Goodwin - BX9315 G6 v2

Of the l(norvlecf.g of (jod the Father~ ~ This alone of it !elf will evidence it, That an Eternity of Time did pafs, BooK 1· when there were no Creatures at all ; but the Three Perfons wholly enjoyed '- ~ themfdves all that Time without interruption. And this alfo will further be demon(!rar.d in the fccond Head of this Uifcourfe, which will be a Dcnmnfir.uion of the Differences and Dilhnces of that Communion which is between Father, Son, and Holy <.,ho/1, and that which we have with thofc P<rfons. . But to return to the Expofition of ]obn the 17th. T hat the lt mon of the Three Perfons in the God-head, is of a higher kind, and nO( cotnmuntcable to us, is evident from the manner of Chril\'s Speech in that his Prayer. r. Negatively, fi·om what he forbears to fay in it ; He does not pray, That tve all "'"1 be one mth tlo11, (as if !peaking of the Father, and Himfelf, and the . . sa;nrs altogether); No, but that we ,,/t may be one in them, and fo with a dif– ci~~~h~r~~~~~~J~; fcring Union from rhtirs. Thus Auflin, He prays not that they may be one nobifcum lint withuJ, but one iJJII!. ~nu~~~~~~~~i-~fi 2. PoJi.tively; He fpeaks of ~n U~ion of him and ~1is Father, .as fb?din_g & no•, """ apart enttre from that of the Samts wtth them; and whtch though tt admtt thts no~ unum r~- addition of that Union of the Saints, yet ftill remains inviolate in it feJf, not· I::usn\t~~: 1{u~ wit hfranding no way intermingled with, or entercommoning with it. He re– ~~~~~~ ~;)~~~r peats that Union~f his .and his Fathers five or fi~ times, from . verF rr. to the unum f 111 nus. end; and every time W!th a Character of fuch a dttference as th1s. I. He fpeaks 1/IJ,:uf}Jn~. of the Saints and t\1eir Union, as at a difrance from Himfdf and his Father; 1:t~~:~::.1" and of their Union alfo between thtmfelves; that they all may be one m We: Of . N~'.. ~u;J~m the We he !peaks, as of thole who are of a Superior Order, and are on~ by a ~ffi~'11 ~,(~: 1 Superior Union. But of thtm as with a difl:ance, that they, that thefe under– ! .:_dd ur.um in fort Crenturts, this vulg111 Creaturuntm, utterly difft'ring and ffparated from us ~:.~~ [Jjr~;t of tht~11lc.:l vts, that they yet may be one inK~. ?· In his rep~rition of it a fe– it) (cd.unum cond ttme, 1;erj '22. that thly [ alfo J; there IS an Emphafis m the word Alfo ~~~, ;~~trr~~~ as to this purpuf~. . I. [ Alfo J that is over and bdldes th:~t Union which we "'"%"#. ;b;d. have and keep wtthtn among our !elves, even then when they are fuppofed united to Us; One in Vs: The Us I\ill remain in a feparate Alfociation apart, and retain a Confortium, an A!lociation as a Superior [We]. 2 . 'Tis a Speech of diminution of their Union in comparifon of the [ U, ], and founds thus ; As if Chri/1, looking down from an higher Orb, Sphere, and Throne of U nion, whereon Himfdf and his rather fits, upoo theft· poor Thmgs infinitely bdow, who are void of fuch a Condition in their Native proper State; upon them Chril\ looking down in love, prays, Let thefe poor Things [alto J partake of Union 1\ith Us ; litt!t: One•, who of themfdves are fo far below us, no way worthy to attain, alpire to any fl1ch Thing, and yet by Grace are capable of in ~;tn~~:\v?r~ Us. 3· In his ~Jying). that tbey be one, .aJ I in Thee, and. thou i1z Me, verJ 21. Arn,1 ~01, Obkrve, He f<1ys not etther, I. V t Jint 111 teunum,jicut ego tn te unum jitnt : That they may be·One in Thee, as I am One in Thee: No, but that they may be one in Us, as l in Thee, and Thou in Me : He therein entertaining and referving Am!"{ Hb 4 . fiill an Union as peculiar to himfelf. .Nor, 2. He f.1ys not,that Tho11 majjl be one defide.e. '· inTH, (as tnvolvm_g and re<konmg htmfelf but as one of them and their Rank) ~nd we all one 111 1 1ee ; No, but he fays, As Thou in M e, ~"d I in Thee, (ita fe d Credtum ftp<trans ) and the; one m us: whereby he mantfel\ly feparates him– ft!f from them, and betakes himfe!f to a peculiar Union and Interefl: with God above them. The repetition of it a fecond time, verf 23. (which I mol\ obferve) is put there by way of Cautton, and as wtth a wartnefs that that Un10n of hirnfdfand his Father be kept inviolate; I in them, and tho11 in me, that tl•ey may be made perftfl in Om: As if he had laid, when they arrive to their highefl perfdtion of Union, yet let them know, I. their ditlance, That 1am above them in it; I in thee1, and tlmt i11 me. 2. Their dependence and derivation of it fi·om me; I in them,.md tho11 m me: And this frill continueth, that ( fo) they may be per– fet\ed in On: : He leeks it not, nor would allow it them upnn any other Terms. A> tl he fhould have Cud, when they are at their heighth of Union, Thou art nor, nor ever can'fl: be in them, with that immediate Union thou art withal in me, and I in thee: .I mull come in as a middle between them and thee, when they arc with us in Glory. The defcent i~, The Glor; thoH haft given me, I

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