The design of the discourse.—The two texts of Scripture explained.
Table of Contents The design of the discourse.—The two texts of Scripture explained.
That there are three persons in the Godhead, who have undertaken distinct offices in the work of our salvation.
The common concurrence which the three persons have in other works besides our salvation Of their distinct appearance in the work of man's salvation
The reasons of the three persons making such a distinct discovery of themselves in this work of our salvation, rather than in any other.
The Uses.—See the great love of God, that all that is within him, all his attributes, and all his persons, should concern themselves in our salvation.
CHAPTER I
The design of the discourse.—The two texts of Scripture explained.
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ.—COL. 2:2.
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood: and it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood, &c.—1
JOHN 5:6–8.
1. WE have heard of the estate of holiness man was created in; 2. Of the estate of sin and misery he is fallen into. Now follows,
3. His restoration, or that part of the gospel which contains the doctrine of our salvation and redemption out of sin and misery, in all the particulars of it.
And this I shall divide into three parts, according to three distinct works of the three persons for the accomplishment of it; which division is natural and genuine, and suited to the things themselves, according to the division of these as the causes of them; for man's salvation being the highest stage in and on which God shews himself, and all in himself, the three persons of the Trinity have in their infinite love to mankind discovered themselves, and appeared therein, not only taking the effecting of it in common among them
(as in all other works they have done), but severally and apart, undertaking to act distinct parts therein, sharing the works thereof unto three eminent acts or scenes, by which the whole is fully accomplished and perfected.
The method therefore which I shall pursue shall answerably be so to handle the doctrine of our salvation, as withal to glorify these three glorious persons in their several agencies therein.
The first of these texts, Col. 2:2, makes God, as the Father, together with his work, and Christ, as the Son, together with a work of his likewise, to be both of them the subject of that mystery—the gospel, which in the first chapter he had been so much extolling; and as he there attributeth to the doctrines revealed therein a 'riches of glory,' so the very knowledge of this mystery in us he in this place dignifies with the same titles, calling it 'all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of
the Father, and of Christ;' so parting and dividing the doctrine thereof according as these apart are the eminent subjects unto which all therein may be and are to be reduced.
1. Of God; the gospel being that mystery which displays in man's salvation all the attributes of the Godhead.
2. And of the Father; considered as the first person, distinct from the Son, and also from God, as here taken for the Godhead, as common to all three persons; and in saying 'the mystery of God and of the Father,' he means that besides the manifestation of all the divine attributes of the Godhead, which is one distinct part of the mystery, the Father hath as the first person apart discovered the glory of his person in a glorious design and agency, in the work of our salvation proper unto him, which collected out of the Scriptures and put together, makes up the deepest mystery.
3. And of Christ; He also, as a distinct person from the Father, hath both in his person as God-man, and in execution of his Father's design in his work committed to him, 'all treasures of wisdom and knowledge' objectively for us to know him by, and subjectively in himself.
4. The Holy Ghost, the third person, though not mentioned here, yet elsewhere hath frequently assigned unto him a third work.
It is the work of salvation, as it hath been transacted by the three persons, is the subject afore me.
I come therefore to that other text of the First Epistle of John, chap.
5 ver. 6–8. There we find all three brought in together as distinct witnesses unto man's salvation, or as ver. 11, that 'God hath given eternal life unto us' that are of the sons of men. They are indeed brought in as witnesses also to another grand matter, which he mentions in the verses afore and after, viz., that 'Jesus Christ was the Son of God;' but yet withal, the same verses all along do tell us that the end of that their witness to that great truth about Christ (as it is