: rebelled against me! The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.' Pray, who can turn his thoughts in any measure to the consideration of these things, and not presently perceive how powerful an argument of the divine glory of Jesus Christ is to be found in the words of St. John, when he says; The world was made by him, but the world knew him not?' But as John attributes to Christ, as the eternal light, the creation of the world, and consequently omnipotence: so Paul represents Christ as the word of God, and attributes to him omniscience, as to the essential and eternal light, glittering and shining every where, even in darkness, and says, that he is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him,' (Heb. iv. 12, 13.) Which assertion cannot be used of the written word; and therefore he adds, with whom (to wit, Christ, the eternal Word of God) we have to do. Therefore when Christ is said to be the light, his omniscience is thereby comprehended, (which also his disciples acknowledged and professed to be in him; (which Christ would not have suffered them to do, if it had been an error in them: see John ii. 24, 25; vi. 64, and xvi. 30. See also a most clear testimony of his omniscience, in Rev. ii. 18, 19, where the Son of God speaking, (verse 23,) says, that he is the searcher of the reins and the hearts,' which in all the Holy Scriptures is wont to be alleged as the peculiar and chief property of God. (Psalm vii. 9. Psalm cxxxix. Jer. xi. 20; xii. 3.) This again is a most evident testimony of his true and essential Godhead. Wherefore also St. Paul, in the place now alleged out of his Epistle to the Hebrews, distinguishes him from all created beings, nay, he puts all things that are created before his all-seeing eye as their Creator, who thoroughly inspects all things. Who dares affirm this of any thing that is created? But if any one will here consult the collation above made of the words of St. John, with other places of the Old and New Testament, he will be so much the more convinced of the truly divine glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, and will thereby the more readily obey him, who cries out, and says; He that believeth on me, believeth not on me (only) but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness,' (John xii. 44— 46.) And I am the light of the word: he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life, (John viii. 12 ;) which words cannot be understood, but of the origin of life and light, and consequently of the true and essential Godhead of Jesus Christ our Lord, VI. "He, of whom St. John, and with him all the servants of God, in the Old and New Testament, unanimously testify, that all men ought to believe in him, and that after so excellent a manner, as no other thing can be believed in without the most heinous crime of idolatry; since the faith required to be in him, comprehends all the duties, which are to be performed to the living God alone: He, I say, is with the Father, the true, the living, and essential God. But in Christ such a faith is required: therefore Christ is with the Father, the true, the living, and essential God." The major proposition is without all doubt and controversy; for God cannot be repugnant to himself: and since in his word he names the crime of idolatry among the most grievous and detestable sins, it cannot reasonably be imagined that all his servants and witnesses, sent and instructed with evidence by himself, should set up and unanimously establish the superstitious worship of any created thing. Therefore in the major proposition it is only to be observed, that there is no question here, whether faith is to be given to a man, or to a created being; or whether it is not so far lawful to believe in any of God's messengers, that one may receive their words as true, and use them for doctrine, reproof, correction, and comfort. For every one already knows, that this faith is rather commanded by God; and therefore it is not to be looked on as idolatry, if in obeying the divine command, we believe the true prophets of God, and the servants sent by him: nay, God will not suffer him to go unpunished, who refuses to do this. Therefore in the major proposition it is most clearly shewn, what faith is required, to wit, such 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. When therefore it is evident, that such a faith in Christ is required in the Holy Scriptures, certainly it cannot be, that any man should conclude otherwise, than that Christ, being of the same essence with the Father, is to be honoured and adored with the same worship. 4. Meditation :- -On the benefits we enjoy by JESUS CHRIST. Dost thou possess any good, O my soul, which thou hast not from thy Saviour, by him, and in him? And can there any good be named, which thou canst not receive from him, by him, and in him? In him, πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς Θεότη7ος,—all the fulness of the Godhead, of universal grace and truth dwells; 'and of his fulness,' says St. John, 'we do all receive, και χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος,—and grace for grace; so as grace may be, as it were, recompensed with grace, and so there may be no end of grace, of love, and of compassion, to all eternity. But if you would know when these mercies to us began, you are to observe, that love and divine grace in Christ Jesus never had a beginning: 'for grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,' (2 Tim. i. 9.) You ought to consider this expression, The word was in the beginning with God,' (John i. 2.) For we read thus in the Proverbs of Solomon, (Prov. viii. 30, 31 ;) ́ Then I was by him as one brought up with him, (71N— nourished, 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.' Do not you perceive what is meant by the words, the Son of God was from the beginning with the Father? He was the delight and pleasure of his Father, and as his Father loved him, so he in like manner loved men, and they became his delight. For as he was the daily delight of the Father, rejoicing always before A him, so he rejoiced in the habitable part of the earth, and his delight was with the sons of men. And as the Father says concerning the Son, This is my Son, my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;' so from eternity, évdókŋoev, he was well pleased, not only in the Son, but also through 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 Christ Jesus, is so singular and wonderful, that the Son of God himself says of it; 'God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, (that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.) (John iii. 16.) And St. Paul says, 'If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with Him also freely give us all things?' (Rom. viii, 31, 32.) 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 dearest and most acceptable to any one, that he usually retains. Now God not only gave his Son for us mortal creatures, but delivered him also to death for us, and required he should taste what was due to men for their sins. How amazing is this love! If God had not loved us in his Son, if the Son himself had not pursued us with a love exceeding all measure, nay, if the Son had not been the very mind of the Father, which, the Father, being touched by the misery of Man created by him, was, together with him, moved with love and compassion towards the whole lapsed race: truly we could not but say, that he shewed greater love to us, than to his only be |