Secondly, His sustaining all things by his almighty power : and by him all things do consist. All creatures owe their continuance and preservation to him.
The first point is his precedency and pre-existence before all crea- tures whatsoever.
Doct. That Jesus Christ had a being before any of the creatures were made.
1. That he had a being long before he was born of the Virgin, for he was in the time of the patriarchs, as John viii. 48, ' Before Abraham was, I am ;' to say nothing of that godlike way of speaking — I am ; not I was, but I am ; that which I now plead for is, that he was before Abraham. The words are occasioned by Christ saying that Abraham saw his day and was glad, which the Jews understood not of a pro- phetical but of a real vision, and therefore objected the impossibility that he was not yet fifty years old, and how could he see Abraham, or Abraham see him ? Christ doth not answer to their ill interpreta- tion, but showeth that their very objection contained no absurdity if taken in their own sense, for he was not only in the time of Abraham, but long before, and so affirmeth more than that objection required. The Jews thought it absm'd that Christ should be in the time of Abraham, but Christ affirmeth more, and that with a strong asseveration. He was not only by the constitution of God, but really existing before Abraham, for the predestination not only of Christ but of Abraham, and all the elect, was before the foundation of the world. If, in re- spect of special prediction, mark then what must follow. Then Cyrus must be in the time of Isaiah, Josiah must be in the time of Jeroboam, the calling of the Gentiles must be in the time of Moses, for they prophesied of these things.
2. That he had a being at the time of the creation, that is also clear; for it is said, 'In the beginning was the Word,' John i. 1 — that is, when Christ set himself to create all things. The word beginning, signifies many things, but chiefly the beginning of all time, especially when it is put absolutely, without any limitation to the matter in hand. So John viii. 44, ' The devil was a murderer from the beginning ' — that is, almost as soon as created ; Mat. xix. 4, ' He that made them at the beginning, made them male and female.' So Heb. i. 10, 'And thou in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth;' and in many other places. Therefore Christ had a being when the world and all creatures were made, visible and invisible. So Prov. viii. 22- 31, ' The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 1 was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth ; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth : while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth : when he estab- lished the clouds above : when he strengthened the fountains of the deep : when he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not
446 PRE-EXISTENCE OF CHRIST BEFORE ALL THINGS. [SeR, IV.
pass his commandment : when he appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by liim, as one brought up with him : and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him ; rejoicing in the habit- able parts of his earth ; and my delights were with the sons of men,' There the Wisdom of God, or the eternal Word, describeth the anti- quity of his person. All the question is, what this Wisdom is that is there spoken of?
(1.) It is not human, but divine ; for the Wisdom there spoken of was before the world was.
(2.) Whatever it be, it is not a divine attribute, but a divine person ; for those things which are there ascribed to Wisdom cannot properly belong to an attribute, to be begotten, brought forth, rer. 23, 24. to have the affections of love, ver. 27, delight, ver. 31. All along the expressions agree only to a person. That Wisdom which inviteth sinners, promises the Spirit, threatens eternal destruction to those which hearken not to him, commendeth not the laws of I\Ioses, but requireth obedience to his own laws — what can this Wisdom be but a person ? If the intent were only to express that God is wise, what strange expressions would these be ! To what purpose were it to give us notice that he was wise from the beginning, if there were no other mystery in it ?
(3.) This person was Christ, who is the Wisdom of God, 1 Cor. i. 24; 'And in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,' Col. ii. 3.
3. Thirdly, That Christ was before the world was,, from all eternity: Micah V. 2, ' His goings forth are from everlasting.' The prophet there speaketh of his birth at Bethlehem, and his eternal generation, and distinguishes the one from the other: ' But thou, Bethlehem Ephrata, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel ; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting ; ' or from the days of eternity. This last clause is added lest any should look upon this ruler as only man, and beginning to be at his incarnation. He that was born at Betlilehem was also true God, begotten of the Father from all eternity.