A practical commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and uses upon the first…A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first…

Answ. There are three things implied in having the Son. 1. That such a have Christ in truth, do not rest so much in having any of the benefits of Christ, but they do chiefly affect to have the Son himself: many professors sought after Christ for the loaves sake, John 16.26, 27. But Christ bids them ⟨p. 389⟩not to labour for the meat that perisheth, but to labour for Christ himself, the bread of life: hereby Peter discovered hypocrisy of Simon Magus, in that he desired the gift of Christ, but not Christ himself, and such gifts as might tend to profit; but Peter tell him, Thy money perish with thee, Act. 8.18, 19. So Balaam wished, O that I might dye the death of the righteous, Numb. 23.10. but he desired not Christ, but own happiness and freedom from hell and misery, and therefore what ever gift he had besides, as indeed he had a goodly gift of prophecy, he never sought Christ in any of them. Nay further, a true christian that affects Christ himself seeks him, not only without respect to profit or gain, or happiness hereafter, but even here in this life, in the Ordinances of God, wherein he seeks for help against his lusts, for increase of grace, for supply of comfort, he doth not so affect them, as to find Christ in them: When David fled from Absalom, and the Priests carried the Ark after him, as knowing, they should never meet with a Prince that more favoured and upheld Gods worship, then he; David bad the Priests carry back the Ark again, If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back again, and show me both it and his habitation; but if he say, I have no delight in thee, here I am, let him do what seemeth him good, as if he had said, the Church shall not be so much prejudiced as to be deprived of the Ark of God for my sake, without which they cannot offer their solemn Sacrifices, nor find the presence of God, therefore he considers, that thereby Gods Name should be dishonoured, and the Church wronged, and rather then he would do that, he would part with the very Ark, the presence of God, and his Ordinances, which yet was his greatest care and desire, Psal. 27.4. Now this is an argument of grace in sincerity, to be willing to part with the Ordinances, rather then have God dishonoured, and the Church prejudiced.