A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

Which God gave unto him. These words be added to show how this became the Revelation of Christ: namely by the gift of God, that is, of God the father the first person in Trinity: for this is a rule to be observed, That where the title, God, in any sentence of Scripture, is opposed to Christ, there it importeth the first person the father: though this be also true, That sundry times in Scripture, the father alone is termed God, without any addition of the other persons; because he is the first in regard of order, and the fountain of the deity: for the son receiveth the Godhead by communication from the father, and the holy ghost receiveth it from them both: but the father hath his godhead of himself, and receiveth it not by communication from any other.

Which God gaue vnto him. These words be added to shew how this became the Reuelation of Christ: namely by the gift of God, that is, of God the father the first person in Trinitie: for this is a rule to be obserued, That where the title, God, in any sentence of Scripture, is opposed to Christ, there it importeth the first person the father: though this bee also true, That sundry times in Scripture, the father alone is tearmed God, without any addition of the other persons; because he is the first in regard of order, and the fountaine of the deitie: for the sonne receiueth the Godhead by communication from the father, and the holy ghost receiueth it from them both: but the father hath his godhead of himselfe, and receiueth it not by communication from any other.

Here some will say, this seems strange, that any thing should be given to Christ, seeing he is God, and hath all things of himself. Answ. We must conceive of Christ two ways: first, as God, secondly, as Mediator, and head of the Church. As Christ is God, the father giveth him nothing: for so he is of himself the same with the father, and hath all things belonging unto him that the father hath (excepting personal properties) and is no way inferior to the father, neither receiveth any thing from him, but giveth all things as well as the father doth. But yet as Christ is Mediator, he is not God simply, but God incarnate, or God made man: and so is said to receive of his father, in respect of his manhood, as himself confesseth, All power is given to me,