^. Ixri. 9. 
 
 + Exod. xl. 34—38. |j l^umb. ii. 2— 25, 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 53 
 
 were to pitch their Tents towards the 
 Eaft, the South, the Weft, and the North : 
 But all thele Tents of the Children of 
 Ifrael were placed over againft the Tent 
 of the Congregation. But the Levites^ 
 Numb, viii. 6, &c, had their Tents round 
 about the Tabernacle of Teftimony, and 
 the Lord inhabited the Tent of the Con- 
 gregation in the midft of them, that he 
 might fanftify them. The Words of Ba- 
 ruch * agree alfo with the Words of John-y 
 jlfteTward he \JVifdot?i\ did pew him/elf 
 upon Ea?'tl\ and converjed with Men : 
 With which Words compare the whole 
 xxiv^^ Chapter of Ecclejl When John 
 fays, IFe beheld his Glory -, this puts us 
 well in mind of MoJes*s Prayer to the 
 Lord, Exod, xxxili. 18, 19. I beJeech'T'hee^ 
 Jhew me thy Glory, To whom the Lord 
 anfwers, / will make (oiM *>D) all my 
 Goodnefs pafs before Thee , and I will 
 proclaim the Name of the Lord before 
 Thee, And Exod. xxxiv. 5, 6. this Word 
 of the Lord was fulfilled ; for the Lord 
 defcended in a Cloud, and ftood with him 
 there, and proclaimed the Name of the 
 Lord. And the Lord (whom the Lord 
 himfelf had called All his Goodnefs^ which 
 he had promifed he would make to pafs 
 before Mofes, chap, xxxiii. 19.) pajjed by 
 before him^ and proclaimed^ The Lord, the 
 E 3 Lord 
 
 * Chap. iii. 37. 
 
54- Chriji the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 Lord God, merciful and gracious^ long^ 
 Suffering, and abundant in Goodnefs and 
 Truth. To this Proclamation of the 
 Lord, Mcfes boldly appealed, Numb, xiv. 
 when the People had grievoufly offended 
 God^ And now y fayshe, i;^r. 17,18. I be* 
 feech thee, let the Power of my Lord be 
 great, according as thou haft fpoken -, fay-* 
 ing. The Lord is long-fuff cringe and of great 
 Mercy, forgiving Iniquity and Tranfgref 
 Jion, and by no means clearing the Guilty ^ 
 infiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon 
 the Children, ujito the third and fourth 
 Generation, Pardoji, I befeech thee (he 
 adds, ver, 19. becaufe he had acknowledg- 
 ed Mercy and Forgivenefs of Sins in the 
 Lord, as he had been taught by the Lord 
 himfelf, who was manifefled to him) the 
 Iniquity of thisPeople,ac cor difig to the greats 
 nefs of thy Mercy, and as thou haft forgiven 
 this People from Egypt, even until now. The 
 Lord alfo heard thefe Prayers made to him, 
 in the Name of the Lord, (that is, Chrift) 
 faying ; I have pardon d according to thy 
 Word, ver. 20. David, who endeavour 'd 
 to know from Mofes the Lord and Chrifly 
 who, according to the Promife of God, 
 fliould^be one Time born a Man, of his 
 Seed ; did not pretermit this Teftimony, 
 delivered by God concerning his Son : and 
 rightly confider'd, that it was not fo much 
 
 Mofes, 
 
 * z Sam. vii. i Chron. xxviii. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 55 
 
 MofeSy as the Lordy who there fpake: 
 T'be Lordy fays he, * made known his Ways 
 to Mofes, his A^s to the Children of If- 
 rael. T'he Lord is merciful and gracious ^ 
 flow to Anger y and plenteous in Mercy •f'. 
 But as MofeSy when the Lord made his 
 Gloryy that is Chrijiy to pafs before his 
 Face, did chiefly acknowledge his Grace 
 and Truth, or his Faithfulnefs , fo John 
 alfo teftiifies, that hlmfelf, and the other 
 Difciples and Believers, had ktn the Glo- 
 ry of the Word Incarnate, as it were the 
 Glory of the only begotten Son of the Fa- 
 thery full of Grace and T'ruth. And thus 
 alfo Davidy by the Holy Spirit^ perceived 
 the Manifeftation of the Son of God in 
 the Flefli 5 wherefore he thus begins the 
 Ixxxix^** Pfalm : Iwillfng of the Mercies 
 of the Lord for ever ; with my Mouth will 
 I make known thy Faithfulnefs to all Ge- 
 nerations. For I have faidy Mercy jhall 
 he built up for ever : thy Faithfulnefs 
 foalt thou ejlablijh in the very Heavens, 
 But that it may be underftood, that the 
 Pfalmift fpeaks of no other but the Mef- 
 fiahy who was promifed to him by the 
 Lordy he prefently fubjoins a Divine An- 
 fwcr : / have made a Covenant with my 
 Chofen \ I have fworn unto David my Ser-- 
 vant. Thy Seed will I ejiablijh for ever y 
 E 4 and 
 
 ♦ Pfaim ciii. 7, 8. | Pfalm Ixxxvi. 5. Pfalm cxlv. g. 
 
5 6 Chrijl the Sum and Buh fiance 
 
 and build up thy T'hrone to all Generations* 
 Selah, And ver. 24. he reiterates the Men- 
 tion oU'ruth and Grace ; by which Words, 
 the Glory of the Mejjiah is briefly com- 
 prehended. But my Faithfulnefs and 7ny 
 Mercy jhall be with him, and in my Name 
 JJdall his Horn be exalted. In the cxvii^^ 
 Pfalm, David praifes Chrijl , as the Con- 
 folation of all Nations, from the fame 
 Foundation of the Revelation made unto 
 Mofes : O praife the Lord, all ye Nations^ 
 praife him all ye People -, for his inerciful 
 Kindnefs is great towards us, and the T^ruth 
 of the Lord endureth for ever. Concern- 
 ing this Grace and Truth, David in ma- 
 ny other Places, and with him alfo the 
 Prophets, fang. But when John fays, 
 'The Law was given by Mofes, but Grace 
 and Truth came by Jefus Chriji -, he there- 
 by remits us to Deut, xviii. where Mofes 
 brings to the Remembrance of the Peo- 
 ple of Ifrael, what they defired of the 
 Lord their God in Horeb, in the Day of 
 the Congregation, faying. Let me not hear 
 again the Voice of the Lord my God ; nei~ 
 tber let me fee this gr^at Fire any more, 
 that I die not. And he remits us to what 
 the Lord anfwer'd to Mofes : They . have 
 well fpoken that which they have fpoken. 
 I will raife them up a Prophet from among 
 their Brethren, like unto thee -, and will 
 put my Words in his Mouth, and he fiall 
 
 fpcak 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 5 7 
 
 fpeak unto them all that I jhall command 
 him, Thefe Words "John explains to us, 
 whilft he oppofes, and teftifies of Mojes 
 and Chriji together; Mofes^ as indeed a 
 great Prophet of God^ delivering the Law 
 to the Children of IJrael-, but fuch a Law, 
 as was an intolerable Yoke unto Men in- 
 tangled in Sin, and which, when it alfo 
 threatned a Curfe to the Violators of it, 
 was to them a dreadful Voice ; therefore 
 God promifed them another Prophet^ in 
 whom he would difcover and make known . 
 his Love, Grace, Favour, and his eternal 
 Faithfulnefs and Truth unto Men -, that 
 Men might be led to the Knowledge of 
 his ineffable Love, and by the Benefit of 
 this Knowledge, might be brought to the 
 true Love of God and their Neighbour^ 
 which is the fulfilling of the Law, John 
 calls Chrif^ the only begotten Son^ who is 
 in the Bofom of the Father ; by this Ap- 
 pellation, he has a refpedt to Him, whom 
 Solomon the King brings in fpeaking thus : 
 'T'hen * I was by Him^ as one brought up 
 with Him : a?2d I was daily his Delight y 
 rejoicing always before Him : as the Words 
 properly found in the Hebrew ; and as I 
 obferved before, when I compared them 
 with the Words of John. 
 
 SECT. 
 
 * Prozf. viii. 30. 
 
5 8 Chrift the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 SECT. XXXV. 
 
 What Benefit may be hoped for from 
 fuch Meditations and Comparifoni. 
 
 ALL wc have hitherto offered, in com- 
 paring the Words of St. John with other 
 Places of Holy Writ, may be looked up- 
 on as a weak and faint Inftruftion, fuch 
 as every one fliould make the firft Sub- 
 ject: of his Meditations on St. Johns Words. 
 For if the Reader will perfift in the Way 
 now chalk'd out to him, he will eafily 
 find himfelf to be led from one Scripture 
 to another j and the Confideration of Di- 
 vine Truths fo perfectly agreeing together, 
 will yield the more Pleafure and Delight, 
 Certainty, Efficacy, and Conviftion, the 
 longer he fliall perfevere in fuch Medita- 
 tion. Nevcrthelefs, even in thefe Exerci- 
 feg, Divine Grace is the great Thing to 
 be relied on, which for this End is fur- 
 nifh'd from above, and therefore always to 
 be fought for to Almighty God. 
 
 SECT. 
 
cf all the Holy Scriptures. 59 
 
 SECT. XXXVI. 
 
 A Prayer for the opening the Eyes 
 ' of our Minds in this important 
 Concern. 
 
 *' O LORD, grant that the Treafures 
 of Wifdom and Knowledge^ which are 
 hid in Chrijl Jefus^ may be laid open 
 unto us s and altho' our Underftanding 
 in this Life be weak and impcrfed:, yet 
 do Thou, as an indulgent Father, vouch- 
 fafe to ftrengthenand confirm our Faithy 
 by the Manifeftation of thv l^rutb^ more 
 and more. But efpecially we befeech 
 Thee moll effectually to convince our 
 Minds, that all thy Servants, whom 
 Thou haft appointed to be the common 
 Teacherjs of the World, do bear T^fti- 
 mony with on^ Mouth and one Spirit, 
 concerning J ejus Chriji^ and his great 
 Majeily, Grace, and Truth towards us. 
 We are named by his Name, and yet, 
 O fad Confideration ! that we know fo 
 little of bis Glory, For if this were 
 more clearly underftood by us, we ihould 
 certainly with greater Confidence, and 
 more joyful Minds, receive from his 
 fulnefs Grace for Grace* Grant, there- 
 fore, to us, a pure and ardent Love of 
 thy Word, and banilh from our Minds 
 
 " all 
 
6o Chrtjl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 " all Contempt of It, that by the written 
 " Word^ which was fpoken by the Fro- 
 " phets^ and infpired by the Holy Ghojt^ 
 " we may be brought to the lively Know- 
 " ledge, and faithful embracing of the 
 " Eternal and Subftantial Word, Do 
 " Thou, O Lord, incline our Hearts, that, 
 " through the Counfel of Wifdom, we 
 " may heedfully attend to the mofk fure 
 " and found Words of thy Prophets^ as 
 " to a Light pining in a dark Place^ imtil 
 " the Day dawn^ and the Day-Jiar arife 
 " in our Hearts ! 
 
 The Fourth Meditation. 
 
 Of the lingular Emphafis, and ftrong 
 Significancy of the Words and 
 Expreffions of St. John^ in the 
 Beginning of his Gofpel. 
 
 SECT. XXXVII. 
 
 That many Things remain fiill hid in 
 the emphatical Exprejftons which 
 St. John ufes. 
 
 THIS Meditation will confift only of 
 fome of the Words, and Expreffions of St. 
 Johny and thereby an Occafion will be 
 
 given 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 6i 
 
 given to the pious Reader, of confidering 
 with greater Exaftnefs and Devotion, as 
 well the Words we now touch upon, as 
 all his other Expreflions. In the Begin- 
 ning was the Word^ wV, fays John^ erat^ 
 feu exiftebat, was^ or did exift ; not sj^Vstb, 
 was rnadCy^ as it is faid ver. 14. T^he Word 
 was made Flejh^ lyiv^-n • but was truly in 
 the Beginning, before all Time, and when 
 nothing was but Eternity. Moreover, in 
 this he differed from all created Things, 
 that as foon as the Beginning of any Thing 
 could be faid to be, he then exifced 5 and 
 therefore was not made, but was without 
 Beginning. This Word Tw^ erat^ waSy St. 
 John repeats thrice in the firft Verfe, and 
 again ver, 2. then twice ijer, 4. again ver, 
 9. and again ver. 10. and 15. and every 
 where the great Emphafis of this Word 
 is to be confider'd. The Word^ in Greek 
 A65/O-, is of various Significations, even 
 in profane Authors \ for it not only lig- 
 nifies a Word fpoken with the Mouth, but 
 likewife a Word ready to be uttered ; nay, 
 that yet refts in the Mind, altho' not vo- 
 cally delivered. A right and juft Conclu- 
 fion alfo is denominated a6;/©- ; nor does 
 it lefs denote the Faculty itfelf of Reafon 
 and Underftanding. It fignifies alfo a 
 Reckoning, an Account of Receipts and 
 Payments : more efpecially the Caufe of 
 every Thing, on which, as on its Foun- 
 
 dation^ 
 
62 Chriji the Sum and Sub fiance 
 
 datlon, every Thing refts, is expreiTed by 
 this Word. But Flato has us'd it in a 
 more fublime Senfe than the other Pagans, 
 for which Reafon he is believed to have 
 heard of Mofes^ or rather, to have read 
 Mofei^ Writings, or at leaft to have bor- 
 rowed fome of bis Notions from the Wif- 
 dom of the antient Hebrews, But one 
 having well confider'd the great and di- 
 vine Eniphafis of this Word, truly declar- 
 ed, I'his learned Plato iioas ignorant of-y 
 quick-Jighted Ariftotle did not fee ; elo^ 
 quent Cicero has not exprejfed. But, on 
 the contrary, St. yc>/6/?, who, without doubt, 
 in the Beginning of this his Gofpel, won- 
 derfully aecords with the Wifdoni of his 
 Aneeftors, naay rightly be faid to have 
 more Vnd^rjianding than all his Treacher s *. 
 The Word h^yO^ indeed is of Greek Deri- 
 vation, but it ha^ refpedk to the genuine 
 cammon Language of the Sons and Ser- 
 vants of God y that is, to the Language of 
 the Holy Spirit, in whofe School alone, 
 it&fublinae and divine Senfe is to be learnt, 
 and will hereafter be underflood, in it& 
 exteniive Signification, in the Jerujdleni 
 that is above* AU our wedi Difcourfes 
 here concerning it, hardly touch its Sha- 
 dow. We have beard before, that John 
 ufed the Word (inxn) dixit y He faid^ m 
 imitation of Mojes, We ttiuft confefs, 
 
 tliat 
 
 * Pfalm cxix. 99. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 63 
 
 that by following the common Rules, 
 which learned Men ufe for interpreting 
 the Holy Scriptures, we could not have 
 attained the fublime and hidden Significa- 
 tion of even that one Word ; which to 
 Rcafon, deftitute of divine Light, might 
 feem to be of very little moment. So 
 great is the Difference between thefe 
 Things, when a Man inftrudled in human 
 and philofophical Learning, comes to in- 
 terpret the Holy Scriptures, and when 
 God opens a Man's Eyes, and the Spirit 
 of Truths according to the Promifc of 
 Cbrifty leads him into all Truth, But if 
 Johft^ in this one Word beholds Chriji^ the 
 eternal and fubftantial Word of God-y if 
 he fees the Son in the Bofom of the Fa- 
 ther^ that eternal Wijdom^ and eflential 
 Image of the living God^ the Origin and 
 Principle of all created Things, the Source 
 of Life and Light, the Fountain from 
 whence all Prophecies were derived > if he 
 there beholds the ineffable Union of that 
 Ejfence and hove^ in which the Father and 
 the Son have exifled from all Eternity : 
 if thro* this one Word he looks into the 
 Eternal Generation of the Son from the 
 Father j How great Depths mufl there 
 needs be in all the reft of the Holy Writ- 
 ings ? How clear muft the Mirrors be, 
 which reprefent to us the eternal wonder- 
 ful Things of God ? How imperfedl, hov7 
 
 foreign. 
 
64 Chrtfi the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 foreign, how remote from the hidden 
 Wifdom of God, muft needs be all our 
 reading and fearching of the Sacred Scrip- 
 tures, without the Guidance of the Holy 
 Spirit ? O Lord, open Thou our Eyes, 
 that we may behold wondrous Things out 
 of thy Word. 
 
 SECT* XXXVIIL 
 
 That fo great Depths^ unfathomable 
 plainly to Reafon^ lie hid in that 
 one Word ^hyO-y [or the Word^ 
 as ought to increafe our Humi- 
 liation. 
 
 W E, indeed, with good Reafon, blufh 
 to produce our incongruous Thoughts 
 concerning fo profound Myjieries^ when 
 we underftand fo little of the Purport but 
 of a fmgle Word ; yet it will be pleafmg 
 to God^ if the Knowledge which a Man 
 hath in thefe Matters, be conimunicated 
 with an honeft Mind, and faithfully ap- 
 plied to the Edification of himfelf and 
 others. This we certainly know, that the 
 Language of the Holy Spirit ought never 
 to be carpt at and cenfur'd by human 
 Reafon. Perhaps a Man not illuminated, 
 would have wiih'd St. John had us'd fome 
 other Word, which were plainer to him, 
 and eafier to be underftood : But Johit^ 
 
 through 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 65 
 
 through the Inftind of the Holy Spirit^ 
 utterly refufes to ufe any other Word in 
 this Place, which he therefore does thrice 
 in one and the fame Verfe > nor does he 
 change it for another Word, after the 
 manner of the Orators of this Age : and 
 when afterwards, in the 14^^ Verfe, he 
 would exprefs the Incarnatioji of the Son 
 of God, he again induftrioufly brings forth 
 this his iirft and moft dear Word, to fhew 
 that it was his Care and his Delight to ufe 
 it 'y nor would he fubftitute any other in 
 its Place, tho' other Words were not 
 wanting to him. Moreover, in the pre- 
 ceeding Third Meditation we have heard, 
 that He did immediately, in the Beginning 
 of his Firft Epiftle, and again chap. v. 7. 
 refer his Readers to this very Word. And 
 what is chiefly to be obfervM, St. Jolm 
 would be known and diftinguiihed from 
 others, by this very Thing, as by a An- 
 gular Character, that he teftifies every 
 where, and proclaims the Word of God ** 
 The ftridl Meaning of the Word hoy(^^ 
 may ftill be better underftood from iiis 
 whole Difcourfe. If we hear the German 
 Word (2Bo^t, Word) we underlland no- 
 thing by it, but what comes forth of the 
 Mouth; but the Greek Word, as it is 
 taken from the Hebrew nnsH does like- 
 wife fignify the Word pronouncing, or the 
 F a^ual 
 
66 Chriji the Sum and Suhjlanu 
 
 aBual and aBhe W^ord : And thus by 
 this Word is denoted, not only the eter- 
 nal Generation of the Son from the Fa- 
 ther ; but alfo the Life that is in him, 
 the Almighty Power which gave a Being 
 to all Things, and the Splendor of his 
 eternal and eflential Light, as John more 
 particularly declares in what follows, 
 *' O Lord, grant that we may know what 
 " Benefits we have in ChriJI ; for this 
 " will render us truly Pious, and make 
 " us joyful before Thee ! 
 
 SECT. XXXIX. 
 
 What ^ings are further to he con- 
 jiderd in thefe emphatical Words 
 of St, John. 
 
 AN D the Word ".c;as God.] Thefe 
 Words are tranfpos'd in the Greek Text, 
 [j^ 9s i? nv hoyQ-, And Go4 was the Word] 
 as is wont to be done on purpofe, that 
 fome Word may be placed in the Begin- 
 ning of a SentencCj which we efpecially, 
 and before all, defire to exprefs. Whence 
 alfo, in pronouncing a Word of this fort, 
 we are wont to raife our Voice, that who- 
 foever hears, may eafily underftand our 
 Intention chiefly is to have That Word 
 rightly apprehended. But if the Words 
 were placed in their natural Order in 
 
 which 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 67 
 
 which St. ^ohn would doubtlefs have put 
 them, if that had not been his chief De- 
 fign ; they would have been thus render'd 
 in the Latin, Illud Verbum erat Dens: 
 which Verfion alfo the Greek Article be- 
 fore the Word ao^(^, but not before 6«a^, 
 requires : For here his principal Aim was, 
 to affert true Divinity to this Eternal 
 Word. 
 
 All "Things were made by Him.] John 
 has a peculiar Emphajis (or Meaning) in 
 the Word ej^VsTo ; \were made]. For in this 
 fame third Verfe he repeats it again, as alfo 
 ver, 6, 10, 14, 17. Every one may ob- 
 ferve, that John has a particular regard 
 for this Word ; and that therefore, as of- 
 ten as we lind it ufed by him, we fhould 
 endeavour by all means to dlfcover the 
 true Senfe and Import of it. He fays in- 
 deed firft ; All Thi?7gs were ?nade by the 
 Wordy and without Hi?n was not any Thing 
 7nade that was made. The Word ej^Vs-ra is 
 in the Greek Bible, where >nn is read in 
 the Hebrew ; which the Latin renders 
 jiebat fa5ium ejl^ [was made] and it often 
 occurs in the Hiftory of the Creation. So 
 deeply does John fearch into Mojes, and 
 effed:ually teaches, That where the Word 
 10N> dixit [He /aid] is ufed, 'tis to be 
 obferv'd that a6^®-, the very fubftantial 
 Word of God, Chnfl ought to be acknow- 
 ledged by it 5 and where Jiebat^ facium 
 F 2 ejl 
 
68 Chrijl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 eji \_was made] is ufed, there is to be un- 
 derltood, the Work of the Omnipotence 
 of Chri/i ; for all Things were made by 
 the Word of God^ and therefore the tVord 
 ought to be acknowledged as the Author 
 and Original of all Things. In the 6^^ 
 Verfe he fays, l>4i'g7B itj^Gp^yT©-, [there was a 
 Man] and whilfl he here plainly ufes 
 the fame Word which he did before, 
 when he had faid all Things were made 
 by Him, by this he indicates, that John 
 the Baptiji was alfo made by Him. In 
 like manner we ought to apply the Mean- 
 ing of the fame Word in other Places of 
 Scripture. Jlbjque eo fadlwn ejl iiihil^ 
 quod faBum eji^ [Without Him was not 
 any Tubing 7nade that was made,] In the 
 Greek it has this Efnpha^/is ; without Him 
 ^Ji ivj was not any Tubing [or the leajl Tubing] 
 made^ that was made. By which Expref- 
 fion St. Jokn^ doubtlefs with regard to 
 the profound Abyfs of Divine Wifdom, 
 but now mention'd, looks back to the 
 firft Creation -, where God being about to 
 produce fomething, is alledg'd dixije, to 
 have faid. Hence, when every Day's 
 Work was finilh'd, it is written, and God 
 faid ; and // was fo ; or, thus it was made : 
 That fo John^ by this way of fpeaking, 
 might moft earneitly fet before our Eyes, 
 and confirm the Majefty of the Word, 
 .For let it be faid, either di>:it [He faid\ 
 
 or 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 69 
 
 or fuit \it n.vas\ or fa^iim eji [it was 
 27iade\ Chrill: is there always, as we now 
 afferted, and indeed as is (hewn by the 
 7? ^<^ iv : Chriji^ I lay, is to be acknow- 
 ledg'd without any Exception 5 all Things 
 and every Thing muft acknowledge that 
 one Word for their Creator : that fo it 
 might be rightly laid, as it is in P/^xxxiii. 
 9. >nn IDfc^ Nin Ipjo dicefite ejl quicquid 
 eji^ ipjo prcecipiente^ exiftit. For he Jpake\ 
 and it was do?ie ; he co?n?najidedy and it 
 flood faji. St. Paul ^ teaches us more 
 largely, how we ought to know the 
 Meaning, and expound the hidden Senfe 
 of thole Particles, sA' tv. In ipfo vita 
 eraty & vita erat lux ilia ho77iinum -, [Lz 
 Hijn was Life^ and the Life was the Light 
 of Men.] In the Greek, c# dwrtS {<»« JV, ^ 
 i] {a»j rlv 7^(pai Tuv dv^^a-mav. fohn does not 
 in the firft Polition of the word {!^\ prefix 
 the Article » [the] but in the fecond Place 
 he adds the Article, to make the Sentence 
 more emphatical. And the Light fn?ieth 
 in Darknefs, Et lux if a in tenehris lucet. 
 John fays, ^<«m [jlnneth] not \<^in \did 
 Jhinel ' ^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ obferv'd, that in his 
 whole Difcourfe, he fitly diflinguiiheth 
 the Times, or knows when he ought to 
 fpeak in the paft, and when in the prefent 
 Tenfe : Which if we carefully attend to, 
 we fhall much better underftand not only 
 F 3 this, 
 
 * Ccl. i. 15, 16, 17. 
 
yo Chrtji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 this, but many other Places, which other- 
 wife, perhaps, we fhould overlook, as 
 meeting nothing in them, in our Opinion, 
 worthy our Remark. In this Place, John 
 would fpeak thus : " This Light is the 
 " Eternal Light, and {hines without any 
 " Intermiffion, nor does it any way per- 
 " mit its Splendor to be obftrudted by 
 " Darknefs, otherwife the Darknefs might 
 *' become more prevalent than the Light 
 *' itfelf." Concerning this Subject, Da- 
 vid fpeaks \ ^ If I fay^ Surely the Dark- 
 nefs fall cover me : even the Night fhall 
 be light about me. Tea^ the Darknefs hid- 
 eth not from T^hee^ hut the Night foineth 
 as the Day : the Darknefs and the Light 
 are both alike to T'hee, And St. fames the 
 Apoftle thus ; -f* Do not err, my beloved 
 Brethren : Every good Gift, and every per- 
 fe5i Gift, is from above, and comet h down 
 from the Father of Lights, with whom is 
 no Variahlenefs, neither Shadow of tumijig. 
 He therefore faying that the Uv^x. fnneth, 
 fpeaks in the prefent Tenfe ; that the 
 eternal Splendor of that Light, which no 
 Darknefs can hinder, may be underftood, 
 and diftinguifli'd from all created Light. 
 
 SECT. 
 
 * Tfahn cxxxix. ii, I2.- f James i. i6, 17. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 7 1 
 
 SECT. XL- 
 
 What peculiar Account 7nay be given 
 of the Words y K^rUct^iv^ Tizt^iKa^ovy and 
 Uet^ovy or comprehending and re- 
 ceiving. 
 
 AND the Darknefs comprehended it 
 not^ ver. 5.] This is lignificantly exprel- 
 fed in the Greeks 1^ « cv.qvcl 'AtTo' « v^-riKA- 
 ^iv. And the Darknefs dij cover d it not, 
 *' He that is in Darknefs, and walketh in 
 *' Darknefs, and knows not whither he 
 " goes, becaufe Darknefs hath Winded his 
 *' Eyes," thinks indeed, that he compre- 
 hends fomething ; but it is — a falfe Light 
 which he comprehends, not ^u-n (p^^^ that 
 true Light : Nor does he find true Life 
 in the Light Vv^hich he feems to himfelf 
 to comprehend. Therefore St. Paul whites 
 concerning the Gentiles ^, As having the 
 TJnderjlanding darhied^ being alienated from 
 the Life of God^ thro the Ignorance that 
 is in them^ becaufe of the Blindnefs of their 
 Heart, For wherever the Divine Light 
 is wanting, there alfo the Divine Life fails. 
 Therefore concerning fuch, St. Paul teftl- 
 fies-f; that they pleafe themfelves in a vo- 
 luntary Humility^ and worjhipping of An- 
 F 4 gels, 
 
 * Eph. iv. iS. t Col. ii. i8. 
 
7 2 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 gels, intruding into th-ofe Things which they 
 have notfeen ; vainly pufft up by their fiejh^ 
 ly Mind. And indeed, they are fo far 
 from comprehending the true Light, that 
 they do not know or perceive their own 
 BHndnefs and Darknefs, as may be feen in 
 ^ohn ix. 39,40,41. They comprehended it 
 not : in Greek, K^jihct^ov^ [^dijcenid or dif- 
 coverd]. Of this St. Pau/ fpeaks. Phi/. 
 iii. 12, 13. Befides, this Word x^TiKctfiiVy 
 [comprehended^ ver. 5. there are two other 
 Words, ver. 11, 12. each of which has its 
 proper Emphafis in the Greeli, which we 
 can't fufficiently perceive in the German^ 
 or the Latin Verlion : Thefe are the two 
 Words, OTtpUifc/Soy, T7. II. and I^^^pi', v. 12. 
 which fignify received. The Word ^J^- 
 hctLL^AVtiv iigniiies, to receive \xi fuch a man- 
 ner, as Cidzens do their Lord and Kt?2g 
 into his Kingdom and City, who taking 
 an Oath of Allegiance to him, joyfully 
 wilh him a long Life, and all manner 
 of Profperity j or elfe, when it is fpo- 
 keii of Chriji, it denotes the receiving of 
 HifHy with finging the true Hofanna in 
 that Spirit, with which the Prophets ut- 
 ter'd it. As the Prophets alfo put into 
 the Mouth, and as it were into the 
 Heart of the Daughter of Zion, how 
 ihe ought to rejoice and be glad at the 
 Advent of her King ; and with what Ac- 
 clamations ihe ought to receive Him. 
 
 Thus 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 73 
 
 Thus the whole People of Ifrael ought 
 to have received Chriji .; and this is that 
 of which St. John complains, faying, the 
 Darknefs coviprebcnded not this Light of 
 Life, Indeed our Saviour vouchfafed to 
 feparate the Ifraelites from all other Peo- 
 ple, to be even as his own Poffetiion ; and 
 altho' they killed his Prophets and Ser- 
 vants whom he had fent to them, ne- 
 verthelefs, fo great was his Mercy towards 
 them, that he came himfelf to them, as 
 to his own peculiar People : but they who 
 boafted themfelves to be his People, would 
 not fo much as acknowledge him ; and 
 inftead of Hofanna^ they cried out, Cru- 
 cify hi?72 ', and in fuch fort did they receive 
 the Lord of Glory\ that they faften'd him 
 to a Crofs, The Evangelift goes on, ver. 
 12. But as many as received Him: Here 
 begins the Separation of Light and Dark- 
 nefs, as at the Beginning, in the firft Crea- 
 tion, naturally, fo here^ in the new Crea- 
 tion, fpiritually. "O^b/ S{^ka?>qv^ that is, as 
 many (altho' they were exceeding few of 
 this People) as received Him for the great- 
 eft Gift of Divine Grace, from the Hand 
 of God ; yea, in whomfoever he found 
 fuch an honeft Mind, as not to reject him 
 from being fent by the Father^ altho* 
 they received him with great Weaknefs, 
 and not with that Joy and Chearfulnefs 
 which the Majejly of his Perfon, and the 
 
 great- 
 
74 Chrtfi the Sum and Subfiance 
 
 greatnefs of that Salvation requir'd, which 
 he brought along with him; yet he ap- 
 proved of them, where he was receivd 
 by them without Falfhood and Diflem- 
 bling : he fpared them, as a Father is 
 wont to fpare his Children ; he helped 
 their Infirmity 5 he did not frown upon 
 them ; but by doing them good, and ma- 
 nifefting his Glory ^ he kindled and ftreng- 
 then'd their Faith towards him, and fo 
 gave them this Power that they Jhoiild be 
 made the Sons of God, Hereby we fhall 
 obferve the pleafmg manner of St. John^ 
 ufing thefe three Words, mTihct^ovy 'm^iha^ov^ 
 ^Kct^ov'y and from thence learn, that there 
 is no juvenile fporting, when the Spirit of 
 God thus makes ufe of certain Words, 
 but a Thing of the greateft moment ; that 
 the Men of God fpake not only fpiritual 
 Things, but utter'd them alfo in the very 
 Words of the Holy Spirit ; and not fo in 
 their own Words, as if it mattered not 
 much, whether we knew their emphatical 
 Meaning or not. 
 
 SECT. XLL 
 
 TVhy in treating here of the Eternal 
 Word, there is mention made of 
 John the Baptift. 
 
 THERE ^as a Man fent fro?n God, 
 whofe Name icas John, ver. 6. In the 
 
 Greek 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 75 
 Greek it is thus : lyiviro rtj/9p«V(^, ^c. the 
 Emphafis of the firft Word, that it is not 
 faid rv, but lyiyiiv^ was fhewn before. 
 The follov/ing Word, dv^^u'TrQt^ has no lefs 
 an Emphafis. For when he here fpeaks 
 of the Glory of the VVord^ and has called 
 him the Creator and the Light of Men ; 
 by thofe very Words he declares that "John 
 the Baptijl was not Chrijt, for ivhom ma- 
 ny in his time would have taken him; but 
 a meer Man, whofe Light therefore Chri/i 
 no lefs was, than that of other Men. The 
 fame emphatical Signification is to be found 
 in the Beginning of St. PaiiV^ Epiftle to the 
 Galatians : Paul a?t Apoftle^ not of Men^ 
 neither by Man^ but by Jefus Chrijl and 
 God the Father^ who raifed him from the 
 Dead : And ijer, 11, 12. / certify you^ 
 Brethren^ that the Gofpel which was 
 preached of me, is not after Man, For I 
 neither receinjed it of Man, neither was I 
 taught ity but by the Revelation of fefui 
 Chrifi, Thefe Expreflions no way dero- 
 gate from the true Humanity of Chrijl^ 
 but only effeftually demonflrate that he 
 was not a meer Man ; as St. fohn, the 
 Apoftles, and others alfo the greateft Ser- 
 vants of God, were in this Regard meer 
 Men. T'he fame came for a Witnefs^ to 
 bear witnefs of that Light, ver. 7. Here 
 again we muft take notice of the great 
 Care of St. fohn the Evangelift, that he 
 
 thus 
 
76 Chrijl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 thus expreily makes the whole Office of 
 Jolm the BaptiJ}^ to confift in his bearing 
 Uejiimony concerning Chrift ; by which 
 he would be meant to fay nothing elfe, 
 but that the fame Office was incumbent 
 on John^ (viz, the principal Parts of it) 
 which Mofes and all the Prophets, by whom 
 God had ever fpoken to Men, did dif- 
 charge, viz, that they fhould teftify of 
 Chrift. Chrift fays concerning all the 
 Scriptures of the Old Teftament, I'hey 
 are 'They which tejiify of me "*. And St. 
 ^ohn the Evangelift, names himfelf to be 
 a Witnefs of Jefus Chrift -f-, as alfo Chrifl 
 himfelf affirms of all his Apoftles, % that 
 They Jhould bear witnefs of Him. But 
 efpecially in this Place it is to be obferv'd, 
 from this very Teftimony, how great a 
 Difference there is between the Dignity 
 and Majejiy of Chriji, and the Perfon and 
 Office of John the Baptijl. For whereas 
 it was now faid ; He came for a JVit?tefs, 
 viz. to bear witnefs of the Light, it is pre- 
 fently more clearly explained : He was 
 not that Light, but was fent to bear wit- 
 nefs of that Light. The holy Love of 
 yohn the Evangelift in thefe Words is 
 much to be confider'd, as from which it 
 moft evidently appears, with what pro- 
 found Reverence he contemplated the 
 
 Glory 
 
 * Job. V. 39. f Rev, i. 2. :|: Joh. xv. 27. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 77 
 
 Glory of our Lord J ejus Chrijl ; and how 
 his Soul was moved, not only to fliew 
 forth that Glory in the mofi: effed:ual and 
 powerful manner, but alfo to prevent moft 
 carefully their thinking fo meanly of the 
 MeJJiaL\ whom Ifrael then expeded, as to 
 take Jolm the Baptiji^ or any other Man, 
 for Him, whofe Employment he regard- 
 ed no farther, than that Men iTiould, by 
 virtue of their Teftimony, be brought to 
 believe in the Word of Life, the true 
 Light of the World, and the Lord of 
 Glory, For it is altogether to be imputed 
 to the holy Affedlion of Johji the Evan- 
 gelift, that Verfes 6, 7, 8. are inferted in 
 the reft of his Difcourfe, the better to re- 
 move from every one's Mind, any Objec- 
 tion concerning the Authority oi jolm the 
 Baptijl, For if we confider the Text 
 aright, there is fuch a Coherence in his 
 Difcourfe, that the 5^^ and 9^^ Verfes are 
 to be connedled and joined together 3 fo 
 the 15^^ Verfe is put between the 14^^^ and 
 16^^ by the Evangelift s which two Verfes, 
 as to the Matter, entirely agree, and fo is 
 to be placed in a Parenthefis, as well as 
 the other three : And fince by reafon here- 
 of, mention is twice made of the Tefti- 
 mony of John the Baptiji, the Evangelift 
 begins at length to relate the Matter more 
 fully, and as Circumftances require. This^ 
 as he fays ver, 19. is the Record of John, 
 
7 8 Chrtfi the Sum and Subfiance 
 
 &€. which I have twice alledg*d in what 
 went before. Buf as many as received 
 Him (ver. 12.) to them gave he Power to 
 become the So?is of God. Thefe Words ex- 
 plain the following, ver, 16. A7td of his 
 Fulnefs have all we received^ and Grace 
 for Grace, For the two Words iKtt^ov and 
 iJtavjiv^ [they received^ and [he gave] de- 
 ferve to be well confider^d together -, be- 
 caufe the Order of thefe Words, thro* 
 the Divine Wifdom and Love, is moft de- 
 lightful. God gives. Faith receives ; and 
 if Faith receives, God always gives anew. 
 And thus there is continual Interchange of 
 Love and Faith, of giving and receiving, 
 and this is what is called Grace for Grace. 
 
 SECT. XLIL 
 
 That there is alfo a peculiar E^npha- 
 Jis 171 the W^ords aS^o- UKivaaiv i* 
 «>>, The Word dwelt among us. 
 
 T^ FIE V/ord was made Flejh, and dwelt 
 among us, (John i. 14.) That this dwel- 
 ling among us, refers to the T'abernacle^ 
 or Tent of the Congregation in the Old 
 Teftament y or rather, that this Taberna- 
 cle has, as a Type, refped: to Chrif, is 
 manifeft from the Comparifon above made 
 of this Text with the Old Teftament. 
 The Signification alfo of the Greek word 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 79 
 
 ft<rju)W*f, has the fame Reference, being in 
 Latin^ ^abernaciilum fojiiit^ he pitched 
 his Tabernacle. And 'tis very worthy 
 our notice, that the Greek word has the 
 very fame Letters with the Hebrew^ pt2?a 
 or pu? ^ That it iliould be as it were eafy 
 even for Children to underftand, that the 
 Signijfication of this Word is to be look'd 
 for in the Type of the Old Covenant. 
 Altho', moreover, the Words of John in 
 the German Tranflation are not ill ren- 
 dered, gr wo|)nete unter un^y i. e. habi- 
 
 tavit inter nos^ He inhabited among us ; 
 forafmuch as this Conlideration, that he 
 was the true Habitation of the Glory of 
 Gotd among Men, and efpecially among 
 his moft beloved Difciples, admirably a- 
 grees both with the Type of the Old Tef- 
 tament, and with his humble Converfa- 
 tion in the Flefh : yet this ought not at 
 all to derogate from the Emphajis and pro- 
 per Signification of the Greek word, by 
 which it may be truly inferred from the 
 Mind of St. John himfelf, that He does 
 alfo inhabit in us, and there manifefts his 
 Glory, Life and Light, with his Grace 
 and Truth to us. The Apoftle Paul^ in 
 his Epiftle to the Ephefians *, expounds 
 the Strud:ure of the Tabernacle and Tem- 
 ple, fhewing they had their Completion 
 in Chrift. But how does he fpeak of 
 
 Chriji's 
 
 * Chap, ii, iii. 
 
8o Chrijl the Sum and Suhjlance 
 
 CJjriJl's d%veUing among us ? Is it fo only 
 that Chrift dwells among us in the man- 
 ner, as heretofore the Tabernacle in a 
 Type ? Does he not rather tell us, that 
 Chriji may dwell in our Hearts by Faith *. 
 Likewife St. Johi himfelf applies this 
 dwelling of Chrijt among us to that true 
 Communion in the Spirit, which we 
 ought to have with the bleffed Son of 
 Gody faying : -f- T'hat which we have feen 
 and heard^ declare we unto yoUy that ye 
 aljb may have Fellowjhip with us ; and tru^ 
 ly our Fellowpip is with the Father ^ and 
 with his Son Jefus Chriji, He dwelt a^ 
 mo?ig iiSy full of Grace and T'ruth ; and of 
 his Fuhiefs have all we receivdy and Grace 
 for Grace^ ver. 14, 16. The Words, ac- 
 cording to the Greek Text, are fo proper- 
 ly conjoin'd, and in the Matter itfelf fo 
 ftridly linked together, that their Con- 
 nexion cannot be feparated by the other 
 intervening Words in thofe two Verfes. 
 But that St. John interpofes fo many 
 V/ords, ought not to feem ftrange and in- 
 congruous to us. Nor is the fame unu- 
 fual in common Converfation, efpecially 
 where little regard is had to Aft in the 
 placing of Words, but only that the 
 Thing itfelf may be exprefs'd with the 
 fame Concern that lies in the Mind. And 
 thus in this Place, together with the Con- 
 
 fideration 
 
 * E^h, iii. 17. t ^P^^- ^- ^^^P* '^' 3' 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, 8 1 
 
 fideration of the Thing propounded, we 
 ought to attend to the Mind of John the 
 Evangelift, who was fo filled with hum- 
 ble Veneration, a lively Faith, and a moft 
 flagrant Love to his Lord and Mafter, that 
 he could not fpeak of him after a meer 
 biflorical manner, but always declared that 
 moft tender and delightful Senfe of Him 
 with which his own Mind was imbu'd, 
 that fo he might the more fweetly allure 
 others who fliould read his Gofpel, to the 
 fame moft blelTed Communion with the 
 only begotten Son of God. How great 
 an Empbajls there is in the two Words 
 Grace and T^riith^ cannot be explained in 
 few Words ; fince from the foregoing 
 Meditation it is plain, that all Things 
 which were foretold of the new Cove- 
 nant, are contain'd in thofe two Words. 
 Therefore we refer the Reader for a ful- 
 ler Underftanding of them, to a particu- 
 lar Treatife publifti'd by me in the Ger- 
 man Tongue, called Grace and Truth, 
 
 SECT. XLIIL 
 
 TVhy the Evangeliji returns cifreJJj to 
 fpeak of John the Baptift, a72d 
 what is to be underflood by id^^.}^^ 
 He cried. 
 
 JOHN bare witnefs of Hi?n, and cri- 
 ed, faying : This is He of ^vchom I ffake^ 
 
 G ^ He 
 
82 Chriji the Sum and Stibjlance 
 
 He that cometh after me^ is preferred be- 
 fore me \ for he was before me^ ver. 15. 
 Every Thing in thefe Words is emphati- 
 cal. In what went before, 'u/2;. ver. 7, 
 and 8. he had made mention thrice of 
 the Teftimony of John the Baptiji^ he 
 doth it now a fourth time, and adds em- 
 phatically, ?^ vUe^y^, clamavit, [He c?'ied] 
 that he might exprefs not only his own, 
 but the Love of John alfo towards the 
 Lord, and declare that Joh?! did not bear 
 witnefs coldly, but ufed great Earneftnefs, 
 Zeal, and a wonderful Chearfulnefs and 
 Freedom of Mind, in giving his Teftimo- 
 ny ; and that he publifh'd it after fuch 
 manner, that no one might hereafter plead 
 Ignorance of it ; yea, that he fhew'd ef- 
 fedually that he was appointed to be the 
 Voice, the Publi(l:ier, and the Fore-run- 
 ner of the Mefjiah -, for that he had lift 
 up his Voice like a Trumpet, and pro- 
 claimed the Meffiah aloud, in the Hearing 
 of the Jews, But the Evangelift does not 
 flop here, but adds alfo the Words which 
 John the Baptiji fpake. V/hence it is ea- 
 nly underftood, that the very Words of 
 Johii the Baptiji were very dear and ac- 
 ceptable unto the Evangelift. For in 
 this very Chapter he again repeats thofe 
 Words, ver.2j, and 30. and again explains 
 them in the very Words of John, Joh, iii. 
 28, &c. But what Oecafion was there for 
 
 the 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, 83 
 
 the Evangelijl to alledge thefe Words in 
 this Place, when he intended afterwards 
 to relate the whole Matter, and to re- 
 count more largely both the Words, and 
 the Occalion of uling them? This was 
 the Reafon ; becaufe hitherto having wit- 
 neffed the true Godhead and Incarnation 
 of the Meffiah, both ' which were briefly 
 comprehended in the Teftimony of John^ 
 he thought it neceffary to alledge this Tef- 
 timony of the Baptift for an Argument, 
 and as it were a ihort Compendium of 
 thofe Things which he had hitherto fpo- 
 ken of Chriji : Which was enough for 
 him to infert in this Place, and fo to finifh 
 his begun Difcourfe, referving ilill to 
 himfelf a more large Account of the Tef- 
 timony of John^ which was of fo great 
 moment. 
 
 SECT. XLIV. 
 
 In what the Tejlimony of John the 
 Baptift confifis, 
 
 WHEN Johji fays, ver, 30. This 
 is he ', hereby he fheWs, that he is about 
 to publifh fomewhat very furprizing, 
 which at firft may feem ftrange and 
 wonderful ; or ill which fuch Things may 
 be found, as feem not to cohere and to 
 agree well together. And ^oh?! frequent- 
 G 2 ^ ly 
 
84 Chriji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 ly us'd the fame Paradoxical Manner in 
 fpeaking of Chriji, For he did not then 
 jirft ufe that Expreffion when he faw 
 ChriJI coming towards him, and pointing 
 at him, faid : Behold the La?nb of God 
 which taketh away the Si?is of the World ; 
 ^his is He, &c. as you may read, v.2g, 30. 
 But the fame Words, This is He^ who 
 co?neth after me, and who was before me-, He 
 had us'd the Day before, to them who 
 were fent to him from "Jerufalem, Whence 
 'tis the lefs to be doubted, but that he of- 
 ten before faid thofe Things to the Peo- 
 ple, and principally to his Difciples. For 
 his (Johns) Teftimony was then fo pub- 
 licity known at Jertfalem, that the Jews 
 were mov'd thereby to fend Priejls and 
 Levites to him for farther Information. 
 But he fpake nothing new to them, and 
 only profefed what he had before very 
 boldly and freely declared to the People, 
 and to his own Difciples. In which 'tis 
 fweet to obferve, that the Evangelift, out 
 of all the Teflimonies given by John the 
 Baptifl concerning Chrifl, choofes this 
 which was fpoken by the Baptift, when 
 with his own Eyes he beheld Chriji, the 
 Lamb of God : by which, he was parti- 
 cularly defirous to declare, that, as a 
 Fore-runner formerly in his Mother's 
 Womb he leap'd for Joy, when the Lord 
 came to vifit him in the Womb of his 
 
 Virsin 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 85; 
 
 Virgin Mother ; lb now this his "Joy was 
 as it were renewed, and even compleated, 
 when * he law "J^jus come towards him ; 
 whereby he was fo inflam'd, that he cried 
 out with greater Earneftnefs than ever 
 before, and congratulated Him as the true 
 Bridegroom, and raifed the Attention of 
 all his Difciples and of all the People 
 about Him, that now they fliould behold 
 the Lamb of God which takcth away the 
 Sin of the World: that then he cried 
 aloud, that all might hear Him -, T^his is 
 He^ viz. fip;^W©-, He that was to come^ 
 nor hefides Him jhall you expeB any other : 
 That thereby he might remove all Doubts 
 from Mens Minds, and that they fhould 
 all of Themfelves believe -f that this is He, 
 of whom Mofes and the Prophets wrote, 
 and to whom his whole Fundion belong- 
 ed. But when the Difcourfe he was vv^ontf 
 to have of the MeJJiah was known, and 
 publifli'd among his Difciples, and to all 
 the People, he hereby marked out Chrijl 
 to them, and withal gave Teflimony, firft 
 of his true Humanity ^ and the i^dmini- 
 flration of his Office in this his State of 
 Humiliation, according as he had laid ; 
 this is He^ who cometh after me : Then al- 
 fo of his Eternal Divinity^ when he af- 
 firms of Him who was to come after him, 
 G 3 that 
 
 * John iij. 29. t John i. 7. 
 
86 Chriji the Sum and Sub fiance 
 
 that he njcas before him, and then fubjoins 
 that he was before him. Which Words, 
 in this Place, do not only denote his Pre- 
 rogative of Dignity (as what fohfi the 
 Baptiji exprefly declares in another man- 
 ner, when ver. 27. he profeiTes himfelf 
 not worthy to unloofe the Latchet of his 
 Shoes, and ftill more largely and plainly, 
 chap. iii. ver. 27 — 36.) but of T'imc alfo. 
 
 SECT. XLV. 
 
 What is to be obferved C07tcerning 
 Grace for Grace, and comparing 
 of the Law, a7id Grace and Truths 
 
 o?iQ with another. 
 
 A N T> of his Fiilnefs have all we re^ 
 teive^^ and Grace for Grace, ver. 16. 
 The Greek Particle ^ [and^ fet before 
 '^tir tlvv ^tArQ-^ [Grace for Grace] has 
 fomething more emphatical than the Tran- 
 ilator hath exprefs'd in our Mother Lan- 
 guage (German). The Senfe of the Words 
 [and of his Fulnefs have all we received] 
 may be explained thus, /. e, " Whatfoever 
 " Good v/e have, it is not from ourfelves, 
 " but as he is full of Grace and Truth, fo 
 " hath he imparted fomevvhat to every 
 ** one of us ; that out of his infinite Ful- 
 '' nefs, without any Diminution to Him- 
 
 '^ felf, 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 87 
 
 " felf, we all have received ibmething, 
 " and indeed (or, yea and) Grace for 
 " Graced We have before fhewn the 
 Signification of thefe Words, Grace for 
 Grace, It is faid moreover, ('ver, ij.) for 
 the Law was given by Mofes, hut Grace 
 and T'ruth came by fefus Cbrijl, Here, in 
 the Words ecToQw, data eft \^doas give?i] and 
 lyipi'Uiy prcejiitafeu fadia eji^ [was perform^ 
 ed, or derived^ lies a fingular Emphafis. 
 The Law was not maJe^ but given by Mo- 
 fes, as by the Hand of a Mediator * ; But 
 Grace and Truth were not only given by, 
 but proceeded from Jefus Cbriji -, fince 
 by his Suffering and Dying for us, He 
 hath recover'd the Grace loft by Adam's 
 Fall, and applies it to our Hearts by his 
 Spirit, and thereby renews and reftores in 
 Them the divine Image in Righteoufnefs^ 
 and in Hollnefs of Truth. It would be 
 too much to afcribe to Mofes the Word 
 iy.vi-n^ the making of the Law, (for the 
 Law was not made by him) and it would 
 be much too little to apply to Chriji the 
 Word ic/'oOw, the giving of the Law. For 
 this Man was counted worthy of more 
 Glory than MoJeSy inafmuch as he who 
 hath builded the Houfe, hath more Ho- 
 nour than the Houfe. For every Flouf^ 
 is builded by fome Man, but he that built 
 all Things is God. (N. B. God was that 
 G 4 PP'ord. 
 
 * G^/. iii. 19. 
 
8 8 Chrijl the Sum and Stibjlance 
 
 Word, All Hhings were made by Him.) 
 And Mofes verily was faithful in all his 
 Houfe as a Servant, for a T^eflijnoyiy of thofe 
 'Thi?2gs which were to be fpoken after ; but 
 Chriji as a Son over his own Hotfe : which 
 Place in the Hebrews * greatly illuftrates 
 St. Johns Words. 
 
 SECT, XLVI. 
 
 How great Senfe is comprifed in the 
 1 8^^ Verfe^ where there is Jo nota- 
 ble 7ne7Vtion made of the only be- 
 gotten Son, who is i?i the Bofom of 
 the Father^ and hath declared Him. 
 
 1' H E only begotten Son, John had 
 before called Chrifi ^oycv, the IFordy and 
 in the 14^^ Verfe (Mvoy^vTi, the only begotten^ 
 now adds the word »io^ and calls Him the 
 only begotten Son ; which Word he after- 
 wards frequently ufes in his Gofpel. But 
 as he had before faid concerning the Word; 
 'The Word was with God : fo he now fub- 
 joins, who is in the Bojoin of the Father. 
 Thefe lall Words were before compared 
 with Proverbs viii. from whence may be 
 underflood, the great Importance of them. 
 I\ow it is farther to be obferv'd what 
 John fays here, alp, [who exijis] who was 
 
 from 
 
 * Chap. iii. 3, 4, 5,6. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 89 
 
 from Eternity, and is, and fliall be. So 
 Chrift faith, *" No Ma?! hath afc ended up 
 to Heaven^ hut He that came down from 
 Heaven^ even the Son of Man ^ (8 aj', truly 
 exifting) which is in Heaven, And again, 
 Veril\\ verily^ I fay unto you ^ Before Abra- 
 ham was (or was born) I am -f*. He does 
 not fay, / was^ or \ytvo^v, I was made^ but 
 / am ; that he might thereby declare not 
 only his Exiftence, or his Being before 
 Abrahafn^ but his eternal and immutable 
 Effence alfo. Pfalm cii. 27. expreffes this 
 by Nin nns, Thou art the fame : with 
 which compare jfft'/^. i. 12. andxiii. 8. It 
 may be yet farther noted, that in the 
 Greek it is not faid, c>v tJ xoa-^^, but «? ♦ 
 iLoK7:%¥, within the Bofo?n, comparing the 
 Particle «? with what he had expreffed 
 by the Particle ^m^^, with, in the i^ and 
 2^ Verfes (of John i.) This Expreflion 
 may be thus interpreted : The Father and 
 the Son are fo clofely united together, that 
 this Union has not only been from Eter- 
 nity, but will alfo endure to Eternity ; 
 and the Son is always with, and in the 
 Father, in an indiffoluble EiTence of the 
 Godhead ; fo that even the Incarnation of 
 the Son cannot deftroy this Union. He 
 hath declared him 10 us, ver. 18. (*E;ct?y^) 
 He it is, and no other. For by this mofl 
 emphatical Word, he would transfer our 
 
 Heart, 
 
 * Join iii. 13. t Johf} viii. 58. 
 
go Chrijl the Sum and Subftance 
 
 Heart, Mind, Soul, and all our Thoughts 
 upon the '&on, 'E|w7»fc^79, declared : this not 
 only fignifies, as rlie German Verfion has 
 it, €r j^at e§ terf unfei^t, nuntiavit, de- 
 clar d \ but as it is render 'd in hatin^ ex- 
 fofuit^ deprompfit^ Jet abroad in view, 
 brought forth'. He, as a Store-keeper, [viz. 
 from the Bofom of the Father, from the 
 iBoft profound and moft fecret Divinity) 
 expounded and brought to Light, Things 
 which otherwife had remained hidden and 
 oblcure. By this word, declared^ he alfo 
 fhews why Cbrijl is called ao^(§-, (the 
 Word) v-iz, not only becaufe he is the 
 Image of the Father, as Speech is the 
 linage of the Mind ; nor therefore only, 
 becaufe from the Beginning God fpake by 
 Him to the Prophets : but for this Rea- 
 fon alfo, becaufe 'tis he himfelf who makes 
 known, and itianifefts to us the Mind of 
 God, and fets before us, and grafts into 
 our Hearts that Grace and T'ruth which 
 himfelf procured for us. There is a fourth 
 Reafon why He is called the Word^ viz, 
 becaufe He is our Advocate^ and Intercef- 
 for with the Father *. In the Greeks ver. 
 i8. the Word wf^f, 7iobis^ to iis^ is want- 
 ing ; it is only faid, 'Eg»7*f«x7z», he declared : 
 which Omiffion of a Word ufed in other 
 Places, and often not without Emphafis, 
 ought not to be thought in vain, or unad- 
 vised. SECT, 
 
 * I John ii. I . Heh. ix. 24. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 9 r 
 
 SECT. XLVIL 
 
 What Prayers the Conjideration o?z 
 all thefe Things Jhould draw from 
 our Hearts. 
 
 " O LORD, the *S'^i;/Wr of the whole 
 *' World, Pralfe, Honour and Glory be 
 *' to thy Name, that Thou haft laid up 
 " fo many and fo great Treafures of Wif- 
 " ;dom and Knowledge in the Words of 
 thy Witnefles, that They may be as in- 
 exhauftable Fountains, whofe profound 
 Senfe no Man can throughly fearch out. 
 That Water, which Thou gaveft them,, 
 is made in them a Well of Water, 
 fpringing up into everlafting Life. They 
 bring out of their Treafures Things 
 new and old, as being inftru6ted by 
 'Theey the true Majier, for the Kingdom 
 of Heaven. Thou art xhcWord^ which 
 fpoke in Them, and which ftill fpeaks 
 to U3 by Them at all Times. In hear- 
 ing Them we hear Thee. How there- 
 fore can even the leaft Word that was 
 i?ifpired by Thee into them, want a Di- 
 'Vine Emphafis ? But if we receive it 
 as thy Word, fo that this Word of Life 
 be mix'd in our Hearts vv^ith Faith, 
 Thou art then aUvays He, who with us, 
 in us, yea and by us, ftill fpeakeft, and 
 
 '' workeft 
 
 (C 
 
 cc 
 
 «c 
 
9 2 Chrtft the Sum and Stihjlance 
 
 *' workeft effedually. Thou takefl away 
 *' the Veil from before our Eyes and 
 '' Hearts, that we may be able to behold, 
 *' and know the Glory of the Face oiMofes^ 
 " viz. Thy felf, who art the End and Ful- 
 *' filling of the Law. O Lord^ fmceThou 
 '' haft thus given the Words of Wijdom 
 «' unto thy Servants, that they fliould not 
 ** only be thy Witneffes to the End of 
 *' the World \ but alfo efpecially for the 
 '' fake of Pofterity, and thereby for our 
 *' fake, ihould put in Writing the Words 
 " which thou deliveredft to Them ; grant 
 *' therefore for thine own fake, that Ho- 
 " nour to thy oijon Word, that, like a great 
 *' Sea of Wifdom, it may fpread itfelf 
 *' thro' the whole World, and that every 
 '' one may run to this Fountain, with 
 '' great Defire, with humblenefs of Mind, 
 '^ with Joy and Thankfgiving, may draw 
 " out of it, find in it true Wifdom, and 
 *' may know Thee, as the Eternal Word 
 *' of God, the Eternal Life, the Eterfial 
 " and true Light, and may for ever be 
 «' enliven'd and enlightened by Thee. 
 
 Amen. 
 
 
 The 
 
of all the Holy Sa^lptures. 93 
 
 The Fifth Meditation. 
 
 Wherein Six Arguments, proving 
 the trwt Divi?nty ofChriJl^ which 
 occur in the Beginning of St. 
 yoh?i\ Gofpel, are diUgently exa- 
 min'd. 
 
 SECT. XLVIII. 
 
 The Firji Argument. 
 
 " T/E, to whom Eternity is fo afcrlbed, 
 " as to have no Beginning, is together with 
 " the Father^ the true and ellential God, 
 '^ But fuch an Eternity is afcribed unto 
 *^ Chrijl : therefore Chriji together with 
 " the Father is the true and effential God,*' 
 The major Propofition is true beyond all 
 doubt ; it being againft common Reafon 
 to attribute to any Being that Eternity 
 which is without Beginning, and yet not 
 acknowledge It to be the true Go^. Where- 
 fore no Man of Senfe will require a Proof 
 of this Propofition. But this is to be de- 
 mon ftrated, that That Eternity which is 
 without any Beginning, belongs to Chriji^ 
 and then it follows of itfelf, that Chrijl is 
 the true and effential God, But this is af- 
 firm'd by the Evangelift in plain and 
 clear Words : For he fays concerning the 
 lame Chrijl^ who walked about among 
 
 Men 
 
94 ChrtJ} the Sum and Subjla?ice 
 
 Men on the Earth, being made vifible to 
 Men in the Flefh, that He is the Word^ 
 viz, which was /;z the Begin72ing, or then 
 exifted, when the Beginning of any Thing 
 could be faid to be. The Emphafis of 
 the Words of John (efpecially of the 
 Word «V, was, fignifying, that that fFord 
 had no Beginning, but did really exift be- 
 fore the Beginning of Time, beyond which 
 there is nothing but Efermty) I fay, this 
 Emphafis, together with the Places of 
 Scripture wherewith it has been compared, 
 is to be remembred here from the preceed- 
 ing Sedions. We only add the Words of 
 St. Augiijline in Epift. LXVI. // is not 
 faidy as in the Beginni?2g, God made Hea^ 
 'uen and Earthy Jo in the Beginning he 
 made the Word ; hiity in the Beginning was 
 the Word, In this Place, 'Johi was whol- 
 ly intent, to fet before our Eyes the Glory 
 of the Son of God from the very Begin- 
 ning of GenefiSy that He might at once 
 give us a Key, how we ought rightly to 
 feek and to find Chriji, as the Subfl:ance of 
 the Writings of Mcfes and all the Pro-- 
 phetSy from the genuine Foundation of the 
 fecret Depths of God's Wijdom, Other- 
 wife fome other Form of fpeaking might 
 have expreffed the Eternity of the Son of 
 God^ as he ufes in other Places \ when for 
 Example, I^ Epiftle i. 2. he calls Him, 
 that Eternal Life which was with the Fa^ 
 
 thery 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 95 
 
 iher^ (as he alfo calls Him \^ Epift. v. 20^, 
 Eternal Life) whereby he explains the 
 very Words which he ufes in this Place, by. 
 an Expreffion of like Import : for he here 
 fays J In the Begiiiyiing 'was the Word, and- 
 the Word was with God, and the Word was 
 God. But in his Epiftle it is : that Eter^ 
 nal Life (which in the preceeding Verfe, 
 as well as in his Gofpel, he had called the 
 Word) was with the Father. What can» 
 be clearer than that St. John fhews it is 
 the fame Thing with him, whether he 
 fays, He was in the Beginning, or elfe 
 fays, He is eternal', for He is the beft In- 
 terpreter of his own Words ? Hence it is 
 unreafonable to objed:, why does he not 
 write exprefly, T'he Word was from Eter-^ 
 nity ; then the Thing would be plain, and 
 need no farther Proof. For it muft be 
 confidered, that St. John\ Defign here is 
 to explain the Words of Mofes, for which 
 we ought to be thankful : and fmce the 
 Thing has been delivered thus by MofeSy 
 he follows Mofes's Words, and leems to 
 be delighted with the Expreffion, as ap- 
 pears by his frequent ufmg thereof. And 
 he is not only ftudious in interpreting 
 Mofes, but alfo refers us to the Teftimony 
 of Mofes concerning Chrijt -, wherefore he 
 does induftrioufly keep to his Words, as 
 the moft proper for him to ufe in writ- 
 ing his Gofpel, efpecially againft the Er- 
 rors 
 
96 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 rors of Ebion and Cerinfhus. Moreover, 
 the Eternity of Chrifl: is by thefe Words 
 fb plainly fet before our Eyes, that who- 
 foever will calmly confider them, can 
 have no Doubt in his Mind concerning 
 them. But becaufe the Heart of St. John 
 was full of this Matter, he explains his 
 own Words largely, as he had explained 
 the Words of Mofes. Why therefore 
 fhould we not acquiefce in what he fuffi- 
 ciently fignifies, that the Words, He was 
 in the Begiitning^ and He is Rternal^ have 
 the very fame Senfe and Meaning ? Nor 
 are there wanting in the Holy Scriptures, 
 other Teftimonies of the like Nature, 
 which can fully fatisfy thy Defire, or moil 
 clearly, as thou couldft wilh, fet forth 
 the Eternity of Chrift, fo as thou may ft 
 have no longer any room for evading the 
 Teftimonies for Chrijl'^ Eternity, from 
 which his true and effential Divinity muft 
 be acknowledg'd without any Contradic- 
 tion. For what can be more evident, than 
 that Micah the Prophet, foretelling that 
 Chrift ihould be born at Bethlehem^ de- 
 clares Him to be the Perfon, whofe rifing 
 or goings forth (vnNXlO exitus) have been 
 from of old^ (from the Beginning) from 
 everlafting *. Which way of ExpreiTion 
 is much more prevalent, than if he had 
 only faid, that Chrijl was from Eternity, 
 
 But 
 
 * Micah V. 2. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 97 
 
 But what elfe does Micah lay, but that 
 He, who at the Time appointed by God^ 
 fhould be born at Bethlehem^ was not then 
 firft to have his Beginning, but that He 
 ivas ivithout any Beginning ; which can be 
 attributed to none but the true, the liv- 
 ing, and eternal God. If any one be not 
 fatisfied with this clear Teftimony, there 
 are not wanting in the Scriptures many 
 others to convince him. But he that will 
 not give his Aflent to the plain Word of 
 God ', and tho' the llrongeil Proofs be laid 
 before him, labours ftill to call them into 
 queftion, and to put another Senfe into 
 the Word of God, than that which the 
 Spirit of God has fupplied us with, and 
 (as it were) imprinted upon us, (fo that 
 we have no occafion to interpret It by 
 our own, but are able to do it by the very 
 Words of the Spirit of God). How can 
 he poffibly be convinced ? fmce he makes 
 God a Liar^ becaufe he believeth not the 
 Record that God gave of his Son. And 
 this is the Record that God hath given to 
 lis^ Eternal Life^ and this Life is in his 
 Son *, 
 
 H SECT, 
 
 I John V. 10, 
 
98 Chrijl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 SECT- XLIX. 
 
 'The Seco?id Argument. 
 
 ^^ H E whom the Holy Scripture itfelf 
 " calls Gody and that without any Limi- 
 " tation, and confequently without any 
 *' Diflference (as to Effence and divine 
 " Property) from Him who made Hea- 
 " ven and Earth, or from^ Him whom 
 " we adore as the true, eternal^ and liv- 
 " ing God, He is the true and living God: 
 " But Chriji is thus called God in the 
 " Holy Scripture, therefore He is the 
 " true, effential and living GodT The 
 major Propofition wants no Proof. For 
 if any one fhould objed:, that many in the 
 fame Holy Scriptures are called Gods^ who 
 are not the only, true, and living God^ 
 and the Creator of Heaven and Earth j 
 the Word of God is defcribed after fo fub- 
 lime a manner, in the major Propofition, 
 that this ObjecPcion deferves no regard here. 
 But as to the minor Propofition, that lies 
 plainly before our Eyes in the very Begin- 
 ning of St. Joh?is Gofpel : For there the 
 Difcourfe is manifefl:ly of no other Per- 
 fon, but of the Word that was made FleJJ?^ 
 or of J ejus Chrifty concerning whom John 
 wrote his Gofpel. Here therefore He is 
 not only by him called the Word which 
 
 was 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 9 9 
 
 nsoas in the Begimwig^ and was with God; 
 but he fays allb in the cleared and plainefl 
 Words, fuch as every one may underftand, 
 flfio? 7iv Ao^©-, Dens erat iliud Verbmn^ 
 God was the Word. It was obferved by 
 us in the former Meditation, that thefe 
 Words, if they were placed in their natu- 
 ral Order, ought to be render'd, the 
 Word was God, That this Acceptation 
 of the Words cannot feem improper to 
 one that has but fmall Knowledge of the 
 Greek Tongue, among other Things, ap- 
 pears from hence, that a certain Perfon, 
 who tranflated the New Teftament into 
 the German Tongue, and not a little per- 
 verts thofe Places which fpeak of Chrijiy 
 tranflates the Word ao^/©-^ not Verbnniy 
 [the Word] but ^C^C, Jermo, [Speech] and 
 yet thus expreffes the Greek Words, ac- 
 cording to their natural Pofition : 2)ie 
 ?fic^C war ein (Sott, i. e. Sermo erat De- 
 ns aliquis^ Speech was a (certain) God, 
 By which indeed the Interpreter confefTes, 
 that the Words ought fo to be taken ac- 
 cording to their natural Order, that God 
 may be the Predicate, or that which '^ohn 
 would here fay and affirm concerning the 
 Word^ viz, that He is God -, yet nevcrthe- 
 lefs he perverts the Text, when he thus 
 tranflates it into the German, 2)ie 9Cc5)C 
 war CXU ©Ott, Sermo erat Dtus aliquis. 
 Speech was a {^certain) God : without 
 H 2 doubt 
 
I oo Chriji the Sum and Suhjiance 
 
 doubt for this End, that the Readers of 
 this Veriion might think, that Chrift in- 
 deed is God^ but not the true and effential 
 God. But now no Man can offer the leaft 
 Colour from the Greek Text, to make it 
 only probable, that it ought to be thus 
 interpreted ; the Speech, or the Word, was 
 a (certain) God, For when 'tis faid before, 
 Verbiun illud erat apud Deum, the Word 
 was with God', and it immediately fol- 
 lows, Et illud Verburn erat O^a^, DeuSy 
 and the Word was God ; it being prefently 
 added. Hoc Verbiun in Pri?icipio erat apud 
 Deum, this Word was in the Beginning 
 with God : it plainly enough appears, that 
 the word 0£o^, God, put in the firft and 
 third Place, ought altogether to be under- 
 ftood of the true and effential God 5 but 
 in the middle Place, where it is faid, the 
 Word, was God, after the fame manner, 
 and with the fame Term, and the Name 
 6saf is affigned to the Word without any 
 Limitation, (efpecially when the Na- 
 ture of the Predicate 0eoV, God, placed 
 emphatically before the Subject 5 ao^.©-, 
 the Word, requires no Article before it:) 
 Certainly we fliould do violence to the 
 v/hole Context, if here, where the Word 
 is called God, we fliould not underftand 
 it alfo concerning the true and effential 
 God : This is an Example, what mifera- 
 ble Shifts corrupt Reafon finds it neceffary 
 
 to 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. loi 
 
 to ufe ; when once departed from the 
 clear Word of God^ it finds the Letter op- 
 pofite to it, and notwithftanding defires 
 to defend an erroneous Opinion once form- 
 ed. Thus in his Tranllation, the firft Ar- 
 tifice was to put the word SCc&C, Speech^ 
 inftead of 2Bo?t, Word ; and when that 
 would not fuffice, he has another way of 
 wrefting the Text, to make his Opinion 
 prevail. Certainly an honeft and upright 
 Mind, ignorant of thofe Artifices, could 
 never fall into fuch Imaginations upon 
 reading St. Johns Words. Wherefore we 
 have fubjoin'd that Inftance for an Ad- 
 monition, that the Falfhood of thofe 
 Things, which are wont to be brought a- 
 gainft the Divine Glory and Majejiy of 
 our Lord J ejus Chrijl^ may be the better 
 known and avoided. For to attain the 
 Knowledge of ChriJTs Godhead^ there is 
 no need of far-fetcht Interpretations ; the 
 plain Word of God is before you, which 
 'tis fit you {hould believe, and adhere to 
 with Si?nplicity of Mind. But to pervert 
 plain Words, recourfe muft be had to hu- 
 man Arts, and a laborious Exercife of Wit. 
 Concerning the abovemention'd Verfion of 
 the Text, the Word was Gody 'tis to be 
 noted, that there is nothing new or ftrange 
 in that Expreflion : For fo have the 
 Dutch, the Englip, the French, the Bo- 
 hemians, tranflated thefe Words in their 
 H 3 Bibles, 
 
I02 Chriji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 Bibles, and Pifcator has fo render'd then! 
 in his Ger-man Tranllation. From whence 
 it may at leaft be underftood, that this 
 Acceptation of the Words appeared to be 
 the plained and moft proper of all to the 
 beft Interpreters. And that this is the 
 true Acceptation, may appear from the 
 Intention of St. John by them, viz. that 
 the V/o7^d was, before the Beginning of 
 any Thing, or it was from Eternity ; (6 
 as no Time can be affign'd when he began 
 to exift. But if you inquire, where then 
 was the IVord^ if thus fet beyond Time 
 and Place, and any Conception that Mart 
 can form of created Beings? It is aA-' 
 fwer'd, He was from Eternity with God, 
 and before or in the Preience of Gody as 
 the moft beloved Son bis Delight and Joy 
 is in the Prefence of his Father *. If yoii 
 further aik, Was the V/ord of another Ef- 
 fence from Gcd? was he any way in re- 
 fped: of his Effence different from God ? 
 It is anfwer'd, No. That fame Word 
 't^as God. If you ftill urge. Was there 
 then no Difference between the Word and 
 God? It is anfwer'd. None * at all^.^n re- 
 gard of EJfence^ but the Word was in the 
 Beginning with God^ as it was faid in the 
 fir it Verfe, and again repeated (in the fe- 
 cond) that you may obferve there is no 
 Difference in the Godhead in point of Ef- 
 fence 5 
 
 * I John i. 2. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 103 
 
 fence 5 and yet neverthelefs that there is 
 fuch a Difference, that the Father and the 
 Word fliould not be confounded^ but that 
 in regard of EJfence they are One^ and in 
 regard of Perfonality they are Two : which 
 DilHndlion holds alfo as to the Holy Spi- 
 rit : wherefore St. John might truly fay, 
 that They are 'T'hree ; and that thefe Three 
 are Oiie, Why therefore, O Man, doft 
 thou go about to wreft thofe Words, which 
 the Scriptures make plain and confonant ? 
 But if any one induced by the leaft Co- 
 lour of Reafon, fcruples to acquiefce in a 
 clear Verfion generally received by fuch 
 Numbers of intelligent People, and is not 
 fatisiied with what is alledged before con- 
 cerning it, let him know, that this is no 
 Derogation at all to the Truth itfelf. Let 
 the Verfion be retained as it ftands in our 
 German Bibles, uut> @oft tvar i)a§ ^O^f, 
 i. e. Q? Dens erat Vcrbum 3 and God was the 
 Word : Taking it in this manner, pray 
 what is wanting to a Demonftration of 
 the true and effential Godhead of our 5*^- 
 viour ? "John fays, the Word was with God, 
 Somemay have concluded perhaps from 
 thefe vlFords, that becaufe the Word was 
 with God, it was therefore not God, but 
 fome other Thing befideGod : John there- 
 fore an fwers, ©jott war ferOft i)a§ SCo^t, 
 i. e. ifyfe Dens erht illud Verb urn ^ God him- 
 felf was the Word, And when it may be 
 
 H 4 retort- 
 
1 04 Chrijl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 retorted ; Are They then in no refpedt 
 Two y and is all Difference (even Perfo- 
 nal) taken from Them ? St. Jolm for 
 that Reafon repeats what he had faid, and 
 faith J OUT©- the fame (i, e. ^oyG- the JVord *, 
 by which Term at the very Time he ex- 
 preffes fome Perfonal Difference) 'was in 
 the Beginning with God, Which way fo- 
 ever therefore our Antagonift turns him- 
 felfjhe will not at all advantage his Caufe; 
 for the Words of St. John are fo clear, fo 
 convincing and piercing, that they cannot 
 poffibly be fo far wreiled, but that the 
 fimple and plain Mind of John^ muft 
 needs be acknowledged by him who will 
 not choofe to be blind, v/ith his Eyes open. 
 They moil: effectually confute AriuSy as 
 well as Sabelliu: ; the firft, in his oppugn- 
 ing the true Divinity of Chriji ; and the 
 other, in taking away the Diftind:ion of 
 Perfons in the Godhead, But when we 
 fpeak of the Difference of Perfons^ this is 
 not to be underftood in a grofs manner, 
 and fuch as is fuitable to created Beings : 
 for corrupt Reafon eafily links fo low, as 
 to form to itfelf fuch a Perfonality in 
 the Mind, that may alfo involve a Diffe- 
 rence of the Ej[e?jce. The Words of St. 
 John diredly oppofe this grofs and falfe 
 Conception of the Perfonality, and all 
 Things are therein delivered in a moft 
 plain and fimple manner, in v/hich every 
 
 one 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 105 
 
 one may lafely acqulefce ; nor is there 
 Reafon why any one fliould be offended 
 with the word Pc7'Jonality, {o it be not 
 hurried by corrupt Reafon into a perverfe 
 Senfe. Since therefore the Words of Job?! 
 are fo clear, and attribute the fame Divi^ 
 nity to the Word^ or the Son^ as belongs 
 to the Father^ nothing more can be re- 
 quired to the former Proof of the mi- 
 nor Propofition of the fecond Syllogifm, 
 than that every one fliould be referred to 
 the Words of "john^ without adding a fm- 
 gle word to them. But it was thought 
 convenient to produce fome Arguments 
 for their fake, who will not be content 
 with plain Words. And if there be any 
 who will not yet be fatisfied, nor admit 
 the Things which St. John affirms in ex- 
 prefs Words, but will ftill require fome 
 other Demonftration of the true and ef- 
 fential Divinity of our Lord J ejus Chrijl : 
 In order to gratify fuch a one farther, we 
 fhall quote the P Epiftle of John, chap. 
 V. ver, 20. in which John interprets him- 
 felf, faying, JVe know that the Son of God 
 is come^ and hath given us an Vnderjiand- 
 ing^ that lue may know Him that is true : 
 and we are in Him that is true^ even in 
 his Son Jefus Chrijl. This («t©-) is the 
 true Gody and Eternal Life. Of whom 
 is the Difcourfe here ? Is it not of Jefus 
 Chrijl ? who is that true One, in whom we 
 
 are ? 
 
I o 6 Chrljl the Sum and Suhjianca 
 
 are ? Is it not Jefus Chrift ? Here there- 
 fore this Jefus is laid to be the true God • 
 whereby yt?/6;2 declares, how He would have 
 it be underftood, that in this fame Verfe 
 he calls Him 't' am^Uvov, Him that is triie^ 
 furely in fuch a Senfe, as that He is the 
 true God, And who, I pray, is it, that 
 in the Holy Scriptures is called 'Eternal 
 Life ? Is not this the Name that belongs 
 to the Son of God ? and is every where 
 given Him. Does not John himfelf, I^ 
 Epifl. i. 2. call Him that Eternal Life, 
 nvhich was with the Father ? Does not he 
 tell us, Chap. v. 1 1, 12. of the fame Epif- 
 tle, that Eternal Life is in the Son ; that 
 he that hath the Son^ hath Life -, and he 
 that hath not the Son, hath not Life? And 
 behold, he not only affirms of this fame 
 Jefus Chrifl, that He is Life Eternal, but 
 fays, 'oer, 20. This is the true God^ and 
 Eternal Life 5 and adds. Little Children, 
 keep your fehes from Idols : That he 
 might thereby every way atteft, that the 
 true and effential Divinity of the Son of 
 God, ought to be acknowledged by us. 
 For if John, as is well to be obferv'd, had 
 fo great a Care of the Churches, as to 
 admonilh Them to beware of Idols, how 
 could he prevail upon himfelf to give the 
 greateft Occafion of all for Idolatry ? But 
 he would certainly have given it, had he 
 declared thofe Things of any Created Be- 
 ing, 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 107 
 
 ing, which he hasfpoken concerning Chrijl^ 
 in his Gofpel, his Epiftles, and Revela- 
 tion. Moreover, thole Things ihould be 
 well coniider'd, which are written, John 
 xiv. 8,9, 10, IT. Philip yJz/V A unto him^ 
 Lord^ Jhew us the Father^ and it Jiifficeth 
 us. y^jiis faith unto hi?n. He that hath 
 feen me^ hath feen the Father ; believe me 
 that I ain in the Father^ and the Father in 
 me. Now what elfe in efted: does Chrijl 
 fay here, but that He and the Father are 
 One ? Can it be thought the Inquiry in 
 this Place was about the Unity of Will 
 and Afxed:ion ? No, by no means. For 
 how can you find this Senfe in the Words 
 of Philips and how could the Anfwer of 
 our Lord fuit with the Requeft of Philips 
 if he would thereby have declared nothing 
 to him more, but that He and the Fa- 
 ther were fo united by Confent of Will and 
 Affection, as two Friends are united toge- 
 ther, or as every Believer is joined with 
 God, by an Union of Will. Wherefore 
 this is the obvious Meaning of Johns 
 Words, that the Son is of the fame Divine 
 and Individual Effence with the Father. 
 St. Paul alfo calls our Lord J ejus Chriji, 
 God over All, bleffed for ever *. What 
 other lofty Names are in many Places of 
 Scripture attributed to Chrijl, agreeing to 
 the one, true and effentlal God^ and that 
 
 He 
 
 * Rom. ix. 5. 
 
io8 Chrift the Stem and Subfiance 
 
 He is particularly called Jehovah^ that is, 
 the Eflential God, fubfifting by Himfelf, 
 may be feen hereafter in the Index of 
 the Divine Names or Titles of Chrijl ; in 
 which, neverthelefs, for Brevity's fake, 
 there are but few of them enumerated : 
 whereas it could be eafily {hewn, that 
 Mofes^ the Prophets and the Pfalms^ are 
 full of clear Teflimonies of the Divinity 
 of Chrijl. May it pleafe God to open the 
 Hearts of many to attend diligently to this 
 important Affair. But from what hath 
 been faid, it is abundantly manifeft, that 
 the Conclufion above made remains firm, 
 ^iz. That "Jefus Chrijl is the triie^ the ef- 
 fential^ and living God 3 becaufe it appears 
 clearer than Meridian Light, not only 
 from the plain Words of John^ (which 
 way foever they are placed and turn'd) 
 but alfo from the univerfal Teftimony of 
 all the Holy Writings. Why therefore 
 doth blind and wretched Reafon take fuch 
 Pains to depreciate and deny the Lord^ 
 by whom are all T'hingSy and we by Him * ? 
 May we not hence conclude, how fearful 
 and dangerous it is for any one to go 
 about to read the Holy Scriptures but as 
 an humble and meek Difciple, whofe Part 
 it is, without Contradiftion, to believe the 
 Things which the Scripture delivers us in 
 cle^r and perfpicuous Words. But tho' 
 
 the 
 
 * I Cor, viii. 6. 
 
vf all the Holy Scriptures. 109 
 
 the two Arguments now alledg'd, are 
 abundantly fufficient to convince and fa- 
 tisfy the Mind, concerning the true and 
 eflential Divinity of Chrijl ; yet there ftill 
 remain, in the Beginning of this Gofpel, 
 many more of no lefs Conviftion to the 
 Heart, which now follow. 
 
 SECT, l; 
 
 l^e Third Argument. 
 
 " H E, by whom all Things were made, 
 " and without whom nothing was made, 
 " that was made, is equally with the Fa-- 
 " ther the only true and Almighty God. 
 "But Chriji is He^ by whom all I'hings 
 " were made^ and without whom iiothing 
 " was made that was made : Therefore 
 " Chriji is the only true ^ndAhnighty God.'* 
 No Man hath any Reafon to doubt of the 
 Truth of the major Propoiition -, for eve- 
 ry one can eafily underftand, that He, by 
 whom all Things (that are out of God, 
 or may be faid to be created) were crea- 
 ted, cannot poffibly be any other, than the 
 true, eflential, and Almighty God. But 
 perhaps Reafon will feek for a Subterfuge 
 in the word S)', and lay, that He wiio 
 Hi?nfelf created All Things, nu:ft indeed 
 be the only true and Almighty Gocl ^ hut 
 that He by whom all Things were creaitd, 
 
 mult 
 
no Chriji the Sum and Subftance 
 
 muft be faid to have firft received Power 
 and EiHcacy from One Higher than Him- 
 felf, by the Advantage whereof afterwards, 
 and fo not from his own Power and Ver- 
 tue, nor from Divine Omnipotence pro- 
 perly fo called, created all Things : There- 
 fore that He cannot be called the True and 
 Almighty God^ by whom^ as by an Organ 
 and InJirumcJit^ all Things were made \ 
 but that the True and Almighty God made 
 ufe of Him as an Inftrument, and fo crea- 
 ted all Things by Him. That this Ob- 
 jedlion may be the more folidly anfwer'd, 
 the major Proportion might thus have 
 been formed, with fo much the greater 
 Emphalis : " To whom the Creation of 
 " Heaven and Earth, yea, the Creation of 
 " all Things that are in Heaven and Earth, 
 " without Exception of any Thing crea- 
 " ted, is afcribed, not fo only as effed;ed 
 *' by Him^ but as to the Creator Himfelf ; 
 " and indeed in fuch a way, that it could 
 " not be afligned to any other after a more 
 *^ fublime manner : He is the only True, 
 " Omnipotent, and Eifential GodJ^ Eve- 
 ry one fees, that This cannot be faid of 
 an Angel, nor of any Thing elfe, that 
 may be ufed as an Inftrumcnt 5 but 'tis 
 manifeftly clear, that This is affirmed of 
 Chrijt in the Holy Scriptures. Therefore 
 as St. Joh?i fays, all Things ivere made by 
 the Word^ and without Him 'was not any 
 
 T'hifig 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, in 
 
 ^hmg 7nade^ that was made ; fo St. Paid 
 declares thefe Things more at large : * By 
 Him were all T'hijigs created, that are in 
 Heaven^ aiid that are in Earthy vifible 
 and invijible -, whether they be T!hrones^ or 
 Dominions^ or Principalities^ or Powers : 
 all T'hings were created by Him, and for 
 Him, And He is before all ^hi?2gs^ and 
 by Him all TChings co7ifift. Note here in 
 the firft Place, for hence it may through- 
 ly be underftood, that fuch Things as 
 thefe cannot be fpoken of a meer Inftru- 
 ment, nor of an Angel, nor of any other 
 Thing which is not God Himfelf. For 
 He, by whom not only all Things, but 
 for whom all vifible Things were created, 
 nay, who is before all Things, and by 
 whom, or in whom all Things do confifb, 
 (or are preferv'd in their Being) He, I 
 fay, can by no means be created, but mull 
 Himfelf be the eifential God : and this is 
 Chrif himfelf. Note then, that as St. 
 Paul fays by whom alfo (in the oblique 
 Cafe) he fnade the Worlds \ if^ii almcti^ fe^ 
 cula, the Ages, whatfoever is in any man- 
 ner circumfcribed by Time :) So he pre- 
 fently after affirms of Him, (in the No- 
 minative Cafe) that He, as the Brightjief of 
 his Glory ^ and the exprefs Image of his 
 Perfon, upholdeth all Things by the IVord 
 of his Power 3 fo that nothing can fubfift, 
 
 unlefs 
 
 * C<?/.i. 16, 17. t Heh.i. 2. 
 
112 Chrtjl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 unlefs it be fupported by his powerful 
 Word ; which certainly is not the proper 
 Work of any created Being, but of the 
 living God alone : For he does not here 
 fay by whom^ but who (the Son, there fpo- 
 ken of) upholds all T'hings by the Word of 
 his Power, And if you llill defire farther 
 Proofs, turn your Eyes immediately to 
 the following Quotations, and obferve, 
 that the Holy Spirit does not fo tie him- 
 felf to the Ufe of the Particle by, but at- 
 tributes unto Chrift the Work of Creation 
 fimply, in the Nominative Cafe, fpeaking 
 of the Son thus : 2y Ku'e^o, ^ Thou, Lordy 
 in the Beginning (or of old) haft laid the 
 Foundation of the Earth, and the Heavens 
 are the Work of thy Hands, They flmll 
 ferifh, but thou Jk alt endure [but thou re^ 
 mainejl) and they all Jldall wax old like a 
 Garment, and as a Vejlure thoujhalt change 
 them, and they fl} all be changed. But thou 
 art the fame, and thy Tears foall have no 
 End, Therefore is not He, who laid the 
 Foundation of the Earth, and whofe 
 Handy-work the Heavens are, who 
 {hall change the Heavens themfelves, 
 and who always remains the fame -, the 
 Eternal, the Living and Almighty God, 
 with whom is no Variablenefs \ .^ Now it 
 is evident beyond all Controverfy, that 
 thefe Things are fpoken of Chrift, for the 
 
 Epiftle 
 
 * Pfalm cii. 25, &c, f 7^^^-f i- «7' 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 113 
 
 Epiftle to the Hebrews avers it in exprefs 
 Words j and it is acknowledg'd by All, 
 that the cii^ Pfalm is to be underftood of 
 the MeJJiah. If any one fliall objed:, that 
 thefe Things are fpoken of the New Crea- 
 tion 5 he fhould know, that neither the 
 7^ jjgiT' ap;^;, in the Beginnings nor this 
 Chajige or T'ranJ mutation of Heaven and 
 Earthy nor the Things that go before, 
 can fuit with fuch a Suggeftion. But if 
 Chriji be He that laid the Foundation of 
 the Earth, &c, what, I pray, can be more 
 evident, than that Chriji himfelf is the 
 true, eflential and Almighty God ? May 
 we not fay to Him ; * O Jehovah, thou 
 art our Father : we are the Clay, and thou 
 our Potter, and we all are the IVork of thy 
 Hand ? Cannot we perceive that it is 
 Chriji, of whom it is faid, -f- T'hy Maker 
 is thy Husband, (the Lord of Hojls is his 
 Name) and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of 
 Ifrael, the God of the whole Earth, Jhall He 
 be called ? Behold ! thus the Prophetick 
 Spirit fpeaks of Chriji, and inftrucfls us 
 how we ought to celebrate and refound 
 the Glory of the Son of God, with a 
 Name and Titles worthy of Him. For 
 who, I befeech you, is the Hulband of the 
 Church ? Is not Chrift fo denominated in 
 the very Inftitution of Matrimony ? Does 
 
 I not 
 
 * Ifal. Ixiv. 8. t V'^i- ^iv", 5. 
 
114 Chrifi the Su?n and Suhjlamt 
 
 not St. Faiil fay, * T'his is a great Myjie- 
 ry : but I /peak concerning Chrijl and the 
 Church, And / have efpoufed you to one 
 Husband^ that I may prefent you as a 
 chajle Virgin to Chrijl -f- ? It is manifeft 
 that That Man does not underftand the 
 whole Oeconomy of God in the Old and 
 New Teflament, nor has he perceiv'd the 
 Myjiery of Chrijl in the Scriptures, who 
 denies, that Jfaiah doth comfort and 
 encourage the Church, by reprefenting 
 Chrijl to her as her Husband^ who is like^ 
 wije her Maker ^ and not only as her Huf- 
 band, but alfo her Redeemer^ rhv 'iNJl which 
 is the proper Work and Office of Chrijl^ 
 and {hadowed in the Law by Types. 
 Compare alfo here IJa. Ixii. 5. but he 
 calls this Perfon, from the Work of Crea- 
 tion, the God of the whole Earth -, yea, he 
 affirms that this their Redeemer, the Ho- 
 ly One of Ifraely fliould be called the 
 God of the whole Earthy whofe Name he 
 had called mn> Jehovah^ the effential God^ 
 the God of Hojls, And the Holy Scrip- 
 tures are full of the like Expreffions, 
 wherein the MeJJtah is fet before us as 
 Creator \ but there is not fo much as one 
 Text in all the Sacred Writings, in which 
 Chrijl himfelf is faid to be a T^hing crea- 
 tedy or that He was made by God, jfe-* 
 ro7ne has moft fully vindicated, by rightly 
 
 tran- 
 
 * Uph, V. 32, j 2 Cor. xi. 2> 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 115 
 
 tranflating one Word of the authentick 
 Hebrew Text, that Place in Prov, viii.22. 
 which Arms hath very much abufed. 
 For whereas Arius out of fome Copies 
 ofthe Verfion of the LXX Interpreters, 
 reads it thus \ Kje*©- ^/t??^' fn a^^v hS^v cwt», 
 i. e. Jehovah creavit me initium viarum 
 fuaruniy i. e. The Lord created me the Be- 
 ginning of his Ways : Jerome has to this 
 moft rightly oppofed the Hebrew word 
 *3jp (to which theTranllation ought to have 
 been entirely agreeable) which Hebrew word 
 does not at all fignify creavit ;;/<?, created 
 me, fed pojjedit me, but po[feJfed me ; by 
 which Interpretation he has alfo anfwer'd 
 that Place in Ecchif. xxiv. 9. Tie) 'i^ cuchQ- 
 «t' rtp;)^H? iKTjai [JL% : Ante feciilum a Princi- 
 pio creavit me, i. e. He created me from 
 the Begimting before the JVorld-, inafmuch 
 as this was taken from the wrong Verfion 
 of the Hebrew word jufl mentioned. \_NGiey 
 the E72glijh Tranflation runs thus : Prov. 
 viii. 22. i^he Lord poffeffed me in the Be^ 
 ginning of his Way, before his Works of old. 1 
 If a Man's Mind be fo enlighten'd by the 
 Lord, that he comes to underftand the 
 Prophecies concerning the Mefjiah, or the 
 Scriptures which fpeak of Him, he will 
 then eafiiy know, that the c^^^ Pfalm is 
 nothing elfe but an Acclamation of 
 the Prophetick Spirit, which relates to 
 
 1 2 the 
 
1 1 6 Chrijl the Sum and Suhjianu 
 
 the Mejjiah -, faying, Make a joyful Noife 
 unto the Lord^ all ye Lands : Jerve the 
 Lord ivith Gladncfs, and come before his 
 Prefence with Singing, Know ye that 
 the Lord he is God^ it is He that hath 
 made us^ and not we our felves ; we 
 are his People^ and the Sheep of his Paf 
 ture. He will then alfo eafily underftand 
 that Mofes fang not of any other Perfon : 
 Pfal. xc. 2, 3. Before the Mountains were 
 brought forth^ or ever thou hadji formed 
 the Earth and the World : even from ever- 
 lafling to everlafling thou art God, Thou 
 turnejl Man to DeflruBion^ and fayejiy 
 Return ye Children of Men, Is it not the 
 Voice of the bleifed Son of God, which 
 the Dead in their Graves are one Day to 
 hear, and come forth ? And if there be 
 any one, to whom thefe efpecially, or any 
 other the like Places of Scripture may not 
 feem fo clear and perfpicuous, as to be 
 convinced immediately from them of the 
 Omnipotejice and Divine Glory of Jefus 
 Chrift ; he ought not from hence to con- 
 clude, that others may not have a greater 
 Convid:ion of Mind from them^ but he 
 ought humbly to pray to God for a better 
 Underftanding of his JVord : fo He will in 
 due time open his Eyes more and more, 
 that he may be able to find every where in 
 Mofes and the Prophets^ the cleareft Tef- 
 
 timonies 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 117 
 
 timonies concerning the Omnipotence and 
 Majejiy of Chrijl ; as St. John in the Be- 
 ginning of his Gofpel, already confidered 
 by us, furniilics an Example of this Mat- 
 ter from the firft Chapter of Ge?iefis, where 
 certainly another Perfon, who by his own 
 Reafon, void of Divine Light, ihould at- 
 tempt this, will not be able to difcover 
 from thence the Etoiial Dhmity and Om- 
 nipotence of Chrijl. In the mean time, it 
 is the Duty of every one to be contented 
 with thofe plain and open Teftimonies 
 which we have produced above, and moft 
 carefully to beware that he deny not any 
 Thing to Chriji, which the Holy Spirit 
 adjudges by clear and evident Words to 
 belong to Him. Therefore although from 
 this manifell Proof of the minor Propo- 
 fition, the Conclufion ftands firm and un- 
 controulable, that Chrijl^ being the Maker 
 of Heaven and Earthy is the True and 
 Almighty God-, yet ftill this Scruple, which 
 fome may perhaps have, is to be more 
 folidly removed. It is afked, but why 
 does John ufe the Particle =Oat\ by y or 
 why does he fay, all Things ivere made 
 by Him, and not rather, He made all 
 Things ? And for what Reafon does the 
 Scripture alfo elfewhere in this very Mat- 
 ter ufe this Particle by ? To which it is 
 anfwer'd, that this was not done in any 
 wife to derogate from the Ma]ejiv of 
 I 3 ' Chrijl, 
 
1 1 8 Chrijl the Sum and Stibjlance 
 
 Chrijl^ whereto corrupt Reafon mod 
 iliamefuUy bends ; forafmuch as v/ithout 
 any Controverfy it is written of Armlghty 
 God^ * Of Him, and through Him, (or, 
 by Hi 711, il <WT6, per eu?n) and to Him, are 
 all "Things -, to uhom be Glory for ever. 
 Amen, In like manner it is written ; -f- It 
 became Him, for lidjom are all Things^ 
 a fid by whom are all Tubings, in bringing 
 many Sons wito Glory, to make the Captain 
 of their Salvation perfeB through Suffer" 
 tfigs : Not to mention now^ any more Pla- 
 ces of Scripture. But the Holy Scriptures 
 do the rather ufe this Particle, that we 
 may thereby acknowledge the Glory of 
 Chriji : as alfo the Scope of this Particle 
 by is manifeft from Col. i. i6 — 20. This 
 is moft evidently feen in St. John : For 
 after he had afligned Eternity to Chriji, 
 and had declared Him Equal to the Fa- 
 ther in his Divinity, as being of the fame 
 EiTence with Him, he afcribes alfo the 
 lame Omnipotence to Him, which is due 
 to the Father, and makes not the Parti' 
 cle per, hy^ to derogate more from his 
 Divine Majefty, than the Particle apud, 
 ivith, which he ufes in the i^ and 24 Ver- 
 fcs of his Gofpel. Nay, when he had al- 
 ready in exprefs Words afligned to the 
 Son Eternity, and the true and eflential 
 Divin.lty, he knew well, that the Senfe of 
 
 the 
 
 * Rom, xi. 36. t ^^'^- "• ^o- 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 119 
 
 the 3^ Verfe could not be underflood of 
 any other than the divine Omiaipotence, 
 But by reafon of the Myjiery of the Fa- 
 ther and the Son, * who are of the fame 
 EfTence, but diftin6t in their Fcrfonality^ 
 he ufes in this Place the Particle -ocfV, withy 
 as well as that of ^^, by, and makes Chriji 
 himfelf to be his own Interpreter, -f* fay- 
 ing to the Jews ; My Father worketh hi- 
 therto, and I "Work. But to the Jews, 
 who eafily perceived from this Saying, 
 that he did not call God his Father after 
 a common way of fpeaking, but that He 
 made himfelf equal with God ; He faid 
 moreover, Feri/y, verily, I Jciy unto you, 
 the Son can do nothing of himfelf, but what 
 be feeth the Father do -, for what T'hijigs 
 foever he doth, thefe alfo doth the Son like- 
 wife. By which Words indeed Chrift ho- 
 noureth his Father, but teaches at the 
 fame time, ver, 23. that all Men jhould ho- 
 nour the Son, even as they honour the Fa- 
 ther, He that honoureth not the Son, (un- 
 derftand, even as he honoureth the Father) 
 hojjoureth not the Father which hath fent 
 him, Likewife in Sz. Paul's Epiftles, when 
 the Particle </i*, by, is ufed concerning the 
 Son, it is fo clearly fignified by other 
 Words, and fo fublime a Senfe is given to 
 it, that any one may eafily perceive he 
 
 I 4 does 
 
 * Co/, ii. 2. t 70^" ^' ^7' ^9- 
 
I 20 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 does nothing elfe, but propofe the Order 
 of the divine Operations, and declare, that 
 all Manifeltation of the Father, both in 
 the Kingdom of Nature and Grace, is 
 made by the So?2^ and i?i the So?i, as the eter- 
 nal Word of God. And as long as this is not 
 under ftood from the Word of God, fo long 
 alfo it is not underftood as it ought to be, 
 what Chrijl is, and what is obtained by Him. 
 
 SECT. LI. 
 
 Z&^ Fourth Argument. 
 
 "THE firft Principle or Caufe 
 " Original of Life is the true and ^?[^zn- 
 " tial God : The Word, as by which all 
 "' living Things vv^erc created, is the firft 
 " Principle or Caufe Original of Life ; 
 " therefore the Word is the true and ef- 
 " fential God." Or, " He by whom all 
 " created Things do live, and who gives 
 *' Life to all created Things, muft be God: 
 " The Word gives Life to all Creatures ; 
 " Therefore the Word muft be Godr 
 By this twofold way of Reafoning, the 
 Reverend JohnAr7idius forms his Conclu- 
 lion from the Words of St. John. No 
 one could doubt of the major Propofition, 
 who would but a little confider it. For 
 indeed a Man's Reafon cannot conceive, 
 how to be the firft Original or Principle 
 
 of 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, 121 
 
 of Life, or to be Him by whom all crea- 
 ted Beings do live, and who gives Life to 
 all created Things, can be afligned to any- 
 other than the living God. Whence God 
 is not only wont to be called in the Holy 
 Scriptures the living God^, but the Origin 
 and Fountain of Life is alfo attributed to 
 him alone, as David fays ; J Wit/j thee^ 
 (■^Dj; *odi T BioVy with God, Joh. i. 2.) is the 
 Foii7itain oj Life, By which Fountain of 
 Life, no other indeed but Chrift is in 
 this Place to be underftood. But if any 
 one fhould not be perfwaded of this, yet 
 he cannot deny but that the Fountain and 
 Beginning of Life is to be afcribed to God 
 alone, all other Beings, which cannot be 
 faid to be God, being excluded : With 
 which Place ought to be compared Jer. 
 ii. 13. where it is faid, 1l hey have forfaken 
 77ie^ the Fomitain of living Waters 3 which 
 it is manifcft can't be underftood of any 
 other, but of the living God. As to what 
 now belongs to the minor Propofition, we 
 are plainly enough taught in the New 
 Teftament, where we ought to feek this 
 Fountain of Life, or Source of living 
 Waters. For thus Chrijt fays to the Wo- 
 man of Samaria, John iv. 10. If thou 
 hiewefl the Gift of God, and who it is 
 
 that 
 
 * Dent. V. 33. Joh. vi. 57. i Sam. xvii. 26. 
 2 Kings y\\. 4, 16. Pfal.nXii. 3. Job. i. 2. 
 ± FjaL XXX vi. 9. 
 
12 2 Chrtfi the Sum and Subfiance 
 
 that faith to thee^ Give me to drinky thou 
 woiildejl have asked of him, and he would 
 have given thee living Water : and ver, 14. 
 Whofoever drinketh of the Water that I 
 pall give him, pall never thirfi 5 but the 
 Water that I pall give him, pall be in him 
 a Well of Water fpringing up into everlaf- 
 ing Life, This is what ^ohn faith: In 
 Hijn was Life, (Joh. 1. 4.) If any one 
 would fo underftand thefe Words, as if 
 nothing elfe were meant by them, but 
 what is wont to be faid of any other liv- 
 ing Thing, to wit, that there is Life in it^ 
 it is moft evident, this was not the Thing 
 that fohn was concerned about : For what 
 had he faid worthy the mentioning ? How 
 would this agree with what he had faid 
 before ? How with what follows, where 
 this Life is called the Light of Men, (Joh. 
 i. 4. latter part) : Wherefore by this Ex- 
 preffion, [that in Him (i, e. in Chrift) Life 
 is faid to be] fomething movtfublime muft 
 neceifarily be denoted, to wit, the very 
 Origin of Life, which cannot be in any 
 created Thing, but is in Chrift, as the 
 true and eifential God. But if fome would 
 ftill interpret thefe Things no farther than 
 that therefore only there is Life in Chrift, 
 becaufe He hath taught other Men the 
 Way of Life, every one muft perceive that 
 fuch an Interpretation is very far from 
 reaching the Intention of St. John, fince 
 
 neither 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 123 
 
 neither this fo agrees with the preceedinff 
 and following Words, that it (hould be 
 taken for their adequate Meaning. And 
 might not the fame Thing have been faid 
 in this Senfe of "John the Baptiji ? But 
 iince this remarkable Predicate is plainly 
 in the Text denied to John the Baptijt^ 
 but is given to Chrijl^ tho' Johny by the 
 Teftimony of Chriji himfelf, was the 
 greateft that were born of Women ; cer- 
 tainly 'tis evident, that by this the Text 
 inftrudls us, that ChriJI is more than a 
 meer Man 5 that the Principle of Life \% 
 to be fought for in Him, and cannot be 
 looked for in any created Thing. Truly 
 thefe, and other the like Interpretations, 
 are fo managed, that it is eafy for every 
 one that confiders them without prejudi^ 
 cate Opinions to know, that xh^ fublime 
 Declarations which are here made of 
 Chriji^ are by fuch Interpretations extreme- 
 ly, and as far as can be done by corrupt 
 Reafon, induftrioufly extenuated. There- 
 fore let the Matter be confider'd as it 
 plainly appears in the Text with its Con- 
 nexion, and it will be eafily and without 
 Trouble perceived, (i.) That thefe Words, 
 In hvn was Life^ flow from the antece- 
 dent Words. Now in the former Words, 
 the Eternity of the *So«, his true and efTen- 
 tial Divinity, and his Om?iipGte?ice, are by 
 John in plain Words fet before our Eyes, 
 
 (of 
 
124 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 (of all which we have already difcourfed) 
 from Thence therefore now properly fol- 
 lows what St. 'John here affirms concern- 
 ing the Word, to wit, that in Him "was 
 Life, as in the Eternal, Effential, and Al- 
 mighty God, together with the Father, 
 But efpecially this latter AfTertion, (in 
 Hi?n was Life) is moft clofely conjoined 
 with his Omnipotence^ which fhews itfelf 
 in the Creation of all Things. And hence 
 (2.) it clearly follows, that St. John's 
 Meaning was this : As all Things were 
 made by the Word^ and ^without Him was 
 nothing made that was made ; fo neither 
 was Life made or produced in any created 
 Thing without the Word of God, in whom 
 the Fountain and Origin of Life in 
 fuch a manner is, as out of Him to 
 transfufe itfelf into Things created, and 
 thereby to impart Life to them : Which 
 if we diligently confider, we fliall eafily 
 perceive (3.) This alfo to lie hid in the 
 Words of John ; that the Son of God, in 
 his eternal Generation from the Father, 
 in which he has his Divine Eflence, had 
 Life alfo from Eternityy as he himfelf 
 fays ; Joh. v. 26. ^s the Father hath Life 
 in Himfelf fo hath he given to the Son to 
 have Life in Himfef, Therefore this 
 Fountain of Life, the Word of God, which 
 hath imparted Life to his Creatures, is 
 an eternal Fountain flowing out of the 
 
 eternal 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 125 
 
 eternal Generation from the Father. On 
 which Subjed: the Reverend Dr. Spener 
 hath difcourfed with great Solidity, in his 
 Sermon concerning the eternal Generation 
 of the Son of God. Wherefore (^.) this 
 alfo is contained in the Words of John : 
 that this Life, which flowed from this 
 eternal Fountain into Things created, does 
 alfo preferve the Things that are created; 
 as for that Reafon St. P^z//fays, * by Him 
 all Things conjiji : and -f- He upholdeth all 
 Things by the Word of his Power : And 
 from the fame Foundation, J Thou hidejl 
 thy Face, they (the Things created) are 
 troubled -, thou takeji away their Breathy 
 they die, and return to their Duji, Thou 
 fendeji forth thy Spirit, they are created : 
 and thou renewefl the Face of the Earth. 
 Hence alfo the Son of Sirach introduces 
 this Word of God fpeaking in this man- 
 ner : II / came out of the Mouth of the niojl 
 High, and covered the Earth as a Cloud. 
 I dwelt in high Places, and my Throne is 
 in a cloudy Pillar. I alone compared the 
 Circuit of Heaven, and walked in the 
 Bottom of the Deep -, in the Waves of the 
 Sea, and in all the Earth. The Reverend 
 John Arndius, in his Evangelical Pojlill^ 
 writes excellently on this Subjedt : " All 
 " Things are full of God, and they live. 
 
 " are, 
 
 * Col. i. 17. t Heb. 1.3. 
 
 t Pfal civ. 29, 30. il Eccluf. xxiv. 3—9. 
 
126 Chrifi the Sum and Suhjlanu 
 
 •« are, and are moved in God, more than 
 <« in themfelves. For as He hath by his 
 •' Word ordered and created all Things in 
 ** their Nature and Effence, fo hath He 
 «' not withdrawn his Word and Virtue 
 «* out of them, as a Shoemaker does the 
 *« Laft out of the Shoe he has made, but 
 <« hath left his Word in all Things, that 
 '' He may preferve and govern all Things, 
 <' impart to, and fuftain them in their 
 *' Nature and EiTence ; that thereby they 
 *' may live, move, and encreafe. We, 
 *' and all created Things, are like a Sha- 
 '' dow, that receives its Motion from the 
 " Body, or the Tree it relates to. The 
 *' Tree being in motion, the Shadow alfo 
 *' moves 5 in God 'we live, and move, and 
 «' have our Being, Ads xvii. 28. Where- 
 " fore the Word of God, is the Spirit, 
 " the Virtue and the Hand, in all living 
 *' Things, or it is the very Efficacy of 
 ** Life. Take away the Word, their Life 
 '' is gone, and they muft of Neceffity pe- 
 " rifh, PJalm civ. 29, 30. Here there is 
 " need of a fublime Underftanding, to 
 *' know how all Things live in the Word, 
 " by the Word, and from the Word, as St. 
 " Paul tells the Romans, Chap. xi. 36. For 
 " of Him, and through Him, and to Him 
 " are all things!' And the fame Author, 
 hib. IV. c, 6. concerning T^rue Chrijiia- 
 nit)\ fays thus : " This Virtue and enlive- 
 
 *^ nifig 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 127 
 
 " ning Power of God, is that Word, by 
 " which all Things were created. By the 
 *' Word of the Lord^ theHeave?is were crea^ 
 " ted^ and all the Hojl of them by the Breath 
 « of his Mouth, Pf.xxxiii. 6. This Word 
 ** which God Ipake, did not vaniih away, 
 " and was not a meer Sound only; but was 
 ^* the Life of all created Beings, remain- 
 *' ing with them, and is that Power which 
 ** preferveth all Things ; according to that 
 *' of St. Paul, Heb. i. 3. The Lord uphold- 
 *' eth all Things by the Word of his Power. 
 ** For as the Shadow depends upon the 
 *' Tree, fo does our Life depend upon 
 ** God,'' Herein confifls the Founda- 
 tion of all true Wifdo?n -, fo that whatfo- 
 ever obtains the Name of Wifdom, is coun- 
 terfeit and vain, unlefs it has Chriji for 
 its Foundation, as the Principle of all 
 Life, and by whom all Things confift. 
 Wherefore St. Paul having laid this Foun- 
 dation in his Epiftle to the ColoJ/ia?2s, ch. i. 
 ver, 15, 16, 17. admonifhes them thus, 
 chap. ii. 8. Beware leji any Man fpoil you 
 through Philofophy and vain Deceit, after 
 the Tradition of Men, after the Rudime?its 
 of the World, and not after ChriJI : and 
 he fubjoins the Caufe ; for in Him dwel- 
 leth all the Fulnefs of the Godhead bodily : 
 and ye are complete in Him, Of fo great 
 tnoment is it, that in Chrif Life is faid to 
 have been, to be, and always will be -, and 
 
 that 
 
12 8 Chrifl the Sufn and Subjlance 
 
 that v/khout Him all Things are dead : 
 from which Doctrine, we muft of necef- 
 fity come to the Knowledge of his fuper- 
 natural Glory. But as our natural Life 
 has its Origin from the eternal Word of 
 Gody and is preferved by It alone, fo (5.) 
 the fame Word is alfo the Fountain and 
 Beginning of fpiritual Life : For we are 
 alPby the Fall of Adam liable to Death, 
 as St. Paul exprefly teaches, both in his 
 Epiftle to the Ephefians^ chap. ii. and in 
 that to the Colo[lia7is^ chap. ii. Therefore 
 Chrift is not only the Way, by which we 
 efcape to Life, nor only the Truth in 
 which we reach to it, but He is alfo the 
 Lfe itfelf j or Life is fo in Him, as John 
 fpeaks, that He raifes and revives from fpi- 
 ritual Death (Ephef, ii. i.) yea, that He not 
 only bellows Life, but alio is Life itfelf, 
 and remains in them who believe in Him. 
 Hence St. Paid fays ; * I live, yet not I, 
 but Chrift liveth in me : And, -f 'To me to 
 live is Chrift, But altho' this fpiritual 
 Life is properly the true Life, and natural 
 Life, being fubjeft to Corruption, and a 
 Curie, cannot be faid to be the true Life ; 
 but rather Man, confidered according to 
 Nature, as the Son of Wrath, is alienated 
 from the Life of God : % Yet this fpiri- 
 tual and in itfelf trueft Life, Is hid with 
 Chrift in Gody until Chrift our Life fliall 
 
 be 
 
 * Gal. ii. 20. t Philipp. i. 21. 4= Ephef. iv, 1%* 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 129 
 
 be made manifeft, and then alfo we being 
 made manifeft with Him, fhall become 
 glorious^. Wherefore (6.) ahb the Life 
 oi Glory is in Chrijl, I fay, of eternal and 
 infinite Glory, when Chrift ihall be glo- 
 rified in his Saints, and come to be admir- 
 ed in all them that believe -f*. This Life 
 is in the Son^ as John declares. There- 
 fore from all that has been faid, the Ar- 
 gument of this Sedion runs the more 
 clearly thus. " He in whom as the eter- 
 " nal Son of God, and the Creator of all 
 " Things, is the Beginning of all natural 
 " and fpiritual Life, yea, the Life of fu- 
 " ture Glory, and in whom all natural 
 " and fpiritual Life, as likewife the Life 
 " of eternal Glory, does confift ; He is 
 " the true, efTential, and the living God^ 
 " All thefe Things are moft clearly de- 
 *^ monftrated concerning Chrijl out of the 
 " Holy Scriptures : Therefore Chriji is the 
 *^ true, elTential, and living God, 
 
 SECT. LIL 
 
 The Fifth Argmneitt. 
 
 "HE that is the Light of all Men, il- 
 " luminating all Men, the true Light, m 
 '' refpeft of whom all created Light, even 
 
 K " John 
 
 * C(^/. iii. 3,4. f 2Thef/\.<^,io, 
 
130 Chrift the Sum and Sub fiance 
 
 " ^ohn the Bapiijl (who other wife "was a 
 " burning and a pining Light) ought to 
 '' be reputed as no Light at all, or as a 
 " Shadow only -, and who is the Origin of 
 '^ Light, and the true Light of Life, with^ 
 '^ out whom all Things remain in Death 
 " and Darknefs : He^ together With the 
 " Father, is the true and eflential God. 
 *' Chriji is that Lights of which all thefe 
 '* Things are clearly expreffed in Holy 
 " Scripture : Therefore Chriji^ together 
 " with the Father, is the ttue and effen*- 
 " tial Gvdr The iirft Propofition like- 
 wife can't be denied : For altho* otherwife 
 the word Light in the Holy Scripture^; 
 is fometimes taken, not only for that 
 Lighty which God created on the firft 
 Pay, and for thb Light of the Sun and 
 of the other Stars, as alfo for the natural 
 Light of the Day, but alfo in a fpiritual 
 Signification, for Men divinely enlightned, 
 efpecially for thofe whom God makes ufe 
 of as Inftruments for the Converfion and 
 Illumination of many other Perfons : yet 
 the Defcription of Light abovemention'd, 
 is fo framed, that it cahilot poffibly fuit 
 with any Man, or Angel, or with any 
 other created Being whatfoever. Yea, in 
 thefe two Denominations of LiJ-e tn& 
 Light, (if they be defcribed after iofublijti^ 
 a manner, as Life is defcribed in the for- 
 mer Argument, and Light in this) the 
 
 whole 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. \^\ 
 
 whole Work of Redemption is founded, 
 or all Mankind are delivered from Death 
 and Darknefs, and tranflated into the 
 Kingdom of Life and Light. Which great 
 Work, no creatied Being could by any 
 means, much lefs by itfelf, poflibly 
 atchieve 5 as neither is it afligned to any 
 created Thing in all the Holy Scriptures. 
 Since therefore it moft evidently appears, 
 that Chrijl is that Light wliich illwfn.i- 
 nates all Men, ^nd from which all ot^er 
 Light is deriv'd, as from its Fountain, and 
 which trantlates from the Darknefs of 
 Death into the Light of eternal Life^ and 
 4oes all thisbyitfdf J the Conclufion re- 
 mains firm, that Chrtjt, together with the 
 Father^ is the true and effeaitial God. 
 Now here St, John witneiTes concerning 
 Chrijiy that He is the Light of Mm -, and 
 he explains himfelf by faying, that this 
 Light illuminates all Men : (Job, i. 9.) 
 Nay, he does not fimply .affirm of Chrijl^ 
 that He i^ the Light of Men, hut after he 
 had defcribed his Eternity^ his true God- 
 head^ and his Omnipotent in the Work of 
 the Creation, and from this laft Attribute 
 efpecially, had propounded Him as the 
 Origin of Life ; he adds, with a wonder- 
 ful and holy Emphafis, And the Life ivas 
 the Light of Men^ (Joh. i. 4.) By which 
 he teaches, that CJjriJl as the Light w wfs 
 then prefent in the Beginning, and as foon 
 K 2 as 
 
1 3 2 Chrijl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 as Men were made, (and fo before the Fall) 
 he was the Light of Men. And when 
 this Light (Chrijl) feem'd to have difap- 
 peared after the Fall, yet never thelefs this 
 Light ftill JhiJieth (?cmV«) in the Darknefs, 
 altho' the Darknefs comprehend it not. This 
 fublime Predicate by the Word Lights 
 obtains now a higher and more excel- 
 lent Signification, than it carries with 
 it in many Places of the Holy Scriptures. 
 For Things created are indeed called 
 Lights y but where is it faid of Man, or 
 of any other created Being, that in it is 
 Life^ and that this Life is ih^ Light of 
 Men^ which fhined in them before the 
 Fall, and that after the Fall it remained 
 always the fame, and of itfelf immuta- 
 ble 3 that it fliines, tho' the Darknefs com- 
 prehend it not : the Light of Men before 
 the Fall, and a Light illuminating them 
 again, and refcuing them out of Darknefs 
 after the Fall ? We may from thence 
 draw fuch a Conclufion, as St. PW* does 
 in arguing the fame way, when he would 
 mak-e known the Divine Glory of Chrifi 
 from hence, that God in all the Holy 
 Scripture is never faid to have fpoken 
 fo to any Afigel^ as he fpake to Chrifi. 
 (PfiL ii. 7.) wherefore this Expreffion 
 of St. John now mention'd, clearly im- 
 ports, that Chrifi is alfo the Origin of 
 
 all 
 
 * Hd. i. 7,, 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 133 
 
 all Light. For as it naturally follows 
 from his Power of creating, that in Him 
 is not only Life, but the Principle of Life; 
 fo from the fame Power, it no lefs natu- 
 rally follows, that He is not only Lights 
 but alfo the Principle of Light : from 
 whence alfo 'tis attributed to Him, as the 
 Origin of Light, that he illuminates all 
 Men. And tho* it. might have been fuf- 
 ficient for St. Joh?i to have teftify'd fo 
 plainly and clearly of Chrift as the Eter- 
 nal Light, the Source of all Light, the 
 vivifying Light, and the illuminating Life; 
 yet we find, it was his chief Concern, af- 
 ter he had once called Chriil the Life and 
 the Light of Men, to defcribe this Light 
 more fully, that it might be underftood 
 in fo fublime a Senfe, as cannot be referred 
 to any created Thing. Therefore in the 
 firft Place he alledges John the Baptijt^ 
 who appeared fo great a Light among the 
 People of the Jews, that there went out 
 to Him Jerufalem, and all Judea, and all 
 the Region round about Jordan; a7id were 
 baptized of Him in Jordan, conf effing their 
 Sins ^. Nay, that not only the People 
 thought highly of Him, fo that even the 
 Scribes and Pharifees were afraid to fay 
 that his Baptijm was of Men -f* ; bu c f hat 
 alfo Chrili himfelf called him >^Cx^'Vi a 
 K 3 Light, 
 
 * Matt. iii. 5, 6. f Matt. xxi. 24, 25, 26. 
 
1 34 Chrifi the Sum and Suhjiance 
 
 Li^ht, and indeed with a great and fingu- 
 lar Ertiphafis, a biifning and a Jloining 
 Lights (Joh. V. 35.) Moreover, it deferves 
 wfeU to be minded, that a long time after 
 our Saviour s ReftirreMioH^ the EfFufion of 
 the Holy Ghoji, ^nd the firft Publication 
 of the Gojpel, there were many Perfons, 
 who were taiight only the Baptifm of 
 jokh, fd th^t Apdlos himfelf, an eloquent 
 Man^ mighty in the Scriptures^ and alfofer^ 
 vent in the Spirit^ who fpake and taught 
 diligently {^Kei^^^, ^icGurate, accurately) the 
 'Tlmtgs of the Lord, is faid to have known 
 only the Baptifm oi J ohn^ : In like man- 
 ner St. Paul ^t Efhe/iis, -f found certain 
 DiJkipleSy who had ?tot fo much as heard^ 
 whether there were any Holy Ghojl, being 
 baptized unto John*5 Baptifm. Which fin- 
 gular Circumftances, and many others, 
 may teach us how great, and how excel- 
 lent a Light fohn the Baptift was, and 
 that his Reputati<)n among the People, 
 (who would have had Him for their Mef 
 f^hy vt^hich he altogether declined) did 
 not Expire with his )| Life. Whence it 
 may more eaiily be underflood, what Mo- 
 tive occafion'd the Evangeiift fo induftri- 
 ouily to name John the Ba:pti/iy and to 
 giv-e Him his due Praife; yet fo to cir- 
 cumfcribe it, that thereby there fliould 
 
 be 
 
 * A^rL' xviii. 24, 25. f Jfls xix. i, 2, 3. 
 
 f! MriiL. -ki. Job. 'in. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 135 
 
 be no Derogation to the G/«5r)' of Chriji : 
 For of Him (viz. Job?! the Bapiijf) the' 
 otherwife a great Light, he abfolutely de- 
 nies that He was that Light, but that he 
 only bore wit?iejs of that Light. For it had 
 by no means been fufficient to have faid 
 here, that Chriji was a greater Light than 
 yohn: but in this lay the Strefs of the 
 whole Matter -, who is the Light of Life^ 
 the Origin of Light, the true Light of the 
 Worlds thzt Light, without which all other 
 Perfons, and even John himfelf, tho* in 
 fome refped:s called Lights, are meer 
 T>ark7iefs , who, I fay, is this Light, which 
 delivers from Death and Darknefs; the 
 faving, vivifying and eternal Light ? 
 Wherefore he fimply fays, that John was 
 not that Light -, which he could not have 
 faid, unlefs it had been his Intention to 
 Ihew that he fpake in this Place of Light, 
 in a much tnovQ ful?lime Senfe, than could 
 be applied to any created Being. Nor 
 thought he it fufficient to fay, that John 
 was not that Light, but fhews that the 
 whole Bufmefs and Office of John, was 
 only by his Life and Dodtrine to bear wit-- 
 nefs of that Light, and to point out as it 
 were with his Fingers that L/^^/, by which 
 every mortal Man muft be illuminated 
 and enlivened ; which Power could neither 
 be expeded from him, nor from any other 
 Creature. Nor does the Evangelift ftop 
 K 4 here. 
 
136 Chrijl the Sum and Suhjiance 
 
 here, but adds, that Chriji is that true 
 Lighty which illuminates every Man^ (Joh. 
 i. 9.) But it may be afked, Was John 
 then not a true, but a falfe Light ? or, 
 was that Light which God created on the 
 firft Day not a true Light ? It was with- 
 out all Doubt : therefore in this Place, the 
 Word Ahy\^vov^ [true] ver. 9. afcribed unto 
 Chriji, is to be received in a more fui lime 
 and excellent Senfe -, as He is called the 
 true B ready which came down from Hea- 
 ve??, ajid giveth Life to the World, that 
 who] ever believeth i?i Him Jljould not die ; 
 whence alfo He is faid to be the living 
 Bread, and to be Meat indeed, and Dri?7k 
 indeed '^" ; as He is alfo called the true 
 Vine \ : and fo in many other Examples. 
 For Chrifi is the "Truth itfelf J, and in 
 Him is the Fulnefs of T^ruth ||. Nay, by 
 thofe Words which we now chiefly confi- 
 der, St. fohn explains himfelf, why he 
 calls Chrifi the true Light, viz. becaufe 
 He illuminates every Man -, which cannot 
 be faid of any other Light, howfoever in 
 its kind It be not a falfe, but a true Light. 
 But in all thefe Places, the Evangelift 
 makes this Difference between Chriji as 
 the true Light, and John, or any other 
 Light, th^^t Chriji, as the true Light, il- 
 luminates Men of himjelj, or infufes Light 
 
 into 
 
 * John\\. 32,33oO'5^55- t >^'»xv.i. 
 ^ Jobnxw. 6. Ij John i. i6, 17. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 137 
 
 into their Minds, or kindles and excites it 
 in them, which cannot be aflirmed of any- 
 other Light, or of any created Thing. 
 For that Reafon he had faid before, * In 
 Him was Life^ a?jd the Life was the Light 
 of Me?i, Therefore as He hath Life in 
 hijnfelf fo likewife hath He Light in him- 
 felf'y and as He can give Life to whom He 
 will^ fo He can illiimiftate whom He will : 
 By which Exprcffions there are no Limits 
 fet to his univerfal Love, but his Glory- 
 is extolled. And as He is faid l^y himfelf 
 to have purged our Sins -f-, (which is a 
 mighty Teftimony of his Divine Glory) 
 fo He may be faid no lefs truly, and from 
 the fame Principle, to illuminate Men by 
 Himfelf But concerning thofc who are 
 meer Men, St. Paul fpeaks plainly other- 
 wife ; faying, tGody who hathjdid, that Light 
 Jhould fhine out of Darknefsy is he who hath 
 finned in our Hearts^ to give the Light of 
 the Knowledge of the Glory of Gody in the 
 Face of Jefus Chrijl, As in like man- 
 ner Job faith, II He puts Light in his 
 Angels. Hence therefore it farther ap- 
 pears, that Chrif is called Lights by no 
 way that can agree with Things created, 
 but that He is the eternal and eflential 
 Lifc^ and the faving Light -, and fo that 
 this Appellation, as it is given to Him by 
 
 St. 
 
 * Job?! V. 21. f Heb. I. 3. 
 
 t 2 Cor. iv. 6. (I Chap. iv. i8. 
 
138 Chriji the Sum and Subjimce 
 
 St. ^ohn^ cannot poffibly be affign*d to 
 any other, but only to the true, eternal, 
 and eflential God, But tho' St. '^ohn may 
 feem abundantly to have fhewn in how 
 fublime a Senfe he called Chrifi the Light, 
 and that hereby he diftinguifties Him from 
 all created Beings ; yet advancing farther, 
 he makes this Matter ftill more evident : 
 for he fays of Chrifi^ as the true Lights 
 cnlightning every Man, That this Light 
 (as the comparing of the v^hole Context 
 in Greeks and of other Places, efpecially 
 Joh. iii. 19. and chap. xii. 46. fo requires) 
 came into this World, to wit, as the Light 
 of the World, * to enlighten and fave it, 
 or refcue it from Death and eternal De- 
 ft rudlion, -f* to which it is fubjefi. As 
 afterwards it is faid. He came ^i t* *cO*, 
 ad fua, J unto his own^ that is, the Houfe 
 of IfraeL Therefore, altho* this Doftrine 
 that He came into the World as the Light 
 of the World, be fo exprefled, as that his Z)/- 
 'vine Glory ought thence to be acknowledg'd, 
 yet becaufe fome may perhaps wreft thefe 
 Words contrary to the Mind of St. John^ 
 and falfly conclude from them, As if when 
 Chrift came into the World, He himfelf 
 began Then to exift; he therefore pre- 
 fently fubjoins. He was tJi the World -y and 
 by always adhering to the word Lights he 
 
 moft 
 
 * John viii. 12. f Chap. iii. 17. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 139 
 
 jnoft clearly affirms concerning Chrijt^ 
 that He did not Then begin to be the 
 Light of the World when He came into 
 it, but that He was the Light of the 
 World before He came into the World ; 
 which cannot be aflerted of a meer Man, 
 or of any created Thing. For Johfi here- 
 by plainly teaches, that Chriji is the Eter^ 
 nal Lighty (even as He is the Eternal 
 Life, * And this Life (viz, this Eternal 
 Life) was alfo the Light of Men, a7id was 
 in the World-,) by which Words there is 
 a clear Teftimony given to the true Gcd- 
 head of Chriji, Moreover, he adds, and 
 the World was made by Him, ( Joh. i. to.) 
 And thus again he ufes the word Light, 
 and calls this Light the Maker of the 
 World, as he had before faid of the Word^ 
 that all 'T'hings were made by Him : And 
 when he fubjoins, but the World knew 
 Him not, he manifeftly ufes the fame Com- 
 plaint which the Prophets often made, 
 that mortal Men would not acknowledge 
 their Creator and Preferver. Thus, a- 
 mong others, Ifaiah begins his Prophecy ; 
 ch. i. 2,3. Hear, O Heave7is, and give Ear, 
 O Earth, for the Lord hath fpokcn ; I 
 have nourifled and brought up Children^ 
 imd they have rebelled againjf me / T)6e 
 Ox hioweth his Owner, and the Afs his 
 Majlers Crib : but Ifrael doth not kmWy 
 
 my 
 
 * John i. 9, 10. 
 
140 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 my People doth Jtot confider. Pray, who 
 can turn his Thoughts in any meafure to 
 the Confideration of thefe Things, and 
 not prefently perceive how powerful an 
 Argument of the Divine Glory of Jefus 
 Chriji is to be found in the Words of St. 
 yohuy when he fays s The World was made 
 by Hlmy but the World knew Him not ? 
 But as John attributes to Chrift, as the 
 Eternal Light, the Creation of the World, 
 and confequently Omnipotence ; fo Paul 
 reprefents Chriji^ as the Word of God, and 
 attributes to him Omnifcience^ as to the 
 eflential and eternal Light, glittering and 
 fhining every where, even in Darknefs, 
 and fays, that He is a Difcerner of the 
 Thoughts and hitents of the Heart, Nei- 
 ther is there any Creature that is not mani-- 
 fejl in his Sight : but all Things are naked 
 and open to the Eyes of Him *. Which 
 AiTertion cannot be ufed of the written 
 Word ; and therefore he adds, with whom 
 (to wit, Chriji^ the eternal Word of God) 
 we have to do. Therefore when Chriji is 
 faid to be the Lights his Omnifcience is. 
 thereby comprehended, (which alfo his 
 Difciples acknowledged, and profefled to 
 be in Him -, which Chrift would not have 
 fuffered them to do, if it had been an 
 Error in them : fee "Joh, ii. 24, 25. chap, 
 vi. 64. and xvi. 30. See alfo a moft clear 
 
 Tefti- 
 
 * Beb, iv. 12, 13, 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 141 
 
 Teftimony of his Omnifcience, in Rev, ii. 
 18, 19. where the ^on of God fpeaking, 
 ver, 23. fays, that He is the Searcher of 
 the Reins and the Hearts^ which in all the 
 Holy Scriptures is wont to be alledged as 
 the peculiar and chief Property of God \). 
 This again is a moft evident Teftimony of 
 his true and effential Gc?^/^^/^^. Where- 
 fore alfo St. Paul^ in the Place now al- 
 ledged out of his Epiftle to the Hebrews^ 
 diftinguiilies Him from all created Beings, 
 nay, he puts all Things that are created 
 before his All feeing Eye as their Creator, 
 who throughly infpeds all Things. Who 
 dares affirm this of any Thing that is 
 created ? But if any one will here con- 
 fult the Collation above made of the 
 Words of St. John^ with other Places of 
 the Old and New Teftament, he will be 
 fo much the more convinc'd of the truly 
 Divine Glory of our Lord Jefus Chrijl^ 
 and will thereby the more readily obey 
 Him, who cries out, and fays ; He that 
 believeth on jne^ believeth not on me (only) 
 but 071 Him that fent me. And he that 
 feeth me^ feeth Him that fent 7ne, I am 
 come a Light into the Worlds that whofo- 
 ever believeth on me Jfjould not abide in 
 Darkiiefs *. And I am the Light of the 
 World : he that followeth me^ pall not 
 
 u^alk 
 
 \ Pfal. vii. 9. Pfal. cxxxix. tot. Jer. xi, 20, chap. 
 xii. 3. * John xii. 44,45,46. 
 
14 2 Chrijl the Sum and Subfiance 
 
 walk in Darknefsy but jhall have the Light 
 of Life * ; which Words cannot be under- 
 ftood, but of the Origin oi Life and Lights 
 and confcquently of the true and effentiaj 
 Godhead of Jefus Chriji our Lord, 
 
 SECT. LIIL 
 
 The Sixth Argument. 
 
 " HE^ of whom St. Joh^i^ and with 
 " him all the Servants of God^, in tlie 
 " Old and New Teftament, unanimoully 
 *^ teftify^, that all Men ought to believe 
 " in Him, and that after fo excellent 
 " a manner, as no other Thing can be 
 *^ believed in without the moft heinous 
 *' Crime of Idolatry; iince the Faith 
 *' required to be in HijB, couaprehendg 
 " all the Duties^ which are to be per- 
 " form'd to the livi^ig God alooie : He, I 
 " fay, is with the Father^ the true, the 
 " living and effential God, But in Chri-fi 
 *' fuch a Faith is required : Therefore 
 *' ■Chi'-.iji is with the Father the true;, the 
 " living, and effential CW." The major 
 Propofition is without all Doubt and Con- 
 troverfy ; for God cannot be ^repugnant to 
 himfelf: and fmce in his Wo?'d he names 
 the Crime of Idolatry among the moft 
 grievous and deteftable Sins, it cannot rea- 
 
 fonably 
 
 * JohnVm. 12. 
 
!^ff[fU the Holy Scriptures 143 
 
 fonablybe imagin'd that all his Servants 
 aad Witneffes, fent and inllrud:ed witli 
 Evidence by himfelf, fhould fet up and 
 unanirtioufly eftablilh the fuperftitious 
 Worfhip of any created Thing. There- 
 fore in the major Propofition it is only to 
 be obferv'd, that there is no Queftion here, 
 whether Faith is to be given to a Man, or 
 to a created Being -, or whether *tis not 
 fo far Jawful to believe in any of God'^ 
 Meffeng'ers, that one may receive their 
 Words as true, and ule them for Dodtrine, 
 Reprt)ofj Corred:ion, and Comfort. For 
 every one already knows, that this Faith 
 is rat>htr commanded by God -^ and there- 
 fore *tis not to be looked on as Idolatry, 
 if in obeying the Divine Command, we 
 believe the true Prophets of God, and the 
 Servants fent by Him : Nay, God will 
 not fuiFer him to go unpunifh'd, who re- 
 fufes to do this. Therefore in the major 
 Propofition it is moft clearly ihewn, what 
 Faith is required, to wit, fuch a Faith 
 as is not to be given to any created Thing, 
 without the Crime of Idolatry^ and which 
 comprehends all the Duties which are to 
 be paid to God alone. V/hen therefore it 
 Is ^vid^ent, that fuch a Faith in Ch^ijl is 
 required in the Holy Scriptures^ certainly 
 it cannot be, that any Man fliould con- 
 clude btherwife, than that Chriji^ being 
 of the fame Effence with the Father^ is 
 
 to 
 
144 Chrtfi the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 to be honoured and adored with xht /ami 
 Wvrjhip. This is therefore what is now 
 to be demonftrated -, 
 
 I'hat we ought to believe in Chriji y 
 This Belief all the Holy Scriptures in- 
 culcate : 
 But Chrifi calls Men to Himfelf, the 
 Apojiles in like manner exhort them 
 to have Faith in Him alone ;^-^ * ^" 
 But the whole Scripture requires; 
 
 T'hat we pould Jo believe in Chriji^ 
 As to live and die to Him alone: 
 That we commit our Souls unto Him ; 
 That for his fake we renounce all Things; 
 That we love Him above all Things; 
 That we place our Truft in Him^ as in 
 
 God himfelf ; 
 That we devote our whole Heart unto 
 
 Him: 
 That we ferve Him in Righteoufnefs, 
 Peace, andjoy through the Holy Ghojl : 
 That we worftiip Hi?n in like manner as 
 
 the Father : 
 That we be baptized into Him^ as well 
 
 as into the Father : 
 That by his Power we believe, by his 
 Operation we be born again, and by 
 his Gift be illuminated with the Holy 
 Spirity and preferved in the true Faith : 
 That we acknowledge Him to be the 
 Creator and Reftorer of all Things : 
 
 And 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 145 
 
 And laftly, that we honour Him, as He 
 who gives Men Life, who appoints 
 them to die, and who raifes them 
 from Death by his own Power^ either 
 to give them eternal Life, or to pu- 
 niHi them with eter7ial Damnation, 
 
 I. That all the Holy Scriptures incul- 
 cate upon Men this Faith in Chrifl, 
 
 In the Beginning of St. yoh?is> Gofpel, 
 (ver. 7.) it is faid of John the Baptijl y 
 He came for a WitneJ's -, that is, to bear" 
 witnefs of the Lights that all Men through 
 him might believe : And vcr, 12. fokn fays. 
 But as 7na72y as received Hi?n, to thent 
 gave he Power to become the Sons of God^ 
 even to the?n that believe on his Name, 
 From hence therefore it appears, wherein 
 the chief Bufinefs, and Scope of St. folm^ 
 whole Office did confift ; to witj that all 
 fmiild believe in Chrift the Son of God : 
 which was likewlfe the principal Employ- 
 ment of Mofes, and of all the Prophets 
 after him. St. Paid well explains this of 
 John the Baptijl^ faying, *" John verily 
 baptized with the Baptifm of Repentance^ 
 faying luito the People^ T^hat they Jhould 
 believe on Him which fjould come after 
 him^ that is, on Chrifl Jefus. When they 
 heard this^ (or the Words of John, re- 
 commending them to Chrift) they were 
 
 L baptized 
 
 * y^/7j xix. 4, y 
 
1 46 Chrijl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 baptized in the Name of the Lord J ejus. 
 Likewife the Holy Scriptures teftify of 
 Mojes '^, that he had no other Defign, but 
 to recommend Faith in Chriji^ Rom. x. 
 4. where Chrijt is celebrated as -n t/a©-, 
 the End of MotcSy andofthe Law, More- 
 over, all thole Paflages concerning Chrift 
 in the Beginning of St. fohn'% Gofpel, re- 
 fer us (as we have \^zx\ above) to the Wri- 
 tings of Mofes : And that the reft of the 
 Prophets and Servants of God, made this 
 alfo their principal Bufinefs, and the very 
 End of their Office, is fufficiently under- 
 ftood from our former Collation of the 
 Words of St. John with other Places of 
 Holy Scripture, Therefore St. Peter faith, 
 ABs X. 43. To Him (to Jefus) give all the 
 Prophets witnefsy that through his Name 
 whofoever believeth in Hi?Hy Jhall receive 
 Remif/ion of Sins, 
 
 2. That Chrijl fends not Men to any 
 other, but calls them to Himfelf 
 
 Whereas all the Prophets and Apojiles in 
 the Old and New Teftament, remit Mea 
 to another, viz, Chrift ; Chrijt does not 
 fend them to any other, but calls Men to 
 himfelf, requiring from them Faith in 
 himfelf, as may be feen, among others, 
 from the following Teftimonies : God Jo 
 loved the Worlds that he gave his only hegot^ 
 ten Son ; that ivhojoever believeth in Him 
 
 Jhould 
 
 * 2 Ccr, iii. 14, yob. v. 46^47. Luh zx'iv. 2y,^^,JLy, 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 147 
 
 fiouldnot pcrijl.\ but have everlaJlingLife'^, 
 I am the Bread of Life : he that co7?ieth to 
 me Jloall never hunger \ and he that believ^ 
 eth on me, Jhall never thirjt -f-. If any 
 Man thirjl^ let him come unto mc^ and 
 drink. Tie that believeth on me, as the 
 Scripture hath faid, out of his Belly pall 
 flow Rivers of living Water J. J^fus 
 faid to the Man born blind, Dojl thou be- 
 lieve on the Son of God ? He anjwered and 
 faid. Who is he, Lord, that I might be- 
 lieve on him ? And J ejus faid unto hirfiy 
 T^hou haft both feen him, and it is he thai 
 talketh "with thee. And he faid. Lord, I 
 believe : and he worftjipped Him ||. Jefus 
 faith moreover : I am the Refurrediion and 
 the Life : He that believeth in me, tho' he 
 "were dead, yet fhall he live. And whofo- 
 ever liveth, and believeth in me, ftmll ne^ 
 "Oer die ^^, While ye have Light, beliivi 
 in the Light, that ye may be the Children 
 of Light •f'f*. And, %% H^ ib'^i believeth 
 m me, believeth not on me, but on Him that 
 fent me. And he that feeth me, feeth him 
 that fent ?ne. I am come a Light into the 
 World, that whofoever believeth on me ft?Guld 
 not abide in Darknefs, And, |||| Te believe 
 in God, believe alfo in me. And, -f-* / am 
 L 2 the 
 
 * Job. iii. 16. f Chap. vi. 35. ::|: Chip. vii. 37,3)?. 
 \\ Chap. ix. 35—38. ** Chap. xi. 25, 26. \\ Chup. 
 Xii. 36. :j::|: Id. ib. 44,45,46, jj)j Chap, xiv. I. 
 f * Chap. xiv. 6. 
 
148 Chrtfi the Sum and Suhjiance 
 
 the Way^ the T^ruth^ and the Life : No 
 Man Cometh unto the Father^ hut by me. 
 * Believe me that I am in the Fat her y and 
 the Father in 7ne : or elfe believe me for the 
 very Works fake. Verily^ verily I Jay unto 
 you^ he that helieveth on me^ the Works that 
 I doy fiall he do alfo^ and greater Works 
 than thefe foall he dOy becauj'e I go to my 
 Father, From thefe, and other Places, in 
 which, as we faid, Chrijl doth not remit 
 us to any other, but fimply requires that we 
 Ihould believe in Himfelf there is not only 
 manifeftlya vaft Difference between Chrijl 
 and all the Servants ofGod -, but it appears 
 alio from thence, that Chriji fpeaks not 
 after a vulgar manner, concerning the 
 placing of our Faith in Himfelf, but ex- 
 prefles it ufually in fuch a way, that every 
 intelligent Perlon may eafily perceive it is 
 not lawful for any created Being, how 
 high foever, to arrogate any fuch Thing 
 to himfelf j nor is it likelyj if He did 
 make this Claim, that He fliould obtain 
 fuch Teftimony from the Heavenly Fa- 
 ther ^ as to require us to hearken to Him. 
 Wherefore the Je^uvs millaking Clmfl for 
 a meer Man, often interpreted his Dif- 
 courfes for Blafphemies, and for that 
 Caufe endeavoured to ftone Him : And 
 certainly they would have been look'd on 
 as Blafphemies, had they been fpoken by 
 
 bare 
 
 * Job, xiv. iijtz. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, 1 49 
 
 bare Man, or meer created Being. This 
 is to be well and diligently noted, becaule 
 hence it clearly appears, that it will be no 
 Objedlion to fay here, that the "Jews were 
 alio required to believe in Mofes aiid the 
 Prophets * ; yet 'twill not from thence 
 follow, that thefe were any other than 
 meer Men. We further recommend to 
 fuch, as, in the Fear of God, deiire to 
 examine the Holy Scriptures in their Ori- 
 ginal Language, attentively to confider, 
 (i.) that St. "John the Evangelift no where 
 ufes this Phrafe, Wv«i' ei^ 77K6t, credere in 
 quern, to believe in One, but when the 
 Difcourfe is of God or Chrift. (2.) That 
 he is wont to ufe that other Phrafe, ^m^^ivav 
 77vi, credere ciii, to believe 0?ie^ fometimes 
 of God and Chrift^ and fometimes of 
 Things created. Wherein 'tis to be ob- 
 ferved, (3.) That when C/jr/// commands 
 Men to believe Him, (/ibi) (and does it in 
 the Dative Cafe -f ) He does not then any 
 way deny, that they ought to believe 
 in Him, but requires only in thofe Places, 
 that at leaft Faith ought to be given to his 
 Words, as to the Words of a Prophet : 
 Both are therefore fuitable to Chrift, that 
 we believe in Him as God, and that we 
 believe Him as a Prophet. (4.) 'Tis plain 
 from the Gofpel of St. Johuy that the 
 L 3 Jews 
 
 * 2 Chron. xx. 20. f Job, v. 24, 38, 46. ch. viii. 
 45, 46. 
 
150 Chriji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 Jews well underftood, * that He muft be 
 God in whom they were to believe. For 
 when Chriji had faid, This is the Work of 
 God, that ye believe on Him whom he hath 
 fent ; the y^i^;^ anfwer'd, What Signjhew- 
 eji thou theji^ that we may fee and believe 
 thee ? Whereby they fignified, that they 
 did not fo much as believe Him and 
 his Words, fo far were they from per- 
 fwading themfelves to believe in Him. 
 But Chriji^ not regarding this Anfwer, 
 conftantly urges in the following Verfes, 
 35, 40, and 47. that it was their Duty to 
 believe in Hirn, (5.) li\\Q Jews^ who be- 
 gan to believe in Chrif^ ^ but had not yet 
 attained to a firm and full Faith^ are re- 
 markably for this Reafon only faid to be- 
 lieve Him, {mrn'^vM-mi cwtJ) ver, 3 i. which 
 fbewSj that Faith in Chriji J ejus includea 
 in it a full Truft and Perfeverance in his. 
 Word. (6.) The Pharijees faid to the Of- 
 ficers, % Have any of the Rulers, or the 
 Pharijees believed on Him ? By which 
 Words they declare, that from the Anfwer 
 of the Officers, [never Man Jpake like this 
 Man, Joh. vii. 46.] They did infer that 
 th^y (i, e. the Officers) acknowledged Je- 
 fus for the Mefiah fent from God, and fa 
 believed in Him, (as is faid alfo of fome 
 of their || Rulers :) Which Honour they 
 
 would 
 
 * Job. vi. 29, 30, fcqq. f Job. viii. 30. 
 
 ^ Job. vii. 48. IJ Job. xii. 42. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 1 5 1 
 would by no means permit (hould be 
 given to Jejm. (7.) When it was mqmr d 
 toncerning John the Baptiji, why the 
 Scribes and Pharifees would not receive 
 Him as a Frophet ; Three of the Evange- 
 lifts * fpeak not otherwife of this Matter, 
 but ia the Dative Cafe, faying ; ^arenon 
 iredidijlis «■? Why did you not believe 
 Him f (8.) 'Tis remarkable, that the 
 Phrafe wsi-w «« 9'-''y to believe tn God, m 
 the Books of the New Teftament, elpe- 
 cially in thofe of St. Paul, has a refpeft 
 to the Faith of Abraham, as he was the 
 Father of all the Faithful; of whom it is 
 faid, mna I'ONm credidit tn Jehovam, 
 fvel in jehova] He believed tn the Lord, 
 (Gen. XV. 6.) (that is, by his Faith he ac- 
 quiefc'd as it were in Himj which way 
 of fpeaking is afterwards often ufed in the 
 Writings of the Old Teftament. From 
 thefe and other like Obfervations, '"s evi- 
 dent the Divine Glory in Chrijl was held 
 as a Fundamental, when St. Jo/j^, and 
 other Servants of God fay concerning Him, 
 in the Holy Scriptures, that -we ought to 
 believe in Him, or in his Name, as is at- 
 firm'd of thofe who had received Htm, and 
 thereby had obtain d Power to become the 
 Sons of God f. 'Tis to be confider d alfo 
 on this whole Subied, that Chrijl does not 
 L 4 remit 
 
 » Mm. xxi. 25, 32- Marl: xi. 31. Luke xx. 3. 
 + Jih.i. 12. 
 
152 Chrijl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 remit Men to any other, in whom they 
 ought to believe^ (as the Prophets remitted 
 them to Chrift) but fimply direded their 
 Faith in Himfelf, without any Difterence 
 between their belicvi7ig in Hi?7i^ or in the 
 Father, Nay, He not only requires, fas 
 was above obferv'd^ and as other Prophets 
 did, that his Words fliould be believed, 
 and he himfelf receiv'd for a True Pro- 
 phet 3 but exhibits Himfelf as the Saviour 
 of the whole Worlds as the Life^ as the Re^ 
 JurreBion, nay, as He in whom we ought 
 not only to believe^ but whom we ought 
 alfo to honour and adore with Divi?2e Wor- 
 fiip. Now did ever any of the Prophets, 
 or Servants of God adt thus ? Or, how 
 could this be done by any created Being, 
 without the Guilt of Idolatry ? Pray 
 what fhould we think, if any Man fhould 
 appear before us, and fay, / am the Refur- 
 rehio7i ; / am Life Fternal \ I a??z the 
 Truth, &c. ? or if any mortal Man (hould 
 fujffer himfelf to be adored with Divijie 
 Worfiip ? But all thefe Things will ap- 
 pear ftill more plain, from the following 
 Confiderations. 
 
 3. That the Jpcjlles have required the 
 fame Faith in Chrif our Lord. 
 
 The Apojtles, with one Mind and with 
 one Mouth, required this fame Faith in 
 the Lord j(fus. In the ABs of the ApoJ'- 
 
 tics. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 153 
 
 tles^ * T'he Keeper of the Prifon [aid to 
 Paul and Silas, Sirs^ what jiiiijl I do to 
 be faved? Aiid they f aid ^ Believe on the 
 Lord J ejus Chrijl^ and thou Jhalt be faved 
 and thy Hoife, Nor does this want any 
 Demonftration^ for 'tis manifeft,the whole 
 Office of the Apofles was to publifli the 
 Name of the Lord Jefus to every Crea- 
 ture under Heaven, and fo to refer all 
 Men to Faith in the Lord Jefus '\. Nay, 
 they did not reft in this, that they fliould 
 remit Men to Chrift, but powerfully 
 alfo ihew'd, as was faid above, that all 
 the Prophets gave Teftimony to this 
 Jefus : and not only gave Teftimo- 
 ny, but alfo conftantly affirmed, that 
 whoever believed on Hi?n^ fhould receive 
 RemiJJion of Sins through his Name \. 
 And St. Paul faith. We preach not our 
 felves^ but Chrifl Jefus the Lord, and our 
 felves your Servants for Jefus fake ||. Now 
 let any Man judge what kind of Faith in 
 our Lord Jefus the Apoftles require, and 
 confider whether fuch a Faith can poffibly 
 be placed in any created Being, without 
 the Guilt of Idolatry. Wherefore the 
 Divine Glory of our Lord Jefus Chrift, is 
 moft powerfully demonftrated by this, that 
 all Men, as St. John fpeaks in the Beginning 
 of his Gofpel, ought to believe in Him y 
 
 nor 
 
 * Chap. xvi. 30. t Rom. i. i6. 
 
 ^ Alls X. 43. I) 2 Cor. iv. 5. 
 
154 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 nor is any thing more required to a full 
 Convidion of the Mind, that this Argu- 
 ment is unanfwerable ; than that thofe 
 Places of the Old and New Teftament, 
 where Faith in Chrift is required, fhould 
 be diligently fearched out and examined. 
 ^ 4. That this whole Faith confifts of 
 fuch Particulars, as are not to be attribut- 
 ed to any created Being. 
 
 But that all Contradidion may be en- 
 tirely removed, the Reafon of the Faith 
 that is required in the Lord Jefus (hall be 
 now particularly conlider'd : We fhall ea- 
 fily underftand, that fuch a Faith cannot 
 be lodged in any created Thing, without 
 the Sin of Idolatry. For all thofe Argu- 
 ments, which have been fo clearly pro- 
 posed to us hitherto out of the Beginning 
 of St. Johns Gofpel, are a Foundation 
 for this Docftrine -, when he declares that 
 the Scope of the Teftimony of John the 
 Baptiji was, that all Men fhould believe. 
 But what were they to believe ? The fame 
 Evangelill fhews it, Ch. xx. 31. \\z.l^hat 
 Jefus is the Chriji^ the Son of Gody and 
 that Believing they might have Life through 
 his Name, I fay, what were they to 
 believe'? That which John had afcertain'd 
 in the very Beginning of his Gofpel, to 
 wit, that the fame Jefus^ of whom John 
 the Baptifl witnelTed, the Eternal Word 
 
 of 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 155 
 
 of Gody by whom all TbhigSy according to 
 Mofes^ were made^ is the Life and the 
 Light of Men, Can you now imagine, 
 that fuch a Faith can be placed in any 
 created Being ? 
 
 5. That Faith is to be given to Chrifi^ 
 not as a Minijler^ but as the Lord of our 
 Salvation. 
 
 All the Holy Scriptures demonftrate, 
 that Faith is to be placed in Chrifl, not as 
 a Minijler^ but as the Lord of our Saha-- 
 tion^ as He, who not only publiflies Salva* 
 tion, but does Himfelf give and confer 
 it. Therefore ^ohn is called his Fore-- 
 runner^ who was not to go before a Man^ 
 or any other of God's Servants, but before 
 the Lord himfelf *. And left any one 
 {hould objedt, that in Luke i. 76. the 
 Words are concerning the Lord^ and not 
 God^ let him read the whole xl^^ Chapter 
 of Ifaiahy and fee with his Eyes, that this 
 Lordy whofe Pracurfor \Fore'run7ier\ John 
 was to be, is called, not once, but often, 
 Jehovah^ that is, the effential and by him- 
 felf fubfifting God, This is He, of whom 
 it is faid in Ma.lachi^ -f Behold^ I will 
 fend my MeJJengery and be fiall prepare 
 the Way before me. The Holy Scripture 
 alfa is wont commonly to exprefs the 
 Word mn» Jehovah^ [Lord] in Greek by 
 the Word ^vei(9-. But that we may right- 
 ly 
 * Luh i. 76. "t Cluj;. iii. i . 
 
156 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 ly perceive, what the Apojlles of our 
 Lord underftood, when they called Chrijl 
 the Lord^ St. Faiil explains it, * faying, 
 Ti? us there is one Lord J ejus Chri/i, by 
 whom are all T'hifigs^ and we by Him : 
 Now could this be faid of any created 
 Being ? We have already moll evidently 
 demonftrated the contrary. Likewife the 
 Teftimonies we have now alledg'd teach, 
 that Faith is required in Chrijl as in a Sa- 
 'viour^ who can indeed refcue us from 
 Death and Deftrudion, who can enlighten 
 us with the Light of Life, tranflate us 
 into an eternal Communion with God^ 
 nay, can raife all Men whatfoever from 
 the Dead 5 wherefore He is called a/77©-, 
 the -f- Author of eternal Salvation, Now 
 may we not wonder, and ftand amazed, 
 that any can be fo raih, as to attribute all 
 thefe great Things to a Being, that is it- 
 felf created ? 
 
 6. That we are commanded to live and 
 die to Chrijl^ is likewife an Evidence of 
 his Divinity, 
 
 Further let us confider, that Faith in 
 Chrijly according to the Scriptures, com- 
 prehends in it, that we mujl live and die to 
 Hi?n J. Now can this be pcrform'd with- 
 out Idolatry to any created Thing, be- 
 tween whom, and the Almighty Maker of 
 
 Hea- 
 
 * I Cor. viii. 6. f Hei>. v. 9. 
 
 i 2 Cor. V. 15. Ro/r. xiv- 7, S, 9. Pbii. i. 21. Gal. ii. 20. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 157 
 
 Heaven afid Earthy there is fo vaft a Dif- 
 ference ? To whom fhould we live^ and 
 to whom fliould we dic^ but to Him, who 
 gave us our Life^ and who, as our Crea^ 
 tor, has the Right and the Power to de- 
 prive us of it ? 
 
 7. What is fignified by thofe Expref- 
 fions. 
 
 As Faith in Chrijl requires that we 
 fliould live and die to Him, fo the Holy 
 Scripture explains to us, how this is to 
 be underftood, both by clear Declarations, 
 and by remarkable Examples. For not 
 only St. Paul, * in the afore cited Place, 
 fays J T'he Life which I now live in the 
 Flejh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God i 
 (which certainly is fpoken after fuch a 
 manner, as can by no means be reconciled 
 with that Faith which a Man fliall place 
 in any created Thing, without the Sin of 
 Idolatry :) but the Example of St. Stephen 
 alio teaches, that, as Jefus Chriji com- 
 mended his Spirit into the Hands of his 
 Heavenly Father, fo He, worfliipping the 
 Lord Jefus, faid ; Lord Jejiis receive my 
 Spirit -f-. Does not St. Peter fay, J Let 
 them that fuffer according to the Will of 
 God^ commit the Keeping of their Souls to 
 Him in well-doings as unto a faithful Crea- 
 tor : Therefore how can it be thought 
 
 lawful 
 
 * Gal. ii. 20. I A.li vii. 59. 
 
 ^ I Epiit. iv. 19. 
 
158 Chrijl the Sum and Suhjlance 
 
 lawful for a Man to commend his Soul 
 to One who is not the Creator^ without 
 the Sin of Idolatry ? Is not therefore the 
 Divine Glory of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 mofi: effedluaily again demonftrated by this 
 Argument ? 
 
 8. That our Duty to renounce all Things 
 for Chrijf^ fake, gives Teftimony alfo of 
 his Divine Glory, 
 
 Moreover, Faith in Chrijl requires, that 
 we iliould renounce all Things, even Life 
 itfelf, for his fake. Concerning this, fee 
 clear Teftimonies of Scripture * ; not to 
 mention the Apojlles of our Lord^ who 
 confirm the fame every where in their 
 Epiftles, in the cleareft and plaineft Words. 
 But where did ever any ^rvant of God 
 require, in the Old or New Teftament, 
 fuch Renunciation for his own fake, and 
 teach Men that, forfaking Father and M?- 
 ther^ and their own Lives, they (hould 
 adhere to Him with their whole Heart ? 
 Mo/es heretofore fpake of Levi ; -f- Let 
 thy Thiimmim and thy Urim be with thy 
 Holy One, whom thou didji prove at Maf- 
 fah, and with whom thou didjl firive at 
 the Waters of Merihah, Who J aid unto 
 his Father and to his Mother, J have not 
 feen him, neither did he acknowledge his 
 Brethren, nor know his own Children : for 
 
 they 
 
 * Matt. X. 37, 3^, 39. Luke xiv. 16, &c. chap. xvii. 33. 
 John xi. 25. -j- bsut. xxxiii. 8, 9. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 159 
 
 they have obferved thy Wo7'd^ and kept thy 
 Covenant. T'hey Jhall teach Jacob thy 
 "Judgments^ and Ifrael//'^' haw. In which 
 Place Mofes likewife teaches and requires 
 a forfaking of all Things, and that as a 
 neceflary Part of a true Levite^ out of 
 whofe Mouth the Law was to be fought : 
 But he by no means directs fuch a Renun- 
 ciation for his own fake, which yet Chrift 
 did for his, and by that very thing con- 
 firmed his Divine Glojy and Majejiy, And 
 truly, that no created Thing, how extra- 
 ordinary and excellent foever, could re- 
 quire fuch a Renunciation to be made for 
 his own fake, will ftill further appear 
 from the following Confiderations. 
 
 9. That Chriji is to be loved above all 
 Things, is alfo a Teftimony of his Divi- 
 nity. 
 
 For from that entire Renunciation which 
 Chrift requires for his own fake, it fol- 
 lows of courfe, that He is to be loved 
 above all Things, if at the fame time our 
 Faith in Him be fincere. For He himfelf 
 exprefly fays, * He that loveth Father or 
 Mother more than 7ne, is ?iot worthy of ?ne^ 
 i£c. And St. Paul fays, -f If a?ty Man 
 love not the Lord J ejus Chrift^ let bi?n be 
 An at he ma y i, e, accurfed and abominable, 
 and let him be ihut out from Commu- 
 nion with God \ and he adds, Maranatha^ 
 
 i. e. 
 
 * Matt. X. 37, f 1 Cor, xvi. 22. 
 
i6o Chriji the Sum and Suh fiance 
 
 i. e. T^he Lord cometh ; viz, to Judgment, 
 to execute Sentence againft him who 
 loves not the Lord yefus : and in this 
 manner, the Love of ChriJI is every where 
 extolled above all Things. Now would 
 it not be manifeft Idolatry in any one, to 
 magnify a Creature above all Things ? 
 Certainly, the firfl and great Precept in 
 the Law is, Thou Jhalt love the Lord thy 
 God with all thy Hearty and with all thy 
 Soul, and with all thy Mind^, Now as 
 it plainly appears from the Teftimonies 
 before cited, that we ought to love ChriJI 
 with all our Heart, and with all our Soul, 
 and with all our Mind ; how then can it 
 be lawful for us to efleem Him a meerly 
 created Being ? The fecond Command- 
 ment, fays Chriji^ is like unto this ; Thou 
 jlmlt love thy Neighbour as thy f elf . But 
 now he requires that we fliould love Him 
 (Chrift) more than our Neighbour, yea, 
 than our felves, and our own Life , and 
 fubjoins, he that does not this, is not wor- 
 thy of Him, Wherefore, 'tis neceflary we 
 fhould know from hence, that the Love 
 of Chriji relates to the firft Table of the 
 Decalogue, and that the Son of God, Je- 
 fus Chriji, is equal to God his Heavenly 
 Father in Divine Majejiy and Glory, 
 
 10. The 
 
 * Matt. xxii. 37, 39. Luke x. 27. Dcut. vi. 5. 
 
of all the B.oly Scriptures. i6i 
 
 lo. The Obligation of putting our 
 ^rujl in Chrijl^ as in God himfelf j is an 
 Indication likewife of his Divine Glory. 
 
 Faith in Chrift, in like manner, requires 
 that we fliould place a folid and full T'nijl 
 in Him. For we do not read in any 
 Place of Scripture, that the T'riiji to be 
 repos'd in Him, is to be circumfcrib'd 
 with any Limitations ; but rather it is ma- 
 nifeft, both from the Old and New Tef- 
 tament, that a full and abfolute 'T'ruji^ as 
 we fa id, ought to be placed in Chriji, af- 
 ter the fame manner as in the living God, 
 Thus it is written in Ij'aiah ; ^^ I have 
 jworn by 77iy felf : the Word is gone out of 
 7ny Mouth in Right eoujhefs^ and Jhall not 
 return^ that unto me every Knee Jhall bow^ 
 every ^tongue jloall /wear. Surely, ftoall 
 one fay, in the Lord have I Ilighteoifnefs 
 and Strength: even to Hiinjljall Men come, 
 and all that are incenfed againft Him fball 
 be afamed. That Chrift here fpeaks in 
 Ifaiah the Prophet, no Man that calls 
 himfelf a Chrlllian iliould in the lead 
 doubt of, when he confiders that thefe 
 Words are by St. Paul ^ expounded con- 
 cerning Cbrift ; not to infill, that the fame 
 may be underftood from the Old Teila- 
 ment itfelf : fince this is the Name of 
 Chrijl^ by which He fliall be called, T^he 
 Lord our Right eoujiiefs, Jer. xxiii. 6. Since 
 
 M there- 
 
 * Cliap. xlv, 23, 24. 
 
 t Roffi' Jtiv. 10, II. PJ;il. ii. 10. 
 
1 6 2 Chrijl the Stim and Subjlance 
 
 therefore God in his Word, has fo great 
 a Regard for his own Glory\ and fo often 
 execrates thofe, who place their 'T'ruji 
 and Confidence in Man, and make FleJJj 
 their Arm ; * how could it be, that all 
 the Holy Scriptures (liould conftantly in- 
 culcate to us, that we ought to place all 
 our Hope and Confidence in Cbrift -, and 
 that not only in the NecefTities of the 
 Body, but efpccially in thofe of the*S^^// -f-, 
 and in fhort, in all Things where none but 
 the eternal and living God can adminifter 
 Help to us ? to wit, becaufe Chriji re- 
 deems and delivers us from Sin, from 
 Death, the Devil and Hell. Was it law- 
 ful for the Children of IJ'rael^ even in 
 outward Diftreffes, to confide in Mofes^ 
 Jojhua, or any other Deliverer, given to 
 them for a Type ? Were they not moft 
 ftriilly, and almoft continually called ofF 
 from putting their T^ruft in Men, and in- 
 ftrudted and requir'd to place their Con- 
 fidence only in the Lord ? And this was 
 indeed then, and is at all Times moft ne- 
 celiliry 3 becaufe human Nature labouring 
 under fo great Corruption, is inclin'd to 
 nothing more, than fuch kind of Idolatry 
 towards Men, and repofing that Afiiance 
 in the Creature, which is due to Go^ alone. 
 What therefore is more evident, than that 
 it would be a moft grievous Sin againft 
 
 the 
 
 * Jer.xvn. 5,6. P/alm cxviii. 8,9, 
 t I Cor. XY. 19. Pbii. i. 19, 21. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 163 
 
 the firft Commandment in the Decalogue, 
 to place our Trull: in Chrijt^ which we 
 are commanded to do plainly, and with- 
 out any Limitation, in all our Nccefiities 
 of Body and Soul, if Ch?^iji were not of 
 the fame Effence, Majefty and Glory with 
 the Fiither ? Nay, in this the true Eflence 
 of Faith confifts, that it entirely abandons 
 all Trufl and Confidence in Things crea- 
 ted, and relies not on any Thing vifible 
 or in vifible, prefcnt or future ; but flies 
 for Succour to Him, who is above all 
 created Beings, and of infinite Ornnifci- 
 e?ice^ whereby He can truly know and 
 underftand all our Neceflities 5 * Omnipo- 
 tence^ That no Calamity can be fo great, 
 from which He is not able to deliver us; 
 Love^ -f that He is always ready to affift 
 us ; X ^^^ if thefe high and divine Pro- 
 perties belong not to Cbrijl^ Faith in Him 
 is only a meer Shadow, Fallacy and De- 
 lufion : nay, if thofe Properties were want- 
 ing in Him, that great, full, and unlimit- 
 ed Truft, which the Holy Writings claim 
 for Him, would occafion thereby grofs 
 Idolatry. For which Reafon, doubtlefs, 
 the Scriptures make mention of thofe di- 
 vine Properties, when they exhort us to 
 M 2 Faith 
 
 * As it is written of the father. Matt. vi. 32. of the 
 Son o{ Got/y Rev. ii. 2,9, 13, 19, 23. chap. iii. i, 8, 15. and 
 of the Ho/y Ghofty Rom. viii. 26, 27. 
 
 t John X. 29, 30. 2 CV. i. 9,' 10. Phi!, iv. 13. 
 
 % Luke xii. 32. Rcm^ viii. 37. 
 
1 64 Chrijl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 Faith and T'rujl in Cbriji : as St. Paul 
 does of his Ommpote?2ce^ faying ; Our Con- 
 verfation is in Heaven^ from whence aljo 
 we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, who pall change our vile Body, that 
 it maybe fajhio7i d like unto his glorious Bo dy^ 
 according to the IVorking whereby He is able 
 even to fubdue all l^hings unto hijnfelf *. 
 
 II. That we are commanded to give 
 our Hearts unto Chrift, is another Argu- 
 ment to confirm this AiTertion. 
 
 Moreover, 'tis moft certain, and with- 
 out Controverfy, that we ought not to 
 devote our Heart unto any created Thing. 
 When therefore the Scripture fays, -f* My 
 Son, give me thy Heart -, we eafily under- 
 ftand God is there meant, becaufe He de- 
 fires to poffefs the whole Soul, and that 
 nothing elfe fhould deprive Him of it. 
 But now St. Paul fliews, % that Chriji 
 dwells in our Hearts by Faith : And 'tis 
 plain from the whole Context, that by 
 thefe Words He has refpe6t to the Taber- 
 nacle and Temple of the Old Teftament, 
 and that He would have our Hearts to be 
 fuch Tabernacles, Temples and Habita- 
 tions, in which the Glory of the Lord, that 
 is Chrift, might make his Abode. But 
 are not our Hearts to be the Temple and 
 Habitation of God |1 ? Confider what our 
 
 Savi- 
 
 * Thll. iil. 20. t l^rov. xxiii. 26. \ Eph. iii. 17, 
 Ij I Cor. iii. 16. chap. vi. 19. 2 CV. vi. 16. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 165 
 
 Saviour fays on this Subjcd: ; If a Mail 
 love mey he will keep my Words^ and 7ny 
 Father will love him ; and we will come 
 unto hiniy (i, e, my Father and I) and make 
 our Abode with him -f*. Is not this a mofl 
 clear Teftimony of the Divine Glory of 
 our hord J ejus Chriji ? 
 
 12. A farther Confirmation hereof is. 
 That we are to ferve Chrift^ in Righteouf- 
 iiefs, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy GhoJ}, 
 Nor does Faith in Chriji lefs require 
 that we fliould ferve Him ; and that in. 
 Righteoufnefs, and Peace, and Joy in the 
 Holy Ghojl X. But is it lawful to ferve 
 any created Being, befides God ? Does not 
 Chriji himfelf fay, || 'Thou Jlmlt worJJnp 
 the Lord thy God^ and (N. B.) Him only 
 Jloalt thou J'erve : And, ** No Man can 
 Jerve two Majiers. If you fay you can 
 ferve two Mailiers, provided they are not 
 repugnant, but fubordinate to one ano- 
 ther 'y that Objedion will here be of no 
 force : for we find it fet down in clear 
 Words ; The Ki?2gdo?n oj^ God is Righte^ 
 oujkejsy and Peace^ and Joy in the Holy 
 GhoJi\ Rom. xiv. 17. This is no other 
 Thing, than to ferve Him in Spirit and 
 in Truth \ to fur render up our felves to 
 Him with our whole Heart, and to diredt 
 to Him the internal Worfliip required in 
 M 3 the 
 
 ■jr John xiv. 23. X Rom. xiv. 17. 
 
 jj Matt:-i\\ Id. ** Matt. vi. 24.. 
 
1 66 Chrtji the Sum and Subfiance 
 
 the New Teftament, in the Power of the 
 Holy Ghoft ? And who can fufficiently ex- 
 prefs what it is to ferve 07ie in Righteouf- 
 nefs, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoji? 
 This is alfo appointed in fuch a manner, 
 that it cannot, nor ought ever to be attri- 
 buted to any Thing that is created ; being 
 that in which the real Dignity of God pro- 
 perly confifls, which He fuffers not to be 
 taken from him. 
 
 i^. That the Honour of Relisiious JVor- 
 jhip to be performed to Chrijt^ is alfo an 
 Atteftation of his Divine Glory. 
 
 Faith in Chrift^ requires alfo that we 
 fhould worjhip Him. For we read, Job, 
 ix. 35, 38. that Chrift not only taught the 
 Man who was born Blind, to believe on 
 Him as the Son of God^ but alfo received 
 the Honour of Adoration from him, af- 
 ter he had fa id, Lord^ I believe ; which 
 furely after his fo humble Behaviour He 
 would not have admitted, had it not been 
 due to Him, being of the fame Effence, 
 Majefty, and Glory with the Father, An 
 Angel Ytius'A to receive this Honour from 
 St. John^ faying, * See thou do it not ; 
 ^joorjhip God. Chrift himfelf, as was above 
 allcdg'd, had told us his Mind ; -f* T^hou 
 jhalt worjhip the Lord thy God^ and Him 
 only Jhalt thou ferve. And in IJ'aiah % it 
 is faid moll emphatioally 3 / am Jehova^ 
 
 (the 
 ^ Ra\ xxli. 9. t Matt, iv. \o. t Chap. xlli. 8. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 167 
 
 jv ,Unf is mv Name: and my 
 (the l.ox^)jbat !'/"'^„„fi,,r, neither my 
 hlory 'Wtll I not S^^ ^/fi'^ HoW could 
 Praife to graven Imaga • ^^^^._ 
 
 ,^,Sav^our both - his bt ^^^^^.^^^ 
 liation, and fer his .^^^ ^j^^ 
 
 ./^^,. H.«</ |/^^^^fi+; Tue to Goi alone 
 Honour of Adoration vindicate, if 
 
 which He was 10 zealou t ^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 it had not belong d to tl»^.^^^ ,hat 
 
 this . again is a ^^'^l^^^^,,^ of as a meer 
 C/j^yHs not to be accou j^^. 
 
 created Being, but as One, w _ 
 
 of the fame Effence, and o eq .^ J^^^ , 
 fty and Glory with ^ej^^^ ^^^' ^^^ ^,. 
 Him to be adoied. V/^-j^i that are 
 
 gels of Gcd, X yea, ^^l^^^f or in the 
 Lde, whether m the He ens .^ ^^^ 
 
 Earth, or under ^hef^J^' Honour, not 
 Sea, do adore Hjn^Vmeth on"^e Throne, 
 only to Him that fitteth on 
 
 vine Glory. Doftrine, 
 
 Nor does it lefs confirm ovu,^,,e 
 that xve are/^/'f ^^. '^^ °X'S,„, and of 
 of the F^^^^^ hut alfo ot the ' 
 l,.HolyGbofi. ^-^' ^J^m^^ni^ 
 mention is fometimg made V .^ 
 
 ♦ Compare Jfa. x.vin. 11. T ^._ ,3. 
 
1 68 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 in the Name of Jefus Chriji alone * ; St. 
 John gives us a fundamental -f- Reafon, 
 why we are baptized in the Name of the 
 Son and of the Holy Ghoft^ as well as of 
 the Father^ to wit, becaufe thefe Three, m 
 whom we are baptized, are 0?2e, From 
 the fame Foundation alfo, St. Paul com- 
 prifes thefe Three, who are One, together 5 
 concluding his 11^ Epiftle to the Corin- 
 thians in this manner : J The Grace of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, and the Love of Gody 
 and the Coniniunion of the Holy Ghoft, be 
 with you all. Amen, And elfewhere || he 
 makes mention of the Myftery of God^ 
 and explains it (;^ 7kl\S^ ^ '^ X^^'^) of ^he 
 Father and of Chriji ; to declai e thereby 
 the Unity of the Divine Eflence. 
 
 It is further obfervable, that as Chriji 
 did inftitute Baptfm, fo he alfo inftituted 
 the hloly Slipper : But is it the Work of a 
 Creature to inftitute Sacraments, and by 
 them to engage Men to himfelf, and as it 
 were bind them to his own Perfon ? Nay, 
 Chriji is not only He that did inftitute 
 Baptijm, but He alfo who baptizes with 
 the Holy Ghoft ** ^ or He who beftows 
 and pours out the Holy Ghojl, But can 
 this be afcribed to any other than the liv^ 
 ing God ? He it is alfo who not only can 
 work Faith, Iput alfo increafe and finilli it ; 
 
 which 
 
 * Jrh ii. 38. ch. X. ^?>. ch. xix. 5. t i Epift. v. 7. 
 + 2'CV.. xiii. 14. !i CjL ii. 2. ** llut. iii.. i i. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 169 
 
 which is at the fame Time neceffarily 
 joined with the Baptifm of the Holy 
 Ghoft, which is perform.ed by Him, and 
 is manifefted from clear TelHmonies of 
 Scripture *. Now Faith is not a human 
 Operation, but is the Gift of God -f- ; 
 which therefore if Chrijl gives, itrengchens, 
 encreafes, and confummates, He muft ne- 
 ceffarily be, not meerly a created Being, 
 but the true, effential, and living God, 
 He it is of whom it is written ; J Chi^ift 
 loved the Churchy and gave Hi^nfelf for ity 
 that He anight fandiify and cleanfe it with 
 the Waflding of Water ^ by the Word : that 
 He might prefenf it to Himfelf a glorious 
 Churchy 720t having Spot or Wrinkle^ or any 
 fuch T'hifig^ but that it pould be holy^ and 
 without Blemijh, And, It is his Blood 
 which can purge your Confcience from dead 
 Works ||. Of which St. Paul alfo fays, 
 I'hat ** God hath purchafed his Church 
 with his own Blood, When St. fohn^ in 
 the Beginning of his Gofpel, demonftrates 
 from Mofes^ that the firft Creation was 
 made by Chriji ; he likewife {hews, that 
 the Figure of the fecond Creation lay hid 
 in the firft -, and that this, no lefs than 
 that, was made in yefus, and by Jefus y 
 becaufe -f-f- it pleafed the Father^ that iit 
 
 Him 
 
 * Lu\eTL\\\. ^. Heh. xii. 2. \ Epb. ii. 8. 
 4: Eph. V. 25 — 27. (1 Heb. ix. 14. 
 
 ^* Jasxx. 28 If Coi. i. 19. 
 
I yo Chriji the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 Him Jkould all Fulnefs dwell. And as 
 Jolm fpeaks with great Emphafis concern- 
 ing the lirft Creation, that without Him 
 {y^ h) nothing at all was made-, fo Chrijt 
 with no lefs Emphafis, afferts concerning 
 our Renovation to the Image of God, 
 without * me ye can do nothing. If there- 
 fore we believe that the fecond Creation, 
 Regeneration, and the Refloration of all 
 Things, is a Teftimony of no lefs infinite 
 Virtue, and of the Omnipotence of Gody 
 than the firft Creation was, as certainly it 
 is : what if I fhould fay, that the infinite 
 Riches of the Glory of God, manifeft 
 themfelves ftill more in the fecond Crea- 
 tion, than in the firft ; and it appears 
 from clear Teftimonies of Scripture, that 
 both the firft and the fecond Creation are 
 affigned to Chriji^ and that He himfelf is 
 in both of them the Alpha and Omega ; 
 Is not this a firm and ftrong Teftimony 
 of the Divine Glory of our hord J ejus 
 Chriji ? 
 
 15. Chrift's beftowing Eternal Life^ is 
 another Proof of his Divine Glory. 
 
 'Tis no lefs a Teftimony of Chrift^s 
 Divinity, that it is He, who gives Eternal 
 Life to thofe who believe on Him : for 
 thus He fpeaks; -f- My Sheep hear my VoicCy 
 and 1 know theni^ and they follow 7ne. And 
 I give unto them Eternal Life^ and thev 
 
 JlmU 
 
 * John XV. 5. t John x. z']^ 28- 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 171 
 
 Jball never perijl\ neither Jhall any pluck 
 them out of my Hand, As it is He alfo, 
 who by his own Power not only railed 
 Himfelf from the dead, as He himlelf de- 
 clares, * Therefore doth my Father love me^ 
 becaufe I lay do^con rny Lfe^ that I might 
 take it again. No Man taketh it from me^ 
 hut I lay it doivn of my f elf I have Power 
 to lay it downy and I have Power to take 
 it again : but He alfo raifes thofe from 
 the Dead who believe in Him -, for which 
 there are moft clear Teftimonies of Sacred 
 Scripture -f*. And forafmuch as He per- 
 forms all thefe Things by his own Power, 
 as He wrought all his Miracles by his own 
 Power, He gave befides to them that be- 
 lieve on Him the Power alfo of working 
 Miracles, that in his Name they lliould da 
 the fame Things w^hich He did; as wc 
 have divers Examples hereof in the A£ls 
 of the Apoftles. Yea, he fays, J Verily ^ ve- 
 rily I fay wito yoUy He that believeth on 
 me, the Works that I do, Jhall he do alfo, 
 and greater Works than thefe Jhall be do, 
 becaufe I go unto my Father. And what- 
 foever ye jhall ask in my Name, (N.B.) that 
 will I doy that the Father may be glorified 
 in the Son, If y^ finU cisk a?iy Thing in 
 my Name (N. B.) / will do it. From all 
 thefe Teftimonies therefore, the Divine 
 
 Majefty 
 
 * John X. 17, 18. See alfo Rotn. i. 3,4. 
 
 t Johny. 21, 2%, 29. ch. vi. 40. t Jobnxiv. 12—14. 
 
172 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 Majefty and Glory of our Saviour, mani- 
 feftly Ihines forth ; fince the higheft Ope- 
 rations poflible, which wholly and plain- 
 ly depend on the infinite Omnipotence of 
 God, are fo afcribed to Him, that no 
 Work whatfocver can be called proper to 
 the Deity, if fuch Works as the Creation 
 of all Things, and their Renovation, and 
 whatfoever relates thereto, can notwith- 
 ftanding be boldly attributed to a Being 
 that was itfelf created. But Chrijl has 
 atchieved thofe mod high and divine 
 Works ; He ftill performs them, and will 
 continue to do them, as they are Works 
 of Grace, to thofe that believe in Him ; 
 and as they are Works of Juftice, to thofe 
 who do not believe. All which Things 
 therefore when worthily confider'd, any 
 one will be able to perceive what a ftrong 
 and invincible Argument of the Godhead 
 of Chrijl may be found herein, that the 
 whole Sacred Scripture has this for its 
 End, that all Men may be brought to be- 
 lieve in Chri/h But let that Man who de- 
 nies the Eternal Divinity of Chrijl "J ejus, 
 conlider what Faith the Scripture requires, 
 as it hath been largely propounded, and 
 he will find how impoffible it is to recon- 
 cile this Faith with his Hypothefes and 
 pre-conceiv'd Opinions. But he who ne- 
 verthelefs contradifts fuch clear, certain, 
 and irrefragable Argime?its, and bufies 
 
 himfelf 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 173 
 
 himfelf in wrefling the clear Word of 
 God to his own Mind, and interprets it 
 according to his own corrupt Reafon, let 
 fuch a one go and learn what that means ; 
 No one can fay that "J ejus is the Lord (Je- 
 hovah, Kveiov^ by ivhom are all l^hings, and 
 we by Him) * but by the Holy Ghojt -f*. 
 
 SECT. LIV. 
 
 What farther ufe may be 7nade of 
 the Six preceeding Arguments. 
 
 THE Six Arguments, which we have 
 hitherto deduced, demonftrate the true and 
 effential Divinity of our Lord J ejus Chrijt^ 
 after fo iimple, unafFedted, and clear a 
 manner, that any one, whether he be 
 learned or unlearned, may be fatisfied with 
 them : efpecially fmce they do as it were 
 point out the Way how other Arguments 
 alfo, to prove the fame Thing, may be 
 produced out of the whole Scriptures of 
 the Old and New Teftament, and how 
 the Prophets and Apojiles do unanimoufly 
 tellify concerning this Matter. There 
 might alfo eafily have been brought, from 
 the Beginning of St. John% Gofpel, divers 
 other Arguments, no lefs clear and con- 
 vincing than thefe ; which, however, we 
 omit at prefent, it not being our Purpofe 
 
 here 
 
 * I Cor. viii. 6. \ i Qor. xii. 3. 
 
174 Chrtjl the Sum and Subfiance 
 
 here to treat of them all. Yet we cannot 
 but fubjoin fome Admonitions to what we 
 have been fpeaking of, that the Mind of 
 the Reader may be fome way fortified 
 againft the violent Attacks of Falihood ; 
 and that he may be moft faithfully advif- 
 ed, left he a6l precipitately, in a Concern 
 of fo holy and high a Nature. It is com- 
 monly the Property of corrupt Reafon, 
 while not reftrain'd within due Bounds by 
 a fuperior Light and ftronger Force, to 
 fearch up and down how it may form 
 fome little Exception, and find out fome 
 Shift whereby it defends itfelf, fo long as 
 that Evafion is not removed : And altho' 
 it can't in any wife confute the (contrary) 
 Argiinmits in general , or in particular, ne- 
 Terthelefs it refufes to believe the Truth 
 fliining fo brightly before it, becaufe it 
 thinks it can yet eafily pick out fomething 
 here and there, which it (hall be able fpe- 
 cioufly to contradidl. If any one there- 
 fore jliall enter into the fame way of Rea- 
 foning, with refpett to the Arguments 
 above alledged, as for the fake of fome 
 fecondary Matters, which may occur in 
 them, and feem as yet doubtful to him, 
 to entertain a Scruple in his Mind againft 
 the principal Point itfelf; we would from 
 hence admonifli him to obferve, that the 
 Argii7ncnts in themfelves, (efpecially con- 
 fider'd as they arife and flow one from 
 
 another) 
 
vfall the Holy Scriptures. 175 
 
 another) are fo ftrong and convincing, 
 that they very far outweigh all fuch fud- 
 den Scruples. Hence it follows, that fuch 
 like Scruples ought not to have more 
 weight in the Mind, than the convincing 
 Force of thofc Arguments, But God is 
 rather to be intreated to free the Mind 
 from thofe Scruples, and to render, at leaft, 
 the Conviftion already admitted more 
 firm, more penetrating and lively. Nor 
 verily would there be wanting an Oppor- 
 tunity and Helps, whereby a Man might 
 get out of his Scruples, if he ferioufly la- 
 boured after the fingle and certain Know- 
 ledge of the Truth. And here the wretch- 
 ed and perverfe Cuftom of many Perfons 
 is to be lamented, who enter upon thefe 
 controverted Points, (as they are called) 
 without Prayer and humble Invocation 
 of the great God-, and as it were out of 
 his Prefence and Regard, - who Jearches the 
 Reins and the Hearty i. e. without a holy 
 Fear and Veneration of fo great and in- 
 finite a Majejiy : What Wonder therefore 
 is it, if a Man left to himfelf, and rufliing 
 into thefe Controverfies without a pious 
 Difpofition of Mind, fhould, by the juft 
 Judgment of God, not be favingly con- 
 vinced by the Light of Truth, nor be en- 
 lightned from above, but rather more 
 and more blind and deceive himfelf, and 
 oppofe the Truths then fcofF at it, and at 
 
 laft 
 
176 Chrtjl the Sum and Subjla nee 
 
 laft malicioufly flander and revile it ? Nor 
 is there wont to follow any other than 
 this fad Effect, when the Reins are let 
 loofe to Rcafon to judge of Z)/i;/;z6' Things; 
 fince all thofe Things, which are of the 
 Spirit of God^ appear Fooliflinefs to the 
 natural Man ; fo that he cannot perceive 
 nor know them : which St. Paul interprets 
 of him who has received the Spiy^it of the 
 World only, and not the Spirit of God ^. 
 Did the Scribes and Pharifees perceive and 
 know the Things which Chrift fpake to 
 them, tho' they were truly JDivi?2e, and 
 mod effedtual for Convidion ? Did not 
 they always contradift and revile Him ? 
 And altho' being put to Silence, they had 
 not fo much as a Word to anfwer, was 
 there any Difpofition left in them to re- 
 ceive the Truth ? Does not Cbrift fay ; 
 Jj any Man will do the Will of God, he 
 J hall know of the DoSirine, whether it he of 
 God, or whether I [peak of my felf -f- : 
 And David fays, Irith thee is the Foun- 
 tain of hife : in thy Light we f mil fee 
 Light J. Therefore we mofi: earneftly 
 admonifli every one, who reads thefe Ar~ 
 gujnents concerning the Divine Glory of 
 our Lord Jefiis Chrift, deduced from the 
 hrll Chapter of St. folm's Gofpcl, and llill 
 doubts of their Divine Truth, before all 
 Things, to give himfelf up wholly to 
 
 God 
 
 '^ I Cor. ii. 14. t Johnwii.ij. ^ P/a/m xxxxi. ^. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 177 
 
 God in conftant and fervent Prayer^ by 
 which Means he may be allured of the 
 Divine Grace and Illumination^ in his fur- 
 ther Confideration of thofe Arguments, 
 And let him take good heed, that with a 
 fincerc and honeft Mind, he delire nothing 
 elfe, but to believe the JVord of God, and 
 to obev it ; for fo God will not refufe on 
 his Part, to communicate the fure Light 
 of K72owledge to his Mind. Every one 
 may be fully perfwaded, that tbefe 'I'bings 
 were not meditated and confign'd to Writ- 
 mg, without many, and thofe lerious 
 Prayers to God; not without Fear and 
 Veneration of His Majejly, nor without a 
 fincere Love of Divijie Truth. Wherefore 
 alio I have ofter'd and concluded nothing 
 on this Subject, but what my Mind was 
 iirft moft fully convinced of. Therefore 
 I do all I can to perfwade my Reader to 
 poflefs his Mind with a fmcere Love of 
 Truth J and by humble Prayers to feek 
 the Light of the Knowledge of Llimfelf 
 from the God of Truth : whicii if he 
 faithfully performs, the moft holy and 
 moft bleiTed Truth concerning the Divine 
 and Infinite Glory of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrijl^ will moft certainly carry the Vic- 
 tory. But the Reader ought noi: only 
 ftncerely to hold on in the Love of God^ 
 and Prayer in his Perufal of thefe Argu- 
 ments, but he muft alio be admonifh'd in 
 N general. 
 
i 7 8 Chrifl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 general, to avoid all wrangling and petu- 
 lant Difputation, and AfFeftation of need- 
 lels Scruples, in this whole Matter. The 
 Seraphims beholding the Glory of the 
 Lordy cover their Faces ; and IJaiah hav- 
 ing beheld it, faid, ^ JVoe is me^ for I am 
 undone^ becaufe I am a Man of unclean 
 LipSy and I dwell in the midft of a People 
 of unclean hips : for mi?2e Eyes have J'een 
 the Kiiig, the Lord of Hojis. That the 
 Divine Glory of Jefus Chrift is here de- 
 fcribed, and that Ifaiah then fav^ the Glo- 
 ry of Chrifl^ and that he fpake of Him 
 as his proper Subjedt, St. John^ as we obr 
 ferved before, declares in exprefs-f- Words: 
 From whence alfo a firm and invincible 
 Argument is brought for the true and 
 effential Godhead of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 But ought not this fo far to admonifh us, 
 as to make us very cautious how we ven- 
 ture to fpeak of fuch ful? lime Myjteries^ 
 until our Lips are fanSlified by a Coal firft. 
 prefented to our Mouths from the Altar 
 of Gods and then we fnould not do it 
 without Fear and Trembling ? From this 
 fame Foundation, let every Man alfo be 
 cautious left he utter any Thing concern- 
 ing fo great a Myftery, and defend that 
 againft others, which he has not conceiv'd 
 in his own Mind, after the fulleil Inquiry 
 of his Confcience, as a Truth long medi- 
 tated 
 
 * I/a. vi. 2: 5. I Chap. xii. 41. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 179 
 
 tared upon, and as it were {it\Qn times i»e- 
 fined. How dangerous a thing is it to 
 wander from the Truth in fo facred a 
 Matter \ to diflemble one's Error, and if 
 it can be propounded as probable under 
 fome fair Colour, to difperfe it abroad, 
 and upon every Occafion to ftand up and 
 maintain it ? We have certainly to do 
 with One, whofe Perfon and Glory is in- 
 terefted in this whole Affair ; who we 
 can't deny is to be the Judge both of the 
 Living and of the Dead, Is not then an 
 Account to be given for every idle Word ^? 
 How much more ftiall we be judg'd and 
 condemned for all our hard Speeches which 
 we have fpoken againji Him \ ? Should 
 not every one from hence be fufficiently 
 warned, to avoid all Wrangling and wan- 
 ton Contentions, in a Caufe of fo high a 
 Nature, which relates to the Perfon and 
 Honour of our future fudge, from whom 
 there is no efcaping ? Nay, the true 
 Lovers of God mull alfo be admonifli'd, 
 when happening to be deceived, either by 
 their own defukory Reafon, or by others 
 who are vers'd in Error, they have fallen 
 into fome Doubting concerning this Thing, 
 that they do not talk imprudently to others 
 about it ; much lefs endeavour to inftil 
 into them the Notions to which (at pre- 
 fent) they thus doubtingly incline. For 
 N 2 God 
 
 * Matt. xii. 36. t Judf 15. 
 
1 8o Chriji the Sum and Suh fiance 
 
 God will bring fuch Men out of their Er* 
 rors and Doubts into the Way of ^ruth^ 
 (fo great is his Mercy) if they fliall with 
 ferious Fraye^s importunately requeft the 
 Spirit of iruth from Him. But then all 
 fuch Difcourfes which they have ufed in 
 the Hearing of others, will bring upon 
 their Confciences the deepeft Anxiety and 
 Remorfe j and they would moft willingly 
 part with all they are worth, if thatwould 
 avail, to remove the Scruples they had oc- 
 cafioned in the Mind of any one : But 
 they will find to their Grief, that they 
 cannot fo eafily cure the Wounds they 
 have given to others, tho' they acknow- 
 ledge the Error they admitted of, and do 
 themfelves confute the Error which they 
 acknowledge. For it is eafier by wicked 
 Difcourfes to corrupt a Man, and to fub- 
 vert his Faith in Chriji^ than it is to re- 
 form and reftore him to a found Faith, 
 A Word once fpoken advances far, and 
 like the Plague runs from one to another, 
 eats like a Gangrene, and vehemently hurts, 
 before he who was the Caufe and Author 
 of it returns to a more found Judgment, 
 and with true Sobriety of Mind refledls ou 
 the Scandal he has given. A Word flies 
 about never to be recalled, nor does it pe- 
 rifli in the Air with its Sound, but flies 
 away like a Bird ; nor can it be withheld 
 or hiader'd, but will, whether you will 
 
 or 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 1 8 1 
 
 or no, be catch'd up, and again bh^bb'd 
 out by others. Wherefore let every Man 
 take good heed, learn to fet a Watch over 
 his Mouth, and be, according to the Ad- 
 vice of St. Jatnes^ ^ J^^'ifi ^^ hear^ and 
 Jlow to /peak, 
 
 SECT. LV, 
 
 What ought to be conftderd of by 
 Perfons who are manifejlly given 
 up to contrary Opinions^ and are 
 become Champions for them. 
 
 LASTLY, In the Name of our Lord 
 Jefus Chriji^ the righteous Judge of the 
 Quick and Dead, I addrefs my felf to all 
 thofe who frankly and irreverently impugn 
 the true and effential Godhead of j^fus 
 Chrijl^ afteding never thelefs to be called 
 ChriJ}ia?2s \ who account the Writings, as 
 well of the New Teftament as of the Old, 
 to be the Rule of Faith. J ejus faid to 
 Faiil before his Converfon ; -f* It is hard 
 for thee to kick againft the Pricks ; tho' 
 he did it ignorantly. 'Twill be no lefs, 
 but much harder for you, whether you 
 believe it or no, to kick againfi the F ricks -y 
 becaufe tho' you allow the Scriptures of 
 the New Teftament, you never thelefs fo 
 boldly and arrogantly contradift the T^ruth 
 N 3 clearly 
 
 * James \. 19. f ASts'ix.. 15. 
 
1 8 2 Chrijl the Sum and Stibjiance 
 
 clearly fliining before your Eyes, and 
 exprefs Teftimonies propofed in fuch 
 firnple and plain Words, that even a 
 Child may read and underftand them. 
 O ! that your corrupt, over-curious and 
 flitting Reajon, the Parent of your Errors, 
 were to you a Looking-glafs of the mife- 
 rable and deplorable Condition in which 
 you are ? O ! how muft you fweat and 
 toil in feeking for Evafions, to elude the 
 firm and ftrong Teftimonies for the Divi- 
 721 ty of J ejus Chriji ? Your perverfe Rea- 
 fon had never confented to fuch Words as 
 the Apojiles us*d, in defcribing the Perfon 
 of Jejiis Chriji-^ and in declaring his Glo- 
 ry, Nay, if you (hall examine your own 
 Hearts, you will eafily difcover, that in 
 favour of the Idea which you have fram- 
 ed of Chriji^ you cou'd earneftly wifli, 
 that many Things had not been contained 
 in our Bibles^ that are found there ; be- 
 caufe you can't without a deal of 
 Pains wreft them to your own Opinion, 
 To what purpofe therefore do you thus 
 go on ? Can't you perceive that you are 
 feduced by the Serpent's Cunning, from 
 the clear and divine Simplicity with which 
 you ought to receive the Word of the 
 Moft High ? What a Mifery is it, that 
 with all the fubtil Contrivances and In- 
 ventions of your Reafon, you can never 
 arrive at any fettled firmnefs of Mind ? 
 
 You 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, 183 
 
 You often fay indeed, that you inquire af- 
 ter the Truth -, but for all that, you will 
 never be able to find it, as long as you 
 deny Him who is Ti^uth itfelf. This is 
 what is declar'd in Ecclefiafies -, * / J'aidy 
 I will be wife, but it was far from me. 
 But with all your Reafonings about thefe 
 Matters, can you iiideed find Refl to your 
 Souls ? Whether you are the Followers 
 of Socinus, or, confulting better for your 
 felves, think fit to efpoufe the Errors of 
 Ariiis, obferving the Teflimonles oi Holy 
 Scripture fuffer'd too great Violence by 
 the Hypothefes of Socinus \ or whether 
 refraining your felves from all human 
 Names, you defire to be diftinguifli'd from 
 others, as Unitarians; or whether, to out- 
 ward Appearance, you are join'd to any 
 other Congregation, which yet privily or 
 openly denies the Divine Glory of yefus 
 Chrifi ; pray examine your felves, whether 
 in all the Arguings of your wandring Rea- 
 fon, the Peace of God, which furmounts 
 all Conception, can poflibly exift ? O ! 
 how it were to be wifli'd, you would learn 
 to know that Reafon has no Limits to her 
 Excurfions, when unreftrain'd by a higher 
 Power : On which Subjed St. Paul thus 
 fpeaks ; -f- And my speech and my Preach- 
 ing was not with entici?ig Words of Man's 
 Wifdo7n, but in demonjiration of the Spirit 
 
 N 4 and 
 
 * Ecclef. vii. 23. f 1 Cor. ii. 4. 
 
184 Chrtfi the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 and of Power. And Chriji himfelf thus ; 
 * Mtu^miir not among your fehes, (hecauje 
 J faid, I came down fr07n Heaven :) No 
 Man can conie to me^ except the Father 
 which hath fent me^ draw bun 5 and I will 
 raije kim up at the laji Day, It is writ' 
 ten in the Prophets^ And they pall be all 
 taught of God, Every Man therefore that 
 hath heard^ and hath learned of the Father^ 
 cometh unto me. The Senfe of which 
 Words none of you can comprehend, who 
 conflitute your dark and blind Reafon the 
 proper Judge in Things Spiritual, and re- 
 fufe to kibmit your felves to God, for the 
 Knowledge of the Light in his Light. I 
 know very well what They anfwer to this: 
 That it's not the way to know the T^riith 
 for a Man to fupprefs his Scruples, and 
 preieatly to rcjed: every Thing which may 
 feem to oppofe this or that Propofition : 
 that this is rather the way to eftablifh Ig- 
 norance and palpable Errors in the World. 
 But to this I anfwxr, firft, That it can't 
 be denied, that all Doubting concerning 
 Divine Truth, arifes not at all from the 
 Image of God, (wherein Man was at firft 
 made) but from the Revolt of Adayn ; 
 and fmce fuch Doubting is not of God, 
 it can be nothing but Sin and Iniquity in 
 his Sight. 'Tis dreadful to fay, but the 
 Truih is, Men have fo far departed from 
 
 their 
 
 * J^hn vi, 43-^45. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures > 185 
 
 their Creator^ as to call in queftion his very 
 , Exiftence : 'tis alio dreadiul to think they 
 lliould doubt of His Glory\ who, through 
 his immenle Love to Mankind, lb depref- 
 fed and humbled Himlelf, as to become a 
 Partaker of Flelh and Blood. But how 
 dreadful is it, that after the Son of God 
 was made Man, Beajon^ infedied with the 
 Seed of the Serpent, ihould dare to make 
 a Doubt of his Glory ; which He had emp- 
 tied himlelf of, out of his ineffable Love 
 and Humility ! Wherefore he is fhame- 
 fuUy deceived, who fancies it lawful for 
 him to doubt of any Thing, without Sin 
 and without Punifliment. Secondly, If 
 any one therefore has various Doubts in 
 his Mind, he ought firft of all, for that 
 very Reafon, to acknowledge the deep De- 
 pravity and the greatnefs of the Mifery 
 he labours under j and to let the Confide- 
 ration thereof fmk deep into his Mind. 
 Thirdly, He then muft pray to God to deli- 
 ver him from this Mifery, and, out of the 
 Abundance of his Grace and Mercy, caufe 
 his Heart to be ejiablified , for the Apoftle 
 fays, // is a good Thiiig that the Heart be 
 ejtahlijhed with Grace, Heb. xiii. 9. For 
 'tis the Beginning oi true Wifdom, to know 
 that we cannot be deliver'd from our Mi- 
 fery, unlels God is pleafed to deliver us. 
 Add to this, fourthly, That a Man muft 
 not only be defu'ous oi knoiviiig the Truths 
 
 but 
 
1 86 Chrifi the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 but of performing it, or endeavouring fo 
 to imploy it, that God may thereby be 
 honoured and glorified according to his 
 Will. If this Love of the l^riith be real- 
 ly engrafted in the Mind, then, fifthly. 
 The Scriptures of the Old and New Tef- 
 tament may be as it w^ere a Touchftone, 
 by which any Scruple that arifes in the 
 Mind may be tried and examined, whether 
 it agrees with that written Word, or not. 
 But if a Man's Mind be fo difpos'd, as to 
 defire to know nothing but the pure ^riith 
 of God^ and to be therein fruitful to the 
 Lordy and fo applies himfelf to the Scrip-- 
 ture, not as a Mailer, but comes to the 
 reading and fearching of it, as a young 
 Beginner and Difciple, that he may be 
 taught thro' the Word by the Prophetical 
 and Apojlolical Spirit ; then indeed he 
 takes the right way to be deliver'd from 
 his Scruples *. For thus, Scruples are not 
 limply fupprefs'd, or ejed;ed out of the 
 Mind, nor is the Man detained in Error,, 
 or turn'd as it were into an Animal void 
 of Reafon -, but the Truth is fought after 
 in a due and juft Order^ approved of God. 
 Thus meditating on the Words of Holy 
 Scripture^ comparing one Scripture with 
 another, drawing Conclufiofis from thence, 
 and weighing carefully the Force of Ar- 
 gumentSy ought not to be efteem'd an 
 
 Abufe 
 
 * Vid, the Orig. Germ /in. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 187 
 
 Abufe of ReaJo72, but rather thofe are the 
 very Things which God himfelf requires 
 to be done by us. And God cannot but 
 command his Light to arife upon fuch a 
 Man, thus anxioully folicitous about his 
 miferable State, and humbly feeking after 
 'Tnitb in the Fear of God, with ardent 
 Prayers to Him; St. Peter affirming, 11^ 
 Epift. chap. i. 16 — 19. We have ?iot fol- 
 lowed cunningly devifed Fables^ when we 
 made known unto you the Power and Com- 
 ing of our Lord fefus Chrifl^ but were 
 Eye-wit7jejfes of his Majejiy, For He re- 
 ceived from God the Father y Honour and 
 Glory ^ when there came fuch a Voice to 
 Him from the excellent Glory ^ T'his is my 
 beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed. 
 And this Voice which came from Heaven 
 we heard, when we were with Him in the 
 holy Mount. We have alfo a more fur e 
 Word of Prophecy, whereunto ye do well 
 that ye take heed, as unto a Light that 
 jhiiieth in a dark Place, until the Day 
 dawn, and the Day-Jlar arife in your 
 Hearts, And fo the Ufe of Reafon is not 
 rejedted, but 'tis required only, that it be 
 made ufe of in a proper and holy Order ; 
 and that we pray with David, Open thou 
 mine Ryes, that I may behold wondrous 
 'Thifigs out of thy Law^. But how hor- 
 ribly, and how dangeroufly corrupt Rea- 
 fon 
 
 * Vfalm cxix. i8. 
 
1 8 8 Chrifi the Sum and Suhflance 
 
 Jon is wont to entangle itfelf, nay, how apt 
 it is to pervert the Senfe of the cleareft 
 Truth, and then to vent all this its De- 
 pravity for undoubted Truth, a Man then 
 at laft rightly perceives, when being illu- 
 minated by the Light of God^ he begins 
 to be fenfible of his former Errors. Hence 
 the Son of Sirach fays, * (as the German 
 Tranflation hath it, to which the Englijh 
 agrees) / Jlretclo d forth my Hands to 
 the Heaven above^ and my Soul was en- 
 light ned^ that I might know my FooUpo- 
 nefs. When the uneven and abrupt By- 
 paths of Reafon are by this means cleared 
 up by a more fublime Light, a Man muft 
 needs wonder and ftand amazed at his own 
 Blindnefs, that he fhould but devife even 
 any fpecious Contradiction againft the 
 Truth, delivered in the plaineft Terms, 
 and give more credit to his own Inter- 
 pretation, than to the fimple, pure, and 
 clear Word of God, Then at length he 
 begins to perceive the Judgment which 
 is exercis'd from above, on thofe who 
 do not feek the Truth ferioully in the 
 Fear of God ; viz, that profejjing them- 
 felves to be wife, they became Fools -f* : 
 and that God will dejtroy the Wifdom of 
 the Wife, and will bring to nothing the 
 TJnderjianding of the Frudent i. And if 
 this hapned to the Heathen, who never 
 
 heard 
 
 * Chap.li. 19. f Rom. \, 22. t i Cw. i. 19. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 189 
 
 heard any Thing of the Light of the Holy 
 Spirit^ becaule they were contented with, 
 or rather abufed the Light of Reafon, 
 thro' their Ignorance ; pray what will be- 
 come of them, who have heard again and 
 again the Divi?ie Teftimonies concerning 
 the Blindnefs of Man's Heart ; to whom 
 God has yet promifed he will not deny 
 his Holy Spirity for the right Underftand- 
 mg of his Wordy if they feek it of Him in 
 a due manner -, who neverthelefs not only 
 make their own ReaJo7t the Judge and In- 
 terpreter of God's> Wordy but are not afraid 
 even to feoff at whatever is fpoke con- 
 cerning the Illumination of the Holy Spi- 
 rity without which they cannot fay that 
 Jefus is the Lordy (i Cor. xii. 3.) nor be- 
 lieve in Him, nor come unto Him. They 
 pleafe themfelves in this, that they know 
 how to ufe their Reajb?z fo rarely well, 
 fancying they have Light enough for at- 
 taining the Knowledge of Divine I'ruth. 
 But indeed herein alfo they are extremely 
 miftaken, being as far from following the 
 right Ufe of Reafony as Heaven is from 
 the Earth -, tho' nothing may feem more 
 abfurd to them, than fuch an Imputation. 
 But 'tis eafy to make an Experiment of 
 this, by requiring any Perfon, who denies 
 the Divine Glory of our Lord J ejus Chrijly 
 to interpret the Beginning of St. Jolm\ 
 Gofpel) from the firft Verfe to the End 
 
 of 
 
I go Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 of the eighteenth ; and to mahitain from 
 thence his pre-conceiv'd Notions concern- 
 ing the Perfon of Chriji, There is no 
 need of interrupting him in his Comments, 
 for you will find he has Work enough 
 upon his Hands to affign any other Senfe 
 to the Words and Phrafes of St. Joh?7y 
 than what their natural Signification ad- 
 mits of, and to perfwade any one that the 
 Word of Gody which was made Flejh, was 
 a meer Man, or certainly a created Being; 
 and I am perfwaded that they who hear 
 him, and fee with their Eyes how greatly 
 he laboured to wreft the Words to his own 
 Senfe, will be very much confirmed in the 
 true Faith, from the fimple and plain 
 Teftimony of St. John, concerning the 
 Divine Glory of Chriji. For they will 
 underftand, that He, of all others, fights 
 moft abfurdly againft the T'ruth, who 
 would be thought fo to ufe his Reafon, as 
 not much to regard a higher Light. 
 
 SECT. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 191 
 
 SECT. LVL 
 
 What ought to be thought of fuch^ 
 who de7ty the Godhead of Chrift, 
 and yet mightily pretend to good 
 Moral DoEirine and Integrity of 
 Life. 
 
 BUT 'tis a Thing the more to be la- 
 mented, that they who deny the Divine 
 Glory of Him, who is the Wa)\ the Triithy 
 and the Life^ and without whom no Man 
 can come to the Father, iTiould endeavour 
 to perfwade themfelves, and others, that 
 they are endued with a fingular Knowledge 
 of Morality, As indeed there are not a 
 few fo ftrangely blinded, that tho' they 
 hear of fome Sedl, who deny the Godhead 
 of Chrijl, and do not admit of his Satif- 
 fadiion for the Sins of the World, but look 
 upon Chriji only as an Example of a Holy 
 Life, do neverthelefs fall upon the moral 
 Writings of fuch Men, with a curious 
 kind of Greedinefs, imagining they fliall 
 find fomething in them fingular and ex- 
 traordinary. And this is no^ to be much 
 wonder'd at ; for even in the Writings of 
 the Pagans, blind Reafon finds fomething 
 of this kind to give itfelf Satisfaftion. 
 Hov/ great a Value has formerly been fet 
 
 upon 
 
192 Chrijl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 upon Tully\ Offices^ out of which notv/ith- 
 {landing they who have but tailed a Httie 
 of the T'riith^ which is in Chrift Jefus, 
 can by no means quench their Thirft- 
 but on the contrary, they will be quickly 
 fenfible what a falle, impure Foundation, 
 and contrary to the Truth of Chrift, 
 Ivor Idly Wijdom is made to rely on in that 
 Book. Have not fome advifed the join- 
 ing a Treatife of Seneca with the reading 
 of the Bible ? How mightily have they 
 thought their Minds would be compos'd, 
 if they did but read Seneca^ Book of the 
 tranquillity of the Mind ? When yet this 
 poor Heathen, from his infufficient Prin- 
 ciples, could promife no other Peace^ but 
 that which the World gives ; and was as 
 remote from the Peace of God, which 
 paffeth all Underftanding, as Heaven is 
 ciiftant from the Earth. But if mere Hea- 
 then moral Do6lrine is in fo great Efteem, 
 which yet has not fo much as the Name 
 of that Virtue which ought to be the 
 Foundation of all other Virtues, 'viz. true 
 Humility \ much more eafily fure may a 
 Deceit creep in under the flielter of Chri[l\ 
 Name, that that fliould be believed to be 
 true Morality, which is exhibited not as 
 a Heathen, but a Chriftian Inftitution of 
 Morals. But as the Heathen Moralifts 
 were fo deftitute of the true Foundation, 
 that they knew not even its firft Virtue, 
 
 'VIZ, 
 
 % 
 
vfall the Holy Scriptures. 193 
 
 'VIZ, Humility ; and therefore all their mo- 
 ral Do6lrine was nothing but Paint and 
 Colour : So thofe Moralifts among our 
 felves, who do not acknowledge the Glory 
 of Chriji^ have wandred very far from the 
 Dodlrine of true Morality, For they do 
 not confefs Him, who is the Life and the 
 Light of Men ; from whom, as the Source 
 of Life and Light, a new Life, and a new 
 Light, muft be given unto Men : where- 
 fore Faith is to be look'd on as the Foun- 
 dation of all Chrijlian Morality ; not that 
 Faith by which a Man externally profelTes 
 the Name of Chrift and his Dodtrine, but 
 that Faith by which Men are born anew^ 
 and of God 5 by which they receive the 
 Holy Spiri* who is the Spirit of Adop- 
 tion, the Pledge of Eternal Life, and who 
 pafs from a fpiritual Death, into a new 
 and fpiritual Life, out of Darknefs into 
 the admirable Light of God, after fuch a 
 manner, as with open Face to behold, as 
 in a Glafs, the Glory of the Lord, and to 
 be changed into the fame Image from 
 Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of 
 the Lord *. 
 
 ^•^^ 
 O SECT, 
 
 * 
 
 C."/-. iii. 18. 
 
1 94 Chriji the Suin and Subjiance 
 
 SECT. LVIL 
 
 That all Morality, dejiitute of the 
 Foundation of a living Faith, is 
 unprof table and infufficient. What 
 Advice is to be given to thofe^ nsoho 
 depart from this Foundation of 
 true Morality. 
 
 WHEN this divine Foundation is not 
 laid in the Soul of Man, all Morality with 
 which any one exercifes himfelf, is only 
 external, tho' it pretend to penetrate into 
 the interior Things of the Soul, that fo 
 you would be ready to take it even for 
 Myjlical I'heology, For m inch Morality 
 as this, there is no truly Divine Virtue 
 exifting, no real new Life, no true Commu- 
 nion of the Soul with God -, in fhort, there 
 is not found in this Morality the King- 
 dom of God, which is Righteoiifnefs, and 
 Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghojt, For he 
 that in theje Things ferveth Cbriji, faith 
 St. Paul, is acceptable to God, and approve 
 ed of Men ^. All other moral Doctrine, 
 compared with the Doctrine of St. Paidy 
 is of no value, as having laid this Foun* 
 dation, that it is not He that liveth, but 
 Chriji liveth in Him ; and the Life which 
 
 He 
 
 * Rcr^. xiv. 17, 18 
 
of ^U the Hgly Scriptures^ 195 
 
 He now Hv^th in the FleJ]:^ He lives by the 
 Faith of the Son of Gociy who loved Him^ 
 and gave himfelf for Him "*. / do ^lot 
 frujirate the Grace of God \ for if Righ- 
 teoufnefs comes by the Law^ then Chrijt is 
 dead in vain. And thus we may fay ; if 
 there be a true and fufficient Morality^ 
 that aliigns not Cbriji as the eternal Life 
 and eternal Lights for its Foundation, and 
 by which a Man is not before all Things 
 fent to believe in the Lord Jefus, as the 
 Origin of all Life and Light, and the Lord 
 of Glory, and to embrace Him as his on- 
 ly Wifdom, Righteoufnefs, Sandiiication, 
 and Redemption -, Chrijl is in effed: no 
 Chriji^ and died without Caufe or Occa- 
 fion. For what Occalion had there been 
 for his Death, if Mankind could, by the 
 Strength of their own Reafon, become 
 Righteous and Holy, and Partakers oi eter- 
 nal Life ? If any one alfo fliall boaft of an 
 external Probity of Life, that Boafting is 
 of value only among thofe, who never ex- 
 perienced in themfelves the Foundation of 
 the new Birth, and the Life which is frorn 
 God. For fuch Perfons think it fufficient 
 if they find a Man not addifted to outward 
 Vices, becaufe they have never known the 
 Efficacy of Faith and Regeneration. But 
 all thole that do know it, are fenfible what 
 ^ vaft Difference tliere is beiweeri thufe 
 O 2 who 
 
 * Gal. il ?,Of 21. 
 
196 Chriji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 who may be faid to live pioufly, when 
 compared with notorioully wicked Per- 
 fons, and between thofe who are pious 
 after fuch a manner, as by true Repen- 
 tance to be quickned together with Chriji^ 
 raifed up (with Him) and placed in the 
 Heavens : (Epb. ii. 6. PhiL iii. 20.^ We 
 do not here fay, that in fuch Morality^ 
 which has no true Foundation, there is 
 nothing true to be found ; but this we fay, 
 that thofe T^rutks, (to wit, fuch as by their 
 opecioufnefs deceive the Mind) are broken 
 from their Original, and are no longer 
 join'd with their firft and clear Fountain. 
 Nay, we fay farther, that a true Founda- 
 tion is here very greatly wanting, and that 
 this Morality is deftitute of all folid 
 Ground : For the Words of St. Paul mofl 
 effedually demonftrate, that true Morality 
 cannot confift without the Knowledge of 
 the Glory of ChriJI , * Without Controverfy^ 
 great is the Myjlery of Godlinefs^ God was 
 manifejled in the Flejh, Altho' therefore 
 in Heathen Books, and in others that are 
 Strangers to this only Foundation, there 
 are to be found fome external Truths, yet 
 many Things impure and corrupt are in- 
 termixt with them -, and whoever relies 
 only on thofe moral Principles, is never 
 brought by them to the true Foundation, 
 but Hops at thofe Puddles and broken 
 
 Cifterns, 
 
 * I Tim. iii. i6, 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 197 
 
 Cifterns, from whence the Soul receives 
 not the Efficacy and Virtue of the Divine 
 Life^ but builds upon another's, and upon 
 his ov^n fandy Bottom and Foundation ; 
 fo that he may be liken'd to the foolijh 
 Man * defcribed by Chrift. Now what 
 Advice is to be given to thofe who thus 
 go aftray from Chrifl in their Minds ? No 
 other indeed but this: Believe that the 
 Lordjefus is CHRIST', and that He 
 is the Son of God, (even fo as the ancient 
 Jews well underitood, that no meer Man, 
 or any other created Being, could be ftrid:- 
 ly honour'd with that Title) and that be- 
 lievifig this, ye ihall have Life, not only 
 after a natural Death, but even in this 
 World a true Life, which is from God, a 
 Life truly 7J2oraL O that Eternal Love 
 would open your Hearts, that you mignt 
 attend to this plain Counfel, and that you 
 would not defpife it, and think your felves 
 wifer ! O that you would know the Gift 
 of God, and (N. B.) who it is, to whom 
 you are remitted, you would afk of Him, 
 and He would give you livijig Water, 
 which Jl:ould be in you a Well of Water 
 fpringing up ifito everlajling -f Life I 
 
 • 
 
 O 3 SECT. 
 
 * AUn. vii. 26, 27. t 7'^^-^^^ ^^'- ^°' ^-t- 
 
IgS Chrifl the Smn and ^ubfiixnce 
 
 SECT. LVIII. 
 
 tVbat Prayers and Praifes Jhould 
 from thefe Conjiderations be excit- 
 ed in our Mi?tds. 
 
 " T O Thee, O God, and Father of 
 '' our Lord Jefus Chrift, be Praile and 
 '* Glory, for the Knowledge of thy Son, 
 " together with which thou beftoweft 
 *^ Life and Abundance to all who truly 
 *' receive Him 5 we lament before Thee, 
 '' with the titmoft Grief of Mind, that 
 '' this Knowledge is fo greatly darkened 
 '*^ by the wicked Lives of thofe, Who with 
 ^^ their Mouth indeed profefs to acknow- 
 " ledge the Glbry of thy Son, but in 
 ^' Work deny it. For they fay indeed 
 ^ unto Chrijl, My Lord, and my God-, but 
 *' they keep his Words much lefs than 
 " they would thofe of any Man who has 
 " PoWfer over them. Grant therefore, 
 " that they who believe in thy Son, be- 
 " irtg truly afFed:ed with the Teftimony of 
 " thfe Holy Spirit concerning Him, may 
 " be fo deeply rooted with Faith in Him^ 
 ''^ that they may give due Honour to the 
 " Lord of Glory ; and when they feel in 
 " themfelves the Efficacy of a true and 
 '' lively Faitl\ m.ay teftify unto others the 
 "' mighty Virtue and Power of a Faith 
 
 '' found- 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 1 99 
 
 «* founded in the Name of thy Son, Have 
 " Mercy on them who are tempted with 
 " Doubts concerning the Knowledge of 
 " thy Son ; eftablifli their Hearts in the 
 ^^ Truth, that they may verily know that 
 " J^J^^^ Chriji is the fame yejlerday^ to day^ 
 " and for ever-, and that they may not 
 " be carried about with various and 
 " ftrange Doctrines. And for thofe who 
 " difown the Glory of thy Son, be pleaf- 
 *' ed, OLord, to bring them out of their 
 *^ Errors, into the Way of 'truths and 
 " make them fenfible of the Nakednefs, 
 " Mifery, and diftreffed Condition of their 
 " Souls, that they may feek to Him, who 
 " can, and freely will deliver them from 
 " their Mifery, if they refufe not to re- 
 *' ceive Him in fuch fort, as Thou haft 
 " exhibited this thy Son to us in the Holy 
 " Scriptures. Grant that thy ^riuh may 
 " prevail more and more ; command thy 
 " Light fo to fliine, that Men may rea- 
 " dily acknowledge the Brightnefs of thy 
 *' Glor\\ and the exprefs Image of thy 
 " Perjon, and may be fo illuminated by 
 " the Sun of Righteoifnef^ fo enlivened, 
 " fo warmed in thy Love, and fo reple- 
 " nifli'd with the Fruits of Righteoufnefs, 
 " by Him who is our Righteoufnefs; that 
 " Darknefs may be compelled to give 
 " place to Light, Night to clear Day, 
 " Death to true Life, Errors, Doubts, and 
 O A. '' Infi- 
 
200 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 *^ Infidelity, to manlfeft and eternal Truth. 
 '' Thus will be fulfilled thofe Things 
 *^ which David foretold of the Days of 
 
 '' the Mefiah : * Blefed is the People that 
 " know the joyful Souiid : they Jhall walk^ 
 ^^ O Lordy in the Light of thy Countenance. 
 ^^ In thy Name fjall they rejoice all the 
 ^' Day : and in thy Right eouf/zejsf jail they 
 *^ be exalted. For thou art the Glory of their 
 " Strength^ and in thy Favour our Horn 
 *' f:all be exalted. For the Lord is our De- 
 *^ fence, and the Holy One of Ifrael is our 
 *' King. 
 
 The Sixth Meditation. 
 
 Of the MyjFkery of the Incarnation. 
 
 SECT. LIX, 
 
 lloat ^tis to be conjidered^ who Chrift 
 was before his Incarnation^ and 
 who He now isj after He was made 
 Man. 
 
 CONSIDER, O my Soul, who He 
 was, who gave Himfelf to be thy Savi- 
 our 3 who He was made, and who He now 
 is, after He became thy Saviour. Behold, 
 He was, before any Thing was ; He then 
 
 w^as 
 
 * Pfalmlxxxix. 15—18. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 201 
 
 was prefent, when any Thing could be 
 faid to begin ; for his Appearance (0?' Gc^ 
 ings forth) has been frofn of oldy from the 
 Beginnings from everlajling * : the eternal 
 Word ; the eternal hife \ the eternal Light -^ 
 of the fame Effence as God^ and yet "-uoith 
 God; the ojily begotten Son of the Father^ 
 who is in the Bofom of the Father , from 
 Eternity, and for ever, without any Change 
 (or Succeffion) of Time, according to his 
 Divinity ; the Maker of all Things 5 the 
 Original of Life and Light -, the Life and 
 Light of Men even before the Fall ; fhin- 
 ing after in the midft of Darknefs, and 
 yet the Darknefs neverthelefs comprehend- 
 ing it not ', a Lights with which any other 
 Light compared, tho' the moft pure, fe- 
 rene, and clear, mull be called a Shadow. 
 A Lights in comparifon of which, the 
 greatejl among thofe that are born of Wo- 
 meHy cannot be faid to be a true Light \ a 
 Light which was in the World, before he 
 came into the World, yea, by which the 
 World was made ; a Light, which alone 
 can again illuminate Men, fallen into 
 Darknefs by the Revolt of Adam, It was 
 He, who by Right of Creation had the 
 whole World for his Property ^ but took 
 to him Abraham and his Seed, the People 
 of Jfrael '\' by choice, by their Delivery 
 out of i Egypt s by the Covenant He 
 
 made 
 
 * Mk. T. 2. I Deut. vii. 6, 7. % ^^od. xix. 4, 5,6, 
 
202 Chrtjl tide Bum and Subjlance 
 
 made with them, * by Conjunftion of 
 Blood, -f- to be his peculiar People ; and 
 fo fent to them continually Prophets^ and 
 wife Men^ and Scribes, if; who were all to 
 teftify concerning Him, left when He 
 came unto his Temple, He fhould not be 
 known to them. He it was, who had 
 Right and Power to rejed a People, who 
 refufe to keep his Covenant ; and of re- 
 ceiving others who fhould believe in his 
 Name, and of giving them Power to be- 
 come the S>om of God y not meerly by 
 fome external Adoption, but rather by a 
 true and a new Birth from God, Such a 
 Perfon was thy Saviour, and yet (as I 
 truft you have learn'd from the preceed- 
 ing Meditations) there have been therein 
 but a few Things fpoken concerning his 
 great and infinite Glory. When now He 
 was fo great a Perfon, what was He then 
 made ? Flejl^. For the Word^ faith St. 
 'John^ (whole divine Glory he moft ftu- 
 dioufly inculcated) was made Flejh, Why 
 is it not faid. He was made Man ? Becaufe 
 his profound Humiliation might be better 
 underftood by the word Flefi : For when 
 the Scripture defcribes Men according to 
 their vain and corruptible Condition, it 
 calls them Flefi \\, And how can our 
 Mifery be better reprefented, than by con- 
 
 fidering 
 
 * Deut. xxvi. 18. f Heb. ii. 6. % Matt, xxiii. 34. 
 9 Gen. vi, 12, 13. La. xl. 6. i Pet. i. ^4. Jam. i. lo. 
 
of bU the Holy Scriptures, 203 
 
 fidering our felves as Flejh ? For which 
 Reafon the Holy Spirit^ not only in this, 
 hut in other Places alfo, expreffes the pro- 
 found Abafement of the Son of God by his 
 Jncarnation^ in this manner ; * God was 
 inantfcji in the FleJIo, And, -f* Forafmiich 
 iis the Children are Partakers of Flejh and 
 Bloody ioe alfo himfelf likewife took part of 
 the fame. Note, I pray, how this is ex- 
 hibited to Thee in his Birth^ as it were 
 in an Image or outward Figure. For be- 
 hold, thy Saviour being fuch a one as has 
 been reprefented, viz. the Brightnefs of his 
 ^Father's Glory^ and the exprefs Image of 
 his Perfon^ born in a Stable, a Place ap- 
 pointed for Beafts, and laid in a Manger, 
 that by this outward Sign thou mighteft 
 the better confider his deep Humiliation^ 
 in condefcending to enter into, and to 
 cloath his great Majejly xvlth our poor 
 fleflily Tabernacle. O moft wonderful 
 Humiliation I Wert not Thou abalhed in 
 affuming our mean Flefh, O Saviour of 
 the whole World ; and after taking upon 
 Thee human Nature, wouldeft Thou be 
 called God manifeft in the Flef)^ when af- 
 ter our deplorable Apoftacy, the miferable 
 State in which We are, is become a Shame 
 and Difgrace to our very felves? Ho<V 
 incomprehenfible is this Humility^ that 
 Thou wouldePc pleafe to be fo like unto 
 
 us 
 
 * I Tim. iii. i6. f Heb. ii. 14. 
 
204 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 us in all Things, Sin only excepted ! 
 Confider then, O Soul, what thou poflef- 
 feft in thy Saviour^ who was the eternal 
 God^ and thy Creator^ and was made Flefl). 
 Thou haft a Saviour^ who is truly God^ 
 and truly Man^ a Perfon of two Natures, 
 infinitely different in Point of Dignity. 
 Hence the Prophet Ifaiah^ among feveral 
 other Names, calls him in the firft Place 
 by that of ^\^ Wonderful *. For fo won- 
 derful a Thing never was known before, 
 nor can the like to it ever exift again. 
 He is wonderful in his Glory\ wonderful 
 in his Humility^ wonderful in the UnioQ 
 of the Godhead with the Manhood^ won- 
 derful in his Office, wonderful in his 
 Words, in his Works, and in his Paffion, 
 wonderful in all the Things He was con- 
 verfant about. All who heard of his Birth^ 
 were juftly ftruck with Admiration -f*. 
 This Admiration of thy Saviour is th« 
 firft Spark of a true Faith : the firft de- 
 gree in bruifmg under thy Feet the Head 
 of the wily Serpent, or of carnal Reafor^ 
 and Prudence, as a certain pious Doctor 
 of the Church fpeaks. This holy Admi- 
 ration, in confidering the Myjlery of the 
 Incarnation, will lead Thee farther, that 
 thou mayft learn to know, with humble- 
 nefs of Mind, and profound Veneration, 
 what thou enjoyeft thro' thy Redeemer, 
 
 who 
 
 * Ifa, i\'. 6. f Luke ii. i8. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 205 
 
 who chofe Flejh to be his Tabernacle and 
 Temple, in which He dwelt among Men, 
 that by the Deftrudlion of this frail Tem- 
 ple, and by the wonderful Reftoration of 
 it. Humanity might become the eternal 
 I'emple of the Deity \ which will more 
 plainly appear from the following Medi- 
 tation. 
 
 The Seventh Meditation. 
 
 Of the Benefits we enjoy by Jefus 
 Chrift. 
 
 SECT. LX. 
 
 That God has embraced us in his Son 
 with an eternal Love^ and that 
 from hence all manner of Good is 
 derived to us. 
 
 DOST Thou poflefs any Good, O my 
 Soul, which thou haft not from thy Sa- 
 'vioiir^ by Him, and in Him ? And can 
 there any Good be named, which Thou 
 canft not receive from Him, by Him, and 
 
 in Him ? In Him, -Tmvn Thn^af^a ni QzovflQ-^ 
 
 all the Fubiefs of the Godhead^ of univer- 
 fal Grace and Truth dwells ; and of his 
 Fubiefs^ fays St. "Jobn^ we do all receive ^ 
 4 T^tJiv dv-n T^'tilQ'^ and Grace Jor Grace ; 
 
 fo 
 
2o6 Chrifi the Sum md Suhfiame 
 
 fo as Grace may be, a? it were, recom- 
 penfed with Grace, and fo there may be 
 no End of Grace, of Love, ^nd of Com- 
 paffion, to ail Eternity. But if you would 
 know when thefe Mercies to us began, 
 you are to obferve, that Love and Divine 
 Grace in Chrifi yefus never h^d a Begin- 
 ning : For Grace was given us in Chriji 
 Jejiis before the World began '^. You 
 ought to confider this Expreffion, The 
 Word was in the Begimiing with God^ 
 (Joh. i. 2.) For we read thus in th^ Pro- 
 ijerbs of Solomon -, -f* T^hen I was by Him 
 as one brought up with Him^ (pi^H nourijh- 
 ed, or according to others, Worker) and 
 was daily my Delight, rejoicing always 
 before Him, Rejoicing in the habitable 
 Part of his Earth, and his 'Delights were 
 with the Sons of Men, Don't you per- 
 ceive what is meant by the Words, the Son 
 of God was from the Beginning with the 
 Father ? He v/as the Delight and Pleafure 
 of his Father, and as his Father loved 
 Him, fo He in like manner loved Men, 
 and they became his Delight. For as He 
 was the daily Delight of the Father, re- 
 joicing always before Him, fo He rejoiced 
 in the habitab'le Part of the Earth, and his 
 Delight was with the Sons of Men. And 
 as the Father fays concerning the Son^ 
 This is my Son, my beloved Son, in whom 
 
 I 
 
 * 2 Ti?n. i. 9. t ?rov. viii. 30,31. 
 
t^f all the Holy Scriptures. 207 
 
 / am well pleajid ; fo from Eternity, st/A- 
 Kv\(nv, He was well pleafed, not only in 
 the Sony but alio thro' the Son, in Men^ 
 if they believed in the Name of this his 
 only begotten Son, Moreover, this eternal 
 Love of the Father towards Men in Chrift 
 Jefus, is fo fmgular and wonderful, that 
 the Son of God himfelf fays of it ; * God 
 ^0 loved the World, that he gave his only be- 
 gotten Son, (that whofoever believeth in 
 Him, jhoiild not perip, but have everlaji- 
 ing Life.) And St. Paul fays, -f- If God 
 be for us, who can be againji us f He that 
 fpared not his own Son, but delivered Him 
 up for us all, how jlmll he 7iot with Him 
 alfo freely give us all T'hings ? If a Man 
 gives one Thing for another, he certainly 
 thereby lets us know, that he has an equal, 
 if not a greater Regard to that other 
 Thing, than to that which he gives for it. 
 For that which is deareft and mod accep- 
 table to any one. That he ufually retains. 
 Now God not only gave his Son for us 
 mortal Creatures, but delivered Him alfo 
 to Death for us, and required He fhould 
 tafle what was due to Men for their Sins, 
 How amazing is this Love I If God had 
 not loved us in his Son, if the Son him- 
 felf had not purfu'd us with a Love ex- 
 ceeding all meafure, nay, if the Son had 
 not been the very Mind of the Father, 
 
 which, 
 
 '* John iii. i6, t ^^^^ viii. 31, 32, 
 
20 8 Chriji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 which, the Father being touched by the 
 Mifery of Man created by Him, was, to- 
 gether with Him, moved with Love and 
 Companion towards the whole lapfed 
 Race : Truly we could not but fay, that 
 He fliewed greater Love to us, than to his 
 only begotten Son. But fince the Manifef- 
 tation of all Love concenters in the Son, 
 and all the Love of the Father refts upon 
 Men thro' the Son^ the Son himfelf de- 
 clares concerning this Thing, that the fame 
 Love, wherewith the Father loved Him, is 
 in them who believe ^ becaufe He is in them *. 
 If therefore the Love with which the Father 
 loves the Son, is infinite and meafurelefs; 
 the Love alfo with which the Father lovea 
 us in Chrift, is an immenfe and infinite 
 Love : otherwife, how could any Man be 
 fo rafli as but dare to think, that God fo 
 loves us, if we are in his Son, as He loves 
 his own only begotten Son ? O that thro' 
 our whole Life, we might fix the Eye of 
 our Faith on this Love^ which from Eter- 
 nity beheld us, not only in our Fall, and 
 in that Mifery into which we were plung- 
 ed by the Fall, but which alfo fet up an 
 ineffable Salvation, that fhould accrue to 
 us in Cbriji Jefus^ who would tranilate us 
 from Death to Life, from Darknefs, Wrath, 
 the Curfe, and eternal DeftrucSion, into 
 eternal Light, Qternal Favour, eternal Be- 
 ne- 
 
 * John xvii. 26, 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 209 
 
 nedidlon, and into eternal Safety, Joy, 
 and Glory. Yea, God knew us, accord- 
 ing to his Omnifcience from all Eternity, 
 with this fame Love, as his Blefled Ones 
 delivcr'd from all Sin, and from all the 
 Evils arifing to us from Sin, altogether 
 immaculate and blamelefs, cloathed with 
 the Glory and Majefty of his Son, bearing 
 his Refemblance, and exulting and rejoi- 
 cing before his Face for ever. This is that 
 Love, which cloathed the Son with hum- 
 ble Humanity, and which fo highly ex- 
 alted Humanity in the Son, that he pro- 
 mifed to place it on the right Hand of the 
 Majefty on high ; Ilo him that overcometh, 
 (through Chrijt who ftrengthens him) will 
 I grant to Jit with me in my T'hrone, even 
 as I alfo overcame^ and am Jet down with 
 my Father in his T'hrone *. What more 
 could be poflibly defired, O my Soul, 
 which thou may*ft not find in this Love? 
 That the Son of God (hould be thy Crea- 
 tor, lliould be thy Life, thy Light, which 
 illuminates thee y that commands his Word 
 to be revealed to thee by the Prophets and 
 Apojlles, as a Teftimony of himfelf, the 
 true Light ; that the Angels themlelves 
 fhould bring thee glad Tidings, and re- 
 joice to minifter unto thee 3 that thou 
 fhouldft become a true Believer, obtain 
 Pardon for thy Sins, and be again born of 
 P God, 
 
 * l^ev, iii. 21. 
 
2 1 o Chrijl the Sum andSubJiance 
 
 Gody and from the Fulnefs of his Grace 
 and Truth, fuck in all Divine Riches : 
 That he hath brought forth to thee the 
 Knowledge of God from the Bofom of his 
 heavenly Father, from the inmoft and 
 moft fecret Divinity ; that He hath, as 
 the true Immanuel, led thee into Commu- 
 nio7t with God ; that thou being baptized 
 in the Name of the Holy Trinity ^ admit- 
 ted into an eternal Covenant with God^ 
 (liouldft be anointed with the Holy Spirit^ 
 and illuminated with his Gifts, be fanc- 
 tified, and by Him preferved in the true 
 Faith, and be powerfully ftrengthned in 
 all Conflidls againft Sin, the Wdrld, Death, 
 the Devil, and Hell ; that nothing fhould 
 ever be able to withdraw and feparate 
 thee from the Love of Him j nay, that 
 thou art come unto Moujit Sion, aiid u?ito 
 the City of the living God, the heavenly 
 ^erifalem, and to an innumerable Company 
 of Angels , to the general Affembly, and 
 Church of the Firfl-born, which are writ^ 
 ten in Heaven, and to God the Judge of 
 all, and to the Spirits of jujl Men made 
 perfect, and to Jefus the Mediator of the 
 ftew Covenant, and to the Blood of Spri?ik» 
 ling, that fpeaketh better T'hings than that 
 of Abel *, That thou mayft obtain all 
 thefe Felicities, here indeed by Faith, and 
 a comfortable Fore-tafle j hereafter, by a 
 
 moft 
 
 * Heb. xii. 2Z*^Zj\., 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 211 
 
 moft perfed Intuition, and everlafting 
 Glory : And when Cbrijl thy Life fliall 
 be made manifeft, thou alfo mayft be ma- 
 nifeftedi with Him in Glory, I fay, all 
 thefe Things, and whatfoever elfe can be 
 entitled to the Name of Salvation and 
 Blejed?iejsy thou entirely oweft to this in- 
 finite Love, which manifefted itfelf to the 
 World in this, that the Son of God him- 
 felf became the Saviour of Men, in fuch 
 a manner, that He was made Man ; and 
 his moft exalted Majefty dwelt in Fleih, 
 as in his Temple, among Mortals : of 
 which St. John fays, He dwelt among us^ 
 and we beheld his Glory ^ the Glory as of 
 the only begotten of the Father^ full of 
 Grace and Truth. 
 
 P ^ The 
 
212 Chrijl the Sum and SubftanU 
 
 The Eighth Meditation. 
 
 Concerning the truly Divine Order, 
 wherein we are made Partakers 
 of all the Benefits that accrue to 
 us by Chriji Jefus. 
 
 SECT. LXI. 
 
 In what manner and in what Order 
 we are to ufe the Benefits of Sal- 
 vation^ obtained by Chrift y^r us. 
 
 I F thou defireft, O Soul, to partake of 
 fo great and ineftimable Benefits in Chrijl^ 
 thou mull obferve, that the Holy Spii^it 
 himfelf hath fliewn thee the Order by 
 which alone, and by no other Means, thou 
 mayfl attain them. For the Scriptures 
 teftify, that no Man can be a Partaker of 
 them, who defpifes the Divine Order, but 
 will remain deprived of them through his 
 own Default. For this Caufe it is faid ; 
 the 'Darknefs comprehended it not 5 ('viz. the 
 Light :) and the World knew Him ?iot ; 
 and his own received Him not. But could 
 they indeed be fo infatuated, as not to 
 deiire to be delivered out of all their Mi- 
 fery, and to be removed into a State of 
 eternal Joy and Glory ? They wifh'd to 
 
 be 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, 213 
 
 be altogether exempt from the Punifh- 
 ment of Sin ; but they defperately loved 
 their Sins at the fame Time \ and whofo- 
 ever endeavoured to reclaim them from 
 their long continued Habit of Sinning, 
 was reckon'd by them among their Ene- 
 mies, Now the Son of God was manifeft- 
 ed, that he might deftroy the Works of 
 the Devil; but they loved thefe Works 
 of the Devil, and would not fuffer that 
 they fliould be deftroyed in them. Hence 
 it is, that Chrift fays ; * T^bis is the Con- 
 demnation^ that Light is co?ne into the 
 World, and Men loved Darknefs rather 
 than Light, becauje their Deeds were evil. 
 They mightily defired to be Partakers of 
 eternal Joy, from the carnal Notion they 
 had of it, if it could be attained without 
 'Repentance and Converfion \ which being 
 contrary to the Divine Order, they could 
 no more be Partakers of Chriji, than a 
 Man can be enlightned, who choofes to 
 hide himfelf in a dark Cell, whilft the 
 Sun difFufes its fweet and pleafant Light 
 throughout the World. Therefore the 
 Holy Spirit hath appointed three impor- 
 tant Means in the Order, by which thou 
 mayft come to the Knowledge of every 
 good Thing that is in Chriji J ejus > viz. 
 I. That you receive ChriJl, 2. That you 
 M/Vi;f in his Name. 3. That you be ^^r;/ 
 P 3 again 
 
 * John iii. 19. 
 
214 Chriji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 again of God, That you may receive 
 Chriji^ it is requifite that you acknow- 
 ledge the miferable State into which you 
 were funk by the Fall. Sin is the Root 
 of all Evil y from this comes the Divine 
 Wrath and Punilhment, the various Mi- 
 feries and Calamities of Soul and Body, 
 Death temporal and eternal. All thofe 
 Evils are to be found out and known in 
 their Root, that is, in Sin : For other- 
 wife, thou wouldft delire to be delivered 
 from the ftiameful and horrible Fruits of 
 Sin, 'viz, its Piinijhment \ but not from 
 Sin itfelf. But fuch is the Goodnefs and 
 Faithfulnefs of God, that He fufficiently 
 lays before us in his Word this great and 
 deplorable Mifery of Mankind. Befides, 
 every Man has in himfelf two Ilrong Wit- 
 nefles, 'viz, his own CoJifcience, and daily 
 Experience, which bear witnefs far beyond 
 all Contradiction, concerning both the in- 
 ternal and external Mifery of Mankind. 
 Therefore if you mufl: neceffarily believe 
 thefe two Witneffes, that thofe Things 
 are altogether true, which the Records of 
 Holy Writ pronounce concerning our pre- 
 fent Mifery, then you ought alfo to cre- 
 dit their Teftimony concerning the future 
 Punifhment of Sinners. Whofoever is fo 
 far convinced of his own Mifery, will 
 find fomething within him which makes 
 him wilh to be deliver'd from that Evil, 
 
 how 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 215 
 
 how much foever his natural Inclination 
 to Vice, may continually urge him to 
 obey Sin farther, and live for ever in the 
 Lufts thereof. Then comes preventing 
 Grace ^ offer 'd by God to Men in Chrijl^ 
 knocking at the Door of the Heart, and 
 much defiring to be admitted. If there- 
 fore you do not refradorily bar its En- 
 trance, but rather endeavour to make a 
 deeper Search into the miferable State 
 wherein you are plunged, and flacken not 
 in the Works of Repentance ; there will 
 now begin a fharp and fevere Confiid:, 
 Chriji and Belial contending with one ano- 
 ther, which fhall have the Dominion over 
 you. But if you refolve to go on with 
 the Combat, and will not treacheroufly 
 defer t Chriji^ calling you out of Darknefs 
 into his marvellous Light, and when you 
 plainly find no Help in your felf, will 
 receive Chriji^ as He who can alone refcue 
 and deliver you from your Mifery in this 
 Fight, which fometimes is very fliarp, and 
 painful to unruly Flefh : At length Faith 
 will fpring up, which is therefore called 
 Victory -, becaufe there will be much Con- 
 flldling, before Infidelity can be through- 
 ly fubdued, and Faith^ like a heavenly 
 Light, and the Beginning of a Divine Life, 
 can arife in the Heart. By fuch a Faith^ 
 you receive Chriji as Chriji^ that is, as 
 Him who appeared for this End, that He 
 P 4 might 
 
2i6 Chriji the Sum and Suhjlance 
 
 might deftroy the Works of the Devil ; as 
 one, for whofe fake not only your Sins are 
 forgiven, but divine Juftification alfo is 
 beftowed ; that for the future you may 
 boldly and full of Confidence call God 
 your Father, For if you have thus truly 
 embraced Chriji^ you are horn again of 
 God^ by this fame Faith given you from 
 above ; not after a certain imaginary, but 
 a true and real manner: the Truth of 
 which you may certainly know, in that 
 you will find your Mind entirely changed 
 within you, your carnal Inclinations fub- 
 dued, and the Dominion of Sin taken 
 away ; your Ears and Eyes open'd, that 
 you may now fee, know and perceive, that 
 being tranflated from fo great Darknefs 
 into the Light of God^ and from Death 
 unto Life, you are made a Partaker of the 
 Divine Nature^ and are become a new 
 Creature in Chriji % the Holy Spirit wit- 
 neffing at the fame Time with your Spi- 
 rit, that you are the ^n^ and fo the Heir 
 of God^ and a Coheir with Chriji, This 
 Order was declared by Chriji^ when him- 
 felf preached the Gofpel of the Kingdom 
 of Gody faying, ^ The Time is Jidfilled^ 
 and the Kingdom of God is at hand: repent 
 ye^ and believe the GoJ'peL 
 
 The 
 
 * Mark i. i^. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 217 
 
 The Ninth Meditation. 
 
 How we may be inftruded, from 
 the Beginning of St. John\ Gof- 
 pel, to know Chrijl^ as the Sum 
 and Subftance of the other Writ- 
 ings of St. John^ and of all the 
 Holy Scriptures. 
 
 SECT. LXIL 
 
 That from the Beginning of St. Johns 
 Gofpe/j we may alfo learn after 
 what manner in his other Writings^ 
 and throughout the whole Scrip- 
 ture^ Chrifl is to be known. 
 
 IF we fliould now apply the feveral 
 Meditations here propounded upon the 
 Beginning of St. yohris Gofpel, as a Guide 
 for our better underftanding his other 
 Writings, 'viz, his whole Gofpel Hiftory, 
 his Epiftles, and Revelation, there would 
 thence be fuggefted to us a new Medita- 
 tion, larger than all that have gone before. 
 But for Brevity's fake, we will take no- 
 tice only of a few Things to the Purpofe 
 now mention'd. And in general 'tis to be 
 noted, that the Words and Expreffions 
 
 which 
 
21 8 Chriji the Sum and Subfiance 
 
 which St. "John ufes in the Beginning of 
 his Gofpel, clearly difcover his ufual man- 
 ner of writing, or the Language of the 
 Holy Spirit which was in him. Whofo- 
 ever therefore rightly comprehends the 
 Senfe of thefe firft Verfes, will much more 
 eafily underftand his true Senfe in many 
 other Places, when compared with thefe j 
 as it muft be a great help to the folid In- 
 terpretation of the Writings of this Apof- 
 tle, that he every where ufes the fame 
 Way of fpeaking, and by this means ftamps 
 his Writings before others, with a cer- 
 tain peculiar CharaBer^ whereby the 
 Senfe of his Words is lefs liable to Mif- 
 conftrudtion. But particularly this is, 
 as it were, his Character -y that he bears 
 Teftimony of the ^oy©-, or the Word of 
 Gody which is moft fignific^ntly done in 
 this Place, to which he himfelf refers. 
 Rev, i. 2. How much he was concerned 
 for this Title, may appear from his I^ E- 
 piftle i. I. and chap. v. 7. Rev. i. 9. ch. vi. 
 9. ch. xix. 13. andch. XX. 4. of all which 
 Places, the plaineft Interpretation is to be 
 found in the Beginning of his Gofpel. In 
 like manner, you may fee throughout his 
 Gofpel, and his other Writings, the fame 
 Names by which he here diftinguiihes the 
 Son of God, given to Him upon all Occa- 
 iions. In this Place he calls Him the 
 Lije : He does the fame, I^ Epift. i. 2. 
 
 ch. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 219 
 
 ch. iii. 15. ch. v. 11, 20. So in his Gof- 
 pel, ch. xi. 25. and ch. xiv. 6. as this was 
 his ufual way of fpeaking, and taken in- 
 deed from the Mouth of our Saviour him- 
 felf, from which alfo the Beginning of 
 his Gofpel, and particularly thefe Expref- 
 fions, to have eternal Life^ to give eternal 
 Life^ did proceed. When therefore we 
 have known from the Beginning of St. 
 yoh?is> Gofpel, that he calls the Son of 
 God the Life^ not only becaufe he is our 
 Great or y and therefore gives us our natu- 
 ral Life J nor only becaufe after this Life, 
 or after Death, he will give eternal Life 
 unto thofe who have believed on Him, but 
 alfo becaufe He gives unto Believers the 
 living Waters^ that is, his Holy Spirit^ as 
 the Origin of a new and divine Life, in 
 this Time of Grace ; in many other Places 
 alfo, where he ufes the fame kind of Speech, 
 we fhall the more eafily perceive that this 
 Word, and the Expreffions joined with it, 
 are not to be underftood of the Life after 
 Death ; but that they every where urge 
 and enforce the fpiritiial Life^ (hidden to 
 the natural Man) in this our Time of 
 Grace. But this is the more to be re- 
 garded, becaufe many are of Opinion, (to 
 our great Grief !) that whatfoevcr is faid 
 concerning Eternal hife^ belongs only to 
 a future State : from whence arifes this 
 great Difadvantage, that they can't per- 
 ceive 
 
220 Chrtjl the Sum and Suhjlance 
 
 ceive in themfelves the genuine Propriety 
 of the Kingdom of Gody but deny the true 
 Happinefs of the Sons of God in this Life j 
 and thence become fo much the lefs foli- 
 citous of being truly found in Chrift^ the 
 true Life, and of truly beginning this Life 
 in the Time of Grace, here indeed by 
 Faithy but continuing it hereafter by In- 
 tuition for ever and ever. Moreover, 
 when St. John here calls the Son of God 
 the Lighty by oppofing Darknefs to this 
 Light, he retains this very Manner and 
 Form of Speech, ch. iii. 19, 20. ch. viii. 
 12. ch. ix. 5. ch. xi. 9, 10. ch. xii. 35, 36, 
 46. I Epift. ii.3. When therefore he hath 
 fo clearly declared his Mind concerning 
 the true Senfe of this Word, in the Begin- 
 ning of his Gofpel, by the Help of this 
 Declaration, v^e ihall the more eafily at- 
 tain his true Senfe of it in other Places. 
 How comfortable therefore is it to ob- 
 ferve, when he requires us to isjalk in the 
 Ligbty his Meaning is, that we fhould 
 walk in Chriji JefuSy as St. Paul * fpeaks : 
 He here teftifies alfo that ChriJI is full of 
 Grace and Truth ; both which Words 
 {Grace and Truth) he alfo makes ufe of in 
 other Places. Firft, he not only ufes the 
 Word Truthy but divers ways of Speaking 
 here and there agreeable to it ; as, -f- to do 
 
 "truth ', 
 
 * Col ii. 6. 
 
 f John iii. 2 1 . i John i. 6. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 221 
 
 7ruth 5 ^ to be of the Truth ; -f- to walk in 
 the Truth ; % in Spirit and in Truth -, and, 
 )\ there is no Truth in him. And of the 
 Devil he faith ; *^ He abode not in the 
 Truth. Nor does he feldom ufe the Words 
 truey truly ^ whofe proper Signification ap- 
 pears from the Word Aj^i^ffct^ Truths and 
 from Forms of Speech of the fame na- 
 ture. The Senfe therefore of the Holy 
 Spirit being known, when it fays, that 
 Chrift, full of Grace and Truths dwells in 
 them, we {hall be the lefs likely to miflake 
 it in other Places. But if we confider all 
 thefe Places together, we {hall be the more 
 fully convinc'd, that the Word Truth is us*d 
 by St. John in a far more fublime and il- 
 lu{lrious Senfe, than ever it was ufed by 
 Heathen Authors, or by us now in com- 
 mon Converfation, where it ufes almo{l 
 only to be taken for the Matter of our In- 
 telledl. Contrary to which, 'tis eafy to 
 fee what an E{leem St. fohn had for this 
 Word; lince he was taught from the 
 Mouth of his Lord and Mafler, that He 
 himfelf was the Truth, This is an Exam- 
 ple, that the Beginning of St. John's Gof- 
 pel may ferve as a Key, whereby to inter- 
 pret his other Writings. If therefore 
 any one would apply thefe, or any other 
 of St. John's Expreffions, for the clearer 
 
 Know- 
 
 * I John iii. 19. f 2 John 4. 3 John 3. 
 
 t John IV. 24. jj I John i. 8. chap. ii. 4. 
 
 ** Johnyim. 44, 
 
22 2 Chrijl the Su7n and Suhjiance 
 
 Knowledge of the other Writings of the 
 New Teftament, or of Mofes and the Pro- 
 phets, he would thereby be greatly en- 
 lightned in the true Senfe of the Divine 
 Word ; to which End our preceding Se- 
 cond and Third Meditations might admi- 
 nifter fome Affiftance. But to our fore- 
 going Meditations, enlarged now beyond 
 what we firft intended, we here put a full 
 flop ; leaving it to the pious Reader to 
 think farther on thefe Things, with a due 
 Reverence to the Divine Word% and to 
 take an occafion from thence fo to meditate 
 on other Places of the Holy Scriptures, 
 that he may learn to know Chriji^ not fu- 
 perficially, but fubftantially and favingly, 
 to be the Sum and Subftance of the Holy 
 Scriptures ; and may thereby underftand 
 that what TertiiUian affirms of the Writ- 
 ings of Mofes^ Lib. III. againft Marcion^ 
 may be truly faid of all Scripture; All 
 'Things in theniy fays he, /peak of Chriji^ 
 and through Chriji they all /peak. 
 
 " God grant the Spirit of Grace and 
 " Wifdom to all thofe who fearch the 
 " Scriptures out of Love to their Saviour 
 " and Redeemer^ fo to ufe their Teftimony 
 " concerning Him, that they may come to 
 " Him, and obtain Life in Him. 
 
 
 SECT- 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures] 223 
 SEC t. LXIII. 
 
 What hefxdes this Injlance^ more at 
 large explainedy may farther con- 
 duce to the Knowledge of Chrift, 
 m the Sum and Subftance of the 
 Holy Scriptures. 
 
 THE Specimen hitherto given, andfo 
 largely expounded, fhould not only in- 
 ftrudl you how Chriji may be fought for 
 in all the Holy Scriptures^ as the Sum and 
 Subftance of them 5 but (hould alfo ferve 
 to teach you, that you ought before all 
 Things to be certainly informed concern- 
 ing the Excellency of his Perforin and of 
 his Office^ from the Foundation of Holy 
 Writ. But yet, for your farther Inftruc- 
 tion, I fhall add a few Things more con- 
 cerning the threefold OJice of Chriji. 
 
 Firji therefore, as to what belongs to 
 the Office of Chriji^ you muft carefully 
 attend to this, That J ejus Chriji is that 
 Great Prophet fent by God into this World, 
 openly to declare his Counfel and Will to 
 Men : and therefore you ought to receive 
 Him as your only Mafter and Teacher, to 
 believe fimply, and without any Contra* 
 diftion, all that He fays j and to be {o 
 firmly perfwaded of this, that all his 
 Words and Adtions may be to you a Rule 
 
 and 
 
2 24 Chrijl the Sumand Suhjlance 
 
 and Pattern of Faith and Manners. No 
 Man hath feen God at any time -, the only 
 begotten Son, which is in the Bofom of the 
 Father, He hath declared Him *. 
 
 If you lay not this for a Foundation, 
 and will not bend your Mind to it, that 
 like an humble and obedient Difciple you 
 may adhere to this great Teacher, and be- 
 lieve from your Heart, and pradtife alfo 
 whatfoever He himfelf fpoke, or com- 
 manded to be declared to you by thofe of 
 whom He faid, He that heareth you, hear^ 
 eth me j and he that defpifeth you, defpifeth 
 me \ 5 all the Pains you take in feeking 
 Chrijl in the Scriptures, is in vain. On 
 the contrary, if you lay this in your Soul 
 for a firm and immoveable Foundation, 
 He himfelf, whom you acknowledge to be 
 your Mafter and Teacher, will take you 
 into his School, and under his Difcipline 
 you will foon grow up, and advance for- 
 ward, and become a good Proficient : For 
 this Caufe, the Father cried out to us from 
 Heaven, T!his is my beloved Son in whom I 
 am well pleafed. Hear ye Him J. Obferve 
 therefore diligently, what Chriji himfelf 
 hath faid ; || My Dooirine is not mine, but 
 his that fent me. If any Man will do his 
 Will, he Jhall know of the Do6iri7ie, whe- 
 ther it be of God^ or whether I fpeak of 
 
 my 
 
 * John i. 18. \ lukex. 16. 
 
 ^ Matt, xvii. 5. 11 jQhn\]i, 16, 17. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. It^ 
 
 my felf. Here then we are not to obey 
 either Father or Mother, or any other 
 Perfon more than Chrijl \ but we muft 
 do whatfoever Things He faith to us, and 
 prefer his Command before the Authority 
 of all Men ; tho* we (hould fee it neceffa- 
 ry to lofe all we have, and even Life itfelf, 
 for this Caufe. Thus Chriji's Prophetick 
 Office ought not to be to you a bare Spe- 
 culation, but it fhould draw you and your 
 whole Mind unto Cbrijl^ that you may 
 deliver your felf entirely into his Hands, 
 and become his faithful Apprentice and 
 Scholar, and do or omit nothing, either in- 
 wardly or outwardly, but what is fuitable 
 to his Prefcript. For this is He of whom 
 Mofes prophelied > * The Lord thy God 
 will raife up unto thee a Prophet from the 
 midji of thee^ of thy Brethren^ like unto 
 tne^ unto Him ye fiall hearken. 
 
 That you fo receive Chriji as that great 
 Teacher and Prophet given by God, is 
 indeed the Foundation ; but you are to be 
 conducted farther than this, viz. to the 
 Knowledge of Him as the only Mediator 
 between God and Men \ ; who not only 
 inftrufts you concerning the Divine Ef- 
 fence and Will, but who is himfelf the 
 Author of eternal Salvation to thofe that 
 obey Him ; wherefore He is alfo named 
 by God, :|: a Prieji for ever after the Or- 
 
 Q der 
 
 * Deut xviii. i$» \ \ Tim, iL 5, i Hel>. vii. 17, zi> 
 
2 26 Cbriji the Sum and Bub fiance 
 
 der o/'Melchifedeck. And this is the prin- 
 cipal Reafon why it fo much concerns you 
 to learn to know Chriji in the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, becaufe you cannot come to God any 
 other way ; and all your Safety and Hap- 
 pinefs depends upon Him alone, and iipon 
 no other whatloeyer. In Him you are to 
 acknowledge and contemplate the Length 
 and Breadth, the Depth and Height, of 
 the great Work of Man's Rede?npfion. Of 
 Him Mofes, the Prophets^ and the PfaJmSy 
 the Eva?2gelijis and Apojlles^ t^flify with 
 one friendly Confent. All the Sacrifices 
 of the old Covenant do refer as T'ypes to 
 this Lamb of Gqd, who prefented Himfelf 
 to be llain and facrificed for the Sins, of 
 the whole World. 
 
 In this you find how remarkable a Sig- 
 nification the Protovangeliu?n (or the Pri- 
 mitive Gofpel) given unto Man mParadjfe 
 had, * and why it was fo often repeated ; 
 our Forefathers built Altars, and facrifi- 
 cing upon them, proclaimed the Lord 
 whom they invoked. In this, the genuine 
 Signification of God's Covenant with Abrar-i 
 haj?i is difclofed to you y ai>d you will un- 
 derftand, that from that Covenant you 
 ought to ftek the true Foundation of rights, 
 ly knowing in "what the Old and New Te.f- 
 tament properly confifts. In this, Mount 
 Moriahy with all thofe Things which were 
 
 done 
 
 * Cen» iii. 15, 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 227 
 
 done upon it, will be rightly underftood 
 by you. In the Hiftory of Ijhmael and 
 Ifaac^ Efau and Jacob, Jofepb and his 
 Brethren, you will difcover the Argument 
 of the Old and New Teftament, and fome 
 Epitome of all Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. So 
 you will ft ill more rejoice, that Jojeph was 
 at laft made known to his Brethren. 
 
 The Egyptian Slavery will reprefent to 
 you your own miferable Condition \ the 
 leading the Children of IJrael through the 
 "Red Sea, your Redemption by the Blood 
 of Chriji ; the journeying through the^ 
 Wildernefs, the Days of your own Pilgri- 
 mage. Then you will find the true Paf- 
 chal Lamb, and will perceive in you? 
 Heart the Pofts fprinkled with his Blood. 
 The Tabernacle, the firft aiad lecond Tem- 
 ple, and all their Statutes, Laws, Sandlifi- 
 cations, and Purifications, will be reveal- 
 ed to you in the Word that was tnaM 
 Flejh, and iiramatn, dwelt, or pitch'd his 
 Tabernacle ajnong us, and in us. How 
 greatly did David rejoice, when perceiv- 
 ing * the fplritual Meaning of the- x-iv^^ 
 Chapter of Leviticus, he looked upoii him- 
 felf as a fpiritual Leper, cleanfed by the 
 Sacrifice oi Chriji, and fprinkled with the 
 Hyffop of the Gofpel ! Thus you will 
 know the true Jojhua, leading the People 
 of God to their Rejl. Thus you will learn 
 
 CL? ' to 
 
 ♦ Pfa/m li. 8. 
 
2 2 8 Chrijl the Su7n and Subjlance 
 
 to underftand, from the true Senfe of the 
 Spirit, the manifold Conflidls of the Chil- 
 dren of IJrael with the Canaanites ; and 
 that Samfon, and other Deliverers given 
 them by God^ were T'ypes of Chrijl, In 
 this alfo you will more deeply confider 
 David and his Calamities, and the King- 
 dom of David and Solo??io?i^ not only ac- 
 cording to their external Hiftory, but alfo 
 according to their ynyjiical Signification in 
 reference to Chrijl ; and you will likewife 
 read the Pfalms of David with greater Be- 
 nefit. You will confider the Babylonijh 
 Captivity^ and the Deliverance from it, 
 after a long Space of Time, as a Type alfo. 
 Here you will know, that all the Writers 
 who came after Mofes, drew from Him, 
 as from a Fountain ; and therefore you'll 
 have fufficient Reafons to read Him dili- 
 gently and attentively, before all the other 
 Scriptures of the Old Teftament, and to 
 weigh accurately all his Words ; and the 
 Epijlle to the Hebrews will be helpful 
 to you for a right Interpretation of the 
 Books of Mofes. But in all the Holy Writ- 
 ings, you will find the Fall of the firft 
 Man, and his Reftitution by Chrijl^ fet 
 before you in almoft innumerable Types 
 and Figures. Nay, if you truly believe m 
 Jejus Cht'ift, and in Him ihall turn your 
 felf unto the Lord God, the Veil of Mofes 
 fliall be taken away from your Heart, and 
 
 you 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 229 
 
 you fliall with open Face, beholding, as in 
 a Glafs, the Glory of the Lord^ be traiif- 
 formed i?ito the fame Image from Glory to 
 Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord *. 
 This Knowledge will lead you ftill far- 
 ther, and will teach you, that Chriji is 
 not only your Prophet and Prieft^ but your 
 Ki72g alfo : For He has a Royal Prieflhood, 
 according to the Order of Melchifedeck. 
 Then you will perceive, with the Fathers 
 of the Church, what Depths of Knowledge 
 lie hid in the fliort Defcription of the 
 Priejihood of Melchifedeck -f. David in 
 Spirit beheld them % : St. Pauly from the 
 Power of the Holy Spirit in the New 
 Teftament, ftill more clearly difclofes 
 them in his Epiftle to the Hebrews ||. But 
 the Revelation of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 reprefents to us the moft clearly of all, 
 this Royal Priejihood, and gives us a Key 
 to all the Books of the Old and New Tef- 
 tament ; fo that you may clearly difcern, 
 as in a PicSture, the Kingdom of the Lordy 
 and of his Afiointedy the Manner and Na- 
 ture of its Government, Statutes, and 
 Judgments , the glorious Splendor of this 
 Kingdom ; the heavenly Council ; the fe- 
 cret Ways of God j the Harmony of the 
 Kingdom of Grace and Glory ; the Diver- 
 fity of Inhabitants j their Suftentation, De- 
 0^3 fence, 
 
 * z Cor. iii. i8. t <V^v. xiv 18 — 20. 
 
 4: Pjalm ex. [] IIc!>. vii. 
 
230 Chriji the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 fence, and at laft their Glorification. 
 There you will rightly learn to diftinguiih 
 between the twofold State of ChriJl^ that 
 of his Exinanition^ and that of his Exal- 
 tation ; and you, as well in that, as in this, 
 will find great Confolation. Then you 
 will not perplex the Words of the Pro- 
 phets^ nor wreft them to your own pre- 
 conceiv'd Opinions ; but all being placed 
 in their proper Order, you will neither 
 derogate from the Glory of your Saviour^ 
 nor from his Rxinanition that went before 
 it. Then you will be able to diftinguiih 
 the Times rightly, and in that Diftincftion 
 you will plainly fee, how friendly and 
 fweetly the whole Choir of the Prophets 
 confpire together. If youv Faith be found- 
 ed in the Knowledge of the Prophetick 
 Office of Chriji, if it be ftrengthned by 
 the Knowledge of his Pn'^/)' Office, it will 
 certainly be eflabllffied and perfedled by 
 the Knowledge of this Royal Priejihood of 
 Melchifedeck, as. in which there is com- 
 prehended the Glory of our Lord J ejus 
 Clorift.. 
 
 'John Arn-dius, in his Evangelical Pojlill^ 
 Sermon IV. on the firft Sunday in Advent y 
 comprehends the Teftimonies of the Pro- 
 phets concerning the Regal Dignity of 
 ChriJI in this manner : " It is altogether 
 " fit that the King and Lord of Glory, 
 " whoin all the Angels of God adore, at 
 
 *' whofe 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 231 
 
 ^^ whofe Name every Knee bows itfelf, of 
 " Things in Pleaven, and Things on Earth, 
 ** and Things u'nder the Earth, fliould 
 *' eonltnand his Trumpets, Tabrets, Pre- 
 ** centors and Proclaimers, to precede his 
 ** Advent. David played with his Pfal- 
 ** tery and Harp before Hint, danced be- 
 " fore Him, as he did before the Ark of 
 ** the Covenant, and before the Mercy- 
 ^^ feat, Ifaiah and Joel were two of his 
 " mighty Trumpets : Ifdiafj fays, Chap. 
 «^ xl. 9-^11. Say unto the Cities of Ju- 
 ^* dah. Behold your God, Behold^ the Lord 
 ^^ God will come with a Jirong Hand (or, 
 '^ dgainfi the Strong) and his Arm pall 
 " rule for hifti : behold^ his Rewatd is with 
 ** him^ and his Work before him. Heftmll 
 " feed his Flock like a Shepherd : He pall 
 *^ gather the Lambs with (or into) his Arm^ 
 *^ and carry them in his hofoM^ and pall 
 *^ gently lead thofe that are with youngs 
 " And, ^ Go through^ go through the 
 " Gates ; prepare you the Way of the 
 " People. Caft up, caft up the High- 
 " way : gather out the Stones^ lift up a 
 " Standard jor the People, Behold^ the 
 *' Lord hath proclaimed unto the End of the 
 '' World, Say ye to the Daughter of Zion^ 
 " behold thy Salvation cometh ; behold, his 
 " Reward is with Hifn, and his Work be- 
 ^' fore Him, And they f:} all call them. The 
 0^4 " holy 
 
 * Ifa. Ixii. ic— 12. 
 
cc 
 
 232 Chriji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 holy People, the Redeemed of tkx Lord : 
 ** And thou Jhalt be called. Sought out, a 
 " City not forfaken. Joel has the firft 
 " Pe?itecoftal Sermon upon the new Fefti- 
 *^ val of the Eva7igdical Pentecojl, Jere- 
 *' miah, with his trembling Voice from 
 *' his continual weeping, was a Trumpe- 
 *' ter of the Lord, and faid, ^ the Hope 
 *' of Ifrael, the Saviour thereof in time of 
 *' I'rouble I And, {\' Heal me, O Lord, 
 *' and I fhall be healed ; fave me, and I 
 ^^ fiall be faved : for T'hou art my Praife. 
 ^' X This is his Name whereby he pall be 
 *' called, T'he Lord our Right eoufnefs. 
 ^' Ezekiel, with his wonderful Chariot, 
 *^ was, as it were, an Equeftrial Leader 
 ^' to the Lord* Daniel's Timbrel de- 
 *^ clares, that the Meffiah would come 
 *^ under the Empire of the Romans, Ho^ 
 " fea was a Woer for the Lord, for he 
 " fays ; / will betroth thee unto me for 
 " ever ; yea, I' will betroth thee unto me 
 " in Right eoifnefs, and in fudgment, and 
 ^\ in loving Kindnefs, and in Mercies. || / 
 " will even betroth thee unto me in Faith-^ 
 ^' fulnefs, and thou Jhalt know the Lord, 
 " (or, that thou mayjl know the Lord,) 
 " yonas was a Sign and a Type of the 
 '' Mefjiah in the Belly of the Whale. Mi- 
 ^' cab and Haggai were Harbingers, to 
 
 " provide 
 
 ^- J/r. xir. 8. f Chap, xvii, 14. 
 
 'X J:r xxiii. 6. \\ Hof. li. 19, zo. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 233 
 
 " protide Lodgings for this Kiftg : for the 
 " one names Bethtehejn, and prepares Him 
 " Entertainment there ; the other calls 
 " Him, The Defire of all Nations. Ze- 
 ** chariah and Malachi were Proclaimers 
 " of Hun : for the firft cries, * Sing and 
 " rejoice^ O Daughter of Zion -, JJ)Out, O 
 " Daughter of yen falem 'y behold^ thy King y:,^. 
 ^^ Cometh unto thee : The other cries, •f-jS^-''\^^ 
 '' holdy I will fend my Mefjhiger^ and he ^ 
 *^ foall prepare the Way before me, Amos^ 
 *' Obadiah^ Nahutn^ Habakkuk^ Zephaniah^ 
 ^^ were Precentors to the Lord, as their 
 *' Prophecies teftify. Amos fays, % The 
 *' Lord will roar fro?n Zion^ and utter his 
 '' Voice from Jerufalem : Obadiah^ || Upon 
 ^' Mount Zion Jhall be Deliverance^ (or, 
 *' they that efcape ;) and there jloall be Ho^ 
 '' linefs, (or, it jloall be holy.) Nahum^ 
 <c ^^ cj'jj^ j^Qjr^ is goody a JirongHold (or, 
 ^' Strength) in the Day of Trouble^ and He 
 *^ knoweth them that truji in Him, But 
 *' with an overrunning Flood he will make 
 *' an utter End of the Place thereof and 
 *' Darknefsjljall purfue his Enemies, Ha- 
 *' bakkuk, •f"!' The Vifion is yet for an ap- 
 *' pointed Time^ but at the End it jhall 
 fpeaky and not lie, Zephaniah^ XX Singy 
 O Daughter of Zion -, JJjouty O Ifrael j 
 
 <c 
 
 " be 
 
 ■*■ 7Arh. ii. lo. f Mai. iii. i. i Amos I z- 
 
 \\ Obad. 17. ** Nahuml-jy^. 
 
 \\ Hab. ii. 3. 4^t Zrpk. Tii. 14, 17. 
 
234 Chriji the Sum and Suhjiance 
 
 " be glad^ and rejoice mth all the Hearty 
 " O Daughter of Jerufalem, T'he Lord 
 ** hath taken away thy Judgments, he hath 
 " caji out thine Enemy : The King of If- 
 " rael, even the Lord, is in the midft of 
 " thee : thou fmlt not fee Evil any more. 
 " In that Day it f:)all he faid to Jerufa- 
 *' lem^ Fear thou riot ; and to Zion, Let not 
 *' thine Hands he flack. 'The Lord thy God 
 ** in the midft of thee is Mighty : he will 
 " fave, he will rejoice over thee with Joy : 
 «« He will reji in his Love^ he will joy over 
 *^ thee with Singing, And thefe a)l pre- 
 " ceeded His moft welcome Advent, as 
 ** Princes (and great Lords) ufually walk 
 '^^ before their King. 
 
 SECT. LXIV. 
 
 n^at a dilige7tt Conftderation of the 
 Names and Appellations of Chrift, 
 affords alfo great Infiru&ion. 
 
 YOU will make no fmall Progrefs in 
 the Knowledge of Chrift^ if you attend to 
 the various Names by which He is diftin- 
 guifhed in the Holy Scriptures -, for which 
 Purpofe you find them here collcd:ed to- 
 gether in fome Order. He is called then. 
 
 According to his Divine Nature^ 
 
 I. ^efus, Luk. ii. 21. ch^i.ji. Matt. i.2i. 
 
 ylrndius 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, 235 
 
 jirndius faith, The whole Gofpel is com- 
 prehended in the Name J ejus : For the 
 Gofpel is not to be meafured and judg'd 
 of from a multitude of Words, but by 
 its Value. And as Pearls are found in 
 the Sea, fo in the vaft Sea of the Sacred 
 Scriptures, the moft noble Pearl is the 
 holy Name J ejus. 
 
 2. Jefus Chrijl^ the fame yefterday, to day, 
 and for ever. Heb. xiii. 8. ch. i. 12. 
 
 3. JehovUy theior^ the Lord of Hofts. 
 Ifa. liY. 5. 
 
 4. T^heLord our Righteoufnefs. Jer.xxiii.6. 
 
 5. The Lord who fpoke with Abraham^ 
 Gen. xviiL i, 13, 17. 
 
 6. God and Man^ wreftling with yacob^ 
 and in whom "Jacob faw God with his 
 Eyes. Gen. xxxii. 25,29,3 1. Hof. xii.5. 
 
 7. He that appeared and dwelt in theBujfh, 
 whofe Good-will and Bleffing was to 
 have come upon the Head of Jofeph. 
 Exod. iii. 2. Deut. xxxiii, 16. 
 
 8. The Prefence of the Lord. Exod. 
 xxxiii. 14. 
 
 9. God. John i. i. 2 Tim. iii. i6, 
 
 10. The Great God, Tit. ii. 13. 
 
 11. God overall, bleiled for ever. Rom. 
 ix. 5. 
 
 12. God who is in the Heavens. Pi. cxv. 3. 
 
 13. The true God and Eternal Life, i 
 John V. 20. 
 
 14. He 
 
2^6 Chrifi the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 14. He that is called, the God of the whole 
 Earth. Ifa. liv. 5. 
 
 15. The mighty God, Ifa. ix. 6. 
 
 16. The everlajfting Father. Ifa. ix. 6. 
 
 17. A Man next to God^ (Englijh Tran- 
 flation, His Fellow.) Zech. xiii. 7. Matt, 
 xxvi. 31. 
 
 18. A Worker, or one brought up with 
 Him. Prov. viii. 30, 3 1. 
 
 19. God's own Son. Rom. viii. 32. 
 
 20. God's dear Son, rlU rtii dyi'Tnii tuSn. Col. 
 i. 13. or the beloved Son, in whom the 
 Father is well pleafed. Matt. iii. 17. 
 Jedidiah. 2 Sam. xii. 25. 
 
 21. The only begotten Son of God^ full of 
 Grace and Truth. John i. 14. 
 
 22. The Son, who is in the Bofom of the 
 Father. John i. 18. 
 
 23. The Son of the mofl high and living 
 God. John ix. 35. Matt. xvi. 16. Mark 
 V. 7. 
 
 24. God's holy Child Jefus. Afts iv. 27. 
 
 25. The Son. John iii. 35,36. Pfal. ii. 12. 
 I John ii. 22, 23. Heb. i. 8. 
 
 26. The Son of the Father. 2 John 3. 
 
 27. The Word of God. Rev. i. 2. ch. xix. 
 13. The Word of the Lord. Pfalm 
 xxxiii. 6. 
 
 28. The Word. John i. i. 
 
 29. The Day-fpring from on High, 'Af^tT^A^ 
 i^ tT^^f. Luke i. 78. 
 
 30. The- 
 
of all th Holy Scriptures. 237 
 
 30. The Brightnefs of his Glory, and the 
 exprefs Image of his Perfon. Heb. i. 3. 
 
 3 1. The Image of the invifible God, Col. 
 i. 15. 
 
 32. The Ruler, whofe Goings-forth have 
 been from of old, from everlafting. Mi- 
 cah V. 2. 
 
 33. The Beginning of the Creation of 
 God, Rev. iii. 14. 
 
 34. The Firft-born of every Creature. 
 Col. i. 15. 
 
 35. The Firft-begotten, v^hom all the 
 Angels of God v^orfhip. Heb. i. 6. 
 
 36. The Angel, in whom is the Name of 
 the Lord. Exod. xxiii. 3 1. 
 
 37. The God of Glory. Adls vii. 2. 
 
 38. The Lord of Glory. 1 Cor. ii. 8. 
 
 39. "The Lord at the right Hand of God. 
 Pfalm ex. 5. 
 
 40. Our Lord and our God. John xx. 28* 
 
 41. The Lord from Heaven, i Cor. xv. 47* 
 
 42. The Lordy whom all Angels, and all 
 Creatures do worfhip. Pfalm xcvii. 7. 
 Heb. i. 6. Rev. v. 13. 
 
 43. Gody whofe Throne is for ever and 
 ever. Pfalm xlv. 7. Heb. i. 8, 9. 
 
 44. God, who laid the Foundation of the 
 Earth, and the Heavens are the Work 
 of his Hands. Pfalm cii. 25. Heb. i. 
 10, II. Col. i. 16, ly, 
 
 45. Who is, before Abraham was. John 
 viii. 58e 
 
 46. Wif- 
 
238 Chrift the Sum and Suhjiame 
 
 46. Wifdom, which the Lord poffefled in 
 the Beginning of his Way. Prov. viii. 
 22 — 25. 
 
 47. The Lord of the Sabbath. Matt. xii. 
 8. Mark ii. 28. 
 
 48. The Lord of David. Pfalm ex. i. 
 Matt. xxii. 43. 
 
 49. The Holy of Holies^ the Holy One of 
 IJraeL Dan. ix. 24. Ifa. llv. 5. John 
 xvii. 19. I John ii. 20. 
 
 50. The Alpha and Omega^ the Firft and 
 the Laft. Rev. i, i r. Ifa. xli. 4. ch. 
 xliv. 6. ch. xlviii. 12. 
 
 51. Who i«, and who was, and who is to 
 come. Rev. i. 4. 
 
 The Hebrew Divine Names affigned to 
 Chrif. in the Holy Scriptures, have a fm- 
 gular Emphafis, and give a moft effedluai 
 Teilimony to bis Divine Nature and Ma^ 
 jejh. 
 
 The chief of which arc as follows : 
 
 hs The Almighty God, Gen. xvii. i. Ifa. 
 
 ix. 6. 
 vhn or 0^n*?i< God, to be wor{hipped. 
 
 Pfalm xlv. 6, 7. (Heb. i. 8.) Pf. xlvii. 6, 
 
 Pf.lxviii. i&, 19. (Ephef.iv. 8.) 
 rvlKtDSr rr\T\^ The Lord God of Hofts, 
 
 Ifa. viii. 13. (i Pet. ik &.) Ifa. liv. 5. 
 \yhy The Higheft. Plalm xlvii. 3>. 
 n^HN lU^N r\'T\H or TVTV lU^K He that 
 
 aiall 
 
ef all the Holy Scriptures. 239 
 
 ihall be, who is to come. Exod. iii. 14. 
 Rev. i. 18. 
 
 TV The Glorious God. Pfalm Ixvili. 5,19. 
 
 Tf\r\> The effential, fublifting God, Exod. 
 xvii. 2.Numb.xiv. 22. (i Cor. x. 9.) Ifa. 
 vi.i. (Joh.xii.4i.)Ifa. viii. 13,14. (Luke 
 ii. 34. I Pet. ii. 8.) Ifa. xlv.2 1 —23. (Rom. 
 xiv. II.) Jer. xxiii. 6. chap, xxxiii. 16. 
 
 , The fupreme Being. 
 
 ♦llfi> God^ Self-fufficient, or Omnipotent. 
 Gen. xvii. i. ch. xxviii. 3. ch. xxxv. 11. 
 
 Exod. vi. 3. 
 
 >nx Gq^, the Proteaor of all Things, 
 
 . GeA. xviii.27, 30. Judg. vi. 15. 
 
 riN 01X The Lord, the Governour, my 
 Lord. Pfalm ex. i. (Matt. xxii. 44,45.) 
 
 VINn % m^e The Lord of the wholex 
 Earth. Pfalm xcvii. 5. 
 
 D»ni<n ^n« The Lord of Lords. Pfalm 
 cxxxvi. 3. 
 
 7Niaay God with us. Ifa. vii. 14. ch. viii. 
 8, 10. (Matt. i. 23.) This Name is af- 
 figned to Cbrifi^ in the Hebrew^ with a 
 fingular Emphafis, 
 
 ^xSd The Angel, j^str' l|o:)(»iV, the Captain 
 and great Ambaffador, to whom the 
 Holy Scriptures afcribe Divine Proper- 
 ties. Exod. xlviii. l6. Hof xii. 4. Where- 
 fore He is alfo called, 
 
 nW ;iNba The Angel of the Lord. Gen. 
 xlviii. i6.. Exod. iii. 2. (where He is af- 
 terwards, in Verfes 4, 6, 7, call'd niH^ 
 
 ; Zach.. xii. 8. And, 
 
240 Chrijl the Sum and Sub fiance 
 
 tS'^^'lTS ^N^D The Angel (or Meflenger) 
 of the Covenant. Mai. iii. i. 
 
 The Names which atteft the true Huma^ 
 
 nity of Chrijl, 
 
 1. The Man Chriji Jefus. i Tim. ii. 5* 
 Heb. ii. 6. 
 
 2. The Son of Man. Pfalm viii. 4. Heb. 
 ii* 6. Matt. xvi. 13. Adsvii. 56. Rev.i. 
 13. ch. xiv. 14. 
 
 3. The one Man. Rom. v. 15. 
 
 4* The Heavenly Man. i Cor. xv. 49; 
 
 5. Fairer than the Children of Men. PC 
 xlv. 2. 
 
 6. The Second Man. i Cor. xv; 47. 
 
 7. The laft Adam, i Cor. xv. 45. 
 
 8. The Seed of the Woman. Gen. iii. i^. 
 Gah iv. 4. 
 
 9. The Seed oi Abraham. Gal. iii. 16. 
 I o. The Seed of Ifaac. Gen. xxvi. 4. 
 
 1 1. The Seed of Jacob. Gen. xxviii. 14. 
 
 12. A Star out of Jacob. Numb.xxiv. 17. 
 
 13. The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.K^Y. 
 
 14. He that {hall grow up as a tender 
 Plant, and as a Root out of a dry 
 Ground. Ifa. liii. 2. 
 
 15. A Root of Jejfe^ which fhall ftand 
 for an Enfign of the People, to Him 
 ihall the G entiles feek. Ifa. xi, 10. 
 
 16. Th© 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 241 
 
 16. The Root of the Offspring of Da^oiiU 
 Rev. xxii. 16. 
 
 17. A Rod out of the Root of Jcp. Ifa. 
 xi. I. 
 
 18. The Root of David. Rev. v. ^. 
 
 19. The ^owoi David. Matt. xxii. 42. 
 
 20. The Beloved and Well-beloved of 
 Ifaiah. Ifa. v. i. 
 
 21. The Fruit of the Body of David. 
 Pfahn cxxxii. 11. 
 
 22. A Righteous Branch unto David. 
 Jer. xxiii. 5. ch. xxxiii. 15. 
 
 23. The Firft-born Son of Mary. Luke 
 ii. 7. Matt. i. 25. 
 
 24. The blelTed Fruit of the Womb of 
 Mary. Luke i. 42. 
 
 25. The Holy Thing which wras born of 
 Mary^ Luke i. 35. Dan. ix. 24. 
 
 26. A Child born to us, a Son given to us, 
 Ifa. ix. 6. 
 
 27. A Man-Child. Rev. xii. 5. 
 
 28. A Child. Ifa. vii. 16. 
 
 29. A Man. Gen. iv. i. ch. xxxii. 24, 
 Judg. xiii. 10,11. Jer. xxxi. 22. Dan.x. 
 5. Zechar. i. 8, 10, 11. ch. vi. 12. ch. 
 xiii. 7. Ezek. ix. 2, ii. ch. x. 2,6,7. 
 ch. xl. 3, 5. ch. xliii. 6. Ads ii. 22. ch. 
 xvii. 31. 
 
 30. Our Brother. Heb. ii. 11, 12. 
 
 3 1 . The Firft-born amono; manv Brethren, 
 
 ■J o > 
 
 Rom. viii. 29. 
 
 R 32.:G«/s 
 
24-2 Chriji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 32. God'^ Servant, the Branchy the Man 
 whofe Name is the Branch, who ihall 
 grow up out of his Place. Zech. iii. 8. 
 ch. vi. 12. 
 
 33. Jefiisoi Nazareth, Marki.24. ch.x. 
 47. ch. xiv. 67. and xvi. 6. 
 
 34. A Nazarene. Matt. ii. 23. 
 
 35. A Corn of Wheat. John xii. 24. 
 
 36. A Plant of Renown. Ezek. xxxiv.29. 
 
 37. The true Vine. John xv. i. 
 
 38. The Olive Tree. Rom. xi. 17,24. 
 
 39. The Apple Tree among the Trees of 
 the Wood. Cant. ii. 3. 
 
 40. Flefli, John i. 14. Ephef. v. 30. 
 
 41. A Servant. Ifa. Iii. 13. 
 
 42. God's Righteous Servant. Ifa. liii. 1 1. 
 
 43. A Sign which fliall be fpoken againft. 
 Luke ii. 34. 
 
 44. A Reproach and Contempt of Men. 
 Pfalm xxii. 7. 
 
 45. A Worm, and no Man. Pfalm xxii. 6. 
 
 46. The Holy One n>Dn of God^ who 
 was not fuffered to fee Corruption. 
 Pfalm xvi. 10. Ads ii. 27. Mark i. 24. 
 
 47. The Firft-fruits of them that llept. 
 I Cor. XV. 20. 
 
 The Names which teftify the Prophctick 
 Office of Chriji, 
 
 1. The M^^^, that is, the Anointed. Jo. i.41. 
 
 2. The Prophet, John vi. 14. 
 
 3. The 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 243 
 
 3. The great Prophet that was to come 
 into the World. Deut. xviii. 15, 18, 
 Ad:s iii. 22. Luke vii. 16. 
 
 4. The Angel of the Covenant. Mal.iii. I. 
 
 5. The Ele6t of God. Ifa. xlii. i. 
 
 6. The Apoftle. Heb. iii. i. 
 
 7. The Sent from God. John viii. 42, 
 Matt. XV. 24. Ifa. Ixi. i, 2. 
 
 8. He that was to come, I ^^/^Q-. 
 
 9. Wifdom. Matt. xi. 19. 
 
 ID. Wonderful, Counfellor. Ifa. ix. 6. 
 
 11. He that is Holy and True, and hath 
 the Key of David. Rev. iii. 7. 
 
 12. ATeacher come from God. John iii. 2. 
 
 13. Rabhi^ Rabboni, (which is to fay, be- 
 ing interpreted, Majier) John i. 38. ch. 
 XX. 16. Matt, xxiii. 10. 
 
 14. Our Comforter. Ifa. li. 12. 
 
 15. The One Shepherd. Ezek.xxxiv. 23. 
 
 16. The Shepherd, making us lie down ia 
 green Paftures. Pfalm xxiii. 1,2. Ezek. 
 xxxiv. 14. 
 
 17. The Shepherd, and Bifliop of our 
 Souls. I Pet. ii. 25. 
 
 18. The Chief Shepherd, i Pet. v. 4. 
 
 19. The Door of the Sheep-fold, Joh. x.9, 
 
 20. The faithful Witnefs. Rev. i. 5. 
 
 21. Faithful and true. Rev. xix. 11. 
 
 22. The Author and Finiiher of our Faith. 
 Heb. xii. 2. 
 
 23. A Minifter of the CIrcumcifion, Rom. 
 XV. 8. 
 
 R 2 24, The 
 
244 Chrijl the Sum and Suh fiance 
 
 24. The Servant of God to raife up the 
 Tribes of Jacobs and to reftore the Pre- 
 ferved of Ifrael. Ifai. xlix. 6. 
 
 25. The Defire of all Nations. Hag. ii. 7. 
 
 26. The Way. John xiv. 6. 
 
 27. The Truth. John xiv. 6. 
 
 28. The Soviet. Matt. xiii. 3, 18, 37, 
 Mark iv. 3, 14. Luke viii. 5. 
 
 29. The Day-ftar. 2 Pet. i. 19. 
 
 30. Light. John iii. 19. 
 
 31. Our Light. Ifa. Ix. i. 
 
 32. A great Light. Ifa. ix. 2. 
 
 33. A Light to lighten the Gentiles. Luke 
 ii. 32. Ifa. xlix. 6. 
 
 34. The Light of Men. John i. 4. 
 
 35. The true Light, which lighteth every 
 Man that cometh into the World. John 
 i. 9. 
 
 36. The Light of the World. John viii. 12. 
 
 37. The Glory of the Lord arifen upon us. 
 Ifa. Ix. i. Eph. V. 14. 
 
 38. The Sun of Righteoufnefs. Mai. iv. 2. 
 
 39. The Sun of the People of Ifrael, Ifa. 
 Ix. 20. Rev. xxi. 23. 
 
 40. The Foundation of the Church, i Cor. 
 iii. II. Matt. xvi.'i8. 
 
 41. A Stone laid in TjIoti for a Foundation, 
 a tried Stone, a precious Corner-Stone, 
 a fure Foundation. Ifa. xxviii. 16. 
 
 42. A Stone of Stumbling and Rock of Of- 
 fence. I Pet. ii. 8, Ifa. viii. 14. 
 
 43. The 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 245 
 
 43. The Stone which the Builders refufed, 
 made the Head of the Corner. Pfahn 
 cxviil. 22. Matt. xxi. 42. Eph. ii. 20. 
 
 44. The Fall and rifing again of many in 
 Ijrael. Luke ii. 34. 
 
 45. The Amen, (JDN 'hSn) the God of 
 Amen, or Truth. Rev. iii. 14. Ifa.l:^v. 16. 
 
 The Names which declare the Priejily 
 Office of Chrift. 
 
 1. The High Prieft of our Profeffion. 
 Heb. iii. I. 
 
 2. The High Prieft for ever, after the Or- 
 der of Melchifedeck, Pfal. ex. 4. Heb. 
 vi. 20. 
 
 3. A merciful and faithful High Prieft in 
 Things pertaining to God, Heb.ii. 17. 
 
 4. The one Mediator between God and 
 Men. I Tim. ii. 5. 
 
 5. The High Prieft, who hath obtained a 
 more excellent Miniftry. Heb. viii. 6. 
 
 6. A Surety of a better Teftament. Heb. 
 vii. 22. 
 
 7. A Covenant of the People. Ifa. xlii. 6. 
 
 8. The Fore-runner J ejus, Heb. vi. 20. 
 
 9. A Minifter of the Sandluary, and of the 
 true Tabernacle. Heb. viii. 2. 
 
 10. An Advocate with the Father, i John 
 ii. I. 
 
 11. Our Salvation. Gen. xlix. 8, Exod, 
 XV. 2, I Sam. ii. i. Jobxiii. 16. Pfalm 
 
 R 3 xxvii. 
 
246 Chriji the Sum and Suhjlance 
 
 xxvii. I. Pf. xl. 16. 1. 23. Ixv. 5. Ixvii. 
 3. Ixx. 4. Ixxi. 15. xcvi. 2. xcviii. 2, 3. 
 cxviii. 14. cxix. 81, 123, 166, 174. Ifa. 
 xii. 2. xlv. 8. xlvi. 13. lii. 10. Ixi. 10. 
 Ixii. T, II. Hab. iii. i8, Luke iii. 6. the 
 Salvation of God, (to mrieitv iH 0s?.) 
 
 12. The Rock of our Salvation. 2 Sam. 
 xxii. 2, 3. Pfalmxviii. 2. 
 
 13. The Fountain of Salvation. Ifa. xii. 3. 
 
 14. A Fountain opened to preferve from 
 Sin, and from Uncleannefs. Zech. xiii.i. 
 
 35. The Horn of our Salvation. 2 Sam. 
 xxii. 3. Pf xviii. 2. Luke i. 69. 
 
 16. The Rock of our Salvation. Pf. xcv. i. 
 
 17. The Salvation of the Daughter oiZion. 
 Ifa. Ixii, II. 
 
 18. The Saviour. Pfalm xvii. 7. Ifa. xix. 
 20, xlv, 15, 21- Zeph. iii. 17. Luke ii. 
 I !• Ads V. 3 1. Phil. iii. 20. 2 Pet. i, i. 
 ii. 20. iii. 2. 
 
 19. Our Saviour. Pf. cvi. 21. Ifa. xliii. 
 3, II. xlix. 26. Ixiii. 8. Ezek. xi, 16. 
 Luke i. 47. 2 Tim. i. 10. Tit. i. 4. ii.13. 
 iii. 6. 
 
 20. The Saviour of the World, i Jo. i v. 14. 
 
 21. The Saviour of his Body, the Church. 
 Eph. v. 23. 
 
 22. The Captain of Salvation, made per- 
 fedl through Sufferings. Heb. ii. 10. 
 
 23. A Deliverer. Matt. i. 21. 
 
 24. The Afflided, whofe Affliftion God 
 doth not defpife, nor abhor. Pf. xxii, 24, 
 
 25. Our 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 247 
 
 25. Our beft Friend, John xr^^ 13 — 15. 
 
 26. The Righteous, by his Knowledge juf- 
 tifying many, and bearing their Iniquity. 
 Ifa. liii. II. 
 
 27. The good Shepherd that giveth his 
 Life for the Sheep. John x. 11. 
 
 28. The great Shepherd, brought again 
 from the Dead, through the Blood of 
 the everlafting Covenant. Heb. xiii. 20. 
 
 29. The true Redeemer, or near Kinfman, 
 who redeems his poor Brethren. Levit. 
 XXV. 25, ^i\ Compare Jluth.iii. 12. iv. i, 
 Gff. Gen. xlviii. 16. 
 
 30. He that hath Mercy on us. Ifa.xlix. 10. 
 
 3 1. Our Redeemer. Job xix. 25. Ifa.liv,5. 
 
 32. Chrijl crucified, i Cor, i. 23, 24. ch. 
 ii. 2. Mark xvi. 6. 
 
 33. An Altar. Heb. xiii. 10. Ifa. Ix. 7. 
 
 34. Aa Offering, and a Sacrifice to God^ 
 for a fweet-fmelling Savour. Ephef. v. 
 2. Gen. viii. 20, 21. 
 
 35. The Gift of God. John iv. 10. 
 
 36. The Lamb of God which taketh away 
 the Sins of the World. John i. 29. 
 
 37. The Lamb without Spot and Blemifli, 
 by whofe precious Blood we are redeem- 
 ed. I Pet. i. 19. 
 
 38. The Lamb flam. Rev. v. 12. (In the 
 Revelation Chrijl is called the Lamb 
 twenty nine times.) 
 
 39. The Paffoverfacrificedforus. i Cor.v.7. 
 
 40. Made a Curfe for us. Gal. iii. 13. 
 
 R 4 41. Our 
 
248 Chriji the Sum and Suhjiance 
 
 41. Our Peace. Ephef. il. 14. 
 
 42. The Phyfician, Matt. ix. 12. Exod.xv. 
 26. 
 
 43. The Plague of Death, and Deftrudlion 
 of theGrave. Hof.xiii. 14. 
 
 44. Life. John i. 14. ch. xi, 25. xiv. 6. 
 
 45. Eternal Life, i John i. 2. ch. v. 20. 
 
 46. TheTree of Life. Rev. ii.7, ch.xxii.14. 
 
 47. The Bread of Life. John vi. 48. 
 
 48. The Bread of God which came down 
 from Heaven, and giveth Life unto the 
 World. John vi. 33. 
 
 49. The fpiritual Rock of which the If- 
 raelites drank, i Cor.x.4. 
 
 50. The Body, of which the Ceremonies 
 and Figures of the Old Teftament were 
 but Shadows. Col. ii. 17. 
 
 5 1. The End of the Law. Rom. x. 4. 
 
 The Names which declare the Regal 
 Office of Chrijl. 
 
 1. The Lord's Chrift. Luke ii. 26. ch. 
 ix. 20. 
 
 2. The Lord's Anointed. Pfalm ii. 2. i 
 Sam. ii. 10. 
 
 3. A King. John xviii. 37. 
 
 4. The King's Son, Pfalm Ixxii. i. Matt. 
 xxii. 2. 
 
 5. A great King above all Gods. Pf.xc\^3. 
 
 6. The Prince of the Kings of the Earth. 
 Kev, i, 5, 
 
 7. The 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 249 
 
 7. The Lamb, who is Lord of Lords, 
 and Kmg of Kings. Rev. xvii. 14, ch. 
 xix. 16. 
 
 8. God's Firfl: -born, higher than the Kings 
 of the Earth. Piahn Ixxxix. 27. 
 
 9. The King of Righteoufnefs, and King 
 of Peace. Heb. vii. 2. 
 
 10. The King of Glory. Pfalm xxiv. 8» 
 
 1 1. The King of IJraeL John i. 49. 
 
 12. He that reigns over the Houfe oi Ja- 
 cob for ever. Luke i. 33. 
 
 13. He that is born King of the Jews.. 
 Matt. ii. 2. 
 
 14. The King fet upon God's holy Hill of 
 Sion, Pfalm ii. 6. 
 
 15. King David. Hof. iii. 5. Jer. XXX.9. 
 
 16. The King of whom David fmgs. Pf. 
 xlv. Pf. xlvii. Pf. xciii. Pf. xciv. to Pf- 
 c. and cxlv. 
 
 17. The Horn of David. Pf. cxxxii. 17. 
 
 18. The King of the Daughter of Zio?i. 
 Zech. ix. 9. 
 
 19. God and King over all the Earth. Pf. 
 xlvii. 2, 9. 
 
 20. Lord of all. Afts X. 36. 
 
 2 1. The Lord of all, rich unto all that call 
 upon him. Rom. x. I2. 
 
 22. A Governour, that fliall rule his Peo- 
 ple Ifrael. Matt. ii. 6. Mic. v. 2. 
 
 23. Chrijl or Meffiah the Prince. Dan. ix. 
 25. Ifa. Iv. 4. Matt. ii. 6. 
 
 24. The Prince of Life. Afts iii. 15. 
 
 25. A 
 
250 Chrtjl the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 25. A Leader and Commander to the Peo- 
 ple. Ifa. Iv. 4, 
 
 26. Captain or Prince of the Hoft of the 
 Lord. Jofh. v. 14. (who is called y^- 
 ho'-oa the Lord) Jofti. vi. 2. 
 
 27. One Shepherd, David, who was to be 
 their King and Prince. Ezek. xxxiv. 
 23,24. ch. xxxvii. 24. 
 
 28. Lord of the Dead and Living. Rom. 
 xiv. 9. 
 
 29. The Lord ftrong and mighty, the Lord 
 mighty in Battle. Pfalmxxiv.8. 
 
 30. The Lamb that is worthy to receive 
 Power, and Riches, and Wifdom, and 
 Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and 
 Bleffing. Rev. v. 12. 
 
 31. The Bleffed, who comes in the Name 
 of the Lord* Pf. cxviii. 26. Ixxii. 18. 
 Matt. xxi. 9. 
 
 32. A Sceptre that lliall rife out o( Jfrael. 
 Numb. xxiv. 17. 
 
 33. The Head over all Things. Eph. i. 22. 
 
 34. The Heir of all Things. Heb. i. 2. 
 
 35. The Bridegroom. Matt. xxv. i. Ifa. 
 Ixii. 4, 5. 
 
 36. Arm of the Lord. Ifa. li. 9. liii. i. 
 
 37. The Keeper of IfraeL Pfalm cxxi. 4. 
 (Gen. xlviii. 16. Exod. xxxiii. 2.) 
 
 38. The Confolation oi IfraeL Luke ii. 25. 
 
 39. The Glory of the People IfraeL Ifa. 
 Ix. 19. Luke ii. 32. 
 
 40. The Portion of y^^ci?^. Jer. x. 16. 
 
 41. The 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 251 
 
 41 . The King having Salvation. Zcch.ix.9. 
 
 42. Mighty to favc. Ifa. Ixiii. i. 
 
 43; A Nobleman that went into a far 
 Country, to receive for himfelf a King- 
 domi Luke xix. 12- 
 
 44. The Husband, to u hom the Church 
 as a chafte Virgin is efpoufed. 2 Cor. 
 xi. 2. Pf. xlv. 1 05 1 2, 1 5, 16. Ifa. liv.5. 
 
 45. A Strength, a Strength to the Nee- 
 dy. Ifa. xii. 2. XXV. 4. xlix. 5. Jer. 
 xvi. 19- 
 
 46. A ftronger Man. (Lukexi. 22.) ^ 
 
 47. Zeruhbabel Zech. iv. 6y 7, 9> 10. 
 Hag. ii. 3,5, 2 2, 24. 
 
 48. The Hope of Glory. Col. i. 27. i 
 Tim. i. I. 
 
 49. The moft Mighty. Pf.xlv.3. Ifa.ix.5. 
 yo. Shilob. Gen. xlix. 10. 
 
 51. He that liveth. Rev. i. 18. 
 
 52. A Man of War, or the moft w^arlike. 
 Exod. XV. 3. 
 
 53. He that treadeth the Wine-prefs 
 alone. Ifa. Ixiii. 2,3. 
 
 54. He judgeth among the Gods. Pfalm 
 Ixxxii. I. 
 
 5 J. The Judge of Qiiick and Dead. Ads 
 X. 42. 
 
 55. The Judge of all the World. Gen. 
 xviii. 25. 
 
 57. A tall Cedar, crept off from the Top 
 of young Twigs, and planted in the 
 
 Moun- 
 
252 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 Mountain of the Height of IfraeL 
 Ezek. xvii. 22,24. Compare Cant. v. 15. 
 
 58. A great Mountain. Dan. ii. 35. 
 
 5p. A Stone cut out without Hands. Dan. 
 ii. 34. 
 
 60, A Light of the City of the new Je- 
 rufalem. Rev. xxi. 23. 
 
 61. Chriji is all, and in all. CoL iii. ii. 
 
 The Names by which the Bridegroom is 
 diftinguiftied by the Bride, in the Song 
 oi Solomo7i^ are very delightful : For 
 He is there called, 
 
 '62. The King. Chap. i. 12. iii. p, 11. 
 63. The Beloved, the Well-beloved. 
 
 Chap. i. 1 3, 14. ii. 3,8, p, 105 165 17. 
 
 iv. 16. V. 2,4, 5,(558,9, 1 05 1 6. vi. 1,2. 
 
 vii. 10, 1 1, 13. viii. 5, 14. 
 54. Whom my Soul loveth. Chap. i. 7. 
 
 iii. I, 2, 3. 
 
 65. A Bundle of Myrrh. Chap. 1. 13. 
 
 66. A Clufter of Camphire. Chap. i. 14. 
 
 67. Fair and pleafant. Chap. i. 16. 
 
 68. The Rofe of Sharon. Chap. ii. i. 
 5p. Who feedeth among the Lilies. 
 
 Chap. ii. 16. vi. 2. 
 
 70. Solomon. Chap. iii. 7. viii. 11,12. 
 
 71. King Solo7non. Chap. iii. p, 11. 
 
 72. White and ruddy. Chap. v. 10. 
 
 73. The Chiefeft among ten thoufand. 
 Chap. V. lo. Compare Dan. vii. ic. 
 
 74. My Brother. Chap. viii. i. 
 
 HI- 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 253 
 
 HITHERTO we have fomewhat 
 copiouily enumerated the Nr/;//^^' attribut- 
 ed to our Lo7'd J ejus Chrijt^ in the Holy 
 Scriptures ; to which any one will be able 
 to add, at his pleafure, if more occur. I 
 contend not about the Order in which thefe 
 Names ought to be ranked. It is enough 
 that we have the Names themfelves ; the 
 Order in which they ought to be placed, 
 ferves only to render our intended Medi- 
 tation upon them the more eafy : fo that 
 the more prudent Pcrfons, will even thus, 
 in the prefent Recital, find Food and Nou- 
 rishment to cheir Souls : For by whatt 
 Name foever Chriji is fpecified in the 
 Scriptures, this Thing He truly is in effed. 
 But in order to our Difcovery of Chriji m 
 the Holy Scriptures, a diligent marking 
 of the Cbaradlers whereby his Fore-run- 
 ners and Types are diftinguiilied,doth alfo 
 conduce ; which the bleffed Joh?i Ar7idius 
 hath thus fweetly comprised, in his Eva?!- 
 gelical Pojlilly in his Firft Sermon on the 
 Third Sunday in Advent, " All the Fore- 
 ^' runners and Types of the Mejjlah^ faith 
 he, until St. John^ had their proper and 
 peculiar Charafters ; as Abraham for 
 Circumcifion 3 IJaac for his Bleffing ; 
 ^acob for his divine Confli<5t with an 
 Angel 'y Jofeph for his Chaftity and his 
 Glory J Mojh for his (hining Vifage and 
 
 *' fecrec 
 
25+ Chriji the Sum and Subftance 
 
 «' fecret Converfe with God^ (as a Man 
 «' fpeaketh unto his Friend ;) Aaron for 
 «' his Priefthood and Sacrifices ; Jofiua 
 *« for his Victory obtained over the five 
 " Kings, whilft the Sun flood ftill in the 
 <« midft of Heaven ; Gideon for his v^^ar- 
 ^« like Mind and his mighty Shout, (the 
 « Sword of the Lord and of Gideon) and 
 «' blowing of the Trumpets ; Samfon for 
 *' his bodily Strength j Samuel for his 
 «* wonderful Call, the Lord calling him 
 <* three feveral times 5 David for his Vic- 
 <« tory over Goliah^ his Harp, his Afflic- 
 <* tion and Perfecution ; Solomon for his 
 *' Wifdom and Riches ^ Jehojhaphat for 
 « a wonderful Vidory without joining 
 « Battle; Elijah for his going up into 
 « Heaven ; £/i/Zj/2 for the double Spirit of 
 <c Elijah, and for his Miracles ^ Hezekiah 
 " for his Prayers, through which the Hoft 
 " of the Ajjyrians was deftroyed by an 
 « Angel, and the Sun went back ; Jofah 
 « for his Piety, beginning to feek the Lord 
 " at eight Years old ; Ifaiah for his pow- 
 *' erful Speaking ; Jeremiah for his Tears 
 " and Lamentations ; Ezekiel for his Vi- 
 " fion of the fpiritual Chariot and Tem- 
 " pie ; Daniel for his Revelation of 
 " Things future, and for his Deliverance 
 " out of the Lion's Den ; Hofea for his 
 ** Love to the Jews j Joel for prcdifting 
 the Effufion of the Holy Ghoft on the 
 
 Day 
 
(C 
 
 iC 
 
 cc 
 
 of all the Holy Scriptures. 255 
 
 Day of Pentecofl ; Af7ios for his Shep- 
 herd's Staff; Obadiah for his Sermon 
 againft the proud 'Je'ws ; Jonah for the 
 " Whale ; Micah for his Prophecy con- 
 " cerning Bethlehem •, Nahum for his Ser- 
 " mon concerning the Deliverance of the 
 yews from their Captivity 5 Habakkuk 
 for his Confolatory Sermon, concerning 
 " the Righteoufnefs of Faith ; the Jujt 
 " Jhall live by Faith, Zephaniah for his 
 ** Prophecy of the Kingdom of Chriji -, 
 " Haggai for his Confolation of all Na- 
 ^^ tions, which is Chriji ; Zechariah for 
 ** the Chariots going about to and fro 
 through the Earth, that is, the Word of 
 Gody and Malachi^ for his Prophecy 
 concerning the Angel of the Covenant, 
 and the Angel who prepares the way of 
 the Lord, viz, John the Baptiji^ whofe 
 Criterion was, a Voice crying in the Wil-- 
 dernefs. 
 
 SECT. LXV. 
 
 That "'tis not fufficient for us to know 
 all thefe Things of Chxi^^ but that 
 hefdes this Knowledge^ there is fill 
 more required of us. 
 
 BUT you are not to be content with 
 bufying your felf to repleniih your Un- 
 
 derftanding 
 
 cc 
 
256 Chriji the Sum and Subjiance 
 
 derftanding with thofe Things, which the 
 Scriptures teach you concerning ChriJl ; 
 but you muft rather feek Chrlfl with the 
 moft inward Defire of your Mind, and 
 with the moft paffionate Love. Many 
 Perfons think they know all thefe Things 
 well enough, and have ventured to write 
 whole Books concerning them, who never- 
 thelefs have not found ChriJl in reality, 
 nor made any Approaches to Him. The 
 Pharijees thought they had eternal Life 
 in the Scriptures, and therefore they ac- 
 quiefc'd in the Search of them *, This 
 Pharifaical Opinion ftill obtains too much; 
 but Chriji teftifies, that Lije is to be had 
 not in the Scriptures, but in Himjelf : that 
 the Scriptures teftify of Him, and that 
 this Teftimony is to be received, and that 
 we muft come unto hiniy that we may 
 have Life^ John v. 40. (And you will not 
 come unto me that ye might have Life) 
 You do well in taking heed to the Scrip- 
 tureSy (which are a mo ji Jure Word of Fro- 
 phecy) as unto a Light that Jloineth in a 
 dark Place -f ; but you ought not to ac- 
 quiefce in this, but to afpire farther, that 
 the Day may dawn, and the Day-ftar arife 
 in your Heart. 'Tis a glorious Thing to 
 find ChriJl in the Scriptures^ but ftill more 
 glorious to find Him in your Heart 5 and 
 to know, what is the Riches of the Glory 
 
 * Johi V. 39. t 2 Pa. i. 19. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 257 
 
 of this Myftery, which is Chj^ijl in iis^ the 
 Hope of Glory * ; and what it is, to be 
 flrengthncd with Might by his spirit in the 
 inward Man^ and to have Chrifl dwell in 
 our Heart by Faith^ and to be rooted and 
 grounded in hove *f-. If we perceive Chriji 
 in us, and our felves in ChriJl^ then we 
 find Cbri/i truly, and according to the Di- 
 vine Will ; nor does any one find Chrifl 
 truly in the Scriptures^ unlefs he alfo find 
 Him in his own Heart, Since learned 
 Men are, for the moft part, contented 
 with remembring the written Teftimonies 
 concerning Chrift, or being able to turn 
 to them in the Scriptures, they don't con- 
 fider that Chrifl ought to be fought and 
 found in the Scriptures in a more fublime 
 and excellent manner. But St. Peter in- 
 ftrudts us how Chrif ought to be fought 
 for there ; X Of which Salvation (of thoje 
 that believe in ChriJl) the Prophets have 
 inquired^ and fe arched diligently^ who pro^ 
 phefied of the Grace that fionld come unto 
 yoUy fearching what^ or what maniier of 
 Time the Spirit of Chrifl which was i?i 
 them^ did fignify^ when it tefiiffd before* 
 hand the Si[fferings of Chrifl^ and the Glo^ 
 ry that fioiild follow, &cc. What is it that 
 St. Peter would hereby fignify ? even that 
 we ought carefully to regard the Spirit of 
 Chri/l in the Men and Servants of God in 
 S the 
 
 * Co/, i. 27. t £l>^' iii' >^> »7^ t » P^f- i* «©>"«' 
 
258 Chrijl the Sum and Subjimtce 
 
 the Old Teftament s for that the Spirit of 
 Chriji did truly dwell in them, that the 
 Prophets themlelves knew that this Spirit 
 was in them ; and not only fo, but that 
 they likewife knew, that this Spirit did 
 foretel the Coming of Chrijl^ or the Re- 
 deemer and Saviour of all Mankind \ con- 
 cerning which they were fo far from he- 
 fitating, that, taking it for an undoubted 
 Truth, they bent their Minds only to the 
 Search and Inquiry of thefe three Things: 
 
 1. The bringing of Sahatio?i to Men 
 through Chrijt : for they well knew that 
 his Kingdom was not of this Worlds and 
 that He was to deliver us from Darknefs 
 and eternal Mifery, to which we were 
 liable by the Fall, and was to tranflate us 
 into the Light and the Salvation of God. 
 
 2. The Ti'/;^^ of his Coming; which not 
 only the Prophecies thereof from the Be- 
 ginning, but the very Spirit of Chrijl m 
 them foretels, as ^" TJaniel^ in the firft 
 Place, labour'd after a more accurate 
 Knowledge of the appointed T^ime of his 
 Coming. 3. The Nature of the Time of 
 the Meffiah, or what fort of Time that of 
 the New Teftament was to be : wherein 
 the Prerogative of that was placed, before 
 the Time of the Old Teftament. There- 
 fore, fince this is the truly fpiritual, myf- 
 tical, and ancient Way of feeking and 
 
 tracing 
 
 * Chap. ix. 2,3. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, 259 
 
 tracing out Chri[i, commended by the Ho- 
 ly Spirity 'tis requifue that we ihould 
 lightly underftand, and enter upon the 
 fame Order and Method : But this ought 
 to be done throu<^h the lame Spirit ; that 
 IS, we mufl: be made Partakers of the Spi- 
 rit of Chrijt^ as St. Paul teftihes, fpeak- 
 ing of this Spirit 5 JVe having the fame 
 Spirit of Faith *. And, If any Man have 
 not the Spirit of Chrijl^ he is none of his^. 
 For if Chrifl be thus in us, then we un- 
 derftand the Myfiery which hath been hid 
 from Ages^ but now is made ?nanifejl to his 
 Saints J. For this Myftery, as St. Paul 
 here adds, || is x^^^ ^^ "V^ Chrift in iiSy 
 the Hope of Glory. But if the fame Spirit 
 which was in them be in us, one Glory 
 of the Lord is feen in another, and the 
 lame Image of Chrifl is difcerned in all 
 and every one of us. O blefTed Contem- 
 plation ! Would to God we might thus, 
 with a fedate Mind, behold Chrift in all 
 others, and that we our felves may be 
 found a clear and lucid Mirror of Him, 
 
 
 S 2 SECT, 
 
 » 2 Cor. iv. 13. f Rom. viii. 9, 
 
 % CqI i. 26. 11 Vcr. 27. 
 
^6o Chrijl the Sum and SubJ}a?tce 
 
 SECT- LXVL 
 
 In what Things-, and efpeciaUy in what 
 manner^ Chrijl myjiical is to be 
 fought. 
 
 IN this Order you will learn to know 
 Chrijl myjlical^ that is, Chrili in his Mem- 
 bers ; and likewife in this Senfe you will 
 find, what the Epiflle to the Hebrews lays 
 to be true ; * J^fif'^ Chrijl the fajne yejler- 
 day^ to dayy and for ever. Where the 
 Spirit of Chrijl was, there alfo were his 
 Sufferings-, where his Sufferings ^n^x^, there 
 alfo was the Hope of Glory, which was to 
 follow his Sufferings-) as St. P^/^r teftifies 
 in the Place juil now cited. Therefore as 
 Chrijl from the very Beginning was dealt 
 with or treated in his Members, fo in the 
 fame Way is He to be inquired after in all 
 the Holy Scriptures^ not only as He is the 
 Heady and in his proper Perfon, but alfo as 
 he has animated all his Members by h\s Spi- 
 rit ^ dwelt in xhcmjuffered, and overcome the 
 World. For \i Chrijl ought to be known ac- 
 cording to hisFulnefs, 'tis neceffary that He 
 be known alfo in his Members, as in whom 
 He alone is 7« Wv7« k^ h -mot^ all 'Things^ 
 and in all. And without doubt, 'twas 
 this our Saviour would teach his Difciples 
 
 after 
 
 * Hth. xiii. 8. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 261 
 
 after his Refurredion, when He faid. 
 Ought not Chriji to have Juffcred thcfe 
 Things^ and to enter i?ito his Glory ? And 
 upon the fame Foundation, thofe who per- 
 fecutcd the Lord, were guiky of all the 
 righteous Blood that was fied upon the 
 Earthy front the Blood of righteous Abel *. 
 But as every Thing appears more plain 
 from its Oppofte -, fo in the Scriptures, 
 when you fiiall have learn'd to know Chriji 
 myjtical^ or Chrif in his Members^ you 
 will eafily perceive a perpetual Oppoiition, 
 and will difcover the Spirit of Antichrift^ 
 not only in Cain^ but alfo in his Succef- 
 fors without number; how this Oppo- 
 iition remains conftant and perpetual to 
 the End : and thus the Truth of the Holy 
 Scriptures is confirmed by the Hillory of 
 all Times, as well as by daily Experience. 
 But this Oppofition is not only obferved 
 in Perfons, and their contrary Qualities, 
 but extends itfelf much farther. For 
 whatfoever is attributed to Chrift, or is 
 faid of Him on one Side, the fame is af- 
 figned by the other Side to the whole An- 
 tic hr if i an Congregation^ by way of Oppo- 
 fition ; forafmuch as Satan is in all Things 
 the Ape, or Imitator of God. Therefore 
 if this Oppofition throughout the facred 
 Scriptures be well obferv'd, C/?r//? is there- 
 by the better known in them, and the Ap- 
 S 3 plication 
 
 * Matt, xxiii. 35. 
 
262 Chrtfi the Stmi and Subflance 
 
 plication of the divine falutary Word is 
 made the more eafy. Thus in the Houfe 
 of Abraham^ we behold Ifaac^ a 'T'ype of 
 Chriji^ and the oppofite to him, IJhmael -, 
 in the Houfe of IJ'aac^ yacob^ and his op- 
 pofite Efau ^ in the Houfe of Jacobs Jo- 
 feph^ and his Oppofites his Brethren, not 
 as yet humbled. As according to the Gof- 
 pel of St. Mafthe^v, * Before him Jlmll be 
 gathered all N attorn^ at the lajl Da)\ the 
 Sheep on his right Hand^ and the Goats on 
 his left^ or, the oppojite Side : fo in all the 
 Holy Scriptures the two Parties are always 
 fet in oppofition to one another ; and 
 there is a perpetual Strife between them, 
 to the Day of their final Separation : from 
 which Oppofition, the Nature and Proper- 
 ty of the Church Militant of Chrijl is un- 
 derftood, whofe chief Leader and King 
 is Chrijl himfelf ; for which Reafon alfo, 
 ^ji;h€n he comes to 'Judgment^ he 'will be glo- 
 rified iri his Saints^ and be admired in all 
 them "who believe -f. 
 
 SECT. LXVIL 
 
 Tie true^ and fafefi Way of following 
 and popjing Chrift. 
 
 LEARN now diligently out of the 
 Scriptures how Chrifi as your Saviour 
 
 will 
 
 * C>*-P- 2:xv. iz. t 2 Thejf. I 10. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 263 
 
 will be found by you. He calls thole to 
 Him, ''joho labour and are heavy laden^ and 
 promiles, that He "will give them Reji, and 
 that they jh all find Reji to their Souls ^ y 
 as being the true Noah, who pall comfort 
 us concerjiing our Work, and T^oil of our 
 Hands, becaufe of the Ground which the 
 Lord hath curfed -f*. Whence you may be 
 fully perfwaded, that you will moll cer- 
 tainly find Him, if you acknowledge your 
 Sins, and your Mifery as a grievous Bur^ 
 den ; and will carry it to Him with a con- 
 trite Heart, and a true Faith in his moft 
 gracious Promife, and with a fure Confi- 
 dence in his Mediatorial Office. For you 
 will not be deliver'd from this your Load 
 and Burden, unlefs you refolve to take his 
 Yoke upon you, and to learn of Him : but 
 not fo (which mull be again obferved) as 
 to receive Him for a Teacher, to repleniih 
 your Underllanding and Memory, but for 
 one who requires a Change of the Mind, 
 in Sincerity and Truth. You mull there- 
 fore lludy to do his Will, and that of his 
 Father, who fent Him ; for fo you will 
 truly k?20w of his DoSfrine, whether it be 
 of God, or whether he fpeaks of Himfelf'^. 
 But if his Yoke feems to you to be a heavy 
 Burden, 'tis a fufficient Sign, that you 
 have not yet found Him ; for himfelf tef- 
 tifies, that his Yoke is cafy, and his Bur- 
 S 4 de?i 
 
 * Matt.xl £8,29. t Gni. v. 29. j: John\\\- 17. 
 
264 Chrifi the Sum and Bub fiance 
 
 den light * ; and therefore it will come to 
 pafs, that in bearing his Yoke, you will not 
 always feel Trouble and Heavinefs, but 
 will find Reft to your Soul. And St. 'John 
 teaches us, '\that his Commandments are not 
 grievous, 
 
 SECT- LXVIIL 
 
 JVhat Courfe is to be taken^ when 
 Chrift long fought after^ is not 
 fou7id by thee. 
 
 YOU muft, in fuch Cafe, feek Chrifi 
 with Prayers and with Tears, until fuch 
 Time as you find by Experience, that He 
 is not a Burden, but a Delight to you ; for 
 thus you njoill^ as it ivere^ conftrain Hitn to 
 tarry with you %, You will not obtain 
 this by any natural Qualities, and the 
 Strength of your own Reafon. It is ne- 
 ceflary that that Love^ wherewith he hath 
 loved you, and ftill doth love you, fhould 
 be ihed abroad in your Heart, by the Ho- 
 ly Spirit : For, faith He, if a Man love 
 me^ he will keep my Words ||. But his Love 
 is alfo a Lights which kindles in you a 
 Light of reciprocal Love, that what He 
 requires, you will willingly do. The Love 
 of Chrift will change your Mind, and 
 will make you a Partaker of the Mind of 
 
 Chrifi, 
 
 * Matt. xi. 30. I I Johnw 3. 
 
 % Luke y.%\\, 29. ij John xiv. 7,3. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 265 
 
 Chrijl, that you may be conformable to 
 Him, and that He may be formed in you. 
 With his Love, He will beftow on you his 
 Spirit alfo -, and this Spirit will lead you 
 into all T'ruth, and powerfully incline you 
 unto all Good ; fo that for the Time to 
 come it will be repugnant to your Tem- 
 per, to fpeak or do any Thing, whereby 
 you may grieve the Spirit of Chri/t. 
 Therefore difmifs the Spirit of Servitude, 
 which makes you forbear Evil, and to do 
 Good, only out of fear of Pimifirnent ; 
 fo far as you fuffer your felf to be deceived 
 and enfnar*d by this Spirit, fo far have 
 you yet been from finding Chrijl. For 
 the Spirit of Chrift is not a flavifh, fervile 
 Spirit: for he knoweth the Love of his 
 Father^ he delight eth to do his Will, and 
 his Law is withi?! his Heart *. Defire ear- 
 neftly of God the Spirit of Adoptio?i, by 
 which you may cry Abba, Father. By 
 how much the nearer this Cry of Abba^ 
 Father, fliall approach to the filial Way 
 of Crying, fo much the more will it be 
 converted, as it were, into your very Na- 
 ture ', and the ftrider the Union of your 
 Heart is with that of God, fo as by a per- 
 petual Conjunftion, to become as it were 
 one Spirit with Hi^n -f-, with fo much the 
 greater Purity have you found Chrijl, and 
 have enjoy'd Him to your Benefit and 
 
 Com- 
 
 * Pfalm xl. 8. t ' C^^'- vi. 17. 
 
266 Chrijl the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 Comfort. But if it fhould happen, that 
 remaining in a continual Drinefs of Spirit, 
 you cannot live a Chriftian Life, but un- 
 der great Anxiety of Mind, Fear and Ter- 
 ror, defiring indeed to elevate your Soul 
 to God with a filial Spirit, but perceiving 
 no Strength at all in your felf for the do- 
 ing of this, tho' you deteft Sin at the fame 
 time from the bottom of your Heart : 
 Let not this manner of Go^'s Procedure 
 offend you. A Grain of Wheat feems in- 
 deed to rot, after being caft into the 
 Ground ; but by that means it takes Root, 
 fprings up delightfully, and will bring 
 forth fairer and fweeter Fruit. For you 
 muft not think, that you will ever be able 
 fully and thoroughly to find Chriji, and 
 be a Partaker of Him, without Crojfes and 
 Afflidtions. All the Holy Scriptures are a 
 Riddle to you, while you are ignorant of 
 the Myjiery of the Crofs, This is the JVif- 
 dom of God in a Myjiery^ even the hidden 
 Wifdojn^ which God ordained before the 
 World unto our Glory -, which 7ione of the 
 Frinces of this World knew ; for had they 
 known it, they would not have crucified the 
 Lord of Glory "*. This is that which St. 
 Paul faith ; We preach Chrifi crucified^ 
 unto the Jews a Stumbling-block, and unto 
 the Greeks Foolijhnefs ^ : And which Chrifi 
 fays, Blejjed is he whofoever fidall 7iot be of- 
 
 fended 
 
 * 1 Cor. ii. 7, 8. f i Cor,!. 23. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 267 
 
 fended in me *. Now you do ftumble at 
 that Stumbling-block, (tho' you may not 
 be offended, that Chriji was nailed to a 
 Crofs) if you do not deny your felf, and 
 take tip your Crofs daily ^ a?id follow Him -f-. 
 The Myftery of the Crofs is to be learned 
 under the Crofs^ otherwife no one under- 
 ftandeth it. If you were to hear or read 
 the literal Account of it for fix hundred 
 Years together, but refufed to bow down 
 your Neck to this Yoke, you will remain 
 as ignorant, infenfible, and unfkilful in it, 
 as you were before. Seek diligently, and 
 fearch through all the Holy Writings, by 
 what Means our Fore-fathers attained to 
 Wifdom^ you will not find any who did 
 ever attain it, without taking up his Crofs, 
 if it were only a fmcere Renunciation of 
 the World, which is a Crofs bitter enough 
 to Flefh and Blood, fo that a Man more 
 willingly undergoes all outward Calami- 
 ties, than this fort of Crofs. He that in 
 this World loves the Crofs, and not Plea- 
 fure, this Man then fully underftands the 
 Mind of Chrif, both with regard to his 
 inward and outward State, and he him- 
 felf hath the Spirit and the Mind of CVjr//? ; 
 he knows the Poverty of the Life of 
 Chrifi^ and he walks with Him in the very 
 fame Way. To follow Chrijt in well do- 
 ing, is a noble Thing ; but to follow Him 
 
 in 
 
 *■ 71/.;//.. xi. 6. \ Luke ix. 23. 
 
268 Chriji the Sum a7td Subjiance 
 
 in Sufferings yea, and that in fufFering rea- 
 dily, is a much more excellent Thing. 
 Not only to endure the Crols and Afflic- 
 tions, but to love them alfo from the 
 Heart, is a Wifdom which far excels all 
 other Wifdom. You defire to find out 
 the Subftance of the Scripture-^ but do you 
 defire to know alfo the Subfl;ance of Wif- 
 dom^ viz, the Love of the Crofk ? If you 
 are averfe to this, you will perhaps have 
 fome external Knowledge of the other, 
 but you will not relifh, nor partake of it 
 for your Delight and Comfort. Do you 
 not hear, that you cannot become a Dif- 
 ciple of Chrift, unlefs you take up your 
 Crofs daily\ and follow Him ? How can 
 you perfwade your felf that you may be 
 able to find Chriji in the Scriptures, tho' 
 you take not the Crofs upon you ? Thro' 
 this Wijdom^ which is learned only by Ex- 
 perience, Chriji makes you a Friend of 
 Gody and a Prophet *, confers upon you a 
 Royal Priejihood -f-, makes you a Partaker 
 of the Divine Nature J ; whatfoever you 
 learnt of the Office and Perfon of Jefus 
 Chriji^ before you refolved to take his 
 Toke upon you, was without Efficacy and 
 Life in you. Therefore He fays; Take 
 my Toke upoJi you^ and learn of me ||. Ma- 
 ny Perfons complain^ that the Scriptures 
 
 are 
 
 * Wifd. vii. 27. \ Rev. xx. 6. 
 
 :J: 2 Pet^ i. 4. "j Matt. xi. 29. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 269 
 
 are obfcure, and hard to be underftood by 
 them ; for which Reafon they do not wil- 
 lingly read them. But if you inquire into 
 the Caufe of it, you will find the Love of 
 the Crofs is wanting. Many become Di- 
 vines out of Glory ^ few out of Love to the 
 Crofs, Where there is much of the Crofs ^ 
 there is much Light -, where there is little 
 of the Crofs, there is much Darknefs, and 
 much Folly. St. Paul fays, God forbid 
 that I fiould glory, fave in the Crofs of our 
 Lord Jefus Chriji, by "whom the World is 
 crucified unto me, and I unto the World *. 
 And, I am crucified with Chrifi -f*. No 
 Man can {hew you a furer and fafer Way 
 of finding Chrtfi effedlually in the Scrip- 
 tures, than this is. And if you would 
 embrace all other good Doftrines, but 
 fhould rejedl this, you would only lay hold 
 of his Shadow, nay, you would take up 
 with a falfe Light, which would be more 
 dangerous to you, than if you had never 
 heard any thing at all of Him. Where- 
 fore, if you would certainly find Chrifi in 
 the Scripture, you muft betake your felf 
 unto his Crofs, and you will have your 
 Defire : Take it upon you with Confidence; 
 Fear is a hurtful Delufion of the Flefh, 
 and deprives one of the greateft Treafure. 
 Apply your felf to Prayers, and contem- 
 plate that infinite and incomprehenfible 
 
 Love^ 
 
 * Ga/ vi. 14, t G^f. ii. 20 
 
270 Chrtjl the Sum arid Suhjiance 
 
 Love J which mov'd your Saviour to de- 
 liver Himfelf up for you his Enemy, to 
 the moil profound Humiliation, and to 
 the bitterell Sufferings both internal and 
 external. Should not this excite in you a 
 Reciprocation of pure Love^ that you 
 {hould in like manner abandon and lay 
 down your Life for the Brethren^ as he 
 loved you ^ and laid down his Life for you'^'? 
 Believe me, this Melchifedeck^ after your 
 Conflift, will fuddenly refrefli you with 
 Bread and Wine, and will confirm to you 
 a Royal Priefthood, with his moft abun- 
 dant Benedid:ion. This Benediftion will 
 penetrate you fo deeply, that after a fhort 
 Fight you will find your felf endued with 
 a Royal and Prieftly Mind. You will find 
 that He lives and reigns in you, who over- 
 came all Things, and that you have art 
 XJ notion proceeding from the Holy 0)ie •^'•. 
 He will give you Power to overcome all 
 Things, and toft with Him on his Throne^ 
 even as He overcame^ and is fate dow?t 
 with his Father in his T'hrone J. They 
 like wife who find Chrif in the Scripture^ 
 do not find Him in the fame Proportion, 
 or in the fame Meafure. If you find Him 
 as your Bridegroom, and know that you 
 are his chofen Bride, then indeed you find 
 Him after the befl manner. There is 
 here no fporting with Words; here is Spi- 
 rit 
 
 * I John in. 16. f i Ji/y^^ii. 20, % Rev. iii. 21. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 271 
 
 rJt and Life, the Bride is placed o?i his 
 right Hand in Gold of Ophir, faith David 
 by the Spirit *. Where, in all the Holy 
 Scripture, is this faid of any Angel ? My 
 Dove^ my undejiled is but One ; Jhe is the 
 07ily one of her Mother^ JJ.^e is the choice one 
 of her that bear her^ fays Chri/l the Bride- 
 groom '\, This chiefeft Excellence is fi- 
 tiiate in the Crofs^ Chrijt is the bloody 
 Husband, as Zipporah called Mofes in a 
 Type %, 'Tis a great Millake, to pretend 
 to call your felf the Spoufe of Chriji, un- 
 lefs you defire from your Heart to be in- 
 wardly and outwardly conformed to Him. 
 And how can you be conformed to Him, 
 without Afflictions and the Crofs ? Con- 
 fider all the Promifes of God throughout 
 the facred Records ; are not they all wrap- 
 ped up in the Myjiery of the Crofs ? How 
 therefore can that higheft and moft noble 
 Degree of divine Favour, to become the 
 Bride of Chrif, be attained without the 
 Crofs ? The Brands and Reproaches of 
 the Bridegroom belong to the Bride. Thefe 
 are her moll precious Ornaments. The 
 more like one is to the Bridegroom in the 
 Crofs, the more like will he be to Him 
 in Glory, In the Way of the Crofs, Chriji 
 will join himfelf to you ; He will walk 
 with you, and will open the Scriptures to 
 you j fo that you will be ready to fay 
 
 with 
 
 * Pfal. xlv. 9, 10. t Cant, vi 9. + ExoJ. iv. 25. 
 
272 Chrijl the Sum a?td Subjiance 
 
 with the Difciples, Did not our Heart 
 burn within us *. Here you will fing not 
 only the Song of Mofes^ but alfo the Song 
 of Songs of your Solomon. HQrcJhall thy 
 Stones be laid with fair Colours, and thy 
 Foundations with Sapphires -, thy Windows 
 fiall be made of Agates^ and thy Gates 
 of Carbuncles^ and all thy Borders of 
 pleafant StoJies -f. For the New fern- 
 falem is built in thee^ and the Naffie of 
 the City of God is written upon thee j. 
 Wherefore I fay unto you again, if you 
 defire to find Cbriji in the Scriptures, that 
 you may fatiate your Soul with Him, 
 that your Soul may delight itf elf with Him 
 as with Fatnefs\, love, love I fay, the 
 Crofs^ and renounce the Pleafures of this 
 World : fo you will find Chrifi in a bet- 
 ter and more excellent manner, than can 
 indeed be promifed to you in Words. 
 
 SECT. LXIX. 
 
 How all this fo difficult a Work 
 ought to be recommended to God 
 by Prayer. 
 
 "O ETERNAL and ever-living God 
 
 " and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrifi^ 
 
 " how 
 
 * Luke xxiv. 32. t Ifa. liv. 11, 12, 
 
 11 ' 
 
 ^ Rsv. iii. 12. (1 ifa. h. 2. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures, zyi^ 
 
 *^ how manifold and how immenfe Is thy 
 '' Grace, and the Riches of thy Mercy 
 '' and paternal Love to the Children of 
 " Men ? Thou hafl decreed from all 
 *^ Eternity to make known thy infinite 
 ^^ Love to Mankind in Chrifl; Jefus : 
 " Therefore thou madeil Man according 
 " to thy own Image and Likenefs -, and 
 *« when Man had loft by his own De- 
 " fault the Glory he received at his Crea- 
 ^^ tion, Thou didft fuccour him accord- 
 '' ing to thy eternal Decree, and gaveft 
 *^ thy only begotten Son, to be a Mediator 
 ^' between Thee and Man, that Man thro' 
 " Faitb in Him might obtain everlajii?ig 
 " Life, 
 
 " And for the fake of this thy Son, 
 " Thou didft draw fo near to Men, as 
 " to reveal thy paternal ff^ill, to fuccour 
 " and affift them in thy Son. With this 
 " Hope, thou didft comfort our firft Pa- 
 " rents, and the Fathers of the old World, 
 " as a Mother comforts her Son ; and 
 " thou madeft a new Covenant with A- 
 " hraham, and didft appoint him to be 
 " the Father of all that ftiould believe : 
 " forafmuch as thou didft promife him, 
 " that in his Seed all Nations jhould be 
 " blejj^ed. Thou didft likewife confirm 
 " this Promile to his Fofterity, and madeft 
 " them to be Fore-runners and Types of 
 " the Seed of the Woman, which was 
 
 T 
 
 (C 
 
 pro- 
 
274 Chriji the Sum and Subjlance 
 
 " promiied from the Beginning. Thou 
 " didft preferve, as the Apple of thine 
 " Eye, that holy Line, out of which 
 «' was to arife the Saviour of all the 
 <' World ; and Thou didft ftlll ftreng- 
 *^ then more and more the Faith of af- 
 «' ter-Ages, by the Prophecies of their 
 ^' Fore-fathers. Thou didft reftrain thy 
 <' Promifes to one certain People out of 
 " all Nations, to one certain Tribe out 
 " of all Tribes, to one certain Branch 
 '^ out of all Branches ; and likewife to a 
 " certain and appointed Time, to a cer- 
 " tain and a cholen Place, and to a cer- 
 " tain Virgin appointed by thy Holy Spi- 
 " rit J that thereby all Occaiion might 
 *' be taken away from the Enemy and 
 " Adverfary, of rendring thy moft ex- 
 " cellent Promifes doubtful or uncertain. 
 " Moreover, fuch was the good Plea- 
 " fure {IvMIa) of thy fatherly Love to- 
 " wards us, that thou didji not only at 
 ** Jundry 'Times, and in divers Manners^ 
 " Jp^^^'^ ^^^^ ^^^^ Fathers by the Prophets, 
 ^' but didft likewife command thofe 
 *' Things that were fpoken, to be com- 
 " mitted to Writing, that they fliould be 
 " tranfmitted to our Times, and render 
 ''^ thereby thy hove to us more clear and 
 ** iliuftrious \ For who could have known 
 " otherwife the Decree of thy Love to 
 '* Mankind ? But now thou haft every 
 
 " where 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 275 
 
 *' where deicribed the promifcd Saviou7^ 
 *' in fuch lively Colours -, thou haft efla- 
 *' bliflied fo perfe6t an Agreement between 
 *' the Teftimonies of thy Servants; and 
 *' thou haft given him before Hand, fuch 
 ** Signs and Charadlers in the Word, that 
 '* none (liould be able to arrogate to him- 
 ** felf this Name; but that thy o/ily begot- 
 " ten Soft might be acknowledged by all, 
 ** who place their 'Trujt in thy Word-^ nor 
 *' fliould any one have Caufe to doubt, 
 *' but that he had found Him, of whom 
 " Mofes in the Law and the Prophets have 
 *' wrote. For they did fee his Glory, the 
 '' Glory as of the ojily -begot ten of the Fa- 
 " ther. He himfelf did manifeft his Glo- 
 " ry, not in Words only, but in the full- 
 " nefs of his Grace and "Truths and in 
 *^ Works, which none other had ever 
 " done before him ; fo that the People 
 " were compelled to fay ; ivhe7i Chriji 
 " Cometh, ivill He do greater '^/hings than 
 *' this Man hath done ? And that they 
 " now believed in Plim, not only for the 
 " Words of thy Holy Prophets, but be- 
 *' caufe thev themfelves heard him, and 
 " knew that this was indeed the Chriji^ 
 ** the Saviour of the World ; altho* it 
 '' was indeed neceffary, that the Scripture 
 " Jl:ould be fulfilled in Him, that this Stone 
 " Jhould be reje^ed of the Builders, and fo 
 ** be made by Thee the Head of the Cor- 
 T 2 ner. 
 
276 Chrijl the Sum a?td Subjlance 
 
 '' ner. For the illuftrious Gojje/ of Peace 
 *' was hidde?! from thofe that ptrifi\ i?i 
 *' whom the God of this JVorld had blincicd 
 *' their Minds ^ viz. /;/ Unbelievers^ leajl 
 *' the Light of the Gofpel of the Glory of 
 " Chrifi^ who is thy Image ^ Jl:ould jlwie 
 " upon the?n^ 2 Cor. iv. 4. 
 
 " And, O Eternal, and infinite Love, 
 *' ihould not our Bow^els burft within us, 
 " when we continually fee how litde the 
 " immenie Riches of thy Love are confi- 
 '' der'd, and by how few of us ? For how 
 " very fmall is the Number of thofe who 
 " worthily refledl with themfelves, that 
 " thou doft, in thy Beloved Son^ give thy 
 '' felf to Mankind ? How few are there, 
 " v/ho ftrive or are felicitous to know 
 ** rightly thy Heart, in which this {cpiKAv 
 «' ^favrlcc) Love to Mankind dwells ? How 
 " few do regard thy having given thy 
 <c IP^ord as a Fountain of Wiidom and 
 <' Source of Life ? That thou haft pla- 
 " ced our greateft Treafure, and all our 
 *' Salvation, in the Holy Scriptures, as it 
 '^ w^ere in a ftrait Manger, and in their 
 " fwadiing Cloaths ? Ought not the one 
 " only Word, that thou haft fpoken, who 
 *' art the one rnoft High Creator of ail 
 " Things, the Omnipotent, moft power- 
 " ful and tremendous King, who fitteft 
 " upon thy Throne, God Ruler over all, 
 " and which Word thou haft declared by 
 
 '' thy 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 277 
 
 " thy Holy Spirit-, ought it not to be 
 *' dearer to us than many thoiifands of 
 '' Gold and Silver? Now thou haft conde- 
 ^ fcended to fuch an intercourfe with Men, 
 '' by thy exceeding great Lo'vie to them in 
 '' thy Son, that thou haft oftered them all 
 " the Treafures of Wifdom and Knowledge 
 *' in Him, whom thou haft given to be their 
 " Sciviom\ and haft referred them to thy 
 " Word^ which thou haft caufed to be at 
 " large and abundantly declared to them, 
 " that by this very Means they may be 
 *' condudled to thy Cbriji^ whom by feel- 
 " ing after they might find, and in Him 
 '' might be m.ade Partakers of all thy Glory, 
 " O LOR D, great is our Iniquity and 
 *' Sin, whereby we have oifended thee, by 
 '' defpifing thy JVord^ even from our In- 
 " fancy, elpecially that to this very Day, 
 " we have been fo little mindful of the 
 " Teftimonies of thy Servants, which are 
 " fo to be ufed, that we might come to him, 
 " in whom thou haft pro??iiJed us Eter?ial 
 " Life, O Lord, it is no fmall Damage 
 " that we have received through this 
 " Negledl. For hereby, we have alienat- 
 " ed our felves from thy moft bleffed 
 " Communion, into which thou wouldeft 
 '' have adopted us, if we had ferioully en- 
 *' deavoured rightly to find thy Beloved 
 " Son in the Holy Scriptures, to cleave 
 " unto him with a full Faith, and to u- 
 
278 Chrijl the Sum and Suhjlance 
 
 " nite ourfelves to Thee continually by 
 '' the fame Faith. But at laft, after hav- 
 '* ing been fo long turning over the Scrip- 
 «' tures^ we find it neceflary to learn, what 
 *' is the Scope of them ^ and if we knew 
 *' it before, 'tis our greater Shame that 
 ** we did not feek it fooner 5 and if we 
 ** fought Him, that we did not find Him^ 
 «« and if we found Him in the Letter of 
 «^ the Scripture, that wx did not convert 
 « it more to our Ufe ; and if we did be- 
 « nefit a little, that we did not make a 
 "greater Progrefs, that we did not ftrain 
 " all the Faculties of our Mind, to enflame 
 " our Love of Chrift, and to root that 
 << Love more deeply in our Hearts. Hath 
 <* not He promifed, that He will mani- 
 «' feft himfelf to us, if we Love Him, and 
 *' keep his Word ? Ah Father, it is pure- 
 " ly our own Fault, that we are not at 
 " all, or indeed not in its full Degree, made 
 " Partakers of this glorious Manifeftation 
 " (ilJL^etvi<ry.^) Art not ^/joz^ L^i;^ itfelf ! and 
 " wouldeft thou not long ago have come 
 " unto us, and even have made thy abode 
 " with us, together with thy beloved Son^ in 
 " the m.oft full Communion of the Confo- 
 " lation of thy Holy Spirit ! O Lord^ ac- 
 " cording to the Riches of thy Goodnefs, 
 '' and Forbearance, and Gentlenels, wink at 
 *' the Tiines of our Ignorance, or rather of 
 *^ our Contempt of thy IVord^ nay, of thy Son 
 
 " " himfelf. 
 
of all the Holy Scriptures. 279 
 
 " himfelf, who was given to us by Ihee^ 
 ** to be our Wifdom, and Righteoufnefs, 
 *' and Sandification, and Redemption. We 
 *' are afliamed of our Folly, and the great 
 '' flothfulnels of our Hearts. But, O thou, 
 ** who makert us to know this, pardon 
 " us, and for the future deliver us from 
 ^* it; and contrary wife, kindle thou in us 
 " a hove and 'Delight in thy Word^ open 
 " our Underftanding, that we may find 
 ** Chriji in the Scriptures, and incline our 
 •' Will to follow him, the Light of the 
 " World, and to walk conftantly in that 
 " Light. 
 
 " Grant, I pray thee, O eternal Love^ 
 *' to this prefent weak and imperfedl Tef- 
 «' timony, toward a further Illuftration 
 *' of thy Name by the Knowledge of thy 
 «^ Son, thy paternal Benedi(5lion, that it 
 <' may bring forth good Fruit in thofe 
 *' who read it, and that that Fruit may 
 " endure for ever. Grant, O Lord, that 
 " at length, a due Honour may be given 
 ** unto thy Word, and that by Means of 
 " it, the Name of thy Son may be glorifi- 
 '' ed throughout the World, that Men may 
 " every wnere rejoice at thy amazing 
 *' Love to Mankind, and every one may 
 *^ cry loud concerning Thee : How greatly 
 " doji thou Love thy People ! And let all 
 " Mankind know, that thou haft deliver'd 
 '' all Things into the Hands of thy Son^ 
 
 " that 
 
2 8 o Chrijl the Sum andSubJiance^ &c. 
 
 " that all may fit down together at his 
 
 " Feet, and learn from his Word ; fo that 
 
 " it may be faid among the Ge?itUes^ that 
 
 " the L&rd reigfieth, and that He hath 
 
 " prepared and eftabliflied his Kifigdom 
 
 " unto the Ends of the Earth, and will 
 
 *' judge the People righteoufly. Amen, 
 
 " Grant this, for the Sake of thy great 
 
 *' and wonderful Nmne^ which is Holy^ 
 
 <« that the Righteous may rejoice in 'T'hee, 
 
 «^ and give Thee Thanks, and celebrate 
 
 " thy Holinefs, and thy Truth, for ever 
 
 *^ and ever. Amen. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
A 
 
 S E RM ON 
 
 O N T H E 
 
 RESURRECTION 
 
 O F 
 
 OUR LORD; 
 
 Preached on 
 
 Eafter-Sunday. 
 
 Ille befie refurget in corpore^ qui primo re- 
 furrexit in Spiritu. Auguftinus. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed by Joseph Downing, in 
 
 Bartholomew- Cloje, near IV eJi-SmithJield. 
 Mdccxxxt 
 
John xi. 25. 
 
 Jefus /aid unto her : I am the 
 RefurreSiion^ and the Life. 
 
 T iTiould feem a needlefs Work 
 to do that which is the com- 
 mon bulinefs of Sermons on 
 this Day, viz, to prove the 
 Truth of our Lord's Refurrec- 
 tion 5 and, which is the fure confequence 
 of it, the Certainty of ours. It appears 
 fuperfluous to multiply Arguments to 
 confirm an Article of Faith, into which 
 we were all initiated in our Baptifm, 
 which we ftill profefs to believe, which 
 we affirm daily in repeating the Creeds, 
 and v/hich, on the Annual Return of this 
 Seafon, we affemble on purpofe to com- 
 memorate. 
 
 But when we confider the Lives of 
 thole who profefs this Truth, who re- 
 ceived the Sacramental Tokens of it in 
 their Baptifm, who repeat it daily in their 
 Creeds, and meet here Annually for the 
 folemn Celebration of it, as a fundamental 
 A 2 Ar- 
 
4 -^Sermon upon the 
 
 Article of their Faith : when, I fay, we 
 confider the Lives of thefe ProfefTors, 
 there feems but too much reafon to fuf- 
 pe6t, that notwithftanding all our Pro- 
 feffions, many among us are not heartily 
 convinced of it. For after all the elaborate 
 Difcourfes upon this Subjedl, Where is 
 that indifference for the things of the 
 World ? that Spiritual Joy, that Purity, 
 that Heavenly-mindednefs, which the Re- 
 furreftion of our Lord fliould infpire r 
 Where is that Self-denial, that Watchful- 
 nefs over our own Hearts, and Attention 
 to the Omniprefence of God; that ex- 
 adl Juftlce in our Dealing, that warm 
 Benevolence towards all Men ; and in a 
 word, that zealous Preparation againfl 
 the Day of Judgment, which an effectual 
 Affurance of our own Refurredion would 
 certainly oblige us to ? I might ask the 
 greater j^art, How they would live, if 
 they did not believe any RefurrecSion ? 
 What alteration would there be in their 
 Manners? Would they be more addifted 
 to Pleafure, more intent upon their tem- 
 poral Intereft, or Icfs careful for the 
 Good of others, if they had never heard 
 the Truths of the Gofpel ? yet they lay 
 claim to the venerable Name of Chrif- 
 tians, and affemble here to celebrate the 
 Triumphs of our Lord's Refurrecftlon. 
 I dare not therefore fay of fuch, that 
 
 they 
 
RefurreBwi of our LORD. 5 
 
 they do not believe it ; but I fear they 
 have not duly thought about it : they 
 are not fufficiently apprized of the won- 
 drous effedts and confequences of this 
 great Myftery. It is not enough that we 
 know it by name and by hear-fay. All 
 faving Knowledge is experimental : and 
 it is not fufficient that we know the 
 Hiftory, but we muft 2A(o feel the Power 
 of our Lord's RefurreBio?i : not only that 
 He is Rifen, but alio that he is the Re^ 
 Jurretlioiu As the Sun is Light to him- 
 felf, and the great fource of Day to all the 
 Worlds around him : fo is our Lord, Re- 
 furredion to himfelf, and the Caufe and 
 Author of Refurredlion in all others. 
 
 Leaving * therefore the Hiftory of 
 our Lord's Rifing from the Dead, as an 
 eftabliflied and acknowledged Truth : and 
 prefuming, I hope not without good 
 Reafon, upon your conftant and open Pro- 
 feffion of it : I {hall at prefent, confider 
 our Lord as he is the RefurreBion^ not 
 only in himfelf, whereby he raifed his 
 own moft holy Humanity, but .as He 
 works this great Work in us, being, as 
 I faid, the immediate Caufe and Author 
 of our Refurredtion. This is what he 
 plainly affirms of himfelf in the Text, 
 / am the RejurreBion and the Life -, which 
 
 * This Sermon was made i8 Years ago, when 
 Infidelity was not become Epidemical, as it fince 
 feems to be. A 3 St. 
 
6 -^^Sermon upon the 
 
 St. Paul clearly explains, i Cor. xv. Sinc^ 
 by Man came Deaths by Man came alfo 
 the ReJurreBion of the Dead: for as in 
 Adam all die^ even fo in Chrijl JJjall all 
 be made alive. 
 
 This Refurredlon to be wrought in 
 us by Chrift, is twofold ; relating to the 
 two conftituent Parts of Man, the Body^ 
 and the Soul\ for to thefe two belong 
 two diftindt Refurredtions, very different 
 from each other. 
 
 The firfl Refurredion, that of the 
 Soul I mean, is of a moral and fpiritual 
 Nature: It is the Rifing of the ^o\A from 
 the Death of Sin^ unto the Life of Righ^ 
 teoufnefs'y States more different, and in- 
 finitely more important, than thofe of 
 natural Life and Death : It is peculiar 
 to the Saints of God: It requires our 
 Concurrence with the operations of Grace, 
 to which alone it is to be imputed : and 
 blefjed and holy is he that hath part in this 
 frji Refurretlion^ Rev. xx. 6. 
 
 The fecond Refurreftion, is that of 
 xkit Body^ after our natural Death. It 
 does not take Place till the Day of 
 judgment : It is common to all Men ; 
 it is neccffary and inevitable ; and is the 
 Effeft of the Juftice, rather than of the 
 Grace of Almighty God. 
 
 Of both thefe Refurreftions, 'f^fus 
 Chrijl is the immediate Caufe and Au- 
 thor : 
 
ReftcrreSlmi of otn^ LORD. 7 
 
 thor : Of the Jirji^ as he is Saviour of 
 the World -, and of the fecondy as he 
 is the Judge of it ; for it is a Preroga- 
 tive very properly annexed to his Office 
 of univerfal Judge, that he fliould, by 
 his own Power, fummon all Mankind to 
 his Tribunal. 
 
 The Power of this fecond Refurrec- 
 tion from the State of natural Death, 
 feems to have been principally intended 
 in the literal fenfe of the Text, which 
 was fpoken on the account of Lazarus^ 
 whom our Lord was then about to 
 raife from the Dead. / knoWy faid Mar- 
 tha, that he Jhall rife again at the Re- 
 JurreBion of the Lafl Day, J^f^^ f^id 
 unto her, ^^ I am the RefurreBion and the 
 " Life'' I have the Power of raifmg all 
 Men, and therefore I can raife any of 
 them, how, or at what time, I think fit. 
 
 This Refurredion from the natural 
 Death, is, I think, commonly well enough 
 underftood in the general. We can all, 
 by a Faith in the Omnipotence of God, 
 form fufficient Notions of our being 
 raifed again at the Laft Day with our 
 Bodies : fo that the whole Man, which 
 adled in this Life, may be qualified for 
 the Rewards or Punifliments of the 
 next. There is, I fuppofe, little difficulty 
 in conceiving this, feeing the Experience 
 we now have, of the Union of Soul and 
 A 4 Body, 
 
8 ^Sermon upon the 
 
 Body, may inform us, in a good degree, of 
 what fhall come to pafs at the Refurredtion 
 of the Dead, when they fhall be re-united. 
 But the fpiritual Relurreftion of our 
 Souls in this Life, is a thing lefs thought 
 of, and lefs underftood by the generality 
 of Mankind. This is one of thofe things 
 of GoJy whevtof the natural or animal Man 
 is ignorant. It requires a fpiritual difcern- 
 ment, and fome fpiritual experience for the 
 I'ight apprehending it. The Holy Scrip- 
 tures treat of it very frequently, but no 
 where more largely and clearly than in 
 the fecond Leffon of the Morning Ser- 
 vice for this Day, (Rom. vi.) I fhall read 
 the whole PafTage, only premifmg that 
 the ApofHe here treats of the Death to 
 Sitty as well as the Spiritual Bejurre^ion : 
 the former being always neceflary to the 
 latter, and fo conneded and imply'd in it, 
 that they cannot be eafily conlidered fe- 
 parately. But hear St. Paul^ Kmw ye 
 not^ that fo many of us as ijoei^e baptized 
 Into yefu^ Chrifty were baptized into his 
 Death, i. e. into an Obligation, to be 
 made conformable to it by dying to Sin ? 
 therefore we are buried with him by Bap- 
 tifm into Death, that like as Jefus Chriji 
 was raifed up from the Dead, by the Glory 
 of the father, evenfo we alfo jhould walk 
 in newnefs of Life, For if we have been 
 planted together in the likenefs of his Death, 
 
 we 
 
RefurreSlmt of our LORD, g 
 
 we pall be alfo in the likenefs of his Re- 
 JiirreSiiofi, K?iowi?2g this^ that our old 
 Man is crucified with him^ that the Body 
 of Sin might be defiroyed, that henceforth 
 we fijould ?iot ferve Sin : for he that is 
 dead^ is free from Sin, Now if we be dead 
 with Chrifi^ we believe that we Jhall alfo 
 live with him. Let not Sin therefore reign 
 in your mortal Body^ that ye Jhould obey it 
 in the Liift thereof You obferve here, 
 that the Death to Sin, is joined with the 
 fpiritual Refurrediion ; as a Circumftance 
 indilpenfably requifite to, and impUed in 
 it ; for no Perfon is capable of a Refur- 
 redion till he is once dead. 'Tis necef- 
 fary therefore that we confider this Death 
 here mentioned, that we enquire what the 
 old Life is, and how it is extinguifhed 5 
 before we can underftand any thing of 
 the fpiritual Refurredion that follows it, 
 and the 7icw Life to be conferr'd. The 
 Life to be loft by this Death, is faid to be 
 that of our old Man^ which is a Scriptural 
 Phrafe, fignifying that nature, temper, or 
 difpofition of Mind, with which we are 
 born, as we are the Sons of Adam^ and 
 Heirs of original Corruption, whereby, 
 as the Scripture affures, and even our 
 Catechifm inftrudts us, we are the Chil- 
 dren of IVrath. It is this innate depra- 
 vation, which makes us ignorant of God, 
 blind and ftupid to all fpiritual things, 
 
 felhlh. 
 
to ^Sermon upon the 
 
 feliifli, covetous, unjuft, deceitful. Hence 
 arile that Pride and Arrogance, that En- 
 vy, Malice, and Detradlion, which make 
 Men grievous to themfelves and one an- 
 other : From hence alfo all other Works 
 of the Flefh take their Original -, our 
 Sloth, Intemperance, and all other evil 
 Lufls, v^hich make us odious in the fight 
 of God, and utterly incapable of thofe 
 pure and heavenly Delights of Piety, 
 which conftitute the proper Happinefs of 
 our Nature. 
 
 Besides thofe groffer Afts of Sin, 
 which fall under common Obfervation, 
 there is a depth of Subtilty and Wicked- 
 nefs, an endlefs train of Vanity and Self- 
 deceit, which cannot be well defcribed, 
 nor rightly underftood by any, whofe 
 Minds are not enlightned by Grace ; for 
 as it would be a hard matter to make a 
 blind Man comprehend what Darknefs 
 is, at leaft, to give him fuch a Notion of 
 it, as we have, tho' he lives in it conti- 
 nually : fo it is alike difficult to give un- 
 converted Sinners a right Notion of what 
 is here meant by the old Man \ becaufe 
 this, as moft other things, is beft, if not 
 only known by its contrary. But in ge- 
 neral we are to know, that whatever 
 tendency there is in our Nature, to the 
 commiffion of Sin, it is a part or mem- 
 ber of the old Man ; 'tis the hereditary 
 
 Dif^ 
 
RefurreSlton of oti?^ LORD. 1 1 
 
 Diftemper of our Souls, derived from 
 Ada?n^ the corrupt Source of our Race. 
 While we are yet in our natural State, 
 unreformed by divine Grace , this lives, 
 this reigjis in our mortal Bodies. Why is 
 this Man a Drunkard, that malicious, a 
 third unjuft in his Dealings ? The reafon 
 is, becaufe the Refurredlion of Chrift 
 has not had its due Effed: ; the Mind is 
 not renewed, and the old Man of Sin is 
 yet unmortified. That corrupt Nature, 
 which we received from Adam^ is ftill 
 adlive and vigorous : the Nature, I lay, 
 we received ij:ovnAdam', which therefore 
 is called the old Adarn^ bearing his Name 
 from whom it is derived : it is alfo called 
 the old Leave?i, becaufe it has infedted the 
 whole race of Mankind ; as alfo Flep^ 
 and the Body of Sin^ which are different 
 terms for the fame thing, even the Princi- 
 ple of Corruption which is in our Nature. 
 This, as I faid, lives and reigns in 
 the Hearts of unregenerate Men ; and 
 would for ever reign there, for ought 
 that we can do to hinder it, if Jefus Chrift 
 did not interpofe, and by the virtue of his 
 Sufferings and Death, communicates to 
 Believers fuch Powers of Grace, as are 
 fufScient to deftroy this Root of Evil in 
 their Souls : I fay, that this corruption 
 of our Nature is luch, as we cannot pof- 
 fibly refift by our own Strength. It is too 
 
 hard 
 
12 ^Sermon upon the 
 
 hard for our moft ferious Purpofes ^ it 
 bears down our feeble Refolutions like a 
 Torrent, and renders all our Oppofition 
 fruitlefs and ineffeftual. In vain does the 
 Law encounter it with her impotent Dif- 
 cipline ; in vain does fhe fet before us her 
 rigorous Commands and Prohibitions ; in 
 vain does ilie difplay her Rewards and Pu- 
 nilhments. Thefe all ferve only to fliew 
 us our Guilt and Danger ; but cannot 
 work our Deliverance. The Rod of Mo- 
 fes cannot fo expel Nature, but that fhe 
 will ftill recur, ihe will Hill return upon 
 us, and take her old Courfes. We are 
 ftill the fame Men, and all our Struggles 
 after Virtue, are like the motion of a Doo)' 
 upon its Hinges, ftill fixt to the fame Place. 
 But behold a greater than Mofes is 
 come in the Gofpel Difpenfation, even 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift ; and what the Law 
 could not do^ in that it was weak through 
 the Flejh, i, e, our corrupt Nature, which 
 is too violent to be controlled by the dead 
 Letter of written Precepts : what this 
 Law could not do, that (faith St, Paul) hath 
 God done for us, by fending his own Son in 
 the likenefs offmful Flejh : He has for, and 
 through him, granted us new Powers and 
 Abilities, whereby we are enabled to mor- 
 tify, i, e, kill and deftroy our corrupt Na- 
 ture. Our old Man is crucified with him^ 
 (faith the fame Apoftle) that the Body of 
 
 Sin 
 
Refurre8iio72 of our LORD. 13 
 
 Sin Plight be dejlroyed^ that henceforth w^ 
 Jhotdd not ferve Sin. But this is ftill in- 
 fufficient to make us either holy, or hap- 
 py : it is at beft but a negative Goodnefs : 
 there is more required of us than a mere 
 Abftinence from Vice ; for example, it is 
 not enough that we do not hate our Neigh- 
 bour, but we mull adlually love him with 
 a fincere Affedlion. We muft, in a word, 
 not only ceafe to do evil, but alfo learn to 
 do well: and as the old Man of Sin is to 
 be dejiroyedy fo the new Man is to be raifed 
 tip i?i us. 
 
 But this is a natural confequence of 
 the former : If we be dead with Chrift^ we 
 believe alfo that we fmll be raifed up with 
 him. If we have bee?i planted together in 
 the likenefsof hii Deaths we Jhall alfo grow 
 up in the likenefs of his Refurredlion, This 
 is the Langrage of the Holy Ghoft; and 
 the beft Interpretation I can give you of 
 it, is to be deduced from the following 
 Principle, viz, " That every Axfl or Suf- 
 " fering of Chrift, as it is meritorious of 
 " Grace, fo alfo is it expreffive of it : it 
 " reprefents that very fort, or kind of 
 ** Grace, which it obtains for us." Thus 
 by his Death He put off all that mortal 
 corruptible Nature, which he had received 
 from Adam : He deftroyed that Body, 
 which washable to Pain, Sicknefs, Death, 
 and all other Infirmities, incident to the 
 
 fallen 
 
14 ^Sermon upo?t the 
 
 fallen State of Mankind ; and thereby did 
 He purchafefor us thofe Graces, which are 
 effectual for the deftroying in each of us 
 the old Adam, the corrupt Principles of 
 Sin, derived to us from the Guilt of our 
 firfl Parents. And in like manner, at his 
 Refurred:ion he refumed a new Nature ; 
 his Body was raifed incorruptible, impaf- 
 fible, and glorious, fuch as it now refides 
 at the right Hand of the Father : and 
 thereby has he obtained for us alfo a new 
 NaturCj a new Life, fuch a Frame and 
 Difpofition of Soul, as will effeftually pro- 
 duce all kinds of Virtue, and richly abound 
 in good Works. 
 
 This is the great and unfpeakable Ad- 
 Vantage which redounds to us from our 
 Lord's Refurredion : But how few are 
 there, that rightly value it ? It produces 
 every thing that is truly great and glorious. 
 It confers a Divine Life. It makes us Par- 
 takers of the divine Nature, ftrong, by the 
 Strength, wife, by the Wifdom, holy, by 
 the Holinefs of God. But the Men of the 
 World reliili none of thefe things, they 
 have no Eyes to difcern the beauty of Ho- 
 linefs : Almoft all their imaginations and 
 defires run in dired: oppofition to it : they 
 fear the thoughts of it fliould make them 
 melancholy. All their Concern is about 
 the animal Life, all their Care is for the 
 old Man, for his Maintenance and Sup- 
 port, 
 
RefurreEiion of our LORD. 15 
 
 port, and how they may make Provifion 
 for the Fleih, to fulfil the Lufts thereof. 
 No wonder then that they feel no Joy a- 
 rlfe in their Hearts, at the News of our 
 Lord's RefurrecStion ; or his affuring us, 
 that he is the ReJurre5iio7i^ and that he 
 will raife us, as he did himfelf. They 
 have no Intereft in it : they are not like to 
 be Gainers by it : and therefore they fee 
 no Glories in the Gofpel that relates it. 
 But St. Paul has taught us, that if the 
 Gofpel be hidy it is hid to thofe that are loft. 
 Others again, who pretend to have an 
 higher Opinion of Virtue, and own, by 
 their Words at leaft, that it is the moft no- 
 ble Acquifition our Nature is capable of, 
 yet think that there is no fuch great Diffi- 
 culty in attaining it 3 that there is no need 
 of fuch heavenly Machinary (as they may 
 lightly term theMyfteries of our Redemp- 
 tion.) Nee Deus interfit nifi dignus 'vindice 
 nodus. Good Morality, they fay, will carry 
 us to Heaven : but they cannot fee much 
 Ground for believing all the abftrufe Reve- 
 lations of Chriftianity ; nor how we fhall 
 be made wiler, or happier by fuch Belief. 
 But let thefe Men endeavour to live 
 up even to their own notions of Morality. 
 Let them try how they can acquit them- 
 felves in the Duties of Temperance, Meek- 
 nefs, Univerfal Benevolence, and afuitabie 
 Homage to the Supreme Being : and then, 
 
 if 
 
i6 y^ Sermon upon the^ &c. 
 
 if they do not wilfully deceive themfelves, 
 they will learn by their own Experience, 
 that they cannot do thefe things by their 
 own Strength, and that they need divine 
 Supports and Affiftances, in the arduous 
 Task of Virtue. The Gofpel will then 
 appear to them (provided they be fincere, 
 and confequently not indifpofed for the 
 Illumination of God's Holy Spirit) The 
 Gofpel will then appear to them in its 
 proper Beauty, and they will find it, ac- 
 cording to its true Interpretation, Glad 
 Tidings^ fhewing them, that Jefus Chrifl 
 is ready to do that for them, which they 
 cannot do for themfelves : That by the 
 Merits and Power of his Death, he will 
 deftroy their old Man, the Principle of E- 
 vil, that now tyrannizes in their Souls 5 and 
 by the Power of his Refurredlion, work 
 their fpiritual Refurrediion to the new 
 Life of Righteoufnefs. Then jhall be 
 brought to pafs the Saying that is written^ 
 Death is Jkv allowed up in Victory The Sting 
 of Death is Si?! ; bttt thanks be to God^ which 
 giveih us the ViBo?j through our Lord Jefus 
 Chriji, Therefore^ my beloved Brethren^ be 
 yejledfaji^ immoveable^ always abounding in 
 the Work of the Lordjorafniuch as ye know^ 
 that your Labour ff^ all not be in vain in the 
 Lord, 
 
 F I N I S. 
 
/ 
 
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