Exposition of John 17

DOCTRINE. That unbelievers and unsanctified persons know not God, at least they know him not in such a manner, and with such a knowledge as they ought to do.

This is the usual Character of such in Scripture: This is the Character of unbelieving Heathens, they are the Gentiles that know not God, 1 Thes. 4.5. This is the Character of unbelieving Christians, they know not God, and obey not the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thes. 1.8. So that all unbelieving and unsanctified persons, whether they be Heathens or professed Christians, are ignorant of God: yea though they discourse of him, and that excellently too, and pretend acquaintance with him, as those whom the Apostle mentions, Tit. 1.16. They profess they know God, but in works they deny him. Yea, though they cry to God, as Israel did, my God, we know thee, while they cast off the thing that is good; Hosea 8.2, 3. yet they know not God indeed. Their knowledge of him is not right and sound, and consequently is not worthy of the name of knowledge, as I shall evidently clear it to you in a few particulars.

[ 1] Unbelievers, &c. know not God in such a manner, and with such a kind of knowledge as they ought to do, in that they know him not with an affective knowledge, so as to love him and delight in him. Knowledge in Scripture doth connote affection: and that which carries not the heart and the affections with it, deserveth not the name of knowledge. And therefore men are frequently affirmed in Scripture, not to know that which they do not like and love. The Ox knows his owner, &c. but Israel knows not me, saith God, Isa. 1.3. Why certainly they knew him, if any people under Heaven knew him with a discursive and a speculative knowledge. I but they knew him not with an affective knowledge: Their knowledge of him drew not out their hearts to him, and therefore in the Lord's interpretation and construction, it was no knowledge: For he saith of them expressly, Israel hath not known me.

[ 2] In that they know him not with an effective knowledge so as to serve him and obey him: with such a knowledge as brings forth practice and obedience. That which is separate from this, is no knowledge. In which respect it is that the Apostle stiles it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Rom. 2.20. A form of knowledge. There is the show, but not the truth. When Christ is said in Scripture to have known no sin, we cannot understand it to be meant of intellectual knowledge, for then he could not have discoursed of it; so that he knew no sin, in Paul, is, he did no sin, in Peter. They that knew God, Rom. 1.18. because they did not live accordingly, and glorified him not as God, are therefore said not to have kept him and retained him in their knowledge, ver. 28. God made his ways and statutes known to Israel, he dealt not so with any Nation. And yet even of them he saith, It is a people that do err in their hearts, and they have not known my ways, Psal. 95.10. Brethren, there is an error in the heart as well as in the brain; and a kind of ignorance arising from the will, as well as from the understanding, and this takes off the name of knowledge from that which is but speculation only. And therefore sinners are universally termed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ignorant, erring persons, Heb. 5.2. And that alone is (by the Holy Ghost) thought worthy of the name of knowledge, that sinketh from the brain into the heart, and so appeareth in the life, setting all on work for God: In which respect it is the Covenant of the Lord with his people that he will put his Law into their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. Not in their minds and understandings only the seat and principle of speculation; but in their hearts the principle of action; So that they shall not only have it in their minds to know it, but in their hearts to practice it, and to obey it. This, only this is right knowledge. A good understanding have all they that do his Commandments, Psal. 119.10. They only understand and know the Lord effectually, and savingly, that obey the will of God. Hereby we know we know him (as we ought to do) if we keep his Commandments. Others may have understanding, only these have good understanding. For this God sets the finger of a hand against Josiah, to point him out to special observation, Jer. 22.16. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; was not this to know me? saith the Lord. q. d. This was knowledge to the purpose, this was true and real knowledge of the Lord indeed. which made him strict and careful in the performance of his duty.

In that that they know him not in Christ: and to know God out [ 3] of Christ is all one as not to know him, as I have shown at large out of the third verse of this Chapter. This shall suffice for clearing of the Observation, That unbelievers and unsanctified persons know not God: At least they know him not in such a manner and with such a kind of knowledge as they ought to do: in that they know him not with an affective knowledge, they know him not with an effective knowledge, and they know him not in Christ.

But what may be the causes why the unbelieving world is so ignorant [Reason 1] of God? I shall lay them open to you both with relation to the unbelieving world Heathen, and with relation to the unbelieving world Christian; Christian I mean in name, though not in truth.

First, for the unbelieving world Heathen, it is no wonder that they know not God, for they have no means to know him in such a manner as is necessary to salvation.

Its true that even they have means to know him in a common way, as the Apostle shows and proves, Rom. 1.19, 20. That which may be known (conceive it naturally known) of God, is manifest to them, that is, the Heathen, for God hath shown it even to them; There is an Image and resemblance of him stamped upon the Creatures. There are apparent characters, and footsteps and impressions of the Godhead, of his power and wisdom, set upon everything which he hath made, which may be looked upon by every eye. How doth his glory shine, my brethren, in the rare and admirable structure of the world, the glorious frame of Heaven and earth! And hence it is that David saith, The Heavens declare the glory of God, &c. Psal. 19.1. Indeed he tells us afterwards, the Law of the Lord is perfect. The word of God, and that alone, is a complete and perfect help to bring us to the knowledge of God. But yet there is some declaration of him in the Creatures, the Heavens declare the glory of God. And this means the Heathens have.

The Creatures catechise them and instruct them in the knowledge of a God, as Job shows, Chap. 12.7. Ask now the Beasts and they shall teach thee, the Fowls and they shall tell thee, speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee, and Fishes of the Sea shall declare to thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of God hath wrought this? And therefore the Apostle tells us that even they the Heathen knew God, Rom. 1.21.

But now they have no means to know him savingly in Christ; And this is life eternal, to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. This knowledge is not written in the Creature Book, and they have not the Scripture Book, and how then should they come to it? Its true that God is written in the Creature Book, but not a word of Christ there. God is written in the Heart Book, but not a word of Christ there neither; The Law is written in the heart by nature, but there are no impressions of the Gospel, which is the word of Christ, Col. 3.16. And hence it is that all the Nations of the world have groped after God and found him too, as Acts 17.27. Let a man run from East to West, let him ransack all Nations, and where he findeth any men, there he shall find some notice of God.

But now, my Brethren, among which of all these Nations, who never had the book of Scriptures, shall you find any notice of a Christ, any incling of a Savior or Redeemer! No, Christ is not so much as named among them, They have no glimpse, no crevice, to give them any light of God in Christ.

So that it is no wonder, though the unbelieving world Pagan know him not in this manner, for they have no means to know him.

[Reason 2] But now the unbelieving world Christian hath the means of this knowledge, and why then do not they know God? true, they have the outward means, but they want the inward means.

[ 1] They have the outward revelation of the word, but they have not the inward revelation of the spirit. And without this it is impossible for any man to know God. And therefore the Apostle prays for the Ephesians that God would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. Chap. 1.17. By which he intimates that without spirit-revelation they could never come to know him.

Now this spirit-revelation, or unveiling, consists in the removal of a double Veil: the Veil that lies upon the faculty, and the Veil that lies upon the Object.

1. In the spirit-revelation, which is the only means of knowing God, there must be the removal of the Veil that lies upon the faculty, the understanding. The sense must be unveiled, you know, or else we cannot see an object, though it be before us. For what can a blindfolded person see? And so it is in this case: for every unbelieving person is blindfolded as it were: the God of this world hath blinded his eyes: The Veil is on their heart, that is their understanding, 2 Cor. 3, 15. And this Veil the Holy Ghost must take away; as in the cited place, or else though God be by a man, (as certainly he is not far from everyone of us) he will not see him. But when once this is removed, then revelata ac detecta facie, as Beza reads it, Then we with open and uncovered face behold the glory of the Lord.

2. In that spirit-revelation, which is the only means of knowing God, there must be the removal of the Veil that lies upon the Object; as of the Veil that lies upon the understanding, so of the Veil that lies upon the Gospel, where God is represented to us in a saving way. For you must know (my brethren) that the Gospel is a veiled and a covered thing, it hath a Curtain drawn before it: It is a mystery, a secret thing. Nay it is not only secret in itself, but it is also kept secret. Nor 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for that is the term that the Apostle uses, Col. 1.26. Not simply dark, or mystical, but hid on purpose, de industria, as Theophilacta observes. Among the Jews it was covered with a veil of types and figures and dark expressions: And to this day it is hid from natural and carnal men, 2 Cor. 4.3. So that however God in Christ be clearly manifested there, let them do what they are able, still there is something between them and God that hides him from them, that they cannot see him. And that is the first reason, why unbelieving Christians know not God, because they want the inward means of this knowledge, viz. spirit-revelation.

And as they want the inward means of finding out this knowledge, [ 2] when it is closely hidden and covered from them: so they want inward capability of receiving this knowledge when it is openly proposed and tendered to them. They are so far from being able to go forth to fetch it from abroad, that they cannot entertain it when it is brought home to them: They have not of themselves by nature so much as a receptivity or an immediate passive capability of saving knowledge. For there is somewhat in them superfluous, and there is somewhat in them defective: somewhat too much, and somewhat too little.

1. In every unbeliever there is somewhat that repells divine knowledge, and that keeps out the beams of truth. And that is carnal reasoning, and carnal wisdom, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Rom. 8.7. The wondrous perspicuity and sharpness of conceit that is in any man (that is but flesh) is so far from helping him to know God, that it doth but hinder him. And the ground is evident; for such a person leans to his own wisdom, he doth not yield himself up to be taught of God, but weighs those things that are divine and supernatural in the balance of his reason. As far as that will reach, he is content to go: And where that faileth him (as infinitely short it falls) there he desists: and what he is unable to perceive by this, is foolishness to him, as 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man receiveth not the things of God, for they are foolishness unto him. They are not so indeed and in themselves, they are but so to him. He is too wise to take in such foolish things: and therefore the Apostle saith, not many wise, 1 Cor. 1.16. and tells us plainly, that if we ever mean to attain to saving knowledge, we must be renewed in the spirit of our mind, Eph. 1.24. that is, in the highest, purest and the most refined part of it. As spirits are the quintessence of things, that are most abstract from dross, and that have least of earth in them; Even these must be renewed, or saving knowledge will not be received.

2. In every unbeliever and unsanctified person, as there is something redundant, that repells divine knowledge; so there is something wanting to receive it, and that is the spirit of God. Saving truths are often called the things of the spirit, as 1 Cor. 2.14. Now (my beloved) the things of our own spirits (carnal, natural and worldly things) our own spirits will take in: but the things of God's spirit, God's spirit only will take in. Though they be brought home to our doors, if God's spirit be not there to take them in if he be not at home to entertain them, and receive them, it is all to no purpose. And this is the case of the natural man: he hath not the spirit of God, and therefore he receiveth not the things of the spirit, because he hath no principle within him that is agreeable and suitable unto them. And this is that which the Apostle aims at, when he saith, we speak wisdom to them that are perfect, 1 Cor. 2.6. That is, to them that have all the parts of a spiritual man (whereof the spirit is the principal) the doctrine which we teach is accounted wisdom. But 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the animal man, the souly man, the man that hath a soul indeed, but no spirit, (I mean none of God's spirit) he perceives not these things, nor can he know them. And why so? because they are spiritually discerned. And he poor man, hath not the spirit to discern them by. And therefore though he hear the words of God and Christ, he never knows the mind of God or Christ, as it is added in the end of that Chapter.

[ 3] I shall add but one reason more; unbelievers and unsanctified persons know not God, because as they are of themselves unable, (in the respects which have been mentioned) so they are unwilling also to know God; They will not understand, Psal 82.5. They are willfully ignorant, as 2 Pet. 3.5. God comes and shows himself to them, and they say to God, Depart from us, for we will not the knowledge of thy ways. Light is offered, and they shut their eyes against it; So that it may be said of such, Their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes. They need not to ascend up into heaven to bring God down from thence, that they may see him. No, the word that manifesteth and revealeth God, is nigh to them, Rom. 10.6. They need not to go far to hear it, and to hear of God in it: But many will not step out of their doors to meet with God, and to be acquainted with him!

If any light break in upon them, by which they have a glimpse of God, they even thrust it out again. They do as the Gentiles did, Rom. 1.19. they liked not to retain God in their knowledge. They had him there, but they liked not to retain him, they had no mind to keep him there: feign they would put him out again, the apprehension of a God called upon them for love and duty and obedience, and was a curb and a restraint from many evils, and therefore they were weary of such thoughts as those, and sought to chase them from their minds. To say the truth, they did not like them, and therefore would be rid of them: And thus it is with many Christians. These are the reasons why unbelieving and unsanctified persons know not God.

[Use 1] Now to descend to application: In the first place here we see the misery of unbelieving and unsanctified persons. For all that know not God, are in an infinitely sad condition: They are exposed to his fiercest wrath and most direful indignation. The ignorant of God, as you may see, Jer 10.28. are made the object of a fearful imprecation: yea the ignorant of God among the Heathen, who are deprived of the means, (though not of all, yet) at the least of any saving knowledge of him: and yet the Prophet prays, Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that have not known thee: And what then will become of the ignorant of God among Christians? If ignorance of God, (yea though it be invincible) expose men to the vengeance of the Lord, and damn them everlastingly, because the knowledge of him is required necessitate medii to salvation: what will it do if it be willful and affected? If Jeremy desire the Lord to pour his fury on the heathen, who yet have not so much as the outward means of knowledge; What rivers and what floods of indignation think you will be poured out on them who have the means and will not learn nor be instructed by them? what will they do when the day of judgment comes? when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, &c. rendering vengeance to them that know not God. as 2 Thes. 1.4.8. I beseech you think upon it and lay it seriously to heart, you that have long enjoyed the means, and yet know very little of the nature or the will of God. Or if you know with a notional discoursive knowledge, you know him not with an affective and effective knowledge: You glorify him not as God, you do not walk according to your knowledge of him: And so your knowledge is as good as no knowledge; You may, and many do delude themselves with this conceit, that though they die in this condition, the Lord notwithstanding will be merciful to them. But as you tender the salvation of your precious souls, I beseech you to observe that God's own word is peremptory and express for this, that none that know not God, shall have any share in the mercy of God, or in the glory of the world to come. Oh continue thy loving kindness to them that know thee, (to them and none but them) saith David, Psal. 36.10. It is a people of no understanding, saith the Prophet of the Jews, Isa. 27.11. And what follows? Therefore he that made them will have no mercy upon them. It is the common apprehension of vulgar and ignorant people, that he that made them will save them too: No, saith the Prophet: if they be ignorant of God, he that made them will not have mercy upon them. They have not known my ways saith God, unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should never enter into my rest.

But you will ask me then, [Quest.] By what means shall we come to know God?

Truly there is but one way of coming to the knowledge of him, [Answ.] and that way is Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time, 1 John 18. What then? is he not to be seen or known at all, by any means? Yes, though he be not to be seen, or known immediately in himself, yet mediately in and by the Son he may be known: For he hath manifested and revealed him to us. No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son that came out of the bosom of the Father he hath declared him. Indeed it was the business for which our Savior came into this lower world, to bring God down to us, that we might be acquainted with him: And if ever you see or know God, you must have light from Jesus Christ. I am the light, saith he, John 8.12. He that follows me, shall have the light of life. And therefore if you would have this light, follow Jesus Christ for it. How you must follow him, so as to fetch this light from him, I have directed you before on the third verse of this Chapter.

Is it so, that unbelievers and unsanctified persons know not God? [Use 2] What cause have true believers then to admire and adore the special mercy of the Lord to them, that they should be acquainted with him? That he should give them the preferment in such a blessed and glorious privilege as this is? That now they can say to God, as our Savior in my text, Oh Righteous Father, the world hath not known thee, but we have known thee. O Lord, whence is this to us? how is it Lord that thou dost manifest thyself to us and not unto the world, as the Disciples said, John 14.22. How comes this to pass Lord? Truly this is free grace and free-mercy; mercy to be admired and wondered at. Oh let our souls and all that is within us, bless the Lord: Let us take up our Savior's words, Father, we thank thee that thou hast hid thyself from a world of wise and prudent men, and hast revealed thyself to such babes as we are. We bless thy name for this mercy.

And truly we have cause to bless him: for this knowledge is our life: keep it, for it is thy life, saith Solomon, Prov. 4.13. and life is a precious thing. If we had still remained in the condition that the world is in, we had never known God: we must have died to all eternity: we had been punished with eternal perdition: we could never have enjoyed him who is the God of our life: But now we know him so as to love him, we shall be sure to live with him, and that forever: Nay this is life, yea life eternal, (in regard of the beginning,) such a life as is above the power of death and dissolution, as our Savior Christ assures us, John 17.3. This is life eternal to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.

DOCTRINE. That Jesus Christ, and he alone knows God immediately, and others know him by the means of Christ.

All saving knowledge of the Father comes out by Jesus Christ to his people Christ knows him first, and then we know him in the second place by him. No man hath seen God at any time, John 1.18. What then? is he not to be seen or known at all by any means? Yes, though he be not to be seen or known by us immediately in himself, yet mediately in and by the Son he may be known: for he hath manifested and revealed him to us. No man hath seen God at any time. The only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Indeed it was the business for which our Savior came into this lower world, to bring God down to us, that we might be acquainted with him. Ye neither know me nor my Father, saith our Savior to the Jews, John 8.19. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. q. d. I would have brought you to the knowledge of my Father. And as the Book in Apoc. 5.9. had still remained a sealed Book, unless the Lamb had opened it: so God had still remained a concealed God: he had never been discovered and manifested to us in a saving way, unless the Son himself had done it. So that the Point is plain you see, That Jesus Christ, and he alone knows God immediately, and others know him by the means of Christ.

And therefore in the first place, this may serve for information, to let [Use 1] us see, that no man can be saved by his own innate knowledge, nor by the light that is naturally in him, let him use it how he will, or how he can; There hath been an opinion vented up and down of late, that any man that walks according to his principles, according to the imbred light he hath, let this light be what it will, and of what kind it will, he may attain to happiness and glory in the end: And so by consequence, that Pagans and Mohammedans, and Infidels of any sort, may be saved if they please. All men have light enough (say they) if they improve and use it as they ought to do, to bring them to be atitude: whereas indeed no man hath light enough to bring him savingly to know God. Jesus Christ and he alone knows God immediately, and others know him by the means of Christ: So that unless he show the Father to us, unless he undertake himself to teach us and instruct us, we must continue ignorant of God, and so there is no other way but we must perish and be lost forever.

Is it so that Jesus Christ and he alone knows God immediately, and [Use 2] others know him by the means of Christ? You see, my brethren, then, what course you are to take, if you desire to know God, to be acquainted with the Father: You must go to Jesus Christ for information, and use his help in this business. If you ever see God, if you ever come to have the saving knowledge of his name, believe it, Jesus Christ must manifest it and declare it to you. If he conceal the Father from you, nay if he do not show him to you, you can never come to know him. All other means that you can use, searching in the Book of the Creatures, yea in the book of the Scriptures, hearing, reading, meditation will be unavailable, unless Christ strike in with them: When you have done your utmost, you will die in ignorance of God, and so be lost to all eternity. And therefore I beseech you my Beloved, betake yourselves to Jesus Christ the great Prophet of the Church, be his Disciples, learn of him. Tell him that he knows the Father, as he professeth in my Text, and so beseech him earnestly to make him known to you, that you may also be acquainted with him. Pray him as Philip doth, Joh. 14.8. Lord, show us the Father and it sufficeth us.

And thus far we have seen to whom our Savior speaks, and what he speaks. In the first place against the world, and in the second place for himself and true believers; Oh righteous Father, the world hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. They have been thoroughly persuaded that I am a Messenger, and an Embassador sent forth from thee, to manifest thy Nature, and thy Will to them.

Now in the following verse he comes to show that he hath been, and will be faithful in the delivery of the message which his Father sent him in, together with the reason of it. First, he declares that he hath been, and will be faithful in the delivery of the message which his Father sent him in; I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare it. Secondly, he shows the reason of it, why he hath been, and will be so; That the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in them.

Begin we with the first of these, in which our Savior shows; First That he hath been faithful; then that he will be faithful as the Messenger of God. First that he hath been faithful; I have declared unto them thy Name; But this is for the sense, and almost for the words, the very same that he had said before in the 6. verse of this Chapter. There it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and here it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and so accordingly there it is rendered I have manifested thy Name, here I have declared thy Name. The phrase is varied, but the sense is one. And therefore I shall wholly wave it here, and pass from that which Christ hath done, to that which he will further do, of which he makes no mention in the former verse; I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare it.

Whether this resolution of our Savior to make a further declaration of his Fathers Name, relate to his Apostles and Disciples then about him only: or else to such as should believe in after times to the end of the world, is all the difficulty in the words; whether his meaning be, I have declared unto them thy Name, to those Apostles and Disciples, present with me, and will declare it: that is, I will declare it further to them, to the very same men: Or whether it be rather this, I have declared unto them thy Name, to them that are now about me; and will declare it unto others, that in after ages shall come in to me. I have declared it unto these by my own immediate voice, and will declare it unto others, by them and their successors to the end of the world.

As for my own part, I see no reason why either of these Expositions should be laid aside, seeing both of them agree with the Analogy of Faith, and with the scope and series of the Text. And since it is most consonant to the accomplishment and execution of the Prophetical office of Christ, to be continually teaching those that are bestowed upon him by the Father, in all Ages, Teaching them further whom he hath begun to teach, and teaching other men anew, to the end of the world.

But you will interpose and ask me, [Quest.] How can this be meant of the Apostles and Disciples then about our Savior, in the sense before expressed? I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare it further to them, since we have understood the first words of a full discovery. If when our Savior saith, I have declared unto them thy Name, his meaning be, I have declared it fully to them, (as I have formerly explained it,) how can he add, I will declare it further to them?

Very well, if things be rightly and distinctly understood. [Answ.] In the first place our Savior saith, I have declared thee fully and completely to them, as to all things necessary to be known of thee, necessitate medii, to salvation. And here he adds I will declare thee further to them, as to many other things that are yet concealed from them. I have declared thee fully to them as to the foundation, or to the fundamental knowledge of thee: I will declare thee further to them, as to the superstructure upon that foundation. I have declared thee fully to them, as to what I am myself to teach them with my own immediate voice before my passion. I will declare thee further to them after my resurrection (when he continued forty days discoursing with them) and further after my Ascension, when I will send down my Spirit to them, to teach them all things, and to lead them into all truth: So then the point to be observed is this:

DOCTRINE. They that have the Name of God, his Nature, and his Will, savingly declared to them, have yet defects and imperfections in their knowledge of him, so that they stand in need of further Declaration.

The Name of God was so far manifested and declared to these Apostles and Disciples as was necessary to salvation. So far our Savior had fully and completely made it known to them, he had concealed nothing from them of his Fathers Name, in the ignorance of which whosoever dies must perish: For they were in the state of grace, and of salvation, when he spake those words, I have declared unto them thy Name. And yet he addeth presently (you see) I will declare it, I will make further declarations and discoveries of thy Name to them. And so accordingly he did as soon as he was risen from the dead, He shown himself alive to them, being seen of them forty days together, Act. 1.3. And what did he in that time? Why he instructed them in things concerning God, and his Kingdom, as you may see in that place. And when he was ascended into Heaven, he was mindful of his promise, which he had often made to them, and so accordingly dispatched the Holy Spirit down among them to lead them further onward in the knowledge of the Father.

Indeed the best are Novices in this regard, they have not yet attained to a perfect man in point of holy and divine knowledge, as Ephes. 4.13. It is true, there is a great deal of variety among the Saints, as well in this as other graces, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, Ephes. 4.7. But in the best it is a measure, and no more; it is not fullness and perfection. He that hath most of God revealed to him, yet knows him but in part; and he that hath the clearest sight of him, sees him but darkly in a glass, as 1 Cor. 13.12. And therefore this is called the seeing of the back parts of the Lord; as when we see the back parts of a man, we know him but by guess only: we know him not so perfectly and so distinctly as when we come to see his face. Such a sight of God it is that we attain in this world. And therefore the Apostle Paul, who in this point of holy and divine knowledge was not behind the very chiefest Apostles, who had his Raptures and his Extasies, and who was taken up into the third Heaven, and had such things revealed to him as were not to be uttered by the tongue of man, professeth notwithstanding that he had not yet attained, nor was he yet perfect, But, saith he, I follow after, that I may apprehend, Phil. 3.12. So that he was Viator, and not Comprehensor; he was in the condition that the people were, Hos. 6.3. he followed on to know the Lord. The people of Coloss were eminent for grace and knowledge, and yet for them it is the Apostle prays, That they might increase in the knowledge of God, Col. 1.10. So that the point is plain, as you see; They that have the Name of God, his Nature and his Will savingly, &c.

[Object.] But you will interpose, and say perhaps, That it should seem by some expressions in the Scriptures, that God hath been revealed fully to some certain men in this life, as to Jacob for an instance, Gen. 32.30. and to Moses, Numb. 12.8. With him will I speak saith God, mouth to mouth, even apparently, not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold.

But this, my Brethren, must be understood comparatively of the more clear and full discovery of the Lord to Jacob and to Moses, then to many other men; but as for the perfect sight and knowledge of him, this was not imparted, neither to Jacob nor to Moses; and for the latter, God himself affirms expressly, Thou shalt not see my face, saith he to Moses, Exod. 33.10. that is the fullness of my glory; for none shall see my face and live; That is reserved to the state of glory, when we shall see God face to face, as the Scripture phrase is; when we shall know as we are known; And this is that which Schoolmen call the beatifical vision, wherein consists the main of our beatitude hereafter, as Matth. 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God: He doth not say, they do see him, but they shall see God; which the Apostle makes the great ingredient in the happiness and glory prepared for the Saints at the time of Christ's appearing, 1 Joh. 3.2. We know that when we shall appear, he shall be like him, and we shall see him as he is; Now we see him as we may; then we shall see him as he is.

But why have they who have the Name of God savingly declared to them, defects and imperfections in their knowledge? Why doth not Jesus Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and that for the accommodation of his members, furnish and supply them? Why doth he not as soon as he begins to teach them, declare all his Fathers Name to them, but keeps back something still, for further discovery? There are two special reasons of it, to name no more at this time.

Christ doth not show them all at once, because they are not capable of [ 1] it: A scholar is not capable of all he is to learn at first dash. He cannot take in all at once, even in his first lesson; and hence his Master leads him onward by degrees: first gives him easier, and after brings him on to harder Lessons: Even so doth Jesus Christ with his scholars; he goes along with everyone as he can learn, as he is able to receive it in. He doth not show them all his Fathers glory at a clap, for that he knows would dazzle them, and over-whelm them; but lets in now a little light upon them, and then a little more, as he perceives their senses to be exercised: Instils into their minds and understandings the knowledge of his Father by degrees; and as by learning their capacities are widened, so he goes on to further discoveries. This course he took with the Apostles; what they were able to receive he taught them out of hand, but reserved other things, as you may see, Joh. 16.12. I have many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now; I am to say them, but you cannot bear them now, and therefore I will take some other time to reveal those things to you.

Christ doth not show them all at once, that he may keep his Saints [ 2] humble. As long as there is flesh and nature in us, (as there will be while we remain in this world) high measures and degrees of knowledge may exalt us, and lift us up above ourselves: And therefore Jesus Christ in love and wisdom uses to bestow upon his people so much knowledge as he sees fit for them. A little more, it may be, would undo them: They would set their hearts it may be as the heart of God himself: They would be as God's knowing good and evil: Shrewd fellows in their own conceits, none to be compared with them. In which respect he dealeth with us as God with Jacob; he gave him a gift, but left behind him a lameness withal that accompanied the gift: So Christ bestows upon us some degrees of knowledge, but leaves withal some imperfections and defects, that we may be kept humble, and that we may not swell with self-attributions.

Now to descend to Application: In the first place, let it have the same [Use 1] effect in everyone of us, who find ourselves inclinable to be conceited of our knowledge, and to despise our fellow brethren, who are not, as we apprehend, so far enlightened as ourselves. Admit that we know more of God then many others do, that we can fathom deeper into those holy mysteries, what reason have we to be proud? You hear that they who have the Name of God savingly, &c. Shall that we have received, lift us up? and shall not that in which we are defective, cast us down? Have we not far greater cause to be abased in the contemplation of the one, then to be exalted in the contemplation of the other? Indeed if we were absolute in this respect, and if (as the Apostle speaks) we understood all mysteries, and all knowledge, there were some color then, though yet no just occasion to be proud. But now it is the greatest folly in the world to strout and brave it in a back half naked, and half covered with borrowed feathers.

Well then my Brethren, let us do as the Apostle did in this case: Let us forget the things that are behind, and look on to the things that are before us: Let us consider with ourselves how short we fall, and how far we are to seek in main things concerning God, which we are bound to know: How ignorant we are, how ill we have improved our time and means; and if this do not take us down, how justly may we perish in our pride?

[Use 2] And as this doctrine serves to humble and abase the proud, so to revive and cheer the humble. Alas saith the distressed Christian, how ignorant am I of God, his nature and his will? How little do I understand of his name? Though I have been a long time in the School of Christ, and have had abundant means, how little have I learned? what small progress have I made? how far short do I fall of many others? Oh the blindness of my mind, the darkness of my understanding to this day! I am afraid that I am none of those whom Christ teaches.

Why, thou hast heard, that they that have the Name of God declared to them, have yet defects and imperfections in their knowledge: So that however thou art much to seek in many things, and thou art exceedingly defective in thy knowledge, thou mayst be savingly enlightened notwithstanding: And to uphold thy heart in this particular, consider

[ 1] It a sign the little knowledge which thou hast is right and sound, because it humbles thee, and makes thee sensible of thy defects. This is the nature of the saving knowledge of the name of God, it is an humbling and an abasing knowledge. Indeed, my brethren, carnal knowledge puffeth up, it makes men swell and strut, and swagger, and so accordingly to slight their meaner brethren. Like the high-minded Pharisees, This people which knoweth not the Law is accursed; Alas they are a company of sots to us, they know nothing. But saving knowledge makes man humble, more humble then he was before he had it. They that are endued with it, thought better of themselves before Conversion, before they had one glimpse of this enlightening, then now they do.

And hence you shall observe in Scripture, that they that have excelled most in knowledge, have had lowest apprehensions of themselves. None have complained so much of their corruption, blindness, ignorance as they have done. Agur was an exceeding wise and knowing man, yet he professeth that he had not the knowledge of a man in him. He doth not say that he had not the knowledge of a Saint in him, but he had not the knowledge of a man in him; he was a beast in regard of understanding. And holy David though eminent in this regard, yet was not puffed up, Psal. 131.1. No, he bewayls his ignorance exceedingly, and saith he was in this respect as a beast before God, Psal. 73.22. And most remarkable is that of Job, Job 42.5, 6. Heretofore I heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; I have had in former times a dark remote confused knowledge of thee; I saw thee at a distance, as it were a great way off; but now I have a clearer and distincter knowledge of thee; and what was the event and issue of it? Now I abhor myself in dust and ashes. So that if the degrees of knowledge which thou hast (be they great or be they small) do humble thee, and make thee little in thine own eyes, it is a comfortable evidence that it is sound.

Whatsoever thy degrees of knowledge be, consider they are such as [ 2] Jesus Christ in love and wisdom hath allotted to thee. To everyone (yea to him that hath the least) is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, Ephes. 4.7. as he is pleased to distribute and proportion. The body mystical is ordered so, that every member hath a fit share: To some he gives out greater measures and degrees of knowledge, the eminency of their station calls for it; to thee perhaps he hath communicated less, because he sees that less will be sufficient for thee: From whom the whole body according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase, Ephes. 4.16. Observe it well, my brethren, every member hath his measure. The leg, the arm, the little finger, are not all alike, but all according to their measure, and so there is a decent and due proportion.

The time is drawing on a pace, when these defects and imperfections [ 3] in thy knowledge, under which thou groanest, shall be all supplied; when the darkness of thy mind, the blindness of thy understanding shall be fully done away. That which is perfect is to come, though it be not yet come, 1 Cor. 13.10. when we shall clearly understand those mysteries which Angels pryed into, but could not fathom; even when we shall be ravished from ourselves, in sweetest contemplations of the glorious Godhead: when, as our Savior tells us, we shall see God, and see him face to face, as the Apostle speaks; Now we see him in a glass, but then face to face; 1 Cor. 13.12. now we know God in part only, then we shall know as we are known; Now we see his back parts only, but then we shall behold (as far as finite creatures may be capable) the fullness of his glory.

Consider that the glorious recompense which is to be dispensed in the [ 4] day of retribution, shall be proportioned not to our knowledge, but our practice and obedience. God will not have respect so much to what you know of him, as to what you do for him: He will give to every man (not according to his knowledge, but) according to his works: To them who by patient continuance in well doing, seek glory and honor, and immortality, saith the Apostle; Rom. 2.7. (To them who do, and do well, and continue doing well, and patiently continue doing well, yea though they suffer evil for well doing) the Lord will render eternal life.

DOCTRINE. That Jesus Christ will be continually making further declarations of his Fathers Name, to other Nations, and to other persons, to the end of the world.

He will be still declaring it to those that have not heard of it, that have not been acquainted with his Fathers name: Teaching new scholars still to spell it and to understand it, in every Generation while the World endureth. And as he is a King forever, as long as there are any further people to be ruled: and as he is a Priest forever, as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 110.4. as long as there are any further people to be saved and redeemed: So he is a Prophet forever, as long as there are any further people to be taught. Every age shall have experience of the blessed fruits of the Prophetical Office of Christ, in giving some the knowledge of his Fathers Name, who till then were strangers to him.

For clearing of the point, I shall a little more distinctly show you, that Jesus Christ will be continually making further Declarations of his Fathers Name. In the first place to other Nations: And in the second place to other persons to the end of the world.

[ 1] Jesus Christ will be continually making further declarations of his Fathers Name to other Nations. He had declared it only to the people of the Jews, when he put up this supplication to his Father in my Text. Some Proselytes of other Nations there might be among the Jews, who were partakers of his public teaching: but certainly he had revealed his Father to no other Nation but the Jews only. For his Commission was confined to them, as he professed to the Canaanitish woman, Matth. 15.24. I am not sent but to the lost Sheep of the house of Israel; I am to be my Fathers Messenger to them, and none but them immediately in my own person. If I go further, I exceed my bounds; For till the resurrection of our Savior, the partition-wall between the Jews and Gentiles was not broken down: And so accordingly he preached not peace, he did not manifest that sweet part of his Fathers Name to those that were afar off, neither by himself, nor by his Ministers, till after that time, as the Apostle Paul insinuates, Ephes. 2.14, 15, 16, 17. And therefore when he sent forth his Apostles, Mat. 10.5. his express injunction was, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Which course or method the Apostles in the first place very carefully observed, as you may see, Act. 13.15. It was necessary, saith Paul and Barnabas to the Jews, that the Word of God the Gospel (in which the Fathers name is manifested and made known to men) should first of all be preached unto you.

But since that time he hath declared it by his Ministers to other Nations. To whom his last Commission was, Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature, Mark. 16.15. Go ye and teach all Nations, Mat. 28.19. And in pursuance of this Commission and command of his, even the Apostles while they lived, did spread it far and wide. The Scripture story seems to hint it to us, Mark. 16. ult. where after the forementioned Mandate of our Savior, it is immediately observed by the Evangelist, that they went forth and preached everywhere. And the Apostle Paul reporteth, that himself alone had filled with the Gospel all the Country from Jerusalem, even round about unto Illyricum; yea, that he strived to preach it where Christ was not so much as named, Rom. 15.19, 20. You may suppose the rest of the Apostles were not idle in their places: The stories of the Church give in some Testimonies to it; For Stapleton reports of Thomas that he preached to the Indians; and Clemens saith there is no Nation, either Grecian or Barbarian, among whom prayers are not made in the Name of Jesus: And so to whom God is not manifested as a Father in his Son Christ. But yet we are not to conclude from this, an universal Declaration of the Name of God to every people, Island, Nation in the world, in the times of the Apostles. For since their days, Christ hath revealed it to many Countries, and to many people.

And yet at this day there are many Nations that have not heard of God in Christ; That Name of his hath not been declared to them: But to them he will declare it before the consummation of the world; they shall all hear of it; The Gospel (saith our Savior) shall be preached to all the world, and then shall the end come, Mat. 24.14. So it behooveth that remission should be preached in his Name, and that among all Nations, Luk. 24 47. There is a fullness of the Gentiles yet to be brought in, by this discovery of the Fathers Name: which Christ will certainly accomplish in his own time; He hath begun of late to manifest it to the Indians in America, and he will certainly go on with that work, till all the People, Languages, and Nations in the world do serve the Lord: till the ends of all the world do turn to him, and all the Kindreds of the earth do worship before him: And till he be Governor in all Nations, Psal. 22.27, 28. You see then Jesus Christ will be continually making further Declarations of his Fathers name to other Nations: still it is, I have declared it, and I will declare it, with reference to other Nations.

[ 2] And so it is with reference to other persons, in those Nations where it is declared already. He hath declared it unto some, and will declare unto others still, in every age to the end of the world. There will be some elect continually to be brought in by this means. Some to be added to the Church, some to be joined to the body mystical, until the dispensation of the fullness of time which the Apostle mentions, Eph. 1.10. when all things shall be gathered into one, which are in heaven, and which are on earth. So that you see my brethren, Jesus Christ will be continually making further declarations of his Fathers Name to other Nations and to other persons. But how will he make these further declarations? Brethren, he will not do it in his own person, or by his own immediate voice: But he will do it other ways.

1. By his written word and Ministers in all ages: for that which they declare in his name and by authority from him, Jesus Christ himself declares. To this end Christ hath set some in the Church, some Ministers of all sorts, as the Apostle tells us, 1 Cor. 12.28. And that is out of all dispute in the universal Church, which is not limited to any Country, or to any age. That so there might be continually some in all Churches and in all ages, to publish what is to be manifested of his Father. And hence said Christ to his Apostles, Mat. 28.20. Lo, I am with you to the end of the world. They were not to continue for their own parts by many hundred years so long: And therefore it must also stretch to those who were to follow them in the office, and the work of Gospel preaching, till it be published universally to all Nations, in the outward promulgation, and in the inward and effectual revelation to all persons to whom it is appointed so to be revealed: Which was not done, you know, by the Apostles: it was but begun by them, and must be carrried on, till it be finished, by other Ministers to the end of the world. And therefore when our Savior Christ ascended, and consequently could no longer teach his Church immediately in his own person, he gave gifts unto men, such gifts as he never gave before: And he gave some Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists: Some temporary, some perpetual, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry. How long? Till we all come (all that are chosen, whether Jews or Gentiles) in the unity of the Faith, unto a perfect man. So that the Ministry shall be continued, till all be gathered into Christ, that shall be gathered, and that is till the end of the world.

2. Christ makes these further declarations of his Fathers name in every age; by his spirit. As he declares it outwardly to other persons by his word, so he declares it inwardly to other persons by his spirit, to his elect in every age to the end of the world. And therefore when our Savior Christ withdrew his corporal and fleshly presence, he sent his spirit down to teach his people, to lead them into all truth: And by that spirit he declares his Fathers name, and will do to the worlds end. And he assured his Apostles in the place even now alleged, Mat. 28.20. when he was even about to leave them, as to his fleshly presence with them, Lo, I am with you always, viz. by my spirit, to the end of the world. That is, with you and such as you are, with you and your Successors still in every age, as long as the world endureth. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, and my spirit shall be with you: So that what you teach all without, he shall teach my elect within, powerfully and with success, till the last man be gathered in: And then shall the end come.

Is it so that Jesus Christ will be continually making further declarations of his Fathers name to other Nations and to other persons to the end of the world? [Use] Then let us seriously consider what our duty is in reference to this work, (which will be beautiful and glorious beyond all comparison) and what Christ expects of us. If he will do as he hath said, let us examine what we are to do, and what duty lieth upon us, (relating to it) in the mean time. And here I shall propound a few things.

1. Let us give him so much credit as to believe what he hath spoken. And though it seem improbable that Christ should manifest his Fathers name to all Nations: That all the Countries in the world should come to know him, and to be acquainted with him: yet seeing Christ hath undertaken it, and bound himself by faithful promise to his Father, that as he hath declared his name already, so he will be continually making further declarations of it to other persons and to other Nations, let us say Amen to it. As Mary sometimes, when she had staggerd at the difficulty of the Promise, at length recovered out of that fit of unbelief, and set the seal of faith to it, Be it according to thy word.

2. Let our hearts be full of hope, in reference to this business. Since Christ hath undertaken it, let us expect the execution of it. Our Savior's words (my brethren) are a promise to the Father, what he will do in after times for his people: Saith he, I will declare thy name to them. And therefore as it is our duty to believe the promise, so to expect the good things promised. To be continually in a waiting frame, looking and hearkening after the accomplishment of this eximious work of his, spying if we can see the day break, and the Fathers name shine forth to other Nations, who never had a glimsp of it by any Gospel Revelation, till in the end from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same, his name be great among the Gentiles, according to that Prophesy relating to these latter times and ages of the world, Mal. 1.11.

3. Let us strive with Christ in prayer, that he would make good the word that he hath spoken to the Father before so many witnesses. Oh my beloved, when ye look on many Heathen Nations that yet are overwhelmed in ignorance and Egyptian darkness, that yet know nothing of the Fathers name; when you look on many Christians in profession, that yet are even in as bad a case as they, some of which it may be have relation to yourselves: go to Jesus Christ and say, O Lord, thou hast professed that thou wilt declare thy Fathers name to other persons, and to other Nations, to the end of the world. Lord, there are such Nations, there are such persons who yet are strangers to the Father; who know no more of God in Christ, then the very beasts that perish: O be entreated to declare thy Fathers name to them. Lord, manifest the Father to them, that they may know him to salvation.

4. Let our hearts be full of joy while we are looking forward to the accomplishment of this work. O let it cheer our spirits, under all the sinking damps and deep discouragements that are upon them, in relation to the Church, to think in what a blessed state and glorious posture she will be, when Christ shall have declared his Fathers name to all the Nations under heaven, when the Jews shall be converted, and when the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in: Oh my beloved, that will be a joyful time indeed. Its true, those times, my brethren, shall be very comfortable and full of gladness many ways. And this is not the least, that people shall be brougbt in to the knowledge of the Lord out of all the quarters of the world, and that by heaps and multitudes. And when they come, th •• shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing, as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 45.15. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought. And truly they that have the happiness to live in those days, cannot but be extremely taken with it, when they behold the Fathers name declared to the people of the Jews, and to such multitudes of Nations of the Gentiles, so that they shall come thronging in so fast as if they were in haste to be acquainted with him, and to know more of him: Oh they will be an end at this, and their hearts will leap within them. There was never such a time since the foundation of the world, nor shall be till that blessed season come: and therefore let our souls rejoice in the foresight of it, though we never live to see it.

And thus far of our Savior faithfulness, in the delivery of his Fathers Errand, in the discovery of his Fathers name to his people. He hath been faithful and will be faithful in it. In the remainder of the verse, he shows the end and reason of it, why he hath been so, and will be so, That the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in them.

It is a very great question, whether believers be intended here to be the objects, or the subjects of the love our Savior mentions. Whether the name of God be manifested to them to this end, that they may be beloved by him, or to this end that they may love him. I must acknowledge, all Interpreters almost that I have seen, make them the objects, not the subjects of this love, That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them; That is, say they, may reach to them, or come to them: their meaning is so as to lay hold upon them, and embrace them. In plainer terms, that thou mayest love them with the love wherewith thou hast loved me, with the very same affection.

Against this Exposition there are two Exceptions, to which I must confess I know not how to give a clear Solution. For First, If this were the intention of our Savior, I have declared unto them thy name, that thou mayest love them, he would have said in probability, That thy love may be towards them, or That thy love may be upon them, rather then That thy love 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as here we have it) may be in them. This is a strange expression to say My love is in a man, when my intention is, I love him, or I have set my love upon him. But secondly, if when our Savior Savior saith that thy love may be in them, his meaning be, That thou mayest love them: how shall this be the end of his forementioned delaration of his Fathers name, as it is clearly made in this place? I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them: That thou mayest love them with the love wherewith thou hast loved me. Doth Christ declare his Fathers name to men, his love, his mercy to this end that he may love them? Is this a proper means to that end? for God to be made known to men, that God may love them whom he is made known to? Brethren, God doth not love men because his name is manifested and declared to them, but men love him upon that ground, and for that reason: the declaration of his name to them, is a means to make them love him.

And therefore I must needs crave leave to think the latter Exposition probable, by which believers are made the subjects of the love here mentioned, I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them as in the subjects of it: That the love which is originally in thyself as in the fountain (as all other graces are) may be communicated and dispensed from thee to them, and become inherent in them.

You know my Brethren, we are said to be partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. not by participation of the essence, but by communication of the properties of God, when the communicable properties of God, as holiness and love and wisdom, are dispenst to us. So here our Savior prays his Father, that the love wherewith he hath loved Christ, may be given down from him into the hearts of his people, that they may have that very property in them also.

And to this end saith Christ, I have declared thy name, thy mercy, goodness, love to them, that this love may be wrought in them. That by this means their hearts may be enflamed, and filled with the love of thee: That they may have the love of thee in them, as the Apostle hath the very Phrase, 1 John 3.17. How dwelleth the love of God in him? So here, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me, that very property may be in them, by way of derivation from thee, and that by the revealing of thy name to them.

If this be our Savior's meaning, as I can see no other for the present, the Observations will be two. First, The love which is in true believers, comes from God. The love wherewith true believers love, is in a sense the same wherewith God himself loves: Or the love wherewith God loves, is in a sense in true believers. Secondly, The declaration of the Fathers name to them, is the great means that begetteth love in them.

DOCTRINE. The love which is in true Believers comes from God.

The love wherewith he loveth, is in them, saith our Savior in my text. viz. by way of dispensation from him. Love is originally, primitively and essentially in the Lord, and from him it is given down into the hearts of true believers. This is part of the divine nature, which they are made partakers of, as the Apostle speaks, 2 Pet. 1.4. This is a print of his Image, whereby they are conformed to God, and made suitable to God, when they love as he doth; And consequently, as he is, such are they in this world. So that when an enlightened eye looks first on God, and sees that he doth love, that he is love, and then looks on the believer, and sees this grace of love communicated and dispensed from God to him, he finds that he is such a one as God is: That he is like God in this world, though he shall be better like him in the world that is to come: This is a beam of his light (as other saving graces are) it comes down from the Father of lights, as the Apostle James speaks, Chap. 1.17. And as the stars shine with a borrowed Luster, even so do believers too. If there be this, or any other brightness in them, it is a beam of the divinity, a streak and ray of the divine glory. They shine because their light is come, viz. from God, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon them, Isa. 60.1. And in a word this is a stream of his fountain, which runs down from God to us: All our fresh springs are in him, as the Prophet David speaks, Psal. 87.7. and consequently all our streams of living waters are from him. First the springs of our streams are in him, and then the streams of his springs are in us. The love wherewith he loveth, is in us.

So that God doth not only teach us love, as the Apostle saith, ye are taught of God to love, 1 Thes. 4.9. but more then so, he gives us love. He doth not only teach it as a Master, but he bestows it as a Donour and Dispenser; Yea, as a Donour of himself to us; for when he gives us love, he gives us down himself in some measure; And therefore by this love he is said to dwell in us; Mark that Expression of the Apostle John, 1. Epist. 4.10. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him, God is love properly, essentially (for whatsoever is attributed to God is God,) and he is the Original and Fountain of that love that is communicated to the Creature, and by this love he dwells in us. So that whoever hath this love in him, hath God in him; God in the beam, as we are wont to say; The room that hath the beam in it, hath the Sun in it; That place of the Apostle John is full, 1 Epist. 4.7. Love is of God, saith he, and everyone that loves is born of God, while he participates in this of God's nature, even as the Son is made partaker of the nature of the Father. The Point you see is fully proved, The love which is in true believers, comes from God.

[Reason.] And it must needs be so, because it is not, neither can it be originally in, or of, or from ourselves. The heart of man is naturally averse, yea even abhorrent from the Love of God: And therefore in the state of nature, men are said to hate God, Rom. 1.30. as in divers other places of the Scripture. Indeed it seems to be a little strange that men should naturally hate the chiefest good: And true it is, that nothing apprehended and presented under the notion, reason, and the name of goodness can be hated and abhorred: But yet the chief good, looked upon as evil, either in itself, or else to him that so conceives and apprehends it, may under such a notion be so far from being loved as that indeed it may be hated. And thus it is with all unsanctified men. So that of our selves you see it is impossible to have the love of God in us.

But whence must we have it then, if we be partakers of it? The Apostle clearly shows us, Jam. 1.17. Every good and perfect gift is from above. From above, what's that? why it cometh down from the Father of lights, that is, from God who is the fountain of it. And if every gift be from him, every good and perfect gift, then surely love which is in some respect the choicest of all other gifts (as the Apostle shows at large) is from him too. The love which is in true believers, comes from God.

But yet this Caution let me interpose, before I come to application. You must not apprehend the love which is in true believers, to come immediately from God, without the use of second means, as some have seemed to infer from that place of the Apostle, 1 Thess. 4.9. As touching love you need not that I write to you; for you yourselves are taught of God to love. As if his meaning were, I need not teach it you at all, I need not strive to work it and beget it in you, by my preaching; for you are taught immediately of God himself. Whereas indeed he speaks comparatively, not as though they had no need at all of his instruction, but not such need as many other men who were not taught of God to love. As such expressions are very usual in the Scripture, which in show are universal, yet to be understood ex parte, and in comparison, as that for instance, John 9.4. If ye were blind, ye should have no sin, saith Christ; none in comparison, not simply none. But as for love, that it is mediately wrought by means, as by the preaching of the Gospel, is very manifest by this, that the Apostles, Paul and John especially, do so frequently and earnestly persuade and press to it: which they need not to have done, if God did work it in the hearts of his people immediately by the teaching of his spirit. Indeed my brethren, every saving grace flows clearly from the upper spring, but yet there are some pipes that carry and convey it down to us, as the Word and Ordinances and the like. And he that lives above them, lives above grace too. And therefore in my text, our Savior makes his declaration of his Father name, by himself and his Apostles and their Successors in the Church, the means of working love in the hearts of his people; I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them

Now is it so my brethren, that the love which is in true believers comes [Use 1] from God? Here then we are directed where to go, and to whom to have recourse for this grace. If any man lack wisdom, saith the Apostle, let him ask it of God. And so say I in this case, If any man want love to God, or to his Brethren, let him ask it of God. Let him go to God the Fountain and the spring of it, and beseech him earnestly to give it down to poor creatures. If we find our hearts are cold and dull and flat, if they be not inflamed with the love of God, let us entreat him to kindle them at his fire. Let us beg him that the love which is in him may be in us. Let us pray with the Apostle, The Lord direct our hearts unto the love of God, 2 Thess. 3.5. They cannot find the way themselves; the way of peace, and so the way of love, they have not known. Now the good Lord himself direct them, and guide them into that way. It cannot choose but be a pleasing and a lovely suit indeed, to be importunate with God to make us love him and to endear our hearts to him. A man would think that such a sweet request as this should not be turned off with a denial. And that we may the rather struggle in it, I shall propound two things.

1. Love as it comes from God, so it is in some respect the chiefest thing that comes from God. It is a grace of the first magnitude, and therefore it is placed first by the Apostle in that Catalogue of his, Gal. 5.22. The fruit of the spirit is love, and then joy, and other graces. It is an excelling gift: and therefore the Apostle Paul to show the matchless worth and the surpassing value of it, admits a kind of Solaecism in his discourse, and makes it better then the best of gifts, 1 Cor. 12. ult. Covet, saith he, and covet earnestly the best gifts. And then immediately annexeth a discourse of love, and touching that he saith, I show unto you a more excellent way.

Indeed it is of greater latitude then other graces, it runs through every precept of the Law of God. For love is the fulfilling of the Law, and that no other grace is. It is of greater power then other graces, for it sets them all on work. And hence the acts of other graces are frequently ascribed to love, as 1 Cor. 13.4, &c she hopeth, she believeth, &c. It is of greater permanency then other graces, then faith, or hope. And other graces without love are nothing, as the Apostle shows at large in that Chapter.

2. And as love is the chiefest thing that comes from God, so it is the chiefest thing that conformeth us to God. It makes us like him more then other graces do. God is not said in Scripture to be faith, or hope, or patience, but he is said in Scripture to be Love. If we believe, God doth not so: if we hope, God doth not so: if we suffer quietly, God doth not so: Indeed he suffer not at all, either by way of passion or compassion. But if we love, my brethren, so doth God. In this we do as God himself doth. And therefore we may pray for this, (my brethren) in another way then we may pray for other graces, according to the pattern in my Text. We cannot pray to God, Lord grant us that the faith which is in thee, may be in us: Lord grant us that the hope which is in thee may be in us; But we may pray, Lord grant us that the love which is in thee, may be in us; That the love wherewith thou lovest, may be given down to us.

[Use 2] Is it so that the love which is in true believers, comes from God? If then we have the love of God in us, let us remember whence it came, and to whom the glory of it ought to be returned. We can hate God of ourselves, but we can never love him of ourselves. So that if there be any spark of the love of God in us, we may be confident that it was kindled at his fire. And therefore let it be continually working upward, upward still, yea, let it never leave ascending till it have joined itself unto that infinite and endless flame, from which it issued and proceeded.

DOCTRINE 2. The Declaration of the Fathers Name to men, is one especial means to work the grace of love in them.

IT is to this end that our Savior makes it known, as you may see expressly in my Text; I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare it; Why so? to what end? That the love wherewith thou hast loved me (that very property) may be in them; That as it is in thee, it may be wrought in them also. And out of doubt the means our Savior pitches on, are useful and available to his ends.

Indeed men come to know the Father, by the discovery of his name to them; for so his name is all that makes him known to men: And that which worketh knowledge of him, doth mediately work love to him: So that if the discovery of his name do make men know him (as that is very manifest) it doth make them love him too. That which one affirms of Learning, may be applied to God, Non habet Inimicum nisi ignorantem. Whosoever knows him clearly, loves him truly; Indeed while we are unacquainted with him, the admirable worth and beauty, and excellency that is in him every way, doth not take a whit upon us. The Philosopher will tell us that the mind must be informed and convinced of the goodness of a thing, before the heart will cleave to it, or the affections close with it: And hence it is, that carnal and unsanctified persons love not God, because they know him not: Or if they know him any way, it is not under such a notion as renders him desirable or lovely to them. Perhaps they know him as a Judge, or an avenger; they cannot know him as a Savior and Redeemer. And this is the real cause why the triumphant Saints in Heaven, love him more then the Saints Militant on earth, because they have a fuller, clearer and distincter knowledge of him. We see him darkly in a glass, they face to face. And this is the reason also why we love not God with such a high affection here as we shall do hereafter, because we know him not so well, we have not such distinct and full discoveries of his name, as then we shall attain to. So then you see in general, that the discovery of the Fathers name to men is one especial means to work the grace of love in them.

To clear it yet a little further to you. I shall show you particularly and distinctly, that there are divers things in God's name, which (being manifested and declared unto men) are means to win their hearts to him, and so to work love in them. As

The beauty of the Lord is a part of his name, and beauty being manifested [ 1] and discovered is a means to win love. It is a great attractive of affection. Now herein God excels (my brethren) in this respect, he is incomparably, out of measure lovely: The greatest beauty in the world is holiness; so it is often called, as 1 Chron. 16.19. Psal. 29.2. To show that holiness hath beauty in it; yea it is called Beauties in the plural number; The beauties of holiness; Psal. 110.3. to intimate that holiness is full of beauty, and that it over-matches all the beauties in the world, if all of them were put together: And therefore this is made in Scripture the greatest beauty of the creature; as Sin is the deformity, so Grace and Holiness is the beauty of the Soul, it adorns the inner man: And therefore the Apostle Peter exhorteth Christian women to adorn the hidden man of the heart with this, 1 Pet. 3.4. Even with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is of great price in the sight of God: And hence it is that holiness is likened to the fairest things, to Robes, and Gems, and Crowns, and Gold, and Jewels, and the like.

Now God is matchless in this kind of beauty; He is holiness itself; yea, he is infinitely holy: And therefore holiness is called the Image of God. The holiness that is in men, is but an image and a pattern of that holiness which is originally and completely in the Lord: who hath in this respect all beauty in him. Yea, it is called the glory of the Lord, Rom. 3.23. All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God, which shined in us in the state of innocence. Indeed, my brethren, he hath in him the Sum and the perfection of beauty; He hath all in him that doth win and raise, nothing that cools or deadens the affection; all things to invite, nothing to avert love. Others there are (my brethren) who have some things beautiful and comely to invite and draw love, but other things uncomely and unbeautiful to keep it off: Something or other there is in them that is odd, unpleasing, and so a bar, and hindrance to affection. Brethren, it is not so with God, he is all beautiful, and all alluring, altogether lovely: Others are so in some respects, but he is so in all respects, He is altogether lovely, the allurement of all hearts; And the desire of all Nations, Hag. 2.7. So he is always in the merit, although he be not always so in the event.

Object. But if God be so beautiful, what is the reason that men do not love him?

Answ. Because his name, in this respect, is not made known to them. All men are naturally blind, you know; and blind men cannot judge of beauty, until their eyes be anointed with the Eye-salve, Apoc. 3.18. to make them see such beauty as this is: The beauty of holiness is a spiritual beauty, and that is not discerned by a natural Eye. There must be a spiritual eye to see and to discern a spiritual beauty: And when you have such eyes as these, to see the beauty of the Lord, your hearts will be enamored on him; you will be in the case the Church was, you will be sick of love, and say, Lord, turn away thine eyes, for they have overcome us: We cannot bear the dazzling rays of such beauty as thine is.

[ 2] The goodness of the Lord is a part of his name; and goodness being manifested and discovered, is a means to draw love. Now herein God excels (my brethren) he is good beyond pattern, and beyond measure: He is essentially good, good without goodness, (as Austin speaks) because indeed he is goodness itself. The creatures be good, but not goodness. Their nature is good, but goodness is not their nature. But now the nature and substance of God, is goodness itself, so that he is essentially good; and then he is also causally good, as Psal. 119.68. Thou art good, and dost good; Thou art good in thyself, and thou dost good to the creature, so that the earth is full of thy goodness: He is eminently good; so that whatsoever goodness is to be found among the creatures, is eminently and transcendently in God himself.

Now goodness is the object of love, and consequently the allective of affection. If we have cause to fear God for his goodness, as Hos. 3. ult. then surely we have much more cause to love him, especially since he is not only good in himself, but good to us: If this part of his name be manifested and made known to us, we cannot choose but love him, and delight in him. That phrase of the Apostle Paul is notable, and may be very well applied to our purpose, Rom. 5.7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, but for a good man one would even dare to die: Uprightness draws not love as goodness doth: One man will hardly love another so much for his uprightness as to die for him; but for his goodness manifested to himself on all occasions, continually doing good to him, he may come to love him so, as even to lay down his life for him: And even for this cause we shall love God, and love him out of all measure, so as even to die for him, if this part of his name be fully manifested and made known to us.

The mercy of the Lord is a part of his name, and this if it be manifested [ 3] to us, will beget love in us. You know the Lord is said in Scripture to be merciful, yea to be rich in mercy; and that not only because the mercy that he hath is precious, but because there is abundance of this precious mercy in him; For both of these concur to riches; there must be something that is precious, and there must be much of it: and so it is with God in this case; He hath a mass of mercy in him, a bottomless and endless treasure, such as the wants of all the world are never able to draw dry: And as a rich man, though he spend exceedingly, yet because he hath a treasure, the e is no failing, no deficiency of his store; so God though he communicate his mercy freely to the sons of men, yet he cannot be exhausted; no, there is more behind still, it is an infinite, a bottomless, an endless mercy; A mercy that endures forever.

Now this rich mercy God lays out, as many other ways, so chiefly in the pardon of our sins: and hence we read of mercies and forgivenesses in God, as Dan. 9.9. Mercies as the cause and fountain; Forgivenesses as the effect and stream: And both you see my brethren, in the plural number, to show the over-flowing mercy of the Lord. Indeed my brethren, there is mercy in all pardons; but in the pardon and remission of the sins of God's people there is admirable mercy. And hence the Prophet wondered at it, not knowing what to think, or to say of it; Who is a God like thee, that pardoneth iniquity, &c. Mic. 7.18. The Prophet is transported, and carried out beyond himself in admiration. And mark it well He doth not say, There is no man like thee, but there is no God like thee. Indeed it goes beyond the mercy of any but the true living God to do this. In which respect is that expression, Hos. 11.9. I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath, for I am God, and not man: that speech of the Apostle Paul is full, Ephes. 1.7. We have remission of our sins, according to the riches of his grace. Now if this part of God's name be made known to us, it cannot choose but work love in us. We love them who forgive us common debts, especially if they be great, we think that we can never do enough for them, or manifest respect enough to them. But we have cause to love him more who forgives us such debts as these are, which if they should be rigorously exacted of us, we were not able to discharge them, but must be laid up under everlasting chains. Oh my beloved, how can this choose but draw out our affection to the Lord? The woman in the Gospel had much forgiven her: and what was the effect and issue of it? Why she loved much; Her love was answerable to her pardon: Much was forgiven her, and she loved much: She was a great sinner, and she had a large pardon, and so accordingly she shown great love. O my Beloved, if such mercy be discovered to us, we cannot choose but do as she did; if we survey our lives, and find perhaps that we have been grievous sinners, beyond the ordinary rate, that we were over head and ears in debt to God, that there were horrid crimes upon the bill against us, scarlet sins, and bloody sins: and then the Fathers name is manifested to us, that he hath been to us The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin: And that according to the multitude of his tender mercies he hath blotted out our transgressions: how will our hearts come off to him? how will they flame with love to God? so that we shall cry out, O how do we love the Lord! we are not able to express it, how infinitely dear is God to me!

[ 4] The Love of God is a part of his name: and this if it be manifest also, will beget love in us: When it shines forth from God upon our hearts, it will reflect, and so return to God again. This flame will kindle our fire, and make it burn, that all the waters in the world will never quench it, as Cant. 8.7. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. Amor est cos amoris, love is the special thing that whets love, and that makes it keen and sharp: So it is with the love of man, and so with the love of God. If it be made known to us, and if we have assurance of it, it will exceedingly indear our hearts to him; We love him, saith the Evangelist John, 1 Epist. 4.19. Why so? because he loved us first; The declaration of his love to us, works love in us to him again. First he loves us, and when we know it, then we love him. So that the point is fully proved, The Declaration of the Fathers name to men is one great means to work the grace of love in them.

[Use 1] To make a little Application; First is it so, That the Discovery, &c. We see the reason then my brethren, why a great part of the world have not the love of God in them: Though he be altogether lovely, yet they love him not at all, because his loveliness is hidden from them. His name is not declared to them, they have no knwledge of his beauty, goodness, mercy, love, &c. and hence it is that they bear no affection to him; They are alienated from him, strangers to him: love him no more then they do a mere stranger. But how comes this to pass? by reason of the ignorance and blindness that is in them. How many Heathen Nations in the world, and Christians by profession are in this condition! and so will certainly continue, till Jesus Christ declare the Fathers name to them.

And therefore in the second place, if you desire indeed to love God, [Use 2] and to grow up in this love, Labor to be acquainted with his name: Wait on the discoveries of it, that Jesus Christ is pleased to make both in public and in private; Wheresoever Christ declares his Fathers name, there be you attending on him, to see what he will further show you of his beauty, goodness, mercy, love to you in special; and you shall find, that as you know more of him, your hearts will be accordingly endeared more to him; when you are with other Christians, discourse of this name of God, the greatness of his beauty, goodness, mercy, love, and your hearts will burn within you, with ardent flames of holy love, to his blessed Majesty. When you are single and alone, study the name of God; think of his attributes: let them be often in your meditations, as you shall see they were in David's, if you read the Book of Psalms, and then you will cry out not much unlike as he, O my God, how do I love thee, while I meditate of the beauty of thy glorious Majesty, and thy marvelous works!

And thus far of the first end of our Savior's declaration of his Fathers name, That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them.

The second follows in the last place to be handled; And I in them; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in them.

First, that love may be in them, and then that I may be in them. The latter is adjoined to the former by the connective particle and, as that which (out of all dispute) will keep it company, and dwell with it. If love be in them, I shall be in them too saith Christ; I shall be where love is; and therefore I have manifested and declared thy name to them, in reference to both these: That love being wrought in them, I may be in them too by this means. This I conceive to be the drift and purpose of our Savior in the words. The point suggested then is this.

DOCTRINE. Where Love is, there Christ is.

If love be in a man, Jesus Christ is in him too; that is out of all question; He comes with love into the souls of true believers. Brethren, Christ is an utter stranger to every soul that hath not true love in it. But if you knock at the door of any heart, and inquire, Is love within? is love here? If love be there, you may conclude that Jesus Christ is there too. You see my brethren, they are knit together in my Text, That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. Love in them, and I in them; Love, and I. To show that Jesus Christ and Love do always dwell together in the same heart; they are not be separated or divided each from other, but wheresoever one is, there is the other also; where love is, there Christ is. But then you must not understand it of love the passion, or natural affection, but of love the saving grace; of that love which is wrought by the effectual revelation of the Fathers name to men. Where this love is, there Christ is: as I shall make it evidently to appear to you: For,

[ 1] Where love (the saving grace of love) is, there the spirit is; and where the spirit is, there Christ is. First where love is, there the spirit is, whose special dwelling in believers is not by his Essence, but his graces, and chiefly by the grace of love: And hence we read of the Spirit of love, 2 Tim. 1.7. because the Spirit is the cause of love. And hence we also read of the love of the spirit, Rom. 15.30. because love is the fruit of the spirit: so the Apostle styleth it expressly, Gal. 5.22. Yea it is the prime fruit, the chief fruit, upon which all the rest follow, as the Apostle makes it there, The fruit of the Spirit is love, and then joy, peace, meekness, and so on. Love is indeed the special grace by which the spirit of love dwells in us; so that where love is, there the spirit is.

Now where the spirit is, there Christ is: For his inhabitation in the soul is by the Spirit, and so it is explained by all Expositors with one consent, where Christ is said to dwell in, and be in us, as such expressions are very frequent in the Scripture: He is with us by his Spirit, and in us by his Spirit; as we are the habitation of God, so we are the habitation of Christ, through the Spirit, as it is in Ephes. 2. ult. And as the Spirit dwells in us by love, so Christ dwells in us by the Spirit; so that where love is, there the Spirit is; and where the Spirit is, there Christ is. That is the first thing.

[ 2] Where love is, there faith is; and where faith is, there Christ is. Where love is, there faith is: And therefore you shall find them often knit together, and made inseparable in the Scripture, Faith and Love. I need not give you instances: Virtutes Christianae sunt connexae, as a Father speaks. All saving graces are united and conjoined; they are made up together in a chain, so that if but one link be wanting, all the rest are useless. If all of them be not united, not one of them is in sincerity. But Faith and Love have a more near relation one to the other, then the rest have: Faith to Love hath the nature of a Cause; Love to Faith the nature of an Evidence: Faith worketh love, love proveth faith: Faith without Love is a dead Belief: Love without Faith is a frozen Charity: So that where love is, there faith is.

Now beloved, where faith is, there Christ is: Faith takes in Jesus Christ into the soul, and makes him to inhabit there: And therefore he is said expressly to dwell in the heart by faith, Ephes. 3.17. And he received gifts for men, saith David, Psal. 68.18. Yea for the rebellious also, that the Lord may dwell among them. And if he dwell among and in us by his gifts, then certainly by faith, which is principal of those gifts: So that where love is, there faith is; and where faith is, there Christ is. That is the second thing.

[ 3] Where love is, there the Father is; and where the Father is, there Jesus Christ the Son is: where love is, there the Father is; God is love, saith the Apostle, 1 Joh. 4.8. he is Essentially so, as I have shown you; and consequently God and love cannot be separated each from other. He can no more be severed or divided from it, then he can be divided from his Essence: And therefore the Apostle adds in the aforesaid place, that he that hath the grace of love in him, dwells in God, and God in him: So that where love is, God is.

Now my Beloved, where God is, there Christ is: For he and the Father are one, and consequently they must always be together. You are not ignorant, that Christ and God the Father are often said to be in one another, as in that place which we have largely handled in the 21 verse of this Chapter, That they may all be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee; As Christ is God, the Father and himself are one Essence: In that consideration they are so in one another, that they are the very same: The same Essence, (for so the union is Identical) though not the same Person: As Christ is Man, the Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son, by the union of the Manhood to the Godhead in the person of our Savior; for the Manhood being joined to the Godhead in the person of the Son, it must be mediately joined also to the Father, with whom the Son, as God, is one: So that in both considerations Christ is one with God the Father; and if they be one, they must be together; they cannot be in all respects asunder who are one: So that where love is, God is; and where God is, Christ is; That is the third thing. By this time, I suppose, the point is clear, where love is, there Christ is: For 1. where love is, there the Spirit is. 2. Where love is, there faith is. 3. Where love is, there God is.

Now is it so, my brethren, That where love is, there Christ is? That [Use 1] he is there, and only there where love is: for so it must be understood exclusively; Then in the first place, what a sad condition are they in, who have not this love in them, who have not love to God nor to his children? Nay, who indeed are Enemies to both: who hate God and hate his people, and that with a perfect hatred: as multitudes there are of such my Brethren, and that not in Hell only among the Devils, and the damned crew, but on earth among men, who taste continually of the goodness of the Lord, yea in the very bosom of the Church itself. There were false brethren in the Church of the Philippians, who notwithstanding all their glorious protestations, were Enemies to Christ, as the Apostle tells them, and that with tears, Phil. 3.18. And surely there are many everywhere, and in every Congregation, who pretend much love to Christ, and yet do really and truly hate him. It is not everyone that calls him Rabbi, Master, as false Judas did, that kisses him and bows before him, that hath indeed the love of Christ in him: No, men may make a flourish and a show of love to Christ, and yet may be as hearty enemies to him, and to his members, as Judas, Pilate, and the Jews were. And truly multitudes of such there are among us, and every place swarms with them.

Now my Beloved, in what a sad and lamentable case are these men? For they that have no love in them, have no Christ in them neither; they that are without love, are without Christ too. And so they are exposed to all those matchless miseries which follow being without Christ, such as no tongue is sufficient to express, as I have laid them open largely to you, on Ephes. 2.12.

Is it so, my brethren, that where love is, there Christ is? They then [Use 2] that find upon undoubted evidences, that they have this love in them, may take incomparable comfort hence: For they may be hence assured, that they have Jesus Christ in them. If love be in them, Christ is in them, as is apparently suggested in my Text; That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. If that be in them, I shall assuredly be in them too, and therefore I have manifested and declared thy name to them, that love and I may dwell in them. Ah, my Beloved, what an admirable thing is this, that Jesus Christ should live in you, as the Apostles phrase is, Gal. 2.20. that your hearts should be his house, in which he dwells and walks, and dines and sups, and lodges every night, so that he is at home in your hearts that while he is a mere stranger to the remainder of the world, that while they are so far from having Jesus Christ in them, that they have the Devil in them: Christ is not in them, but the devil is in them: He keeps the house as Christ speaks; While the strong man keeps the house: He keeps house in the hearts of wicked men, the Devil himself is the house-keeper there: there he dwells, and there he works, as the Apostle speaks, Ephes. 2.2. he worketh in them, they are the Devils house, the Devils shop; they are the house where he dwells, and the shop where he works: I say while it is thus with other men, while others have the Devil in them, they have Jesus Christ in them. The strong man is bound, and dispossessed of his habitation: The Prince of this world is cast out, and Jesus Christ the King of glory is come in. Ah, my Beloved, what a happiness is this! I wish that I were able to express it to you, to set it off as it deserves. How would it ravish and transport you, and make you to sit down in admiration at your blessedness in this world!

That you may guess a little at it, review the things that have been hinted at before. If Christ be in you, faith is in you, yea, all saving grace is in you; You are blessed with all spiritual blessings, in that you have him in you. You have a magazine, a treasure of the graces of his holy Spirit: So that you are inestimably rich, and this riches is Christ in you, as the Apostle speaks, Col. 1.27. Not Christ without us, but Christ within us by his graces, is our riches. If Christ be in you, the Holy Ghost himself is in you, as a Spirit of Illumination, and a Spirit of Sanctification, and as a Spirit of Consolation. If you be ignorant, you have one within you to enlighten you: If you be impure, if you have dregs of sin and of corruption in you, you have one within you to sanctify you; if you be sad and comfortless, you have one within you to comfort you; the fountain and the spring of Consolation is within you: so that he is at hand in all cases, you need not faint, or swound away, while they fetch a cordial for you. If Christ be in you, God is in you; your hearts are his Temples, and the great God of heaven himself is the light and glory of them. O blessed hearts that have God to dwell in them! But more particularly yet;

1. If Christ be in you, you have most intimate and near acquaintance and Communion with him. It is very much (my brethren) for Christ Jesus to be with you. It was a precious promise that he made to his Apostles, Behold I am with you: But for Christ Jesus to be in you, is much more. This importeth yet more close and sweet Communion: Indeed the closest and the sweetest that can be. You cannot choose but know him inwardly, if he be in you.

2. If Christ be in you, you have free access to him, you need not travail far to speak with Christ, he is at hand continually, for he is in you: so that you may on all occasions, make your addresses to him when you please. If you have any supplication to present, any complaint to make to him, do but open your own hearts, and you shall find Christ there.

3. If you have Christ Jesus in you, you are partakers of a confluence of all accommodations, comforts, satisfactions and delights that the poor heart can reasonably long for, or look after: For Jesus Christ hath all in him, and brings all with him, where he comes. Indeed (my Brethren) he himself is all, as the Apostle tells us, Jesus Christ is all in all, Col. 3.11. In all in whom he is (my brethren) he is all: So that in having him, we have all. There is more in him alone, to make us really and fully happy, then in all the world without him.

4. If Christ be in you, as you are happy, so you are secure, there is no fear of falling from your happiness; if you fall, Jesus Christ falls with you, for he is in you: And this is that which makes our happiness in all respects accomplisht, that as it is complete and full, so it is permanent, and indeficient too. The more excellent it is, if it were not firm and stable, the greater were the fear, the greater were the misery of deprivation. Fuisse faelicem, to have been happy, is the greatest unhappiness. But this felicity, my brethren, is enduring; In whomsoever Christ is, he dwells there; he doth not sojourn, but he dwells there, never to depart again. The heart of such a man is his settled habitation, of which he saith, Here is my resting place, here will I dwell forever: So that if Christ be in you, you are safe; for he will never leave you, nor depart from you, and then it is impossible that you should perish. Ah, my Beloved, can a man be damned with Christ in him? cast into hell with Christ in him? separated from the Lord with Christ in him? Christ willl not, cannot leave him, that is once in Christ, so that if such a man should go to hell, Christ must go to hell in him.

And now to shut up all, since Christ is in you, Let me give you this caution, let him live quiet in your hearts; do not molest him, and disturb him there; Do not make him vex, and fret: let it not be a penance to him to continue in you. Let him not suffer by your sins, who suffered for them: But labor every way to please him, and to give him satisfaction and content: that so the house which he hath chosen merely for your sakes (for he hath heaven to dwell in) may not be dark and doleful, but delightful to him.

And thus at length we have dispatched this heavenly Prayer of our Great High Priest and Intercessor Jesus Christ. He was even ready to go forth to suffer, when he made it. Me thinks I hear him saying to his Apostles and Disciples, The time is now at hand that I must leave you, and be taken from the earth; Come let us pray before we part, and there; withal he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and poured out these holy breathings of his Spirit, for himself and them. Oh what a blessed frame of heart! O what a choice and raised temper (think you) was he in at that time! O what a Prayer must that be that was made by such a person, in such a company, on such an occasion! Christ was in heaven in his thoughts and his affections when he uttered it, and we have seemed sometimes to be in heaven too, while we have handled it, and heard it. Well, it hath been a sweet and precious subject, as ever we have dealt upon. I shall desire you to review it often, and let not any choice impressions, that have been made upon you by it, out again. Let them not be like lines drawn upon the sand; no sooner formed but defaced: like water spilled upon the ground, that is not to be gathered up again. Here you have seen the heart of Jesus Christ opened, and his affections plentifully flowing out to his people. Our prayers show our hearts to Christ; his prayer shows his heart to us. Here you have seen how our dear Friend, our Head, our Husband loved us, and had us in his mind and thoughts before he died. Us (I say) who now believe, as well as them that did believe in former times. How earnest and importunate he is with God the Father, that we may be one here, and that we may be in one place hereafter! O let us search into the heart of Jesus Christ, laid open to us in this Abridgement of his Intercession for us: that we may know it, and the workings of it continually more and more; until at length this precious Prayer come to have its full effect, and we be taken up to be forever with the Lord, that where he is, there may we be also. Amen.