Jesus and the resurrection justified by witnesses in heaven and in earth in two parts : the first shewing that Jesus is the Son of God, the second that in him we have eternall life / by Symon Patrick ...

III.

To him God the Father hath given a third Testimony; (unto which it is now time to pass;) and it is a very express Record of this Truth, that we have Eter∣nall Life, and that it is in his Son. It is set down, you know, in the xii. Joh. 28. where, upon our Saviour's request to God that he would glorifie his own Name, a voice from heaven gave this an∣swer, I have both glorified it, and will glo∣rifie it again. The particle (it) hath nothing answering to it in the Greek, but is put in by the Translatours to supply the sense. And some are of the opini∣on, that the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is to be understood, and the meaning to be thus rendred, I have both glorified thee, and will glori∣fie thee again. But there is no need of this; we may as well refer the word glo∣rifie to Name, as our translation doth, and it will come at last to the same sense: for God's name was glorified by glorify∣ing

his Son, * 1.1 as appears from xi. Joh. 4. And so St. Cyrill of Alexandria observed long ago: Whether the Scripture be, glorifie thy Son, or, glorifie thy Name, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it is all one in exact contemplation of things.

Now if the truth of these words be throughly examined, how he had glorifi∣ed him, and how he would glorifie him again, we shall meet in both with a plain testimony that Eternall Life is in his Son, to bestow on us. Let us consider them briefly apart.

I. As for the former, I find that God had already glorified him, before he spake these words, three ways.

1. By his Transfiguration, of which I now discoursed; for then St. Luke saith, ix. 32. they saw his glory. And that by this Glory which they saw the Father te∣stified he should be made glorious in the heavens, and able to make us so; I refer you to what I have said already on this Argument.

2. And I need not use many words to shew, that he had also glorified him ve∣ry

frequently by the many wonderfull works which he had wrought; for in them it is likewise expresly said, ii. Joh. 11. he manifested forth his Glory: and the multitude were excited by them to magnifie him with Hosanna's, and to cry out, Glory in the highest. xix. Luk. 37, 38. By these also he shewed the power wherewith he was indued to doe any thing that he had promised: and they moved his Disciples hearts, as you reade in the place now mentioned, (ii. Joh. 11.) to believe on him.

3. But there was a third glorificati∣on of him, to which I believe these words have a more speciall reference; because it was very famous, and but newly passed: Which was his raising La∣zarus from the dead. By this Jesus said expresly that glory should redound to God the Father, and that He, the Son of God, should also be glorified thereby. xi. Joh. 4. For this very end, he there tea∣ches his Disciples, Lazarus fell sick, and he therefore delayed to go and recover him, (though his great friend,) that there might be a fit opportunity, by the miraculous resurrection of so noted a person, (as Lazarus was, it appears by

the coming of such numbers to comfort his sisters, vers. 19.) and in a place so nigh to Jerusalem, (vers. 18.) where the greatest opposition was made against him, to doe honour to Jesus; and to make it known, that he assumed not more glory to himself then God the Fa∣ther gave him. This was a very great testimony from God, that indeed LIFE was in him, and that he did not vainly call himself (vers. 25.) the resurrection, and the life; because he now, with his almighty word, restored one to life who had been so long dead, that there was no possibility of his reviving but by the very LIFE it self.

Hereby he declared that, as the Father hath Life in himself, so he hath given the Son to have Life in himself. v. Joh. 26. What he had said before in his preaching, he now justified by his works; according as he himself foretold he would, when he said, Verily, verily, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: ver. 25. The hour which was then coming, yea was just at hand, seems to be this time when he raised La∣zarus up out of his grave: declaring thereby both the truth of what he had

said, (v. Joh. 26.) that he had life in him∣self; and likewise that there would be another hour, (as it presently there fol∣lows ver. 28, 29.) wherein all men what∣soever shall rise out of their graves at his voice, and they that have done good shall come forth unto the resurrection of life, as they that have done evill, unto the resurrec∣tion of damnation. They might well be∣lieve it, because he said it who proved himself to be the Truth, by such works as none could doe but he that was the Life.

II. But this is not all that we are to consider in this Testimony of the Father; who doth not onely say that he had glori∣fied him, but that he would glorifie him again: which was done also at three se∣verall times.

1. At his Death, when many of the graves of the Saints that slept were opened. xxvii. Matth. 52. For the very rocks rent, and the earth did quake, and the veil of the temple was torn in sunder from the top to the bottom, and the Sun refused to give its light; and such an amazement came upon the Centurion, who was then upon the guard, that he glorified God (xxiii. Luk. 47.) by confessing that Jesus

was a righteous man, and no pretender to a title that did not belong to him; but, as other Evangelists express it, the Son of God. To these wonderfull things con∣curring at his death to glorifie him and doe him honour, the voice from Heaven seems to have had some respect, because of what follows, ver. 31, 32, 33. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signi∣fying what death he should die. For even now, when he seemed most weak, he began to tread the Devill under his feet. Now he began to draw not onely the Jews to him, but other men, the Romans also; one of whose Captains, in the midst of his reproach, confessed him to be the Son of God. The very opening of the graves served to adorn the triumph he was about to make over the powers of darkness; being a sign that he had now despoiled him who hath the power of death, which is the Devill; and that he had Life in himself, and will give it us, especially now that he hath finished his triumph, and is glorified at God's right hand. Of which the rending of the veil also was no obscure token, shewing that we have li∣berty (as the Apostle speaks x. Heb. 19.)

to enter into the Holiest by the bloud of Jesus.

It may seem indeed an uncouth form of speech, to call his Crucifixion by the name of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, lifting up from the earth, or exaltation: but one may say, and with great truth, that Christ's death upon the Cross (as S. * 1.2 Cyrill of Alexandria speaks) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, was his pro∣motion, contrived for his fame and glory: for he is glorified perpetually for this, having procured many benefits to mankind by its means. This is one part of the Record of the Father to this Truth, when he said he would glorifie our Saviour. Which you see was as much as to say, He would make it appear, even when he hung upon the Cross, that he was able to open mens graves, and unloose the chains of death, and in due time raise them up to ever∣lasting life. For,

2. God farther glorified him at his Re∣surrection; which was attended with the resurrection of the dead bodies of those Saints whose graves were opened at his death. xxvii. Matth. 52, 53. There were severall witnesses of this in Jerusalem, to whom those persons deceased appeared;

as there were of his own resurrection, which was attested by chosen persons to whom he shewed himself openly. And then he was lifted up from the earth in an∣other more noble and sublime sense, then he had been before upon the Cross. Then Angels came in bright array to testify to him what he had said of himself, xiii. Joh. 31, 32. that God, having been glorified in him, had glorified him in himself. This was a very glorious testimony that indeed he hath Life in himself, and shall be the Authour of eternal Life to us. And there∣fore he is called the Prince (or Authour) of life, iii. Act. 15. because by that which overcame death (his resurrection) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c * 1.3. we know him to be LIFE, and the Son of the living God. But of this more hereafter.

3. Another Act whereby this saying (I will glorifie thee again) was verified, I take to be his Exaltation by God's own right hand to the throne of glory in the heavens. This he prayed for with the greatest ardency and the most assured ex∣pectation, xvii. Joh. 1, 2. because God the Father, he saith, had given him power (i. e. the promise of it) over all flesh, that he might give eternall life to as many as

God had given him. This promise, I un∣derstand it, was made to him when God uttered this voice from heaven, I have both glorified thee, and will glorifie thee again. Then God gave him a power to raise up all, as he had lately done Laza∣rus, and to give them immortall happi∣ness: of which as he had then the grant, so he now desires in this prayer to be put in possession. And therefore when he says vers. 1. Father, the hour is come; glorifie thy Son, &c. I take the meaning to be as if he had thus spoke, Now is the time to doe that which thy voice from heaven assured me should be done, viz. to glorifie me in so compleat a manner, that I may glorifie thee, and give eternall life to all the faithfull. This he spake with eyes lifted up to heaven, from whence that voice came, which bare witness of him that he should be glorified more then ever, and gave him authority to lay claim to the highest power, of bestowing im∣mortality.

Which power when God the Father had actually put into his hands, according to this prayer and his own promise, (of which he could not fail, having ingaged himself before a multitude to glorifie him,)

then, being made perfect, he became the Authour of eternall Salvation to them that obey him. v. Heb. 9. Then he was made a Priest for ever, (vii. 16, 17.) not after the Law, which was but a weak institu∣tion, but after the power of an endless Life: whereby he is able to save them to the ut∣termost that come unto God by him. He can raise up us, and all that succeed us, as well as he did Lazarus and others: in whom he gave onely a little taste of his power to give us Life, that shall never die.

This now is the Third Testimony of the Father, who, in the audience both of Friends and Strangers, said, He had both glorified him, and would glorifie him again. That he had, was then very well known; and it was as certain (because he said it) that he would doe the same again. By the testimony also of sufficient persons it ap∣pears, that he made good this promise, even at his Death; after which he raised him out of his grave, and lift him up far above all heavens: that he may be glori∣fied once more (2 Thess. i. 10.) by raising us up from the dead, and promoting us to eternall glory with himself.

O wonderfull News! * 1.4 He that was lifted up to hang on a Cross, is preferred now from his grave to a glorious throne! And to come at it, he takes a journey through the air! the clouds running under his feet become his chariot! the sky opens to him, and the heavens with open arms receive him! the troups of Angels joyn together in triumphall Songs; and persuade his amazed Disciples to keep that day a festi∣vall on earth, as they did in heaven! Do not stand gazing here, say they, any longer, but go and preach this wonder to the world. By his departure, represent his coming again: for so shall he come, in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

O how wonderfull are thy works, O Lord! which give us hope (as the blessed St. Paul said when he thought of these things) that we shall then be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we be ever with the Lord. We can doe no less then, to those voices which came so oft from heaven to testifie this, adde our poor voice of praise and thanksgiving; saying with the Angels, when He came into the world, GLORY BE TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST; and with the multi∣tude

when they met him at mount Olivet, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord, PEACE IN HEA∣VEN, AND GLORY IN THE HIGH∣EST. * 1.5 Glory be to him who is the Foun∣tain of Life, coming from the Fountain of Life, the Father. Glory be to him who is the River of God, proceeding from the Divine Abyss, and inseparably one with it: the Treasure of the Father's Goodness, and of ever-springing Blessedness: the Water of life, who gives Life to the World: the in∣created beam of the Father of Lights, from whom he is undivided: who being in the form of God, took on him the form of a Ser∣vant; not lessening the dignity of his Di∣vinity, but sanctifying the mass of our Humanity.

Him the Angels praise, the Archangels worship, the Authorities reverence, the Powers glorifie; the Cherubims doe him service; the Seraphims acknowledge his Di∣vinity; the Sun and Moon minister to him: who hath broken in pieces the gates of Hell, and opened the gates of Heaven, and abo∣lished Death, and confounded the Devill, and dissolved the Curse, and made Sorrow cease, and trodden Sin under foot, and re∣stored the Creation, and inlightened the

World. And therefore let us sing hymns to him with the Angels, and rejoyce in the light of the glory of God with the Shepherds, and adore him with the Wise men, and joy∣fully magnifie him with the blessed Virgin, and confess him with Simeon and Anna, who were glad to see his Salvation: that so we at last may also be possessed of eternall good things, through the grace and the bowels of mercy, and the loving-kindness of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fragment. L. viii. in Joh.
• * 1.2

  Fragment. L. viii. in Joh.
• * 1.3

  S. Cyril. ib. in xii. Joh. 28.
• * 1.4

  Athana∣sius in As∣sumption. Christi.
• * 1.5

  Cyrill. Hieros. in occurs. Domini.