It is an act that passeth from God the Father, upon the believer. For the proof of this point there are three verses in the same Chapter, which make it good, the 18, 19, 20. verses, and so on to the end of the Text; in the 18. verse, he saith, All things are of God, which hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ; of God, that is, of God the Father, and yet more plainly in the 19. verse, God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their sins to them. Now what is meant by God in these two verses? the old rule of Divines is this; that wheresoever you find the Name of God put in opposition to ⟨p. 134⟩Jesus Christ, it must not be taken essentially, but personally, for the Father. For it were almost an absurd thing, to say that Christ were in Christ reconciling the world unto himself: therefore the Apostle implies thus much; God the Father was in Christ reconciling, and God the Father by Christ, reconciled the world unto himself: and then in the 20. and 21. verses, he saith, Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you through us; we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God, that is, to God the Father; for he hath made him sin for us, which knew no sin: and another proof is in the 3. of Saint John, 14.15. and so to the end of the 18. verse: it is an observation of wise Divines, and good Interpreters, when our Saviour comes to trade with Nicodemus about eternal life, he doth not only content himself to speak of himself alone, as he was Christ the Redeemer of the world, but he sets him yet a little higher in the 14. verse, he saith, As Moses lifted up the brazen Serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life: A man would have thought that this had been enough, but he stays not here, but he puts him one pin above all these, and saith, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son for it, that whosoever believeth on him might not perish, but have everlasting life: as if he had said, there is not only a Christ prepared and sent, but God the Father also loved the world: here is the highest stair to stay up the heart, so ⟨p. 135⟩that the point is plain and sure enough. Now let us make it clear, and that I shall do by answering two questions:
It is an act that passeth from God the Father, upon the beleever. For the proofe of this point there are three verses in the same Chapter, which make it good, the 18, 19, 20. verses, and so on to the end of the Text; in the 18. verse, hee saith, All things are of God, which hath reconciled us unto himselfe by Iesus Christ; of God, that is, of God the Father, and yet more plainly in the 19. verse, God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himselfe, not imputing their sinnes to them. Now what is meant by God in these two verses? the old rule of Divines is this; that wheresoever you finde the Name of God put in opposition to ⟨p. 134⟩Iesus Christ, it must not be taken essentially, but personally, for the Father. For it were almost an absurd thing, to say that Christ were in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe: therefore the Apostle implies thus much; God the Father was in Christ reconciling, and God the Father by Christ, reconciled the world unto himselfe: and then in the 20. and 21. verses, he saith, Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you through us; we pray you in Christs stead that yee be reconciled to God, that is, to God the Father; for he hath made him sinne for us, which knew no sinne: and another proofe is in the 3. of Saint Iohn, 14.15. and so to the end of the 18. verse: it is an observation of wise Divines, and good Interpreters, when our Saviour comes to trade with Nichodemus about eternall life, hee doth not onely content himselfe to speake of himselfe alone, as he was Christ the Redeemer of the world, but he sets him yet a little higher in the 14. verse, hee saith, As Moses lifted up the brasen Serpent in the wildernesse, so must the Sonne of Man bee lifted up, that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish, but have eternall life: A man would have thought that this had beene enough, but hee stayes not here, but he puts him one pin above all these, and saith, For God so loved the world, that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne for it, that whosoever beleeveth on him might not perish, but have everlasting life: as if hee had said, there is not only a Christ prepared and sent, but God the Father also loved the world: here is the highest staire to stay up the heart, so ⟨p. 135⟩that the point is plaine and sure enough. Now let us make it cleare, and that I shall doe by answering two questions:
