Chap. I. Sect. 5. LMkhtgttnto 'feftu. Book. IV. 393 heaven for thu purpofe the Sonne of God rM,; mani{tfled, that he . might deftroy the work! of th: de~ if: 5. Becaufe this ma,nifefra- 1 John 3· S• tion tends to our beleevmg m Chnfr, and by confequence to our · falvacion through Chrifr, m_any jignes Chrifi did !N the p;efence of John t. 30 , 311 hu difciples which are not wmten; but thefct~re wmten (fatth {,ohn) that ye might beleevc that {efm u Christ the So;, of God~ and that be/eeving ye might have life through hu N amr. Well, but wherein waHhis firft manifeftation of Jefus? Ian" fwer, in thofe fe'veral witneifes that held him forth; It u written John 8. J 7: in the law, (faith Chrift) t-hat the teftimony oftwo men u true, but to manifeft Chrift were many witneffes. As, r. From heaven the Father is witneffe, for fee faith Chrift, the Father that fent me bearcth witnejfe ofme,and the Sonne is witneffe, for fo faith Chrift, John s. 18, 1 am one that beare witneJTe ofmy felfe,and though I beare record ofJ ohn 8, 14. my felfe,yet my recwdu r.rue,for I kzww whence I came, andwhither I go; and the holy Ghoft is witn€'£fe, fo faith Paul, the holy Ghoft H b . 11l{o u a witnef[e to us: and to that purpofe he defcended like a e · 10 ' 19 ' Dove, and light upon him. 2. On eartl:! {ohn the Baptift is witneffe, for fo faith Chriil:, ye font unto 'fohn, and he bare witnef[e tmt'o Matt h. 3 •. 16, thetruth,-hecamefor awitne]Je, tobet~rewitmf{e of the l(r;ht,John 5·H· that all men through Chrift. might beleeve. No fooner was 'fohnJoh.r.7. confirmed by a figne from heaven, thatJefus was the Chrill, but he imll)ediately manifefis it to the Jewes; and firft to the Priefts and L evites fent in legation from the Sanhedrim, he profe-ffed indefinitely in anfwer to their queil:ion, that himfelfe was not the Chrill, nor E/ia,;, nor that Prophet, whom they by a fpecial tradition expected to be revealed, though they knew not when; and fecondly to all the people he profeffed definitely, wherefoeverhefawJefusChrifr,thuuhe; yea, he pointshim out with . hisfinger, beholdtheLambofGod thattakfsaway thejinsoftheJdbn ' · 19~ world. Then he fhews him to Andrew, Simon Peter.r brother, and then to another difciple with him, who bothfollowfd 'fefur, and John 1 • 39, abode with him all night. Andrew brings his brother Simon with hin;, and ~hrift changes his name fr~m Simon to Peter, or (ephMver. ft . wh1cb jignifies aflonr. Then Jefus htmfelfe findes out Philip D[ver. 43 , Bethfaida, and bade him foll~w him; and Philip findes out :l(athaniel, and bids him come <~nd fee, for the Meffiah was found; vcr. 45· when Njthanielcame to Jefus, Chrift faw his heart, and gave' him a bleffed character, beiJo!d an lfrttelite indeed, in whom thereverz 4 i• Eee ~
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