A44344:1444
A comment upon Christ's last prayer in the seventeenth of John wherein is opened the union believers have with God and Christ, and the glorious privileges thereof ... / by that faithful and known servant of Christ, Mr. Thomas Hooker ... ; printed from the authors own papers written with his own hand, and attested to be such in an epistle by Thomas Goodwin and Philip Nigh.
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1656
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
These, all these, and none but these, have this Knowledge, as their privilege, and peculiar Favour appropriated to them: in which the World hath no Portion, nor yet shall ever be made Partakers of it.
These, all these, and none but these, have this Knowledg, as their priviledg, and peculiar Favor appropriated to them: in which the World hath no Portion, nor yet shal ever be made Partakers of it.
At the great Day, when all Flesh shall appear before God, and all his Saints gathered, and by Christ brought home to the Father, when he hath fully finished the Work, and done the Will of the Father: That as he now professeth, I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me: and this is the will of him that sent me, That of those that thou hast given me, I should lose none, but raise them up at the last day.
At the great Day, when al Flesh shal appear before God, and al his Saints gathered, and by Christ brought home to the Father, when he hath fully finished the Work, and done the Wil of the Father: That as he now professeth, I came not to do mine own wil, but the wil of him that sent me: and this is the wil of him that sent me, That of those that thou hast given me, I should lose none, but raise them up at the last day.
Then I say, when the Work is finished, and performed in the Eyes of the Ungodly, and he shall be admired in his Saints; not of them only, but admired in them, even by the Wicked, who shall be forced to admire that Power, and Love, and Mercy, which hath done such great things for such undeserving Creatures: and therefore shall see it, and be constrained to acknowledge the truth and reality of that great Work: what the Father purposed, and plotted from Eternity with the Lord Jesus; how out of infinite Love and. Faithfulness he was sent, and hath now accomplished it.
Then I say, when the Work is finished, and performed in the Eyes of the Ungodly, and he shall be admired in his Saints; not of them only, but admired in them, even by the Wicked, who shal be forced to admire that Power, and Love, and Mercy, which hath done such great things for such undeserving Creatures: and therefore shal see it, and be constrained to acknowledg the truth and reality of that great Work: what the Father purposed, and plotted from Eternity with the Lord Jesus; how out of infinite Love and. Faithfulness he was sent, and hath now accomplished it.
This they shall see, and be forced to know with grief and vexation of Spirit, that it is so: And for this also our Saviour prayed in the former Verse, That the World may know, that thou hast sent me.
This they shal see, and be forced to know with grief and vexation of Spirit, that it is so: And for this also our Savior prayed in the former Verse, That the World may know, that thou hast sent me.
But to find, and own this, in the reality of the Work of it; to tract the foot-steps of the unsearchable Wisdom, and Riches of Mercy in marking this good upon their Souls, in that miraculous, and my sterious manner ⟨p. 432⟩as he hath: this is peculiar to the Saints.
These, and these alone, know that Christ is sent to this Work: these have found the excellency of it here; and these are fit to gaze upon it, and admire it for ever hereafter.
Three things we are to open: 1. How Christ is said to be sent of the Father. 2. For what he is sent; and what was his Errand. 3. How the Saints know this in a special manner.
1. How sent.
This Sending, is the first in-let, whereby the Fountain of the ever lasting good Will, and Favour of the Father, is laid open, and let out unto us: And you shall find the Spirit in the Scripture leading all his by the hand hither; here he would Land us, and here leave us, and thereby teaching of us, that we should not stay, before we repair hither, and when we are here, not to stir: But rest, and repose our Soul, and resolve our Faith, and Confidence, as into the first Principle; where there is no possibility, either of alteration, or addition: So firm, it cannot be altered; so fully sufficient, and satisfactory, that nothing can be added, nor desired.
This Sending, is the first in-let, whereby the Fountain of the ever lasting good Wil, and Favor of the Father, is laid open, and let out unto us: And you shal find the Spirit in the Scripture leading al his by the hand hither; here he would Land us, and here leave us, and thereby teaching of us, that we should not stay, before we repair hither, and when we are here, not to stir: But rest, and repose our Soul, and resolve our Faith, and Confidence, as into the first Principle; where there is no possibility, either of alteration, or addition: So firm, it cannot be altered; so fully sufficient, and satisfactory, that nothing can be added, nor desired.
It is too mysterious a depth, and therefore beyond our scantling to fathom it. We will a little, make some search with Sobriety, so far as may help us to understand the place in hand.
It is too mysterious a depth, and therefore beyond our scantling to fathom it. We wil a little, make some search with Sobriety, so far as may help us to understand the place in hand.
Thus our Saviour makes it the Head Corner Stone of our Confidence: This is Eternal Life, to know thee (that is, the Father) to be only God (not he only to be God, but to be the only God) there is but one only Deity, and he hath that only God-head, and what beside? and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ. Know him as a Christ, anointed, and fitted; and as a Jesus, a Saviour, who hath performed the work; and that he is ⟨p. 433⟩sent for that very End, and Errand, and for that purpose from God the Father.
Thus our Savior makes it the Head Corner Stone of our Confidence: This is Eternal Life, to know thee (that is, the Father) to be only God (not he only to be God, but to be the only God) there is but one only Deity, and he hath that only God-head, and what beside? and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ. Know him as a Christ, annointed, and fitted; and as a Jesus, a Savior, who hath performed the work; and that he is ⟨p. 433⟩sent for that very End, and Errand, and for that purpose from God the Father.
For had our Saviour done it, if he had not been sent, the Soul would have been at a loss, whether he had ever satisfied, or should ever be accepted.
For had our Savior done it, if he had not been sent, the Soul would have been at a loss, whether he had ever satisfied, or should ever be accepted.
