The mystery of Christ opened and applied. In several sermons, concerning the person, office,…The mystery of Christ opened and applyed. In several sermons, concerning the person, office,…

John wrote his Gospel after the rest of the Evangelists. When the Apostles were most of them dead, there arose certain Heretics who denied the Godhead of Christ; which is thought to be the occasion of John's writing his Gospel; that so he might bear witness against that which was the grand Error of the time wherein he lived. He does most plainly assert and prove the Deity of Christ: for which cause he has been commonly ⟨p. 76⟩styled John the Divine. And that is in a special manner the Scope of this Chapter, which does contain a Description of the Person of Jesus Christ, in respect of both his Natures Divine and Humane. The Divinity of Christ is asserted and proved from ver. 1. to 14. His Humane Nature is declared in this verse & in these words; wherein we have

JOhn wrote his Gospel after the rest of the Evangelists. When the Apostles were most of them dead, there arose certain Hereticks who denied the Godhead of Christ; which is thought to be the occasion of John's writing his Gospel; that so he might bear witness against that which was the grand Error of the time wherein he lived. He does most plainly assert and prove the Deity of Christ: for which cause he has been comonly ⟨p. 76⟩styled John the Divine. And that is in a special manner the Scope of this Chapter, which does contain a Description of the Person of Jesus Christ, in respect of both his Natures Divine and Humane. The Divinity of Christ is asserted and proved from ver. 1. to 14. His Humane Nature is declared in this verse & in these words; wherein we have

1. The Person Assuming, called the Word. h. e. the Son of God, or second Person in the Trinity, who is called the Word. In the Old-Testament Christ is called the word When David said before God, For thy Words sake thou hast done all these great things. 2. Sam. 7. 21. his meaning may be, that all was done for the sake of Christ. And the Jews of Old were wont to term the Messiah the Word of God. So the Chaldee Paraphrase frequently calleth the Messiah [MIDBAR] i. e. the Word. Now the Messiah being commonly styled the Word of God, the Apostle speaking of him giveth him that Name. He may be so called, (1) In respect of the eternal generation of his Person. The Son of God is essential, inernal and eternal Word of the Father: that as Words are the Birth of the mind; so is the Son of God eternally begotten by the infinite