and distinctly open the particulars therein some whereof desire and deserve special consideration and explication Namely What is that glory that Christ hath and how it is said to be given him To begin the with the first Branch The Lord Jesus is gone to Heaven This was Shadowed out by his Transfiguration Math. 17.2 3. When Moses and Elias came down to see this preparative of his departure to give tidings of it Of the passage of our Savior the Apostles give in undeniable evidence as such wherein they could not be deceived nor deceive For it was not done when they were heedlesly looking about them and so might easily be mistaken but while they looked stedfastly wishly considerately towards Heaven even while they were gazing upon our Savior he was taken up into Heaven Act. 1.9 10. And Stephen in the time of his greatest extremity being the first Martir who laid down his Blood for his sake he saw him there arrived Act. 7.55 Being ful of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God And Chap. 3.21 Whom the Heavens shal contain until the restitution of al things And it s made the upshot of the Mistery of godliness 1 Tim. 3. and last Christ manifested in the flesh preached in the world received into glory And from hence the Saints expect him and they shal see him descending with a mighty shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the 〈◊〉 of God 1 Thess 4.6 The Lord shal come in most glorious and magnificent state these shal be dreadful notice given of his approach yea every Eye shal see him yea such who have pierced him with their sins Reas 1. Taken from the excellency of his Divine Nature which must be suited with a place and throne answerable to the dignity and soveraignty thereof For however it pleased the Lord out of his infinite love to step out of the Chair of Estate to visite this inferior world to be included in the Womb of a Virgin and to take his progress into these lowermost parts of the Earth yet it carried no proportion in point of honor that he should take up his abode there but to reâ—â—rn again to the Royal Palace of state Heaven is my throne and the Earth is my footstool In reason he may stoop to his footstool and tread upon it but to stay there and to make it the chief place and habitation where his heavenly majesty should dwel It suited not the excellency of his Divine Nature This is that which the Apostle intimates to be the ground of the difference between the advancment of the posterity of the second Adam above the first The Faithful shal be raised and Translated from Earth to Heaven whereas ad Adam stood in Paradise he and his posterity had injoyed an earthly paradise that is God there only and the reason is rendred from the point in hand 2 Cor. 15.45 The first man was a living Soul able to beget one like himself by a natural course of generation But the second Adam was a quickning Spirit able to give life to the dead and so raise up them from the Grave and to make them spiritual Bodies which was beyond the power of Adam Again The first man is of the Earth earthy His covenant and his countenance such But the second is the Lord from Heaven And thence he infers As is the heavenly such are they that are heavenly Especially in the main point of resurrection whereof now he disputes And as in resurrection so in ascension That which first belongs to the Lord Jesus as the Head of the covenant that belongs to al through him and only by him But our ascending and sitting is the prerogative Royal of our Savior therefore it never did nor should have belonged to any but through and by him It s true our Savior consists of two Natures Divine and Human but because the humanity is the meaner and more inferiour therefore that must follow the Deity and be where it is And we also whose Nature our Savior took and whose places and persons he sustained we must follow our Nature and our Nature the God Head that hath his proper place in Heaven And therefore the Human Nature with that and all those who are the members of that Head must be there where the Head is And hence our Savior professeth for the comfort of his disciples That he went before to prepare a place for them Joh. 14.4 In my Fathers House there be many mansions I go to prepare a place for them He as God-man the Head of the Covenant goes to Heaven and the wil bring al his to Heaven by vertue thereof he makes way for them thither Room and entertainment there Heaven is the Lords the place of the God-Head our Nature assumed follows that and we our Nature Reas 2. Taken from the Quality of his Office and the Manner of the dispensation and execution thereof He is sent as an Ambassador from the Father to transact the work of Redemption And to bring Jacob back again And therefore in reason he must return and give an account unto God the Father how the great Affaires of Redemption prosper under his hand Thus he speaks usually Joh. 13.3 Jesus Knowing that is considering this That the Father had given al things into his hands and that he came from God and was to go to God he forthwith addresseth himself to make way for his death wherein the great weight of the work lay q. d. He had received his commission from the Father and he must give account to the Father again And upon this he intimates his departure Joh. 7.33 Yet a little while am I with you and then I go to him that sent me He that is sent of an errand and service he must return an account of the success and how things prosper under his hand and by his indeavor Els there should be a failing in the faithful discharge of his Office and that is the reason the Lord Jesus is so punctual in each particular Loe here am I and the Children that thou hast given me And of those that thou hast given me I have not lost one It s also the manner of great commanders when they go upon great exploits and special service though they conquer other people possess the places and countries where they pervail yet they return into their native and natural Country there to be honored amongst their own and to have their greatness Admired amongst them as Feared amongst the Adversaries So it was with our Savior Eph. 4.8 c. His death was his conquering his resurrection his triumph by his ascension he returned into his own Countrey and his sitting at the right hand of God the Father is there crowned with the fulness of all glory that is compatible to the condition of a created Nature 3. The efficacy of the Priviledg as that which so much concernes the
be with the Head the Body where the Life is our Life is in Christ the Wife where the Husband is As Thomas said Let us go and die with him much more let us die to raign with him If Christ be in Heaven why are we on Earth Saies Paul I desire to be dissolved to be uncloathed to put off these rags that I may put on the Robes of Immortality We have been too long with the world our sins c. let us long to be with him USE 4. See the Hainousness of their sin and heavy plague which appertains to such as rebel against this Christ now in Glory We have done with the first Part of the Point we are now to enquire the meaning of the other Vâ—z That Christ hath unconceivable Glory given him of the Father This is taken for granted and presupposed That they may behold the Glory which thou hast given me therefore he hath Glory and it 's given of the Father And of this now we are to enquire with Modesty and Godly fear as being a search and inquisition far exceeding the meanness of such poor Anâ—s as we be creeping here upon ouâ— Molehils sitting here upon our dunghils compassed about with the Mud-wals of Mortality Misery and Corruption An enquiry suitable for such as are come to the highest form the souls of the blessed now ascended and the glorious Angels who are before the Lord and see his Face They may search into the surpassing excellency of his Glory which is far removed out of our sight who sit here upon the Face of the Earth at so far a distance from thence It shal beseem us then to be wise unto Sobriety not to peep into Gods Secrets Yet because that which is writ is writ for our learning it 's not only in our Liberty but our Duty and matter of necessity to look after such things and to learn them with what pains and endeavor we may We shal then open the Sense of the Words 1. What is meant by Glory in the General 2. In what respect it 's attributed to Christ as God or Man or both 3. Wherein that peculiar Glory consists which is thus attributed to him 4. How it 's said to be given him of the Father I. What is meant by Glory in the General Answ It commonly and usually implies three things in Scripture 1. The world and excellency that is in any thing whereby it obtains Superiority and Eminency above other of meaner quality and condition Thus the Apostle cals the Graces given to us in Adam Our Glory Rom. 3.23 We have all sinned and are deprived of the Glory of God 2 Cor. 3.18 We are transformed from one degree of Glory unto another that is of glorious Grace Thus we cal a man of special Spiritual Abilities a glorious Christian an eminent Christian So in verse 22. foregoing The Glory thou gavest me I have given to them So it is said Joh. 1.14 We beheld the Glory of Christ what that is he ads and explicates full of Grace and Truth 2. The Expressions or putting forth of such Abilities in the most eminent and choice Operations thereof because in such Actions the lustre and beauty of all such excellencies shines forth and discovers it self These are termed the Glory of any thing Thus Acts 22.11 The shine of the Light that compassed Paul is called The Glory of the Light The lustre and majesty which appeared upon Moses Face when he came from the Mount is called The Glory of his Countenance 2 Cor. 3.7 And that beauty of the Light of the Sun whereby it out-bids the rest of the other Stars is called The Glory of the Sun I Cor. 15.41 And when our Savior raised Lazarus from the dead the expression of that power he cals The Glory of God John 11.40 Said I not unto thee if thou would'st beleeve thou should'st see the Glory of God that is the glorious expression of Gods Power and it 's the best and only explication of that place 2 Thes 1.9 They shall be destroyed from the glory of his power The infinite and utmost expression of Gods power shal put forth it self in the destruction of the ungodly 3. The acknowledgment of all these Excellencies and of al the expressions thereof in al the eminencies that are discovered therein This is Glory And thus we are said to give glory to God or Man in such acknowledgments which are suitable and agreeable in some measure to the worth of the things My Son give Glory to God The Second Sense is most properly intended in this place The first is not altogether excluded but in part only considered II. In what respect is Glory attributed to Christ as God or Man or both Answ It is given to the Person of the Son both as God and Man now sitting at the right hand of God the Father 1. As God That Glory which no meer Creature is capable of that must appertain to him that is more than a Creature and in that respect But of this Glory no meer Creature is capable For it 's such a glorious power which he possesseth and which is here understood whereby he subdues al things even death unto himself Phil. 3. last 2. This also is evident by the Question which our Savior Christ makes and the Argument he brings for the evidencing and evincing this Sense that indeed he was God as wel as man and that this Glory of his exaltation did in that behalf belong to him Matth. 22.42 43. He asked the Pharisees What think ye of Christ the Messias whose Son is he They say unto him the Son of David that is they looked at him as meer man Against which he thus reasons How then doth David in spirit call him Lord In Spirit that is by the dictate and direction of the Holy Ghost as Mark 12.36 The Lord that is God said unto my Lord that is unto my Seed which is my Lord Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine Enemies thy Footstool Now if his Son how is he his Lord If Davids Seed be Davids Lord then Davids Seed is more than meer Man For if he had been meer Man the Child is inferior and subject to the Father is not Lord over the Father as it 's said He was subject to his Parents But Davids Seed is Davids Lord and therefore more than meer Man As Christ is Davids Lord so is he exalted for it 's so affirmed so attributed to him He said to my Lord sit at my right hand But as God he is Davids Lord therefore as God he is exalted 3. It 's plain also by that Prayer and Expression of our Savior John 17.5 Father Glorifie me thy self with that Glory which I had with thee before the World was Now that must needs be the Glory which did appertain unto him as God For his Humane Nature was not before the World and therefore did not nor could not partake of any Glory And hence it is undeniable it
hath accomplished that great work of our redemption and that unto the ful That the ignorant who never knew him the stubborn and rebellious amongst whom he lived and preached yet would not receive him yea the flinty hearted Jews that scorned and despised the meanness of his person and the power of his dispensation Al these at last should be constrained to acknowledg that he is the true and only Messias set a part and sent to that work This is the Son of God saies the Heathen of whom we have heard but never laboured to know him This is the Son of God saies the prophane whom we in his word have opposed and hated in his servants This is the Son of God sent to save us and we have blasphemed his name and flame and crucified his person despised his government saies the Jew See the lively expression of this Rev. 6.13 This I say wil certainly come to pass for our Savior hath prayed for it yea pursued it with re-doubled desires propounded in the 21. Verse repeated in verse 23. And he is alwaies heard in what he begged Hence we have two things 1. It s lawful to begg the same thing several times in the same prayer We have here a pattern before us beyond al compare a practise beyond al exception nay in truth beyond al question or doubt He cannot do but wel who could not erre in what he did where he hath gone before us in his example in things imitable we may without either feare or hazard safely go after him As it was said of his speaking and it s as true of his praying he prayed as never man did And there do not many sentences pass between but ye have the very same petition expressed What our Savior did its lawful for us upon the like occasion and like grounds for us to do to put up the same petition several times the same prayer If we find we have greater need of that we ask than any other or if there be special worth in it or that our hearts grow warmer in the work and increase into the strength of our affection towards the thing we ask For then there is no vain babling or empty repetition but the expressions though the same have new strength of fresh apprehensions and affections put upon them Therefore David again unto the place striks the same string often which made best melody in that musick and song of his Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders he doth for the Children of men 2. We ought to pray most earnestly that the power of our Savior might be expressed that his right appointment to the work of Redemption might be acknowledged by the world It s that which our Savior doubles his desires for the attainement of as that wherein the great weight of the work lay and which he counted worthy such importunate seeking for at the hands of his Father And this carriage should be a Copy and Sampler to conform our prayers unto This is that which God the Father is so Zealous of Hebr. 1. When he brings his first begotten into the world he saies Worship him all ye Angels of God And to this purpose was the eight Psalm penned and is to be understood touching our Savior as having the preheminence above al creatures in Heaven and Earth as Mediator So the Apostle to the Hebrews seems to expound it Hebr. 2.20 Learned Junius judgeth and therefore here the Psalmist dwels and delights to descant on this strain Psal 8.1 O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in al the world That 's most worthy our desires upon which our Savior spent his This only from the repetition The point it self we spake unto on verse 21. So much of the first end The second End is this Our Savior prayes that they might be perfect in one that so the world also might know that the Father hath loved them as he loved him This is for the honor and excellency of beleevers in the acknowledgment of the world That howsoever while they are wildering here in this vale of teares they become the scorn of the wicked the scrapings of men as the Apostle hath it and the Off-scouring of the world in the misguided apprehension of the wicked of the world who know not how to judg aright of things and persons and therefore account them Out-casts of Heaven and Earth yet our Savior prayes that they may proceed on to that perfection of Oneness with the Father and himself unto which one day they shal attain in Heaven That the world may be constrained to see and say that indeed they are Gods precious ones to whom his Soul is exceedingly indeared in surpassing love even like unto that wherewith he hath loved the Lord Jesus his only Son This our Savior Christ prayes for as a means to this end and therefore it wil undoubtedly attain it There be two points in the worlds 1. The world shal know that the Father hath loved the faithful as he loved Jesus Christ 2. This shall then be known when they come to be perfectly one with the Father and Son in Heaven But we shal handle them both together because they border so neer each upon other and the explication of either wil add to the discovery and so to the confirmation of both Point Then shall the world know that the Father hath loved the Faithful as his Son when they come to be perfected in Oneness with the Father and the Son These two the Apostle joynes together also in his prayer 2. Thess 1.11 12. Wherefore we pray alwaies for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling And fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you that is the first that Christ may be acknowledged as he that hath been sent for that work and hath done it Secondly That ye might be glorified in him according to the Grace of God at aâ—d â—uâ— Lord Jesus Christ Next under the Advancement of his own Name the Lord provides and the Apostle praies for the Advancement of his Servants ' Matth. 13.41.43 when the Lord shal gather out of his Church whatever doth offend whatever persons that are wicked and whatever things even aâ—oâ—gst the godly that offend Then shal the righteous sâ—ine as the Sun in the Kingdom of my Father They have been here undeâ— hatches cooped up in Duâ—gâ—â—ns there they shal be in their Kingdom and that in the Kingdom of their Father Here they lie among the ports al dinâ—â—ed â—eâ—coâ—ed with the shame and disgrace that hath been cast upon them as the scum of the world and the scorn of Heaven and Earth This is Zion whom to Man regarded There they shal shine and that as the Sun which every man wil see because he cannot look ofâ— the light of it and wil be dazelled with the
Lord Jesus hath here been under hatches and the wicked have seemed to carry the day against him This is your hour But Christ wil have his day and then ye will have yours As David encouraged himself in the simplicity of his heart I shall be had in account of those Maid Servants So here USE 2. Of Exhortation To perswade the Saints that they should labor to know this Love that so they may know their own honor and happiness It 's part of their Priviledg their Propriety a note of Christs Sheep They know me and are known of me If the Lord wil have the wicked acknowledg thee who only see it how much more doth it concern them that have it It they who are but Spectators much more they who are the Possessors and do enjoy the same how would this support in al wants It 's but to diet and physick us not to hurt us it 's out of Love How would it sweeten al our Sorrows and Corrections even the sharpest It 's out of love to purge us and to fit us for himself nay solace our souls in Death it's out of Love it 's to take down our Bodies not to destroy them to take out of the World because he loves us to take us neerer to himself How should this settle us and establish us in al Change There is an end of al things and an end of al Perfections but whom God loves he loves to the end He loved our Savior when he brought him to the Grave that he might bring him to Glory And so with us when we are parted from al things when we shal be separated one from another Wife from the Husband Child from the Father nay our Bodies separated from our Souls so that they are not or if they were they cannot live There is an end of al those Relations no marrying in Heaven no trading in Heaven yet nothing shal be able to separate us from the Love of God in Christ Verse 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me for thou loved'st me before the Foundation of the World IN this Prayer of our Savior two things were especially attended 1. He prayeth for himself to verse 6. 2. The for his Children from thence to the end And that Either especially for his Apostles because the greatness of the Work now under their hand their pressures and difficulties that would necessarily attend them therein the large measure of Grace and Abilities that might suit them to so weighty and Spiritual employment together with the need of more than an ordinary presence and assistance of the Lord without which they would not only be unfitted for a business of that worth but wholly discouraged in it Therefore the Lord Jesus laies in for a larger measure of Spiritual supply and relief for them in the first place and here he is marvelous importunate to verse 20. Or else for al the Faithful that ever did or for the future should beleeve in him unto the end of the World whose case he commends from Verse 20. and the things he begs are partly such which might concern their Spirittual good in an especial manner in this Life and because that was the Root and Treasury of al the rest of their good things in which they were contained and from whence they might be received he propounds and pursues with much instancy of desire That they might be one as the Father and Son were one Partly such as did concern their everlasting welfare in the world to come and this our Savior as though he would carry them to Heaven being presently to ascend himself seeks to the Father for here in the closure of his Prayer that so nothing might be wanting that either they did need or could desire but that they might be fully furnished with a sufficiency of supply for whatsoever concerned either Grace or Glory the present comfort of this or the happiness of a better life Thus the Lord laies in Provision and that in a plentiful manner 1. That which might fit them for their way and Voyage while they are travelling towards their home 2. That which might give them sweet welcome when they came at the end of their Hopes Our Savior is not satisfied until he see them in the Haven safely arrived in Heaven with himself beyond al the rage of Devils and malice of Men dangers of Sin or the sorrows of the Grave and Death In this 24. Verse and Prayer of our Savior we may attend Four Things 1. A Description of the Parties for whom Christ praies from that Spiritual respect and relation they had to him Those that thou hast given me together with the cause of it his Father gave them 2. The thing he desires That they might be where he is namely That they might enjoy a likeness Condition with our Savior in regard of the glory and security of the place and mutual society of each others presence or else a Parity if we look at the kind That they who had been in the same Storms might be in the same Haven enjoy the same ease and honorable safety share in the Society of that glorious and safe Condition when their hearts shal be ravished with the remembrance of the wonderful Salvation and Deliverances that have been wrought for them the surpassing excellency of Grace and Glory that hath been purchased and bestowed upon them so unworthy Swallowed up with the admiration of the sight and presence of our Savior who hath suffered ascended sits at the right hand of the Father and hath taken possession of al Glory that they may be possessed of the same by him and with him And the also solacing himself with the sight and presence of those whom he hath so loved so redeemed so graced so advanced as himself as though he could not have been in Heaven unless they might come to Heaven 3. The End why he begs this That they might be with him that they might see the Glory of Christ which hath been given him of the Father Not that they might have any Glory in themselves or see or satisfie themselves with their own glory but that they might gaze upon the Glory of the Lord Jesus through al Worlds and that 's al they have to do in Heaven 4. We have the first Fountain whence this Glory proceeds to wit hence Because the Father hath loved him before the Foundation of the World was laid In the General from the Scope of the whol observe It 's the care of our Savior to seek and provide for the welfare of his Servants even till they come to the fulness of their perfection See here in the words of the Text the inlarged tenderness of the heart of the Lord Jesus he doth not content himself to look to his disciples and so beleevers while they were but in the shel Babes in Christianity nor satisfies himself that he
tel what buying is but by selling Our Savior disputes upon this Ground He that hath seen me hath seen the Father because I am in the Father and the Father in me to wit by vertue of that Relation there is in one to the other USE 1. Instruction We here see the Reason why many of the Faithful are at such a loss for the Knowledg of the Love and Favor and Acceptance of the Father They seek not to Christ for this and therefore they are not acquainted and informed They take not the right way to come to the Speech of the Father John 14â—6 I am the way there is none that comes to the Father nor can be acquainted with his mind but by me When our Savior was checking Nicodemus for his ignorance as not reaching the knowledg oâ— Mercy he gives this as the reason we repair not to him who only can relieve and reveal John 3.13 No man ascends up into Heaven but the Son of Man wâ—â— is in Heaven So our Savior did with Philip when he so earnestly desired the knowledg of the Father Shew us the Father and it shall sâ—ffice So many perplexed ones Shew us the Face of a reconciled Father and it 's enough they are to be checked as he John 14.9 Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me He that hath â—een me hath seen the Father and how sayest thou then Shew us the Father 2. Hence we may discern the Cause how it comes to pass That men of mean Place and Parts shallow Compass and Conceivings poor and feeble Abilities not able to see much in ordinary occasions and yet so comforted assured pâ—rswaded of the Love of the Father The reason in from hence They are taught of Christ he knows all and he makes them know As it was said when they wondred at the Answers of the Disciples They knew they had been with Jesus Act. 4.13 He that hath intelligence dayly from such as have the Ear of the King sit at Counsel-Table he in the Bosom of his Majesty if he have an express and Intelligence it 's no wonder because he understands the Mysteries of State the mind of the King So it is here Christ lies in the Bosom of the Faâ—her and Christ discloseth those bosom Expressions and Affections of the Father We have done with the First The Second follows And these have known that thou hast sent me Here is another Circumstance touching the Description of the Parties for whom our Savior praies which may yet further his Petition that it may be of prevailing force with the Father for the grant of his desire to wit That they may be where he is and see his Glory Had they indeed been the wicked of the World who never knew the Father nor himself and therefore were never fit nor able to see his Glory or to take any satisfaction in it or to return any Glory to the Father or himself thereby It had been bootless for him to have begged such a favor and it had been impossible for them to receive any good by it as having no interest therein nor fitness for the enjoyment of such a Priviledg But he praies who knows him as a Son knows his Father yea such a Son such a Father known by an Eternal Generation And he praies for such who know that the Father hath sent him and therefore are wel acquainted with him and the Father and with the Ambassage he comes of and with that great Work which he had undertaken and hath now discharged and for which he shal have a Name that at the Name of Jesus every knee shal bow both in Heaven and Earth And therefore they who know what the Father hath purposed and the Son hath performed and that experimentally to their own good They are the fittest to see it and to celebrate the Name of the Father and Son for ever in Heaven The Saints have a special Knowledg Doct. that the Lord Christ is sent of God the Father for the Work of their Salvation These all these and none but these have this Knowledg as their priviledg and peculiar Favor appropriated to them in which the World hath no Portion nor yet shal ever be made Partakers of it At the great Day when al Flesh shal appear before God and al his Saints gathered and by Christ brought home to the Father when he hath fully finished the Work and done the Wil of the Father That as he now professeth I came not to do mine own wil but the wil of him that sent me and this is the wil of him that sent me That of those that thou hast given me I should lose none but raise them up at the last day Then I say when the Work is finished and performed in the Eyes of the Ungodly and he shall be admired in his Saints not of them only but admired in them even by the Wicked who shal be forced to admire that Power and Love and Mercy which hath done such great things for such undeserving Creatures and therefore shal see it and be constrained to acknowledg the truth and reality of that great Work what the Father purposed and plotted from Eternity with the Lord Jesus how out of infinite Love and. Faithfulness he was sent and hath now accomplished it This they shal see and be forced to know with grief and vexation of Spirit that it is so And for this also our Savior prayed in the former Verse That the World may know that thou hast sent me But to find and own this in the reality of the Work of it to tract the foot-steps of the unsearchable Wisdom and Riches of Mercy in marking this good upon their Souls in that miraculous and my sterious manner as he hath this is peculiar to the Saints These and these alone know that Christ is sent to this Work these have found the excellency of it here and these are fit to gaze upon it and admire it for ever hereafter Three things we are to open 1. How Christ is said to be sent of the Father 2. For what he is sent and what was his Errand 3. How the Saints know this in a special manner 1. How sent This Sending is the first in-let whereby the Fountain of the ever lasting good Wil and Favor of the Father is laid open and let out unto us And you shal find the Spirit in the Scripture leading al his by the hand hither here he would Land us and here leave us and thereby teaching of us that we should not stay before we repair hither and when we are here not to stir But rest and repose our Soul and resolve our Faith and Confidence as into the first Principle where there is no possibility either of alteration or addition So firm it cannot be altered so fully sufficient and satisfactory that nothing can be added nor desired It is too mysterious a depth and therefore beyond our scantling to fathom it We
A COMMENT UPON Christ's last Prayer In the Seventeenth of JOHN Wherein is opened The Vnion Beleevers have with God and Christ and the glorious Priviledges thereof Besides many other Gospel Truths there is also shewed 1 That the end why the Saints receive all glorious Grace is That they may be one as the Father and Christ are one 2 That God the Father loveth the Faithful as he loveth Jesus Christ 3 That our Savior desireth to have the Faithful in Heaven with himself 4 That the happiness of our being in Heaven is to see Christs Glory 5 That there is much wanting in the knowledg of Gods Love in the most able Saints 6 That the Lord Christ lends dayly direction according to the dayly need of his Servants 7 That it is the desire and endeavor of our Savior that the dearest of Gods Love which was bestowed on himself should be given to his faithful Servants 8 That our Vnion and Communion with God in Christ is the top of our happiness in Heaven By that Faithful and known Servant of Christ Mr. THOMAS HOOKER late Pastor of the Church at Hartford in New-England somtimes Preacher of the Word at Chelmsford in Essex and Fellow of Emmanuel Colledg in Cambridg Printed from the Authors own Papers written with his own Hand And attested to be such in an Epistle By Thomas Goodwin And Philip Nye London Printed by Peter Cole at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. M R Hooker On the Seventeenth of John Being his Seventeenth Book made in New-England THE EPISTLE TO THE READER THE more eminent Matter of these Sermons is our mystical Union with God and Christ a Subject but rarely handled by Divines and then but overly in comparison to what those other Benefits by Christ have been that yet but flow from this or do accompany it So as any smal advance of Light into this Mystery is highly to be valued specially from so good a Hand or Heart rather so deeply experienced and acutely insighted as was our Author This Head though it lay in the Road of another Course of Ministry the Author held namely the opening the whol Work of the Application of our Redemption in all the parts thereof shortly to follow this into publick view so far as he had proceeded in it whereof this of Vnion was designed one as by his Draught or Scheme of that Work to be Prefaced to the whol appears and accordingly should have been largely treated on Subject wise apart by it self in its due place and order Yet whether it was that himself fore-apprehending he might not live so long as he did not to arrive thereat in that Method and yet withall considering the more special necessity of this Subject to this Age he therefore did anticipate this miscellaneous Treatment of it is not for us to say only we may surely affirm that our all-wise God who disposeth of the Gifts Ministrations and Operations of and by his faithful Servants he foreseeing all secretly guided him to this Precursory handling of it in this way of Comment upon the seven last Verses of Christs last Prayer which we may well suppose to have been intended by himself but as a preliminary Essay of that more ample and set Tractate on this Argument he afterwards intended because he intermingleth therewith Observations about other high and glorious Gospel Truths whereof this Soyl of al other Scriptures must be supposed most fertile as the Text did give occasion And surely he was by the same Divine hand as specially directed both in his Choyce of this Scripture for his Ground unto this Subject which being the Conclusion of Christs most solemn last Prayer must be supposed to express the very bottom of his heart and what lay deepest therein and therfore came forth last As also in the Occasion on which he chose to preach these Sermons which was then when this Union is designed to be sealed up to Beleevers more conspicuously than in other Ordinances namely at the Administration of the Lords Supper and towards his latter end conjunct with the Solemnization whereof even among his Apostles it was that Christ did pour forth this Prayer unto his Father before his Death And indeed he that is spiritual and reads these Explanations will readily find and must acknowledg that he was proportionably raised and assisted by a Gospel Spirit as the Dignity of the Matter and Solemnity of the Dignity of the Matter and Solemnity of the Occasion meeting in such a Conjunction did require it being found in experience that according to the elevation of the Occasion and Sublimity of the Matter discoursed of the Holy Ghost raiseth and enlargeth the Spirits of an holy man of God that is experienced in what he speaks The true stating the Bounds for kind or degree of that Union with God which the Saints are admitted to by God is of great use and necessity to this Age the Fate whereof is erring either on the right hand or the left in the greatest Points of Religion and in this Point more grossly and wretchedly than in any other yea and in the other as may easily be observed upon occasion first of a misunderstanding of this one and particularly of some passages and Clauses in this Prayer of our Lord which here have passed the search and discovery of our Author as that they may be one as we are one c. which some have dared to interpret to be Unity that is Union to be oneness in Nature with God himself others to be at least a sameness of Union for kind with that which the man Jesus holds with the Natural Son of God whereof one is a contradiction to the Nature of Creature and Creator as Paul hath set it Rom. 1.25 the other to Christs being Mediator and Head between God and us Of whom we ARE in Christ Jesus who is that one Lord and we by him his Union therefore Primary and Original ours Secondary and Derivative Set but then and keep the true distance between God and his Elect as Creatures and between Christ and those Elect as whose all they are from God is in and through Christ so as that the Creature can never be one in Nature with God who alone is blessed for ever and that the Saints shal never be one Person with the Son of God who is God blessed for ever And whatever Unions or Communions with God are or can be supposed to be next to these two to be sure the Saints are and shall be partakers thereof for next to himself and his Son they are Gods Beloved and the only beloved of him Besides what Glory spiritual quickening our Author giving the very Life-meaning of our Lord concerning this Union an holy heart wil secretly and suddenly find breaking in upon it and it self inspired withal in the reading It wil together therewith confound without speaking a word of set Confutation all such lewd mistakes which it is better to let
130 1 The ground whence this In-being proceeds ibid. 2 The ready way to apprehend the Nature of it rightly ib. 3 How it may be attended in our Savior as God and Man ibid. The first expressed in two Conclusions ibid. The second made good in four Particulars Page 131 Three things for Explication of the third Page 134 This manner of existing appears in the Humane Nature in a three-fold regard Viz. Of Vnion Mission Operation ib. The In-being of the Father in the Son is the first rise whence the Vnity of the faithful with the Father and the Son is perfected Page 137 The Doctrine opened ibid. 1 Recal what this oneness is Page 139 2 How it 's perfected ibid. This Imperfection lies in three things Page 140 1 In the unsoundness of our spirit ibid. 2 Crossness to the power of the Spirit Page 141 3 When the soul will joyn anything with Christ Page 142 Use 1. For Comfort Page 143 Use 2. For Exhortation Page 144 Ver. 23. That the world may know that thou hast sent me and loved them as thou lovest me Page 145 The words contain a double end of this Dispensation ib. 1 That the world may know thou lovest me ibid. 2 That thou lovest them as thou lovest me ibid. Three Particulars to open Page 146 The first opened as chiefly intended Page 147 That passage of John 3.35 The Father loveth the Son is 1 Opened 2 The Reasons given 3 The Vses propounded ibid. Christs Love shews it self in three Particulars ibid. Reasons upon which Love grows are three Page 151 1 Neerness 2 Likenest 3 Suitableness of worth ibid. Use 1. Of Reprehension Page 152 Use 2. Of Tryal Page 154 Use 3. Of Exhortation Page 155 DOCT. God the Father loveth the Faithful as he loveth Jesus Christ Page 156 Two things opened Page 158 1 Wherein the love of the Father to the Saints shews it self ibid. 2 That it is like to that wherewith he loved his Son ibid. The first appears by three things ibid. 1 Love of Vnion 2 Complacence 3 Benevolence ibid. Quest oâ— 2 Thes 1.12 Is there any Name higher than the Name of Christ Page 163 Answered by expounding the place ibid. Use 1. Comfort to the Saints because God loves them Page 164 Use 2. Terror to those that hate them ibid. Use 3. They are worthy our Love Page 165 The Father loves the Saints as he loves his Son proved in each particular ibid. I. Instruction The sins of the faithful are more grievous to God than the sins of other persons Page 170 Instance in two Evils unto which the Saints are usually subject Page 172 1 To question Gods love ibid. 2 To undervalue it ibid. Object Though God loves me yet my grounds are weak Page 174 Answ Gods love is above all Graces thou canst desire ib. 2. Instruction Gods love to the Sainrs is unchangeable Page 176 Use Study to answer Gods love in manner and measure Page 178 That the world may know thou hast loved them as thou lovst me Page 180 A double end mentioned by our Savior ibid. The first End ibid. Two things noted from hence Page 181 1 It is lawful to pray often for the same thing ibid. 2 We ought to pray earnestly that the power of our Savior might be expressed Page 182 The Second End Page 183 Two Points in the words ib. Quest 1. How wicked men can be truly said to know the love of God to Beleevers which is a thing so secret that is not oftentimes made known to the Saints themselves Page 185 Answ three-fold ibid. Quest 2. Why do not the world know this in this life Page 188 Answ For a two-fold Reason ibid. Use 1. Of Patience Page 191 Use 2. Of Exhortation Page 192 Verse 24. Father I wil that those whom thou hast given me be with me c. Page 194 Two things especially attended in this Prayer ibid. We may attend four things in this Prayer Page 195 The General Observation It 's the care of our Savior to seek for the welfare of his servants Page 197 Use 1. For Consolation Page 201 Use 2. For Instruction Page 203 Use 3. For Direction Page 204 The particular Scope Page 205 DOCT. All Beleevers are given to Christ by God the Father Page 205 Two Questions for Explication of this Doctrine answered Page 206 Reason 1. ibid. Reason 2. Page 211 Use 1. For Information Page 213 The second Particular Page 214 Three Points observed especially in it ibid. Use 1. Of Instruction Page 221 Use 2. Of Assurance Page 222 Use 3. To make us willing to die Page 323 Use 4. To see the hainousness of rebellion against Christ in Glory Page 324 The words opened in four particulars Page 325 Use 1. Of Terror Page 332 Use 2. For Direction Page 333 Use 3. For Comfort Page 334 The particulars of it 1 It cures all fears Page 335 2 Supplies al wants 3 Rescues from Enemies 4 Removes guilt of sin 5 Strengthens all Graces 6 Quickens all Duties 7 Gives Eternal Life All proved severally Use 4. For Instruction Page 342 The eternal Glory of Christ is a gift of the eternal love of the Father Page 344 Two things opened 1 What is meant by this love Page 345 2 How this love is the cause of Glory ibid. Reason 1 Page 348 Use 1. For Tryal Page 350 Use 2. For Comfort Page 353 Use 3. Of Direction ibid. Doctrine from the Second Particular Our Savior doth desire to have the faithful in Heaven with himself Page 354 Three Reasons Page 356 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 358 Use 2. Of Reprehension Page 359 Use 3. Of spiritual Comfort Page 360 Use 4. Of Exhortation Page 362 1 What hinders Page 363 2 What helps this Vnion Hindrances are three ib. Helps are three Page 364 The third Particular is That they might see his Glory Page 365 DOCT. The happiness of our being in Heaven to see Christs Glory Page 366 Three things to be enquired 1 What this Glory is Page 368 2 What it is to see it ibid. 3 How the sight of this glory brings happiness ibid. For the second Enquiry consider 1 What his beholding implies Page 370 2 The manner how it is done ibid. This manner appears in three things Page 371 To the third Particular a double Reason propounded Page 376 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 379 Use 2. To Examine Page 380 Use 3. Of Direction Page 381 Means are three ibid. Verse 25 26. The Verse contains the close of our Saviors Prayer Page 383. 1 A description of the Person to whom be praies Page 384 2 The Prayer it self wherein are four Particulars ibid. Two Points considerable 1 We must look unto Gods excellency whence we may receive what we pray for Page 388 2 God in faithfulness dispenseth his fatherly Love to us Page 390 Two things opened 1 Wherein Gods faithfulness consists ibid. 2 The reason why be thus dispenseth his love ibid. Use 1. For Instruction Page 392 Use 2. Consolation Page 393 Use
3. Reproof Page 394 II. The Prayer it self Page 395 DOCT. The wicked know not the Fatherly love of God Page 396 Obj. Learned men that have studied this point may be ignorant of it Page 397 Answ four waies Page 398 The Sum of all in brief Page 399 Reas 1. Gods secrets must be discerned by Gods Spirit Page 402 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 404 Use 2. Of Terror Page 405 Object I hope I have somwhat more than the world Page 407 Answ By the way to try it ib. DOCT. The disposition of our Savior and the Saints towards God is wholly cross to the world Page 408 Three Reasons Page 409 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 413 Use 2. Examination Page 416 O righteous Father c. Page 418 The words opened ibid. DOCT. The Lord Christ hath the knowledge of the Father in a peculiar manner Page 420 Three things opened 1 How Christ as second Person is said to know the Father Page 422 2 How man comes to share in this knâ—wledg ibid. 3 The Reason of it ibid. DOCT. The Saints have a special knowledg that the Lord Christ is sent of God the Father for their salvation Page 431 Three things open'd 1 How Christ is said to be sent of the Father Page 432 2 For what he is sent ibid. 3 How the Saints know this in special manner ibid. Propositions to make way for the first thing Page 433 The second thing Page 439 Use 1. Matter of Admiration Page 440 Use 2. Comfort Page 441 The third thing to be enquired of two waies Page 442 1 Wherein the specialty of this knowledge consists ibid. 2 How it comes to be communicated to the Saints ibid. 1 The specialty of knowledg consists in four things ib. Quest Is this the condition of all the Saints Page 450 Answ affirmatively for the matter but not for the manner and measure ibid. Object We see by experience that may of Gods own are ignorant here ibid. Answ They know in part or know by reflection ibid. Two Reasons of the Point ib. Use 1. Of Thankfulness Page 451 Use 2. Of Examination Page 452 Ver 26 I have made known thy Name c. Page 454 Two things to be here attended 1 Our Saviors Work Page 455 2 His Engagement ibid. Doct. To make known the name of the Father to an humbled soul is our Saviors peculiar work ibid. Three things opened 1 What this Name is Page 456 2 What it is make it known 3 why this is properly given to our Savior ibid. Doct. Christ extends the same care at al times to al his servants Page 4â—5 Reason Page 466 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 467 Use 2. Of Comfort Page 468 Use 3. Direction Page 470 Use 4. Exhortation Page 472 Two Points of Doctrine Doct. 1. There is much wanting in the ful knowledg c. Page 476 Two things to be enquired 1 In what this want appears 2 The Reasons why Page 478 Use 1 Instruction Page 482 Use 2 Direction Page 485 Doct. 2. The Lord lends dayly Directions c. Page 486 Attend two things 1 The Measure ibid. 2 The Manner ibid. Many Collections hence Col. 1 The best Saints here live on dayly dependance on these things Page 489 Col. 2 Christ can cloud al our knowledg Page 492 Col. 3 The faithful must encrease in knowledg Page 494 Col. 4 Christ is the way to lead us to the Father Page 496 Col. 5 Matter of abasement of heart ibid. Col 6 Ground of thankfulness Page 497 Col. 7 Ground of Comfort Page 498 Use Exhortation Page 500 The Close of Christs Prayer That the Love wherewith thou hast loved me c. Page 501 For understanding of which words observe four things 1 How the Father loves Christ ibid. 2 How that love is said to be in them ibid. 3 The means how ibid. 4 The time when we shall know this ibid. Three Points of Doctrine Doct. 1. It is Christs desire that the dearest of Gods love c. Page 511 Use 1 Reprehension Page 517 Use 2 Instruction Page 518 Doct. 2. Our union and communion with God in Christ is the top of our happiness in Heaven Page 521 Two things opened 1 What this haypiness of Heaven is Page 522 2 How this is the top of it ibid. Use 1 Matter of Admiration Page 530 Use 2 Examination Page 531 M R HOOKER'S Seventeenth Book Made in NEW-ENGLAND JOHN 17.20 I Pray not for these alone but for them also who shall beleeve on me through their word IN this 17. Chapter We have a most heavenly prayer of our Savior expressed immediately before his departure hence which I suppose he presents to the Father not as a man or yet Minister of the Circumcision unto whom he was sent but as Mediator is part of that Intercession which he performeth in the behalf of his Church and people And being now shortly to offer up himself and to lay down his life for his Children and to go out of the World as though his soul had been transported into the Suburbs of Heaven as though he would unbowel his dearest and heart-blood desires into the bosom of his Father he sends this prayer before-hand in the power of his Intercession to lie leidger there in the behalf of his Disciples and faithful ones that so he might fully provide for their everlasting life and spiritual welfare before he left his own life and provide comfort in Heaven to be sent down to them before he left the Earth and went to Heaven A Prayer of unconceiveable and incomparable worth above al that ever was expressed or recorded in the word Like a confection or compound of those soveraigne excellencies beyond the highest strayn of the desires or conceivings of the souls of the Saints That which containes the quintessence or the pith of al the cordialls of the Gospel the very marrow of al that great redemption he had wrought and purchased the highest pitch of al that happiness which Heaven can afford or the very richest Diamond in the crown of Glory for that we may see he here prayes for something beyond glory that for which glory was made and therefore better than glory it self for so the words I have given them my Glory that they may be one as we are one So that that is the end of Glory and therefore better than Glory able to carry the heart beyond al the riches of admiration This is expressed in the parts of it according to the parties for whom it is made and those are two 1 For himself to vers 6. 2 For his servants and those His Apostles ver 6. to ver 20. The rest of Beleevers Hence generally for our imitation and direction learn from our Savior 1. That the first especial scope of Prayer should be for such things that do more especially concern us Whether it be in regard of any thing which respects the Glory of God the furtherance of his truth or the good and benefit of such whose conditions or
appear in three Particulars 1. Our Savior being in highest Honor and favor in the Court of Heaven and of most perfect intelligence touching all the counsels purposes and proceedings of the Father He there speaks good unto God the Father in our behalf dayly sets on going al the passages of Providence in justice and mercy grace and Truth Patience and Bounty as may best answer al the occasions of the Churches in al their conditions as may most concern them And answerably sends an express by the powerful operation of his good Spirit into the Hearts of his people So verse 11. Keep them through thin own name Joh. 16.15 All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shal take of mine Christ hath liberty to take of all the choicest of the Treasures of Heaven and those he doth and sends them by the spirit unto the Hearts of his people Joh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shal give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Thus our Saviour doth us many secret kindnesses which we little consider and sends privy Intimation how things go in Heaven in our behalf 2. He stands betwixt us and our Harms by these his prayers and Intercession and if there by any evil plotted or intended against us or hurt coming to us he foresees it and way-laies it that it may not be to our prejudice in any particular The guilt of new sins daily committed fresh accusations of conscience new pleas which Satan the accuser of the Brethren would dayly commence and put up unto divine justice against us Our Saviour he is our Advocate undertakes our cause pleads for us and prevailes gives in so ful satisfaction unto divine Juctice that neither sin nor world nor Satan can be heard against us These sins have been committed these dishonors done these evils practised saies Satan and the world can witness and their own consciences Yea saies divine Justice Their Advocate hath been here hath plainly and truly related all these they are not new and hath fully answered and satisfied to the utmost that can be exacted Rom. 8.34 Here is the ground of the Apostles Triumph Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died nay makes Intercession for us So that there is neither condemnation nor accusation that can get any hearing against them for they are al before discovered and answered the Lord Christ hath intelligence of their intendments and disappoints them wholly 3. He intercepts all our prayers and performances which we tender up unto God and perfumes them with the sweet Odors of the incense of his own Intercession and so they find acceptance and make a pleasant savor in the Nostrils of the Almighty As it is with brackish Water which comes from the Sea passing through some precious Gold or Silver Mines it becomes not only sweet and purified but of Soveraign vertue and tast So it is with our services being brackish with many base distempers which cleave to them and us being intercepted by the Intercession of our Saviour and passing through the Rich mines of his Merits and obedience they prove marvailous pleasing and acceptable to the Lord. Rev. 8.3 The prayers of the Saints are offered up upon the Golden Altar of our Saviors precious Merits As an Advocate in the Court if any of his Clients commend their cause to skaâ—ning though they be weak and unskilful yet he can ripen them and being Rectified present them so ordered as that they may find acceptance with the Lord through the influence of this Application of the vertue of his Merits 3 The Reasons are three 1. Because our Savior Christ hath indifferently undertaken the Salvation of al his Children and therefore out of his faithfulness it cannot be but he should indifferently attain the accomplishment of it in the behalf of them This was the Covenant and Agreement betwen God the Father and Christ Those that the Father in his counsel determined he commended them all unto the care of our Savior and gave him the list as it were of their names that he should look that none of them miscarry Our Saviour did freely undertake that charge for al those so committed to his care and therefore for al must discharge that trust alike Joh. 6.37.38 39 40. All that the Father giveth me shal come to me c. For I came down from Heaven not to do mine own wil but the wil of him that sent me And this is the wil of the Father that of al which he hath given me I should lose none And this is his wil that he that seeth and beleeveth should have everlasting life c. And he professeth he was faithful herein Joh. 10.14 15 16. I am the good Shepherd I lay down my life c. And I have other Sheep and they must come And therefore when he hath gathered al his elect and brought in his tally Here am I and the Children thou hast given me He shall then resign up the Kingdom to the Father 2 Because this is common to all alike The whole work of redemption is common to al that must be redeemed But this is one part Exâ—â—tation answerable to his humiliation Rom. 4. and the last The whole sum is every mans It s called the common Salvation Joh. 16 8 10. This is a convincing of the world of righteousness because I go to the Father Els it had not been complete righteousness 3 Because its necessary alike unto al. Rom. 5.10 How much more shall we be saved by his life Heb. 7.25 He lives that he may save perfectly The Application is as necessary as the Redemption There is the vertue of his death and merits to purchase life And then the vertue of his Intercession to apply it to continue and perpetuate the vigour and vertue of it If Christ hath undertaken for all alike If it be common unto all If it be alike needful for all Then it s that which Christ intends to al his Use 1 for Instruction It s impossible for a beleever to perish to loose his Grace to fal away either totally or finally from Christ and so to be deprived in the Issue of eternal life I Reason thus That which our Savior died for prayed for and doth now make Intercession in Heaven for that he can never fail to attain But for the perseverance of the Saints and for their everlasting Salvation he died and he did Pray and doth pray at this day for Therefore he cannot but attain his end and they also their happiness So he professeth and hath left it upon record to establish the Faith of al His in their greatest shocks Joh 11.41 42. Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me And I knew that thou hearest me alwaies c. Christ hath here proclaimed it we may conclude and that undoubtedly that which he knows who could not be deceived we may know it for a truth and that it wil never deceive us Christ
made under the Law to redeem those that were under the Law Gal. 4.4 Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son which came out of the Bosom of the Father he hath revealed him Eph. 3.7 8 9. to the 20. Here is the great mystery of Godliness Christ manifested in the flesh 1. Tim. 3.6 3. That hereby al mouths might be stopped and the wicked might be made beyond excuse Joh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin Use 1. Of Exhortation That our practise should concur with the prayer of our Savior his desire and our indeavor That we should put forth the utmost of our skil and care that our savior may be acknowledged by all hearts confessed by al Tongues as sent of God We should pomoâ—e and help forwards this This is Gods main work in the waies of his providence and all his dispensations in the world and in the Church Psal 2.6 Yet I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion in despite of al the wrath and rage of Heathens Pilate Jews c. So let us set him up as King in al the minds of men that they may know in all consciences that they may confess him This Paul indeavoured Rom. 15.19 He made the Gospel of Christ to sound out from Jerusalem to Illiricum and strove to preach the Gospel that to whom he was not spoken of they should see So Act. 2.36 This Paul rejoyced in Philip. 1.18 If Christ be preached any way he doth and will rejoyce in it Verse 22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one THe Nature of this oneness and the end why it is and was so earnestly preyed for by our Savior we have spoken to both these in the foregoing verse In this we have the means set forth unto us by which they should be inabled to attain the end and our Savior plainly expresseth himself That he hath given them his glory which he hath himself received that they might attain this so great a priviledg Here we have three things to be attended 1. What it is our Savior hath received 2. What it is he doth communicate 3. The end why 1. Touching the former of these two words are to be opened that we may understand the sense of the Spirit and the several truths therein contained 1. What is meant by Glory 2. In what regard our Savior may be said to receive it and how God the Father gave it him 1. GLORY Somtimes â—â—gnifies that unconceiveable excellency of al that incomprehensible worth and infinite goodness that is in the Lord which is Gods peculiar and Prerogative Royal as onely appertaining to him who is the first cause and the last end and therefore as he is the author of all because they come from him so he is the good of al because al â—end to him The shine and lusâ—â—e of al those glorious Attributes of the Lord meeting together in that infinite fulness as they be in him like the beauty of so many thousand Suns in the Firmament that is called the GLORY of GOD with which the Eyes of blessed Angels are dazelled as not able to behold it and therefore cover their faces Isa 6. Instead of comprehending falling into admiration of it Thus it is used in verse 4. of this Chap. Joh. 17. Father I have glorified thee on Earth now glorifie me with thy self with that glory which I had with thee before the world was Therefore it must be before his human Nature was and so it must be that which doth in a peculiar manner appertain unto him as God But this cannot be meant in this place For that glory is here meant which is given by our Savior unto his faithful ones But the glory which is the Prerogative of the Deity he professeth he will not give unto another Isa 42.8 Therefore this is not intended 2. GLORY Is put in phrase of Scripture for Grace whether attended in the entrance and beginnings of it here on Earth or in the consummation and perfection of it in the highest Heaven Because there is the greatest worth in it greatest beauty Issues from it the greatest esteem and highest account is acknowledged to be due thereunto by those who can judg This glorious Grace is called Glory as that which is attended and accompanied with it as the Body with the shadow the Sun with the shine and light yea that supream excellency with which the Saints shal be crowned in Heaven is northing Els but Grace attaining its ful consummation So that the odds is not in the kind but in the degree only and therefore we are saâ—d to be blessed in heavenly places and to siâ— together with Christ in heavenly places Eph. 1.3 and 2.6 Here is the suburbs of happiness and of the New Jerusalem Grace is the Porch as it were Glory the Palace Thus ye shall find it Rom. 3.23 But it is most pregnant and very remarkable 2. Cor. 3.18 We all with open face as in a Glass behold the glory of God and are translated or changed we are transformed or have a new form or frame set upon us from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. The Glass is the Lord Christ in whom the Glory of the Grace of God is imprinted and by whom and through whom it is dispensed and communicated to us that we not only receive but increase in this Glorious Grace from one degree thereof unto another And that by the Holy Spirit of the Lord. Both these are here understood Grace in the begining of it and that especially and Firstly yet not excluding the perfection of it For our Savior speaks of it as a thing certain to himself and that which wil assuredly also accrew to his nay which they have now in the kind of it Hence before we pass we may learn how to judg of true Glory and how to attain it 1 How to judg of true Glory that which wil go for currant in the Court of Heaven and in the account of the Almighty to-wit It s not what the folly of mens minds doth conceit or the breath of the world would advance or the pride and ignorance of the most do take and admire as glorious that wil indeed give in evidence sufficient to pass a righteous Sentence in this behalf It s not the wealth and riches of the world be they never so great revenues never so fair and beautiful though thy friends alliance and acquaintance be never so many and high wil ad any glory to thee in truth or in the account of Christ If thou hast a base heart leadest a graceless life thou art a base man and a base woman Thy Favourites may flatter thee and friends applaud thee and thy neighbors speak wel of thee but thou art abhorred of the Lord art loathed of the
i.e. To grow up together in the similitude of his death Rom. 6.5 As his spirit by his death killed sin that was charged upon him So we by that Spirit grow up in the vertue of that death and die to sin USE 1. This gives in heavy evidence against a world of wicked wretches and casts out a crowd of ungodly persons our of the pale and fold of Christ as such as never yet had the work of faith here nor have any hope of glory hereafter If all beleevers share in the Grace of Christ what shal we think of such ignorant poor creatures that never knew this of those profane ones who profess themselves to be Scorners and Opposers of grace and the gospel of grace and the spirit of grace and Christ himself what shal we think of them think of them as they are They are unbeleeving creatures yet in the gal of bitterness and bond of iniquity and must and wil have their portion with unbeleevers in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone They loath the glorious grace of God now they shal be shut out and banished from his glorious presence for ever But I wil not trouble you nor my self with these whose conditions are so loathsome even unto their own consciences Only I shal settle it as a matter of sad reproof upon two sorts whose hopes and professions seem to promise better but in the issue couzen themselves and fal short of their own comforts 1. It crusheth the confidence and splits the vain pretences of al the most refined Hypocrites upon Earth It s not the gilt enameling of any ordinary duty nor the paint of any profession that wil evidence either their Title to Christ or the Grace of Christ which he gives indeed to his No it is the spiritualness of the work in their Souls If the outside be never so clean If there be rottenness within he loaths it Psal 45.13 The Kings Daughter is all glorious within c. The garments of the spouse are not gilt but wrought Gold It s not the shew and appearance in your lives if ye deny the power of Godliness in your hearts 2 Tim. 3.5 That is not Circumcision that is outward in the flesh that is not the glorious Grace of Christ that reformes a mans course before men But that is Circumcision which is of the spirit that is the Grace of Christ that makes a man close with God in Christ Thou mayst have strong inlightenings in thy mind strange raptures in thy spirit and rellâ—shes of joy tast of the good word and the heavenly gift and the power of the world to come have a Peep-hole into Heaven and see a glimpse of glory passing by and all this be nothing but the Grace of Apostates and Hypocrites not the Grace of Christ No saies the Apostle We hope better things of you Deeper impressions of the power of the Lord Christ and the work of the spirit must soak through thy soul and that not only tasted but digested and thy heart delivered up into the authority thereof 2. Those who please themselves with the apprehension that they have some Grace but are content to want some other and so indeed want al. When either education hath reformed them or their conscience awed them or their occasions or conditions free them from such assaults and because they want the temptation to sin they suppose they have the grace of Christ One man blesseth himself he is not worldly and sensual yet contents himself to be proud another is not passionate and loose yet worldly whereas if Christ be formed in a man nothing of the saving work of Christ wil be wanting if a new creature al things are new otherwise he is a Monster in Christianity not in truth a Christian of Christs make Either al or none at al. If ye have heard and learnt as the truth is in Jesus put off the old man not an old Hand or Eye but the frame of heart and life put on the â—â—w man USE 2. Of Instruction Sanctification is a never-failing argument of a beleeving and happy condition If God give glorious Grace here he will give possession of glory hereafter It s Christs work he will approve of it It s the image of himself he will own it It s the tenure of the promise Jer. 31.33 It s the sentence which is now passed upon such Judged they may be condemned they shall never be Math. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Eph. 4.20 21 22. USE 3 Its Matter of Thankfulness If Christ think nothing too good for us we should be ashamed to stand for a little cost and labour for him He parts with the choicest of his favour his Glory to us we should part with the best of our Duties to him the best of our hearts to love him of our love to honor him of our indeavours to serve him They are not common courtesies which he vouchlafes to us not creatures to comfort us profits to enrich but the most precious favor that the Father bestowed He hath no greater nor better and that glory he gives to them Let us be ashamed to give the Lean the Lame the leavings to the Lord. Give him the glory of al that glory we do receive As the Elders Rev. 4.10 Cast down our Crowns before him And let him be advanced in al that he advanceth us USE 4. Of Exhortation Whither we must go if we Hope to speed and to receive this gift to what dore to go to receive this dole come to Christ the giver if we Hope to receive this gift The Spirit takes of Christ before he gives it to us therefore much more we must go to him before we can receive it The way lies in these four things 1. See all in him And Joyn none with him as the Author and worker of this There be instruments to convey Grace but there is no Author of this or giver of this but Christ Of his fulness we receive All other things are empty without him and can work nothing further than he will work by them Christ is al in al. Col. 3.11 Not ordinances not Duties not Sacraments Paul is nothing Apollo is nothing but Christ is all Christ by all Christ through all these works 2. Look at that in Christ which we need and would have and keep the heart under the stroke of the Spirit in Christ that working Grace in the Nature of our Savior from thence he may work Grace in us If we would have patience Eye the patience of Christ and the Spirit working patience in him and from his patience patience in me As it is in a Glass that hath many colors Red Green Blew Yellow If the Sun shine upon it it wil convey the like colors upon that which is opposite to it The Human Nature of our Savior is as the Glafs all the Graces in their variety are like so many colors The Spirit shining upon the Nature of
Love The In-let unto the hearts and affections of others and cals out and requires a disposition in another like unto it self And this is here in greatest eminency Look we at the constitution of the person of our Savior Hebr. 1.3 Called the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person Nothing is more like than a lively Image resembling the Father in the most perfect and infinite manner none like him Look at imitation likeness in behavior carriage and conversation is that which inlargeth affection also and this also is here to be seen Joh. 5.19 The Son doth nothing but what he seeth the Father do For whatsoever the Father doth these also doth the Son likewise 3. There is a suitableness of worth The best of our affection and deserve our dearest love to be bestowed upon it So it is here The Lord Christ he being in the form of God counted it no robbery to be equal with God the Father And so there is an answerableness and proportion only here to be found between the affection and the thing here affected Whereas al the creatures taking in al their excellencies together are too mean and under for the Lord once to bestow his Love yea his look upon further than his own image is in them or resembled by them in them So the Prophet gives in the Jnventory of al their worth All the Nations of the Earth are less than the Dust of the balance yea vanity nothing less than nothing Christ himself it is whose name is as an Oyntment poured out and perfumes the world which if once taken away they would remain nothing disireable USE 2. Reprehension This shews the vilenes of the hearts and the hainousness of the sins of those wretched persons who undervalue the Lord Jesus in their hearts and apprehensions and look at him as one unworthy their affection and love How far are these men from the disposition of the eternal God the Holy one of Israel He sets his heart upon the Lord Jesus as the only Object of his Love These men loath him He delights in him They despise him How divelish are these distempers how contrary to the God of glory even as far as darkness from light and Hell from Heaven How can such ever expect to see the face of God in Christ in another world whose hearts are so contrary to him in this and yet every place is pestered with these Rebels Some of the posterity of those of whom the prophet speaks Zach. 11.8 Their Souls loathed me and my Soul loathed them saith the Lord of Hosts God wil pay thee in thine own coin and recompence thine own waies upon thy head and heart Nay how canst thou not but expect the Lord should justly loath thee who art a very Dunghil of distempers and whose works are worthy to be hated especially in that thou haâ—est him The name and memory of Judas is accursed and execrable upon Earth He is gibbâ—â—ed up with this remembrance Judas Iscariot who also betrayed him The carriage of the Jews is detestable to the eares of all that have heard of the Name of Christianity who preferred Barabbas before the Lord Jesus Away with him not him but Barabbas And yet there be multitudes in the world who deal worse with the Lord Jesus in their daily course Who sel Christ not for Silver but for their sins and the lusts of their own hearts and that they may give satisfaction thereunto And proclaime it in their practises Away with the commands of Christ not they but mine own carnal desires shall carry me Away with the promises and comforts of Christ not they but the way wardness of mine own wil and distempered perversness of mine own heart that only pleaseth me Oh but it wil be replied True it is our infirmities may be many and temptations strong our failings great by reason of the Body of death but should we be haters and despisers of the Lord Jesus its pity we should live Should we hate him that came to save us we Hope we be far from that hellish frame I desire ye were far from that and that 's the worst I wish you Put it then to trial according to the truth of the Gospel yea ye wil say with al our hearts The Text saies thus He that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10.16 The Text saâ—es thus The Citizens hated him and sent after him and saâ—d This man shal not rule over us Luk. 19.14 Examine now thine own heart and observe thy carriage Is it not the word which Christ proclaimes the messenger he sends the work of his Grace which he requires the rule and government which he would â—et up in thy heart And life that thou settest thy self against that wâ—l not have his law Lord it over thee his Grace take place in thee know assuredly thou art a hater of Christ and of God the Father Nay what if it prove true that thou hatest Christ more than any thing in the world beside will not thou conclude thy condition damnable and thy self hateful Why thou hatest the ordinances of Christ because of their power and purity Thou hatest the servants of Christ because of their Graces that is because Christ is there If the Theif hate the Lanthorne for the light sake he hates the light much more Hie thee out of this hellish condition and hate and loath thine own soul that ever thou hast loathed Jesus Christ Lest that doom that is denounced be made good He that loves not Jesus Christ let him be accursed Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Curse him all ye Angels in Heaven Devils in Hell Churches on Earth until Christ come to judgment and he there have that Doom Depart c. USE 2. Trial. We may here prove the truth of our love If it be like Gods love it s then of the right stamp 1. The we desire Vnion breathing after our coming to him Phil. 1. I long to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better I have been too long with the world too long with the distempers of mine own heart It s far better to be with Christ Breath after his coming 2 Tim. last and 8. Love his appearing sollace our selves we shal ever be with him 2. Then we shal take ful contentment in him I have enough Christ is mine as Joseph Live upon him be satisfied with him Phil. 1.21 Christ is in life and death advantage In al gets Christ and gaines in al his wants hath advantages in al necessities and losses 3. Then we study how to honor him lay our crowns at his Feet live to him die to him Phil. 1.20 That Christ may be glorified in our mortal Bodies whether by life or death Be willing he should pluck his praise out of us The Father wil own this love Christ accept it The spirit bear witness to it This is from the Father through Christ by the spirit God-like love USE 3. Exhort Doth God love Christ go
with the cast of the eye of the Spouse Cant. 4.9 That cast of the eye of Faith that looks only to God in Christ takes al from him holds out nothing else 3. Love of Benevolence God wisheth wel unto the Faithful and studies to advance them and their happiness with the advancing of Christ 2 Thes 1.12 That the Name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him according to the Grace of God and the Lord Jesus Christ Quest Why you wil say Is there any Name higher than the Name of Christ or Glory due to any beyond and after Christ Why is it added That Christ may be glorified and you in him Answ The meaning may thus be conceived The Apostle having prayed in the fore-going verse That God would count them worthy of their Calling worthy of the Glory unto which they were called and so fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodness that is fully bestow al that Spiritual good which is the ful purpose of his good pleasure he intended to them and that he would bring the Work of Faith to perfection by his mighty Power Now the end of al that glory and fulness of al that Spiritual good he praies for and they should partake by vertue of his Prayer is That the Name of Christ that is Christ as he is made known in the Gospel in his Offices and Execution of the great Work of Redemption may be made glorious in you who from the Father hath given al to you you also may be glorified not in your selves but in your reference and oneness with Christ As God was made glorious in receiving al so also in returning al to the Father by him And therefore it 's added According to the Grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ God the Father through Grace in Christ gives himself and Christ to you so they are glorified in you receiving you also through Grace give up your selves to Christ and through him to God and return al to God in Christ Thus he is said to the admired in them that beleeve So John 3.27 The Father loves the Son and hath given al things into his hands and in Christ also he hath given al unto them for all things are yours and you Christs yea he hath advanced them and set them in Heavenly places with Christ their Bodies made Spiritual which Adams could not be and therefore it 's taken down to be glorified as Christ's is Thou fool unless the Seed fall it riseth not again The Saints die not because of sin for Christ hath freed them from the second Death and so from the first but they die to be like Christ and so to be glorified with him and then both Bodies and Souls to sit at Gods right hand in Heaven It 's a proper Prerogative appertaining to our Savior to ascend and sit and therefore to al from him not from Adam USE 1. Comfort and Contentation to the Saints in the meanest and lowest Condition though the World hate and the Wicked pursue Saran tempt Ungodly undermine they al conspire to cast reproaches upon your Persons and disgrace upon your Religion and shame upon your Faces when they curse God wil bless If they hate and God love you you need not fear you should not care In Love is no lack If thou hast Gods Love thou hast himself art sure to speed when thou seekeft sure to obtain when thou askest So Martha for Lazarus He whom thou lovest is sick he whom thou lovest is troubled is tempted persecuted discouraged What price dost thou put upon thy Health if sick upon Wealth if poor on Life if at the point of dying If thou hadst these for thy succor al was wel Behold Gods loving kindness better than Life it self 2. If God love the Saints what are they who hate them This is a certain evidence of a Son of the Devil 1 John 3.11 He that hates his Brother is a Man-slayer c. Therefore they are worthy our love This second particular I shal further open as follows Viz. That the Farthers love to the Saints is like to that wherewith he loved his Son The Father loves the faithful as he loves Jesus Christ This Love carried to them carries a lively expression or is as a picture wherein the love of the Father to the Son is discovered in fresh colors in an especial manner This love to the faithful however it is impossible it could not was it reasonable or suitable to the wisedom or goodness of the Lord it should equal the love of God to his Son in the measure or largeness of it Because that was infinite unconceivable incomprehensible and therefore there is no equality of measure or greatness which is beyond al measure yet it comes up to it as neer as may be in the proportion and likeness thereof in like resemblance and answerableness thereunto it s not to be found in any creature nor in the whol creation beside As it is in the Parelion It s like the Sun in appearance and resemblance yet in no wise equal either for bigness or greatness or the vertues thereof So it is with this love of God to the Saints it lively resembles not fully equals the love of the Father to the Lord Jesus We shal further follow the several particulars 1. The Father loves us with the like love of union as he did Jesus Christ The Father wholly and alone gives being to Jesus Christ and that thus appears The Father stands in relation to the Son looks only towards him his Eye is ever upon him The Son as he receives so he returnes his being as a Son to the Father As Relations refer each to other only and heâ—ce the Father is said to be in the Son the Son in the Father Verse 22. As I told you before my hand closing and closed are one in another both with the hand The Father looks to the Son in giving The Son to the Father in returning his being They are perfect in this wholly give wholly take Thus they wholly delighted in each other mutually glorified each other Verse 2. Now as God in Christ thus begets and gives being of Sonship So Christ as Son and second person he so assumes for had he assumed as God all had assumed But he assumes person and to say that any person assumes but the Son is Haeresie Therefore its peculiar to the Son and that as Son then as begotten and as such he assumes and becomes the Head of the covenant and so he begets and gives being of Adopted Sons to the faithful sending his Spirit immutably to set their hearts for God and to hold the bent thereof towards him Thus receiving this impression from Christ and so from God the Father through Christ The faithful receiving this impression as from the Father by Christ they return it wholly and perfectly to the Father in and through Christ Namely The whol man under their impression of the begetting Spirit of the
Earth And truly were their hopes only in this life they were of all men most miserable and further than this Life men do not look nor can in truth see wanting Faiths Prospective which is the Evidence of things not seen that they so judg nay conclude it as beyond controversie And this somtime stumbled holy Asaph Psal 73. See also 1 John 3.1 2. Our Life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our Life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in Glory Because their Understandings are wholly perverted and their hearts also so corrupt that they are not able to judg of the Love of the Lord or the evidencing expressions thereof The god of this World hath so blinded their eyes that the beauty of Gods Grace and so the beams and heat of Gods Love cannot come home to their Consciences to convince them thereof And such is the corrupt distempered frame of their hearts that they savor only the things of the Flesh and not to have things suit their sensual Appetite or to contrive Contentments to their own carnal Affections they count it the greatest curse and expression of Gods distast and displeasure that may be The carnal heart savors the things of the Flesh nothing seems sweet unless it suits his corruption So that If the Life of a Beleever and so the Evidences of Gods Love be hid and cannot be discerned The hearts and minds of the World be so perverted and surfeted with the sweetness of their own lusts that they cannot judg of the fruits of Gods Love though presented before them Then it is no marvel that they do not know it nor acknowledg it as dispensed to the Saints The Point now explicated the Reasons which give in the Proof thereof will appear more easie and more undeniably plain 1. At the Day of Judgment the World of the wicked they come to have convicting Evidence which can neither be gain-sayed nor wil ever be removed what is a never failing proof of Gods Love by the sense woful Experience they have of Gods direful hatred and displeasure upon their own Souls Their hearts now find it and feel it their Consciences confess it their Judgments acknowledg it that the Plague of al Plagues the Curse of al Curses that wherein the venom of Gods Vengeance and infinite Indignation and hatred of the Lord from his Blessing and comforting presence to be destroyed from the Presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power the glorious and powerful expression of his saving Mercy However formerly the soul while it was surfeting in its sinful distempers found no greater content nor conceived any greater favor than to have it ful of its own lusts and not to be crossed with the Counsel of the Lord and concluded no other Heaven nor happiness like the enjoying of their hearts delight without check of God or Conscience Yet now he sees the sweet and surfets of those sins become the greatest torment unto him the very quintessence of the Curse and the substance of the Sentence of Condemnation Depart from me ye cursed was the Commission thereof I thought nothing so delightful that I might without gainsaying depart from God by sinning therein the execution of Gods Indignation doth wholly appear to cast me out of his presence and to stake me down in his departure never to see his face enjoy his presence come within the smile of his Favor any more Therefore those who are brought so neer to God so accepted of him Christ at the right hand of the Father they at the right hand of Christ being ever with him what that Love is we cannot tel that is beyond our reach yet it is a fruit of the greatest Love we cannot but see and confess our departure being the fearful fruit of Gods fierce displeasure Thus Ecclesiasticus brings them in at the day of Judgment taking the shame to themselves which formerly they cast upon the Saints We Fools thought this mans life madness but now he is advanced and we cast out of Gods fight and presence for ever 2. They are fully convinced and experimentally perswaded that al this comes from Christ and not from them and from Christ as the Head of the Second Covenant for from Adam it could not come in whom they had a like share as al the Sons of Men hewed out of the same Rock and digged out of the same Pit had the same Nature as they had as good Abilities and as great means as they and yet notwithstanding they found infinitely beyond their power nay their own Apprehensions either to attain this nay it could not enter once into their thoughts that they who knew not Christ should receive him they who opposed him should become one Spiritually and one Spirit with him even as neer as the Members to the Head for so they now hear the Saints acknowledg it it was the Son that died for them that was sent from the living Father that they might live through him They now see the Son of God the Lord Jesus stands betwixt them and al their harms that no Devils can accuse them that no malice can charge them but Christ saies I have undertaken answered satisfied and they now come to be accepted as he advanced as he set up on the Throne to judg as he and to regin as he through al Eternity They who receive al this good from the Father through Christ as the Head of the Covenant for them and in their behalf and enjoy al next unto Christ they are loved as the Lord Jesus Christ O! we wretches hated them when God loved them contemned them when God honored them we did not know them and therefore wo unto us we despised them we looked at them as the basest of al men when they were more than men yea more excellent than the Angels the Spouse of Christ the Members of Christ the Beloved of the Father in Christ yea beloved as Christ USE 1. Hence we have matter of Patience for the Saints of God they are the contempt of the wicked the scorn of the World the Object of the ignominy and reproach of ungodly men But their Life is hid with Christ in God beyond their ken their reach and reason and no wonder they know nor them nor Christ The God of this World hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts no marvel that what they cannot see they cannot judg aright of they know not the things of the God of Heaven nor the work of his Grace nor the worth of his Servants The Saints are Princes but they are not in their Country they are in strange places and amongst strange People who do not know them and therefore cannot honor them and therefore they are content to bear it for the while to stay til they come into their own Countrey and to the day of Coronation Saies Paul I pass not for mans day This is mans day but at that day the day of Jesus c. The
spiritual and eternal welfare of al the faithful requires this of necessity to appertain to him that must procure our good So our Savior reasons to quiet the hearts of his disciples because of his departure Joh. 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient I should go away for if I go not away the comforter wil not come but if I depart I will send him unto you They could hardly beleeve it as that which carried the face and appearance of any propability with it that our Savior puts out of question know it of a truth which upon trial ye wil find to be certain Ye would conceive at the sudden push that there could be nothing more inconvenient and cross to the furtherance of their comfort But its expedient Hence those phrases The Spirit was not yet given because Christ was not yet ascended Al the gift of the Spirit was in vertue of that work and the further perfection of that in Christ the further communication of al from Christ Now our Savior is far above al principalities and powers beyond the power nay the opposing presence nay the least appearance of any hinderance that may be cast in the way by Satan to prejudice or stop the work of our Redemption by Christ for us or the work of Redemption from Christ in us Resurrection is the only proper cause and immediate spring of the Application of spiritual good and therefore had he not risen our Faith had been in vain for as his death purchased right unto al so did his resurrection make Application of it for by that he rescued himself and so us his members then in him from the power of darkness that though they pursued yea crucified Christ could not overcome him but he rose again But when he ascends he was then beyond the ascent of his enemies yea beyond the fight the shew the appearance of temptation Far above And so when we shal be made to ascend we shal be like to our Savior and he freed from the annoyance the shew or appearance of evil Hence observe the Apostle his Connexion He hath ascended on high he led Captivity captive Hell Sin and Death were like a miserable captived company that now were under the Spear durst not hush nor stir He then gives Gifts to men When Christ was crowned Emperor over al the Enemies then he sends his royal Gifts Coronation Mercies abroad 4. This is for the great Contentment and Advancement of our Savior John 14.28 If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I go to my Father for my Father is greater than I. Any Preferment puts us into Places which are above our own ordinary Now there is none greater than Christ but the Father therefore to go with him and be with him is the highest Advancement USE 1. Of Instruction Therefore they who have made choyce of a Christ have no cause to be ashamed If he were a base Christ ye might have some color to seek another to make a change but it 's not so But though he went from the Cross to the Grave yet he went from thence to Heaven and there is now in the highest Honor. His suffering was but his entring into Glory nay the addition to his Glory therefore that should not so much discourage as content and cause us to bless God for our Portion A dead Savior was better to Joseph of Arimathea than his life his reproaches better than the riches of the World to Moses But now when he is exalted in Heaven attended by Angels received into Glory advanced to the right hand of his Father what madness is it now to think we could once have done better The Crown of Thorns which our Savior wore was to be chosen before the Credit of the World what should we judg of the Crown of Glory The Poverty of Christ is better than the Wealth of the World the Shame of Christ better than the Honor of the World the Contempt and Humiliation of a Christ better than the greatest Pomp and Advancement that the Earth can attain How much more should our hearts be comforted and satisfied now with the Honor Life Happiness and Heaven where our Savior now is upon whom ye have trusted and depended How good is your Choyce How great should be your Content USE 2. Here is invincible Assurance of the final safety and glory of the Saints out of all those pressures with which they seem not only to be assaulted but overwhelmed almost beyond strength If the Head be above Water the Body cannot be drowned though it be under Water Christ is in Heaven and he wil never leave his Members in Hell nor Grave So that a man may boldly and comfortably conclude He wil make this sick and weak Body like to his glorious Body this sinful Soul like unto his in al Holiness and happiness As Christ of himself thou mayest in Christ bear up thy self against the Gates of Hel. Behold I was dead and live for evermore and have the Keys of Hell and Death Rev. 1.18 Behold I was dead in my sins sunk in my distresses overborn with distempers and temptations but I shal be for ever comforted quickened delivered for evermore Nay ye have the Promise and Engagement of our Savior Because I live ye shall live John 14.19 He is far above all Principalities and Powers and we shal be as he is He hath not only promised what he wil do but he is gone on purpose to make way for us to prepare a place for us and to bring us thereunto So he chears the hearts of his Disciples John 14.2 3. He deals truly and faithfully and tenderly with us If it were not so he would have told us He is gone on purpose to make room and to see that al things be ready And if we know not the way nor can help our selves in it he professeth he will come again When we are and stands he wil again support us when we are foiled and overborn with Temptations he wil again deliver us and receive us to himself though cast out of Earth and Societies of men he wil receive us to himself shelter us under his wings put us into his own bosom cast up the reckoning that the Apostle doth Rom. 6.9 10 11. He dieth no more death hath no more Dominion over him c. Reckon ye also shal I yield to my Corruptions No distempers shal have no more Dominion over me Yea grow in upon greater and more glorious confidence Rom. 5. If justified by his death how much more shal we be saved by his life He hath abidden the shock of Satans assaults the source and power of darkness and when the Justice of God delivered him into their hand and they brought him to the death of the Cross yet he thence delivered himself and he lives for evermore to save to the uttermost them that come to him USE 3. Therefore be willing to die and to go to Christ The Members long to
serviceable to his Church 1 Cor. 3.18 All is yours and you Christs and Christ Gods This is the order Christ is Gods Servant and all your Servants through Christ 2. Hence he restores his Elect from the power of Darkness and translates them into the liberty of his own by an invincible and irresistable power breaks in upon the rebellious heart of a sinner and brings him home unto himself No man comes to the Father but by me Rev. 1.18 I was dead and I am alive and live for evermore and I have the Keyes of Hell and Death Joh. 10.16 I have other Sheep that are not of this fold and those I must bring He sends and succeeds al Officers and ordinances 3. Hence from this immediate dispensation of al power he sends his spirit the Comforter into the hearts of his that he may supply al their wants furnish them to al their works and fit them with fulness of power and spirit to each holy performance It s requisite I go because If I go not the Comforter wil not come but if I go I wil send him The glorification of our Savior makes way for the mission of the Spirit and observe what he adds Joh. 16.13 14. He shall take of mine and give it to you And what wil he give All things that the Father hath and mine therefore I said he shal take of mine They are al Christs for the immediate dispensation and it s from the vertue of a glorified Savior that the spirit takes them and conveies them 4. He gives unto his Eternal life Joh. 17.2 Thou hast given me al power over all flesh that I may give unto them eternal life And this as the second person in the former sence For as meer man he gives not eternal life This is the end and Errand And when this is done then he professeth He hath finished the work he gave him to do when he hath gathered and glorified his Saints he hath done al he hath to do in this world 2. His Human Nature is made glorious 1. Because it hath the ful source of al the influence of the divine operations and Graces thereunto as much as any creature is capable of 2. It hath liberty and authority to set on work or put forth any attribute for the good of the Saints It knows al the necessities of the Saints and can have resort and set on work al the sufficiency of God to yeeld supply Math. 28.18 USE 1. 1. TERROUR To the wicked the enemies to and opposers of the Lord Jesus and his Kingdom See whom ye have despised he is now advanced to al power and therefore wil use al his power for your ruin Upon this ground Peter shook the hearts of the Jews Act. 2.36 He now being exalted sheds abroad c. Let the House of Israel know assuredly that this Jesus whom ye have crucisied God hath raised and made him Lord and Christ Math. 25.31 When Christ-shal come at the day of Judgment c. He shal come with power and great glory thousands before him and ten thousand thousands ministring to him Dan. 7.10 Rev. 5.11 And they shal creep into holes and clefts of the rocks and corners of the Dungeons and not be able to behold the dreadful looks of Christ Rev. 6.15 16. But he shal fetch them thence dragg them out of their Dungeons draw them out of their holes When it shal be said they have feared and fled and hid themselves bring hither saies Christ mine enemies those who have been enemies to my Grace Gospel Children Glory bring them hither and slay them before my Face And however the Lord Jesus abates much of the dreadful expressions of his direful anger and almighty power Now they are terrified and then quieted Now in horror and then calmed Yet then he shal destroy them from the glory of his power that is from the expression of al his power and that unto the utmost for their ruin Christ wil do his best USE 2. DIRECTION It leads us by the hand the right way whither to go and shews us the ready means how to derive quickning power and inlivening vertue Do as Stephen in his greatest streight Act. 7.56 He looked and saw Christ standing at the right hand of God Hebr. 7.16 He is the Author of endless life and therefore without end look this way Hence do two things 1. Know that he stands possessed of al right of communication and hath the immediate execution of al efficacious power and dominion over al creatures Math. 28. This is the commission he hath and in vertue of this he sends quickens succeeds and therefore look at him as a glorious Savior When he ascended then was the time of his coronation gifts then he gave gifts As we say of men honest and able when we repaire to them for relief it s replied Alas they are out of commission So if we look at Christs Graces in his humiliation and in the daies of his suffering they are out of commission But when he comes to ascend he is then in commission and so carries al before him Being ascended he sheds abroad c. Say there is no power in me neither word nor ordinances but al power and all things are given to thy ministry therefore blessed Lord by thy power subdue our sins and quicken our Souls 2. Know that in vertue of this glory he is bound to do al for thee nay hath promised to dispence al unto thee Joh. 14.19 Because I live ye shal live also I am with you Eph. 2.4 He sets us in heavenly places with Christ USE 3. Comfort Here is matter of unspeakable and unmatchable comfort to refresh the fainting hearts of the servants of the Lord which have an interest in this Christ and are possessed of him who stands possessed of al that glory that Heaven and Earth hath or the God of Heaven and Earth can give The Chymists they dream of a Catholicon and Medicine of that excellent confection and composition and of that soveraign vertue and efficacy that it wil cure any Disease recover and remove any distemper They conceit that which they could never yet compass nor yet the skil and industry of al men could ever find out That which they dreamed and desired for the Body The Lord hath provided for the good and spiritual refreshing of the Souls of his Here is a Cordial that wil undoubtedly Cure thee of al discomforts whatever thy temptation thy condition thy miseries are can be shal be hast thou but a share in this Christ to whom the Father hath given this glory in Heaven It cannot but give thee content dost thou but know the value and vertue of the receipt and dost understand the right way to use it and art careful to take it for thine everlasting refreshing See the proof of it a little in the particulars following Have this glory of Christ in thine Eye and keep the savor of it in thy heart Thou canst not but have
hand of God 1. Set his Love on work and that wil set his Grace Power and Spirit on work to be enlarged in al the glorious operations thereof Go go to this 2 Thes 3 5. The Lord direct your hearts into the Love of God This wil give God no rest This made him send his Son and set his Counsel on work to contrive al for thy good By this thou maiest plead and wilt certainly prevail John 16. I will not say I wil ask the Father for the Father himself loveth you q. d. though I shal speak a good word yet there is that which wil do it and that it may be more effectually That Love sent me set me on work therefore I need not set that on work As David to Jonathan 1 Sam. 20.8 Thou shalt deal kindly for thou hast brought thy Servant into Covenant with God When Boas his heart was towards Ruth Naomi tels her Ruth 3. last He will never rest until he bath done the thing 2. Keep we our selves in this Love John 15.10 If we keep his Commandements we shal abide in his Love John 14.21 23. Jude 20. And thus we have done with this last Clause which we said we were inforced to take into consideration before we would come to the main Point wherein the pith of our Saviors Prayer appears which was the Second Particular observed in the Verse and are now to enquire into it The thing which our Savior praies here so earnestly for The 2d Partic. That they might be where he is And thence we have this Point namely Our Savior doth affectionately desire to have the presence of the Faithful in Heaven with himself Doct. I say he affectionately desires and that appears in his expression I WILL Which implies Three Things in this place as thus used That it is thing which suits the heart of the Lord Christ and which he chuseth as a thing that is wel pleasing to him This is as he would have it 2. That he presents the efficacy of his Merits and Obedience before God the Father and by vertue of the Covenant and Agreement betwixt him and the Father transacted touching his Elect and Chosen whose Redemption and Recovery he hath undertaken and he challengeth and claimeth at the hands of the Father the enjoyment of Heaven and Happiness which he hath purchased for his Servants the Faithful and his enjoyment of them and their presence 3. He earnestly requests and praies unto the Father for the accomplishment and performance of this The first and last of these Particulars ye have fully declared by the same word as used upon the like occasion When our Savior was to enter into his Agony in the Garden a little before he was betrayed he prayed more earnestly saies the Text If it be possible let this Cup pass and in the close ends and issues al with this subjection Not as I will but as thou wilt Marth 26.39 that is according to the Rules of Nature and Reason I would chuse and do desire mine own preservation as man yet as Mediator having undertaken the Redemption of mine I submit my Wil and Prayers to thy good pleasure and purpose And for the Second Particular it 's thus also plain Because his Prayer is one part of his Priestly Office and of that Intercession which he makes for his redeemed ones and that appears amongst other things in this As he purchased so in a righteous way he may obtain the performance of al that good from the Father in the behalf of his That they may be with them and happy in them for ever Isa 53.11 He shal see the travel of his Soul he shal see the fruit of his dying and praying the bringing of his unto God the Father into Heaven and their blessedness there And this our Savior doth not as man only but as God-man the Mediator of his Elect as he voluntarily submitted to the place of a Surety and became a Servant for our sakes and so less than the Father John 14.30 The Father is greater than I. Look as his Complaint so his Prayer may be conceived as issuing and proceeding from the same ground But when he complains My God my God why hast thou forsaken me he was not forsaken of God by the withdrawing of the sence and sweetness of his Favor as man only but as Surety therefore as Mediator and therefore so he prayed and so was heard then and now also heard and accepted of God the Father And this affectionate desire of our Savior appears in this That as he cannot take content in Heaven unless he have his Faithful with him So he wil not rest in Heaven but wil come again to fetch them to him John 14.3 I will come again and take you to my self He hath betrothed his Bride and Spouse here and he wil come as somtimes Princes and States come from their own Places and Kingdoms with the great retinue of his Courtiers and attendance of glorious Angels thousands shal go before him and thousand thousands administring to him at the Solemnization of the day of Marriage and he shal say as in Psal â—0 Gather my Saints to me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice We shal al be taken up with him into the Clouds and he shal carry his Bride with Triumph into his own Country and Kingdom into Heaven and there we shal be ever with him REASON 1. Hereby the Scope and End of the great Work of Restitution of lost man is in part and in an especial part thereof attained This is the end of the Death and offering of our Savior Heb 9.7 8. But into the Second went the High-Priest alone once every Yeer not without Blood the Holy Ghost thus signifying That the way into the Holy of Holies that is into Heaven was not yet made manifest while the first Tabernacle was standing but verse 11. Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come not by the blood of Goats but by his own Blood he entred once into the Holy Place that is Heaven having obtained eternal Redemption for us So that we have boldness to enter into the Holiest of the Blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is his Flesh This is the Scope of his Resurrection and Ascention John 14.3 In my Fathers House there be many Mansions I go to prepare a place for you that is He ascended into Heaven that by vertue of his Ascention we also might arise and ascend and sit in Heavenly places with him For Ascention doth firstly appertain to our Savior and from him as our Head it is communicated to us as his Members Had not the Second Adam ascended for ought I can see no Son of Adam had ever come into Heaven When the last Enemy which is Death is vanquished and that he hath brought al the Elect home and presented them to God the Father Here am I and
Heaven and Hell can frustrate to make the Lord repeal his purpose This was the best support that shored up Peter when he was at the hardest shock Luke 22.31 32. Simon Simon Satan hath desired to winnow thee as Chaff but I have prayed that thy Faith fail not Thy Heart and Hope and Grace and al might have failed and would but I have prayed that it fail not Thou happily wilt say Satan is subtil indeed and the snares of the World secret but I find most harm from mine own heart a Wil that cannot submit and wil not come though I might be saved Look higher and further for help to the Prayer of our Savior now in Heaven and there thou mayest certainly find Christ saies Father I will that they be with me The Devil and men and thine own heart wil the contrary whether wil the Father grant and which of al these is like to prevail The wil of Christ shal stand certainly and he wil do whatever he wil do the wil of Devils shal not hinder it thine own wil shal not be able to resist 2. Comfort against all the contempt of the World when the wicked and the mighty despise the meanness of the persons disdain the presence of the poor Saints If thou beest rejected on Earth and received into Heaven if men disdain thy Company and Christ desire it nay the World desire it the more our Savior longs for it and thee Thou hast no cause to be discouraged nor discomfited Thus David fenceth himself against the reproach of Michal Oh how gloriously c. saies he It was before the Lord who chose me rather than thy Fathers house 2 Sam. 6.21 As Haman solaced himself in this as no ordinary favor in that the Queen had invited him alone to her Banquet Hesth 5.12 Yea Hesther the Queen let no man c. Much more here when the Lord Christ professeth I pray not for the World but for all that thou hast given me c. John 17.9 3. Comfort against those feeblenesses which attend upon us in our best Duties My Prayers are so poor my Desires so faint and feeble that I rather beg a denial than have any hope to attain what I desire nor like to see Heaven nor Christ there Nay somtimes not a heart to ask and somtimes so much deadness and heartlesness in asking that how can I think to come to Heaven when I have not a heart to desire it Be it thy heart and thy prayers fail thee yet the prayer of our Savior ever took place and found speeding acceptance in Heaven Joh. 11.41 42. Father I know that thou hearrest me alwaies He is alwaies soliciting and pleading our cause before the Father and he cannot but find acceptance Therefore alwaies preserved Keeps them in the world alwayes assisted alwaies quickned to al perseverance USE 4. Of Exhortation If Christ affectonately desire our presence let us long to be with him to be out of the Pest-House of the world where we have been infected out of this prison of our corrupt Nature where we have been deeply annoyed with the Body of death and the stench of this carcase of abominations we bear about with us Long we for the consummation of the marriage long for this day that our Savior so much desires Our Savior longs for our company worthless Wretched that we be though he have not need of us and was ever happy without us lies in the Bosom of his Father and hath been his delight from Eternity who hath millions of Angels to attend and serve him Yea so far longed for our company that he came down from Heaven and took our Nature that he might die for our sins in the daies of his humiliation that those may not hinder our beleeving and coming to him and he would come again from Heaven that he may take us to himself that death may not stop our passage Therefore we have more reason to long for him of whom we have so much need in whom we shal find so much happiness to sleep out our daies in the bosom of his love through al eternity If our Feofment and inheritance lay here he would be with us here but it is not but reserved for us in Heaven where he is and therefore he wil have us with himself So they Isa 26.8 The desire of our Souls is towards thy Name and the remembrance of thee This is the last of al desires where they are compleat and ended The Soul desires union to the Body in the Grave but Body and Soul desire union with Christ To follow the Lamb where ever he goes Why stand we gazing one upon another go we to Heaven When our Savior saies I will they be with me Answer and I wil be with thee Lord. Say so ye Fathers and Mothers in Israel ye are almost within sight of shore there is one step to Death that is the Wagon and then to Christ Say so ye Yong men and Maidens though ye may live long ye cannot better this is the marriage I wil go also I wil be with Christ also who hath loved me died for me and redeemed me And if any be yet in a demur let me ask them as Laban asked Rebecca Gen. 24.57 58. When Eleazar Abrahams servant came to fetch her Wilt thou go and she said I wil go So let me propound the wil of Christ He hath chosen it desires it prayes for it what say ye wil ye go to Jesus I wil go Truly let us go The time wil come ye would be glad to hear that voice Come ye blessed c. Where then are our hearts that your hearts should be thus affected either the Saints have lost their interest or their affections Either Christ hath few servants or they have lost their desires 1. What Hinders 2. What might help Hindrances are Three The First Hindrance When we surfet on these sinful pleasures and contents in the world those eat up our desires and take off the edge of our Affections As Lot neer Sodom then in Sodom then cannot be perswaded to leave Sodom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hemammered Lime-twigged with the things of the world as Birds cannot find their Wing Gen. 19.16 As surfettings take off our Stomach Al men seek their own none the things of Christ Phil. 2.21 The Second Hindrance When through carelessness and guilt they loose their evidence and assurance of their interest in Christ and acceptance with him And therefore fear and so fly him as a Judg rather than rejoyce to be with him as a Savior Is it not that Christ whose Blood I have shed whose Name I have dishonored whose Spiri◠I have greeved They think to appear before Christ as Malefactors before a Judg. As though stubble should be with fire Who shal dwel with those Everlasting Burnings Hence David desires some respit Oh spare a little before I go hence Psal 39.13 The Third Hindrance When we please our selves with the certainty of what we
have and settle upon our own sufficiency and think we can make a shift and therefore lay aside the care of a Christ becauss that dale is mown that danger is over and fal hand-pat to other things The ful Soul despiseth the Hony-Comb Wind and raw Humors cloy the Stomach As Bears wil live many months and suck the moisture of their Claws Helps are Three The First Help Make sure of our interest in Christ And maintain it I go to your God and my God your Father and my Father Joh. 20.17 No man will leave the poorest cottage the meanest provision where he is for the uncertain Hopes of a palace when he knows not whether ever he shal injoy it Ye know the place and the way Joh. 14. And therefore they desire not to stir He that knows he hath a Father to go to he goes freely The Second Help See the dayly use and need of a Savior and that wil maintain a dayly desire as men of an useful helpful companion Him we must needs have sales one I pray you cal him him we cannot want I pray you intreat him We can do nothing without him by any means prevail with him So they say Truly without Christ we can do nothing Joh. 15.4 He saith it we find it Each man desires to maintain his life Such is Christ to us Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life c. Therefore Paul saw more of himself and his life in Christ than in himself 2 Cor. 5.8 And therefore desired to be absent from the Body that he might be present with Christ And that he was a Stranger while he was in the Body The Third Help There is nothing desireable but the Lord Jesus We have done with the second particular The Third and last comes now to be considered and that is The scope of our Savior in this his petition and the maine good and benefit for which our Savior makes this request for them Namely That they might see his Glory Not that they might have any glory in themselves see or satisfie themselves with their own glory but that they might gaze upon the Glory Which the Father hath given to his Son and be swallowed up with the admiration thereof and that through al Eternity q. d. That is the staple commodity for which they trade in Heaven and the only business about which they ought to be imployed and beâ—â—ow themselves through al worlds And about this our present inquiry wil be spent for this time The happiness of our being in Heaven is to behold the glory of the Lord Jesus Doct. which he hath received by gift from God the Father I say they happiness of our being in Heaven lies in this for this is the end at which our Savior aimes in this Prayer This is the end of that Priviledg and blessing for which he Prayes For it is not the place of Heaven though the lustre and beauty of it is beyond compare and indeed unconceivable nor yet our being in Heaven barely and nakedly considered could satisfie either our desires or wants and answer the Expectation of the Soul If Christ were not there or we might no injoy his presence and â—ee his face though we were shut up in a corner of Heaven certainly Heaven would be no Heaven our happiness no happiness if we had no Christ As he said What availes mâ— if I may not see the Kings face And therefore the dregs of the vengeance of Hell is discovered in this that they shal be destroyed from his presence and from the glory of his power The End we say is better than the Meanes as that which adds beauty and amâ—bility to them The End of our being in Heaven is better than Heaven it self and that is to see the glory of Jesus and hence it is This spiritual and special communion betwixt Christ and the Soul is ever implied in such expressions as intimate the happiness of our being in Heaven So when the Apostle would by a more than ordinary Cordial fetch up the fainting hearts of the Saints here he lands al desires Hopes indeavours and expectation 1 â—hess 4. and last The trump shal blow the dead shal rise we shal meet him and be taken up into the Clouds and â—â—ere we shal over be with the Lord. Not be in Heaven but be with Christ there that makes the feast and have glorious communion with him and injoyment of him Els Gods frowns and displeasure in Heaven would make it a Hell to the Soul and that indeed insufferable Hence the Prophet makes this the highest pitch of al the Hopes and desires he had and the having of that was enough and did satisfie fully Psal 17.15 Having spoken of the Pomp and prosperity of the ungodly they had what they would and did what they would in this world he reposeth his spirit upon this As for me I wil behold thy Face in righteousness and when I awake I shal be satisfied with thy likeness When he awakes at the day of resurrection The sight of Gods glory gives ful satisfaction Whom have I in Heaven but thee It s not Heaven but God in Christ in Heaven that makes it desirable All desires of al the hearts of the Saints empty themselves and end here Their desires are to thy Name And the remembrance of thee The Soul in Heaven desires the union of the Body and the perfection and accomplishment of the number of their fellow brethren But when Body and Soul are raised and the Saints completed then al desires are to Gods Name and to the remembrance of him There is the remembrance of nothing else The things and relations of this life are like prints left in Sâ—nd there is not the least appearance or remembrance of them The King remembers not his Crown the Husband the Wife Father the Child nothing that we had that had any worth and desirableness in it It s forgotten only the Name of God in Christ that is so far and so much as he hath manifested himself in his Christ to the Soul thâ—â—s now in their Eye and aime that only comes into remembrance This is the top and highest pinnacle of perfection which the Apostle hath in his Eye 1 Joh. 3.1 2. We are now the Sons of God but it doth not appear what we shal be Why what is that excellency that then may be expected Answ We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is The Sight of his Glory is the highest step and stair of ours Here we shal enquire three Things 1. What this Glory is 2. What it is to see it 3. How the sight of this Glory brings in our End and happiness of our being in Heaven and that will be the Reason of the Point 1. What Glory is Answ There be Two Things in it 1. One is supposed and that is the worth and excellency of such Graces and Perfections which are in Christ for al Glory presumes some worth as the Basis
he wil drop in in this or that Ordinance and how liâ—tle do we see of hinâ—â— yet that 's al we seek and that 's al the good we can receive to do us good But them â—hrist in the glorious sufficiency of the fulness of his Grace shal shine in a-main upon the mind in the ful beauty of it Al Comfort and Peace and Grace of al kinds shal like a mighty stream take up the whol man Here by re-tale as persons who are poor buy and bring in their Provisions Then by whol-sale Here the Light of the Sun shining in a crevis and day-hole leaves yet the place dark but then the Lord Christ shal arise as the Sun of Righteousness and fil as that the whol Heaven so this the whol heart So Christ shines in the Counsels Comrorts c. of the Ministry of the Word and makes us see the Day-star arising but stil there be shadows But then he wil arise in our hearts and al these shadows shal fly away I shall know as I am known 3. Most effectually and powerfully 1 John 3.2 It 's the Inference the Apostle makes and the reason he brings to force this Consequence and that infallibly We shal be like him How comes that We shall see him as be is For as the Spirit of Christ by his Special presence in the Soul and work upon it is the only Author of al Grace and Holiness which we do here or shal hereafter possess 2 Cor. 3.18 We are transformed into one degree of glorious Grace from another by the same Spirit So the Spirit of God useth first to enlighten our minds aâ— the first means whereby he comes to make way for himself into the heart and to communicate al that glorious Grace to those upon whom he is pleased to bestow it And hence our Savior when he would difference his Servants from the wicked in the World to whom he never intends any saving good nor do they partake thereof he gives this as a ground John 14.17 The Father will send his Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him No Spirit no Grace But the World hath no Spirit because they cannot receive him and that because they do not see not know But they see therefore receive and therefore have the Spirit and therefore have Grace and therefore the Apostle concludes 1 John 3.6 Whoever sinneth hath not seen him nor known him True it is possible the wicked may have a glimmering of the Truth and hear tel of a Christ by the common bruit of the World as they read such things writ But this is a false Light the Star-light of some common apprehensions of Reason Arguments which are presented to us in Speech and Discourse But the Apostle ads Eph. 4.20 If ye have heard and learned Christ and been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus Ye have heard of the Truth and Christ as then are in words which report him as Arguments and Reasons which discourse and dispute about him but the Truth as it is in Jesus as it issues from a Jesus from a Savior and from that saving enlightening over-powring work when it 's set on by the hand of a Jesus not by Man Education or Disputation then it wil make men to put off the old man and be renewed in the spirit of their minds This the eyeing of Jesus in a right manner in this Life wil do But when we come to see Christ as he is in his Glory all those impediments which either stopped or lessened the work of the Spirit from conveying that fulness of Grace which otherwise it would and by which we might have been perfectly like him are then taken away Now the impediments which stop the current and passage of the Spirit are either in regard of the means whereby he is dispensed or in regard of our hearts wherein he is received 1. For the means they are either narrow as Conduits from the Fountain or Creeks from the Sea of smal power and convey little help in spiritual supply as Word and Sacraments Or else the Instruments are weak and cracked and so stop the stream and corrupt and sinful and therefore though not utterly hinder the work of the Spirit yet wrong and defile it much But then the Lord Christ wil do his work by himself when his Spirit shal have ful scope the narrowness of means shal not streighten him the weakness of instruments hinder him to express the ful power of his Grace in ful perfection but God shall now be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 1. Whatever Word and Sacraments and Prayer could or did convey whatever the Power of Ordinance the Ministry of the Word the Counsel of Saints endeavored to work in you he wil be instead of al and do more than al. Ye prayed for a Christ did ye not Ye heard for a Christ received for a Christ conferred humbled to come more neer a Christ to enjoy more of him do more for him Alas that Christ ye desired to hear some Tidings of ye shal see him not in weakness of Ordinances Ministry of his Servants c. ye shal see him as he is in the highest strain of Eminency of al Grace acting to its utmost for your good that which they all could not do They did convey but imperfect power against sin peace and comfort to your Conscience but now ye shal find al power perfectly and constantly gloriously conveyed from this Glory of Christ 2. There shal be no impediment to hinder or streighten the Spirit from conveying no impediment on our part no hindrance in our Souls because they shal readily receive the ful impression of Grace The set frame and face of the Soul being alone for Christ and towards him The whol imployment of the whol man being nothing else but to attend upon Christ and to submit to him to be carried by the presence power and influence of his Spirit alone Look as it is with In-mates under a Roof the one is constrained to confine himself to heap up and tumble his Houshold-stuff together because he hath not room to set it forth but when al are outed and he hath ful scope in his House and Family he may order al in their ful beauty So here paâ—â—ly our Corruptions partly the World and Earthly occasions keep house with Christ thoughts of Christ and the Family â—are for the Promises and for Provision also pains and labor to settle our Spiritual the like contrivements to suit our temporal Condition and al takes up if not take off and carriâ—â— our minds and thoughts our hearts our care so that Christ and the works of his Grace are crowded into corners and narrows But then the House wil be free the heart quit of al these and Christ wil have ful scope Hence the Apostle 1. Thes 4.17 We shall ever be with him We are now pestered with unwelcome guests which we cannot send going
which is our last end and chiefest good which is not to be in Heaven but to please God and choose his wil wil his wil. We meet with God and suck out a satisfying goodness in him in so doing this is one end But both these are to be attended and neither seperated from the other The wel-working and exercise of our Grace is the end but that Barely I doubt wil not do it For no creature can give content to the Soul but our wel-working is a creature Therefore with that I added also A rellish of satisfying goodness or comprehending of that goodness That is God in his goodness by acting upon him and we communicating from him al the perfection we are capable of We may be said to be like God and to have his Image because we have Grace But we are most like him and communicate most of al good from him when we close with him in the act of his Grace Satisfie me with thy mercy I shal behold thy Face and be satisfied The issue is If by our beholding of the glory of Christ so immediately effectually we receive more of God are more for God in meeting with him and sucking out satisfying good from him Then the happiness of out being in Heaven is to behold the glory of our Lord Christ USE 1. Instruction We have here a Cordial against Death This should make the Saints willing to die that they may gaze upon the unmovable glory of a Christ and be made truly and gloriously happy thereby It was Davids longing from that little glimpse he had once found Psal 63.1 3. My Soul thirsteth c. That I may see thee as somtimes I have seen thee So say thou I have seen the Lord in his word when he humbled me in his promises when he hath comforted me in his sacraments when he strengthened me Oh that I may once see him as he is The glory of that Wisdom that I may never erre more the glory of that mercy that I may never fear stagger any more that Grace that I may never be foiled any more Thus Job I know my Redeemer c. The marriner wil be content to split the Vessel if there be no other way to get to the Haven USE 2. Examin Whether we ever knew the Lord aright or no. Whether it be a savor of knowledg or a Visard of knowledg If thou hast true sight of the glory of Christ It wil make thee a heavenly and glorious Christian It wil make thee like the Christ thou seest in part and hereafter in perfection then in ful measure but here in some truth If the Eye-salve shal be right it heals the Sore of the Eye as wel as recover the sight of it Otherwise hadst thou al knowledg couldst thou search al secrets and yet thy learning and skil left thee as sensual as careless as ever thou hast happily seen the glory of some learning and Wisdom of words but thou never hadst a speculation indeed of the glimpse of the glory of Christ in the reality of it Isa 6.5 That Vision of the Prophet see what a disposition it wrought in him This sight makes him sit down confounded This knowledg is like the Sun rising that scatters al Clouds Star-light leaves it dark False light like lightning leaves the mind and heart as dark and corrupt as it was before Eph. 4.18 19. 1 Joh. 3.6 USE 3. Of Direction What Price we should put upon the knowledg of Christ how much desire it what Indeavor to attain it Prize it above Heaven desire it more than Heaven indeavor to attain it rather than Heaven it self for indeed it is better There were no glory in Heaven but that we behold this glory of Christ Thus Paul desires Phil. 3.10 This the Saints have counted the peculiar evidence of Gods favor as Moses Exod. 33.18 It s the greatest trade the Saints take up in Heaven let us then begin Heaven upon Earth take up our thoughts with that now upon which we shal gaze through al eternity This is the end of al ordinances the scope of our Praying Hearing Preaching attendance upon al Duties we preach for this ye pray for this That when al the Churches shal meet together we may come to the unity of the faith and the acknowledgment of the Son of God It was that Son of God that pardoned my sin quieted my conscience comforted my Soul And mine also say ye or els I had perished and mine also or I had been everlastingly discouraged When we shal never cease the seeing admiring adoring the glorious perfections of his Son let us now begin to search after them Means are Three 1. Keep the Conscience convinced and the heart perswaded that as al power is given to Christ in Heaven and Earth so al good that is done to his in spiritual things and al deliverances for his accomplished are wrought by him and he is ready for the relief of his Act. 2.33 Know assuredly saies Peter That Christ whom ye have crucified him hath God raised he hath shed down that whâ—ch ye see I see him standing at the right hand of the Father Know ye Devils I see the glory or that mercy that did rescue me from their rage els I had been cooped up with you in the chains or darkness Be it known unto you ye damned creatures this is the Son of God the glory of whose conquering Grace hath broke my flinty heart or els I had burned in Hel with you that wretched Creature that was proud and is now humbled as ye see he that was estranged from God and Heaven and is now called converted comforted Know that Christ hath shed down that Grace ye now see He hath done there great things 2. Hold those glorious excellencies unto the Eye of the Soul that they may never depart away from it nor the Soul withdraw it self from them until they leave an impression upon it Therefore if any thing besides come in the way between the Soul and Christ or would cal off the Soul attend it not If any thing be presented against this to lessen the worth or necessity hear it not regard it not Keep these in thy thoughts 1 Chro. 9.18 Be in these 1 Tim. 4.15 As in infusions dayly though easie Heats leave a Tincture of the vigor and vertue of the Herb or mettal behind them Dayly company keeping is the next way of moulding each into other When men prohibite al other goods to be brought so that Chapmen see none beside then they sel their own 3. A heart willing and yieldable to give way to those glorious operations of Christ and the dispensations of himself unto the Soul Prov. 2.10 He doth not work because we stop the way and would not have him work Ye wil find generally a loathness and going off from a truth if you want the good of it and find not the benefit of it Jsiah his hâ—art â—â—eâ—â—ed Theâ— is an instruction sealed when al parts be
familiarity yet if their hearts can take contentment and suite and soder secretly with thee Certainly they sent and savor somthing like themselves or els they would never love it Joh. 15.19 The world loves her own And if it love thee assuredly it owns thee as one of hers really however thy profession carries another appearance to men to whom thou canst conform and with whom thou canst comply Why say your companions such a one a Puritan Tush he may and can comply with his godly Brethren for to please them but he is a good fellow If time place and company fit him But a man sound at heart at core they cannot indure his company nay not abide his Name As with the Stomach that is chollerick we can judg the good of the Physick by the working of the Stomach if it can receive and digest it that it stirr not we conclude it s not right Rhubarb but a Dock-root it stirs not the humor especially when the Body is so fit to be wrought upon 2. Consider how thy heart can secretly suit with worldly ones He is known by his companion that cannot be known by his own course and practise in private Because like wil to like Birds of a Feather wil flock and fly together As here in New-England The color of some Birds is very strange by reason of the Climate hearts and colds and that causes some wholly to differ from other Yet if we see them flock and mate commonly together we conclude it is a Starling not a Black-Bird she keeps with such though her color and Feathers be other yet her Nature and kind is the same 1 Joh. 4.5 They are of the world and the world hears them When a man can hug and harbor a varlet a scummy wretch that is not fit to sit among the Dogs of a mans Table and a wise holy-hearted man would take the windy side its certain such a one is a worldly wretch Away from me ye wicked Psal 6.8 The wicked is an abomination to the Righteous Prov. 29.27 3. Observe whence the root and rise of thy disposition or thy actions come Canst thou say as Christ I do nothing but what I see the Father do The words I speak they are not mine Canst thou say so The words I speak the works I do they are not mine but Christs O Righteous Father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee c. THis verse being a further discovery and description of the parties for whom our Savior Christ prayed in the foregoing 24. Verse That they might be with him and see and so injoy his glory in Heaven Each part of the description carries a secret kind of constraining force to set home the former conclusion and provoke the Lord to the grant of his Prayer and that Priviledg unto the Faithful that they might see the glory of Christ 1. The world knows not the Father nor yet the Son and therefore they have as no Title to it so no ability to Fathom it nor hearts to take delight therein or to promote the praise thereof 2. Our Savior he knows the Father the depth of that Fatherly affection of his and that unconceivable glory which he hath and wil also communicate to him And his Saints also know that he was sent by the Father on that Ambassage of life and for the accomplishment of that great work of Salvation by which as the highest pitch of glory might be possessed by himself so also purchased for them And therefore as he is worthy to obtain this of the Father so they also fit to injoy it and to advance the glory of the Father and him in it 3. That he hath manifested and wil manifest yet further the name of that Fatherly love the glory of that Grace and mercy and saving Redemption by him provided and al to this end that Christ might be in them And Gods love manifested in them and by them sharing and injoying the glory that Christ should possess and that they should be spectators and admirers of for ever If now the world neither knew the Father nor therefore could love or honor him nor his Son It was not fit they should be with Christ or see the glory of Christ given him out of his Fathers love But if Christ knew the Father and his Fatherly love and that he was sent on purpose upon this Ambassage and being sent for this did and doth indeavor this and that for this end that Christ and that Fatherly love might be in them and the Saints know al this Then he is sit to ask and obtain this mercy they fit to receive it and they shal glorifie God herein and he attain his glory while he is pleased thus to grant the Prayer of our Savior and to glorifie him and them We have opened and finished that part of the descripon of the parties which was laid down by way of dissimilitude both as the world are considered in themselves in regard of the ignorance they have of God and as by way of dissimilitude they stand in reference comparison and consideration with our Savior and his disciples We are now come to inquire the other parts of the description of the partyes for whom the Prayer is made whose worth and excellency is see forth by their effects 1. I know thee 2. These also know that thou hast sent me And here with we shal take in the second general to wit the person who doth pray intimated in the words where we have two points 1. From these words I know thee The Lord Christ hath the knowledg of the Father in a peculiar manner Doct. I say the knowledg of the Father for that is constantly to be carried along with us in our consideration and to be kept in our Eye that we may keep to the scope of the place and aime of our Savior in his Prayer and expression For he looks at him as we have shewed as a righteous Father such a one as doth dispense his Fatherly affection in Faithfulness unto his And therefore those of the world upon whom his Fatherly affection was never set nor were they within the compass of the Covenant of his Grace had no interest therein to whom his Faithfulness and truth was never ingaged and therefore they could challenge nothing nor yet was he â—ound to accomplish any thing for their spiritual and eternal good And therefore if our Savior had prayed for them that they should have been in Heaven and have seen his glory he had prayed for that which the Father was not bound to grant in Faithfulness nor were they fit to injoy For they know not that Fatherly love and affection of his which moved him to give Christ that glory nor could they be affected with it nor receive the good of it But He who knew the Father he Prayes for this Favor And he Prayes for them also who have known both the Father and him in their conjoint purpose The one
Father would keep them Joh. 17.11 3. To perfect that life of Grace in Glory Joh. 12.49 50. 1 Joh. 4.9 Joh. 6.40 I wil raise them up at the last day He is sent on this Errand that he shal see them safe arrived landed in Heaven USE 1. Matter of Admiration See and be swallowed up with the wonderment of Gods love to such worthless ones as we Had he sent his letters to comfort his Creatures to visite his Angels to administer it had been more than we worthless worms could have expected So the Apostle 1 Joh. 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us in that he sent his Son If any man question his love or desire to see the discovery of love In this it s manifested undeniably infallibly Love unmatchable unconceivable that he should send his own Son from his own bosom to such worthless dust In this is Love herein is Love it 's here to be adored admired for ever Not that we loved him for that had been Love to have owned us and accepted of us But that he loved us and sent his Son to be a Propitiation for our sins Elizabeth is drawn to a wonderment at the coming of Mary How comes it that the Mother of my Lord cometh unto me Luke 1.43 But how cometh it that the Lord himself come It 's more than is usually observed or indeed can be expected that a man should send a choyce Pearl from his Closet a Diamond out of his Cabinet But that one should send his whol Treasure it 's more than can be imagined Or desired But it 's so here God hath sent his Son in whom al the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg are his and to us so vile so unthankful and unworthy Nay as God when he would convince Satan of Jobs Sincerity he impannels a Jury from Hel tels him that he had moved him to afflict Job without a Cause for yet he held his Innocency and the Devil could not deny it So consider here for thy shame if thy heart stir not with admiration we shal impannel a Jury from Hel which wil give in a Verdict 2 Thes 1.8 9. At the day of Judgment God shal be Glorious in all his Saints but admired in them that believe When al the wicked shal be gathered at the left hand of Christ the Devils and damned Spirits and al the rabble of those fulsom Goats shal see the poor Saints such as were opposite to Christ haters of him to be made one with him They who rejected nay may be persecuted Christ and the means of Grace to be now made partakers of Christ and Grace The Devils wil admire this mercy though they never share in it and shalt not thou admire it who art partaker of it 2. Comfort of never failing assurance of our safety and happiness It 's the wil of the Father and that must stand and Christ is sent to do his wil and he wil not fail of doing that for which he was appointed and therefore thou canst not fail of Heaven Christ professeth John 6.38 39. he came to do the Wil of the Father and this is his Wil That he should lose none but raise them up at the last day and he resolves he wil lose none but he wil raise them up verse 40. We have done with the Two former Things which were to be attended in the Explication 1. What it was to be sent 2. Why or for what End he was sent III. We are now to enquire touching the knowledge of this so far as it comes in an especial manner to be appropriated to the Saints And his is the third Particular to be opened for the discovery of the former Point are we shal only look at it in that peculiar respect as it is a proper Brand for Christs Sheep and a Livery of his Servants and Followers For so the Text intimates and our Savior speaks of it in that regard The World knows thee not they never attained this Learning nor were trained and taught up to it they are amongst the Petties and Punies of the world and may have some worldly wisdom These waies of wisdom they are above and too high for a Fool such as the wicked of the World are These who are promoted to the University of the Gospel and have learned of Christ these know such and such only know have a special knowledge of God the Father in Christ they know him as sent and therefore must needs know the Father who did send him Touching the Specialty of this Knowledg which is the Portion and Inheritance appropriated to the Saints as the wise man saies The Wicked meddle not with the Joy of the Righteous so it 's as true in this they reach not their Knowledg Of this we shal enquire 1. Wherein the Specialty of this Knowledg consists 2. How it comes to be communicated to them First The Specialty of this Knowledg consists in Four Things 1. In the Ability by which they know 2. In the thing known 3. The Manner of the discovery of that so known 4. The setling of the heart by that 1. This Knowledg is peculiar to the Saints in regard of that special Ability which they do receive from God in special manner by which their Judgments are cleered and their Understandings enabled to search and see into such mysterious depths and secret Dispensations of God unto the Souls of his in the Covenant of his Grace and the Conveyance of his Mercy which exceeds and over-flies the most Eagle-sighted Apprehensions of any Natural Man in the World They have the wisdom and enlightening Grace of the Spirit in their Minds and the concurrence and assistance of the Spirit to act and lead them out and thereby to lead them into al Truths and these must not be severed because God hath joined them together Zach. 4.2 3. There must not be Lamps only to burn in the Golden Candle-stick but there must be Olive Trees to feed those Lamps and to further their Light in their dayly burning As that is true in the Church of Christ it 's true also in the heart of every Member of the Church there is not only a Lamp of Knowledg burning in the Mind but there must be also a constant supply of the Oyl of the Spirit which must quicken and act out that Spiritual Wisdom for the right discerning of the things of our Peace And this is the Condition of al the Saints and the ordinary course of Gods Dispensation of himself in the way of the Gospel He hath given us a mind to know him saies the Apostle 1 John 5.20 he hath given his Spirit saies Paul whereby we may know the things that are graciously given us of God This is the end of giving both without which it cannot be So the words run 1 Cor. 2.11 12. We have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are graciously given us of
the Lord Jesus the Son of his Love blessed for ever and that to such as they are so unworthy and vile in themselves so loathsom and abominable by reason of the Number and Nature of their Hellish Iniquities That it seems so cross to the compass of al Reason that they cannot but cavil at it as a thing absurd and unreasonable to beleeve and their distrustful and guilty hearts cannot but reject it as a thing impossible Yea the Disciples themselves when the hardness of the work was resembled by a comparison from our Savior they cried out Who then can be saved To make known and make good this Ambassage to the Soul God must make known his Almighty Power to the sinner which he only that feels is forced to confess others cannot conceive So Paul to the Ephesians Chap. 1.17 c. praies for a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation another Spirit and common Understanding cannot come neer such things That they might know the excessive exceeding great Activity of the might Power of God in bringing a sinner home to himself verse 19. and therefore the Convert 1 Cor. 14.24 when he hath but a glimpse hereof in the search of the Secrets of his own heart he fals down and confesseth God is in you of a Truth It 's the Wisdom Power Soveraignty of a God It 's beyond al created Power ever to discover such things to work so upon the Soul 2. As the Power that settles the Message so the Light that discovers the Beauties and Excellencies that are therein utterly beyond apprehension expectation admiration Peter professeth that the very Angels of Heaven pry into these Secrets delight to lie down and look wishly into them because they lie so low and deep beyond their discerning 1 Pet. 1.11 yea the Apostle Paul concludes the Eye never saw the Ear never heard nay it never entred into the heart of man to conceive thâ—se things 1 Cor. 2.9 Nothing can be seen by proof and observation nothing heard by report from others no such thing can be anvilled and contrived by the conceitings of al the Understanding of men and yet they are such things which God hath revealed by his Spirit in the Gospel Hence the Phrase 1 Pet. 2.9 God hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous Light Every thing is a Mystery a marvel in the work of Grace when once we have an Eye to see We marvel at our own wretchedness and baseness we marvel at Gods Patience to bear with such worthless and sinful ones as we be our Peace is marvelous such as passeâ—h al understanding joy marvelous unspeakable and glorious And the ungodly meddle not in any of these things being indeed unknown to them There is hid Manna Revel 2. Secret and unconceivable refreshings â—ound in Câ—rist a white Stone and a new Name which no man knows but he that hath it and therefore he judgeth all things saith the Apostle he that is Spiritual and is judged of no man And Lastly For the setling of the heart It lets in such an overbearing both Power and Sweetness of the good thus known that it carries the heart along with it and settles and keeps the heart to it And therefore it ever hath Faith accompanying it They that know thy name wil trust in thee Psal 9 10. Hadst thou known who it is that said unto thee give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living Water Joh. 4.10 Therefore she should have asked in Faith By this we know that we do know We have the science of knowledge that we have the truth and soundness of Faith And somtimes yea frequently in the phrase of Scripture it is put for faith Joh. 17.3 This is Eternal life to know thee that is to beleeve in thee 2. The means how this knowledge comes to settle the faithful Answ It is by the means which God in the course of his Providence appointment hath ordained for that end that is his good word in the Scriptures recorded by his Ministery delivered to them It is true there is a spirit of Wisdom and revelation that is put forth in this dispensation but it s as true that this Spirit goes along with this word and works in this word as seems good to the good pleasure and wil of Christ The place is more precious than Pearls and worthy to be retained in the table of our hearts for ever Joh. 17.7 8. Now they to wit the Apostles Have known that all things whatever thou hast given me are of thee Whence comes that Answer verse 8. I have given to them the words which thou givest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have beleeved that thou didst send me Loe The words that God the Father gave Christ the words of he Gospel Evâ—ngelium that good tidings he gave the Apostles And they received them and by them they knew that Christ came from God and beleeved he was sent of that message Quest Is this the condition of all the Saints Answ For the reality and substance of what hath been said it appertains to al though there be much difference in the manner and measure how these discoveries come to be dispensed Object But we see by experience many of Gods own are Ignorant here Answ There is a discovery of these in a manner and measure to al for al have that spiritual light all have notice of that Ambassage of peace of love and of life brought them in and by Christ and by that overbearing power and light those good things of Christ in the Gospel are discovered so convictingly and set on so efficaciously that the heart is kept to them By such a knowledg they come to be apprehended and receive But there is a reflect act when our understanding views and looks over the work of the mind and heart so that we know that we do know and know that we do receive This the Saints may and do want many times for some while We have this dispatcht the four Particulars and so cleared our way to the understanding of the Doctrine proposed which was The Saints have a special knowledg that the Lord Christ is sent of God the Father for the work of their Salvation We shal now proceed to the Reasons and Uses in few words The Reason of the point is double 1. From the Office of our Savior Reas 1. and the Aim and scope he hath in the execution of the work thereof He comes not to do his own wil nor to seek his own glory but to do the wil and seek the glory of him that sent him Therefore he must dispense al as from him draw al Eyes and hearts towards him For the Nature of an Ambassage doth of necessity imply and require this It makes al to look to the person who sends the Ambassage whose power and pleasure is there firstly attended and leads al by the hand
so that they must not rest in their returns until they come to the Father 2. The heart of a sinner cannot be quieted the distressed Soul cannot find rest or repose before it be carried to God the Father Joh. 12.49 50. And Chap. 11.42 USE 1. It teacheth the Saints to acknowledg with al thankfulness that inlarged favor of the Lord towards them that he would vouchsafe so choice and peculiar Priviledges to them which he denies to al the world beside That he wil familiarize himself to them and admit them into his presence when he doth estrange himself from al others It 's no smal part of respects but an argument and evidence of peculiar and indeared respect that when no man may come to the speech or sight of the King He no sooner comes to Court but he may come into presence and be acquainted with the Secrets of Sate Nay if he come no sooner is notice given but he may have entrance at the first appearance when he wil be seen by none of the Court or Kingdom beside This is your Priviledg O ye blessed of the Lord when the Lord locks up himself and withdraws the discovery of his presence from the greatest part yea from al the world The World know him not yet ye do know him and may be acquainted with al his secret purposes touching his dispensations of the greatest Affairs of the world his counsels touching the Salvation and damnation of men This made Judas at a stand not Iscariot Why wilt thou shew thy self to us and not unto the World They shal understand nothing of those Ambassages of Peace and Life which thou hast given Christ in Commission to communicate to the Souls of thine And why shew to us In our selves as Sinful and in outward Conditions more low and mean and base than they Why wilt â—hou It 's only thy wil and the wonder of thy free Grace Thy wil be done and blessed be thy Name for ever To you it 's given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but not to â—hem It is a Gift and that a choyce one which most in the world attain not unto Give God the praise and honor of it again It 's ever an Evidence of special regard and intimate Confederacy when King or State holds constant intelligence and correspondence by Agents and Ambassadors with one State but recals them from al other So it is here Ye have an express of the good pleasure and al the Affairs of Peace and Life that are transacted in Heaven mannaged and committed to Christ ye may know the mind of God when he imparts no such privacies to any ungodly Person whatsoever USE 2. Of Examination Hence we may discern whether we be of the Scum and Reffuse of the World or the Favorites and Followers of Christ for whom he praies and Heaven is prepared This is an Evidence a never failing one whereby the Followers of Christ may be known They know God in Christ and al his purposes of good which he hath sent his Son to see accomplished for their good This our Savior makes the Ear-mark the Brand-mark of his Flock John 10.3 4.27 His Sheep know his Voyce they own the mind of God in his Word and they wil honor him and so the good Shep-heard is discerned by the like I am the good Shepheard who know mine and am known of mine verse 14. If they be mine they wil know me as yong Lambs the bleat of the Dam and the smel of each other wil make them own each other among many thousands 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not in your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates This Knowledg discovers it self by Two Evidences 1. By the Effect of it They will not follow a stranger Strange Teachers and strange Doctrines they do not own they wil not follow and therefore the Apostle gives this as a certain Demonstration They went out from us because they were not of us for had they been of us they would never have gone from us 1 John 2.19 Nay the Apostle goes further and his Expression is dreadful Heb. 10.38 The just by Faith will hold out but if any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him and therefore he quits his hands of that evil blesseth himself from that But we are not of those that draw back unto Perdition If that be their way Perdition wil be their end It 's a direful Doom which Peter sets down 2. Pet. 2.20 21. 2. By the Means and rise of it It issues from the word received into the heart I gave them thy Word and they received it and know c. And Prov. 2.10 11. and Chap. 4.6 Forsake her not and she will preserve thee love her and she will keep thee It 's that of the Apostle 1 Thes 2.13 When ye received the Word of God ye received it not as the Word of men but as the Word of God Receive the Word not as a Vessel doth Water but as a Woman doth a Person whom she marrieth receive it to keep it to live and die with it and then it wil work effectually But we entertain it as a Passenger as a Neighbor and therefore it comes and goes we never have hearts engaged to it if we had we should understand every good Path Prov. 2.9 Therefore our Savior gives the Reason John 5.43 I came in my Fathers Name and ye will not receive me Another comes in his own Name and him ye wil receive We have now finished the Second and Third General observed in the opening of these two Verses viz. The Parties for whom this Prayer is made which were described by way of dis-similitude to the World and by their Effects their Worth and Excellency of Knowledg and Grace And The Party who makes the Prayer The next Branch as it lies in the order of the words which was the Fourth general Observation is The Means here used and that which is resolved on to be improved for the attaining of the end which is sought for with such earnestness in this Prayer and this is expressed in these words Verse 26. I have made known thy Name to them and will make it known IN the words there seems to be the Consideration of a double end One is by way of Prevention to answer a secret Demand How the Faithful and Followers of Christ come to attain that Knowledg which is hid from the World and whether it were Knowledg of the right make or no Both which he resolves from hence That he who only doth know aright he doth make known the Name of the Father to them whence it comes that they both must know and also know in a right and saving manner For so good a Teacher having power and sufficiency to make wise unto Salvation cannot but make them good Schollers Another End is To set home with further Evidence the main Conclusion in the foregoing Verse That the Faithful may be with him
by the Bush burning he went neer to see that wondrous fight Exod. 3.3 2. But this is not al He further sets on those excellencies by the discovery of some unexpected suitableness to the Soul and the condition thereof as appointed and performed with intendment to his good who is given to Christ Gods wil hath determined Christ hath received al power for this very purpose to communicate them to him It s possible for God to dart in some kind of ravishing appearances of the excellencies of mercies life and Salvation which pass by as sudden lightning upon the understanding So it was with Balaam who had a glimpse of the glory of Heaven and it stirred his affections for the while Let me die the death of the Righteous and let my last end he like his Numb 23.10 But it left nothing behind it he is as far to seek as before As a man seeing his Face in a Glass so these forget what they were But these leave some intimation of some kind of special provision appointed for the purpose My Message is to thee Leaves some impression of Wisdom to discover the way of Grace for our own future good that he comes to a guess of the way of life and peace though he hath no perfect skil yet he can say it coasts within such a compass it lies to that point though he cannot readily hit the Particular Path. As the poor Man said after God had broken his heart It seised upon me like Thunder and Lightning from that day forwards I could discern somthing in every Sermon This I take to be the meaning of that which torments Interpreters and exercised mine own thoughts many a time and it s very difficult to cut the Hair we wil speak a word to it 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made of God to us Wisdom We may come at it thus 1. This Wisdom cannot be justification not sanctification for those are mentioned immediately after and therefore they are not there meant Therefore it must be in vocation When Christ sets open the way Of all the good that God wil do And Of the manner of his communicating of himself for so the word â—â—lâ— belongs to a Syllogisme impliâ—â— the laying open of the frame of things as they lie in inference and sets it on upon the mind 3. The Reason why this is properly given to our Savior 1. Argument is taken from that relation he stands in unto the Father The proper Nature of Relates is to manifest and give knowledge each of other Math. 11.27 No man knowes the Father but the Son c. Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son 2. Argument from the commission delegated unto Christ He it is Whom the Father hath appointed to communicate his counsel to his faithful Ones Hebr. 1.2 He hath spoken in these last daies unto us by his Son Joh. 16.15 All that the Father hath are mine therefore said I He shal take of mine and shal shew it unto you So that the Son hath al committed to him and he communicates to the Holy Spirit who speaks not of his own but what he hath heard Thus we have the explication of the point And the work of our Savior what he hath done We shal refer for application to what follows in the uses hereafter made to the ensuing Doctrins The Second and next thing in order it the work of our Savior and his profession and ingagment What he wil do I have declared thy Name This he hath done And he add's further And I wil declare it Before I enter upon that we shal Observe by the way the conjoyning and coupling of these two works of our Savior together I have and I wil What he had done in former times and what he would do for future The Lord Christ extends the same Care at all times Doct. to all his Servants for their Eternal Good What he hath been he is and he wil be to the Faithful in things which concern their Spiritual Happiness He deals variously and dispenseth in a differing manner the Comforts and Conveniences of the things of this life He advanceth me leaves contempt upon another one is wretched another impoverished another spends his daies in health and peace as Isaac another is under dayly pressure and tryals Because al these things though good in themselves yet they are under and petty things and therefore not good for every man Diets are ever judged and directed to men according to their temper and disposition That which is Cordial to one as heating and nourishing Provisions to such as be weak and languishing i'ts hurtful to another that is of a ful Body and Feaverish distemper Therefore the wise God as a tender Father and wise Physitian he gives liberally to one when he holdâ— another to a spare Diet. So God Diets his Servants according to their Spiritual Disposition they are not alike useful and therefore he doth not in a like manner and measure dispense them But when it comes to Faith in God Repentance from dead Works and such things as concern Gods Eternal Love and so Eternal Life there look what care God shewed in former times to his he wil shew the like at al times to al to provide for their Spiritual welfare Compare Gen. 28.15 with Hos 12.2 He found him in Bethel and there he spake with us He spake to Jacob who was dead and buried long before that Generation But what he spake to him he spake to al the Saints Exod. 13.21 22. He took not away the Pillar of the Cloud by day noâ— the Pillar of Fiâ—e by night A Type of Christ who by night and day in al the Conditions and times of a mans Pilgrimage vouchsafes his guiding and saving presence to his People This also the rock in the Wilderness typed our unto the Israelites 2 Cor. 10.2 The Rock that followed go whether they would the Water out of the Rock followed them and attended upon them for their dayly refreshing So doth the Mercy and Truth of the Lord follow his al the daies of their lives Psal 23.6 And it is the aim of the place Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever that is in his saving overshadowing guiding presence to his Saints REASON 1. His Love is the same and that wil set him on work by the like care and endeavor to provide for their welfare If any thing without him had been a moving Cause of this Care and resolute endeavor for their good when that had altered or failed this would have failed also But his own Love which only issues out of his own Bowels and Bosom made him do good at one time and therefore to the same at al times for it is the same Jer. 31.3 With everlasting Love I have loved thee therefore I have drawn thee therefore called thee therefore comforted thee and wil continue so to do for ever John 13. Having loved his
cannot conceive them so they do not for the most part attend them because they are beyond their reach So it is with our Spiritual Child-hood The things of God and Grace which are most easie and openly familiar we are most exercised and taken up withal but the great Mysteries of Godliness the unsearchable Riches of Mercy and the deep things of God we are not able upon the sudden to search into Our Savior gives this Reason to his Disciples I have many things to say but ye cannot yet receive them A Child that is in the lower Form happily entring into his Latin he is not able to carry away his Lecture of Greek not to touch difficult things of Phylosophy but his Principles and Abilities must have time to ripen before he be set up into so high a Form So here 2. Is taken from the freeness of Gods Dispensation in whose pleasure it is to give when and what he wil and after what manner And hence he doles his Grace answerable to the growth he hath appointed each man to come unto and in what time Eph. 4.13 Till we all come in the Vnity of the Faith to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Some are of a larger Stature and grow more speedily than others some are of a less and stand at a stay for a season until the Lord by the effectual working of the Spirit make them to grow and so they encrease with the encreasings of God Col. 2.19 USE 1. Of Instruction Hence see the Reason of those mis-apprehensions that the dear and faithful Servants of the Lord have of the Fatherly Mercy and faithfulness of God towards them They want much knowledg of this incomprehensible sweetness and goodness of Gods Nature and that is the Reason they missjudg and mistake so much and make such unkind Constructions and maintain such groundless surmizes of his Fatherly kindness He that is jealous and fearful of the Love and Favor of another who is of tried Truth and Sincerity al men wil easily and readily give him the Reason because he knows him not So here It 's because we know noâ— God These misconceivings of God may be referred to two Heads 1. When they are under pressures and necessities and miseries march in upon them the Lord seems like an angry Father to withdraw himself They presently sit down discouraged and conclude as they Isa 49.14 Sion hath said The Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me The Lord answers from the consideration of those Fatherly Compassions which rest in his Bowels Can a Woman forget her Child that she should not have compossion on the Son of her Womb these may yet I wil not Psal 89.8 Who is like to thee or to thy Faithfulness round about thee it's round about him per omnes circuitus But I have dealt carelesly yea unkindly and faithlesly with him and grieved the eyes of his Glory by dayly provocations True thou hast first broken with him and thou mayest see and know thy falsnels but thou dost not know his Faithfulness and Fartherly mercy Psal 89.33 Nevertheless my loving kindness I will not take away from him nor suffer my Faithfulness to fail Though he may deserve it and I may justly do it yet I wil not suffer c. Thou knowest thine own falsnels and wretchedness who keepest not touch with God but failest yet my Faithfulness and my Mercy I wil keep with him verse 24. And my Covenant shal stand fast verse 28. Thou knowest not the heart of a Heavenly Father and therefore thou so misjudgest 2. They conceive their Sins so many and so hainous that it 's beyond the compass and bounds of his Fatherly Compassions to remit and pardon Thou dost not know what these Bowels of a Father are and therefore thou dost not judg aright what he can and wil do When Ephraim bemoaned his sin God yerneth towards him and bemoaneth him though he doth not hear God yet God hears him Jer. 31.18 I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised See how gods Bowels turn within him verse 19. My Bowels are turned within me I wil surely have mercy upon him Mercy is mourning over thy Soul when thou art mourning for thy sin True could I repent but I have been smitten and yet walked after the way wardness of my heart so that I dare not look upon my sin and I cannot look to Heaven because of my guilt I know not how I can be pardoned Because thou dost not know the Name of this Father and this Mercy see and consider what it can do that thou canst not conceive Isa 57. I was angry and smote him and he went away verse 17. I have seen him and his waies and wil heal him I wil lead him also and restore Comforts unto him and to his mourners q. d. I have seen him and his waies though he can neither see me nor himself though he hath wounded himself I wil heal him I wil make him mourn and others with him and comfort both Obj. But I cannot think it Ans This Mercy can do what thou canst not think Isa 55.8 9. My thoughts are not your thoughts c. for as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my waies higher than your waies and my thoughts than your thoughts And thou wilt find it relieving when thou dost least look for it True I have found him somtimes in desperate streights relieving me when I was linking and past hope my head under water when al his billows were running over then comforting and supporting me This is but a Lightening before my Death he wil leave me at last it 's but a Reprieval before some more heavy Plague and Condemnation God hath a Secret purpose to hasten my ruine even by his Bounty which I have had and abused I shal one day perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27.1 Thou hast these hard thoughts of God because thou dost not know the heart of a Father and his never-failing Faithfulness Thou hast been many yeers preserved why perish one day He doth thee no harm why should'st thou think he intends thee any He hath said I wil not leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 USE 2. Of Direction Be willing to hear and willing to follow the Direction of such who are Gods Favorites and acquainted with this Name of his and that by plentiful Experience There was never yet a blind man known but was willing to be guided never man ignorant of his way that was not phrenitick but was willing to be directed where he was in doubt The Rules are Two 1. The Counsel thou art not able to gainsay with Reason know Thou oughtest in Reason and according to Rule to submit unto it I do not think it I cannot beleeve it I much suspect and fear Away with such Dreams these are al but pangs of way wardness It is made a Point of Religion
such men in their unbeleeving courses under the curse shal see them pardoned reconciled they that were Enemies to God made now one with God in Christ they wil be astonished at it 2 Thess 1.12 That the Name of Christ as he is made known in his word and work of Redemption may be made glorious he in the Father giving al and that meerly out of Grace Joh. 13.31 32. 2. We do more for God in Christ For as he doth al by man and he doth nothing So he receives al from man he takes nothing to himself Had Adam stood man by Grace might have purchased life and communicated it unto man in way of Covenant Now the Covenant of works is do and live It s God in Christ doth al and therefore he must through Christ receive al. We were formed to set forth his praise and so we do I live not therefore work not But Christ Gal. 2.20 We are his workmanship It s not ours of our selves Eph. 2.10 We are kept by the power of God through Faith 1 Pet. 1.5 And so sanctified by the power of God quickened by the power of God through Faith c. It s Christ is made of God Wisdom Justification Sanctification Redemption and so al the glory goeth to God in Christ 2. By the neerness of this Union we suck out the sweetness of our end and last good and so become happy thereby It s Pauls expression of the glory of Heaven 1 Thess 4.17 We shall ever be with him To be in Heaven doth not make us happy look we at the place Barely as a place but to be with Christ This is but the Suburbs or the verge and skirts of Heaven by this we get into the inmost Room Adam by Obedience and the Work of his Grace had met with him and communicated of Grace from him working as he wrought but here is the Crown of his Glory Not to be in Heaven nor glorious by Grace in us that is a Creature but we to be in Christ and by Christ in the Father and the Father through Christ in us Not with him but in him This is the Diamond in the Crown And therefore the Lord Jesus makes it one step into the innermost Room not to be in the sight but in the Arms of Christ Not to have Christ a Spectator but an In-dweller And therefore our Savior makes this the end of glory as in the foregoing verse and so better than glory The glory thou hast given me I have given them that thou mayst be it them and I in them We are in Heaven if glory may be in us and we in Christ 3. That which carries the first and most supream and deepest impression of the sweetness of the chiefest good that must cause our chiefest happiness Thou art in the bounds of Heaven but in the Bosom nay in the Bowels of the Father This is the lowest of al ye cannot go deeper The highest of al ye cannot go further This is somwhat beyond al Graces beyond al Creatures somthing above Heaven it self The first corner stone of our everlasting unconceivable happiness The first Out-going of the God-Head was He knew and conceived himself and so begot his Son as a lively Character and shine of his own person and thence he owned him and loved him and took him into that neerest union and communion And at the next turn and stroak he took a Creature neer to himself in his Son as his Son communicated with a Creature through his Christ as his Christ Herein is the deepest the deearest the first the choicest of al. The expression of common love in the communication of common good is of large extent He is the first being and gives being He is Power gives Power He is good doth good to al. But to be so nigh to him and not to have common courtesies but Fatherly kindness it s here firstly He is firstly a Father to Christ and so loves him and in Christ he loves thee as him Now thou art at the highest and furthest It was the first out-going of Gods love and the greatest that ever was More cannot be conceived nor indeed expressed unless we would have more and better love than Christ which is unreasonably and unconceivably absurd He is first and we second not in Heaven but in Gods heart USE 1. It s matter of Admiration we may here see and be swallowed up with everlasting wonderment at the mysterious and uncomprehensible depth of Gods dispensations in the covenant of Grace and the Redemption of a sinner by Christ where he brings the greatest good out of our greatest evil the greatest glory out of the depth of our greatest misery Advanceth us to the highest top of Heaven and happiness out of the lower-most Hel of sin and wretchedness out of the greatest estrangment from God To bring a sinner to the neerest union and communion with God Thus God comes to be admired in those that beleeve The Devils have seen one holy and gracious adorned and beautified with the Image of God But he that was a Rebel an enemy unto Christ and a hater of him as contrary to him as darkness to light to be neer to him one with him nay to be in Christ and Christ in him It is the wonderment of Angels and the astonishment of Devils And we should be amazed at this mysterious mercy And it is true Lord saies Solomon That thou wilt dwel amongst men 1 King 8.27 But to be in them to be one with them and they with thee Oh the depth of the riches of the Knowlegd and Wisdom of God How unsearchable are his waies and his paths past finding out To work our greatest gaines out of our greatest losses To bring us by the bottom of Hel into his own Bosom and Bowels USE 2. Examination We may hence know what interest we have in happiness how neer to Christ what Hopes of it As far as thou art from Union and Communion with God in Christ so far from happines 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Christ is in you unless ye be Reprobates Know ye not prove and examine Know ye not that Christ is in you ye should it concernes you els ye are Reprobates Is this the least part of thy care the furthest off thy thoughts Thou mayest beleeve it and conclude it thou art far enough from happiness as far as Hel is from Heaven It s a description of the wicked Job 21.14 15. They say to the Almighty Depart from us They say so to the waies the Grace the Laws the Government of God in Christ we wil not walk in those waies nor receive or be acted by those Graces or be ruled by that Scepter Dost thou dream of Heaven poor wretched Creature it would be a Hel to thee to have a Christ to redeem a God or mercy to tender and save thou wouldst be in Hel though thou wert in Heaven Thou shalt be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Thou hast said Depart God wil say Depart ye Cursed Christ came to bless and ye wil have no Christ We wil not have this man to rule therefore no blessing He that loves not the Lord Jesus loves him not as a Lord to rule as a Savior to save him from his sinnes let him be accursed Maran-atha to the coming of the Lord. Curse him al ye Angels of Heaven al ye Churches on Earth let him be accursed in life in death until Christ come to judgment and then let him hear that curse go ye cursed into Hel Fire Ye would no Union therefore ye shal have an everlasting Seperation FINIS