Owen - BS2775 O8 1668

$ R, I. Epi/ile to the HE B iti WS. tdi V. The confderationofthe Revelation of the Goffel by the Son of.God, is a powerful Aix várz.. motive unto that diligent attendance unto it, whichwe have before defcribed. This isthe inference that the Apofle makes from the Propofition that he had made ofthe Ex- cellencyof theSon ofGod. Therefore. And this is that which in the greatefi: part of the enfuing Chapter he loth pur- fue. This is that which God declares, thathe might fo julilyexpec;# and look,for, namelythat when he fent his Son to the Vineyard, he (hould be regarded and attended .unto. And this is moll reafonable uponmany accounts. nBecaufe oftheAuthority wherewithhe fpaketheword. Others fpake and deli- vered their me(fage asfervants, he as the Lordover bis own pouf, chap. 3.6. The Father himfelfgave him all his Authority for the revealing ofhis Mind, and therefore pro- claimed from heaven, that ifany one would have any thing to do with God, they were to bear him, Msttb. 57. IO. 2 Pet. r. 57. The whole Authority ofGod was with him, forhim did GodtheFatherfoal, or put the !tampofall his Authority upon him and he fpake accordingly, Math. 7. 39. And therefore he fpake both in his own Name, and the Name of hisFather ; fo that this Authority fprung partly from the Dignity of his Perfon, for beingGod and Man, though he ;fßake. on the earth, yet he who was the Son ofman was in heavenfill, Job. 3. t 3. and therefore isPaid to /Peak from heaven, Heb. la. 2r. and coming from heavenwas 1hll above all, yob. 3. 3 r. hav- ing power and authority over all : And partly from'his Commillion that he had from his Father, Which, as we Laid before, gave all Authority into his hand, f oh. 5. z6. Being then in himfelfthe Son of God, and being peculiarly deigned to reveal the Mind and Will ofthe Father, ( which the Prophet calls his jtandingandfeeding in the ffrengib ofthe Lord, in the Majef}y of the Name ofthe Lardhis God, Mic. 5. 4. ) All the Authorityof God over the foulsand confciences ofinen is exerted in this Revelation ofthe Gofpcl by him. It cannot then be neglected without the contempt of altthe. Authority ofGod. And this will be a (ore aggravation of the tin of 'Unbelievers and Apoftates at thelatt day. If weattendnot unto the wordon this account, we Shall Puffer on it. He that defpifeth the word defpifeth him, and he that defpifeth him de- fpifeth himalto who Cent, him. 2. Becaufe of the Love that is in it. There is init the love ofthe Father in fending the Son, for the revealing,of himfelf and his mind unto the. children ofinen. There is all() in it the love of the Son himfelf, condefcending. to teachand inftru6t the fons of men,who by their own fault were cat! into error and darknefs. Greater love could not God nor his Eternal Son manifelt untous, than that he fhouldundertake in his own Perfon to becomeour Initruier. See r yob. 5.20. He that (hall confider the bruitilh ttapidity and blindnefsofthe generalityof mankind in the things of God, the miferable fluétuating and endlefs uncertainties ofthe more enquiring part of them ; and withal! the greatnefs oftheir concernment in being brought unto the knowledge ofthe truth, cannot but in fumemeafure fee the greatnefs ofthis love of'Chrif in re- vealing unto us the whole counfel of God. Hence his words andfpeech are Did to be gracious, Luke4.22. and grace to bepouredintohis tips, Pfal. 45. 2. And thisis no fmall motive untoour attention unto the word. 3. Thefislneftofthe Revelation it felfby him madeunto us, is of the fame importance. He came not todeclares part or parcel, but thewhole will ofGod, all that we are to know, all that we are todo, all that we are tobelieve. Inhim are hid all thetreafures ofwifdom and knowledge, `Col. 2.3. He opened all the darkfentenees ofthe will of Godhidden from the foundationofthe world.- There is in his Do6trine all wifdom, all knowledge, as alllight is in the Sun, and all water in theSea ; therebeing nothing ofthe one or the otherin anyother thing but by a communication from them. Now ifevery wordofGod be excellent, ifeverypartand parcel of it delivered by any ofhis fervants ofold, was to be attended unto on the penalty of extermination out of the number of his people ; how much more will our condition be miferable, is our blindnefs and oblinacy fo, if we havenot anheart toattend unto this full Revelation ofhunfelf and his will. 4. Becaufe it isfinal. Loft ofall he font his Son, and hash fpoken unto us by him. Never more in this world will he fpeak with that kind offlanking. No new, no far- ther Revelation ofGod is to beexpelked in this world, but what is made by Jefus Chrift. To this we mutt attendor we are loft forever. VI.The I;

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