To The Right Honourable THOMAS FOOTE Lord Major of the famous City of LONDON Together with the Right Worshipfull the Aldermen and Recorder thereof Right Honourable and Right Worshipfull IN this plaine Sermon Preached and published by your Call and Command You have presented unto you the two principallest points in all the Scripture viz. The glorifying of God and the perfecting and finishing of that great and ever-admired worke of mens Redemption and Salvation by Iesus Christ In the former of these two to wit in glorifying God you are to strive to be followers of your Soveraign and Saviour And in the latter you are to stoope and submit to his Majestie and Excellency 2 Pet 1.16 Isa 35.2 and to be humble Seekers that you may be happy sharers of this precious price and purchase Hee that was a Soune became a Servant and hee that was equall with the highest became inferiour to the lowest Phil. 2.6 7 8. that GOD might be exalted and lost undone men redeemed and saved The great businesse acted by CHRIST in time here below was contrived Zach. 6.13 9.11 and agreed upon betweene GOD and CHRIST before time in Heaven above If you would see all in one and one in all then cast your eyes upon Christ Col. 3.11 Col. 1.19 Ephes 1.10 Col. 2.3 who is all in all in whom dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily What can you thinke on speake of delight in or desire to have but you may finde them in Iesus Christ If you would know God as a reconciled God and as a Father you may know him and must know him for there is no other meanes but in through Iesus Christ If you would goe to GOD or have GOD come to you there is no other way but by him He is that Ladder that Iacob saw Gen. 28.12 with Joh. 1.51 which reached from Earth to Heaven upon which the Angels of God ascended and descended If you would climbe up this Ladder then must you begin in the lowest steps and staves thereof even in the sufferings of this sweete Saviour Christ crucified is the first lesson you must learne 1 Co. 2.2 and that being well learned it leades by the hand to all the rest To see your sinnes laid on Christ and your selves virtually in Christ when he suffered as you were in Adam when hee sinned is the first sanctified and soule-satisfying light Nothing humbles nor melts the heart more then to see the bloudy wounds of this loving Lord if then you would be penitent oure Phil. 3.10 self-denying weaned from the world get a sight of Christ upon the crosse and a feeling of that fellowship betweene his person and your persons in his death Meditation upon the intent of Christ in dying faith to believe the extent of of his death to you and a feeling of the efficacy of his death in you will raise up your hearts to a high measure of admiration estimation and affection of him and to him After you have knowne the death of Christ and the benefits thereby viz. the putting avvay of your sins Heb. 9.25 Ephes 2.14 First labour to be Gods sons and then his publique servauts as Christ was making peace betvveen God your persons making sure your salvation Then consider and study the goodnes of his nature the goodlinesse his person the greatnesse of his love the freenesse and riches of his grace the sweetnesse and preciousnesse of his promises the beauty and comelinesse of his Church and people and the transcendency and eternity of his glory The best next and surest way to become sound and true Christians is to know that Christ hath done all for you Isa 26.12 Phil. 2.12 13. and without you and that he must doe all in you and by you And being true Christians which is the wel-being of men to live on him and walke to him who hath given you the name and the nature which makes you to be so accounted And seeing God hath honoured glorified his Sonne after hee had finished his worke let that encourage you Honourable Senatours to goe on in the work that God hath called you too Christ hath done and suffered much for you Oh be you willing to do and to suffer for him also Doubtlesse if you own his cause crosse choose his will and doe his work as he hath put chains of gold about your necks here so he will put crowns of gold upon your heads hereafter Luk. 16.2 3 4. Remember you are Stewards entrusted with your Masters treasure and must give an account you know not how soone be sure therefore you lay out all for your Lords glory and the good of his Family Persevere in the way you have begun and prosecute the good worke you have entred upon especially your late excellent Petition Stand far and strive together to obtaine the pure Gospel to guide mens souls in spirituall things and plaine Laws to direct men in civill things Be for Christ resolutely and for true Christians really execute justice impartially regard and relieve the oppressed and needy speedily Neh. 6.3 and say as Nehemiah said I am doing a great worke why should the worke cease whilst I leave it Doe not take off your hand from the Lords plough this yeare for this may be the year of visitation and the next of jubilee The greatest honour is like to be lost or got this yeare the Lord be honoured by you and honour you in himselfe Which is and shall be the prayers of him that craves your pardon for his boldnese rudenesse of speech and for adding one use which time prevented me then to deliver Your Master Christs servant in his and at your service VAVASOR POWELL GOD the FATHER glorified And the work of mens Redemption and Salvation finished by JESVS CHRIST on Earth John 17.4 I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which then govest me to doe THE last Lords day Right Honourable and Beloved By Mr. Thomas Goodwin you had presented unto you the Dedication of Christ or Christ dedicating himselfe to the work of mens Redemption and Salvation I have chosen this Text and I hope by the guidance of Gods spirit it comes in seasonably to make known the work it selfe even that great work or businesse which Christ did and none else could doe upon earth Christ tells you in this Text what it was and wherein is did consist Before I come to the Text it selfe I must first acquaint you how that our blessed Lord and Master Jesus Christ being to take his leave of his Disciples he expresses at his departure most of his affection to them As Joseph before he took his leave of his brethren a Gen. 45.1.4.15 made known himself unto them kist them and wept upon them So Jesus Christ hee as it were gives kisses of love and shews more expressions of endearednesse and rendernesse towards his Disciples at
desire thee to consider that I doe not aske any thing that is unreasonable for seeing I have glorified thee upon Earth glorifie thou me in Heaven Seeing also I have finished the work thou gauest me to doe glorifie me thy Son with thy selfe The words contain in them three things First what Christs great businesse and worke upon earth was to wit to glorifie God his Father and to work the work of mens redemption salvation 2 Then secondly you have in the Text the accomplishment of this businesse and worke of his in these words I have finished the worke which thou gavest me to do Then thirdly the motives that moved Jesus Christ to do this worke and these are two 1. because it was his Fathers worke so much is included in the Text. 2. Because his Father gave him this worke to do this is expressed the work which thou gavest me to do There be but two things in the Text to be opened and explained and then I come to the Doctrine Q. The first is this How doth it appeare that this worke spoken of by Iesus Christ The two difficulties in the Text explained was the worke of mens Redemption and the worke of 〈◊〉 salvation A. By comparing it with other Scriptures and we have severall other Scriptures Hab. 1.5 with Acts 13.41 that speake of this worke of redemption and salvation as Hab. 1.5 I will worke a worke in your dayes which ye will not believe though it be told you If you compare this with Acts 13.41 you wil find it to be the work of Redemption and Salvation this is that worke or the worke the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the maine and chiefe worke that Christ was to do and this worke he cals his Fathers work in Iohn 4 34. My meat and drinke is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his worke Obj. But there are many works of Christ spoken of in the Gospell as his work of miracles his worke of preaching and the like A. It is true Math. 11.2 13.54 John 5.20 10.25.32.37 38. the working of miracles and of preaching were the workes of Christ distinct works but those were comprehended as afterwards I shall shew in that of glorifying God and carrying on mens Redemption Q The second thing here is How could Christ say he had finished the worke seeing he had not yet suffered surely the worke of mens Redemption the work of Salvation was not finished till Christ had suffered how then saith Christ here I have finished the worke A. 1. I shall cleer that by another Text which is in the 2d of Timothy the 4th and the 7th where Paul saith I have finished my course and yet you know Paul was not dead then he did live peradventure some years after that at least he did live some what longer and did some service afterwards though he saith He had finished his couse 2 The word that is in the Creek for it is but one and translated I have nished it signifies not only perfecting of a work but it signifies a going on with a work also it signifies to offer cōsecrate sacrifice yea it signifies a going through with a work though it be not finishe The q John 17.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 same word that Christ useth here Paul used though it is not in the same tense doubtlesse the meaning of it is this that Jesus Christ he had undertaken proceeded very far in the worke of mans redemption and in the work of salvation he had also resolved fully that he would not lay aside that work till hee had perfectly compleated it and so you are to understand it as oft times men use to speak when they purchase a thing that they have bought it ended that bargain though they have not paid for it Now having openned the words take notice of this speciall and spirituall observation from them To glorifie God and to work the work of mens redemption and salvation Dact. was the businesse of Iesus Christ upon earth and this businesse he hath finished Beloved I know not any subject in all the word of God that is so necessary to be spoken of as this subject is the glory of God the worke of Redemption and the worke of Salvation every man is concerned therein and it behoves every man to know this truth not only Magistrates but also other people yea every man that hath a soule hee ought to be acquainted with this truth and doctrine To proceed herein I shall first prove this Doctrine to you by the Scriptures Secondly cleare it and explain it Thirdly give you some reasons to confirme it and teach you what uses you are to make of it For the proofe of this Doctrine that the work of Jesus Christ upon earth was to glorifie his Father and work the work of mans redemption and salvation and this he hath finished There are two things to be proved First That to glorifie God was his work for this take one Text in the 7. of Iohn vers 18. Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his own glory John 7.18 but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true no unrighteous ness is in him Here Jesus Christ tells you that he did seeke the glory of him that sent him which was God the Father Then to prove that hee hath wrought mans Redemption you have a Text in the first of Luke verse 69.70 Luke 1.69.70 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people Mark he saith he hath redeemed them though they were not as yet actually redeemed and hath raised up for us a horne of salvation out of the house of his servant David He speaks here of Jesus Christ that was the strength of salvation or one that was to work it by power and might and therefore called here the horn of salvation Then to prove that Jesus Christ came to save or to worke mens salvation that you have in the 18. of Matthew the 11. Matt. 18.11 I came saith he to seek end to save that which was lost and Secondly That the worke is finished the text it selfe is sufficient for it You have also other texts where he saith that it is finished As in the 19. of Iohn he saith these words It is finished John 19.30 What is finished Why all the Prophecies concerning me are now finished the worke of mans redemption is now finished When he was upon the Cross Christ asserts this truth that all was finished Now having proved the Doctrine I shall in the next place come to cleere it and for the cleering of it resolve these three questions First what it is to glorifie God Secondly How did Jesus Christ glorifie God Thirdly How did Christ finish the work of mens redemption and the work of mens salvation these are the three things to be opened Q. First
What it is to glorifie God A. You must consider that the Scriptures What it is to glorifie God speak of this under severall words and notions as sometimes it is to r Exod. 15.2 Esa 25.1 exalt the Lord sometimes it is to Å¿ Psal 34.3 Luke 1.46 magnifie him sometimes it is to t 1 Tim. 1.17 Heb. 2.7 honour him sometimes it is to u Psal 30.1 Dan. 4.37 extoll and advance him and all these words they are synonima's and of the same nature and signification and hold forth the same truth to us But to answer it more particularly to glorifie God is this it is to set forth God in all his excellencies or to make knowne God in all that he is and to acknowledge him in all that he doth this I say is to glorifie God to set forth God in all his excellencies thus did the Lord Jesus Christ doe â—â—one did ever set out God like unto Jesus Christ God was never seen in any man as he was seen in Christ neither in any mans words or works And therefore it is said in the first of Iohn the eighteenth verse That the onely begotten son John 1.18 who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him John 17.26 And in this 17. Chapter and the twenty sixth verse saith Jesus Christ I have declared unto them thy name and I will declare it that the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them I have declared unto them thy name If you ask me what is meant there by Name I answer Name it is taken variously in Scripture sometimes for person x Acts 4.12 There is no other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved i. e. no other person Besides Christs name is also sometimes taken for for y Exod. 3.18 20.7 33.19 Psal 8.1 Gods attri-butes as his wisdome mercy goodnesse power and it is taken also for glory and excellency and here peradventure may be meant all these I have declared unto them Oh Lord thy being thy power thy properties thy grace thy goodnesse thy excellency and thy glory I have declared all these unto my people in the world Psal 76.1 And so we have the word Name in 76. I salme and the first verse In Iudah is God known his name is great in Israel that is his power is great his glory is great his renowne and dignity is great in Israel amongst his owne people of any other there the Lord is more specially present and more clearely known Exod. 23.21 So the Lord in the 23. of Exodus and the 21. ver bids the Israelites fear the Angel that he sent before them beware of him saith he and obey his voyce provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgression for my Name is in him This Angell was Christ this name that was in him was his fathers honour power and glory well thus you heare the first thing opened Q. The second thing to be opened is this How did Iesus Christ glorifie his father or glorifie God For he saith I have glorified thee upon earth A. Three wayes Jesus Christ glorified him upon earth for that 's the thing I am to speak of How Christ glorified God and not how he glorifies him in heaven I say three wayes he glrorified him negatively positively and passively First negatively Jesus Christ did glorifie his father these two wayes negatively 1. In that he did not sinne for as sin is z Rom. 2.23 a dishonour unto God so non-sinning is an honour unto God Jesus Christ did glorifie his father very much in this he did never sinne against him no Christ did not sinne he did never commit the least evill The Apostle Peter a 1 Pet. 2.21 saith he did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth not the least fraud not the least vaine word not the least hypocrisie found in Jesus Christ and this did tend much to glorifie God his father 2. Iesus Christ did glorifie his father negatively thus by denying himselfe Christ did not seek himselfe by not seeking himselfe and this is a speciall way to glorifie God and this speciall way did Christ glorifie him John 8.50 as you may finde in the eigth of Iohn and the fifty verse I seek not my owne glory there is one that seeketh and judgeth hete he denies his owne glory So you finde when the people would have made him a King he b John 6.15 would not be made a King he knew that his father was God and King and did he deny himselfe and this did tend much to the glory of God As a child when hee is bare-headed and silent before his father Vide Heb. 5.5 when hee reverenceth and respects his Father and does nothing but what he commands and seeks nothing but what he gives him you know the child thereby honours his Father thus did the Lord Iesus Christ doe and that 's the first way negatively The second way he glorified God Second way was positively and this he did also two wayes By his words and by his works First by his words namely by his preaching Christ glorified his Father by his words by his preaching by his praying and by his confession he did glorifie God mightily by his preaching when the people heard him they wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth and it s said he or God in him c Luke 4.15 By his Prayer was glorified of all Then by his prayer he glorified God d John 12.28 Glorifiethy name in one place e Mat. 26.39 By his confession and not my will but thine in another place thus his prayer tended to glorifie God His confession also did glorifie him f John 10.29 and 14.28 My Father saith he is greater then I g John 5.19.30 againe I can doe nothing of my selfe but the works that my Father doth those doe I thus by his words he glorified him Then by his works he did glorifie God very much and I pray note this that when Christ wrought miracles by the power of his Father the people did wonder and give glory to God You have this eight times at least in the New Testament I shall onely give you two texts h Matt. 9.8 15.31 Mark 2.12 Luke 7.16 13.13 17.15 23.47 the first is in the ninth of Matthew the eigth verse when the multitude saw it they marvelled and glorified God So when they saw how Christ cured the man sick of the Palsie it s said they glorified God These great and mighty works that Iesus Christ did upon earth they had a tendency in them to exalt and glorifie the Lord and this is the second way Iesus Christ glorified his Father The third way was passively that is Third way by his sufferings Christ glorified his Father I say he glosied him by his sufferings as
pleasures all the delusions all the things in the world and all the meu in the world could not hinder mens redemption and salvation but Jesus Christ overcome them all be therefore of good cheare for here is ground of comfort to sinners and Saints Then the sixt and last enemy that Jesus Christ hath overcome was death and hell Job 18.14 death you know is called the King of terrors and there had need some great King come to overcome this King therefore Jesus Christ comes and undertakes and effects this worke therefore Paul could say when he speaks of the resurrection of Christ Oh death where is thy sting oh hell or grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.15 death come out and let me see what thou canst say against me or believers hath not my Lord Christ conquered and taken a way both the power and sting Satan hath the power of death and in is the sting of death but Christ hath overcome qoth Heb. 2.14 1 Cor. 15.56 death and hell they may fear believers with their ghastly looks but death is but a bed to belieuers it is but as a darke door out of the roome of grace into the roome of glory out of the spiritual presence of Christ into the glorious presence of Christ Thus I have opened the second way how Jesus Christ finied the work of mens redemption salvation one way was by putting himselfe into their room place And then secondly by removing and conquering was in the way to hinder mens redemption and mens salvation And then thirdly and lastly Thirdly by purchasing both the persons and portions of men or the men and their glory Believers and their inheritance were purchased with an honourable and precious price Now Christ did not onely remember this remove sinne make satisfaction unto Justice fulfill the Law overcome Satan overthrow the world and conquer death and hell but hee did also purchase mens persons and mens porcions First he did purchase mens persons as the Apostle saith in the first of the Cor. the 6. and the last Ye are bought with a price l 1 Cor. 6.20 or with an honourable price as the word signifies to wit m 1 Pet. 1.19 with the precious bloud of Christ The Lord Jesus hath bought the very haires of your heads you that are believers or will believe I say unto you there is not a haire of your head falls to the ground but Christ hath bought it Marke that expression of the Apostle who loved meaning Christ the Church and (n) Eph. 5. gave himselfe for it this doubtlesse was typed out in (o) Gen. 29.20.27 28. Iacob who bought his wife Rachell with 14. yeares hard service And (p) 2 Sam. 3 â—4 David who bought his wife with a hundred of foureskins of the Philistines These three doubtless were types as also others that bought their wives under the Law of Jesus Christ in this particular Then secondly he hath bought also the inheritance and portion which the Saints are to have for ever in the first of the Ephes the 14. ver the Apostle (q) Eph. 1.14 saith that the spirit sealed them unto the day of redemption vntill the purchased possession that is untill they come to obtaine what Christ hath purchased for them Obj. Heaven is a gift and a purchase But is not Heaven a gift how then doe you say it is purchased Ans The truth is Heaven is a gift but yet gift through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6.23 Obj But if Christ purchased Heaven before why doth he say he goes to prepare a place for them nay what need he intercede for them Ans This is as a man that goes into a Goldsmiths shop and buyeth Jewels there for his wife and goes home to his wife and saith wife I have bought such and such Jewels for thee wilt thou goe and call for them I saith she if you will goe along with me he goes with her and saith deliver these Jewells to my wife he purchaseth them not the last time for he bought them before So this is the difference betweene Christs death and intercession by his death he purchased Heaven and by his intercession he desires they may partake of Heaven Christ did not goe to Heaven to indent there with his Father for it but he went thither as a Bridegroome useth to doe to make all ready against he brings his spouse home And mark when Christ intercedes in Heaveen he doth it by his will for as he once said on earth so he still sayes in Heaven (r) John 17.24 I will that they may be where I am that they may behold my glory Now having opened the Doctrine I 'le give you but 2. reasons beside Christ's testimony here to prove that hee hath glorified his Father and wrought the worke of mens Redemption and salvation The first reason is this Reason 1. because else Christ should never have entred into glory note that The Apostle puts much up in this (s) 1 Pet. 1.21 that God raised him up from the Dead and gave him glory When Jesus Christ had once come downe from heauen and had undertaken this work doubtlesse there was no readmissions into heauen till he had finished it If you should see a Judge take a malefactor that had been arraigned before him at the barre and lead him by the hand and exalt him to sit upon his own right hand would you not conclude and say surely this man is not onely acquitted from all that was laid to his charge but hee is in great favour also with the Judge Now God the Father he judged condemned his Sonne for if I may so say man had not so great a hand in the crucifying of Christ as God had mark it is said (t) Acts 4.28 that he was put to death by the determinate counsel of God Now after his death God leads him out of his grave into his glory this was a sign that there was nothing could be further laid to the charge of Christ nor to the charge of such that Christ did then undertake for This is the argument of the Apostle who shall lay any thing (u) Rom. 8.34 saith he to the charge of Gods electe it is Christ that dyed yea rather who is risen who also sitteth at the right hand of God and he puts a RATHER upon it YEA RATHER who is risen and fits upon the right hand of God The second reason is this Reason 2. because that the Gospel is now published unto men wee should never have had the Gospel had not Jesus Christ finished the work You know till Christ was taken up into glory there were two great things that were kept backe in heaven from men First there was the spirit of God And secondly the counsell of God Both these are wrap'd up in the Gospel These two I say were kept backe from men till Christ had ascended into heaven but as
thou camest there to call Publicans and Harlots such a wicked wretch have I been for many yeares Lord receive me I am now willing to come to thee doe not cast me away for thou hast (g) Job 6.37 The greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will not not cast out out said thou wilt in no wise cast out such a one What think you will Christ say to such a one Surely this thou art welcome come poore sinner thou art heartily welcome I have grace for thee and I am contented to bestow it freely on thee I have called thee and thou art come hearken what I say unto thee (h) Luke 15.4 There was a certaine man had a hundred sheep and when he had lost one he left the rest and went to seek that which was lost thou art that sheep which wast lost but now art found Obj. Oh but another may say I Christ calls sinners and Publicans and accepts of such but I feare I am a Pharisee John 7 37 38. with Acts 2.37 38. a form all Professor yea a Hypocrite where doth he call such or where is there any promise made to such Ans Put the case you be such though you do but thinke it yet you read of a call to such a promise to such and of the conversion of such compare Iohn 7.37 38. with Acts 2.37 38. The fifth incouragement is this that the greater sinners you are when you come to believe in Christ the more â—â—â—honour Christ hath from you If a man man that is not a great and common sinner be converted alas there is no talke of him this mans was looked on as a good morrall man before a man that made some shew of Religion a man that went after Sermons and one that had some good will to good men and good things Before such an one was never looked upon as a drunkard Swearer and the like I say this man is converted and no notice taken of him But as when a Monster is borne the Country rings of him so when a monstrous and great sinner is borne againe when a man that hath been a ring leader of others in wickednesse and that hath lead and haled others in the way to hell and gone downe the hill himselfe as fast as ever he could to his owne damnation I say when such a man is drawn out of his wicked and miserable condition and brought to Christ what will others they say Oh did you heare the newes what newes Such a man such a great sinner that was given for lost is become a Saint such a man that was so great an enemy to Religion is now converted Such a Persecutor is become a zealous Professor Is it so yes there is no man in the Country forward for Religion as he is all the Country will ring of such a sinners conversion hearken sinner wouldst thou not have the name of God ring through Heaven and Earth at thy conversion wouldst thou not have God glorified and thy owne soule saved this day there would be joy in Heaven and glory to God on Earth if thou wouldst yield to come in to Christ and to be converted The Lord say Amen to it The fifth encouragement is this 5. Encouragement Christ hath spare grace for you that 's another alas what shall this gracious charitable King do with all his grace The Lord hath greatest glory from the greatest sinner when he is converted what shall he doe with so much gold lying by him if poore distressed people doe not come in to fetch it what shall Christ doe with all his merits and sufferings which he hath in store still to be given out to sinners if sinners who want it will not have it Marke what I say to you if so many sinners as are here this day did come to him he hath grace enough for them and so many to morrow and so every day till the day of the Resurrection yet Christ hath grace enough for them all will you leane such stock of grace in his hands and not get it since he hath prepared it for you My beloved suppose a man had a sonne to whom he had given all his estate this sonne also is very rich of himselfe and there were a poore woman that this Sonne hath a minde to make his wife he comes to her and saith woman my heart and affections are gone out towards thee to take thee and to make my wife wilt thou accept of me she refuseing he presses and woes her further and saith why dost not thou consider what a rich father I have he hath made all his estate over to me considerest thou not also what wealth and riches I have doe but heare me and condiscend to my request and say I wll have thee for my husband and all this shall be thine Thus saith Jesus Christ to a sinner poore sinner hearest thou not what my father hath given me and hearest thou not what an heire I am doe thou but own me and take my yoake upon thee and be my Disciple and all this will I give thee As the Devill offered faigned all the world to Jesus Christ if he would submit to him So Jesus Christ offers really all the world to a poore sinner if he will come in and submit to him Againe suppose a rich man did stand in a publique place among a multitude of poore and should say unto them you poore whatsoever you are without respect of persons come to me I will bestow what you want upon you whether money or meat or cloathes all these I have ready for you come and receive them vvhat would not these poore people thinke you come to him nay would they not crowde in upon him Why thus saith Jesus Christ to poore sinners I have grace enough to bestow upon you come in and you shall be welcome come and looke whatever you want I will bestow it upon you now what stands in thy way oh thou poore sinner or what hinders thee to come in Object Oh Sir this stands in my way though I know Christ hath finished the worke of mens redemption and of mens salvation yet I doe not know whether he hath finished it for me Ans Hearken my beloved what ground have you to make a plea against your selves he hath done it for (i) Rom. â—5 8 1 Tim. 1.15 sinners for the (k) Rom. 5.6 ungodly for (l) Psal 68.18 rebells for 〈◊〉 (m) John 6.51 world you are a sinner you are one of the ungodly one of the world what plea can you make against this why object you such an objection against your selves If a pardon be sent from a Prince to a company of Prisoners and the Messenger saith unto them in generall here is a Pardon for you from my Prince for what you have done against him come accept of it and you shall be free Now if one should aske is the pardon for me and another question is the Pardon
the time of his departure from them then he had done before though he alwayes loved them and there were foure speciall expressions of Christs affection then shewed to them The first was his carriage his humble carriage yee know how he humbled himselfe to b John 13.12 wash his Disciples feet an expression and greater expression of humility we have not in the Scripture And this adds unto it if you consider the person that did it and the persons for whom it was done The person that did it was c Psalm 24.7.9 10. the King of glory The persons for whom it was done they were poore Fishermen this is a good example and is was done that it might be an example for great men and high Christians to condiscend to them of low degree The second expression was his heavenly counsell In the 13 14 15 and 16. Chapters he gives them many sweet d John 13.14.17.19 34. and Chap 14.1.11.27 28 15.89 10 12.17.20 16.33 exhortations many spirtuall admonitions many heavenly counsels and cordiall advices and directions The third expression of his affection to them was his soule-staying e John 14.2 3.13 14 16 17 18 20.21.23.26.28 15.7 26 16.7 23 24.26 promises mark how many and what suitable promises he makes to them he saith that he will goe to prepare a place for them and that hee will come again unto them and that whatsoever they should aske in his name hee would doe it Also that he would pray the Father for the spirit the Comforter that he might abide with them Further he promiset that they should know that they were in him and he in them and that hee would love them and manifest himselfe unto them and fetch them to himselfe and take them up into his glory These together with many other promises were very powerfull to stay the drooping spirits and the sinking hearts of his Disciples The fourth and last expression of Christs affection to them was his prayer and his prayer you have in this Chapter where you are to consider 1. To whom he prayed 2. For whom he prayed 3. When he prayed 4. For what he prayed 5. How he prayed I shall only touch these things because they are in the way to the Text. First to whom he prayed He prayed to his Father and to him only Then secondly For whom he prayed he prayed f Chap. 17. v. 1. First for himselfe Secondly for his Apostles Thirdly for those that should believe in him First for himselfe in the 5. verse of this Chapter then for the Apostles in the 9. verse then for those that should belive in the 20. verse that 's the second thing Then thirdly when did he pray this prayer It s observable that Christ though so near to his passive obedience and sufferings yet did not neglect his active obedience that in themidst of his care for himselfe he did not omit in slew his care of his Disciples Verse 1. it was a little before his agony came upon him a little before Judas came to apprehend him as you shall finde in the 3. first verses of the next Chapter when Jesus had spoken these words viz. his counsels promises and prayers hee went forth with him Disciples ever the brooke Kedron where was a garden into which hee intred c. whether Iudas with his base band of men came to apprehend him Then Fourthly you have the matter of his prayer here or what he prayed for He prayes for himself that he might be glorified He prayes for his people that they might g Verse 15. be kept from the evil i. e. the evill of sinne especially that they might be sanctified and h Verse 21.23 made one or made perfect in one and that they might be i Verse 24. with him to behold his glory these are the main things in his prayer The fifth and last thing confiderable is the manner how he did pray First he prayed very familiarly and confidently he cals God his Father k Verse 1.5 11 21 24 25. sixe times in this one prayer he calls him Father One while Oh Father another while rghteous Father another while holy Father all words of affection and confidence and expressing much of the spirit of Sonneship a good l See Isa 63.16 64.8 Mat. 6.9 Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 example for Saints Then secondly as he prayed confidently so he prayed compendiously Christs prayer was not a very long prayer and I confesse this that I think it to be contrary to the Gospel to make very long prayers The Scribes and Pharisees are m Math. 23.14 It s true that Christ did not so much reproves them for their prayer as their hypocriticall end prex nor in praying noted if not reproved for it And Christ when hee teaches the n Mat. 6 7 8 9. c. Disciples to pray he gives them a short forme Solomon also o Eccl. 5.2 Thou canst not be too frequent and spiritual in prayer but thou maist be too lone and pump in thy own dry heart when the water of the spirit 〈…〉 saith let thy words be few I finde Jesus Christs prayers the Apostles prayers and the Prophets prayers all to be short I say not but there is a difference between time and time occasion and occasion Againe I say not this to give advantage to gracelesse men that pray not at all and condemn others neither doe I say it to take off men from praying or from being long in prayer when the Spirit abounds in them Sometimes people may pray longer then ordinary as particularly when people seeke God by fasting The third thing in his prayer was this that he did pray argumentatively he used arguments p John 17. v. 1.4 5 10 11.24 answerable to every petition that he prayed for not that he needed to use such arguments but doubtlesse to leave it upon record for all believers Thus having made way to my Text you are to consider it as an argument that Jesus Christ used when he prayed that he might be glorified and it may be joyned either to to the first or 5. vers I have glorified thee upon the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to doe and now O father glorifie thou me as if so be Christ should have said Father thou didst send me into the world to glorifie thee and to work Redemption I apprehend that Christ prais here for a double glory viz. the glory due to him as a Sonne which was his naturall and birth-right glory and the glory due to him for his service as Mediator v. 1. 5. compared together and purchase Salvation for as many as thou gavest me these things I have done and now I am upon leaving the world again and returning to thee therefore glorifie me as thy Son with that glory which I had with thee before the world was also glorifie me as a Mediator Righteous Father I