8. But above all, that we may receive comfort, let us labour for a
wrought out; something is left undone, and their consciences tell them so.
8. But above all, that we may receive comfort, let us labour for a spirit of faith. Therefore here it is said, 'You believe in God, believe also in me.' Christ brings them to faith for comfort. And he sets down a double object of faith,—God, that is, the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost; and Christ, considered as Mediator; and Christ brings them to himself, 'Believe also in me,' John 14:1, because he would fence them against the future scandal of his suffering. As if he should say, You will hereafter, when you see me so handled, and upon the cross, doubt and call in question whether I am God and the Messiah of the world or no. But if you believe in God, 'believe in me.' For howsoever, in love to you and mankind, I took man's nature on me, and am abased, yet, in my greatest abasement, remember this, that I am
God. And surely there is nothing can stay the soul more, especially when it is deeply humbled, than to consider God in the second person incarnate, and abased and crucified, and made a curse and sin for us; to see the great God of heaven and earth, whose excellencies we cannot comprehend, to take our nature, and in our nature to suffer for us those things which he did endure. This will establish the soul indeed. Can the soul think that this was done for any small or to little purpose? Or can there be any grief or sin that should hinder comfort, or persuasion of the possibility of pardon, when the great God became man on purpose to die for sin? We may set this against all discouragements whatsoever. And therefore,
'believe in God, believe also in me.' Howsoever you see me abased, yet you may have comfort in my abasement, for it is for you. And therefore, saith Paul, 'I rejoice to know nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified,' 1 Cor. 2:2. That which proud and atheistical heathens took scandal at, that he rejoiceth in, 'God forbid that I should glory in anything but in the cross of Christ,' Gal. 6:14. Peace of conscience,
joy in the Holy Ghost, reconciliation, and title to happiness, is all founded upon Christ crucified.
And then, again, you see he joins both together, 'Ye believe in God, believe also in me,' to shew the distinction of persons in the Trinity,
God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. All our faith is resolved at length into one God, but yet withal into three persons in that divine nature, because, as there is God the Father offended, so there must be a God to satisfy that God, and there must be a God to reveal and apply that satisfaction. The soul is so full of doubtings, that nothing can set it down but that which is above the soul and above the devil.
And therefore, for our salvation, and to give us comfort, there is a necessity of three persons in the Godhead. The Father is offended,
God in the second person must satisfy offended justice, and God in the third person must reveal and apply that satisfaction for comfort.
And therefore he names them distinctly, 'Ye believe in God,' &c. And because we cannot believe in God the Father but by believing in Christ, therefore he joins them together, 'Ye believe in God, ye believe also in me.' 'No man comes to the Father but by the Son,'
John 14:6. God the Father dwells in the light that no mortal eye can approach unto; only he hath manifested himself in his Son, who is the engraven image of his person. God shines in the face of Christ, and as he comes down and makes himself known to us in his Son, so we must go up to him in his Son, as he saith afterwards, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life,' John 14:6. There is no going to the Father but by me. Nothing is more terrible than to conceive of God out of Christ, for so he is a 'consuming fire,' Heb 12:29. Therefore think of God as ours in Christ. Carry Christ our elder brother with us, and desire God to look upon us in his Son.
Quest. Now, how doth faith in Christ ease the soul in trouble?