again John vi. 47, "He that believeth in me hath everlasting life."

Hence, the epistles of the apostles are full of the doctrine of faith, because that doctrine is eternal life: as John saith, chap. iii. 36, "He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." And again, chap. xii. 49, 50, Christ saith, "For I have not spoken of myself: but the Father which hath sent me he gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting. It is fully manifest, therefore, that he declared the commandment of God: that is, faith in himself as the Son of God, unto the salvation of all who should receive him and believe on his name, &c.

But you will say, If this was the design of the Holy Spirit, why did he not make use of plainer words, in this manner, 'I will declare the command of God, that I am his Son, and that this day he has begotten me,' &c.

-I answer: The Holy Spirit is ever like himself. For thus, Christ, throughout the Gospel of John, whenever he is speaking of his own divinity, always observes this, to bring in the authority of the Father, and to refer unto the Father all that he himself is. "I (saith he) speak not of myself," John xiv. 10, "My doctrine is not mine," John vii. 16, "The Father that dwelleth in me he doeth the works," John xiv. 10. Together with many other scriptures of the same kind.

And so also here, when he says that he will declare, by the command of the Father, that he is the Son of God; he first introduces the Father speaking unto him, in order that we may hear more the Father in the Son speaking of the Son, than the Son speaking of himself. So that the sense is, 'I will declare the command of God, that I am the Son of God. But I will not do this by my own authority, lest I should seem to boast of myself. Nay I will rather declare unto you what the Father has said of me, that ye may hear him speaking

of me, who commanded me to declare that which he said unto me that thus ye may believe me concerning myself upon his authority.

And observe also this change of the persons. At one time it is the Father's words: at another the words of the Son, declaring the words of the Father concerning himself: all which is a holy and sacred diversity, commending unto us the nature and equality of the Godhead, in a more holy manner than I, from my impurity and unworthiness, dare to set forth any farther.

In a word, this Psalm is one of the most important Psalms of the whole Psaltry: which is sufficiently proved upon the authority of the apostle Paul, who, when speaking of the divine generation, says, Heb. i. 5, "Unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?"

And every one will of himself observe this,—that the words of the Father express an only begotten Son. 'He said unto me only, (saith Christ) not unto many, Thou art my only Son." Distinguishing, most certainly, by such remarkable and particular words, this one especial Son from all others: concerning which Psalm lxxxix. 6 saith, "Who among the sons of God can be likened unto God." As if he had said, There are many sons of God, but only One among them who is God? And who is like unto him? And again, I have begotten thee,' I only,' thee only,' &c.

And how discerningly and worthily have all the holy fathers interpreted this passage, "This day have I begotten thee?" that is, (say they) in eternity. For that is an eternal generation, which is born, and will be born, without end. And to be a Son, is to be born of a Father. But Christ neither began to be born, nor will ever cease to be born, but is ever being born in a most present nativity. He is rightly said therefore to be begotten "to-day:" that is being always begotten. For "to-day," neither implies a yesterday, nor a to-morrow, but always a present time, a to-day. As it is said John viii. 58, "Before Abraham was I am. am."

Where are ye now, ye poor, miserable, proud mortals, who ambitiously seek, or unprofitably hold, the place of this king in the church? who declare not the command of God, nor preach Jesus Christ the Son of God crucified, for the salvation of them that believe, but amass riches, wallow in luxuries, and revel in a pompous show of all things? This Son of God who is appointed King, does not seek his own, but declares the command of God; and receives his kingdom, not for himself, but for the salvation of others, to the glory of God the Father.-But this one office of the Word which is the great duty of bishops, is the one duty that is above all others omitted. And, if there be others who teach in their stead, yet, they teach, not the "command" of God, not Christ, but their own fables, or, at best, only the laws and traditions of men. Therefore, believe not that the church, the holy mountain of God is there, where Christ does not teach in all purity. For it is a word of important weight when Christ says, "I will declare the command of God." He says the command "of God," not the command, counsel, and histories of men. And "I" myself will declare it. For if Christ does not speak in us, we shall never declare the command of God of ourselves. 'I (saith he) will be in thy mouth,' and, "Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it," Psalm lxxxi. 10.

Our translation of this passage, therefore, does not in the least differ from the Hebrew in sense. And though a diversity in the reading will sometimes make a little difference in the sense, yet if the same truth be held fast, the diversity of reading will do no harm : therefore I will not contend.

This verse, therefore, distinguishes the kind of doctrine taught in the New Testament, from that which was taught in the Old. In the Old the law was taught, which worketh wrath and increases sin but now, faith, which worketh the remission of sins, and fulfilleth all righteousness. In the former therefore was the manlawgiver and servant, Moses: in the latter the God lawgiver, Christ, the Lord of all. The former made

men to be the servants of sin: the latter makes them free in righteousness.

Not that the law is not taught now also, for Christ saith, Matt. xiii. 52, that a scribe well instructed in the kingdom of heaven brings forth things new and old: but, grace is the peculiar preaching under the New Testament, and the works of the law under the Old. And as there is no one in this life in whom all the fulness of the New Testament is accomplished; so, no one can be found, in whom there is not some part of the Old Testament remaining. For this life is a certain passage and transition, out of the law into grace, out of sin into righteousness, and out of Moses into Christ: but the consummation will be after the resurrection that is to

come.

Verse 8.-Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

And this also belongs to the "command" which Christ received of the Father, commanding him to declare it. The Lord (saith he) said unto me, and the Lord commanded me, to ask of him the heathen for my inheritance. And this command I will declare, that ye may know and believe that I am appointed, not only king over Mount Zion, his holy mountain, that is, over the people Israel, but also the heir and Lord of all things; that he who shall hear this command of the Father from me, and shall believe it, may come unto the Father and be saved.

Here again, you see that the kingdom of Christ was not presumptively assumed by him in arrogance, but confirmed unto him by the authority and command of the Father. Hence the ambitious are here so far from having any example or precedent set them, that their vice is rebuked even by the authority of divine example. Nor is this considered a sufficient reproof to their monstrous conduct: for Christ the Lord of all, acts and does nothing in the church without the command of God. But these wretched worms of men try and dare

all things in their own rashness in a church that is not their own.

What is the reason, that, on being set as king upon Mount Zion, he is not commanded to ask the kingdom of Mount Zion? and that the inheritance of the heathen is promised him, yet not without his asking for it, nay, being commanded to ask for it?-Perhaps, it is because the blessing and kingdom of Christ were promised to Israel in Abraham; but mercy was extended to the Gentiles without a promise. As in Rom. xv. 8, 9. "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy, &c." Thus, the truth was confirmed unto the Jews and the promises fulfilled unto them; but the mercy unto the Gentiles was freely and gratuitously imparted. And hence, mercy and truth are most frequently coupled together in the prophets. Though it was of gratuitous mercy also that God condescended to make the promise.

Therefore, Zion is given to Christ for a kingdom, but the Gentiles are given to him for an inheritance upon his asking for them as a gift, as being those to whom the promise was not made. Thus Isaiah Ixvi. 19, "And they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. And they shall bring all your brethern for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations." Hence Israel is the kingdom, and we Gentiles are the gift; like the dowry of the daughter of Pharaoh, which Pharaoh king of Egypt gave unto her. In a word, when Christ is set as king upon Zion, he uses the plainest declarations of it, which at once show that such is the case: but when he is declared to be the heir, he is first commanded to ask, and it is promised unto him as that which shall be hereafter. All which things we see fulfilled in the Acts of the Apostles for the disciples did not preach the Word unto any but the Jews, until Paul being called from heaven was sent unto the Gentiles. Christ, therefore, being now upon earth, appointed king upon Mount Zion, asks for the Gentiles; and when he reigns in