argument were sufficient that after his Ascension by their Ministerie the vvhole vvorlde vvas conuerted vvhich came not to passe vvhilest hee himselfe was on the Earth because the Godhead kept the selfe close But to come to the wordes following The Lord layeth downe the ground of this I goe to my glory and I am passing to the Father and therefore my glory shall vtter it selfe The power of Iesus Christ must appeare in the vvorlde at that time of his Ascension vvhen hee went to his Father to Heauen then the power striketh wonderfully vpon the Earth from the Heauen When we haue the Lord Iesus nowe glorified in the Heauen wee haue a more glorious power of the Lord Iesus than the Iewes who had his bodily presence So the reason is Because hee was to passe vp to the Father So ye see Brethren this gift the Disciples should get that they should worke greater workes than hee did is nothing prejudiciall to the glorie of our Sauiour Howbeit it pleaseth the Lord to worke more glorious works by such vveake instrumentes than hee did in his owne person it is not prejudiciall to his power If the instrumentes of themselues had done these workes it would haue prejudged his glorie but seeing they did them by his power it hindereth nothing his glorie Yea I say his glorie seemed the more in the worlde by their working because it testified that hee who was so base in the worlde had such a power in him when hee ascended Hee commeth to another ground of working of greater workes What euer yee shall aske in my Name yee shall get it That is Sende vp your prayers to mee to the Heauen when I am glorified and what yee shall aske in my Name it shall be granted So this is another ground wherfore the Apostles wrought greater works after his Ascension They prayed to him and drew downe his power out of Heauen by prayer It is a power incomprehensible that is in the Lord Iesus Now if any man or woman would bee partaker of that power hee must sende vp his prayer to Heauē by faith in him to draw down that power to the world Wee see the Apostles Act. 4. pray earnestly that by their handes hee would worke signes and wonders and they obtained it It is a pittie that there should bee so great a power in IESVS CHRIST to life and we miserable creatures hauing so great need and want of it should haue no part of it the fault lieth not in CHRIST for there is power and vertue enough in him to saue a thousand worldes But this is the fault Men and women cannot pray because they want faith So all the want that is in vs that vvee vvant Heauen and life euerlasting all the fault is in our selues that cannot praye and saye Lorde there is a vvonderfull power in thee and thou canst saue a thousande vvorldes Therefore Lord by thy power saue mee It is a foule shame that this should inlake on our parte that vve cannot open our mouthes to seeke grace seeing such aboundance such an infinite power and treasure is in him And if there vvere a great treasure to bee dealt so that euerie man might haue his parte hee vvoulde condemne himselfe vvho vvent not to gette a share Nowe there vvas neuer such a treasure as is life eternall and hee vvho getteth not a share of it but lieth behinde sleeping hauing no care to gette it hee is vvorthie a thousand deathes So vve should seeke this grace by prayer and chiefelie that vvee maye haue the Spirite of prayer for all men cannot seeke Heauen It is a sore thing to vs to vvant a share of that rich treasure for fault of heartes to seeke it Hee repeateth this promise twise Jf yee aske anie thing in my Name I will doe it And indeede hee did it in effect for vvhen the Lord had ascended they pray that they should worke miracles and so they did So hee is true in all his promises And marke it Brethren hee sayeth hee will doe it and not they shall doe it for Christ by his owne power worketh miracles the which power he communicateth not to his instruments but hee reserueth it to himselfe and by the ministery of men powreth foorth his giftes vpon others Then hee setteth downe the end of all the wonders That the Father may be glorified All the power of the Lord serueth to the glory of his Father All the power hee hath gotten it diminisheth not the glory of his Father but augmenteth it and the glory of the Father standeth in the power of the Sonne because he is the splendor of his glory And the Sonne bee not glorified the Father wanteth glory and hee who will not glorifie the Sonne hee will not glorifie the Father This is not to be omitted While hee is speaking of the vttering of his power forgetteth he the Father No he setteth downe the Fathers glory as the end of his power When the Lord Iesus was in the world he spake neuer a word but he had a respect to glorifie the Father And so hee sayth when hee was to goe out of the world Father glorifie me for I haue glorified thee Blessed is he that can with a good cōscience protest this that he euer had an eye to the glory of God can say Thou wast mine only But and whether I ate or I dranke or what euer I did it was all to thy glory Wee should preasse to doe this howbeit wee cannot come to a full perfection certainly that man shall bee partaker of his glory that in all his actions can holde his eye on the glory of God By the contrary that man what euer hee bee and hee were a King or a Prince who desireth not to glorifie God if hee continue so hee shall neuer see that glory This shall stande and all the worlde shall not bring it backe Let this bee our marke in all our callinges that wee may haue power to glorifie God in them And if wee doe not this and though wee should make all the vantage in the worlde and heape vp great riches gold and treasures c. wee shall perish miserably Therefore the Lord giue vs grace since there is no vantage but in the God of glory that wee may glorifie him and bee glorified with him through Iesus Christ Now wee come to the next exhortation which is contained in these wordes Jf yee loue mee keepe my Commaundementes As hee exhorted them before to belieue in him so now hee exhorteth them to bee obedient to him or to doe his will Fayth and obedience are chiefe groundes of Christianitie If one woulde bee a Christian first hee must belieue in the LORD IESVS Then next this fayth must not bee ydle but it must burst foorth in the effectes they must striue to doe his vvill to bee charitable that is the LORDES vvill In the thirteenth Chapter and the thirty foure verse the Lord spake these vvordes to his Disciples A newe Commaundement giue
so long as he liueth Amongst all the Armour he saith Euer pray with all manner of prayer There cannot be a standing without there be a continuance in prayer night and day There is nothing more requisite if thou wouldest doe well than to continue in prayer for why all grace is in Heauen except wee gette grace drawne out of Heauen from God wee cannot doe any good turne and the only way to draw grace from Christ for hee is full of grace is first to belieue in him and to bee grounded on him then next with open mouth and heart to pray in his Name to the Father centainly Heauē earth shal go together ere thou want grace ere God deny thee thy prayer al shal be turned vpside down thou shalt get that grace he thinks meet for thee in this life and Heauen at length In the next verse as before he hath enarmed his Disciples whom hee was to send out to the world with a piece of armour to wit prayer so here he enarms them with another I command you to loue euery one another How needful it is that euery man woman who would do wel should haue loue Paul 1. Cor. 13. shews Let a man do all the things in the world yea giue his body to be burnt if there be no loue in the heart alauailes not But chiefly to come to a Minister of all men it is most requisite that a Minister haue loue in his hart otherways all is nothing all his language preaching auailes nought if the heart haue not a loue of the saluation of man and woman So the thing he regardeth is that loue be in their heart Yee knowe what a loue Paul had he had so great a loue to the safety of his kinsmen that he would haue wished to be Anathema for them looke what a loue he vttereth 2. Cor. 6. vers 11. he saith O Corinthians our mouth is open to you our heart is made large yee are not kept straite in vs but yee are kept straite in your owne bowels So there are manie graces required in a Minister but chiefelie loue and if hee haue no loue hee will not care by howe manie perishe Yet farder they should not onelie haue loue to their people but also Pastors should haue mutuall loue amongst themselues they shoulde haue vnitie of heart goe where they will There is nothing that serueth more for making vp of that bodie of CHRIST than the sweete agreeing of the Labourers when they agree the worke of the Lord goeth forward as workemen when they worke together in one vnion the worke goeth forwarde And a man who carrieth enuie in his heart hee shall neuer preach Christ truelie but hypocriticallie Paul in the first Chapter to the Philippians vers 15. hee speaketh of two sortes of Preachers Some saith he preach to increase mine affliction some of loue Then he saith What then yet CHRIST is preached all maner of wayes whether it be vnder a pretence or sincerely and I therein joy yea will joy He speaks this in his bands So whosoeuer hath contention against his fellow-labourer preach as they will preach they make the Gospel a cloake to couer their malice and hypocrisie Vpon the other part they onely who haue intiere loue to their fellow-labourers teach Christ sincerely Wee see the Apostles when they make mention of their fellow-labourers howe honourably they stile them what great affection they vtter vnto them as Paul when hee speaketh of Timothie Titu◠and others Now I goe forward If the world hate you yee know that it hated mee before you This is the third part of the Chapter wherein he comforteth them against the hatred and persecution of the world and so hee warneth them to goe out after his departure I knowe well enough the world will hate you Then he comforteth them with his example Haue they not hated mee before you There is the ground The seruant is not greater than his Master The Lord Iesus is worth all the Apostles and Ministers that euer were Shall the seruant start and runne when he is hated seeing the great hatred and malice the Lord suffered No man in the worlde suffered so great persecution as the Lord and so patiently And had it not beene that the Lord Iesus tooke on that euill thou shouldest haue suffered more than the hatred of the world that is the very wrath of God So to moue them to patience hee layeth downe his owne example as before he proponed his example to loue God to keep his Commandements and loue their neighbour So hee commendeth neuer a thing to them without his owne example There is nothing that the Lord will bid thee doe but hee will let thee see that same first done by him Hee setteth himselfe before vs as a patterne And as concerning this patience in suffering it is needefull that this example of Iesus Christ bee euer before the eyes of any that woulde suffer for it is against our nature to suffer anie waye Yea it is so needefull that there was neuer a man or woman who suffered if they had not had that suffering of Iesus before them that could suffer patiently The example of all the patience in the worlde will not cause one to suffer patiently except thou get a sense of that suffering for faith in Christ Iesus is the ground of all well doing Iesus Christ must be in thine heart ere there bee any good vertue in thine heart for it is faith in Christ Iesus that reformeth the heart Except wee haue him in the heart there is no good in it Therefore Paul when he recommendeth any vertue vnto vs hee vseth to set before vs the example of Christ as a moste forcible argument as when hee exhorteth vs to modestie hee saieth Let the same minde bee in you which was in Iesus Christ Philip. Chap. 2. verse 5. And when hee commendeth patience in bearing the infirmities of weake brethren hee bringeth his example For Christ also saieth hee would not please himselfe Rom. Chap. 15. vers 3. Then if thou wouldest haue loue or meeknesse or anie vertue into thine heart haue the Lord into thine heart and cast thine eye vpon him In one word belieue in Iesus Christ and getting a sight of him thou shalt finde a sweete change of thy nature then thou shalt bee an holie liuer and a patient sufferer and thou shalt growe in all good vertue and that through Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the Spirit of Trueth bee all praise honour and glorie foreuermore AMEN THE TWELFTH LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xv VERS 19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27 19 Jf yee were of the world the world would loue his owne but because yee are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 20 Remember the word that I saide vnto you The seruant is not greater than his Master if they haue persecuted mee they will persecute
harder till thou bee so hardened and obdured that thou canst feele nothing at all Brethren yee may thinke it a wonderfull thing that a bodie who sitteth hearing continuallie and who hath so cleare a light glancing aye before him should get no light at all but should go out of the Kirke more blind than when he came in and yet indeed it is so for many come in to heare but because they come in with colde and euill disposed heartes hauing no delight to heare the worde of God they goe away more prophane and worse than when they came in And therefore for lacke of this the miserable worlde perisheth the multitude goeth wholly to destruction Therefore for Christes sake Brethren learne to haue a pleasure and ioye in hearing and take in that Spirit into your soules Wee haue hearde of the seconde part of the blessednesse which Christ promiseth to his Disciples after his glorious Ascension to the Heauen to wit the light and knowledge of the holy Spirit Nowe to come to the thirde benefite or the thirde part of their happinesse wherein all grace is promised to them who aske Hee beginneth very grauely Verily verily Amen Amen J saye to you that is It is a true saying and yee shall finde it true indeed essay it when yee will Whatsoeuer thing ye shall aske the Father in my Name hee will giue it you In one word this is the third part of their blessednesse All grace and mercy is to bee had for the asking not by buying for all grace is bought by the price of the blood of the Lambe onely seeing that is so precious a ransome no man hath neede to buy any thing at the handes of God we haue no neede to buy any grace of God by our merites for by that only merite and blood of Christ all grace is bought We haue need of asking and if wee aske not in his Name wee shall neuer get grace for there is not another Name vnder Heauen sayeth the Apostle by whome there is saluation but onely by the Name of Iesus Christ Act. 4. vers 12. So there is the third part of their blessednesse that is promised them Euen all grace shall bee giuen them for the asking To drawe this to our selues And the Lord giue vs grace to doe it As by the Spirite all joye all knowledge and light abideth in his Kirke on earth till the Lord IESVS come againe Euen so all grace all mercy abideth in this Kirke militant till the Lord come againe for if that Spirit of grace abide in this Kirke of necessity all grace must abide with that Spirite The faythfull in the Kirke who are Christians in heart and not in worde onely they will finde in experience that when they aske any grace as righteousnesse and sanctification life euerlasting and glorification they will not so soone open their mouth to aske it but they will get it And when they say Lord renewe mine affections the word will not so soone bee spoken but as soone they will finde the soule opened with ioye and when they saye Lord giue mee that life for Christes sake with the worde the life of Iesus will bee felt in the soule sensiblie Therefore preasse aye to finde by experience that the presence of Christ is no emptie winde By the contrarie if a man or woman finde in no measure no grace or no sense of grace in their soules let them blame themselues for they want grace for plaine fault of asking Alace that wee should lose such grace for fault of seeking Is hee not a foolish man that will lose life for a worde But it is not so light a thing to aske as so for euerie man and euerie woman hath not the gift of prayer Except thou bee the sonne of GOD thou shalt haue no power to open thy mouth to call GOD Father If thou bee a slaue thou shalt haue no power to praye to GOD for prayer is the proper note of the Childe of GOD and except the Spirite of Adoption testifie vnto thee that thou art the sonne of GOD thou shalt haue no power to praye but thy mouth shall bee closed But when the Spirite will testifie to thee that thou art the sonne of GOD then the heart will open and the tongue wil say sweetly O Father Therefore the ground of all grace is the grace to aske get once grace to praye and then thou hast all grace And therefore when the Lord sayth Knocke and it shall be opened aske and thou shalt haue c. say Lord giue mee grace to aske Take aye heed to the gift of prayer for wee lose all for fault of prayer and for fault of begging So I beseech you all Brethren to pray as euer ye would see Heauen or be partakers of life In the words following when hee hath set downe the thirde parte of their felicitie That they should praye vnto the Father for grace knowing the great necessitie they had to praye and their great sluggishnesse on the other part hee beginneth to allure them to pray and to stir them vp to aske at the handes of the Father And lest they should haue obiected We haue asked but we haue not beene answered hee answereth to this Hitherto ye haue sought nothing at the Father in my Name but in times comming aske boldly and looke for an answeee and yee shall get grace heaped vpon grace till your grace bee perfect and the greater grace thou askest the greater thou gettest and the more thou gettest the greater is thy ioye that thou hast when thou perceiuest that grace and thou who hast gotten it wouldest not giue it for all the worlde This is the meaning of the wordes Take vp heere what necessitie wee haue to praye for if wee had no neede the Lord would not haue stirred vp his Disciples to praye No no wee haue so great neede to praye that except wee praye wee gette nothing A Beggar who hath nothing but that which he beggeth if he leaue off his begging he shall die at dike side If thou leaue off thy spirituall begging yea though thou were a King and hadst all the worlde thou shalt die for euer For what is a King in this life but a Beggar And woe be to him if he be not a Beggar at the handes of Iesus Christ Then marke the sluggishnesse in euery man and woman and how vnable we are to beg A Beggar who hath nought ere hee die hee will crie and shout but a poore sinner who is the poorest man and the silliest creature in the world who wanteth all grace hath not a mouth to aske though he should die Now to stirre vs vp to pray the Lord sayeth Aske at the Father and essay if ye get a deniall Wee know all this yet wee lie sleeping in sinne and seeke no grace to be fred of it howbeit grace be so freely offered to vs by Iesus Christ It is a sore thing to bee a poore body and to lie still
for the people so he being high Priest made intercession for his own people The intercession which the Lord made for his owne consisteth in two points to wit in prayer and in offering vp of a sacrifice Then as for the first part of this intercession when the Lord was in the world he prayed continually for the people hee neuer ceased night nor daye from prayer As for the other part of his intercession when he had bene in the world awhile at the last hee offereth vp that sweete Sacrifice of his owne body to the Father and so hee putteth an ende to all those sacrifices which were but types of him the true Sacrifice As for the Prayers whereby the Lord interceded betwixt God and man they were manie and made at sundry times But amongst all the rest it may bee easilie seene that this prayer in this Chapter was one of the moste excellent and so it hath pleased the holy Spirite to register this Prayer especially and to recommend it to the posteritie to the end of the worlde First this Prayer is no able in respect of the time in the which hee made it it was euen about that time when hee offered himselfe vp to the Father Next in respect of the vse it is notable because by this prayer he did consecrate and dedicate that blessed Sacrifice to the Father for sacrifices were dedicated to Goâ— by prayer Thirdly in respect of the subject and matter of it for as ye may see in the Chapter it selfe first the Lord prayeth for himselfe and for that eternall glory which he had with the Father from all eternity the fairest thing and the greatest matter that euer was was that which hee prayed for and this hee doeth in the first fiue Verses Then he commeth on and prayeth for his Disciples which he should leaue behinde him in the worlde that the Lord would take the custody of them after his Ascension vnto the Heauens and would preserue them from all perill and this hee doeth from the fifth Verse to the twenty And last hee prayeth for the whole Kirke for life euerlasting and justification and this he doeth to the ende of this Chapter So yee s ee it is a notable subiect Last of all will ye looke to the force of this Prayer yee shall see the excellencie of it The force was not for the present or for a time but the force of it abideth continually to the ende of the worlde And this same Prayer is a meane whereby all men and women who are safe and shall bee safe to the ende of the world obtaine saluation And so this Prayer may bee well called A ground wherevpon the Kirke standeth And as our saluation standeth on the Sacrifice of Iesus Christ so it standeth on that Prayer that was offered to his Father But to come to the Text When Jesus sayeth John the writer of the Gospel had spoken these thinges hee lifted vp his eyes to the Heauen and he said as followeth This is the entrie to the Prayer wherein Iohn first concludeth the Sermon which the Lord made to his Disciples When Iesus had spoken these thinges to his Disciples Then hee proponeth the Prayer that followeth Hee lifted vp his eyes to Heauen and said There is the proposition of the Prayer In the proposition he noteth narrowly the behauiour of Christ in his Prayer Hee lifted vp his eyes to Heauen So in the eleuenth Chapter of this Gospel he noteth this behauiour in praying when hee thanketh his Father that he heard him before he raise â— Lazarus from the dead he lifted vp his eyes to Heauen Nowe Brethren to speake of gesture in Prayer it needeth not much will ye reade the Scriptures yee shall reade these gestures to bee in prayer First Godly men haue humbled themselues before that Majesty It becommeth the best of vs all to bow vs before God They signified by the bowing of their knees the humbling of the heart Offer not if ye haue a proude heart to come before that Throne Then they were wont to haue their handes and their eyes lift vp to the Heauens that signified the lifting vp of the eye of the soule to God to looke to him and to see him thorowe all these cloudes and these visible heauens to come to that light that hath none accesse and this agreeth with the other There are many who shall see Heauen but with an humbled heart when the heart is humbled and brought lowe then it is conuoyed thorowe these heauens euen to that light of God It becommeth all Christians to bee humbled on their knees and to lift vp their eyes to Heauen but all standeth in the heart What recks of the outward disposition if the soule be not heauenly disposed If it haue a sense of Heauen then the outwarde gesture will followe then wee will bowe our knees and humble vs before that Maiesty An humbled heart will fall downe but a proude sinner who is not touched with a sense of his sinnes will hardly bow his knee Nowe wee come to the Prayer first hee maketh his petition for himselfe and why not the most precious thing in the worlde is the glory of Iesus Christ Hee sayeth Father glorifie thy Sonne There is his petition Marke the style it is a very warme and hearty stile that he giueth him speaking familiarly to God the heart of him warmeth sweetly with him and as a Sonne he calleth him Father The stile which he giueth him vttereth that he had a sense of that fatherly loue and affection towards him While as he nameth him Father hee vttereth that Sonly affection and loue that hee bare to him A Sonly loue craueth a Fatherly loue and conciliateth a Fatherly affection from Heauen Why should we not striue to be like the Lord Iesus and in Prayer chiefly Woulde any man or woman finde the Fatherly affection of God Would they haue that loue that Fathers beare to their Children Let them vtter in Prayer that affection that a Sonne or a Daughter shoulde haue to their Father If thou wouldest haue the Fatherly loue of God the sweetest thing in the worlde looke that the Names which thou gluest him testifie that thou louest him as a deare Childe loueth his Parentes and looke aye wee pray with that Spirite which is the Spirite of Adoption that testifieth to our soules that wee are adopted to bee the Sonnes and Daughters of God for it is that Spirite that giueth libertie to the heart and openeth the mouth and causeth thee as the Apostle sayeth to crie Abba Father And if thou haue not this holie Spirite of Adoption and if that Spirite open not thine heart and lowse thy tongue call him Father as thou wilt hee is nothing else to thee but a terrible Iudge to take vengeance on thee and thou art nothing els but a slaue to him and not a Sonne Looke aye therefore that thou haue that Spirite that shall testifie to thee that thou art not the childe of wrath
of man Looke to this and in the meane time gather howe much wee are beholden vnto him What King would haue humbled himselfe so No there is no King who would haue put on a Beggars weed for a slaues cause let bee to humble himselfe so far Now looke how we are indebted to him yea if it were a thousand liues it is too little to giue for him who hath so humbled himselfe for vs. Nowe last yee see in what sense and meaning the Sonne of God seeketh this glory Hee seeketh not a glory which hee had not the time that he sought it for he had iâ—â—â—wayes from all eternity He sought not also to bee quite of the nature of man for then hee should not haue bene our Sauiour Hee seeketh not to be quite of the first cloude but of the second He seeketh to be quite of death and hee seeketh that that Godhead should glorifie the Sonne of man that the beames of that Godhead should strike out and glorifie the nature of man And indeede howe soone that Godhead that dwelt in him began to vtter it selfe when his head was lying low in the graue then the man getteth vp and life commeth into our nature And next when the Godhead vttered it selfe in that nature then that man is lifted vp to the Heauens And last when the Godhead vttered it selfe the man Christ is placed at the right hand of the Father and that nature of man shineth in such sort that it passeth all the glory of the Angels This is very comfortable Thou wilt say What recks me of all this glory and what is that to mee Howbeit that that man be glorified yet I abide here in the earth a vile body what recks mee if the worlde were glorified if I got not a share of it Now wilt thou take but once holde of that nature of man and once fix thine eye vpon it that is Wilt thou belieue in Iesus Christ God and man set thine heart on him that he first died for thee and secondly that he rose for thee belieue that all this was once done for thee then certainly as sure as the nature of man in Iesus died and was glorified as sure thou shalt bee glorified and as soone as thou touchest him the glorie shall strike out and ouershaddow thee in this life when thou lookest into the mirrour of his Gospel for wee see him here but in a mirrour it shall ouer-shaddow thee I say but when faith shall be changed into sight and wee see him face to face and sit fore-anent him and looke to his glorious face those glaunces which shall proceede from him as it is saide to the Philippians CHAP. 3. VERS 21. shall transforme thy vile bodie and shall conforme it to his glorious bodie There is such an effectualnesse in his power whereby hee subdued all thinges that if thou shalt gette a sight of him hee shall chaunge thy bodie in a moment and hee shall make it to shine more brighter than the Sunne Onelie belieue so long as thou art heere A man who hath faith in him shall see this glorie If thou gettest not a sight of Christ by fayth in this worlde thou shalt neuer see him heereafter to life and glorie So let vs belieue and stirre vp euerie one of vs another with exhortations that as euer wee would see glorie wee belieue in Iesus Christ To whome 〈◊〉 the Father and holie Spirit bee all honour glorie and pray 〈◊〉 world without ende AMEN THE XX. LECTVRE OF CHRISTES PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvii VERS 6.7.8 6 I haue declared thy Name vnto the men which thou gauest mee out of the worlde thine they were and thou gauest them mee and they haue kept thy worde 7 Nowe they knowe that all thinges whatsoeuer thou hast giuen mee are of thee 8 For I haue giuen vnto them the wordes which thou gauest mee and they haue receiued them and haue knowne surelie that I came out from thee and haue belieued that thou hast sent mee HItherto Welbeloued in the Lord IESVS in this Prayer the Lord hath prayed for himselfe that the Father would glorifie him To this purpose hee vsed sundry argumentes First sayeth hee The houre is come that is The houre of my death is at hand therefore Father glorifie mee Then hee sayeth Father if thou wilt glorifie mee I will glorifie thee therefore glorifie mee Yet farder If thou wilt glorifie mee J wll giue life euerlasting to these whome thou hast giuen mee therefore Father glorifie mee Yet marke I haue glorified thee on the Earth and I haue ended that worke which thou gauest mee to doe What resteth then sayeth hee But that thou O Father shouldest glorifie mee Then hee concludeth Therefore Father glorifie mee with thy selfe not in the Earth but in the Heauens with that glorie which I had with thee before the worlde was Nowe in the next parte of his Prayer the Lord prayeth for his Apostles eleuen in number Hee prayeth not for Iudas because hee was a reprobate There are two thinges which hee seeketh at the Father for them The first â—s That when hee shoulde goe his waye to the Heauen the Father shoulde keepe them from all euill in the worlde The seconde is That the Father shoulde sanctifie them to that worke which they were appointed vnto There are sundrie argumentes and reasons of this first parte of this Petition for his Disciples That the Father woulde keepe them and saue them Hee heapeth in the beginning manie argumentes as namelie from their calling and vocation from their election from that they were the Fathers from that they were giuen to him from that that they belieued the Worde and from that that hee was going to the Father He heapeth together these arguments reasons in praying for them that the Father would keepe and saue them But let vs marke the words narrowly and goe thorow euery argument and obserue such doctrine as shall be to our edification as God shall giue the grace He begins sayth first J haue declared thy Name vnto the men which thou gauest me out of the world So the first reason wherewith he moueth the Father to keepe them is from that hee had manifested vnto them the Name of the Father That is to saye That hee had called them by the Preaching of the glorious Euangel of IESVS CHRIST So our vocation and calling standeth in the manifestation of GOD in IESVS CHRIST by the preaching and hearing of the Gospel Wee are called when God and his will is manifested to vs by the preaching of the Gospel of Iesus Christ Well then if the Lord Iesus vseth this as an argument and reason to moue his Father to keepe them and to saue them now certainly when any person findeth that GOD calleth on them by the preaching of the Gospel as he is calling on you this day Then certainly they haue an argument and token that that God who calleth on them wil keepe and saue them both in this
nowe am I no more in the worlde but these are in the worlde and J come to thee Holie Father keepe them in thy Name euen them whome thou hast giuen mee that they may bee one as wee are WElbeloued in the Lord Iesus in the seconde part of this Prayer the Lord prayeth for his Disciples whom hee was to leaue in the world behinde him when he should passe vp to the Heauens Hee vseth many arguments of his request and petition which hee maketh to his Father first from their calling out of the world by the Gospel from their election and choosing them from al eternity from this that they were the Fathers from this that they were giuen to him from this that they belieued in the Father and in him Now in the wordes which wee haue read first after many arguments yea a cloud of arguments all gathered together the Lord concludeth his petition and prayer and sayth O Father I pray for them As hee would saye Seeing so many thinges concur in them their vocation their election and the rest therfore I haue good cause to praye for them I praye for them O Father that thou wouldest keepe them it cannot be but thou must keepe them vpon whome thou hast showne so many graces Now happie are they on whom God beginnes to show any grace for on whom he begins to shew grace once there is none end of grace but continually grace vpon grace mercy followes mercy till at the last they bee glorified in the Heauens for euermore But to goe forward When he hath said I pray for them hee defineth them in speciall who they are for whom he prayeth J pray nor for the world sayth he not for the worlde that is not for the Reprobate and the wicked of the world but for them that thou hast giuen me these are they for whome hee prayeth hee excludeth the reprobates from his prayers he includeth only the Elect whom the Father hath giuen him for as the decreete of the election of God from all eternitie was limited and bounded al were not chosen all men and women were not written vp in that Booke of Life and euen as the gift that the Father gaue to the Sonne was limited and bounded hee gaue not all to the Son he gaue not euerie man and woman in this world but so many as hee had chosen to life euerlasting them hee gaue to the Sonne and no moe So I say as the decreet of election is bounded and as the gift of the Father to the Sonne is bounded euen so the intercession of the Sonne to the Father is bounded The Sonne intercedeth not with the Father for euery man and woman in this world and whether ye look to the intercession by prayer as ye see now he prayeth for the Chosen and for his Disciples in speciall whether yee looke to that intercession that was by his death and by that sacrifice the Lord he prayeth not for all that is a sure thing And when he died he died not for all but onlie for so many as the Father had chosen out from all eternity and hauing chosen them out he gaue them to his Sonne the mediator Only the Lord in the worlde made intercession for these Chosen that are giuen him So Brethren what shall wee say blessed is that man or woman that is of that chosen number and blessed is that person whom the Father hath put into the handes of the Sonne For for him the Sonne maketh intercession And woe is that soule that is not chosen and is not put into the hands of the Sonne to be kept and redeemed by him no intercession for that soule the prayer of the Lord Iesus appertaineth nothing to that soule nothing abideth that soule but anguishe and damnation euerlastingly So ye see how needfull a thing it is to haue assurance of our election to be assured perswaded in our harts that we are of that chosen number giuen to Iesus Christ This is the perswasion wee should seeke in this life if euer wee would haue comfort either in life or death and wee should aâ—e haue that respect of the life to come and set our hearts on another life than this life Therefore the thing that we should seeke most is to bee of the number of the Chosen and to be one of the number of them who are in the keeping of Iesus Christ But alas wee are so beastlie and senselesse that wee thinke there is no life no joye no glorie c. but in this life such is the blindnesse and beastlinesse of the nature of man Nowe Brethren and if yee marke againe the wordes well yee shall see a great difference betwixt the Prayer that Christ made and betwixt the Prayer of the faythfull in the worlde When wee pray for others our prayer is confused wee cannot separate the Reprobate from the Elect wee will praye for altogether good and euill because wee knowe not who is chosen and how is reprobate and casten awaye Then when wee pray for the Elect and for the Kirke our prayer is but confused and generall wee cannot praye for euerie particulare man or for euerie chosen one because wee knowe them not but generallie wee recommende vnto God the whole Kirke this is the manner of our prayer But it is farre otherwayes in this prayer which the Lorde maketh for his Disciples and for the Chosen The Lorde prayeth for his Elect but hee prayeth not for the Reprobate and particularlie heereafter hee excludeth Iudas because the Lord knewe who was elect and who was reprobate Then againe when hee prayeth for the Elect hee prayeth not confusedlie as wee doe but in his prayer his eye is set vpon euerie one of the Chosen particularlie There was neuer one of the Chosen that was that time that Christ was in the worlde or was since the beginning of the worlde or shall bee to the ende of the worlde but the LORD prayed for euerie one of them particularlie hee prayed for mee and hee prayed for thee and hee sawe euerie one of vs before the beginning of the worlde and nowe hee recommendeth vs to the Father Thinke not that the Lord Iesus prayeth confusedlie and generallie for all men no hee prayeth particularlie for the Chosen there is not one Chosen but the eye of the Lord is vpon them all Why The Lorde knewe who was chosen No there was not one little one yea the poorest vpon the face of the earth of the chosen number but in that time hee had his eye vpon them that the holie Spirit might flowe to them out of his death When the Lord died yee must not thinke that hee died for all hee died but for some hee died not for anie reprobate he separateth the Elect from the Reprobate by vertue of his death When hee offered himselfe to the death his eye was set vpon euerie one of the Elect that was in the worlde and when hee was going to death hee saide in his heart
That as the Father and the Sonne are one not onelie in that mutuall loue but in that verie Godhead substance and essence that is that vnitie one GOD the Father the Sonne and the Holie Spirite so wee also are one Nowe it is not required that wee bee one in essence but one in heartes and soules that is to saye Let euerie one of vs loue another let peace bee amongst vs and in this point wee must represent GOD and this is that vnitie that our heartes bee joyned with others in loue No man is knitte to CHRIST or yet to the Father but in loue and when wee are knitte vnto them our heartes are knitte euerie one to another So in one worde when wee see loue amongst men and especiallie amongst Christians when wee see their heartes joyned in loue wee may saye The Father keepeth these because they are in vnitie one with another and hee hath a care ouer them or else they coulde neuer haue this vnitie of minds in loue And where there is nothing but dissention and euerie one byting and backe-byting another they are not in the custodie of GOD for if they were in his keeping they woulde bee one as the Father and the Sonne are one So in one worde the LORDES care is not ouer those Therefore as euer yee woulde bee sure that the LORD hath a care ouer you looke that yee haue an vnitie amongst your selues And this is it that the Apostle Paul moste recommendeth vnto vs an vnitie of minde So as wee woulde testifie vs to bee the members of IESVS CHRIST let vs bee in vnitie with our neighbour for by this wee testifie to the worlde that wee are GODS and giuen to IESVS CHRIST and where there is no loue no amitie there the members are not joyned with the Head and wee haue no part with CHRIST for where fayth is there is loue and where fayth is there the members will concur together in vnitie of minde The LORD giue vs fayth in IESVS CHRIST in whome standeth all our happinesse and felicitie and to whome with the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all honour prayse power and dominion for euermore AMEN THE XXII LECTVRE OF CHRISTES PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvii VERS 12.13.14.15 12 While J was with them in the worlde I kept them in my Name those that thou giuest mee haue I kept and none of them is lost but the childe of perdition that the Scripture might bee fulfilled 13 And nowe come J to thee and these thinges speake I in the worlde that they might haue my joye fulfilled in themselues 14 I haue giuen them thy worde and the worlde hath hated them because they are not of the world as I am not of the world 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the worlde but that thou keepe them from euill IN the second part of this Prayer Welbeloued in the Lord Iesus the Lord being to depart out of this life and to rise againe and to ascend vp to the Heauens he recommendeth his Disciples whome he was to leaue behinde him to the keeping and preseruation of the Father To this purpose hee hath sundry arguments and reasons First sayeth he I haue manifested thy Name to them therefore Father keepe them Then Thou hast chosen them out of the worlde from all eternitie therefore Father keepe them Then They were thine therefore Father keepe thine owne And againe Thou hast giuen them to mee therefore keepe them And againe They haue kept thy worde and belieued in mee that thou hast sent mee therefore keepe them And againe I am glorified in them therefore keepe them And last of all I am to leaue them behinde mee in the worlde therefore keepe them These arguments and reasons wee haue heard Nowe hee goeth forwarde and addeth to the eight reason beginning at the Text which wee haue read The eight reason is from his owne keeping of his Disciples while hee abode with them in the world While J was with them in the worlde I kept them in thy Name and saued them And those whome thou gauest to mee I haue kept so that there is not one of them lost saue one the sonne of perdition meaning Iudas that the Scripture might mee fulfilled euen that Scripture which fore-tolde of his destruction therefore I kept them so long as I was with them Now Father I recommende them vnto thee and I put them into thine hand Yet the words would bee better weighed This keeping of his Disciples he amplifieth by sundry circumstances The first circumstance is A carefulnesse diligence and earnestnesse in keeping them This carefulnesse appeareth in doubling of the words hee is not content to say once J haue kept them but he sayth it ouer again The Sonne of God the Lord Iesus whom he keepeth hee keepeth them faithfully and carefully not slackly but diligently night and day his eye is vpon them and as hee himselfe sayth O Hierusalem as the Henne gathereth her Birdes vnder her winges so would I haue done to thee And no doubt the Lord gathereth his owne vnder the wings of his grace and keepeth them after a most tender and intiere fashion of keeping So wee may learne at his example those whom God hath concredited vnto vs to be kept in this world by vs whether they bee in our Familie whether they be in the Kirke of God or whether they bee in the Policie or Commonwealth wheresoeuer they be one or moe how many or how few they be who are concredited vnto vs and giuen out of the hand of God to be kept and defended in this world by vs. Wee learne heere by the example of Christ to keepe them so carefullie and faithfullie that they lose not in our hand The Prophet sayeth Woe to them that doeth the worke of the Lord negligentlie and slacklie Ierem. 48. vers 10. There hee meaneth Who slayeth not and wracketh not as the Lord commandeth to slay and wracke Therefore much more shall woe curse appertaine vnto them who keepeth not them faithfully whom the Lord hath concredited vnto them and commandeth them to keepe If woe was denounced against them who slewe not and wracked not at the commandement of the Lord a double woe shall appertaine vnto them who neglecteth them whom the Lord hath concredited to their charge Nowe I come to the seconde circumstance J haue kept them in they Name that is to say By thy vertue and power All the power that the Sonne hath hee hath it giuen him of the Father and all the power that the Sonne hath is the power of the Father and therefore he acknowledgeth the keeping of these Disciples to be by the power of the Father and so he glorifieth his Father in Heauen The Sonne in any thing that he doth he euer glorifieth the Father Who is he in this world who is able to keepe a soule by his owne power Who hath power in his own hand to keepe a body or a Child or
heareth of the Gospel the soule is the more illuminate and the bodie that will take heede will finde the glorifying of the soule in some measure and then when wee shall see him out of the bodie when we shall blinke on that glorious countenance then both bodie and soule shall bee glorified He draweth the glorie which the Father hath giuen him from the ground Because thou hast loued mee before the foundation of the worlde was laid The glory the Father giueth to the Sonne is of an infinite loue and vnspeakeable Would yee measure the glorie of the Sonne and the greatnesse of it and when it beganne Looke to the loue the Father bare to the Sonne in greatnesse it is infinite thine heart is not capable of the thousand part of that loue It is infinite Who can tell it How can my finite heart tell it If the loue be infinite then the glory is infinite He sayd his Father loued him from all eternitie that loue had neuer a beginning therfore the glory had neuer a beginning as hee sayth himselfe before in the 5. vers of this Chap. Wouldest thou know the end It hath none ende It is not like the loue of man the loue of the Father to the Sonne it is euerlasting and therfore the glory of Iesus Christ it shall neuer haue an end howbeit it was obscured for a time Farder ye may perceiue when he speaketh of his glory he draweth in the loue of the Father to himselfe This is an argument that in speaking of that glory he hath a sense of that infinite loue So the joye and the glory of the Sonne of God wherein standeth it His ioy and glory standeth in that he hath gotten it not with reafe or robbery but with the loue of the Father Wouldest thou possesse any benefit of God with pleasure wouldest thou haue ioy with it What if thou hadst all the world and hadst no pleasure nor ioy in it All gifts are from the Father of Heauen the Father of Iesus Christ Wouldest thou then haue pleasure in the gift Looke that the giuer loue thee striue to feele that hee giueth thee it in loue and then though the gift bee neuer so small yea if it were but a Dinner or a fill of Meat thou shalt haue more ioy in the participation of it if thou take it because he loueth thee than if he wold cast vnto thee a Kingdome if thou feelest not his loue Hee will throwe a Kingdome to a Loune to a wicked man c. as who would throw a bone to a Dogge But as for thee wheÌ„thou gettest any thing looke thou get it not in anger or els it shall neuer doe thee good if thou wouldest haue it to bee vnto thee an ernest-pennie of heauenly things looke that thou findest the loue of the giuer otherwayes esteeme nought of it thou mayest well haue it but it shall be for thy destruction but if thou gettest it of loue he will warne thee he will make the holy Spirit to powre into thine heart a greater sweetnesse of his loue than thou canst finde in the participation of the benefit it selfe Therefore in all benefites thou receiuest euer cast thee to feele that God loueth thee in Iesus Christ who hath died and risen for thee And if thou haue a sense of that loue that Spirit shall worke in thy soule an vnspeakeable ioye which shall bee the earnest-pennie of that eternall ioy which thou shalt get in the Heauens through Iesus Christ To whome with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and prayse for euermore AMEN THE XXV LECTVRE OF CHRISTES PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xxvii VERS 25.26 25 O righteous Father the world also hath not knowne thee but I haue knowne thee and these haue knowne that thou hast sent mee 26 And J haue declared vnto them thy Name and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loued mee may bee in them and J in them WEE haue heard Welbeloued in the LORD IESVS CHRIST that the LORD in the last parte of his Prayer which hee maketh to his Father prayeth not onelie for his Disciples but generallie for the whole faythfull to the ende of the worlde Now in this TEXT which wee haue read hee returneth againe to his Disciples and hee maketh a Prayer especiallie for them because they had most adoe in the worlde and were to bee sent out into the worlde to win others to the Kingdome of Heauen Therefore the Lord most of all remembereth them in his Prayer and most earnestlie recommendeth them to the Father for those whome the Lord hath ordained to win others of all men in the worlde they haue most neede of Prayer because if they bee not vpholden not only are they lost themselues but also in them standeth the losse of the whole worlde and of the whole Congregation of Iesus Christ to whome they are sent Therefore the Lord in all his Prayers and especiallie in this his last Prayer is moste earnest in recommending of them to the Father Now in the last wordes which were immediatelie before these wordes which we haue read the Lord speaketh of that loue which the Father bare to him ere euer the ground-stone or foundation of the worlde was layde And now in this petition that hee maketh for his Disciples hee beseecheth his Father to communicate with them that loue which hee bare vnto him For all graces and of all benâ—fites in the world the loue of God is the greatest and hee or shee that hath gotten the loue of God in their heart and feelâ—th that God loueth them haue the most precious Iewell that euer was Therefore the Lord beseecheth the Father in the ende of this Prayer that the louâ— that hee bare to him hee would communicate it to his Disciples whome he was to leaue behinde him in the worlde The argument that he vseth is taken from that ende both of the knowledge that the Sonne hath of his Father and of that whole obedience that the Sonne gaue to the Father as also of the knowledge that the Disciples had of him the ende of all this is That the Father should loue them And therefore seeing the ende of all was That the loue of the Father should bee in them the Lord beseecheth the Father to loue them in these wordes O righteous Father There is the stile which he giueth him O righteous Father the worlde hath not knowne thee but I have knowne thee and these haue knowne that thou hast sent mee and I haue manifested thy Name vnto them and shall manifest it farther and all to this ende That thy loue may bee in them and I in them There is the whole TEXT Hee stileth him Father a warme word and a louing stile Hee stileth him Righteous Father respecting the petition which hee had in hand It is a verie righteous and just thing which hee seeketh of the Father Therefore hee calleth him Righteous Father Thou wilt graunt that thing
pilgrimage and who hath honoured you with manie good turnes and namelie with loue and kindnesse towardes Gods Children for his cause make you more and more finde the loue of God shed abroad in your soule so that you neuer wearie in well-doing but that yee may daylie goe on forward in the course of sanctification that yee seeking fearing louing and alwayes seruing him and being comfortable to his Sainctes on Earth yee may bee assured when this short life is ended the Lord shall crowne you with eternall Glorie in Heauen with all his Saincts in JESVS AMEN Yours in the Lord H. C. W. A. THE FIRST LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 1.2 LEt not your heart bee troubled yee belieue in God belieue also in mee 2 Jn my Fathers house are many dwelling places if it were not so J would haue told you I goe to preparé a place for you IN the CHAPTER immediately going before Brethren the LORD fore-warned his Disciples of his departure and taking away of his bodily presence out of the world that moued his Disciples exceedingly for they had no will hee should goe from them Therefore the Lord in this and in the next two CHAPT continueth in speaking to his Disciples to comfort and confirme them after his departure and taking away of his bodily presence from them And in the beginning of this CHAPTER hee layeth downe the proposition of this comfort Let not your heart bee troubled Thereafter hee subjoyneth sure argumentes to comfort strengthen an I confirme them when hee should goe away Hee saith Let not your hearts be troubled knowing well that when hee should depart they should be like as many Lambs among Wolues in the middest of this wicked world and so they would be troubled in mind when he should go away therefore the LORD warneth them before his departure that their hearts should not be troubled The Disciples faile in this that they thought that if the LORD had taken away his body and should absent himselfe out of their eyes they should haue no more comfort nor grace of him Ye see the Lesson ariseth here of their example As the presence of the LORD IESVS ministreth joye peace â—nd tranquillitie to the heart of the sinner euen so when he draweth away his presence from a sinner from a miserable creature then there is no joye no comfort no peace no rest to the heart It may be indeed and it coÌ„meth oft to passe that men and women will be lullud vp in a carnall security deliting themselues in the vain pleasures comforts of this world in eating and drinking c. It may be some be occupied they will haue a quite life they will lie downe and sleepe quietly they will rise and be wanton but in very trueth they haue no true peace if they finde not the Lord Iesus present in their heart when they lie downe and when they rise howbeit they had all the worlde they haue no peace No peace to the wicked saith the Lord Esay 57.21 Howbeit they seeme to haue peace they haue none As for the godly that haue once founde his presence and haue once tasted of that joye which is in his face of that light which commeth from his face and once he be taken from them giue them all this world and all the pleasures of this worlde they shall haue no pleasure they will neuer bee blythe till they get a sight of their Lord their soule dieth without his face and when he commeth againe it quickeneth and liueth This is the true joye thinke neuer yee haue true rest without the countenance of the Lord without the which all the pleasures and comforts of the world are but vaine for all shall leaue you and ye with them shall perish No question the Disciples when they began to feele that joye which they founde in his presence rather than they had wanted his company they would haue wanted all the world Now when he hath set downe this proposition of comfort hee leaueth them not so but knowing well how harde a thing it was to a comfortlesse heart to receiue comfort he subjoyneth sundrie arguments and reasons to hold them in a good courage and comfort And first he saith Yee belieue in God belieue also in mee There is an argument wherefore they should not bee troubled The first comfort hee ministreth to their comfortlesse heartes is Fayth in Christ The meaning is Howbeit when I goe away yee shall not see me yet settle your hearts vpon me follow me with the eye of your soule and looke afarre off to the Heauen and looke that ye rest and repose vpon mee by a true and liuely faith Well then yee see the first remedie against the taking away of the Lorde Iesus and withdrawing â—f his bodily presence is faith in him howbeit he were neuer so farre away let thy soule goe thorow the clouds and take holde on the Lord Iesus where hee sitteth at the right hand of God his Father sticke till him bee sure of him gripe him by the hand of faith and then in the middest of all the confusions of this world which ye see now fall out in these latter dayes thou shalt get comfort and ease to thy soule and it shall bee holden vp among all troubles of this world For why this is the nature of faith in Christ it will make things absent to be present As the Apostle saith to the Heb. 11.1 It maketh things hoped for to be present with vs it will let thee see that felicity that life that glorie which is laide vp in the Heauens for thee which we cannot see with the eyes of our mortall bodies so long as we are here Then so long as thou art absent from him belieue in him that thou mayeâ—t finde euer comfort till thy faith bee turned in sight and then thou shalt find that both sight of the soule the sight of the body into the Heauens shall be perfected then we shall see that clearly which we saw before obscurely and wee shall see him no sooner but our joy shall be full and wee shall bee into his glory with him and as his face shineth so shall ours shine also So ye see the chiefe thing that holdeth vs vp in all troubles of this world is the blinke we haue of Christ by faith Nowe hee proponeth not this argument barely but by way of comparison for he saith as Ye belieue in God so belieue in me for as he said I and the Father am one howbeit the Father and the Sonne be sundry persons yet they are but one blessed Majesty one God in one nature and one substance faith in one of them prejudgeth not another as thou belieuest in the Father so belieue in the Son so belieue in the holy Ghost because they are one in nature and substance they are coessentiall coequall coeternall if the Father and the Sonne were different in substance so that the Father were one
The second argument is taken from their owne weale My departure is to prepare a place for you in Heauen if I goe not before you yee can get no place there for neuer man either got getteth or shall get place there but onely by the vertue of the Ascension of Christ It was not for his owne cause he entered into Heauen but for vs he passed with blood before vs to get vs an entry by his blood He by his Ascension opened vp to vs all the yates of Heauen that we might goe in there His Ascension to Heauen is of such force that it is able to prepare a dwelling place and it were for a thousand worldes if men could haue faith in him Now I come to the third argument wherby he comfortes them which is taken from the second coÌ„ming to Christ to glorify them fully And this of all other argumeÌ„ts brings greatest comfort to the soule The former arguments are indeede very comfortable faith worketh a great joy in the heart of a sinner because faith makes Iesus to bee present to the soule euen then when it is absent from the Lord and walking yet in this pilgrimage here on the earth Againe it is a greater comfort to the soule when we heare that Christ hath prepared a place for vs in Heauen wherein faith shall be changed in sight we shall see him face to face and glorifie him without any stay or intermission yet none of these wil furnish vs perfect ioy if there be no more for the conscience of our owne weaknesse and the sight and feeling of sinne within vs maketh vs oftentimes to doubt brangleth our faith and stayeth our full consolation And albeit we heare that Christ hath prepared a place for vs and opened the Heauen to vs yet our own weaknesse and infirmity telleth vs we cannot be able to come there to enter into the possession of the inheritance prepared for vs But here is matter of perfect ioy and full consolation when we heare that Christ will come again in his own person take vs to the HeaueÌ„s to the place hee hath prepared for vs whereunto otherwise in respect of our weaknes we could neuer come Jf saith Christ I goe to prepare a place for you I will come again receiue you vnto my self that where J am there may ye be also As if he had said I depart not from you to remain absent from you for euer I purpose not so to do but I will come again to you to take you vp to the place that I haue prepared that ye may remain with me in the Heauens be partakers of my glory for euer No question this was a great matter of comfort and ioy to the Disciplis when they heard that Christ would come again to them take them with himself to glory doubtles this made them after Christs Ascension to haue their eys hearts affections lift vp to Heauen waiting for his blessed appearance Brethren it is the coÌ„mon custome of all the Saincts when they heare belieue that Christ is to come again out of the Heauens to take them to that place of joy which he hath prepared for them te reâ—oyce vnder the hope of that glory with a joy vnspakeable gloâ—ious to set their hearts aboue to haue their conuersation in Heauen from whence they looke for our Sauiour to come to change our vile bodies that they may be like his glorious body c. Indeede it is true our hope waiting for Christ is ay coÌ„joyned with sighing sobbing because we haue not as yet gotteÌ„ the ful fruitioÌ„ of our inheritaÌ„ce And therfore Paul saith Wee who haue gotten the first fruits of the Spirit euen we sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodie Rom. 8.23 There ye see with waiting he conjoyns sighing indeed the sorow sighing of the godly is exceeding great while as they are absent froÌ„ their Lord But it is also true that with this sighing sadnes they find a ioy vnspeakable glorious yea such a ioy as all the ioyes and outward comforts in the world cannot be able to furnish vnto men The naturall man who seeks to haue ioy in outward thinges neuer wist what true ioye meaned thou that seeks ioy in thy riches thou neuer knew true ioy thou who seekes ioy in honour or preserment thou finds but a shadow of ioy thou who seeks ioy in the pleasurs of the flesh thou finds nothing in the end but displeasure in stead of ioye But the godly in waiting for the comming of their Sauiour find such a ioy that the heart of no naturall man is able to conceiue and if thou found but one sparke of this ioy into thy heart thou would count nothing of all worldâ—ie ioyes in respect of it yea thou would bee content to renounce all worldly pleasures that thou might bruik it Now Brethren if our ioy be so great euen now while we are absent froÌ„ the Lord and are only waiting for his blessed appearance O how great shall our ioy be when our faith shall be turned in sight when we shall see him face to face and when hee shall put vs in the full possession of that inheritance which now wee are hoping and longing for But leauing this I goe forwarde to the fourth argument of their consolation which hee taketh from the knowledge they had both of the place where he was going to likewise of the way which led them to that place For saith he whither I goe ye know and the way ye know As if he had said In the mean time while I am come again to you let this comfort you that both ye know the place wherevnto now I am going first and wherevnto next ye shall follow me and also that ye know the way wherein ye shal walke that ye may come to that place yee knowe both the one and the other And if there were none other thing but this knowledge it may serue to comfort you the time of mine absence from you while I come againe and take you to that place with my selfe Marke the Lesson Brethren It is a great comfort to a man who is absent from the Lorde and woulde faine bee present with him to knowe the place where the Lord is and likewise to knowe the way howe hee may come to that place where hee may find the Lord and enioye his blessed presence Ye know this by experience that if a Pilgrime bee wandering in his iourney and in the meane time knowe no place where at length hee maye come to rest in it will bee a sore griefe to him and againe yee knowe howbeit hee knewe a place where to find rest and yet knew not the way how to come to that place he will be very based and exceedingly casten downe But by the contrary if the Pilgrime in his iourneying knowe both the place wherin to rest and likewise the way
how to come to it he is greatly reioyced because hee hath a sure hope to come to his resting place Euen so fareth it with vs who are Gods Children while in this Pilgrimage we are wandering absent from the Lord if wee neither knowe the place where the Lord is and where wee may find rest for our soules with him neither know the way how to come to it wee cannot but bee wonderfully discouraged but iâ— on the other part wee know both the place of our resting that permanent City that hath a foundation and also the way how to come to it it cannot bee possible but our soules must rest in hope to come there So yee see the knowledge of the place whither wee should goe to seeke the Lord and of the way that leadeth to that place furnisheth great comfort and ioye to the soule Whereas by the contrary the ignorance and miâ—kenning of the place and way is euer accompanied with great dolour and sadnesse Nowe to goe forwarde The Disciples when they heare these words that Christ vttereth of the way and the place they mistake him and vnderstand him not and therefore Thomas one of their number opponeth himselfe to the Lords words and whereas the Lorde had saide vnto them they knewe both the place whither hee vvas going and the vvaye Thomas opponeth himselfe to both affirming That they neyther knewe the place nor the vvaye For sayeth Thomas Wee knowe not whither thou goeâ—â—â— howe can wee then knowe the Waye As if Thomas had saidâ— LORDE thou sayest vvee knowe vvhither thou 〈◊〉 s and we know also the way but we know not whither thou goest and therfore we cannot know the way both the place and the way are vnknowne vnto vs. These wordes at the first face would seeme to haue a direct contradiction to the Lordes wordes but if wee weigh and consider the matter deeply as it becommeth wee will finde that in effect there is no contradiction but both may stand very well together for the Lord spake of a begun and a generall knowledge which the Lord communicateth to euery one that is a true member of his body And this knowledge how smal soeuer it be the Lord accepteth of it for it was prophesied of him that he should not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax Esay 42.3 But rather where he finds any knowledge begun he cherisheth it maketh the soule to grow from knowledge to knowledge till it come to perfection But Thomas mistaketh the Lord for hee thinketh that the Lord speaketh of a distinct and perfect knowledge and this maketh Thomas to oppone against the Lord and to affirme that they neither knew whither hee went nor yet the way And these two speakinges may very well stand together that they had a begun and confused knowledge both of the place whither the Lord went and of the way to that place of the which knowledge the Lord spake and neuerthelesse that they knew not distinctly perfectly neither the place nor the way of the which knowledge Thomas meaneth The like of this is to be vnderstood when wee speake of the knowledge the Prophets had of the calling of the Gentiles for with good reason wee may say that the Prophets knewe the calling of the Gentiles because they had it fore-told them in their prophesies Yet Paul saith that the calling of the Gentiles was a mystery which in other ages was not opened vp vnto the sonnes of men These two sayings stand very well together neither is there any contradiction in them for the one is to be vnderstood of a begun and imperfect knowledge the other of a distinct and perfect knowledge Againe wee may say Christ spake of the knowledge which the Disciples should haue had and might haue had if they had taken good enough heed to Christes doctrine and instructions for howe oft had the Lord preached to them of the kingdome of Heauen which was the place whither hee was first to goe and they next to follow him Howe oft spake hee vnto them of the Father who sent him for the Redemption of the Worlde Howe often spake hee vnto them of the right way that ledde to Heauen Yea hee pointed it out with his finger as when he said I am the light of the world IOH. 8. c. Therefore seeing the Lord spake of these things so many times and so clearly and was so carefull to instruct them the Disciples might well enough haue knowne both the place and the way and their negligence cannot bee excused who were so rude and ignorant and profited so little in these things And so Thomas by this his answering to the Lord letteth vs see how little knowledge he had attained vnto notwithstanding of all the trauell the Lord had taken to instruct them Alwayes out of these wordes of Thomas wee may take vp a profitable Lesson concerning the order of our knowledge of heauenly things Thomas saith first Wee know not the place where thou goest and vpon this hee gathereth Wee cannot knowe the waye Then the Lesson is Wee must first haue a knowledge of the place where we should goe to before wee can haue a knowledge of the way that leadeth vnto the place Wee must first haue a knowledge of Heauen and that there is life glorie and happinesse laide vp for the Sainctes there Wee must know what manner of glory wee haue to looke for and then it is time for vs to inquire what way wee may come to Heauen what way we may attaine to that glory and happinesse For there is no man that will take on a journey till he know where he would be and what should be the end of his labour He that runneth hee will set vp a marke before him that he would be at Paul saith of himselfe 1. Cor. 9.26 I so runne not as vncertainly so fight I not as one that beareth the aire that is I runne not nor I fight not for nought but I runne to get the crowne I fight that I may get the victory Hee raâ—ne with all his might towardes the marke for the prize of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ Philip. 3.14 So we must first haue the prize and the marke of the high calling set before our eyes and thereafter we must enter into the way that leadeth to that marke There are none of the Sainctes but they haue euer Heauen set before their eyes they desire they sigh and sobbe to bee there because they know that there in the presence of the Lord there is fulnesse of ioye and that at his right hand there are pleasures for euermore Psal 16.11 And therefore Paul saith of them that they haue their conuersation in Heauen from whence they looke for their Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change their vile bodies that they may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body c. Philip. 3.20 And in the viii Chapter to the Rom. vers 23. hee saith that they who haue
haue entered into this way to the Father by Christ as he is the Trueth wee must next enter into the way to the Father by Christ as he is Life But how enter we into this way by him as he is Life How bringeth Christ vs to the Father as he is Life I answere Whilest we are going to the Father wee must stedfastly belieue and bee fully assured that Christ is Life and that all life is from him as from the Fountaine and that whatsoeuer life wee haue we haue it through him Then ye see Christ is the way to the Father first because he is the Trueth next because he is the Life If thou wouldest come to Life begin at the Trueth for the first leadeth vs to the second For this word of Trueth euen the Gospel of the Lord Iesus when it is preached if we heare it reuerentlie and stedfastly belieue it and let it settle deeply in our soules it will bee powerfull at the last to bring foorth life in vs Were thy soule neuer so dead in sinnes and trespasses yet receiuing this Word of Trueth thou shalt rise from death and liue The Lord in the sixt Chapter of Iohn and the 63. verse letteth vs see this great force of this Word when he saith The words that I speake to you are Spirit and Life that is they are a most powerfull meane to minister and furnish vnto vs that Spirite and that Life of God And in that same Chapter also vvhen the Lord asketh at the Apostles If they would leaue him as many of them did who had followed him before Peter answereth in the name of the rest To whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life where ye see Peter out of his own experience affirmeth that the vvords vvhich hee heard of Christ vvere effectuall to vvorke eternall life vvhich made him and the rest of the Apostles vvith pleasure to remaine vvith Christ Thou that by the hearing of the vvord findest the life of God to bee conuoyed to thy soule vvilt easily bee perswaded that hee vvho is the Author of that vvord is life himselfe for how vvere it possible that there could be such a power in that vvorde to giue life except hee vvhose vvorde it is vvere the Fountaine and Well-spring of all life Then ye see by vvhat order vve come to the Father Wee must first begin at the Trueth then by the vvord of Trueth vve must be led to Life and then we must goe on piece and piece in that Life vvee must continue and perseuer in it and so doing it is not possible but at last vvee shall come into that eternall Life vvhich is hid vp in God and shall bee reuealed in that great day Then in a vvord vvouldest thou haue the summe of all that vve haue spoken in this matter This is it Euen that vvee belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ The vvay to the Father is Christ vvhen vvee belieue in him vvee are vvalking in this vvay vvhen our fayth increaseth piece and piece vvee goe on forward vve continue and perseuer in that vvay Now in the ende of the verse he preuenteth and answereth the thing that some might haue objected against this doctrine That he was the way for it might haue bene said to Christ Albeit thou bee the way to the Father yet thou art not the only way there are many other wayes beside thee To this the Lord answereth I am the onelie waye to come to the Father for sayeth hee None commeth to the Father but by mee That is I am so the waye to the Father that there is none other waye to come to the Father beside me And whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father by another way beside me or whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father any other way but by me he shall be disappointed he shall neuer find the Father thou that seeks to come to HeaueÌ„ another way nor by Christ I giue thee that doome thou shalt neuer see Heauen Men dreame to themselues another way to come to Heauen nor by Christ the Papists deceiue themselues and the whole worlde teaching them to seeke Heauen by their owne merits by their own works and to come to the Father by the mediation intercession of Angels of the Saincts departed c. But all this is folly for there is one only way to Heauen and that a very strait and narrow way by Iesus Christ Indeed the way to Hell is a very broade way that is there are many wayes that leade to damnation for there is not a sinne that thou committest against God but it leadeth thee to Hell Whoredome leadeth a man to Hell Murder leadeth a man to Hell Drunkennesse leadeth a man to Hell all the foule affections of thine heart leade thee to Hell But there is one only way to come to Heauen Fayth in Iesus Christ Therefore thou who wouldest come to Heauen and dwell with the Father for euer leaue all other wayes for they are but pathes that leade to damnation and take thee to that only one way belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ and through him thou shalt bee assured to get life and glory To this Lord Iesus with the Father and the holy Spirit be all prayse and honour for euer Amen THE THIRD LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 7.8.9.10 7 Jf yee had knowne mee yee should haue knowne my Father also and from hencefoorth yee know him and haue seene him 8 Philip said vnto him Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. 9 Iesus said vnto him J haue beene so long time with you and hast thou not knowne mee Philip Hee that hath seene mee hath seene the Father how then sayest thâ—u Shew vs thy Father 10 Belieuest thou not that J am in the Father and the Father is in mee The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the Father that dwelleth in mee hee doeth the workes YEE heard Welbeloued in the Lord Iesus among the rest of the comforts that the Lord furnished to his Disciples that they should not bee troubled when hee should depart this was one and the last Yee knowe the place whither I am to goe first and where yee are to goe next in your time and also yee knowe the waye Therefore woulde hee saye comfort your selues with this knowledge while I come againe and take you to that place Vpon this last argument the conference falleth out betwixt Christ and his Disciples and first Thomas one of his Disciples speaketh and vttereth as it were a contradiction to the worde of the Lord Wee know not the place where thou art to goe sayeth hee and howe then can wee knowe the waye Vpon this speach of Thomas the â—ord taketh occasion to instruct Thomas and the rest in these pointes whereof they were ignorant concerning the place where hee was to goe and concerning the waye and first hee pointeth out the waye vnto them hee pointeth the waye
of sharpnesse as it were So Dauid in the 42. Psal vers 11. vvhen he findeth himselfe carried away with a vehement affection of sorrowe and ouer farre casten downe in his exile he sayth Why art thou casten downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within mee vvait on God for I will yet giue him thankes c. So wee should presse downe the affection with a reproofe as the Lord doth here Hee layeth downe the ground of his reproofe I tolde you J would goe away and I tolde you I would come againe in my Spirit and now I am to depart to my Father Now he saith yee loue me not because ye rejoyce not that I am to goe to glorie vvith my Father for my Father is greater than I that is I goe to be partaker of that glory which the Father hath and when as yee are sad at my departure ye vtter that yee enuy my glory Marke the wordes Heretickes who aâ—leadged that Christ was a God but created in time and not equall with the Father Though they got a great vantage out of this place The Father is greater than J The Fathers of olde exponed this place well That it was to be vnderstood of the humane nature and not of the diuine Yet there is another exposition of this that is That this place is not so much to bee vnderstood of the nature of Christ as of his office The Godhead of the Lord Iesus the Sonne being equall with the Father taketh an office vpon him by the which he becoÌ„meth inferiour to the Father to wit hee becoÌ„meth Mediator The office standeth in this He taketh vpon him the flesh of a seruant Next he becoÌ„meth obedient yea euen to the death of the Crosse in that nature so in respect of this office he maketh himselfe inferior to the Father By this we must not gather that he was inferior to the Father in person Majesty or essence howbeit in office hee was vnequall inferior to the Father For as that reuerent Father Cyrillus sayeth Missiò obedientia non tollunt aequalitatem potentiae essentiae Therefore ye see the Heretickes as namely Arrius out of this place haue no ground for that blasphemous heresie But consider yet more narrowly what the Lord saith And ye loued me ye would haue reioyced in that I said J would depart As he would say The very wordes that yee turne to your discomfort sorrow should haue bene mater of joy and comfort There is neuer a word that the Lord speaketh to his owne no neuer one but in them all is matter of joye howbeit the words will seeme sharpe yet all the words of the Lord that he speaketh to his tende to their joye and consolation and all they that loue the Lord Iesus should construct all the deeds words of the Lord to their comfort let him take away worldly riches honour health friendes life it selfe c. all should work comfort to them But brethren we are so corrupt blind by nature that we see not the Lords purpose what he is doing to vs we make the words of the Lord wherin we should take pleasure ioy to be mater of displeasure I speak not this to take away sense of the sharpnesse of the Lord to coÌ„mend Stoâ—ke senslesnes but herin we fail that sadnes is without ioy coÌ„solatioÌ„ Now the Lord craues this that with bitternes we should taste sweetnes indeed heauines is the comliest thing that can be in a Christian sadnes becoÌ„meth a sinner well but in the mean time there should be joy in the soule 1. Thes 5.16 Reioyce euermore He findeth no fault with them that they were sad but because they would receiue no comfort He saith Jf ye loued me ye wold reioyce because I said I go to the Father One who loueth another truly will reioyce in the weale of the other Loue bringes a rejoycing he or she that loues Christ that gets greatest joy in the hart as enuy eats vp the hart of man or woman in whom it is one who loues another will reioyce at the good estate of the other at his prosperity riches honor one who loues the Lord Iesus well rejoyces to see him glorified that shold be our joy to see the Lord Iesus glorified his kingdome aduanced cursed be thou who laughs at the down-throwing of the kingdom of the Lord Iesus no they who loues God will curse all their kin as he sayes here himself they who loue the Lord Iesus their delite shall bee to see him glorified Th' Apostles not taking such ioy as they oght to see him glorified their loue was preposterous no doubt they loued him intierly Peter loued him Iohn loued him the rest loued him yet the Lord shewes that their loue was with a great ignorance the flesh was mixed with it it was not sincere So let vs tak heed to our loue not only to that loue we beare to Christ but euen to men man to wife parents to children we should take heed that it be a true loue and not a preposterous loue I call it not a true loue that hath nothing but sadnes with it for the death of another wheÌ„ a Christian goes to ioy and when we are sad for them then we vtter an enuy in our heartes of their glory Indeede wee should not want naturall affection and wee may haue displeasure for the want of our brother but looke that displeasure bee not for thy brothers joye and that hee is participant of that glorie with Christ and the hope of that Resurrection The remembrance of the assembling of the Sainctes of God to meete their Head in the Cloudes should cause thee rejoyce The Lord lift vp our heartes to the Heauen from this earth whereon we are so fixed and make vs to waite continually for that blessed assembly of the Sainctes that when hee commeth in the cloudes we may be carried to remaine with him in ioy for euer Now in the words following the Lord setteth downe the ende of his speaking to his Disciples and chiefely of this that he forewarneth them that hee was to depart Heere is the chiefe ende That they should belieuâ— in him that hee was that promised Messias the Sonne of God when they should see the accomplishment of all his sayings that they should belieue The whole word of God leads vs to this that men should belieue in Iesus Christ there is not a word spoken in the Scripture but it leads vs to Christ whether the Lord speak of things to come as in the Prophets or of things done as in the Evangels all tendeth to this to leade vs to Iesus Christ to belieue in him They who get not this end in the word they get no fruit of the word Hee sayth not These things I tolde you before the hand that ye should belieue But he addeth I haue told you them before the hand that when they come to passe ye should