68 aJ Anflf..! ofIneffellual Hearing the Word. 4own Mat. 3. 17. For this Tefiimony of the Father :s pot the inward teflimony of the Spirit only ; Becaufe Chrift freaks ofpublick, and evident tefiimonies in this place ; nor is it meant of the teflimony of the Father ia the Scripture ; for that is a diftina, teflimony: and iough the Father cloth teflifie of Chrifi in the Scriptures; yer'cis not as his teftirciony, no more than the teftimony pf Phn, and of his works', whereby the Father did re- !tine alfo : Nor is it probable that our Saviour would at this time, omit that famous teftimony of the Father at his Baptifm; which if it be not here, is no where in this Chapter. J3efide, how is this tertirriony the Fathers more Jaan the Spirits ; but then, beingCalled his Son, he did evidently declare hinifelf to be the Father that fpake. Lafily, the Spirits reffirriony is fpoken of, as the teitimorry of Moles and the Frophets; Vcrf. 46, 4. For 1)4c{ye believedt,lbfes, ye would haw believed me, for he w 'ore ofme, yea: 47. For ifye beleeve riot his writings hon. 'hailye beiieve my words. New oer Saviour in thefe words anfwers an Obieflion which the jewes (ever conceited of their own know- ledge) might make. we know the Father as well as you; and y et we know no filch telliniony that he gives. Chrift anfwers, You do ',lot know him ; for the certain know- f a thin?, is either by feeing or hearing ; nowyou w him nor heard him ; you have therefbre no ac- quaintance withhim. So that the words contain r. fearfull accufati- on of the Jews to be ignorant of God, 2. The aggrava- tion and extent of it, at no time, i. e. not only at Bap- turn, hut b at no other time, in any Miniflery, or in any Scripture, &c. What is it not to fee his fhape nor hear his voice? Anfm. Some think they are metaphorical fpeeches, to elcpreffe their ignorance of God ; Now though this be the fcope, and the general truth, yet I conceive, the Lord freaking particularly, and knowing what he fpake, in- tends forrething particularly: and it is a rule, never to flue to metaphors, where, there can be a plain fenfe givea. There is therefore, two degrees of true knowledge of God in this life, or 'isattained unto bya double means. i. By hearing of him, for hence our faith comes by the Word. a. B
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