One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17
3. There is a distinction of great antiquity received in the Church between Credere Deum, to believe there is a God, Credere Deo, to believe God speaking, and Credere in Deum to believe in God by inward Union with him, and loving of him; Now although it be true, that the Scripture makes no such difference, adding the Hebrew Preposition Beth, and the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Even where there is but a bare historical believing there is a God, yet for explication sake it may be received, and those only said to believe in God, who are justified and sanctified, Though the Scripture attribute it sometimes to others.
Lastly, Consider that the Soul hath several tendencies and motions to divers Objects; Sometimes it assents to a thing by help of the sense, and that is a knowledge by sense, Sometimes by demonstrative Reasons, it knoweth a thing, and then it's called Science strictly, Sometimes by Testimony or Authority, and then it's called Faith ; Now if the authority be divine that saith such a thing, then the Soul cannot be deceived, because God cannot lie, and so there ought to be greater certainty and firmer adhesion to those truths then anything of sense and Reason, yea, in some sense it hath more evidence; For there is a twofold Evidence of the thing itself, and of the credibility of it, of the thing itself; And so indeed the matters of sense and reason are more evident in their own Natures to us; Of the credibility of it, and so Faith hath great evidence, as the Testimonies for such Truths are evident and clear, though the truths themselves are supernatural and highly transcending our human capacity.
[Distinct. II] These things premised, Let us come to examine the Nature of Faith as it is dogmatical or historical; And
1. It's wrought in us by the Grace of God ; It's the power of God that works even this common faith: No man could know and give assent to such divine truths, unless enabled by the Spirit of God, and therefore it's said to believers, That to them it's given to believe, Phil. 1.29. which takes in the whole nature of faith; So some are said to believe through the grace of God, No man can say, Jesus is the Lord, but by the Spirit, Acts 18.27. Some have thought that we may by human strength come to believe divine truths, as we may by our industry attain to philosophical knowledge; but this is to be ignorant of man's weakness and God's power. It's true, men may in an human way comprehend the sense and meaning of the Scripture, but to give a divine assent to it, that is the gift of God, For every good and perfect gift, whereof this faith is a principal one, cometh from the Father of lights, James 1. Did not many learned Heathens Porphyrius Celsus, Julian, and others, know what was asserted in the Scripture, yet they did not believe, but contemn it: And certainly we are bound to acknowledge it a great mercy of God to have dogmatical faith: For why are so many Heretics left to themselves? Some deny the Natures one, or the other of Christ, some his Person, some his Offices, and shouldst not thou do thus, if left to thyself? Nay, Is not a godly man sometimes sadly tempted about his dogmatical faith, that he doubteth of a God, or about the truths of the Scripture? Certainly, it's a special mercy thus to be enabled to believe; and it is good to be observed, one reason why faith must needs be of God, which is, because the nature of it lieth more in the firmness of the act, then in the certainty of the subject: It's not so much the object without, as something within, makes a man believe. God's Spirit doth more work in corroborating the heart, then revealing the object; Hence though the Doctrine be revealed to some, yet they do not believe, when at another time, though they have but the same measure of light, and the same argument propounded, they do believe; and why is all this? but because God's work in the believer is more ex parte subjecti, then objecti. Therefore it's horrible debasing of God's grace in working faith, to make it no more then the revealing of the object, for then man by his own power doth believe; as when a man brings a candle in the room, then a man seeth by his own power, who could not before; for God doth not only propound the object, but enlightens the understanding, and boweth the heart to believe.
2. God works faith in us, not absolutely, or by the creatures, the beholding and seeing of them, but by the word. Thus Rom. 10. Preaching, hearing and believing are chained together; We are then in and by the Word to expect this work of God, not to fly to the creatures, making them equal to God's word for begetting faith, or to enthusiasms and private revelations, but to the word of God, which gives light to the simple, but as the Word is an instrument of begetting faith, so faith is afterwards an instrument of improving the Word, for the Word doth not profit in the increase and benefit thereof, unless there be Faith. Thus as the Spirit of God doth at first work Faith, and yet by Faith we are made further partakers of God's Spirit; So the Word doth at first produce Faith in us, which when wrought, doth again improve the Word for further edification and growth in grace.
3. The heart of man is naturally not only unfit, but contrary and opposite unto the way of believing of heavenly Truth ; And by this it's plain, Faith is the gift of God, because man hath not only an unfitness, but a contrary repugnancy to the things of God; Therefore 1 Cor. 4.14. the natural man is said not to receive the things of God neither can be, both the act and the power is denied to him; Therefore when Peter made that Confession of faith, Thou art the Son of God, Christ tells him, Flesh and blood had not revealed that to him, Mat. 16.17. Therefore the Pharisees though they heard so much of Christ, and saw all his Miracles, yet they derided and opposed Christ, They did not hear his Word because they were not of God, as Christ told them, Job. 8.47. Know then as in respect of gross sin thou wouldst be like a Cain, a Judas, if God did not keep thee, so also in respect of doctrine thou wouldst be the vilest Atheist, or the most blasphemous heretic that ever was, if God did not enlighten and confirm thee.
4. Though God work faith thus, yet it may be without a Sanctification of the inward man ; For seeing Faith as it's dogmatical carrying a man only to the Contents of the Scripture as they are true, is seated in the understanding; no wonder if thereby a man be enlightened only, but not regenerated; Hence we read of some who did believe, Joh. 2. yet they loved the praise of men more then of God ; That light in their mind did not serve to produce supernatural life and heat in the heart; It was not a faith that did purify the heart, which is called the Faith of the Elect, Tit. 1.1. because only appropriated to them; The whole Epistle of James is on purpose to show such a Faith that is not accompanied with holy works, although therefore we say a true lively Faith can never be separated from sanctification, yet men may be enlightened only in their minds, and persuaded of the truth in their hearts, without any effectual change upon them; It's not enough to have such a faith as may make a man a true Protestant or orthodox, so as to be neither Papist nor heretic, for all this is but a cure of thy mind, and with illumination may consist grievous pollutions. Yet
5. Where there is but a bare dogmatical Faith enabled thereunto by the Spirit of God, there must needs be some kind of pious disposition and tractableness of the heart ; For seeing the nature of faith lieth in assenting to a Testimony and that of God, there cannot be but some flexiblenesse of the heart to submit thereunto; If indeed the Christian Religion were like the Arts and Sciences, then there was no submission of the understanding required, seeing it assents upon reason, which is a suitable and connatural argument to the mind, as food is to the appetite of hunger; But because these things are received for authority sake, and have a supereminency to our natural understanding, Therefore it must be captivated; Thus the Apostle excellently expresseth it, 2 Cor. 10.5. the word doth bring into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ, a man before he believeth hath many proud thoughts, many subtle thoughts, many obstinate thoughts, but Faith brings these down, and submits, because God saith so; Now this cannot be done without some yielding and flexiblenesse; Hence the Schoolmen do determine that in faith (and they acknowledge none besides miraculous but dogmatical) There is a pia affectio, some pious and affectionate disposition to him, for whose authority we do believe; So that this dogmatical faith even in unregenerated persons is not like that of the devils, for though the Apostle James saith, They believe and tremble, Jam. 2.19. yet their Faith is not wrought by the Spirit of God, neither is it upon divine motions, but experience, and manifest conviction; They feel in part the torments of hell, and therefore it's experimentally evident to them, that there is a God who is also just and terrible in his vengeance; But the historical faith in an unsanctified man, as it is the gift of God, so it works some inclining disposition to God, yea, in the temporary believer, who goeth beyond a mere dogmatist, it works, as appeareth, Mat. 3. Some reformation, and some joy, so that the word makes some hopeful ingress into him, though at last it pass away as our lives even as a tale that is told, having no settled continuance.
6. This historical faith, as it is wrought efficiently by the Spirit of God, so the motive of it is Divine Authority and Revelation. That as by the light of the Sun we see the Sun, so by God we come to know everything of God. This divine motive of faith is freely acknowledged to be in the Thessalonians by the Apostle, 1 Thess. 2.13. They received the word, not as the word of man, but as the word of God. Hence the Prophets begin with Thus saith the Lord ; and Paul discovers himself to be called by God; So that everything hath but a weak, ineffectual operation, till it hath a maker, a divine stamp upon the soul: Oh when we once believe a threatening, as it is God's, when we once believe a promise, as it is God's, it must bear down all before thee! What if the world come? What if Satan come? What if thy companions come, telling thee this and this? Oh but saith the believing soul, God that cannot lie saith the contrary! And truly herein is discovered, that in Religion we have but an human faith, yea not so much, for an human faith will make great changes in our life, when yet our divine faith doth not. If a man tells thee of such danger, of such evil in the way, doth it not presently make thee turn out of that path? But now when God's word tells thee, there is death and damnation in such paths, that doth not at all move thee.
SERMON CXXI. Of Dogmatical Faith, the Properties of, and Contraries to it.
JOHN 17.21.
WE are discovering the nature of faith in the General, as it is carried out to Scripture-truth, because of Divine Authority. We are to add more particulars to clear this. And
First, Though this Faith be not a peculiar saving grace, yet it is a common grace of God's Spirit. It's a common grace of God, to be enabled to believe: How many Pharisees and Jews saw the miracles of Christ, as well as the Apostles, yet did not believe so much as a Simon Magus did? It's the grace of God that makes a man to have a sound mind in Religion, witness the many heresies and blasphemies divers are fallen into, yet it's a common grace, not peculiar ; common I call it, not in that sense as some plead for an universal grace, which indeed is no grace, but because an unregenerate man may have it, as well as a regenerate; so that no man may conclude this is enough for his salvation, that he doth believe such and such principles of Religion, unless also he hath that peculiar effectual purifying work of faith upon his soul: As therefore those extraordinary gifts of God's Spirit, to work miracles, to cast out Devils, were common to such who yet were workers of iniquity; Thus it is with this ordinary gift of Historical faith, many men may believe the truth of those things, the goodness whereof they never felt upon their hearts: And many may maintain the Doctrine of Regeneration orthodoxly, who never felt the power of it experimentally upon their own souls. There is a faith that is common to the elect, all the children of God have the like precious faith, Tit. 1.1. in regard of the essentials, yet there is a faith common to elect and reprobate, so that no man may conclude his salvation, because he is no Jew, no Pagan, no Papist.
Secondly, Although this dogmatical Faith be common to the regenerate and unregenerate, yet it's the foundation of our conversion, and in the regenerate when improved, doth wonderfully provoke the increase of grace. And this is good to be observed; for though we make it not saving faith, yet it is the foundation of saving faith ; He can never believe on Christ for his Mediator, that doth not believe Christ to be a Mediator; Therefore the Apostle describing the general nature of faith, saith, Heb. 11. He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those that serve him : No spiritual building can be made without this foundation; as it is thus the foundation, so if improved, it doth wonderfully promote justifying faith. The general acts of faith, if vigorously prosecuted do mightily strengthen the peculiar and proper acts of it. The more strongly we believe Christ to be a Mediator, the more will this help, that he be so to me; and therefore it's observed, that our Savior put them so often upon the trial of their very historical faith, Dost thou believe that I am able? and doest thou believe that I am the Messias? Partly, because that was the great Question then, Whether that individual Person was the Messias or no? and partly, because if it was believed, that he was the Savior, then there was no such cause of doubt, Whether he would be a Savior to them that truly sought to him? Insomuch that it may be questioned, Whether it be a greater act to believe Christ to be a Mediator, or to believe him a Mediator to me? Although indeed there are more Objections against the latter, for there are not only Objections against the truth, but against the application of it, because of the many sins and infirmities which I perceive in myself, yet we would think the harder task were then over, when the soul could believe such great things, and transcendent to human reason; for when a man believeth that Christ is both God and man united in one Person, whose office is to redeem the oppressed sinner, may not then he conclude easily, that he will redeem him? For which is greater, to believe such a Person God and man, or that this Person whose Office it is to save, will save thee? Howsoever, if we do not make comparisons between these acts of faith, yet certainly, the more strong and powerful thy acts of faith are about the truths of Christ, the more will they conduce to apply him to thee: Even as in man, the more vivid his senses are, which do accompany his common nature with a beast, the more strong and quick are his rational acts likewise: So that this Dogmatical faith is the root as it were, which if not thriving, those peculiar acts of faith will wither.
[Distinct. III] Thirdly, The general properties of this faith are to be considered: And they are these,
1. It lifteth a man up above his natural reason ; It addeth many cubits to his stature. As reason directs and corrects sense, as we see in Astronomy; so doth faith direct and correct reason; As Zacchaeus, because of a small stature, went up into a tree to see Jesus; Thus the reason of a man being too low in itself, must ascend up to the Scriptures, that it may behold divine things, so that they wholly overthrow faith, and change the nature of it, who made it with Abailadus of old, to be imagination, or with the Socinians strength of reason. Certainly Julian and the Heathens of old confound Christian Religion upon this ground, because it was faith, it was not a science, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it was Julians upbraiding; now the Christians they gloried in this, and Austin to confirm the Christian under many captious doubts, saith thus, Nomini te esse fidelem, not rationalem ; To bring then divine truths to reasons comprehension, is to put the Sun under a bushel, or to think to fit Goliath's shoe to Zacchaeus his foot.
2. Though this faith lifts up reason, yet it doth not contradict it. When we say, faith cometh by revelation, not by reason, flesh and blood cannot make such things known to us, yet when once this revelation is discovered in the Scripture, then reason doth wonderfully help to propugn and maintain this truth; revelation must lay the foundation, and then reason will build upon it; so that enlightened reason, and instructed reason out of the Word, is of excellent use to explicate and clear divine mysteries; Even as the Gold-smiths hammer is useful to dilate and diffuse his golden metal in many forms; and this use all our learned Divines make against all Heretics; They do by the help of reason and arguments out of the Scripture, illustrate and confirm the Doctrine to be believed.
3. This general nature of faith hath two excellent properties put together in one place, Heb. 11.1. It's there called The substance of things hoped for, and evidence of things not seen. It's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; We shall not dispute, Whether this be a definition of faith, it's enough that two differential marks are given of it; And
First, It's the substance of things hoped for, concerning which word learned men say divers things, but it may comprehend these particulars; First, that Faith is not an empty flying fancy, for so Aristotle useth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as opposite to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , some manifestation merely, as the colors of the Rainbow, or of birds feathers, when the Sun shines. These have but an intentional being, there is no real, solid being in them, but faith is the substance of things hoped for; and certainly this is greatly to be endeavored after, that thy faith be a real substantial thing, how many men's faith are but fickle fancies, and uncertain notions, and therefore with their dogmatical faith, they are like the Apostle James his man without faith, tossed up and down with every wave, Jam. 1. The Apostle Ephes. 4.14. saith, Be not carried about with every wind of Doctrine, that denoteth the levity and emptiness of a thing; Trees that are well rooted are not blown up and down like feathers; What then is the cause of instability and uncertainty of many men's Religion? It's because they have not faith, wheresoever that is, it is a solid, substantial bottoming of the soul.
2. The word substance doth imply, that it makes the things hoped for, though afar off, yet present to the soul, and even to subsist in the soul ; for faith is not hindered in its actings by distance of place, for that receiveth Christ, enjoyeth Christ, though in Heaven, and he that believeth hath eternal life. Hence we are said to be already translated from death to life, John 5.24. because to faith these things are as sure, as if they were already done. Thus Paul, you see him by faith speaking as confidently, as if he were in Heaven already, Rom 8. Who shall separate us from the love of God, shall things present, or things to come? Shall life or death, &c? Hence faith is called, The beholding of things not seen ▪ 2 Cor. 3. Faith makes God present, Heaven present, Christ present, as really and truly, as bodily objects are present to sense; and truly for want of this it is that we are so cold, languishing, dejected; we do not by faith make these things present, if we did they would more divinely affect us, and as it is the substance of things hoped for, So of things feared likewise, Noah by faith moved with fear, prepared an Ark, Heb. 11.7. Thus faith makes hell and damnation present; it doth not look upon hell as a far off, but is affected, as if it did see and hear those doleful howlings in hell, and so dare no more sin, then if it were in hell already: Oh what a mighty change would faith, thus realizing things, work upon us!
3. The word comprehends Assurance, Confidence, and so indeed is hypostasis used both in Scripture, and by human Authors, now this confidence of faith and assurance is seen, in the knowing and assenting acts of faith, as well as applicatory; witness those resolute and confident deportments, which the Martyrs had: Had not they strong assurance of the truth, who could endure such exquisite torments against subtle opposers? And certainly the Martyrs in Queen Mary's days are more to be admired then those in the primitive times, for they suffered upon undoubted and clear points, which only the Heathens gain-said: But now these suffered by them that acknowledged a Christ, and pretended the Glory of Christ as well as they: So that this heavenly confidence, and satisfaction of the soul, that they care not for further disputing, and doubting in the matters they do believe, is a great property in faith. And this manifesteth there is little faith now in Religion, wherein men are apt to think all Religions alike, and that one may do as well as another: In these days to have such a substantiating, reallizing and confident assurance, is a great wonder.
The next word describing the general nature of it, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and that doth imply,
First, That the things believed bring an objective light with them. As the object that is seen brings a visibility, though faith in respect of human reason be obscure, and supernatural Arguments be inevident, yet compared with the light in the Word, it hath much evidence: Hence the word of God is so often compared to light, and that illumination which God worketh in the mind, is partly faith, as well as any other grace. The things that are believed bring an evidence with them to the soul; as the Sun brings a visibility with it to be seen: Therefore this believing is said to be by the Word set home in the demonstration of the Spirit; and hence it is a man in some sense is passive in believing, as he is in understanding, because the object doth so powerfully work on the mind, that it cannot withstand it; Even the Arminians could not but grant, That the work of God's Spirit upon the understanding is irresistible, though not upon the will, because they say, that is an active faculty.
Secondly, The Word doth imply such an evidence, that doth convince and bind up the understanding, that it cannot doubt or dispute any longer. All evidence may not presently convince; We see though erroneous persons read never so many excellent books, yet they are not actually convinced, the evidence indeed is able to convince, as the Sun-beams are able objectively to make a blind man see, there is light enough if he had eyes; but faith is here said, to be the actual conviction of the soul, to silence it, that it hath no more to say, according to the saying of the Schools, Fides non est tantum apprehensiva, sed quietativa ; Faith is not only apprehensive, but quietative and resting of the soul; that it is not learning and learning, or seeking, but never coming to the truth.
Fourthly, This Faith hath unlimitednesse, and universality in it's assenting. The whole Word of God is the adequate Object of it; and therefore whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture, it believeth, it doth not pick or choose, believe some things, and not others, as they make for, or against us, but so far as the Word is propounded, it doth receive it. Therefore such threatenings, that condemn man, that makes him dead in sin, and guilty of hell, such threatenings that do speak terribly to such or such a sin, he is involved in, though it be a troublesome and unwelcome truth to flesh and blood, yet Faith makes a man to believe it Whether Faith be discursive, or put forth by one simple act, is disputed, howsoever it cannot be denied, but that there is an order in the things believed, a connection and dependence between one proposition and another though when believed, faith is carried out with one uniform act, because there is the same divine Authority in all.
Lastly, The immediate opposites to Faith dogmatical, in whole▪ or in part, are these, either express Paganism and Heathenism, this is Negative unbelief; They never so much as received these truths: Or else, Grosse and stupid Ignorance, whereby, though they say, they do believe, yet indeed they do not, no more then Pagans, or else Heretics, who though they may hold some Fundamental Truths, yet oppose others; or Apostates, who having once professed, do afterwards make shipwreck of their Faith: Or lastly, In some degree all doubts and waverings about the Truth, do oppose this divine Faith, especially when set home by the Devil, who many times hath as hot fiery darts about Dogmatical Faith, as justifying, troubling them with doubtful thoughts about a God, and about the truth of Scriptures; Now in such temptations, it's not good to hold a parley, but as Joseph to his Mistress, to run away, to have an holy pertinency; and with Paul to Peter, Not to give way to any such doubt, no not for a moment: If Christ's sheep will not hear a stranger, but run from him, much more from the Devil, who is the Arch heretic, the Tempter, as to all sin, so to all unbelief.
Use. Pray to God to increase and establish this Faith in thee, and that especially in these days: These are times when thy justifying Faith shall be assaulted by doubts and disconsolate fears, these are times also, when thy Historical Faith may be puzzled and shaken, with such heresies and cunning devices of men: But oh let thy eyes and heart be up to Heaven, for this substance, this evidence! Thou wilt then have that within, which will establish thee against all errors.
SERMON CXXII. Of the Glory which Christ communicates unto all his Disciples, even in this Life; And of Union with him as the Ground of it.
JOH. 17.22.
OUR Savior continueth amplifying his Prayer for the Union of Believers; So that in this Text we may take notice of another argument or reason why the Father should make them one in him and one amongst themselves.
Here is a threefold Unity spoken of,
- 1. That essential one of the father and the Son.
- 2. That mystical one of Christ as Head and Mediator, and believers.
- 3. That charitative one of believers amongst themselves.
The Argument urged by our Savior in the Text, is, he had given that glory to them which the Father had given him, so that we may take the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 causally for, the glory thou gavest me, I have given, viz. in purpose and decree, to such as shall believe ; All the difficulty is, what is that glory which Christ receiving of the Father giveth to believers, Some Learned men expound it of the Glory of the Apostleship, and working of miracles, and they make the sense to be thus, The glory thou gavest me to give, I have given them ; As Cbrist is said out of the Psalmist to receive gifts for men ; Now because he received them to give, The Apostle Eph. 4. alledgeth it as giving gifts to men, the Consequent being put for the Antecedent; But this cannot be received because our Savior is now praying for all believers in all successive ages, and not the Apostles only. Others by glory do understand immortality, and that state of happiness hereafter; But to understand it aright we must know that the word glory when attributed to God is of a very large signification, but more particularly when God doth by any works in a more remarkable manner declare his goodness, wisdom, omnipotency, &c. then he is said to give his glory, Ezek. 39.21. Eze. 26.20. In the New Testament when we read of Christ's Glory we may Consider of
1. His essential glory which he hath as God spoken of Heb. 1. where he is called the brightness of his Fathers Glory.
2. Of his Mediatory Glory, which he had as Mediator, his human nature being filled with all grace, which glory though begun on earth, yet was consummated when exalted to the right hand of God in glory.
3. There were the many effects which did concomitate this essential and Mediatory glory, some particulars whereof the Scripture mentions, as all the approbation the Father gave from heaven to Christ, with all his miracles, doctrine, and other signs of his divine nature is called Christ's glory, Joh. 1.14. We beheld his glory (by way of wonder and admiration, as the word signifieth) as the glory of the only begotten Son of God ; Thus when Christ turned the water into wine, Joh. 2.11. It's said, he manifested his glory, and Joh. 11. the raising of Lazarus from the dead is called God's glory, as working of miracles, So the love that the Father bestoweth on Christ, is called Christ's glory at 24 verse in this Chapter, which may be a good Exposition of this, Therefore by these particulars we are by the glory of Christ to understand all things that did any way make him glorious, especially considered as a Mediator and an head of Believers ; Now this glory he did not receive for himself only, but for us also; As the Sun of heaven hath its light not so much for itself as for the world, So Christ the Sun of Righteousness hath a complete fullness, not so much for himself as for us, that we might be made partakers of it; Hence all the work of grace in its progress to happiness is called glory, as 2 Cor. 3.18. a place brought by Calvin to illustrate my Text, to which we may add, 2 Cor. 4 6. of which places more in time; The words thus explained observe,
That the glory which Christ hath, he communicates one way or other to his people ; Christ thinketh it not sufficient to have glory himself, but he doth communicate the blessed effects thereof, so that they are made glorious likewise by him: The two similitudes that Christ taketh to himself illustrate this, as that of an Head, If the head be crowned with glory, that redounds to all the body, because the head and the whole body are considered as one, and thus Christ though he be exalted to all glory and honor, and so it is his own personal privilege, yet all this is for our good, and that by being glorious himself he might also make us glorious; Hence some expound this glory of Christ concerning his Sonship, that he is the Son of God, and indeed it cannot be denied but that this is an eminent part of this glory; Now he hath not this Sonship only, but Joh. 1. He gives us power also to become the Sons of God ; Only he is the Son of God by nature, we by grace and adoption; Another similitude is that of an husband and wife so often mentioned in the Canticles, and by the Apostle; Now if the husband be a glorious King or Potentate, though he have a Wife of mean and despised birth, yet he communicates all his glory to her, and though God say of his essential glory, He will not give it to another ; yet Christ gives of his glory in some sense to his people, though they are not thereby made equal to him in glory.
To understand this Doctrine Consider,
First, That the glory which Christ hath, as it is personally and subjectively his, so it's incommunicable ; It's impossible that the glory which Christ hath personally should be made ours, for then we should be the only begotten Sons of God, then we should be Mediators and Savior's, which would be blasphemy for us to assume, but as God will not, nor indeed cannot communicate his glory unto a creature, so neither can nor will Christ communicate this glory as it's personally his unto us, but as it is with the Sun it communicates glorious light to the Stars, yet the Stars have not the subjective light of the Sun, so Christ though he do communicate of his glory to us, yet not as it's inherent in him, but in respect of the fruits thereof.
2. We are to conceive a difference of those effects of Glory which Christ vouchsafeth to his:
[ 1] One instance of glory was to work Miracles, to do such great things as Christ did, yea, Christ saith, they should do greater then he ; Now this glory was given only to some Apostles, and other believers in the primitive times of the Church; This was part of that glory which was common to Christ and others; Although indeed this was also communicated to such of whom he was not an head in a spiritual and saving manner, but only external in respect of outward administrations, yet when this glory was communicated to work miracles there was a great difference between Christ and Believers, for he did them in his own name and power, but they through the Name of Christ.
[ 2] 2. There were some things which Christ did, and they are made legally ours, God accounts us as if we had done them; Thus Christ's Sufferings to take away the Curse of the Law, and his obedience to the Rule of the Law is made ours, he being our Surety, and therefore by his Obedience we are said to be made Righteous ; His obeying the Law and suffering was not only for our good, as when he wrought Miracles and preached, but it was in our stead; Not as if we therefore were as righteous as Christ, or were Redeemers and Mediators, but we are the Subjects receiving of it.
[ 3] 3. There are glorious privileges which Christ hath, and he gives them to us also: We are Sons as well as he, we are co-heirs with him in glory, Rom. 8. We shall be glorified with him, we shall reign with him, we shall be raised up, and sit on Thrones of glory with him, We shall judge the world with him, yea, as he hath a Rod of Iron to break the Nations with, So the Saints shall have, Rev. 2.26, 27. Oh the enlarged affections we should have in this particular! Why do the people of God always go bowed down, afflicted with their own unworthiness and temptations! Oh give faith some breathing-place, go and meditate on this, The glory that Christ hath thou mayest claim it also; Is he the Son of God? Is he heir? Is he exalted to glory? Know that thou art thus also, and although Christ is in the possession of consummate glory, but thou art wrestling and toiling in a miserable world, yet as the Apostle argueth, if we shall not rise, then Christ is not risen, 1 Cor. 15. So if we shall not be glorified then Christ is not glorified; Hence our Savior joineth himself with the disciples, I go to my Father and your Father, Joh. 20.17. and so its Christ's glory and thy glory, Christ's Heaven and thy Heaven.
[ 4] 4. There is the sanctification of our nature by grace, and as Christ was sanctified so also doth he sanctify us; Hence you heard he sanctified himself for us; Now the human nature of Christ received the Spirit of God without measure, and therefore he was called the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the holy One, Luk. 1. but was this holiness for himself only? no, it was for his members also, Joh. 1.10. Of his fullness we have received grace for grace ; Some understand it by way of similitude and imitation, as we say of a child, he receiveth of his Father limb for limb, he answereth his Father in every point, so we are to resemble Christ, that as Christ is the Image of the Father, so we are to be the Image of Christ, and therefore are laid to bear the Image of the heavenly, and thus we are made one with Christ as the seal and the wax are made one, the Seal leaving a stamp upon the wax like itself; Now whereas the glory of Miracles others might have that were not united to Christ, this none can have but who are members of that head, and therefore do the people of God want grace, do they mourn under their imperfections, let them quicken up prayer upon this consideration, The glory Christ had he will give to believers, Why had he such fullness but for thy emptiness? Why had he such glory but to make thee glorious? Shall our vile bodies be made glorious like his glorious body, and shall not our vile and corrupted souls be also made glorious like his soul? This is excellently illustrated, 2 Co. 3.18. where we are said, te be transformed from glory to glory, that is from grace, grace is glory, so much godliness so much glory thou hast, and because it is not perfect, therefore we proceed from glory to glory, and how is this done? by the Gospel, for we beholding the glory of God in Christ, are thereby changed ; Thus 2 Cor. 4.6. the glory of God is said to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ, the meaning is, that whereas God is in his own nature invisible, and we are not able to conceive of him aright in Jesus Christ; We see the infinite wisdom and grace of God, so that we become glorious in grace, by faith looking on God in Christ; this makes heavenly, this changeth and altereth the heart; That as Moses by communing with God did obtain external glory which was so dazzling that the Israelites could not behold it, So the people of God by Faith beholding God in Christ, are thereby enlivened and made more heavenly every day; Thus we see what those effects of glory are which Christ gives of that treasury of glory to us.
In the third general place Consider that none are made partakers of that Glory of Christ but by Union with him, Now this Union is twofold either merely external in the outward Ordinances, in which sense our Savior Joh. 15. supposeth a branch may be in him, and yet not bring forth fruit; By virtue of this Union we may obtain many glorious gifts and common graces from the Spirit, So that we may have much spiritual glory in the eyes of others, or else there is an internal and invisible Union, and by this only we are made partakers of Christ's glory; Therefore none may be contented in any outside of Religion, let thy duties be never so ravishing and affectionate, yet not these but faith in the Olive Tree is that which maketh us partakers of this fat • ess, so that the Union of Christ with the believer is the foundation of all grace and glory, for as a branch separated from the vine, or a member from the body doth not partake of any vital act and nourishment, So neither doth that soul which is disjoined from Christ; if the beams of the Sun had not immediate dependence and emanation from the Sun, they could not have such luster and Glory, So neither were not believers joined to Christ, and made one with him, they could not put forth such glorious acts of grace as they do, for if power to work Miracles and transcend nature be called a glory, how much more to perform the acts of grace, which do also surpass the course of nature; It's a glorious thing to believe, to be patient, to be heavenly-minded, to be zealous for God: In these actions the spirit of Christ which is also the spirit of glory doth reside upon us.
4. As union with Christ makes us partakers of glory, So the foundation and Original of this is, because Christ is one with the Father and one with us; He is the Mediator between God and man, So that by this means he receiveth glory from the Father, which otherwise would be incommunicable to sinners, and doth convey it to such as are his members, So that still our eyes are to he fastened on Christ as a Mediator, for none can or may approach to God in his own ablolute nature, but as those who cannot look upon the Sun behold it in a basin of water, where the reflection is; Thus we who could not draw nigh to that infinite wise and pure God, having a Mediator that both partaketh of God's Nature and man's, thereby is afforded an admirable passage of conveyance of glory from the Father through Christ to us, as the light is conveyed from the Sun through the glass into the house.
Use, To make us admire the dignity and excellent condition of a Christian united to Christ, for all the glory of Christ redounds and diffuseth itself to them; Whatsoever privilege or glory Christ hath, it is proportionably communicated to thee, therefore lift up thy head by faith, and live joyfully in the meditation of this; Doth not the woman though contemptible when married to an honorable person forget her Fathers Cottage and rags, and saith, Now she shall have the riches, the glory, the honor, the state that her Husband hath, since thy Soul hath been united to Christ, all thy old, poor, despicable things are laid aside; Truly the ground of all a godly man's discouragements and perplexities ariseth for want of faith herein.
SERMON CXXIII. Practical Conclusions from the fore-going Doctrine.
JOHN 17.22.
HAving cleared the sense of this Text, and shown what that glory is, which Christ giveth us, Let us proceed to make some Corollaries, or practical Conclusions from this Doctrine.
And hence therefore in the first place, this Conclusion is to be asserted, That no man till he be united unto Christ, hath any true and solid glory. For if the glory of a Christian be in Christ the fountain; as the Sun-beams are in the Sun, then till partakers of Christ, we do not receive any of his glory: And this truth may quell the vain brags of the world, and the boasts of carnal men: Some account riches their glory, their birth their glory, outward honors their glory, but these are not worthy the name of glory: Christ came not into the world to give men riches, honors, greatness, but a spiritual glory; The Hebrew word for glory signifieth a weight, and the Apostle alludes to this, when 2 Cor. 4.17. he calls the happiness in Heaven an eternal weight of glory: Let therefore a man be never so much exalted in this world, yet if not given to Christ, he doth not partake of Christ's glory; This earthly glory is no more true glory, then a glow-worm is the Sun; The Scripture calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a mere fancy that presently passeth away. All human glory is but like Jonahs gourd, that is presently consumed, or like Herod, Act. 12.21. who being arrayed in royal apparel, and blasphemous acclamations made to him, he was immediately eaten up with worms: Be not then any longer like children, that account a toy, a glorious thing, thou art no wiser, when riches, greatness, beauty, &c. are accounted matter of glory, an obedient ear to God's word, is more glorious then an ear full of jewels; interest in Christ is greater glory, then all that of the world, which our Savior was tempted with, yet is there anything that is more apt to ensnare our hearts, then this vain-glory: Did not the Devil think to overcome even Christ himself in this temptation, when he shown him all the glory of the world? Begin then to despise and contemn all the earthly glory of this world, what will this avail, when thou art vile in God's eyes? Thou art a loathsome abominable creature before God, though richly clothed, and faring deliciously every day.
Now the grounds, why human and earthly glory do not arise to this heavenly, is from these particulars:
1. It's not a lasting, during glory: The fear and certainty of losing of it, takes off from all the luster of it; A flour is a glorious creature, yet because quickly withered, none makes long account of it; and thus all the glorious things of man are compared to no better. The Prophet Isaiah, Isa. 40.6. and John Baptist of all Sermons and truths were to proclaim this, All flesh is grass, and the flower thereof fadeth away, &c. And this was to make way for Christ, implying, that while men continued in their confidence about these things, they were too high mountains, and so no prepared path to receive Christ: As therefore our Savior argued in another case, If the grass be so clothed with glory, that is to be cut down and withereth: so if thou art thus careful to clothe thy body with glory, that presently must become dust and worms meat, rotting in the grave, how much rather shouldst thou look to have thy soul clothed with the glorious robes of Christ, that continue forever; call that glory, and that alone which is eternal, which will live with thee, and not die with thee.
2. It's no true glory, because it's not inward and substantial. It's not this glory of a man in his most substantial part, which is his soul. The soul of a man in Scripture language is called a man's glory, Gen. 49.6. unto their assembly, Let not my honor, or glory be united, that is, not my soul: If then a man hath the earthly glory of this world, this is not the honor of his soul, this is not solid, it's not in the noblest part of him: If rich and glorious apparel should be put upon a dead corpse, what glory were this to the corpse, it would not bring life and comeliness to the dead body? So it is here, let a wicked man have more earthly glory then a Solomon, yet he is but a dead corpse, he hath not that which should be the proper glory of a man, viz. the adorning of his soul: Hence grace is called glory, as you heard: So that nothing makes a man glorious but grace, this is the image of God in him. The Heathen could say, That an horse is not chosen by his trappings, and other rich accoutrements, but as he is naked in his own body; and certainly man much less is accounted glorious by body or wealth, but by his soul.
3. It's not the proper glory of a man as he is a Christian: And this is much to be considered, Every creature hath that which is a peculiar grace and glory to it, in its kind: So Seneca, We praise a Vine, if it burden its branches with fruit, if another had golden grapes, or golden leaves, the fruitful Vine would be preferred before it. So that what is comely to one, is not to another; now take man as he is a Christian, and so all his glory is spiritual and invisible; if you look upon Christ, who giveth him his glory, he had none external, nay, none had less of that then he, for he knew not where to lay his head, yet in regard of spiritual glory, he did abound in it, he had the glory of a Messias, though not of a temporal Monarch; and thus it is here, that is only a Christians glory, which is excellency in Christianity. The Apostle speaking of women, saith, Whose glory, let not it be of embroidered apparel, &c. (1 Pet. 3.3.) but an humble and meek spirit: Hence the Kings daughter, is said, to be all glorious within, Psal. 45.13. That then which the world doth deride and contemn, that is indeed the greatest glory; and hence the glory of a Christian is to be justified, to be sanctified, to have communion and fellowship with the Father in Christ.
Lastly, There is no true glory without Christ, because in times of afflictions and tribulations, he only gives occasion to glory. Rom. 5. We glory in tribulation ; and Peter saith, While we suffer for righteousness sake, the Spirit of glory resteth upon us, 1 Pet. 3.14. What then will thy outward glory avail in the time of God's wrath, when he shall set thy sins in order before thee, he will make all thy desirable things to perish? When Belshazzar is smitten with trembling for his sins, he finds little glory in his stately Palace, in his golden cups he was carousing in: Oh then prize such a glory that will bear up thy heart in the saddest extremities!
A second Corollary is, That the meanest Christian united to Christ, though never so contemptible, yet is surpassing Solomon in all his glory. Every believer, if you look upon him spiritually, is more glorious then the greatest Potentates in the world, for concerning that they made a blaze in their solemn installings of the Pope, saying, Sic transit gloria mundi ; but the glory of heaven abideth forever. It's true, this world doth not see any glory in a believer, no more then they did in Christ: Therefore in the Caniicles the women asked the Spouse, What was her beloved more then other women? They saw no such comeliness and beauty in him; and thus it is with wicked men, What glory can we see in those that walk more strictly? What is admirable in them more then in others? Therefore this glory Christ giveth his people is invisible and discovered only by the eye of faith: So that this should exceedingly bear up the heart of a believer, while he lieth under all the reproaches, contempts and oppositions of the wicked world: Oh comfort thyself with this spiritual glory; God gives thee glory, Christ gives thee glory, while the world doth thus despise thee; and do not be discontented, because God hath not given thee so much of the worlds glory, as he hath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ven others; What then, if he revealeth and vouchsafeth this spiritual glory to thee, he doth more then if he should give thee the glory of many worlds? Nay further, thou many times art dejected in thy own eyes, and as thou hast no external glory amonstg men, so neither dost thou perceive any spiritual glory in thyself: Oh thou criest out, that thy soul pollution, thy • oul defilements are worst of all; but remember this glory comes from Christ without that it doth not naturally grow up in thee.
Thirdly, Though Christ give part, and a beginning of this glory here, yet it is not perfected and consummated till hereafter. I have (saith Christ) given them glory already, yet he prayeth afterwards for the consummation of this glory, and therefore that state of happiness is properly called a state of glory, yet we have the first fruits of it here. In part Christ doth invest us with his glory, but this is nothing to what shall be hereafter: Even in this life, the things are so great, That no eye hath seen, neither hath it entered into the heart of a man to conceive: How much more then will eternal glory surpass all our imaginations? Should not then the consideration of this glorious portion we in part have, and expect more fully, make us walk comfortably, be cheerful in our afflictions, pass through this world with joy? Certainly we put not forth our fixed contemplations on this glory, if we did, our hearts would scarce ever be taken off it: Eudoxus was so affected with the glory of the Sun, that he thought he was born only to behold it: How much rather should we think it our duty, all the day long to behold this glory? As the Apostle, 2 Cor. 4.17. professeth, that all the afflictions he went through, and he had many, yet they were but light, and but for a moment, to that eternal weight of glory ; and what made him think so? While we look not at the things which are not seen. If then thy heart is at any time dejected, disquieted, oh think of this glory provided for thee, it will make thy soul silence it's crying and mutterings immediately, yea this will conquer the fear of death, and make the thoughts of it lovely and welcome.
Fourthly, Doth Christ give spiritual glory to his? Then let this consume all love and desire of vain-glory, and esteem of men. This love of glory hath been, and is the worm that eateth up the best fruit, when lusts and sins have not been able to undo a man, glory from the world hath: Therefore our Savior makes such a temper inconsistent with grace, How can ye believe and seek glory of one another, and seek not the hon • ur which comes from God only, John 5.44? This vain-glory Chrysostom called, The mother of hell ; and indeed, How many religious duties doth it corrupt? The Pharisees prayed and gave alms to be seen of men ; yea there is no external duty in Religion, but this may put a man upon it; But as love of Christ will kill the love of the world, fear of God will overcome fear of man, so a love to this spiritual glory will quickly out, vain-glory. It's good to observe, That though all other things in this world be vain, man is vain, beauty is vain, wealth is vain, yet custom of speech doth appropriate it only to glory, calling it vain-glory: Oh then remember, there are more glorious things to affect and enlarge thy heart with, then these applauses of the world!
Fifthly, Doth Christ give his people glory? Then let them faithfully do Christ's work, notwithstanding all the reproaches and scorns wicked men load them with. David rejoiced in that he was despised and contemned while he danced before the Ark, I will be more vile still, saith he, 2 Sam. 6.22. And thus the Apostles rejoiced they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake It's a great glory to lose thy glory for Christ's work: Oh this is that which makes men afraid boldly to venture in holy things, they shall be censured, they shall be contemned: Remember that Scripture, Those that honor me, I will honor, 1 Sam. 2.30. It's a miserable slavery to live dependently upon the breath of others, who many times do as children put a Garland upon one of their fellows heads, and then laugh at him behind his back; so though they applaud thee to thy face, yet secretly backbite thee: Be therefore diligent to do God's work, and content thyself with the glory God bestoweth upon thee: Doth a man running in a race regard the bird singing upon the tree? Eye Christ more, and man less. The Moon that hath but a borrowed light, is sometimes full, sometimes at the wane, never certain: Thus a man that liveth upon the applause of others, and not approving his conscience to God, he is sometimes lifted up, and then dejected down, even as outward supplies come to him.
Sixthly, Doth Christ give glory to his? Then admire the bounty and freeness of his grace: Of all things we would think, he would not communicate of his glory to us; and indeed God saith, He will not give glory to another ; neither will Christ give his Mediatory glory to others; only in some passages of glory, he is willing we should reign with him, and be co-heirs with him. This showeth how much he loveth us; For certainly no man is willing to have another co-partner with him in his glory; yea how apt are we to envy the gifts and graces in others, that may overshadow us, but Christ giveth of his glory to us.
Lastly, Doth Christ give glory to us? Let us then glorify him again. Christ indeed he giveth glory to us really and inwardly, but we only to him verbally and declaratively. Let not the Heavens that are natural creatures exceed us, They declare the glory of God, and show his handy-work ; and shalt not thou then in thy life, in thy conversation declare the glory of Christ? The title given to Church-officers, 1 Cor. 8.23. is in some sense to be applied to all believers, they are the glory of Christ.
SERMON CXXIV. That Jesus Christ though God Co-equal with the Father, had many things given him by the Father; And how that can be?
JOH. 17.22.
WE have treated of the nature of that glory which Christ giveth to all believers: The next considerable is the description of the manner and way how Christ comes to have this glory, and that is said to be by way of gift, The glory which thou gavest me, Now this seemeth very hard to understand how Christ being God could receive anything, for as God can have nothing given him, so it should seem Christ neither could have anything given him, insomuch that this place with many others of the like fence is brought by the Socinians as an unanswerable Argument, that Christ was not truly and essentially God, for they heap up many places of Scripture where all that Christ hath is said to be given him, and from hence conclude he cannot be God; But the weakness of this will appear in further discovery of this Truth, which that it may be more clearly understood, Observe,
That Christ though God had many things given him of his Father ; The Fathers giving of many things to him doth not take off from his divine Nature; This Truth will be profitable both to inform your judgment in that main Article of Religion, and also is of that practical consequence; Therefore to clear this, Consider,
1. That we may conceive of a twofold giving, that which is natural and necessary, 2. that which is free and voluntary, so that it might or might not be given, for a natural and necessary giving, So Christ as God hath his divine Essence from the Father, for the Father communicateth the God-head to his Son by necessary generation, So that it was not free to him whether he would have this Son or no, as it was whether he would create the world or no; It's true, there are some Learned men that say, Pater libere genuit filium, because in all that the Father doth, he doth it with understanding and will, which they make to be the formal cause of liberty; But those that do so, take not liberty for that which may be or may not be, but for that which is immutably so, only there is understanding and will concurring to it; In this sense the expression may be admitted, otherwise it would be blasphemy to say the Father did so freely communicate the divine nature to the Son, that he might have chosen whether he would have done it or no; Therefore indeed if we speak strictly it is not a giving of the Son of his Godhead unless we take gift in a large sense for that which is communicating, yet the Scripture calls it so, To this purpose some bring that Joh. 5.26. As the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself ; Where to have life in himself is the highest perfection that can be, and proper only to the supreme deity, yet this is given to the Son to have, and to have it so as the Father hath it, and therefore he is called the Son because he hath his being of the Father eternally, and the Fathers giving of this, or the Sons receiving of it argueth no imperfection but perfection in both.
2. There may be a giving to another by way of intrinsical perfection, or by way of extrinsical declaration and manifestation of this, when God gave Angels and men holiness this was to give internal perfection to them, but now when Angels and men declare the wisdom, power, and goodness of God praising and magnifying him for it; This addeth no inward perfection to him, only it outwardly declareth it, and thus it was with Christ as God, many things are said to be given him, which yet he had with the Father before the world, only it's said to be given him because it was then declared and manifested what he had; Indeed if we speak of Christ's human nature, so it had many things given to it, which were an inward perfection to him in that respect, but in respect of his divine nature, so he was not capable of any new perfection, which he had not always:
These things premised, Let us now consider what was given him of the Father, And
[ 1] 1. Christ even as God had many things given him in respect of external Declaration : Thus when glory and honor is given unto him by the Father, as in that exceeding glorious manifestation, when it was said, Thou art my well-beloved Son, this was external glory, God gave the outward manifestation of glory, that which did already belong to him.
[ 2] 2. We read of his Office of Mediatorship, and that was also given to him : Hence it is that it's so often said that the Father sent him into the world, not as if the Son did not willingly consent to this office also, only the Father he assigned and appointed him who was also willing to this work; So that to be a Mediator, to be sent into the world, &c. they are mixed Attributes, for they denote perfection and some imperfection; To be sent, To feel the glory of the Father, these denote he was man as well as God, but so to be sent as by his own power and strength to work out our Salvation, and purchase our peace, argueth the highest pefection, which none but a God can do; So that this is necessary to be observed when the Scripture speaks of his appointment to this official Kingdom of a Mediator, this no ways takes off from Christ's God-head, but necessarily supposeth it, because none but God can perform that work.
3. The Scripture speaks of persons that are given him of the Father, and this expression is very often with the Apostle John in this Chapter, it's many times repeated, Those that thou hast given me, So Joh. 6.59. All that the Father hath given me will come unto me ; Now these are said to be given by the Father to Christ, not that Christ as God had them not before but in respect of his Mediatory Office, So that they are given to him that he should by his death and merits bring them to Eternal happiness, and this makes greatly for the comfort and consolation of the godly, and this cannot argue any imperfection in Christ that these were given to him as a Mediator, for he did not need them, he was happy without them, So that believers are given to Christ not for his good but for their own good, and therefore though Christ be the Head and believers members, yet it doth not follow, that because the Head cannot be without members, but needeth the members as well as they do the head, that therefore Christ cannot be without believers; No, Christ took these to him, not out of want but out of bounty, He took them not to be bettered by them but to better them, not to perfect himself but them; As the Fountain is not helped by the streams, but the streams by the Fountain; Neither do the Stars enlighten the Sun, but the Sun the Stars, So that if we Consider in what sense believers are given to Christ, we shall find it's no imperfection in him, but perfection to be added to them.
[ 4] 4. We read of spiritual gifts and graces given to him, So he is said to receive the Spirit without measure, and hence he is called Christ because he is anointed with the oil of all grace, and this is in respect of his human nature: For the human nature of Christ being a creature, and of the same univocal species with ours, it could not sanctify itself, it could not adorn itself with all habitual and actual grace; Therefore in his conflicts an Angel was sent to comfort him, We must therefore always distinguish though not divide those two Natures in Christ; As God he could not be anointed, he could not receive the Sp • rit, or be sanctified from a cause without, but take him as man, so all the good he had was of free grace; The personal Union was of free grace, and all habitual holiness was infused into him by grace, for none but God can be essentially and naturally holy, and therefore Austin of old did urge this as an unanswerable Argument, if the human nature of Christ had not free-will or power to sanctify itself, to adorn itself with holiness, much less hath any mere man, but so it was with Christ, that as man he was wholly furnished with graces and gifts from above; Indeed the end why he had these, as also why he was made man, was in reference to us; It was of his fullness that we do receive, so that he became man, and was thus furnished with all fitness to be a Mediator, because we could not be without him: It behooved us (saith the Apostle Heb 7.26.) to have such a High Priest that was holy and unspotted, separated from sinners, that needed not to offer for his own sins.
[ 5] 5. We read that not only habitual grace was given him in respect of his human nature, but also the spirit of God was bestowed on him, and though this be thought by the Socinians a pregnant Argument because he that is God cannot have the Spirit of God given him; Now to this we readily grant, that not only the graces and gifts of God's Spirit, but the Spirit itself also was bestowed on him, So the Prophet Isa. 11.2. The spirit of the Lord is said to rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and counsel ; Thus Act. 1.2. he is said through the holy Ghost to give Commandments unto the Apostles whom he had chosen, but yet this doth not take off from his God head, for first, the assistance and operation of the holy Ghost was only in respect of his human nature, for as by the holy Ghost his human body was prepared and fitted, So also his rational soul by the same holy spirit was sanctified and made the holy One; It was not therefore in respect of his divine nature but his human, that he had the holy Ghost working in him, and if you say▪ What necessity was there of the holy Ghost, Seeing his divine nature was able to assist and sanctify his human nature; It's answered, that the holy spirit being the third person cannot be separate from the Father and the Son, though therefore Christ as the second person was able to do all things, yet because where the Father and Son is, there also is the holy Ghost, therefore that works also as the other, not that the other persons need it, but because of the inseparability; Even as the Father did at first create all things by the Son, not that he was insufficient or impotent without him, but because of their intimate Union.
[ 6] 6. That which we do so eminently read of in the Scripture is the glory, power, and honor that the Father gave him upon fulfilling the work of Redemption for us, Act. 2.36. God hath made Jesus both Lord and Christ, he was made Lord; Now that dominion is not his essential dominion which he had as God, for so he could not be made anymore Lord then God, but his Mediatory Dominion, whereby he is exalted above all, and rules all things for the good of his people, So Phil. 2.9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, giving him a Name above all Names, &c. In these and many other places we read of wonderful Majesty and glory bestowed upon him, and that upon his humiliation and voluntary obedience in reference to us, but although the Scripture doth evidently speak of this glory and power given him, yet this doth not take off from his God-head: For
1. It is one thing to speak of the giving of the right and property to a thing, another thing to speak of the possession of it; It's true indeed Christ upon his Resurrection had the possession of all that glory and honor which the Word mentioneth, but yet he had right to it far before, and therefore we read of divine wotship given to him before his Resurrection, as also of a Kingdom he had, and that he could work what Miracles he pleased, and so he believing God had a right to all that glory which could any ways be superadded to him.
2. This dominion and glory given to him is so far from evacuating his Godhead, that it doth rather necessarily presuppose it, for who can be made the Judge of the whole world? who can be exalted to be the King of Saints and the Nations but he who hath infinite wisdom, power, and greatness?
Use 1. Doth Christ receive all that he hath, not for himself, but for his members? then what great encouragements and hopes have all the people of God, for though they have not enough, yet Christ hath; Though the star hath not light enough to dispel the day yet the Sun hath: Though the stream cannot refresh, yet the Fountain hath water enough; Oh therefore that believers would more enlarge and quicken themselves up with hopes in Christ, That they would live on his fullness, That they would depend on his fullness, God gives thee grace and many gifts, but what he hath given Christ that must be thy only support.
Use 2. How woeful the condition of all wicked men is who are separated from Christ, for if all fullness come by him, then none of this can be derived to thee; The devil will give of the torments he hath to thee, not Christ of his glory.
SERMON CXXV. Unity among Christians is part of that Glory Christ hath purchased for them.
JOH. 17.22.
THough this Unity of believers so earnestly prayed for, hath been at large treated of, yet because here again repeated, I shall consider it relatively, as it stands with respect to the fore-going words, Christ giveth his glory, he received from the Father, to those that believe in him, That they may be one. Now the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here, as in other places, may be taken either 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the end of this glory, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as specifying what is part of that glory, which he giveth to them, for so some understand this, as describing and determining what that glory is, he would give them, viz. the glory of unity and agreement, which as Chrysostom observeth was more admirable then that of signs and doctrines, which they abounded in: Their unity did more glorify them, then their miracles. Others they understand it as the end and fruit of that glory they received, by Glory understanding all the heavenly benefits and privileges vouchsafed unto them. From these Interpretations conjoined, and the relative capacity the words stand in. I observe,
That Unity among Believers is part of that Glory, which Christ as Mediator hath obtained for them. For Christ speaks here as Mediator, in whom, and by whom only the spiritual unity of believers can be obtained.
In this Doctrinal Proposition three particulars are observable:
1. That Unity among believers is part of that spiritual glory Christ purchased for them.
2. That Christ as Mediator purchased Unity as well as other privileges.
3. That Believers cannot have Unity but from Christ, till he command these dry bones to come together, and be united, they lie scattered up and down. Let us consider,
First, That Unity is part of the Churches glory. It's their Glory both actively and passively ; Their glory actively, they may in an humble and holy manner rejoice in it: Not indeed as the Papists, who confidently and falsely triumph in their Unity, but in a godly and sober manner; for if schisms and divisions in the Church, did so greatly divide and rend Paul's heart, no doubt but their Unity and accord did as much rejoice him: Therefore how emphatically doth he speak, Phil. 2.1, 2. If any consolation, if any bowels, fulfill ye my joy, that ye may be like minded, &c. It's then the Ministers glory, and the Churches glory to walk in lovely accord, when in the Church, as in Solomon's Temple, the voice of the hammer is not heard; whenas God promised in respect of temporal peace, The sword should be turned into plow-shares, so the controversial and polemical part of Divinity shall be changed into the practical and affectionate part.
Again, It's the glory of the Church passively, in this sense, that for it we are exceedingly to glorify and praise God; We should look upon the spiritual peace of the Church, as a greater mercy then all external mercies; What an heavy thing is it, when Jerusalem shall be made a Babel, when the Church shall be like the chaos and confusion that was made at first, when God shall bring such a spiritual judgment on the Church, as sometimes he did a temporal one upon the enemies thereof, Every man's weapon against his neighbor, till they had destroyed one another? When therefore we see God forming the hearts of believers to uniting terms, this we ought to praise God for, as being a special means to promote Christ's Kingdom.
Now it's the glory of believers to be at Unity,
1. Because this will exalt them in the very hearts and thoughts of their greatest enemies. What is glory, but the clara notitia, the famous acknowledging of the excellency of such a thing? Now nothing will sooner divulge the fame, and like the heavens, make the noise thereof to go through the Land, then unity and agreement: As Solomon's wisdom spread itself over the world: Insomuch that many came from afar to see and admire it: Thus it will be also for the Churches accord, therefore the Psalmist put an Ecce upon it, Behold how good and comely it is for brethren to be of one accord, Psal 133.1, 2. Thus you heard, The Heathens admired the love of primitive Christians, Ecce quam se mu • uo diligenti, & fratres vocant, whereas now we may say, Behold how they hate and oppose one another, calling one another by all uncharitable names. It's unity then, that makes the Churches fame to be over the world
2. Unity is the glory of the Church, because it ariseth from the beauty and pulchritude of it. The beauty of a thing is the glory of it; now beauty doth arise from the sweet harmony and proportion of all the parts, and this is the unity of the Church, when every member thereof is harmoniously joined unto another; when there is no dissonancy or difference: Certainly, It's a better wish to see the Church in this glory, then that of Austin's, to see Rome in all her temporal glory: If any member be deformed, or unproportionable to the other parts: How unlovely and uncomely doth it make that body? So it is here, if any make a rent, be proud, froward or opposite, the glory thereof is departed.
3. It's part of their glory, because the happiness and blessedness of a Church, is in their Communion-graces. A Church denoteth some society and company; Now the advantage of such improvements is by union, if one part of the body be divided from the other, there is no suppeditation of mutual help, therefore there are nerves and ligaments in the body, to unite each part to other: You see in a civil society, if there be not union, the glory of it presently dieth: divisions, like moths, rise from within, and do immediately consume; If then the happiness of believers lie in their communion-graces and duties; What can be more glorious then unity, which is the only means to procure subserviency to one another, as if several Cities were supplied by pipes of water one to another, if those pipes be stopped or cut, it brings a necessary destruction.
The second main particular is, That Christ purchased as Mediator this privilege as well as others. He did not only die to justify them, to sanctify them, but to unite them also: And this should teach us several things. As
1. It should not be accounted a slight and little sin to make any breaches or divisions in God's Church, to do anything through strife and vain-glory: Why? because Christ died against this; he as Mediator intended not only to save his people, but to bring them into one ; Why then dost thou by thy contentions, by thy heretical opinions thus sin against Christ's death, his intercession and his prayer are for the same effects? Now you see in this Chapter, that his prayer for unity is ingeminated over and over again, and therefore Christ had this even in his thoughts, in his very death ; hence it was that also at his death▪ he appointed the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, which though chiefly to seal God's grace to us, yet it did also signify the love we ought to have to one another, as the Apostle urgeth, 1 Cor. 10. that as the several corns make up one bread, thus do the godly make up one mystical body: Divisions then in the Church are against Christ's death, and against the Sacrament of his death; Shall we therefore run into such sins, that have such an heinous aggravation?
2. That the people of God, where they see these divisions, are to improve this Argument for Unity: Even as when they groan under any corruption, and would gladly have the mastery of it, they run to the blood of Christ, praying, O Lord, Did not Christ die that these sins might die? Was not Christ crucified, to crucify these lusts? So it ought to be in matter of unity, Oh Lord, make all thy people of one heart, of one mind and spirit, because Christ died for this also; let not his death be in vain: Thou wouldst not suffer his bones to be broken, nor his garment divided, why then shall his Church be torn and divided? Do not think human policies, and invented syncretisms will be able to solder together? It must be this blood of Christ that obtaineth this.
3. Christ did not only meritoriously purchase this Unity by his death, but in him exemplarily and formally we are made one: So that Christ is both the moral cause of this unity, and the exemplar also; for he by being both God and man in one Person, made God and man one, when there was such an infinite distance before, there is made the most intimate union that can be, even an hypostatical union between God and man: Now though we cannot attain to such an union, yet by reason of this, all believers are made one with God, and amongst themselves: Hence is that often expression of our being in him, of engraffing in him, of living in him, all which do denote our intimate union with him; so that as Christ is not divided in himself: The Divine Nature doth not will one thing, and the human Nature the contrary, but they have the same will; thus it ought to be here, one believer should not judge one thing, and another the contrary, one love one thing, and another the contrary, but as Christ and the Father were one, so ought they to be.
The last particular is, That God in Christ is the only cause of unity amongst believers. Christ as Mediator procureth it, and God through his merits vouchsafeth it, and this comprehends these particulars:
1. That such is the corruption of every man regenerate and unregenerate, that they would no more unite, then crumbs of sand, did not God bring it about. Take men by nature, and they are wolves and devils one to another: Insomuch that the preserving of Commonwealths and civil Societies, is made a demonstration of a God; for if ye consider what every man is by nature, it's a wonder that the whole world is not full of Cain's, and a mere Aceldama, like those Cadmaan brethren the Poet speaks of. God therefore who keeps the sea within its bounds that it overfloweth not, doth also restrain and chain up the corruptions of men, that all be not in a confusion; and although in regenerate men corruption is in a great measure subdued, yet that is not like Daniel's root of the Tree, that had a chain upon it never to grow, for this would be sprouting out in strifes and contentions, did not God put bounds to it, and therefore not only Histories that are profane, but Ecclesiastical also do abundantly witness, That divisions and differences have been the ruin of most Churches: So truly may we apply that of Job to the Church, If he commands peace, Who can forbid it? And if he bring war, Who can withstand it? Job 24.39. It's in godly men's natures to be so many Phaetons setting the Church on fire, if God by mercy did not prevent.
2. God through Christ doth only procure spiritual concord, because hereby God is pleased with his Church, and reconciled. Now God's anger for sin, is that which turneth Churches and States upside down; even as you see the tempestuous winds do fill the Sea with waves and unquietness, Tranquillus Deus, tranquillat omnia. When God was angry with Abimelech, he sent an evil spirit between him and the men of Shechem, Judge. 9.23. and this, like a fire, consumed them: So when Solomon had displeased God by his Idolatries, then he stirreth up his adversary, and that against him, and at last divides the Kingdom from him. So that you see, it's God's anger for sin that makes discord and implacable contentions to break forth. And thus it is also in the Church, When God is angry, then he suffers Heretics and Schismatics to arise, who divide it into as many pieces, as the Levites wife was: And till God's anger be pacified, there can never be any settling or uniting, but as the two passengers in a ship at deadly feud one with another, did earnestly look to see which would be drowned first, and not at all endeavor to save the ship. Thus private emulations have undone the public; so that the Heathens may rise up against the Church of God, for the Romans before they entered into the Senate-house to consult for the public, did first go and worship in a Temple dedicated to Jovi depositorio, because there they did deponere inimicitias ; but we go to prayer, to Sacraments, and offer our gift at the Altar, though we remember men have justly many things against us.
Use. Is peace and unity amongst the godly their glory? Did Christ die for it? Doth God only give it? Then under all our breaches and differences, let us apply ourselves to him, who hath this sovereign power over men's hearts: It's but his speaking, and the winds and the waves will presently cease; he can quickly remove the bitter spirit of contradiction, and cause all to be of one mind; and certainly our sins have highly displeased God, that yet he suffers his Church to wallow in her blood, that yet her wounds are not healed.
SERMON CXXVI. Of Union with Christ: Showing how, or in what respects Christ is in every Believer, and how he is not.
JOHN 17.23.
OUr Savior doth still continue in prayer for Unity amongst believers, which is not simply to terminate upon one another, but to ascend higher, and all to be made one in Christ: Therefore in this verse he showeth the original and fountain of their Unity, as also the manner of it. The Original of their Unity is from Christ being in them, and the Father in him; The Manner is spiritual; for as Christ is in them after a spiritual manner, so is also their union with him.
The original of their unity expressed in those words, I in them, deserve our serious Meditations, for it's a choice practical point, and although a mystery, and so without any relish to the carnal heart, yet full of comfort and savoriness to the godly soul; Now Christ is said to be in his people two ways, either Distributively, in respect of every person; in which sense the soul of every believer is the Temple of the holy Ghost ; and Paul professed, That he no longer lived, but Christ in him, Gal. 2. Or Collectively, as they are a society and a Church; over whom he is an Head.
Christ is said to be in believers several ways:
1. By communication of the same Nature with us ; he is partaker of flesh and blood with us: And thus Christ may be said to be in all men: Even as God in respect of his Essence is everywhere, but by gracious presence only in the godly, though the Scripture doth not use such an expression.
2. Christ is in believers sacramentally ; in which sense they are said to eat his flesh, and drink his blood, and thereby they abide in him, and he in them.
3. Christ is in them by his Spirit, for that is called the Spirit of Christ, and being given by him to them, they are thereby spiritualized, and made heavenly. The Spirit is a guiding Spirit, a sanctifying Spirit, a comforting and sealing Spirit to them, so that Christ becomes joined to his by this Spirit.
Lastly, Christ is in his by a gracious inhabitation, and sanctifying presence. So that as in respect of our natural life, God may be said to be in us, and we in him, For in him we live, and move, and have our being, Act 17.18. So in respect of supernatural life, Christ is in us, and we in him, and do live and move spiritually in him. From this last explication, which is most genuine, Observe,
That Christ is in believers, and believers are in him. Christ is in believers. This union of Christ with believers, as it is much spoken of in the Scripture, so it is indeed the fountain of all the graces, and all the comforts the people of God receive. Our Savior John. 15. doth at large declare a Parable, wherein we may see, how we are in Christ, and that i • as branches are in the Vine, and verse. 5, 6. he doth not only speak of our being in Christ, but Christ's being in us, Abide in me. and I in you ; and again, He that abideth in me, and I in him ; by which expressions it appeareth, that these are two distinct things, our being in Christ, and Christ's being in us; and indeed one is the cause of the other, the preserver and continuer of the other; for because Christ is in us, giving daily influence and supply, therefore we are kept in him. To open this, To open this, Consider,
[ 1] First, That the Scripture doth not only say, Christ is in a believer, but he liveth in him: As Paul, Gal. 2.20. And this denoteth, That Christ's presence in us is operative and active; for as life in a man quoad actum primum, doth always more or less sensibly put forth life, quoad actum secundum ; Thus it is with Christ, he is in the soul, not as he was once in the ship, asleep, and so ceasing from any action, but he liveth in us; for even as God in respect of the creatures doth still work by Conservation, as at first by Creation, so that if he did but for a moment with-draw his influence, this whole fabric would fall into nothing. Thus it is also in respect of Grace, As Christ did at first put supernatural life into us, so did he not continually act and enliven us, we should quickly become dead in our sins, but Christ liveth in us: And if you say, How then comes it about, that so many times Christ seemeth to be gone from the soul, that he hath left his habitation, that no life or workings of Christ appear? That may be answered afterwards; Only for the present know, That Christ is the Sun of Righteousness, Mal. 4.2. which ariseth with healing in his wings ; and he is the Tree of Life ; yea he calls himself in the abstract, I am the life, John 11.25. And therefore if thy heart be dead, dull, formal, the defect is not from Christ living, but by sinful obstructions, by sin in thee: Even as it is said of Christ's Country, He could do no miracles there, because of their unbelief, Mark 6.6. But as Christ is said to live in believers, so to abide in them, and that denoteth more then living; for Christ (were it not for the Covenant of Grace made sure in his blood) might have lived in the godly, but his life in us might have passed away, as our life, and like a shadow; As God for a long while was with the people of Israel, in a Tabernacle, that moved up and down, before he was in a Temple fixed. Thus God was graciously present in Adam, in the Apostate Angels ; but this presence was ambulatory, only now through Christ, he hath fixed his abode with us; he comes, and so dwells with us, that he will never go from us: When therefore Christ hath once begun to live in thee, he will always abide so; Christ is always in thy soul, though thou mayest not perceive it; yea the Scripture doth not only say, Christ abideth in us, but that he dwelleth in us, Ephes. 3.17. Now dwelling doth denote that intimatenesse and familiarity, as also that care and cost Christ is willing to bestow on our souls: No man that is able will suffer his house he liveth in to run to decay, and to fall into utter ruins, and indeed the house cannot take care for itself, but the master doth: Thus it is here, Christ will not suffer his own dwelling-place to fall into decays, he will see it be repaired: It will be Christ's loss, as well as the believers.
Secondly, Because there are erroneous and dangerous conceits about Christ's being in his people: Let us first remove the false ways, and then assert the true. As
1. When Christ is said to be in his people, That is not to be understood, as if there were a confusion of their beings, or as if they were made one real and physical person with him ; for thus some have dangerously affirmed, That we are Christed with Christ, and made one real person with Christ. It is true, Christ and his people make up one spiritual and mystical Person; They are not to be considered as two, no more then the Head and the body, yet it's an heinous error, as also high non-sense, to affirm such a being of Christ in us, as that we are turned into Christ. There are among the Popish devout Writers, those that are called M • sti • i Theologi, as if they only did enter into the Holy of Holies, and all other Writers were but mere literarists, and these speak much of such raptures, and elevation of the soul, that in these pangs it doth lose its own being, and is transessentiated into God: Many sublime and unintelligible expressions they have, such as the Paracelsians amongst Physicians: Now what these say about God, many have an imitating language of in respect of Christ, but when Christ is said to live and dwell in us, you must not conceive, as if we were turned into Christ, or Christ in us; we must not fancy such an imagination as the Papists do about Transubstantiation, thinking that the bread is turned into the very body of Christ.
[ 2] Hence in the second place, It's horrible blasphemy which some would infer from God's or Christ's being in us, That they do not sin at all ; They work not, but God or Christ in them. Calvin of old wrote against such Libertines, affirming, That by their horrid doctrines, they made God worse then the Devil: And of late there have been some, who have boldly vomited this poison of the red Dragon; let them commit never such abominable and notorious crimes, they do not sin, Why? Because Christ is in them: But though Christ live in the godly in a spiritual sense, yet they do not lose their personal being or operations: It's not Christ that repents or believeth in them, but they themselves, though he efficiently help to these duties, much less is it Christ that sinneth or commits iniquity in them.
[ 3] Thirdly, When Christ is said to be in us, this is not to be understood, as if he were bodily living in us, as if his body were received into our body; No, the body of Christ is now exalted at the right hand of God in glory. And howsoever the Lutherans do hotly dispute for the ubiquity of Christ's body, yet that is to kick against the pricks. The Scripture is clear, That his body is so in Heaven, that it is not corporeally anywhere else. It's true, all believers do partake of whole Christ, of his Person, and therefore of his body, as well as of his Divine Nature; but the participation of his body is not after a bodily manner, he doth not live and dwell in us bodily. It's true, in the Virgin Mari • s womb, Christ was there once bodily, but not so in the wombs of other women; Neither had she been happy merely through that, had not Christ even then lived spiritually in her heart.
[ 4] Fourthly, Neither is Christ in the godly, as if he did possess our souls and bodies in the same sense, as we read of the Devils being in some persons ; for the Devil was so in them, that he wholly possessed their bodies, sometimes tormenting of them, and in others strangely raising them up, to speak in strange tongues, and to do many wonderful things above the ordinary course of man's ability: Christ is not thus in believers, and no wonder if Christ be not, seeing that the Learned observe, Though the Devil be suffered to possess men's bodies, yet we never read of any good Angel that possessed the body of any man, whereas God might have suffered the one as well as the other, if he had pleased. Let us then take heed of affirming any indecent, or false ways of Christ's being in us. These latter days give instance of sad delusions in this kind, men persuading themselves of Christ's being in them after such a palpable and bodily manner, that at last they are delivered up to think they are Jesus Christ himself, and whereas there is but one Christ, now there are many that say themselves to be the Christ.
[ 5] Fifthly, Neither may we conceive of Christ being in us, as if he were a form inwardly informing, or inclining us, as if our actions were Christ's actions. Though the Apostle, Galat. 2. useth that expression, I no longer live, but Christ in me, yet that is to be understood only metaphorically, you must not take it strictly and philosophically, as if Christ were either the form assisting or informing of believers; not assisting, as when Angels assumed bodies, and did speak or act in them, and by them; or as some Philosophers tell us of an intellectus agens, that is the common form to all mankind, nor as a form informing, for that is made part of a man, but Christ is not so, and this is the reason, why though it be Christ living and working in us, that makes to repent, and to believe, yet we cannot say, it's Christ that repents or believes, because these actions come from us vitally and formally, whereas Christ is the efficient cause of them; and it's a Rule, Efficiens non potest supplere vicem formae & materiae: So that as in respect of our natural consideration, though by God we live and move, yet we cannot say, it's God that speaketh, it's God that walketh, because these are vital, formal actions; so neither can we say, it's Christ that believeth, that repenteth, that liveth in us: So that the believers work is to be distinguished from Christ's work in him.
Lastly, It's one thing for Christ to be with us, another thing in us. When Christ promised to be with his Apostles to the end of the world, that is, in respect of divine assistance, protection, and success, and thus he was with Judas, while he preached the Gospel, and wrought miracles; for as God is providentially with many men, in whom yet he is not graciously present, as in Cyrus, Nebuchadnezzar, Jehu, and others. Thus Christ is also operatively with many, in whom he doth not graciously dwell: So that we are not to conclude Christ is in us, because of many gifts and extraordinary abilities. It is true, John 15. Even a branch not bringing forth fruit, is said to be in Christ, and so may hypocrites and reprobates be said to be in him, but this is only externally and by profession, not internally and really.
SERMON CXXVII. Showeth something of the Nature, Manner, and Effects of Christ's being in Believers.
JOH. 17.23.
CHrist (you have heard) is in his people and they are in him; But how to understand this precious but sublime doctrine rightly, that is the great difficulty; We have discovered the false and gross Imaginations about it, We now come to the positive and affirmative manifestation of it; Although it is to be acknowledged, that as concerning God we may easilier conceive what he is not, then what he is; So in respect of this inhabitation of Christ in believers, we may more easily remove false and erroneous ways then assert the true and proper manner of it; But the light of the Word and the experience of a godly man subordinate thereunto, will greatly conduce to make some profitable though not comprehensive discoveries of it. And
[ 1] 1. In the general, Christ being in his people is after a spiritual, invisible, and mystical manner ; It is in an invisible manner, yea, in no ways corporally sensible; We cannot with the eye see him, the ear hear him, or the hand feel him, but all is invisible; And this is the reason, why natural men who are carried away only as brute beasts by sensible Objects are not affected with Christ's being in his Children, for they say as the disciple in another case, unless we may put our fingers in Christ's wounds, and feel his bones, we will not believe he is in us, but as God though he is omnipresent and filleth all places, yet is not seen by the bodily eye, No man hath seen God at any time, Joh. 1.18. So though Christ fill his whole Church, and the Apostle expresseth it, Col. 3.11. he is all in all, yet this is after an invisible and corporally indiscernible man's, so that though the Apostle who lived with Christ in a bodily manner, and was eye-witness of all that he did and suffered, could say, 1 Joh. 1.1. That which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, yet believers cannot now say so; As it is invisible so it is spiritual, and therefore above a carnal apprehension; This is one of those things of God a natural man cannot perceive because spiritually discerned ; Go to any natural man though never so cultivated and adorned with rationality, yet can he no more understand or conceive of Christ's being in the soul, then a worm can reach to the understanding and discourse of Angels with one another, and the reason is because there is no habitude or suitable proportion between this truth and their capacities, So that as the Eye cannot see a Spirit because of the disso • ancy between that Object and the visive faculty, So neither can a natural man though walking in the high stilts of all moral endowments ever reach unto any satisfactory knowledge in this Point, for this Truth cannot be found in Aristotle's or Plat •• s works, neither can flesh and blood reveal it, but by the Scripture as a guide, and the spirit of God as an efficient, we come to know what it is: Therefore it's often by Divine called mystical, Christ's Marriage with the soul is mystical, Christ's living and dwelling in us is mystical, it being a great mystery, and such as the doctrine of Christ is, and therefore none but Christ's Friends have this secret revealed and made known to them, Therefore when Christ is thus in the soul of a believer, there are clear discoveries and manifestations of himself; Even as when the Sun ariseth in our hemisphere, the resplendent beams thereof proclaim its presence; This is excellently set down, Joh. 14.20, 21. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you, And ver. 21. I will love him and manifest myself to him
[ 2] In the second place, Though Christ be in us invisibly and spiritually, yet he is truly, and really, and operatively in us, So that we are not to look upon this as a fancy or delusion, as some non-entity or mere notions of melancholy men; No, as Christ is a real Christ, so he doth really live and dwell in us; if nothing were real but what is corporeal, then our souls should be no real substances; Then the soul of a man would be thought to be a mere fancy and notion likewise: But as Christ is real and the soul is real so is Christ's dwelling and living in it real, yea, it is so real that corporal things are said to have no reality at all comparatively; Thus Christ Joh. 15.1. I am the true Vine, and Joh. 6.55, 56. My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed, He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him ; Now why doth Christ say, his body is meat indeed, he doth not mean corporally but oppositely to corporal food; The very food we eat is not meat comparatively to Christ, for our bodies feed on that, and yet perish, they have not life always abiding in them, but who so hath Christ in him, he can no more perish then Christ himself; Christ is meat indeed, and life indeed; The godly then find and know this life and dwelling of Christ to be a real, solid thing, and therefore do though not corporally yet spiritually perceive it, and know it to be more real then their bodily life and actions; It's not less real and true because spiritual and mystical; Therefore that which on Christ's part maketh him to be in us, viz. his spirit, that is real, and that which on our part receiveth Christ, and whereby he dwelleth in us, viz. faith, that is, also a lively grace; Therefore though we walk not by bodily sense but by faith, yet the things of Faith have as real and lively subsistence in the soul as bodily objects can affect the body.
[ 3] 3. Consider how Christ is to be conceived in his people, and that the Scripture represents several ways.
1. Christ is in us by way of Union, so as to be made one mystical person with us: I shall not be large in discovering this, because I have touched on it heretofore, only the first step of Christ's being in us is by uniting of himself to us, for we are by nature estranged from him, and lie as so many lumps of earth devoid and destitute of all spiritual life and motion till Christ unite himself to us, so that as it was God's wonderful power to call those dry bones and unite them together; Thus it is also his admirable power to unite himself to a Believer, Christ doth not stay till we first unite ourselves to him, but he joineth himself first to us, and this is the first step of Christ's saving grace in us.
2. Christ is in us, so that thereby we are made partakers of his person, not only the gifts of Christ and the graces of Christ, but Christ himself is in us, as Gal. 2.20. Christ liveth in me, and so Eph. 3.17. Christ dwells in our hearts, so that this King of glory doth not only bring his rich Ornaments and Hangings to beautify the soul, but he himself also in his own person resides there; Not indeed corporally as you heard, but spiritually, for though Christ be in heaven yet that is no hindrance to Faith; It's not distance of place that takes away from Faith no more then of time, but as future things are present to heaven, so are remote things locally present to it; Even as to the eye some Objects though many miles distant are present, Faith therefore receiveth the person of Christ, and it's not only the graces of Christ but Christ himself that dwells in the soul, but yet by faith it is true many Divines affirm the graces of God's Spirit to be in us, but the Scripture doth expressly relate even to the person of Christ and the Spirit as well as the graces flowing from them.
[ 3] 3. Christ is in his people by way of gracious operation as a powerful efficient, which enableth to all those holy and divine actions the godly perform, Joh. 15. Without me you can do nothing ; As the branch without the Vine cannot bring forth any fruit; Did not Christ daily move and breathe upon the soul, it would always work in a carnal and human manner, Paul saith, He no longer liveth but Christ in him, Gal. 2.20. For Paul of himself, and in his own corruption would follow the boasts of the flesh, persevere the desires thereof, did not Christ quicken and sanctify him.
[ 4] 4. Christ is in us sacramentally, that is in and by the right use of that Ordinance, he is in a peculiar manner present to the believer ; Therefore it's called the Communion of the body of Christ, 1 Cor. 10. and although Joh 6. the eating and drinking of Christ's body and blood be not there meant of the Sacrament but of Faith in the general. for it's made necessary to every man that would have Eternal life, yet by that expression is seen the intimate incorporation of the godly with Christ, and in the right use of the Sacrament there is a more sensible visible assurance of such a presence, whether Christ's presence Sacramentally be other then his presence by a promise is not here to be disputed; Certainly if the presence differ not, yet the manner of confirming and assuring of it doth, otherwise Sacraments would be Seals of the promise in vain, and the promise itself would be enough, and the enjoying of Christ in a promise would be enough without making use of the Sacrament, and so that be wholly needless.
I shall not enlarge on this Point further, But come we to the fruits and effects of Christ's being in us ; This is the great necessary thing to find that Christ is in us, for either the devil and sin live in us, we no longer live but sin and Satan, or else Christ and his Spirit are in us, and it's good to observe what are the Evidences and demonstrations of Christ's being in us.
[ 1] 1. In whomsoever Christ is, he is made a New Creature, old things are past away ; It's high blasphemy to say Christ is in constant habitual wicked men, no 2 Cor. 5.17. If any be in Christ he is a new Creature ; Now whosoever is in Christ, Christ is also in him, for they are mutual and reciprocal, if therefore thou livest in ignorance and profaneness, conclude assuredly that Christ is not in thee; It was the devil that entered into the Swine, and hurried them headlong into the Sea; Thus still the devil doth hurry many wicked men violently into Eternal perdition, and therefore our Savior chargeth the Pharisees Joh. 6. That they were of their Father the devil, because they did his works ; Thus if Christ be in thee thou wilt do the works of Christ, show forth the patience, the meekness, the zeal of Christ, if Christ be in thee •• ou wilt have a Christ-like operation, and therefore the godly are said to put on Christ, Gal. 3.27. As a garment which covers the whole body, so that no nakedness appeareth; Thus Christ only ought to be seen in us, not our own infirmities and corruptions, nothing of ourselves but Christ.
[ 2] 2. Where Christ is, there he is all in all, he is instead of all to that believer, Gal. 3.28. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, &c. but Christ is all in all, Two things are affirmed, He is in all ; Every believer though never so weak and infirm hath Christ as well as the noblest, as the soul is in every finger and toe as well as in the head, which should be a great consolation to a weak believer, for though thou hast not as good gifts and parts, as good grace and holiness, yet thou hast as good a Christ as the chiefest pillars in Religion have, but then he addeth, that as Christ is in all, so he is all: What all is Christ? He is all privileges as appeareth by the Context, he is Jew and Greek, he is male and female, that is Christ is instead of all privileges and prerogatives, hence 1 Cor. 1. he is said to be made of God to us, wisdom, righteousness and redemption, and we are said to be complete in him ; So that wheresoever Christ is there he is all to that soul, He is wisdom to it, righteousness to it, all spiritual privileges, yea, and all temporal comforts likewise, He is husband, wife, friend, riches, health; Thus he is all things to the soul eminently and virtually again he is all things meritoriously, there being no benefit a believer can stand in need of but he hath purchased it by his death, he is also all things efficiently because he subdueth every sin, he quickeneth to every grace, so that a believer can never say, I am in such a condition, in such a temptation, that Christ himself cannot help me.
[ 3] 3. Where Christ is in a man, there also his Spirit is putting itself forth in the several operations thereof, an illuminating spirit, a guiding leading spirit, a sanctifying and sealing spirit, So that men do absurdly boast of their Interest in Christ, who yet find none of these efficacious works of God's Spirit within them: The Apostle John speaketh notably to this, 1 Joh. 4.13. Hereby know we that we d • ell in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his spirit ; So that as the beams of the Sun discover the Sun, so do the spiritual effects of the holy spirit manifest Christ to be in us.
Use of Examination, Try yourselves in this main Point, as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 13.5. Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates ; If you take the word as signifying one of an unsound mind, it argueth, that man is very unsound and unskillful, who finds not Christ in him; As they sought for a proof of Christ's being in Paul, So do thou of his being in thee; If Christ be in thee why is there so much of the devil, of sin, and the world? if Christ be in thee, how come his Enemies also to be in thee? But you will say, May not Christ be in a Believer, and yet he not feel it or be sensible of it! yea, think the clean contrary, that Christ hath left him, I answer, it is often so, and thus Christ may not manifest himself to be in us, sometimes for trial sake, to give us experience of our own need without him, as Christ slept in the •• ip, and suffered the winds and storms to arise, that they might call more earnestly upon him, sometimes we through our corruptions and sins do provoke him to withdraw his powerful operations; We entertain his enemies, and then he hideth himself from us, especially our unbelief hinders the lively operations of Christ in us, for as Christ dwells in our hearts, so he worketh in our hearts by faith.
SERMON CXXVIII. Of the Fathers being in Christ; Of both their being in Believers: And how that can be, and yet they not quite freed from Sin and Sorrow.
JOHN 17.23.
THe next thing considerable in this Text is the highest round in this ladder of Unity, and that is, The Fathers being in Christ, As I am in them, so thou in me.
The words need no further explication, then what will necessarily be discussed in the Doctrine; only when Christ is said to be in believers, and the Father in him, this is not to be understood exclusively, as if the Father were not also in believers, for the Scripture expressly affirmeth that Joh. 14.23. yea it's impossible to have the Son in us, and not the Father also, 2 ep. Joh. 29. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son. Yea we cannot know the Son, or believe in him, except we believe in the Father also, Joh. 1.4, 7, 8, 9. When Philip desired Christ to show him the Father, because Christ spake so much of him, our Savior doth first reprove Philip, and then instruct him: Reprove verse. 9. Have I been so long time with you, and yet thou hast not known me? Observe that, Philip desired to see the Father, and Christ rebuketh him for not knowing of him; and then instructs him, He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father also ; and thereupon he proceeds to exhortation, ver. 11. Believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me. So that by this discourse none can know or believe in Christ, but he must also know and believe in the Father; and because the Disciples were not so fully acquainted herein, they are checked by our Savior, saying, Have I been so long time with you, and ye know not me? The longer time people have lived under means of grace, and yet not acquainted with divine truths, it is the greater condemnation. When we speak of the Fathers being in Christ, this is not to be understood in a speculative and abstracted sense, but practically, and as it relateth to us, for to that purpose is it spoken by our Savior, that hereby it might be shown, that the Father is in us also.
Obs. That as Christ is in us, so the Father being in Christ, is also thereby in us.
In this Position there are two distinct things,
- 1. That the Father is in Christ.
- 2. That by this means the Father is also, and abideth in us.
For the first, The Father is in Christ, and that in several respects:
1. In respect of the Divine Nature, for so the Father is in the Son, as in the express Image, and representation of him, thus the Son is called, the Image of his Father, Col. 1.15. Heb. 1.3. For as the son of a natural father doth many times represent him in lineaments, color and all deportments: Thus Christ also as the Son of God doth demonstrate the wisdom, power and holiness of his Father; Therefore Joh. 10. for the Father and Son to be one, is made the same, with the Father being in the Son, and the Son in the Father, for the Father is so in the Son, that he hath the same Nature, Essence and Attributes with him; and thus if the Son be in us, the Father also must be, because they are one.
[ 2] Secondly, The Father is in the Son in respect of operation and working: For this end it is, that in the whole course of his Mediatorship he referreth all to the Father, as he that sent him. The doctrine he preached, he saith, was not his, but his Fathers, Joh. 14.10. The Father that dwells in me, worketh; the Father and I work hitherto ; so that all that Christ did in preaching of the Word, in working of miracles, all these do declare, that the Father is in him; and this is of great consequence, for hereby we may see, the salvation of a believer designed, both by the Father and the Son; one was not more willing then another to procure this Redemption.
[ 3] Thirdly, The Father is in Christ, in respect of his infinite love, as amans is in amato, called therefore the Son of his love ; Therefore this is mentioned in the Text, as part of this unity, That the world may know, thou hast loved me ; Though this love of the Father be not terminated on him only, but on all believers in him, and therefore it is that Christ calls him, his Father and their Father, and so some understand that transitively, In whom I am well-pleased, viz. with the godly, being reconciled through his blood to them; The Father then is in the Son, by way of love, and through him in all believers, by way of the same love.
[ 4] Fourthly, The Father is in Christ, by the communication of the fullness of the God-head. This the Scripture giveth a notable description of, Col. 2.9. For in him dwelleth all the God-head bodily. This place is worthy of a full consideration; for it doth not speak of the Fathers being in the Son, as the second Person, but of the Father, as God, in his human Nature, and the end why the Apostle bringeth this, is to take off all men from running either to Philosophy, human traditions, or Mosaical rites, because the God-head is in Christ bodily: The Apostles Argument is, Where there is a complete perfection and fullness, there needeth no additaments, but in Christ there is a complete fullness to all Evangelical purposes, and necessary matter to eternal salvation; and this is proved, because in Christ dwelleth all the fullness of the God-head, bodily ; In Christ, that is, in his human Nature ; all the God-head, that is, all the whole Nature and Attributes of God, wisdom, righteousness, holiness, &c. Dwelleth, that is, abideth, continueth, Bodily, that is, personally, in opposition first to the legal expressions of God's presence; as when God spake from between the Cherubims, as also in opposition to that efficacious presence and assistance in the Prophets, and such extraordinary holy men that he raised up; now God was in Christ transcendently to these, for he was in the human Nature, so as to be made one Person with it, Filius Dei non assumpsit hominem personam, sed assumpsit hominem in personam ; and thus the Father is in Christ, otherwise then in other creatures, and the mind of man is never able to comprehend sufficiently this mystery.
[ 5] Lastly, Which is the most proper sense of this Text, The Father is in Christ, as a Mediator between God and man ; for this is chiefly intended, That Christ is the bond of that union with the Father and believers, as also with believers amongst themselves: so that Christ is not here barely considered as God, nor barely as man, but as God-man, as Mediator; Thus the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them ; So that without Christ we are all at a distance, yea enmity with God, he is a consuming fire, and we nothing but stubble: Even as you see, the distance and contrariety of the devils to God: Are they one in Christ? Can they call God Father? and all is, because they have not a Mediator: Here then is the spring-head of all consolation, That the Father is in Christ, as a Mediator reconciling God and man together; and certainly, if the believer did more improve this truth, that he is made one with the Father and the Son, it would raise up his soul, he would condemn himself, for all those low, narrow and dejected thoughts, he is assaulted with, for how can sin hurt him that is one with Christ? How can the devil destroy him that is one with God? Certainly these must destroy Christ and God also. Indeed the devil overcame Adam and the Angels, but they were not one with Christ, they were not united to him in an inviolable Covenant, and therefore they quickly spent all, and became bankrupts. This instance indeed showeth what we are in ourselves, and that it is Christ only who beareth us up, but withal, it commands the soul to glory in Christ, to rejoice in Christ, to triumph in Christ, for in him only we have pardon and boldness at the throne of grace.
These glorious things being clear Scripture-truths, all the doubt is, How shall a Christian persuade himself that the Son and the Father abide in him, when he is sensible of such corruption and sin also in him? For who would not think, that when these high things are spoken, that Christ liveth and dwelleth in a man, that the Father and Son do make their abode in him, but that such a soul must be perfected, and made pure without sin? Who would not think, that only a complete and perfect man can say with Paul, I no longer, but Christ in me? Oh, saith the godly Soul, I may and must say the contrary, not Christ, but sin, but the world liveth in me! And as it is thus for grace, so also for consolation, If Christ be in a man, and he dwells there, How can there be such black unbelieving thoughts? Where the Father and the Son is, there must be a heaven, not a hell: Can the Sun arise in its full glory and power, yet at the same time there be a black night? So how can Christ and the Father be in a believer, and yet they so subject to temptations and doubts, whether he be in them or no?
Now for the first, How the Father and Son can be in a believer, and yet there be such remainders of vigorous corruption in him? To this it is answered,
1. That if it be duly considered, how the Father and Christ is in us, it must presently be conceived, that there is a presence of sin necessarily supposed in such. For as you heard, God in us, and we in him, by Christ our Mediator; Now if we had perfection and freedom from sin, we needed not a Mediator: So that as Sacraments suppose imperfection in the Communicant, thus doth also Christ in the person he is in; for if sin were not there, How could he be in thee, as reconciling thee to God, as further sanctifying thee, as healing thy corruptions? Therefore though in heaven, as some say, the mystical union of Christ as Head, and the Church as his body shall never cease, yet the manner of his presence will cease, he will not then be in us by faith, nor shall we appear in him before God, as mediating for us, and covering our imperfections, for then shall all be done away; if then you observe, how Christ is in his people (to what end? you will conclude) if I were such as I desire and groan to be, then I did not need Christ to be after that manner present in me at all.
2. Though God and Christ be in us, yet they are in us, as free agents, communicating efficacy and power according to that measure and degree they please. If Christ were in us as a natural agent, as the fire burneth, or the Sun shineth, then he being also omnipotent, would produce the greatest effects of grace possible in every believer, because he is free and worketh according to his own council, therefore he distributeth grace, as he pleaseth, to some more, to some less, to none according to what shall be hereafter; Therefore though he might sanctify thee perfectly, yet he will not.
3. Christ is not only in us thus freely working in us, but he hath also bounded and ordered the way of dispensations of his grace, so that he doth not put forth power in us after we are regenerated, as if we were so many brute creatures, but he requireth our co-operation and stirring up of ourselves. Though in the initials of grace we are passive, yet not in the progress; and though it be Christ that doth daily quicken and preserve us, yet we so distemper ourselves, that some obstructions may be put to his operative presence. As
1. Unbelief, Christ worketh in us, yet so as by faith, insomuch that we are not only justified by faith, but we are in the progress of holiness, sanctified by faith. Hence Ephes. 3.17. Christ is said, To dwell in our hearts by faith: It's by faith we receive of the fullness and fatness of Christ, insomuch that where faith is not, there Christ doth not put forth his power; So that as our Savior said to Mary, If thou doest believe, thou shalt see the glory of God, Joh. 10. so if thou actest faith, and dost put that on working, then thou wilt both see and feel the glorious presence of Christ; Therefore there is no blame in Christ, his arm is not shortened; This fountain would send forth such living streams it useth to do, only thou dammest it up, that it cannot run.
2. Dullness and slothfulness, this doth much withstand Christ's operations. The Church in the Canticles, when she was lazy and pretended excuses, not letting in Christ, when he desired to come in, made her at loss, and be without his presence to her dear loss; when Christ therefore hath quickened thee by preventing grace, he hath many times knocked at the door, and there hath been no entrance, this hath greatly hindered the course and flourishing of grace.
3. When thou givest way to any gross sin, this makes Christ with-draw, so that little appeareth of him; This is like winter to the trees, that maketh all the sap withdraw to the root, so that outwardly it appeareth a dead tree; Therefore cast away that abominable thing, and then Christ will come and work as formerly in thee.
4. Christ may live and work in thee, yet thou not be sensible and apprehensive of it. It's Christ, but thou mistakest him for something else; as to the Disciples, when Christ approached on the waters to them, he appeared to be a Spirit, at which they trembled, not thinking him to be Christ, and as Mary Magdalene thought it had been the Gardner, when it was her Lord. Thus the godly soul, though Christ at that very time doth evidently work in it, yet through black distempers doth not indeed judge Christ to be there.
Lastly, Christ sometimes purposely withdraws his operative presence to try us, that we might see our own infirmities, that we might the more earnestly prize his power and grace: Even as in the ship, Christ did on purpose sleep, that the Disciples being in extremity might the more earnestly awaken him; Thus Dormit in te Christus, and as Joseph to his brethren discovers not who he is, that so he may be the more welcome afterwards.
And as for the second Question, How can Christ be in thee, and yet thou have no comfort and assurance? You may see the possibility of that in Christ himself, who though so dearly beloved of the Father, and the Father was in him, yet for the present those heavenly consolations were suspended.
Use of Instruction, to demonstrate the happy condition of such as do believe, They have God and Christ within them ; Though contemptible vessels, yet they have a glorious treasure within; Though the Cabinet have no excellency, yet the Jewel hath. Take heed then of grieving such a noble guest within thee; when a noble person enters into thy house, how doth it trouble thee, that any offensive object should come before him? Be thou as much careful, left any vain thought, any evil action should molest him.
SERMON CXXIX. Of the Unity of Believers; Of the Cause and Nature of it; And what makes to the perfect Consummation of it.
JOHN 17.23.
THose words contain the effect and fruit of that former Unity specified viz. Christ in us, and the Father in him ; for our Savior here speaks of a three-fold Unity,
1. Of the Father with Christ, as Mediator.
2. Of Christ, as Mediator and Head with his Church.
3. Of believers amongst themselves, and the Unity of Christ with believers, as their Head, is the cause of the Members union and communion one with another.
Now this is the last time our Savior repeateth this particular of unity; for our Savior doth in this prayer for believers four times repeat it, which demonstrateth his exceeding ardent affections for it, only every expression seemeth to rise higher then the former.
The first is, That they may be one.
2. That they may be one in us.
3. That they may be one, even as we are one.
4. That they may be made perfect in one, and this is here mentioned.
Now what it is to be made perfect in one will appear afterwards; only the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is used sometimes of performing and consummating a thing with perfection, sometimes it's used of sanctification and consecration, Heb. 2.10. Heb. 5.9. Heb. 7.28. Now although it be true, that all believers are consecrated and set apart as holy from the world to God, yet that which is here primarily intended, is the perfection and consummation of them in unity, which though it will not be complete till in heaven, yet it is inchoate, and begun in this life.
Obs. That the Father and Christ's being in believers, is the cause of that perfect and consummate unity, which they ought to have of themselves. There could be no union in the body, if the Head did not unite it. All believers union doth first flow from Christ as their Head and Mediator: Insomuch that whatsoever unity they may have, which doth not first arise from this spring, is human and carnal.
To open this, let us consider, What is implied in their being made perfect in one. And
First, Here is implied sincerity and uprightness ; That their unity be from a pure heart and unfeigned faith. This is often the use of the word perfect, as opposed to that which is false and counterfeit; many are said to walk with a perfect heart, because they did not walk with an heart, and an heart by dissimulation; so that it's a perfection of essence and parts, not of degrees; and this indeed is greatly to be urged, that as all the other things in the godly be sincere, so their unity, that they be joined together from spiritual principles, and by spiritual means: It was the Heathens Position, That amicitia could only be inter bonos, that whatsoever friendship was from bono utili, or jacundo, and not honesto, it did not deserve the name of friendship: Now how much more is this true in that unity amongst the godly, which hath for it's cause and original, Christ himself, and for it's pattern, such an unity, that the Father and Son have? To be perfect then in unity, is to have sincere hearts one towards another, as the Apostle Rom. 12. Let love be without dissimulation ; Let there be no water to debase this wine, let not this fair fruit be rotten at the core.
Secondly, To be perfect in Unity, doth imply, not only sincerity, but integrity of all those substantials and essentials, wherein this oneness doth consist. You have heard, that the Unity of believers doth empty itself into two great streams, one of Faith, in respect of Doctrine; The other of Charity, in respect of life and affections: Therefore if any of these be wanting, the Unity is dissolved; if love be pretended, but yet there is no divine truth, this is conspiracy, not unity; and if faith be pretended, but not love, as yet we have no sign of the true Disciples of Christ; Let then the Church of God, look it hath these two pillars, like Jachin and Boaz to bear it up. All Unity without Truth is like a stately building upon sand, and Truth without love is like a foundation without superstruction; pray that the Spirit of God would lead into all truth, for the former; and would also work those sanctifying fruits of it, love, peace, meekness, &c for the latter.
Thirdly, The word perfect in one, doth imply, an increase and daily progress in the way of Unity. For though the Church of Christ be his Body, yet it's a growing body, it's not come to it's full stature, no not in this life; There are further degrees to be attained, Ephes. 4.13. We are to grow to a perfect man in Christ Jesus; and thus we read of many called perfect, as 1 Cor. 2.6. Heb. 5.14. not in an absolute sense, but comparatively, because they are carried on to further degrees of grace then others: We are not then to think, that any Church will have such perfect Unity in this life, but that it may be more perfected; In the best constituted Churches there are several imperfections, there is much weakness, many carnal affections, which are apt to discompose the beautiful frame of the Church.
Fourthly, It doth imply, That they are perfected in those means, which are appointed by God for this Unity. For seeing the means are wholly for the end, the end can never be better enjoined then formerly, if the means be not better improved; so that if the Church of God be perfected more in one, it must more faithfully improve the means of unity, and they are especially two,
1. The preaching of the Word of God ; For as by that at first the Church is called out of the world, so by that also it's kept up in it's purity, and unity. The Word of God preached is the only means appointed to remove ignorance and mortify corruptions, which are the rares that hinder the good seed: As the envious man soweth these, so the Spirit of Christ by the Word worketh the clean contrary. Hence Ephes. 4. the Ministry is appointed as a means to bring us to this perfect stature: far be it therefore from them to make divisions and rents in the Church of God, whose great office and employment is to proclaim peace: The good shepherd will not suffer his sheep so to fight with one another, as thereby to be destroyed.
2. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, that is a special means to preserve Unity, yea and to perfect it. The Apostle 1 Cor. 10. speaketh fully to this, For we being many are one bread, and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread: So Eph. 4. one Baptism is brought as an engagement to unity: Therefore the more graciously and perfectly these Ordinances are received, the more is this unity confirmed and established; and therefore those primitive Christians, who had one soul, and one heart, were constant also in their breaking of bread, whereby their mutual love was strongly preserved.
Bellarmine not unfitly speaks of a six-fold Unity in the Church:
The first is, Ration principii, of God who calleth, though (as he saith) this makes the Church not so much una as sub uno, one as under one.
2. Ration ultimi finis, the salvation to which it's called, and this makes the Church not so much one, as ad unum.
3. Ration Mediorum, in respect of the means of Faith and Sacraments; and thus the Church is rather by one then one.
4. In respect of the holy Ghost, as a separated Governor.
5. In respect of Christ, as an internal and conjoined Head.
6. In respect of the connection of the Members amongst themselves, and in these two last respects it's properly one.
Lastly, This Unity will be wholly perfected in Heaven ; Then will all partition walls be destroyed; Then shall it no more be said, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollo, but God will be all in all. Therefore as this life is a place, like Hadadrimmon, a valley of tears, bewailing corruptions and sins amongst us; so also the divisions and breaches that are upon us: But in Heaven, all opinions, all different ways will cease: So that although this unity for the main of it, be attained in this life, yet in the life to come, there it will be totally completed; Thus it is here perfect, because the endeavors and breathings of the godly should be after that heavenly unity, to have it with the Church here in grace, as it shall be with the Church hereafter in glory: And certainly, if this were not accomplished in Heaven, then there would not be all tears wiped away, nor would the reproach of Jerusalem cease.
Thus you have heard what it is, that makes this unity of believers consummate and perfect.
Now let us consider, What is the cause of this, and that we shall find to be no human strength, or outward wisdom and policy, but the lively communication of grace enabling thereunto by Christ himself. Though the Papist pleads, That the acknowledgement of one visible Head in the Church, is the only means to preserve unity, yet experience showeth the falseness of it. The divisions and breaches of the godly, like those of Reuben, have made sad workings of heart, and many have come running in, with their water to quench this fire: Several Antidotes have been prescribed against this corruption, but yet when all is done, It's the only power of Jesus Christ, as Head of his Church, that works this sweet Harmony. It's true indeed, many rules and pacificall means are commended by wise and godly men to make an unity, but these work only morally and swasorily; that which doth (as it were) physically and really work it, is the Lord Christ himself, as the fountain of this unity: And the reason is, because this unity among believers, is not only external, but internal and spiritual; Now no man can work this unity in the hearts of the godly, anymore then he can work purity, and holiness: Therefore we see in the Text, That because Christ is in us, and the Father in Christ, therefore are the godly perfected in one; so that it requireth a Divine, Supernatural power to make the godly at heavenly accord; even as it doth to make them godly. Hence it is that in this prayer Christ commendeth it to God to work it, as being beyond all human power to effect it: Now Christ's being in a believer, is a cause of these things in reference to their unity.
First, He is thereby a cause of the Unity itself: For we told you, This unity, though external, yet is chiefly spiritual and internal, viz. The harmonious knitting and joining of all the Members of Christ together, in him their Head: Now this being wholly spiritual, none can effect it, but God alone; for naturally we are dis-joined from God, and full of contrariety to him: Therefore to be made a member of Christ, and implanted into him, cannot be by any other, but the Spirit of God: As those dry bones in Ezekiel could not of themselves gather together, nor can a Cyen graft itself into a stock; Thus it is here, till the Spirit of God join us to Christ, we are enemies and adversaries unto him. That power therefore which gives grace, that only unites, As in the natural body, the same cause which makes a member▪ makes it also a united member: Insomuch that in all the fractions and divisions we see amongst the godly, we ought to have our eyes up more to God, to consider that power which makes them holy, must unite them; and indeed to make them gracious and holy is the greater work, yea unity would flow by a necessary resultancy from our membership in Christ, but that still our corruptions are too strong and apt to disturb all.
Secondly, Christ's being in us, is not only the cause of our Unity, but also of the harmonious suitable proportion to each other. We have an admirable description of this harmonious suitableness in the unity of Christ's body, Colos. 2.19. Ephes. 4.15, 16. For the first, It's a Text full of rich and glorious matter, and to understand it, consider, What it is that the Apostle makes the cause why those false Teachers did advance the worship of Angels, introduce human traditions, and all to set up other means and ways of Justification, then the Scripture hath appointed, It is (saith he) because they hold not the Head: So that every Christian in the matter of all spiritual concernments, is still to look up to Christ, as the Head, and not to let him go; and this he amplifieth from a twofold precious effect of this Head; The first respects the union of believers to Christ, and so the body is said by joints to receive nourishment, that as the body hath it's nourishment suppeditated by those natural helps, so hath every Christian from Christ: Now the joint that suppeditates these spiritual helps, is chiefly the Spirit of God: So Romans 8.9. If any man have net the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his: So that as that is not a member truly united to the Head, which is not informed with the same form, the Head is; so neither is that Christian really united to Christ, which wants the Spirit of Christ: Now the Spirit of Christ is here said, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , To administer nourishment. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth properly signify to supply all those ornaments, which were necessary to such as kept their sacred dancings and festivities, but here it signifieth the supply of those things that are necessary for our spiritual end, and the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 added, amplifieth it, denoting the full, plentiful and abundant supply it giveth. So that you see, it's Christ's Spirit, not ours, which doth thus enable us.
The second benefit flowing from Christ our Head, is of the Members themselves. They by bands are knit together; Now the band here is chiefly also the Spirit of God, though gifts and graces do ordinarily unite: So the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12.13. For we all by one Spirit are baptized into one body: So that the Spirit of God, which is in Christ, doth also work in all believers, inflaming and exciting to such graces, whereby they have intimate communion one with another. Now from these two benefits conjoined, we have the admirable fruit thereof, that the body groweth with the increase of God. The spiritual growth of Christians, as in the body, is called, The increase of God ; partly, because God only is the efficient, and cause of it; partly formally, because the nature of this increase is divine and heavenly; partly finally, because it is to the glory and honor of God. So that by all this we see, Every true member of Christ is a thriving and growing member, and that harmoniously according to it's respective nature, and all this comes wholly by the Spirit of Christ; so that an unity in the harmonious increase of it, depends solely upon him. By this Explication, the other fore-mentioned Text may also be discovered.
Lastly, Christ's being in us, is the cause of the perpetuity and constancy of that Unity the godly have. This Union in Christ's body can never be dissolved. As the Personal Union of Christ could never be divided, so neither the mystical. Therefore our sound Divines do well from Christ's in-dwelling in us, propugne and assert the perseverance of the Saints.
Use of Instruction, Whence it is, that even amongst the godly there are so many differences, heart-burnings, &c. It's because Christ is not in them after such a powerful and efficacious manner, as he might be. The dark night and misty fogs can no more endure before the glorious beams of the Sun, then corrupt passions and contentions can stand before this Sun of Righteousness, when risen to it's vertical point. Under the torrid Zone there cannot be any cold frosts, so neither under the efficacious presence of Christ can there be such sinful breaches.
SERMON CXXX. Showeth, That everyone that Believeth knoweth the thing that he believeth: Against the Popish Implicite Faith; And what Knowledge the Knowledge of Faith is.
JOH. 17.23.
THE words now to be insisted upon • re, the effect or event of this spiritual Unity believers have with Christ and one another, which is, That the world may know the Father had sent Christ ; This was treated of before, only whereas before it was that the world may believe here it is, That the world may know, and besides a new thing is here added to their knowledge, that the Father had sent Christ, viz. his love also of all Believers, even as he loved Christ.
What is meant by world hath been shown already; I shall only fasten on this Consideration, that what our Savior called believing ver. 21. here is called knowing, and therefore having handled faith in its specifical nature as it rests on Christ, which alone justifieth, and also the general nature of it as it gives firm assent to all divine Truths:
I shall now to complete the full Truth of the nature thereof handle it in another essential constituting ingredient of it, and that is knowledge, and the matter is necessary both in respect of doctrinal errors about it, as also for practical usefulness, For the Pontificians they deny both that fiducial recumbency and application to faith, as also knowledge, leaving it only to be a divine assent, but as we have asserted the former, So now our task shall be to affirm the latter, viz. That Faith is knowledge as well as assent ; It's a fiducial assent with knowledge▪ These three particulars are either ingredient or requisite to the act of believing, whether indeed knowledge be a pre-requisite or ingredient is disputed, but that all divine Faith hath knowledge is confessed by the Orthodox against the Papists; so that I shall observe,
That Faith is knowledge, or he that believeth knoweth the thing that he believeth. Hence it is usual in Scripture to describe faith sometimes by trusting, and sometimes by knowing, synecdochically intending thereby the whole nature of faith; That faith is knowledge, besides many other places, is abundantly cleared, v. 2. and v. 18▪ in this Chapter. I shall therefore proceed to explicate to this. And
First, When we say, That Faith is knowledge, i • is not to be understood thus, as if it were such a kind of knowledge, as we have by sense, for the Scripture doth oppose living by faith to living by sense, and our Savior faith, John 20. Blessed is he that believeth and seeth not, Ubi vides, non est fides ; Indeed when Thomas did feel the wounds of Christ, here he did believe and see, but the object of his sense was a body, the • ct of his faith was spiritual, that Christ was the Son of the living God; What then we know by sense, we are not properly said to believe, although things of sense may tend to confirm our faith, as miracles and Sacraments, which Christ hath appointed for that end.
Secondly, The knowledge of faith is not by a perfect comprehension, and intuitive vision of the thing we believe. It's not like the knowledge of God and Christ, we shall have in Heaven, and therefore faith shall cease in Heaven, as it denoteh any inevidence, or imperfection in the subject: This knowledge of faith we have here as in a glass, and in a riddle, but then it shall be face to face, and this should abundantly satisfy us in the many things we know by faith; for although our knowledge be very imperfect, and is like the weak eye to the dazzling beams of the Sun, yet hereafter this veil, this cloud will be removed, and we shall then perfectly and fully understand all those things, that now we have but imperfect apprehensions of about the Doctrine of Christ, of the Trinity, of the Resurrection, of the providences of God towards his Church, how little do we understand of them? yet the time is coming, when we shall know these things, even as we are known. The Apostle compareth this knowledge we have, to a childes knowledge in respect of a man's, 1 Cor. 13. Alas, when we speak of God, and heavenly things, we do but stammer like so many little children ; when we come to Heaven, how vast and comprehensive will our thoughts be, to what we have now!
Thirdly, The knowledge of faith is not like those imperfect acts of the soul, which are called suspicion, and opinion, or doubting. Doubting is when the mind remaineth in an equal and indifferent propension, assenting to neither part of the proposition. Suspicion is, when the soul inclineth to one part of the proposition, but upon a very light and unsatisfying argument: And Opinion is, when we assent to something with some fear, that the opposite may be true, and therefore the Arguments do only probably move us: Now the knowledge of faith doth exclude these imperfections, doubting is in Scripture expressly opposed to believing, and so when a man is divided, as a traveler at two ways, not knowing which to go, or when he doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , hang in suspense. These things are inconsistent with faith; and truly this is greatly to be considered, for in these days wherein we see men so skeptical, so wavering, so uncertain, we may conclude there is little faith; That men are opiniotive and fancy-full in Religion, rather then believing, for where the knowledge of faith is, there it doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 convince, and so persuade the heart, that it knoweth not how to contradict, or oppose any longer: Oh then, pray for faith in these unstable and wavering time! It's a mercy to be a pillar in God's house, and not like a reed to be shaken with every wind of doctrine.
Fourthly, The knowledge of faith is not from the evidence of any internal principles of the thing, such as we have by demonstration and reason in philosophical matters. And indeed this is one main reason why the fathers insisted in believing as opposite to knowing, Noveris te ess • fidelem, non rationalem. It was Julians great objection against the Christians, that they urged 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , only believe; they did not bring reasons to demonstrate; So that if Papists, when they deny faith to be knowledge, did mean no more then this, that it is not a scientifical knowledge, that it's not a knowledge from the inward reason of things, we would grant it, and think it to be only a strife about words, for this is plain, as Austin well, Non ratio dicti, sed dicendi autoritas suadet ; It's not reason from the thing, but the authority of the speaker, that is the cause of faith. Now for want of right understanding herein; the Socinians they go too far on the other hand; The Papist thinks faith defined better by ignorance then knowledge; the Socinian will have such knowledge as shall be fetched from the inward reason of things, and this is the cause why the Trinity and Incarnation of Christ are denied, because reason is made the Judge of these things, but the knowledge of faith is not like that of the Philosophers, who searched into the causes and inward principles of things, for then the Scriptures would not be commended to us, but the Plato's and Aristotle's of the world.
Therefore fifthly, The knowledge faith brings, is a knowledge respecting the testimony and revelation of a thing, and the authority of him, who doth reveal it, that he is the supreme verity, and therefore cannot lie. We see in an human faith, a man cannot believe that which he doth not know witnessed, a thing that he never heard spoken of; and this is that which we justly blame the Church of Rome for, That it teacheth an implicit faith, viz. That we believe what the Church believeth ; but now, what is it that the Church believeth, they know not, and it may be never heard of it? Therefore that is the way to lead men blindfold to hell; for this implicit faith is indeed nothing but a simple gross ignorance ; but faith divine knoweth the testimony, or that word which revealeth such truth, not that they only can believe, who can read, for Faith cometh by hearing, as well as reading, so that they may know the truth confirmed in the Scripture, though they cannot read it: Faith therefore is not blind, nor is the obedience of it in this sense blind, as if it did not know what it did believe, with such blind Sacrifices God is not well-pleased; and the woman of Samaria is reproved, because she worshipped she knew not what, Joh. 4. and it's no less guilt when we believe we know not what,
2. There is not only a knowledge of the testimony, but some, though imperfect knowledge of the very things themselves. Thus Paul, I know whom I have believed, 2 Tim. 1.22. and so in many places the people of God are said to know God, to know Christ ; There is an apprehensive knowledge, though not a comprehensive; Therefore though God doth not give perfect knowledge in this life, yet he could, if he please, turn faith into vision; He that made the corporal blind to see, can also take away mental blindness, but he is pleased to let us have but imperfect knowledge, and that partly because we ought to be humbled in ourselves, for we see the pride and sinful corruption of man, when it gets any knowledge in the Scripture, how ready to be lifted up, to despise others, to think we are wiser then Solomon, which makes the Apostle say, Knowledge puffeth up, 1 Cor. 8.1. not that it doth so of itself, for of itself it would rather humble and debase, but such is our corruption and vanity, that without the special grace of God, as we grow in knowledge, so also we grow in pride. Again, God keepeth us in imperfect knowledge here, that so we might be in constant prayer and dependence on him, to beg for knowledge, and an understanding heart, as also that we might study and meditate, to be always growing in knowledge, as the Apostle exhorts; Hence it is that there are so many difficult places in Scripture, which will exercise the thoughts of the most learned, and those things the ablest men do know, yet they may grow in a more firm, distinct and powerful knowledge. This Sun may arise upon them by degrees, till at last it comes to its vertical point.
Now that our faith must either be knowing, or have knowledge accompanying of it is plain.
[ 1] 1. Because the word of God is given as a Rule, and therefore compared to a light and a lantern, because it doth direct and order our conversations; If then faith had not knowledge, to what use should the Word enlighten? To what purpose also are those frequent exhortations to all private persons, as well as Officers, to attend to the reading of it, to prove all things, to try all things? Can the Scripture be made use of? Can these duties be put in practice, and yet there be no knowledge?
2. As the Word is light objective, so the believer himself is light subjective. Hence they are called light in the Lord, light in the very abstract, Eph. 5.8. and the Scripture speaks often, of their illumination, having their understandings and hearts opened; insomuch, that the soul is a mere chaos and confusion till God create this light in it; faith then is accompanied with internal light, as well as it requireth external.
3. The obedience of a Christian is to be rational ; it's called the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the reasonable service, Rom. 12.1. and all the Pharisees worship is rejected, because it had no word to be grounded upon; we are to answer God, when he shall say, Who hath required you to believe thus, to worship thus? And how can this be without knowledge? Though in Popery a blind obedience is commended, yet Christ requireth a seeing and knowing obedience.
4. The just is to be saved by his faith ; Now if faith hath no knowledge, this properly is another man's faith; if faith hath no knowledge, but believeth, because the Church believeth so, or a Council believeth so, then it's not so much his own faith, as the Churches faith that must save him.
Lastly, If faith hath not knowledge, then it's impossible to discharge all those effects of faith, that the Scripture speaks of, as to cleave and adhere to the truth, to refuse falsehood, and all cunning deceivableness of error. Now how can this be, if faith hath no eyes of knowledge to discern? Trees and men are all one to a blind man. Any Camel will quickly be swallowed up, if there be not a knowing faith.
2. How can we suffer martyrdom, and lose all the dearest comforts we have, if we have not knowledge? Can a man be banished, undone, suffer death, and all for that which he doth not know whether it be true or not?
3. He cannot be thankful unto God under the truth he enjoyeth, neither can he make that practical improvement of them, as he ought to do: As Christ told the Samaritan woman, If thou didst know who it is that asketh thee. &c. Joh. 4. so if thou didst know what Christ is, what the Covenant of grace is, thou wouldst make an heavenly use of it, whereas now thou knowest no more what to do with it, then a swine with a pearl.
Use of Exhortation, to get out of all gross and profane ignorance; There cannot be any faith, all the while this darkness is upon thy mind, and if there be no Faith, there is no Justification, no Salvation, Christ is become of no effect unto thee, and yet how boldly will many ignorant people talk of their good faith, they are not led aside with the giddy errors of many, they cleave to the old faith, but doest thou know what thy old faith is, if it were Turcism and Popery it would be all one to thee.
SERMON CXXXI. Of the unspeakable Love of God to Believers; Showing wherein God's Love to Christ, and to Believers is alike, and wherein it differs.
JOHN 17.23.
A Two-fold Effect or Event is propounded by our Savior, of the unity which believers have, first, in Christ, and then amongst themselves ;
The first is, That the world may know, thou hast sent me ; of which we have briefly treated already, because our Savior had mentioned it, v. 21. and indeed our Savior doth in these verses with so much plainness ingeminate the matter of his Petition, that Luther on the place saith, These words do pueriliter sonare, judicio rationis, and that he was wont to say often, That he never read a book containing such excellent and sublime matter in such simple and plain words.
The second Effect or Event is, That the world may know, that thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
So that in this latter particular, there is one truth supposed, and another proposed: That which is supposed is, that it's of great consequence for the world to know that God loveth believers, it would stop much of their malice and violence, if they did truly know, that such whom they oppose and persecute, are the believed ones of God: But of that afterwards. That which is expressly affirmed is, that the Father loveth believers, as he loveth Christ himself. A wonderful and amazing expression it is, that believers and Christ should be thus coupled together, that when there is such an infinite disparity, that yet they should both agree in the same love: So that in the words you have, the mercy and privilege God vouchsafeth to believers, he loveth them. Now when we say, God loveth, it's to say all things, for that is the fountain and treasury of all good things; his love is like himself, infinite, omnipotent and efficacious.
2. You have the example or manner of this love, and that is said to be, as he loveth Christ The Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Austin and Calvin do explain not of similitude, but of causality, and so resolve it into this sense. The Father loveth believers, because he loveth Christ, and indeed this is a grand truth, that in Christ only we are accepted of, and beloved. It's not because of ourselves, but of Christ, that we are approved of, yet there is no necessity of leaving the grammatical interpretation, for the Father doth love us, as he loveth Christ not in respect of equality, but similitude, as they are said to be one, as the Father and Son are one. These words then do contain the very honey and honey-comb of Christianity, in that they are loved of the Father, as Christ is, they need nothing more, for God's love will put him upon all those effects that a believer stands in need of.
Observ. That God the Father loveth believers, even as he loveth Christ himself. A great truth, and as you would think, a bold and presumptuous affirmation.
Therefore to clear it, Let us consider, wherein the love of God to Christ and believers is not alike, and wherein they are like one to another. And
[ 1] First, The love of the Father to Christ, is as to his only natural begotten Son, but to believers, as to his adopted children. And therefore between these there must be a vast difference; The love of the Father to the Son is like that of the Father to himself, because he is of the same essence with him, so that he loveth the glory and honor of his Son, as his own glory, but now that love which he beareth to his adopted children, is of an inferior nature, they are creatures only, and their holiness is but imperfect, and by way of quality, or accident in them, but the Son is essentially holy; so that in this respect there is no comparison to be made between the Son and us; That love differeth toto genere in this sense, from the love bestowed on us, even as his filliation is not of the same univocal nature with ours.
[ 2] Secondly, Therefore the love which the Father showeth to his Son, is necessary and natural ; he could not but love him, no more then he could not, but beget him, whereas to believers it's voluntary, and wholly of free dispensation. It's disputed in the Schools, Whether the Father did beget the Son necessarily, or freely, and so by consequence, Whether his love be necessary or free; but the soundest Writers say, That a necessity of unitability and freedom do not oppose one another, a necessity from natural imperfection contradicts liberty as a perfection, but not that which ariseth from the chiefest and highest perfection, and so it is in God; It's from his infinite perfection, that he cannot but love himself, and his Son, but now in respect of his adopted sons, all is of mere grace, which he doth to them, John 1. It's he that gives an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a right and privilege to them, to become the sons of God, God could have taken infinite delight in his own Son, that was object satisfying enough, there needed no other then him to take his delight in, yet he was pleased contrary to the customs of men, though he had a natural Son of his own, to assume adopted ones likewise.
[ 3] Thirdly, The Father loveth the Son originally for his own sake, but he loveth believers for Christ's sake. And this indeed doth mainly put the difference between the Fathers love to us and Christ, here Christ is loved for his own sake, he needed no Mediator, or another Christ to procure his acceptance, for so there would have been imperfection in Christ, but in us, all our hope, all our well-pleasing is through him; So that as every Star shineth by the light of the Sun, thus doth every believer appear comely in the robes of Christ's righteousness only. Thus the Apostle Phil. 3. declareth fully, When he would not be found in his own righteousness, but that which is through faith in Christ: So that as it was the Temple, which made everything holy, thus it is the Lord Christ, which makes every creature accepted of.
[ 4] Lastly, Christ is not capable of some effects of such love, which the Father doth vouchsafe believers. To us he gives Pardon of sin, Justification by faith, in us he works repentance, faith, and subdueth the relics of corruption in us, but such was the perfection of Christ, that he could not have such kind of love demonstrated to him.
Having thus seen the disparity, and that still Christ hath the preeminency in God's love, Let us consider wherein Christ and we agree in God's love. And
First, God's love is terminated not on Christ simply, but as the head of believers. So that Christ and his Church are considered as one mystical person, and this is chiefly aimed at in all those places, where Christ speaks of his being in believers, and that they are his body, all is to draw up our hearts into an high admiration of God's love herein, for God doth now look upon Christ and believers as one, if he loveth Christ, he must needs love them; if he hate them, or cast them off, he must hate, and cast off Christ: Insomuch that if a Christian desires to get up into a Mount of Transfiguration, let him ascend up hither; for what will fill the heart with heaven, if this do not, I and Christ are loved, as one? Though the Father loveth Christ in some respects transcendently to us, yet in other respects, he makes his love common to us both. Certainly faith in this great and precious truth, would be a constant cordial; Thou fearest thy sins and imperfections may cast thee out of God's love, but are they able to cast Christ out of his Fathers love, if they cannot do the one, neither can they the other? Christ and a believer is made one, when one is loved, the other must necessarily be loved, and if one be hated, the other also must be hated.
Secondly, The Fathers love to Christ and us is alike in the properties of it. Love to Christ is not differing in it's properties from that he loveth us with. As
1. It's eternal love, As the Father loved Christ before the world was, so he did also all believers in Christ before the foundation of the world was laid. This our Savior speaketh of, verse. 24. Thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world, and that he showeth the like love to all believers, is often declared, Eph. 1.4. We are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. The love then which the Father beareth to believers is an eternal love: It's not shorter in time then that to Christ, for in eternity there is no prius nor posterius ; As then the Father loved Christ always, even from all eternity, so he doth likewise every believer; before thou hadst a being, before either thyself, or any friend in the world could take any care of thee, God did pitch his love upon thee: Oh then, let not the people of God, think God is like man, that he began today or yesterday to love thee! No, it was from all eternity, and that love brought forth in time, all the other effects of love, that called thee, that justified thee, and that will glorify thee ; Therefore the Apostle when he speaks of these blessed effects in time, he resolveth all into this love from eternity, as the Springhead of all.
Secondly, The Fathers love to Christ and believers are alike in the property of unchangeableness and immutability. God will no more alter his love, or cease to love his children, then he will Christ himself; This is plain, because all the promises to the godly are Yea and Amen in Christ, 2 Cor. 1.20. he is their Mediator, in him they are made one with the Father: So that by the same cause of perpetuity in his Headship, by the same will they certainly persevere to us. Thus it is said, Rom. 8. Who shall separate us from the love of God? He challengeth anything to break this love, if they can. Grant then, that the Father may love Christ in some peculiar respects, which thou art not capable of, yet in this thou and Christ are alike, God will never change the love of his Son into hatred, he will never become of a Father an enemy to him, so neither will he to any true believer. As long as his love shall continue unchangeable to his Son, so long it will to thee; and thus God's love to thee is on a firmer bottom, then that of Mount Zion, or the Ordinance God hath made with heaven and earth, or the day and night, for all these shall wax old, but the love of God like himself shall abide forever.
Thirdly, The Fathers love hath the property of freeness, both to us and Christ. Indeed if we consider Christ as God, so the Father loved him necessarily, but as he was man, and a Mediator, so the Fathers love to him was free, for it was of the mere goodness of God to appoint him to be a Mediator; The human Nature was not assumed for any foreseen merits in it, but all was from the mere good pleasure of God, and this holds much more true in all the gracious effects that we partake of, therefore the great scope of the Scripture is to declare this, that all the privileges and mercies we partake of, come not from any worth, or desert in ourselves, but wholly from the grace and mere love of God; Insomuch that all those opinions which make the rise of any good we enjoy, to be first our love to God, and not God's love to us, are to be accursed; as if the earth did first water the heavens, and then the heavens the earth.
In the third place, The Fathers love to Christ and believers, is alike in regard of the real and true effects of it. As to Christ it was not a love in word, or show, but power and mighty operations, so it is also to every believer: Though there be a difference, yet the love is as real to one, as the other; Even as when the first commandment of loving God, is said to be the greatest, yet at the same time the second is said to be like it, in respect of obligation, though not of dignity, Thus it is as firmly, and as really love to believers as to Christ, though not so principally; and although some effects of love, we partake of, which Christ is not capable of, yet there are others that we do communicate in. As
1 One great effect of the Fathers love to Christ, while in the days of his suffering flesh, was the protection, defense and encouragement that he had from the Father ; for Christ in the whole course of his Ministry, by faith depended on his Father; insomuch that though the malice of his enemies was importunate to destroy him, yet they could never accomplish their design, till the Fathers time was come, and then, though he prayed to the Father to be saved from that hour, yet it was only conditional, and therefore he submitted himself absolutely to God's will. Now the same fatherly care Christ had experience of in his whole course, the same may believers expect; Therefore Joh. 14. he tells them, I go to my Father, and your Father, he is the same Father to both: Oh then, why should a believer under any extremities or agonies be cast down, the same fatherly love thou mayest look for, as Christ himself met with.
A second real effect of the Fathers love, is Glorification of Christ ; The glory that Christ was to have after his sufferings, is often mentioned in the Scripture. In this Chapter we see our Savior earnestly praying for it, and after his Resurrection, we read how highly he was exalted, and what glory he was lifted up into; now the Father loveth all believers with the same efficacy, as they suffer with Christ, so they shall reign with him, here they are said not only to be sons, but heirs and co-heirs with Christ, they shall sit on thrones of glory with Christ. Thus God's love runs in the same effects to Christ and us.
SERMON CXXXII. Showeth of what high concernment it is to the men of the world to know how greatly Believers (whom they hate and persecute) are beloved of God.
JOH. 17.23.
THe glorious privilege of a believer hath been considered from this privilege, viz. that they and Christ are embraced with the same love, and are made co-heirs with Christ. Now before we conclude this, an Objection doth present itself to this purpose.
It may seem, that the Father loveth us more then Christ, for he giveth him to be a ransom and price for us, Christ is made a curse, dieth an ignominious and a painful death, not for himself, but for us, by which it may appear, that the Fathers love is more to us then to him, for he delivers him to death, that we might live, he is made a man of sorrows and full of grief, to provide consolation for us, so that Christ seemeth to be but the means, and we the end, and the end hath more amability and appetibility in it then the means. But to this, these things may be returned by way of answer,
First, That Christ when he died for us, and procured our salvation, he did it as an efficient cause, by his own inward worth and power. So that our spiritual mercies are not so much to be considered, the end of Christ's death, as the effects of it: So that we may truly say, what the people did to David, in an higher manner to Christ, Thou art worth ten thousand of us, yea then all believers: So that Christ died not for us, in such a way, as when a Martyr dieth for the truth, or a private person for the Common-wealth, for these die to prefer a greater good above the less; The truth of God is more worth, then any man's life; The public good is more precious, then the temporal advantage of any one man; and in these instances, the lesser good is lost for the greater; but when Christ was thus afflicted by the Father for us, this was, that a greater good might obtain a lesser; for in Christ's blood, there was plenty and all fullness to redeem his people; so that we are not to look on Christ dying, as a mere passive means ordained for us, but as an active means, by the causality and virtue whereof our eternal good is accomplished.
[ 2] Secondly, The Father doth not love us more then Christ, though for a while he was made miserable for us, for Christ's willing offering up of himself to this Sacrifice, did infinitely draw out the love of God to him ; So that the Father loved him the more, because he would out himself from the exercise and actual enjoyment of his Fathers love for a season, that he was contented for a time to be in those agonies and conflicts, grappling with the sense of his Fathers displeasure, for this very reason, his Father did infinitely love him, so Christ himself witnesseth, Job. 10.17. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life for my sheep ; and herein was the Fathers love and acceptance seen, that upon his sufferings the Father exalted him to such transcendent glory, exalting him above every name that is named : So that although many Divines say, Christ merited nothing for himself, yet others say with great confidence, That the Covenant which was made with Christ as our Mediator, did promise him all that mediatorial honor and glory which he enjoyed, upon the discharge of his Suretyship, and this they make to be the principal and great thing intended by God, viz. the exaltation of Christ, and giving of him such transcendent glory, only they confess this glory of Christ doth redound for our good; but that which was principally aimed at in the Fathers agreement with Christ, was the glorious rewarding of him.
[ 3] Thirdly, Though Christ was given for us, yet this doth not follow that we were loved more then Christ, Because the Father laid no more upon him, then he was willing and able to bear. So that Christ conquered all his enemies, neither sin nor death were able to over-master him, and therefore he was for a season under these sufferings, that we might be made happy to all eternity; If indeed the Father had left him in a perpetual desertion, and suffered his body to see corruption forever, to procure our peace, then it would have followed that he preferred us before his Son, but that could not be. What was ordered to befall him, was no more then he could bear, and quickly remove, and therefore Christ lost nothing by becoming our Savior, and yet we also are made happy thereby.
[ 4] Fourthly, Therefore Christ was loved more then us, though he died for us, Because the ultimate end of his death was, that we being redeemed by his death, might acknowledge him our Lord, and forever live to his praise and glory. So that the salvation of believers is but a proxim and immediate end of Christ's death, that which is ultimate, that which was principally intended, was that we being thus ransomed, might to all eternity set forth the praises and glory of him, who thus loved us to death.
Use of Exhortation, To behold and admire the unspeakable love of the Father to all believers ; That he joineth Christ and them in the same love, the same heaven, the same glory (for kind) that Christ hath, all believers likewise shall partake of. Even as for wicked men, the same hell, the same damnation and torments which are prepared for the devil and his Angels, are also appointed for the ungodly: If D • vid said, Seemeth it a light matter to be made a son-in-law to the King, then yet Saul's purpose was not to make him like Jonathan, and co-heir with him of that temporal Kingdom, How much more should this affect us, which the Father doth for us! Oh say, and often say, Blessed Father, is this a little matter for such a poor, weak sinner, to be taken into the same chariot of glory with Christ, to have love like his, glory to his, as Abigail said to David, when he sent for her to make her his wife, she acknowledged her unworthiness, Make me one of thy hand-maids (said she) So, O Lord, if I have a drop of water, a morsel of bread, this is enough for me, but to be taken into fellowship with Christ, and co-heir with him; This is overflowing, superabounding grace, only remember, that here is not only privilege, but duty also; Here lieth a powerful obligation upon us, to love him with our highest and chiefest love; let his glory, his love be next to thy heart: Oh be ashamed that thy love can burn no hotter towards him!
In the next place, we are to consider the scope and end of our Savior in mentioning this preheminent privilege, and it is, That the world may know this love. It's not enough for believers to be thus highly loved by the Father, but the world is to know and to be persuaded of it. From whence observe,
That it's of great consequence to the world to know how greatly believers are loved of God. It would quicken them to many duties, and restrain them from many sins, if this were once fully settled in their hearts, that those whom they oppose and deride, are the beloved ones of God: It's true, it's of great consequence even to the godly themselves, to be fully informed in this, they go bowed down, and very much languish, because they are not so persuaded of this. Hence 1 John 3 1. The Apostle calls upon the godly to attend to it, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. So that under all the hatred and opposition of the world, it's necessary that this love of God should bear up thy soul, though none loveth thee, yet the Father doth. Thus (I say) it's necessary even for believers themselves to know how greatly they are beloved, but here our Savior speaks of the worlds knowledge, and the necessity of their being informed therein.
Now the usefulness of the worlds conviction herein, will appear in these respects:
[ 1] 1. Hereby they may be provoked to come out of their wicked condition, and be made one of that number which God so loveth. For will not this work naturally and genuinely upon them, when they shall think, Loe these that pray, that walk strictly and contrary to the principles of the world, are those whom God loveth in a special manner, they are his favorites, his delight is upon them, but as for me, and the company I keep, God is angry with us all the day long, we are the men cursed by him, for us he hath appointed hell, and eternal torments. When any natural man shall upon these convictions argue and reason with himself, How can he abide any longer in that sinful way? Oh then that God would persuade thee more of this, that those whom thou malignest, against whom thy heart riseth, are such on whom God's gracious love is fixed, and that it is thou thyself, and such as thou art, that the anger of God abideth on continually, this would quickly make thee another man! Therefore there is not a more deadly principle thou canst swallow down, then to be prejudiced in thy spirit against such who truly fear God.
[ 2] 2. A persuasion that such only are loved by God, as it would make thee to be of their number, so also it would draw out thy dearest and sincerest love to them. Thou wouldst presently begin to think, Why should not I love those most, whom God loveth? Certainly, they are the choicest and best objects upon whom God is pleased to cast his gracious eye, then as David said, My delight is to be with the Saints upon the earth, Psal. 16.3. Thus also it would be here, when once persuaded, that such are the endeared ones of God, then thy affections, thy heart will be to such also.
[ 3] 3. By this persuasion upon the heart of the world, that they only are loved of God, hereby the world will cease to hate, and persecute them, to give them such ill entertainment as they do. When our Savior possesseth his Disciples with that universal hatred they shall have in the world, and that the world cannot do otherwise; whence is all this? but because they do not know Christ, nor believers neither: But as they took him for an Impostor, and one not worthy to live, so they do judge his members to be a company of heretics, not worthy to be suffered in the world, and all this malice ariseth from their blind hearts, for did they know, who they were as they oppose, they dared not to proceed; Even as the Scripture saith, If they had known Christ, they would not have crucified the prince of glory, 1 Cor. 2.6. So that all thy hard words, and thy hard actions, they arise from this, thou dost not know what the godly are, how accepted with God, and how precious to him; for this consideration would immediately make thee draw in thy arm, thou wouldst see it was a foolish thing to set against such whom God loveth, that it is but kicking against the pricks: It's attempting an impossible thing, if thou couldst get God not to love them, then indeed it were something, but as long as God thus loveth them, all thy endeavors against them, is as vain as Balak’s was against Israel, No enchantment or divination can prevail: As it's an impossible thing, so also it's dangerous, for seeing they are to God as the apple of his eye, and he hath given such a command, even to Kings, that they do not touch his anointed ones; How can it be that God will let all the injuries and offenses done against them so dearly beloved, go free; Therefore persuade thyself more of this love of God to them, lest thou incur God's forest displeasure.
Again, It's not only dangerous, but foolish also, for the more the world sets against believers, the greater their rage is, the more is God's love drawn out to them. So that by thy hatred, they do become glorious, and are more esteemed by God, and receive a greater crown of glory.
Thus if these things be duly considered, we must needs say, it's of great consequence for the world to know, that believers are so highly loved by God. But in the next place, It's very difficult for the world to be thus persuaded. For
1. There is naturally an enmity and antipathy of the wicked against the godly, and where malice is, they will never believe any good of those whom they hate. Insomuch that though God doth with never such a signal love demonstrate himself to them, yet they will never be persuaded such are loved of God; for as they are affected, so they judge of God himself; and because they think them worthy of all hatred and evil, they conclude, God doth so also: Thus this distempered palate judgeth everything bitter it tasteth.
2. The love of the Father to believers is chiefly in spiritual things, such as Justification, Sanctification, Adoption. Now these things are no more apprehended by the world, then curious melody by a deaf ear. The Apostle speaketh to this, 1 Cor. 2.9, 10, 11, 12. admirably showing, That the Spirit of God revealeth these spiritual things to us, and that without the Spirit, we cannot know the things that are freely given us of God, which he illustrateth by a similitude from a man, As no man can know the things of a man, but a man, so neither can a man merely of himself discern the things of God. Hence the white stone, and the new Name, Rev. 2.17. are such things that no man knoweth, but he that hath them.
3. The world of itself cannot know God's love to his children, because they have not the experience of it in their own hearts: And therefore though they may read and hear of such a thing, yet they cannot conceive what it is: As a man that never tasted honey, cannot guess what the sweetness is: It's the want of this experimental knowledge that makes the world so despise the privileges of believers; Balaam had but a glimpse of this, and immediately he breaketh out into those wishes, That he might die the death of the righteous, and his latter end might be like his.
Lastly, It's hard for the world to know the Fathers love to the godly, because his outward administrations are so clouded, that by the external events, you would sometimes judge they were the only people whom God hateth: Even as it was with Christ himself, though he was solemnly from heaven pronounced to be the beloved of his Father, yet in outward consideration, he was a man of sorrows and contempt: insomuch that the Prophet saith, Isa. 53. we thought him smitten of God for his sins, and at his death they insulted over him, as being forsaken by God.
Use of Admonition to all wicked men ; Let this bridle their hearts and tongues, and pray God would open their eyes, to understand this blessedness and happiness of believers: Then Saul would be amongst these Prophets, then thou wilt desire to live and die one of them, that your soul might be in their souls stead; Then your cry will be, We fools and miserable wretches thought them the vilest and most miserable men in the world, but how greatly doth God honor them?
SERMON CXXXIII. Of the Connection between Grace and Glory, and that Glory even to the most Godly, is the free Gift of God.
JOHN 17.24.
THis verse containeth a new and distinct Object, or Matter of Christ's prayer; for whereas before he had prayed in reference to his Disciples for their Sanctification and Union, now he prayeth for the last and ultimate privilege they are capable of, which is their eternal glory.
So that in the words we may observe,
- 1. The Compellation, Father.
- 2. The Subject of his prayer, Those thou hast given me.
- 3. The Object matter of it, That they be where I am.
- 4. The Manner of petitioning this, expressed in that word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I will.
Lastly, The ultimate End of all this, That they may behold my glory which thou hast given me.
From the general Connection of this prayer with the fore-going petitionings, and that prayer-wise two things are observable,
1. That without grace here, there is no glory hereafter.
2. That even to the most gracious that are, Glory is given by God as a gift obtained in prayer. After they have done all, yet still they must pray for it.
For the former, we see that truth established from the order and method that Christ useth, having before earnestly prayed for their Sanctification and Unity in this life, he stayeth not there, neither is his love confined within the things of this world, but it extends itself to the world to come, as the chiefest of all. As happiness and glory is the ultimate end of man, concerning which every natural man mistakes, so grace is the only path that leadeth thereunto, and there is as great a mistake about grace, what it is, as wherein happiness doth consist. So that although it be very convenient to discover what grace is, and when a man may be said to be godly, yet I shall wave that as to a large discourse about it: Only to clear the Doctrine, Consider,
That by grace, we mean that new creature, or those holy, divine and supernatural principles within a man, whereby he is carried out to work all holiness in his life. For the Scripture describeth this gracious man, sometimes by that inward work, as the root and foundation of all, sometimes by the outward fruits of holiness, as being the visible demonstration of it. So that in the discovery of grace, we must always attend to these two things,
1. That our religious duties be upon a root deep enough, that they proceed from a supernatural principle within, that no external motive be the only principle to put it into action. And then
2. That we do not content ourselves with any supposed inward work of grace upon the heart, but do accordingly ; as occasion invites, manifest the powerful efficacy thereof in our lives, for thus the Prophet Ezekiel declareth God's promise for both, The writing of his Law in their inward parts, and making of them to walk in his ways, Ezek. 36.28.
[ 2] Secondly, Men are very prone generally to delude themselves in this particular, thinking to obtain glory hereafter, though they have no grace here. Hence are such exhortations, Be not deceived, 1 Cor. 6.9. No fornicator or idolater shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, &c. Who would think the Apostle needed to set such a prohibition or signal mark upon that, for we would think nobody could deceive himself in such a thing notoriously known, as that is, yet there is nothing more ordinary, for if all the gross visible sinners should be asked one by one, Do you hope to obtain eternal happiness? he would answer with great confidence and expectation of it; and yet how grossly and notoriously doth he deceive himself? Is it not as plain, as that he liveth, that such pleasures of lusts shall be rewarded with eternal torments, and yet he hopeth otherwise?
[ 3] Thirdly, Grace here, is not meritorious of glory hereafter. Rom. 4. To him that worketh the reward is of debt ; but eternal life is called the Gift of God ; Our Savior in this Chapter doth pray for one as well as the other; We may justly wonder to see how prone men are naturally to look upon grace, as meritorious of glory, that the Roman Church should so confidently maintain it, Doth not all this arise, because men are not acquainted with those relics of corruption, that cleave to the best things we do? Certainly, that which is meritorious of hell can never be of heaven, that which deserveth eternal vengeance, can never procure everlasting favor; but this proud opinion creepeth subtly into men's hearts under pretence of advancing grace, even while it debaseth it, for so the Papist would persuade us, that they give more to Christ then we, because they make him merit, that our grace may be meritorious, insomuch (that they say) we give little or nothing to Christ, but to hold, Christ merited, that we might merit, is to evacuate the merit of Christ, and to make it useless, for there needeth not anymore two meritorious causes of salvation, then two Suns in the firmament, or else if Christ merited, as the remote cause, and we as the proxime cause, then salvation is to be attributed more formally to our grace, then Christ's sufferings; So that as if the Sun should enlighten the stars, that they could make the day, this would take off from the immediate glory of the Sun, though that was remotely the cause of it; Thus though Christ be the cause of our grace, yet because our grace is in itself made the mere meritorious cause, therefore it would obscure the glory of Christ: Oh then let the gracious man take heed of any proud risings or stirrings of heart, of any proud opinions or doctrines which may secretly fermentate him herein.
[ 4] Fourthly, Neither is the connection between grace and glory causal in a physical and natural way, as the fire burneth, or as the acorn will naturally grow into a great Oak. It's ordinarily said, That grace is the seed of glory, or grace is glory begun, and glory is grace consummated; but all this is not so to be understood, as if grace by any intrinsical natural virtue did grow up to glory, as a child doth to a man; No, God might if he had pleased, when we had done the highest acts of grace, yet have annihilated us; Though we had fought the good fight of faith, yet he might not have given us a crown of glory; for this heavenly glory accompanieth grace only by virtue of a promise: Had not God promised and mercifully annexed such glorious privileges, our graces of themselves could not have procured them.
[ 5] Fifthly, Therefore is grace and glory connected partly from the promise of God, He is willing out of his free bounty to bestow heaven upon our gracious walking, so that we cannot plead our graces, but God's promise only; neither is he a debtor unto us, but unto himself; and this is the righteousness mentioned by the Scripture, when it speaks of God rewarding us, as when it's said, If we confess and forsake our sins, he is righteous to forgive them, 1 Joh. 1.9. and so it's just with God to remember our sufferings, 2 Thess. 1.6. and Paul saith, It's the righteous Judge, 2 Tim. 4.6. which will give him the crown of glory. Here justice and righteousness is not mentioned for strict, commutative righteousness, but the righteousness of God's promise and fidelity: So that God looketh upon the promise, as on the rainbow, which is a sure evidence, that he will never destroy the world more, and then grace is an antecedent to glory, because Grace is an ordinable means to glory; Without holiness no man shall see God, Heb. 12.14. Sin cannot in it's nature be appointed the way to happiness. Therefore the ancient saying is, that it is via, not causa regni ; so that by God's commanding and appointing the way, it's as indispensably necessary, as if it were a cause. And then
Lastly, It makes for the honor and glory of God, to make grace a necessary forerunner of glory ; For if every profane and ungodly person might be saved, this would redound greatly to God's dishonor, this would invert and contradict those places of Scripture, which speak of God's purity and holiness, so that his eyes cannot behold the wicked that he will in no wise acquit the ungodly, Exod. 34.7. That he is angry with the wicked all the day long, Psal. 7.11. Thus you see, that there is an inviolable chain between sanctification and happiness, and that it is gross and foul presumption, for a man to separate these two, to think he shall ever partak of one, without exercising the other, and therefore this
[Use 1] In the first place doth thunder out unspeakable woe unto all wretched and ungodly men ; What hopes, what expectations have ye of happiness? Deceive not yourselves any longer with such false surmises; look over all the Bible, and you shall see nothing but hell fire and eternal torments to such who are workers of iniquity; What do you think God will alter the course of grace, when he will not the course of nature? Will God turn the day into night, or the night into day? Will he make the Sun stand still, or the waters of the Sea part asunder to please the creature? Yea these miracles he may, and hath done, but to save a wicked man, living and dying in his wickedness, would be the greatest miracle that could be; yea we may say, such is the holiness and justice of God, that he cannot do it; What is it then that doth thus befot and bewitch wicked men? What keepeth you from gnashing the teeth, tearing the hair, and crying out, Oh this life, those sins will as surely damn me, as if I were in hell already, without repentance? And
[Use 2] 2. It speaks infinite comfort to those who have true grace, though in the least degree: For seeing that grace doth not as a natural cause produce glory, but by the Covenant and Promise of God, then the weakest grace may plead this as well as the strongest: The lowest believer may say, I have as good, and as faithful a promise, as the stronger, even a cup of cold water given to a Prophet upon right grounds, shall have an everlasting Kingdom, and therefore that cannot be for any worth or dignity in the good duty performed; What is less then a cup of water, and that cold, yet for this there is promised an everlasting Kingdom? And certainly, if Paul thought, 2 Cor. 4.17. these afflictions, though in themselves never so great, yet nothing comparable to that eternal weight of glory, much less then are those less afflictions comparable to it.
And so I proceed to the second Doctrine, Christ prayeth, That believers, though thus sanctified and perfected in one, may be made glorious. Now this plainly supposeth,
That Glory is a gift, That it doth not follow upon our highest degree of Sanctification; and therefore when the Apostle had said, The wages of sin is death, Rom. 6.23. he doth not also say the wages of grace is eternal life, but he calls it The gift of God ; So that here is a difference between hell and heaven; The wicked man's life deserveth hell, it's the proper reward of every ungodly action, yea some say, that hell is less then the sin, God doth not punish according to the desert of it, but it's otherwise with glory and happiness, for after we have done to the utmost, yet it's wholly in God's good pleasure, whether he will give a Kingdom or no. Now the Reasons, Why eternal glory must be a gift even to the most godly men, is
1. Because that all our best actions have some sinfulness cleaving to them, insomuch that if God should deal strictly according to those adhering defects, we might be damned, notwithstanding the graces we have. Therefore the Psalmist prayeth, Psal. 143.2. That God would not enter into judgment with his servant, because in his sight no flesh should be justified. Though David was God's servant, and that after his own heart, yet he could not be justified, and so not saved, unless God did graciously forgive what was imperfect: Oh then how greatly should this humble us, when we shall consider we never did anything in our lives, though in the most holy manner, but it needed a pardon, as Nehemiah, when he mentioned the many particulars he had done for God, and desired to be remembered for them, yet added also, that he might be spared, and have mercy shown unto him, Nehem. 13.22.
2. It's the gift of God, because any gracious action is so far from making a man to merit at God's hand, that he is thereby the more obliged and bound to God. So that the more holy he is, the less he can deserve, because in that he is the more indebted unto God: So that it is absurd to think, that because God hath heaped more mercies upon us, that therefore still we deserve more, but rather to acknowledge, that both grace here, and glory hereafter, is wholly from the gift of God.
3. Glory cannot be the proper and natural reward of our grace, Because of the vast disproportion and distance, which is between one and the other. Alas, what is an act of faith, or love, or patience, or all of them put together, which have been in the short time of this life unto all eternity? If thy body hath endured the pains of Martyrdom for an hour, what is that to have honor, glory and freedom from all pain with unspeakable joy and delight to all eternity?
Use. To humble the best of God's servants under the highest exercises of grace, How often doth the devil and thy own corrupt heart upon any holy duty puff thee up, and make thee secure and confident, seeking for Justification by something in thy own self? How apt to think thyself better then others, and to trust in thy own heart? Is not this to say, thou comest to heaven and happiness by thy own power? How often doth God speak to the people of Israel, that they should not say, they entered into the Land of Canaan, for their righteousness? If for a temporal mercy they were to take heed, their hearts were not lifted up, much more for heaven itself: If Jacob said, Gen. 32.10. He was less then the least of God's mercies, much more then the greatest.
SERMON CXXXIV. Of immediate Enjoyment of, and Communion with Christ in Heaven, as the Complement of man's happiness.
JOH. 17.24.
THE next thing considerable is the object matter of this Petition, which is twofold.
1. To be where Christ is. 2. To behold the glory which the Father had given him.
Let us Consider the first particular, To be with Christ where Christ is, and Austin doth well observe, that he doth not pray, They may be where he is, for though a man be wretched and miserable he is where Christ is, but not with Christ, as (saith he) a blind man may be where the light is but not with the light: It's therefore added, to be with him where Christ is, and that denoteth the gracious and happy enjoyment of him: Some understand it of Christ's gracious presence here vouchsafed to believers, but the context doth more genuinely comprehend the former; For our Suviour was now to be no longer in this world, and besides the expression of being with God and Christ in the Scripture-sense is proper to that eternal felicity and glory, which they are made partakers of, only the doubt may be if it be understood of glorious presence with Christ, why Christ speaks in the present tense, where I am : Some answer, that this is to be understood in respect of his divine nature, by which he was always glorious; Others understand it spoken in the present, because he was very immediately to be glorified every way, and then it may well be received; There are some who make this Argument, that this must be understood of a glorious presence, not a gracious, because (say they) of a gracious presence the phrase always is, God is with us, but of a glorious presence We are with God, but though this may be admitted as the most common expression, yet some few instances may be shown to the contrary; Therefore the former Reasons especially if we add the words following, That they may behold my glory, which seem to be exegetical of what went before, will evidence that we must understand the sense of that happy eternal presence with Christ in heaven.
Obs. That the greatest part of our glory and happiness, which we shall have in heaven, lieth in this, that then we shall be with Christ, and have immediate Communion with the Lord ; Though we are apt to look upon the happiness of heaven as it freeth from all pains and torments, as it delivers us from the curse and vengeance of God, yet that which is indeed the sublime and chief part of our happiness, is that we shall there have an immediate enjoyment of God and Christ; It's asserted as a Truth, that the greatest misery in hell is in the poena damni, not in the poena sensus, and Chrysostom considering that dreadful Sentence pronounced, Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, makes these words depart to be far more terrible then eternal fire ; The doctrine of heaven and hell was not so fully and evidently preached in the Old Testament as in the New, yet even then we have David thus breaking forth into an holy passion, Whom have I in heaven but thee, and whom in earth in comparison of thee? Psal. 73.25. Whom in heaven but thee, implying, that heaven would not be heaven if God were not there, and that in heaven he looketh not to Angels or Saints there but God himself; Now though the happiness of heaven be described from other particulars, yet that this is the sum of all may appear from these two places, Phil. 1.23. where you find Paul in a divine perplexity and heavenly straight whether he should desire to live or die, and although for the Churches good he is contented to live, yet absolutely and simply his desire was to depatt, and why? because this was to be with Christ, which is far better ; So then this was that which so moved Paul to be no longer in this world, viz to be with Christ ; No doubt Paul had many godly Friends, in seeing whose faces and enjoying their company he took great delight, and this he often expresseth, but all these are nothing to Christ's Company; Thus to godly hearts, though it be a great comfort to enjoy their Wives and Children, yet when raised by grace they can prefer the company of Christ above all. The second place is 1 Thess. 47. when the Apostle in a divine and ravishing manner had treated on the Resurrection, then he mentioneth this as the sum and Complement of all our felicity, that we shall be with the Lord forever ; To be with the Lord, and to be with him forever comprehends so much that the heart can never suck out all the honey of it.
But let us not with Moses stand afar off and behold the glory and sweetness of this Land, but let us enter into it, and these things are considerable.
[ I] First, That we deny not but the happiness of Heaven may be amplified from several other particulars besides our presence with Christ, such as the enjoying of Angels and Saints, for a state of happiness is the aggregation of all good thing desirable, but yet that which is the Sun among the Stars, That which is the principal and great happiness is that we shall then more perfectly know and enjoy God and Christ ; It's true indeed most Divines do yield that we shall there know our godly Friends, and shall greatly rejoice in their salvation and happiness, yet so that all these lines will meet in God as the center, that all these streams will be emptied into the Ocean, so that though Heaven hath unspeakable privileges, and everything therein is glorious, yet that which is the Heaven of this heaven, the glory of this glory is the enjoyment of Christ himself; It's God's presence that makes heaven to be heaven.
[ II] Secondly, We are to know that the Schoolmen whom Divines follow speak of a twofold happiness, beatitudo objectiva, and formalis, an objective happiness, and this is acknowledged to be only God himself; There is no other object that can make the soul happy but God only; As the stars cannot dispel darkness, and make light but the Sun only; The other is called beatitudo formalis or subjectiva, and that is the internal perfecting of all the faculties of the soul with such perfect grace that they are able to carry us to God in a most perfect manner, and the glorifying of the body with all those admirable qualities that the Scripture speaks of, so that when we say Christ in heaven is our happiness, we speak of the objective happiness not the formal, That object in the enjoyment whereof, the glorified Saint is made eternally happy, is Christ only.
[ II] Thirdly, Consider that even in this life we are with Christ, and Christ is with us ; Though (as you heard) to be with Christ is most commonly the expression of glory, yet it may sometimes denote our gracious presence here, for thus, though Christ be in Heaven, yet he is said to dwell in our hearts by Faith, Eph. 3. Therefore we must needs in this life be with him, now this is the beginning of that glory we shall have hereafter, He that believeth, hath Eternal life, Joh. 3. not only de jure, but doth actually possess some beginnings of it; The Transfiguration Peter was in, and the ecstacy Paul speaks of were forerunners of Heaven, and although the godly may not have such an extaticall ravishing sense of it, yet the Lord doth many times bestow on his people a taste of this joy whereby they rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, whereby they are above the world, and can despise all earthly comforts comparatively; Austin and Bernard do sometimes speak their experience of this upon their souls, and no doubt but the Martyrs who were to suffer so bitterly for Christ, were had up into the Mount of Transfiguration before they were carried to Mount Calvary, Crus nihil sentit in ligno, quando animus est in coelo.
In the next place let us Consider the Grounds why Christ or God's presence in heaven is that which makes the happiness of a glorified believer.
[ 1] And 1. Because in Christ or God there is all fullness to make us happy, he is objectively all what the soul can desire; If Christ be represented in this life all to the Church, when yet we have but the glimpses of him, how much more in Heaven when we shall have the full enjoyment of him; Therefore wonder not if having of God there be our happiness, for he is the universal good, he is that bonum in quo omnia bona, as Paul said having a Revelation from God, this was enough, and that those who were pillars could not add unto him, so much more may it be said in this case, having full possession of the Lord Christ himself, no comfort or content any other way can add one cubit to that stature of happiness.
[ 2] 2. Christ is not only objectively full of that which may make happy, but he is also efficiently communicative of it, For suppose God be a Fountain sufficient and inexhausted, yet as long as it is a Fountain sealed up, as long as there is a stone upon the mouth of it that cannot be rolled away, so long we are not able to come at any refreshment; God is always able to make us happy to the utmost, he might vouchsafe us an heaven in this world, but he is a free Agent, and communicateth himself as he pleaseth; Now it hath pleased him while we are in this life to communicate himself by degrees; This Fountain is dispensed by drops, but in Heaven there will God communicate himself as far as the creature is able to receive him: Then this Sun will not be under any Cloud, then there will not be any complaints why the Lord doth hide his face or withdraw himself.
[ 3] 3 Heavens happiness lieth in Christ, because then the soul is made a prepared and suitable subject for him ; All pleasure and delight ariseth from the conveniency of the object with the faculty, for if there be contrariety or dissonancy then instead of happiness, there is nothing but misery; Now in Heaven the the whole soul will be so perfected with Grace that it cannot delight in anything but such an holy God: What is the reason that in this life a wicked man hateth God, and refuseth his will and law, but because of his contrariety to him, and on the other side a godly man though he have but imperfect and inchoate grace, yet he preferreth Christ, and loveth him before Father and Mother, and everything that is dear, all this ariseth because there is some similitude between God and him, he is born of God, and partakes of the divine Nature, and so by this means delighteth and rejoiceth in God, but if the green Tree be thus ready to burn in love with God, what shall the dry Tree do?
[ 4] 4. Christ is the chiefest happiness in Heaven, because he being chiefly beloved, there is obtained the nearest Union with him: It's not the place of Heaven but the person in Heaven that a Christians love is fixed upon; Hence some some have not been afraid to say, That Christ with a godly man though in hell yet would make hell no hell, for when the soul cometh to enjoy that which is most beloved, then all further desires and distractions must cease, then the stone is come to its center; Then the fire of love hath ascended as high as it can go, then it saith Sufficit, I have enough ; Now all the while the Church is on Earth she conflicts with desires after Christ, hence are those vehement Petitions, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, The Spirit and Bride say Come, Rev. 22.17, 20. If then these desires be turned into actual enjoyments, and it's no longer Come Lord Jesus, but he is come, then there must needs be all matter of joy and rejoicing, he that drinketh of this living water in this life shall never thirst more, Joh. 4. viz. with a total thirst, So as to be weary of Christ and desire some other Object, how much rather will this be true in Heaven; Then it's impossible to be weary, to be desirous of something else besides God, for there love is joined to the Object as fully and as nearly as possibly it can be; As Philosophers say the matter of the Heavens desireth no other form, whereas in sublunary things it constantly doth, and all because of the actuality and perfection of that form, Thus it must be with the glorified Saints in Heaven, They can never be glutted, never complain, as they did of Manna by the constant use of it, but God is as richly, as delightsomely enjoyed by every Saint in Heaven to all Eternity as at the very first entrance into Heaven.
But you will say, May not I then desire Heaven as a place of happiness? Is it hypocrisy and insincerity to desire that state of glory? Must it be Christ only there? The Answer is, That is in the principal and first place to be desired, but yet secondarily Heaven as it is our happiness and our glory may be fought after, for which many Texts might be brought.
Use of Exhortation, To moderate all thy desires to this life and the Comforts therein; What makes Death so grievous but to part with so dear a Husband, so dear a Friend, so sweet Children; Oh remember Christ is above all and dearer then all, So that if Faith were lively in representing Christ to us we should need even patience to live, as you see it was with Paul, we should find it to be to our great loss to be enjoying Friends while we might enjoy Christ; But on the contrary the wicked man's misery is to be trembled at, for there Christ saith, Father, I will that where the devil and his Angels are to be tormented to all Eternity, that those also be with them.
SERMON CXXXV. Of an humbled Christians improving in his Prayers the sweet Appellation of Father.
JOH. 17.24.
ETernal glory (we heard) our Savior prayed for all those that should believe in him, which is expressed thus indefinitely, To be with Christ, where he is ; He doth not name the place, because this is it which makes heaven to be heaven, that we do enjoy Christ there
From this we proceed to other things considerable. As
1. The Compellation, Father. This our Savior useth three times, as being a name denoting the most intimate and sweet relation, as also causing the greatest confidence, why Christ calls God Father, hath been discussed already against Socinian glosses; he is not a Father to Christ in the same manner, as he is to believers, neither did Christ use this Title, to subdue and overcome any unbelieving and doubting thoughts in him, or to quicken up his confidence, which otherwise might fail, but hereby to demonstrate the near relation between them, as also his dependence upon him. So that from Christ's example herein, we may observe,
That it is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God, to think on those attributes and relations in him, which may excite and stir up holy confidence and boldness. When we come unto God, we are to draw nigh to him, as our heavenly Father, whose bowels do exceed all parents affections in the world, if they were put together: Therefore it is our Savior in that rule of prayer, directs to that title and compellation of a Father.
To open this, Consider,
First, That no wicked or unregenerate man is in a state or condition fit to pray, or approach unto God upon these terms. If God be thy Judge, thy enemy, and thy adversary, then it is not for thee to call him Father: As God expostulates in Mal. 1.7. If I be a Father, where is mine honor? It's true, there is a paternity by way of creation, and thus God is the Father of all; but we speak only of that paternity, which is by Adoption, and the Covenant of Grace: Let therefore every wicked and ungodly man conclude, that while he abideth so, he cannot pray acceptably, he may not come to God as a Father. It's blasphemy for such profane wretches to say to God, Thou art my Father. The Scripture tells us, That such are of their Father the Devil: See then if the Devil thy father will bless thee, if he will make thee happy: Oh that wicked men would but consider, what a woeful condition it is to lie in, that they cannot pray, that they cannot call God Father! Thou doest but blaspheme with thy tongue all the while, what God, the God of wicked and profane enemies to him? No, he is a Judge, and a consuming fire to all such.
Secondly, It's of great consequence and advantage for the humbled Christian in his prayer, to improve this relation of a Father. To such all the sweetness out of this honey-comb. To improve this Meditation till it be like fire in his bowels. For
[ 1] 1. To the tender heart humbled for sin, it is the greatest temptation that he conflicts with, to be persuaded God is his Father. Such are the discoveries and experiences of his own sins and infirmities, that he concludeth, though other may call God Father, yet he cannot: Is not this the great dispute in the breast of a godly man, Whether God be his Father or no? Doth he not argue against it from the several corruptions that are in his soul? Oh how can this, and this be in me, if God be my Father! As also from the many sad afflictions and exercises he meeteth with more then others; If God were my Father, would he thus break and bruise me, more then many in the world, making me the Butt against which all his arrows are delivered? So that you see it's necessary to compose the spirit against this temptation, which doth so naturally breed in the heart of a tender Christian: Insomuch that to call God Father cordially, and upon sincere grounds, is a great mercy.
[ 2] 2. It's necessary to be persuaded of, and call God Father, because Satan's great temptation is against this, if he overthrow this, all is gone, if once he can tempt thee to this, that God is not thy Father. What horror, and what confusion, yea what an hell will not presently overwhelm thee? You see the devil working with this engine upon Christ himself, knowing this was to set the axe to the root of the tree, If thou be the Son of God do thus, he would have him put that to the trial, and is not the devil still suggesting this unto thee, if thou be the Son of God, then it would be thus and thus with thee? God's children never do as thou doest: Now this temptation hath so far prevailed by Satan's instigation upon some of God's people, that they have wholly given over to pray, that they dared not to presume to pray; And why? because God is not their Father, they may no more pray, then the damned in hell; So that the godly man is left in a woeful desolate estate, all the while this truth doth not reign in his heart, that God is his Father.
[ 3] 3. This persuasion of God being our Father, is of so great consequence, that the Spirit of God is sent on purpose into our hearts for this very work. Gal. 4.6. Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Father. So that as we remain blind and darkened in mind, till the Spirit lead us into all truth, that as we remain unholy, and cleaving to our lusts, till the Spirit sanctify us, so we do also remain in a doubting, unbelieving and dejected disposition, till God send this Spirit into our hearts; so that when a man is humbled for sin, and feels the load of his transgressions, it must be more then human power, yea or all the counsels and directions of the ablest Ministers, that can enable such an one to call him Father: Oh how often doth such a tempted soul say, Oh that I could call him Father! Oh that I could delight in him as a Father! But now when this Spirit of Adoption cometh into our hearts, see with what efficacy and power it cometh, it maketh us to cry, that denoteth earnestness, vehemency, and also confidence, undauntedness, notwithstanding the roaring cries of the devil and conscience to the contrary; and thus it enableth us to cry, Abba, Father, by way of ingemination, implying, that it is not once, but twice, yea often; for indeed if the Spirit of God did not constantly thus keep up a filial frame, every new failing would cast us back into a mere darkness and confusion: Therefore the Spirit of God hath this office of being a Comforter, because we of ourselves cannot sow that seed in our own souls.
[ 4] 4. This is necessary, because this only raiseth sweet, comfortable and delightful thoughts of God. The relation of a Father is sweet, and what a great difference is there between a child praying to a tender father, and a malefactor to a severe Judge? David once said, He remembered God, and was troubled ; Certainly the more we think of God and his Attributes, Omnipotent, Wise, Holy, Righteous ; if not a Father, the more terrible and dreadful is the apprehension of him: It's necessary to have good endeared thoughts of God; therefore the devils and the damned, who are of the farthest distance from God, they have hard and raging thoughts against him; It being therefore necessary to keep up such thoughts in the soul as these; Let God afflict, smite, destroy, yet he is just and righteous, yea and to be loved, now this cannot be, unless this faith is strongly carried out unto him, as a Father.
[ 5] 5. Perswasion of God as a Father is necessary, because this only will produce faith and confidence in those that pray with such an assurance. Now faith is the very soul and life of prayer, He that prayeth believing, shall receive, and James exhorts, Let him ask in faith, nothing doubting, Chap. 1. Our Savior told the woman, It should be according to her faith ; So that unbelief makes our prayers like a messenger without hands or feet, and if so, How shall we get our prayers animated with this grace? Nothing conduceth more to this, then the Meditation of God, as a Father, when this is assented to, then it easily believeth God will do all necessary good for it, such a Father will not give a stone to his child, when he asketh bread. Thus Mat. 5. our Savior maketh this an argument against all distracting fears and cares, Your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of: Why is it that after prayer thy heart is as much troubled and disquieted, as if the request had never been made known to God, but only because faith did not reign and predominate in thy heart concerning God's fatherly relation to thee.
[ 6] 6. Perswasion of God as a Father is necessary, because hereby the heart will be quickened to all those holy and filial dispositi