second Adam it wholly fastens upon God in Christ and so leaves it self wholly to be acâ—ed by the influence thereof and holds out the excellency thereof that is not I but Christ not by my power and might but by the power of the might of Christ Thus the Sinner is wholly beyond the covenant of works So that the faithful hath nothing of himself doth nothing from himself or for himself As Christ the Son doth nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do Joh. 5.19 But God in Christ doth al for himself in man man doth it not receives al himself by man man can take nothing This I said was the leaving of the Soul under the influence of the spirit not under a principle of Grace or sanctification for that comes after is there is acted and preserved by this For the spirit holds nor us only but our Graces quickens and keeps them But a clinging about God in Christ that he may act al in us and by us Therefore the Apostle joins both these Eph. 3.16 Praies that we may be strengthened by the power of the spirit in the inward man The inward man is the man of Sanctification Now there is a power of his spirit that gives strengthening vertue to that This is that for Christ to abide in us and we in him Joh. 15. As the Father abides in Christ so Christ in the Father so Christ abides in us and we in him Christ gives al we receive and return all Christ looks upon us by his spirit we look wholly to Christ or wholly to the influence of that spirit in Christ hold out the power and vertue thereof that it may leave impression of al vertues in us preserve perfect quicken what it leaves So that God is in Christ and he as from the Father is in them God out of his love begets his Son gives the being of Son to him Christ out of his love begets his gives the being of adoped ones to them Once more As Christ looks only towards the Father as his Son begotten as he receives so he returnes So the faithful under the impression of the spirit of Christ as his begotten and adopted ones look towards him leave their hearts with him as of him to receive al as from him to do al. If Christ as begotten of the Father and one with him and abiding in him doth from the Father beget his adopted ones and makes them one with the Father and himself then doth the Father love the faithful with the like love of union as his Son issues from a like ground is in a like manner dispensed Only the odds is in the measure His love infinite immediate inconceiveable This finite mediate and proportionable to the condition of a creature And I cannot see by al the little light I have how to give a savory and seasonable interpretation of the place but according to this ground Joh. 10.14 15. I know mine his sheep his Sons whom he hath taken to himself and am known of them his knowing of them makes himself to be known and the rise from whence this comes verse 15. As my Father knows me and I am known of my Father 2. God loves the faithful with a like love of complacency as he doth the Son stil attend the likeness not the largness and equality of it with Christ God is first wel pleased and in him with is and such a complacency the Father takes in the Son as no creature indeed could procure and therefore no meer creature was able to receive and without Christ none ever could have been made partaker of it For had Adam obeyed the Law and done that which suited the covenant and so answered the rewarding justice of the Lord yet the revenging justice of the Lord had not yet been manifested When then sin was committed and an infinite justice wrought and an infinite punishment deserved it was beyond the compass of any creature to answer that wrong pay that debt Therefore the Lord Jesus takes our Nature that he may suffer and support our Nature in suffering by the power of his Deity that it sink not under the infinite wrath and justice of the Father and so this revenging justice is answered to the very ful and his rewarding justice please also And as thus with Christ so with the faithful Hebr. 10.14 They who have the acceptation of God in Christ made theirs to them the Lord extends the love of complacency But they have the love of God in Christ made theirs and set the evidence of this by the proportion A finite sin committed against an infinite being infinitely offends A finite suffering infinitely satisfies because the person was infinite that bore it God is infinitely wel pleased Because from the worth of his person and the vertue of his Merit he hath laid down ful Satisfaction But he is infinitely pleased with the Faithful by way of imputation because the fruit of that Merit proceeding from such a person is accounted theirs God loves the faithful with the love of Benevolence he wisheth the like good to them procures a like good for them as for Christ He makes them sharers with him in Christ-like priviledges He only hath the preheminence and they the second place They are said to ascend into Heavenly places to sit with Christ to judg the world yea al enemies to be put under feet Yea when the Kingdom shal be given up by our Savior no further dispensation in any outward means 1 Cor. 15.28 God the Father shal be all in all But in the infinite expressions of the riches of al glorious Grace upon the man Christ Jesus and in and through him upon them God the Father hath taken the Lord Christ into neerest union with himself Taken unconceiveable content in him Advanced him to infinite glory with himself The faithful next to Christ they are in a like manner united to God as Jesus In like manner accepted as Jesus Advanced as Jesus And herein lies the Crown of this glory the Diadem of this Crown the excellency above the happiness of Heaven that none of al this did come from a man by the power of any Grace or performance of any work Hence we have matter of admiration in regard of the goodness and kindness of the Lord who is al-sufficient of himself in himself yet should vouchsafe to look from Heaven to such poor worthless creatures and to extend such tender compassions unto poor wretches Tantus Tantum Tantillis but that we have spoken unto There be many Collections yet remaining we shall touch only some because we would willingly put an end to the verse 1. Instruction The sinns of the faithful are exceeding grievous unto the Lord above the sins of al other persons they go neerest unto the heart of the Almighty Not only against light but again love yea the greatest love that could be shewed and therefore cause great distast If Enemies abuse and wrong us If Strangers to whom we are
hand of God 1. Set his Love on work and that wil set his Grace Power and Spirit on work to be enlarged in al the glorious operations thereof Go go to this 2 Thes 3 5. The Lord direct your hearts into the Love of God This wil give God no rest This made him send his Son and set his Counsel on work to contrive al for thy good By this thou maiest plead and wilt certainly prevail John 16. I will not say I wil ask the Father for the Father himself loveth you q. d. though I shal speak a good word yet there is that which wil do it and that it may be more effectually That Love sent me set me on work therefore I need not set that on work As David to Jonathan 1 Sam. 20.8 Thou shalt deal kindly for thou hast brought thy Servant into Covenant with God When Boas his heart was towards Ruth Naomi tels her Ruth 3. last He will never rest until he bath done the thing 2. Keep we our selves in this Love John 15.10 If we keep his Commandements we shal abide in his Love John 14.21 23. Jude 20. And thus we have done with this last Clause which we said we were inforced to take into consideration before we would come to the main Point wherein the pith of our Saviors Prayer appears which was the Second Particular observed in the Verse and are now to enquire into it The thing which our Savior praies here so earnestly for The 2d Partic. That they might be where he is And thence we have this Point namely Our Savior doth affectionately desire to have the presence of the Faithful in Heaven with himself Doct. I say he affectionately desires and that appears in his expression I WILL Which implies Three Things in this place as thus used That it is thing which suits the heart of the Lord Christ and which he chuseth as a thing that is wel pleasing to him This is as he would have it 2. That he presents the efficacy of his Merits and Obedience before God the Father and by vertue of the Covenant and Agreement betwixt him and the Father transacted touching his Elect and Chosen whose Redemption and Recovery he hath undertaken and he challengeth and claimeth at the hands of the Father the enjoyment of Heaven and Happiness which he hath purchased for his Servants the Faithful and his enjoyment of them and their presence 3. He earnestly requests and praies unto the Father for the accomplishment and performance of this The first and last of these Particulars ye have fully declared by the same word as used upon the like occasion When our Savior was to enter into his Agony in the Garden a little before he was betrayed he prayed more earnestly saies the Text If it be possible let this Cup pass and in the close ends and issues al with this subjection Not as I will but as thou wilt Marth 26.39 that is according to the Rules of Nature and Reason I would chuse and do desire mine own preservation as man yet as Mediator having undertaken the Redemption of mine I submit my Wil and Prayers to thy good pleasure and purpose And for the Second Particular it 's thus also plain Because his Prayer is one part of his Priestly Office and of that Intercession which he makes for his redeemed ones and that appears amongst other things in this As he purchased so in a righteous way he may obtain the performance of al that good from the Father in the behalf of his That they may be with them and happy in them for ever Isa 53.11 He shal see the travel of his Soul he shal see the fruit of his dying and praying the bringing of his unto God the Father into Heaven and their blessedness there And this our Savior doth not as man only but as God-man the Mediator of his Elect as he voluntarily submitted to the place of a Surety and became a Servant for our sakes and so less than the Father John 14.30 The Father is greater than I. Look as his Complaint so his Prayer may be conceived as issuing and proceeding from the same ground But when he complains My God my God why hast thou forsaken me he was not forsaken of God by the withdrawing of the sence and sweetness of his Favor as man only but as Surety therefore as Mediator and therefore so he prayed and so was heard then and now also heard and accepted of God the Father And this affectionate desire of our Savior appears in this That as he cannot take content in Heaven unless he have his Faithful with him So he wil not rest in Heaven but wil come again to fetch them to him John 14.3 I will come again and take you to my self He hath betrothed his Bride and Spouse here and he wil come as somtimes Princes and States come from their own Places and Kingdoms with the great retinue of his Courtiers and attendance of glorious Angels thousands shal go before him and thousand thousands administring to him at the Solemnization of the day of Marriage and he shal say as in Psal â—0 Gather my Saints to me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice We shal al be taken up with him into the Clouds and he shal carry his Bride with Triumph into his own Country and Kingdom into Heaven and there we shal be ever with him REASON 1. Hereby the Scope and End of the great Work of Restitution of lost man is in part and in an especial part thereof attained This is the end of the Death and offering of our Savior Heb 9.7 8. But into the Second went the High-Priest alone once every Yeer not without Blood the Holy Ghost thus signifying That the way into the Holy of Holies that is into Heaven was not yet made manifest while the first Tabernacle was standing but verse 11. Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come not by the blood of Goats but by his own Blood he entred once into the Holy Place that is Heaven having obtained eternal Redemption for us So that we have boldness to enter into the Holiest of the Blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is his Flesh This is the Scope of his Resurrection and Ascention John 14.3 In my Fathers House there be many Mansions I go to prepare a place for you that is He ascended into Heaven that by vertue of his Ascention we also might arise and ascend and sit in Heavenly places with him For Ascention doth firstly appertain to our Savior and from him as our Head it is communicated to us as his Members Had not the Second Adam ascended for ought I can see no Son of Adam had ever come into Heaven When the last Enemy which is Death is vanquished and that he hath brought al the Elect home and presented them to God the Father Here am I and
where he is and so may see the Glory given him by God the Father For if he hath for the present made them know the Name of the Father and is resolved and doth engage himself that he wil not cease further dayly to inform them until he hath made them perfect in this Knowledg then are they fittest to be partakers of that happiness to be with him and to behold his Glory But t his he hath done and resolves stil further to do Therefore c. We have then these two Things here to be attended 1. The Work of our Savior what he hath done He hath made known this Name that is for time past 2. The Profession and Engagement of Christ what he wil do for time to come He will make it known To the First I have made known thy Name to them The Doctrine we shal observe from hence it this Viz. To make known the Name of the Father to the truly humbled Soul Doct. is a Work in a peculiar manner appropriate to our Savior Christ I say in a peculiar manner appropriate to our Savior in that he takes it here unto himself as a part of that Prerogative Royal that doth appertain to him I have made known I wil make known As though this Trade were wholly and only in his hand this knowledg and Science were only taught in Christ School and is only to be learned there and that by himself alone And this is done to the truly humbled Soul For such only are to be conceived as intended in the word Them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an eye and reference to that which was mentioned in Verse 24. To them that thou hast given me These were Beleevers but if ye look at them as under that Name and special respect in which they must be considered when they become as proper Subjects unto which the knowledge of the Name of the Father comes to be manifested in the Order appointed by Christ this is the most proper expression that can be made and the Holy Ghost speaks most exactly to in this behalf So John 17.6 I have manifested thy Name to them that thou gavest me out of the World This as hath formerly been proved cannot imply Election properly for that is meant in another Phrase in the same Verse Thine they were that is by Election and thou gavest them to me This is an effect of Election and so distinct from it else it would be a vain Repetition which cannot fal upon the Spirit of God nor may by us be once imagined Those who are given to Christ are given him out of the World so verse 6. that is out of the corrupt World But it is not a Truth nor Orthodoxal to affirm that Election is out of the corrupt Mass Ye see then the Scope and ful Purpose of the Doctrine propounded and so of the Place in hand We shal hence proceed to the Explication which we shal do by opening of three Things 1. What this Name is 2. What it is to make it known 3. Why this is properly given to our Savior 1. What is meant by the Name of the Father The Name of God in General signifies any thing by which God comes to be known as a man is known by his Name Exod. 20.7 But here it must of necessity be restrained to a narrower sense But what that is is hard to discover We may thus gather in upon it by the several Circumstances in the Text. Look backward to that which follows It 's the discovery of that Name by which the Love wherewith the Father Loved Christ may be in them and that cannot be the Name of his Wrath and Justice of a Judg and an Avenger But it must be the Name of his Mercy and the Name of his Fatherly Mercy also For unless it were the Name of a Father How could he love them as he loved Christ for he loved him as a Father Besides it is such Love as is extended to such as have provoked him as the Father and first Person in the Trinity and to such as be miserable and distressed therefore it must be Fatherly Mercy that is he must be the Father of Mercy as wel as of men that must extend such Love to such undeserving ones Again As such who are miserable and forlorn in themselves cannot have help but through Mercy and the Mercy of him against whom they had finned There must needs be a way how to interest them in this and intitle them to this Mercy which others as miserable as themselves do never share in nor shal be made partakers of For what avails it that there is Mercy if I cannot come at it And that which must convey this interest can be nothing on our parts by which we may deserve it or purchase it or once come to challenge it It must come from God alone As there is no mercy but in himself so there is no way but by himself to interest any therein He being bound to none of the Sons of Adam who had deserved nothing but wrath at his hand by reason of their sinnes and provocations If he had been pleased to have shut up the Bowels of his compassions and reserved his mercy to himself that none should ever have been able to make any claim thereunto or have had any expectation thereof he might have done it But as he had Fatherly mercies in himself though he was free and bound to none He out of his Fatherly mercy that he might give others an interest therein he did freely ingage himself and al his sufficiencies to procure and accomplish the good and welfare of such as he should pluck out of themselves and the world and put into the hands of Christ And thus he becomes bound and makes himself a debtor to them to whom nothing was due both for the conveyance of al good to them and continuance of al that good with them that might be for their everlasting comfort And thus his love might not only be offered but comes to be and abide in them That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them So that it s hence evident that its the name of Fatherly mercy and Faithfulness that is here to be understood and the name that Christ would make known the name of a Father and a Father of mercies who hath al good and of faithfulness who is ingaged to perform al that may be good and helpful to his servants Look we forward a little the foregoing circumstance gives in the like evidence also They know that the Father had sent him and the making known of this name makes them know it This sending argues As his Authority that be can So his Fatherly affection that he wil use his Authority of Order and communication of work and his faithful word which he hath ingaged to send Christ â—o this end And he being sent stands ingaged to answer the Order of the Father and to act under the wil of
130 1 The ground whence this In-being proceeds ibid. 2 The ready way to apprehend the Nature of it rightly ib. 3 How it may be attended in our Savior as God and Man ibid. The first expressed in two Conclusions ibid. The second made good in four Particulars Page 131 Three things for Explication of the third Page 134 This manner of existing appears in the Humane Nature in a three-fold regard Viz. Of Vnion Mission Operation ib. The In-being of the Father in the Son is the first rise whence the Vnity of the faithful with the Father and the Son is perfected Page 137 The Doctrine opened ibid. 1 Recal what this oneness is Page 139 2 How it 's perfected ibid. This Imperfection lies in three things Page 140 1 In the unsoundness of our spirit ibid. 2 Crossness to the power of the Spirit Page 141 3 When the soul will joyn anything with Christ Page 142 Use 1. For Comfort Page 143 Use 2. For Exhortation Page 144 Ver. 23. That the world may know that thou hast sent me and loved them as thou lovest me Page 145 The words contain a double end of this Dispensation ib. 1 That the world may know thou lovest me ibid. 2 That thou lovest them as thou lovest me ibid. Three Particulars to open Page 146 The first opened as chiefly intended Page 147 That passage of John 3.35 The Father loveth the Son is 1 Opened 2 The Reasons given 3 The Vses propounded ibid. Christs Love shews it self in three Particulars ibid. Reasons upon which Love grows are three Page 151 1 Neerness 2 Likenest 3 Suitableness of worth ibid. Use 1. Of Reprehension Page 152 Use 2. Of Tryal Page 154 Use 3. Of Exhortation Page 155 DOCT. God the Father loveth the Faithful as he loveth Jesus Christ Page 156 Two things opened Page 158 1 Wherein the love of the Father to the Saints shews it self ibid. 2 That it is like to that wherewith he loved his Son ibid. The first appears by three things ibid. 1 Love of Vnion 2 Complacence 3 Benevolence ibid. Quest oâ— 2 Thes 1.12 Is there any Name higher than the Name of Christ Page 163 Answered by expounding the place ibid. Use 1. Comfort to the Saints because God loves them Page 164 Use 2. Terror to those that hate them ibid. Use 3. They are worthy our Love Page 165 The Father loves the Saints as he loves his Son proved in each particular ibid. I. Instruction The sins of the faithful are more grievous to God than the sins of other persons Page 170 Instance in two Evils unto which the Saints are usually subject Page 172 1 To question Gods love ibid. 2 To undervalue it ibid. Object Though God loves me yet my grounds are weak Page 174 Answ Gods love is above all Graces thou canst desire ib. 2. Instruction Gods love to the Sainrs is unchangeable Page 176 Use Study to answer Gods love in manner and measure Page 178 That the world may know thou hast loved them as thou lovst me Page 180 A double end mentioned by our Savior ibid. The first End ibid. Two things noted from hence Page 181 1 It is lawful to pray often for the same thing ibid. 2 We ought to pray earnestly that the power of our Savior might be expressed Page 182 The Second End Page 183 Two Points in the words ib. Quest 1. How wicked men can be truly said to know the love of God to Beleevers which is a thing so secret that is not oftentimes made known to the Saints themselves Page 185 Answ three-fold ibid. Quest 2. Why do not the world know this in this life Page 188 Answ For a two-fold Reason ibid. Use 1. Of Patience Page 191 Use 2. Of Exhortation Page 192 Verse 24. Father I wil that those whom thou hast given me be with me c. Page 194 Two things especially attended in this Prayer ibid. We may attend four things in this Prayer Page 195 The General Observation It 's the care of our Savior to seek for the welfare of his servants Page 197 Use 1. For Consolation Page 201 Use 2. For Instruction Page 203 Use 3. For Direction Page 204 The particular Scope Page 205 DOCT. All Beleevers are given to Christ by God the Father Page 205 Two Questions for Explication of this Doctrine answered Page 206 Reason 1. ibid. Reason 2. Page 211 Use 1. For Information Page 213 The second Particular Page 214 Three Points observed especially in it ibid. Use 1. Of Instruction Page 221 Use 2. Of Assurance Page 222 Use 3. To make us willing to die Page 323 Use 4. To see the hainousness of rebellion against Christ in Glory Page 324 The words opened in four particulars Page 325 Use 1. Of Terror Page 332 Use 2. For Direction Page 333 Use 3. For Comfort Page 334 The particulars of it 1 It cures all fears Page 335 2 Supplies al wants 3 Rescues from Enemies 4 Removes guilt of sin 5 Strengthens all Graces 6 Quickens all Duties 7 Gives Eternal Life All proved severally Use 4. For Instruction Page 342 The eternal Glory of Christ is a gift of the eternal love of the Father Page 344 Two things opened 1 What is meant by this love Page 345 2 How this love is the cause of Glory ibid. Reason 1 Page 348 Use 1. For Tryal Page 350 Use 2. For Comfort Page 353 Use 3. Of Direction ibid. Doctrine from the Second Particular Our Savior doth desire to have the faithful in Heaven with himself Page 354 Three Reasons Page 356 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 358 Use 2. Of Reprehension Page 359 Use 3. Of spiritual Comfort Page 360 Use 4. Of Exhortation Page 362 1 What hinders Page 363 2 What helps this Vnion Hindrances are three ib. Helps are three Page 364 The third Particular is That they might see his Glory Page 365 DOCT. The happiness of our being in Heaven to see Christs Glory Page 366 Three things to be enquired 1 What this Glory is Page 368 2 What it is to see it ibid. 3 How the sight of this glory brings happiness ibid. For the second Enquiry consider 1 What his beholding implies Page 370 2 The manner how it is done ibid. This manner appears in three things Page 371 To the third Particular a double Reason propounded Page 376 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 379 Use 2. To Examine Page 380 Use 3. Of Direction Page 381 Means are three ibid. Verse 25 26. The Verse contains the close of our Saviors Prayer Page 383. 1 A description of the Person to whom be praies Page 384 2 The Prayer it self wherein are four Particulars ibid. Two Points considerable 1 We must look unto Gods excellency whence we may receive what we pray for Page 388 2 God in faithfulness dispenseth his fatherly Love to us Page 390 Two things opened 1 Wherein Gods faithfulness consists ibid. 2 The reason why be thus dispenseth his love ibid. Use 1. For Instruction Page 392 Use 2. Consolation Page 393 Use
3. Reproof Page 394 II. The Prayer it self Page 395 DOCT. The wicked know not the Fatherly love of God Page 396 Obj. Learned men that have studied this point may be ignorant of it Page 397 Answ four waies Page 398 The Sum of all in brief Page 399 Reas 1. Gods secrets must be discerned by Gods Spirit Page 402 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 404 Use 2. Of Terror Page 405 Object I hope I have somwhat more than the world Page 407 Answ By the way to try it ib. DOCT. The disposition of our Savior and the Saints towards God is wholly cross to the world Page 408 Three Reasons Page 409 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 413 Use 2. Examination Page 416 O righteous Father c. Page 418 The words opened ibid. DOCT. The Lord Christ hath the knowledge of the Father in a peculiar manner Page 420 Three things opened 1 How Christ as second Person is said to know the Father Page 422 2 How man comes to share in this knâ—wledg ibid. 3 The Reason of it ibid. DOCT. The Saints have a special knowledg that the Lord Christ is sent of God the Father for their salvation Page 431 Three things open'd 1 How Christ is said to be sent of the Father Page 432 2 For what he is sent ibid. 3 How the Saints know this in special manner ibid. Propositions to make way for the first thing Page 433 The second thing Page 439 Use 1. Matter of Admiration Page 440 Use 2. Comfort Page 441 The third thing to be enquired of two waies Page 442 1 Wherein the specialty of this knowledge consists ibid. 2 How it comes to be communicated to the Saints ibid. 1 The specialty of knowledg consists in four things ib. Quest Is this the condition of all the Saints Page 450 Answ affirmatively for the matter but not for the manner and measure ibid. Object We see by experience that may of Gods own are ignorant here ibid. Answ They know in part or know by reflection ibid. Two Reasons of the Point ib. Use 1. Of Thankfulness Page 451 Use 2. Of Examination Page 452 Ver 26 I have made known thy Name c. Page 454 Two things to be here attended 1 Our Saviors Work Page 455 2 His Engagement ibid. Doct. To make known the name of the Father to an humbled soul is our Saviors peculiar work ibid. Three things opened 1 What this Name is Page 456 2 What it is make it known 3 why this is properly given to our Savior ibid. Doct. Christ extends the same care at al times to al his servants Page 4â—5 Reason Page 466 Use 1. Of Instruction Page 467 Use 2. Of Comfort Page 468 Use 3. Direction Page 470 Use 4. Exhortation Page 472 Two Points of Doctrine Doct. 1. There is much wanting in the ful knowledg c. Page 476 Two things to be enquired 1 In what this want appears 2 The Reasons why Page 478 Use 1 Instruction Page 482 Use 2 Direction Page 485 Doct. 2. The Lord lends dayly Directions c. Page 486 Attend two things 1 The Measure ibid. 2 The Manner ibid. Many Collections hence Col. 1 The best Saints here live on dayly dependance on these things Page 489 Col. 2 Christ can cloud al our knowledg Page 492 Col. 3 The faithful must encrease in knowledg Page 494 Col. 4 Christ is the way to lead us to the Father Page 496 Col. 5 Matter of abasement of heart ibid. Col 6 Ground of thankfulness Page 497 Col. 7 Ground of Comfort Page 498 Use Exhortation Page 500 The Close of Christs Prayer That the Love wherewith thou hast loved me c. Page 501 For understanding of which words observe four things 1 How the Father loves Christ ibid. 2 How that love is said to be in them ibid. 3 The means how ibid. 4 The time when we shall know this ibid. Three Points of Doctrine Doct. 1. It is Christs desire that the dearest of Gods love c. Page 511 Use 1 Reprehension Page 517 Use 2 Instruction Page 518 Doct. 2. Our union and communion with God in Christ is the top of our happiness in Heaven Page 521 Two things opened 1 What this haypiness of Heaven is Page 522 2 How this is the top of it ibid. Use 1 Matter of Admiration Page 530 Use 2 Examination Page 531 M R HOOKER'S Seventeenth Book Made in NEW-ENGLAND JOHN 17.20 I Pray not for these alone but for them also who shall beleeve on me through their word IN this 17. Chapter We have a most heavenly prayer of our Savior expressed immediately before his departure hence which I suppose he presents to the Father not as a man or yet Minister of the Circumcision unto whom he was sent but as Mediator is part of that Intercession which he performeth in the behalf of his Church and people And being now shortly to offer up himself and to lay down his life for his Children and to go out of the World as though his soul had been transported into the Suburbs of Heaven as though he would unbowel his dearest and heart-blood desires into the bosom of his Father he sends this prayer before-hand in the power of his Intercession to lie leidger there in the behalf of his Disciples and faithful ones that so he might fully provide for their everlasting life and spiritual welfare before he left his own life and provide comfort in Heaven to be sent down to them before he left the Earth and went to Heaven A Prayer of unconceiveable and incomparable worth above al that ever was expressed or recorded in the word Like a confection or compound of those soveraigne excellencies beyond the highest strayn of the desires or conceivings of the souls of the Saints That which containes the quintessence or the pith of al the cordialls of the Gospel the very marrow of al that great redemption he had wrought and purchased the highest pitch of al that happiness which Heaven can afford or the very richest Diamond in the crown of Glory for that we may see he here prayes for something beyond glory that for which glory was made and therefore better than glory it self for so the words I have given them my Glory that they may be one as we are one So that that is the end of Glory and therefore better than Glory able to carry the heart beyond al the riches of admiration This is expressed in the parts of it according to the parties for whom it is made and those are two 1 For himself to vers 6. 2 For his servants and those His Apostles ver 6. to ver 20. The rest of Beleevers Hence generally for our imitation and direction learn from our Savior 1. That the first especial scope of Prayer should be for such things that do more especially concern us Whether it be in regard of any thing which respects the Glory of God the furtherance of his truth or the good and benefit of such whose conditions or
that we oppose not whatever this Spirit shall express we eye him only and expect only what we need and joyn nothing with him or his excellency then are we perfect in one Abide perfectly in him be acted perfectly by him perfectly advance al the excellencies of God through Christ then are we perfectly one with God the Father in and through Christ As the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. When be shall deliver up his Kingdom that is cease the excecution of any Ordinance or Dispensation in an immediate manner by any Ordinance or any Grace by any Ordinance then the Father shall be all in all instead of al Ordinances Word Sacraments Sabbath Prayers Covenants Promises but the Father wil infinitly let out of himself to our Savior and immediately through our Savior unto the Souls of his USE 1. Comfort This is Ground of strong Support to perswade our hearts no Temptations from without no corruptions from within no oppositions be they never so fel and fierce never so mighty and violent shal ever be able to hinder our Communion with God in Christ and so our everlasting happiness Were the Root of it either in the means we use or abilities we have or in the power of the Creatures on Earth or Angels in Heaven or Grace in our hearts It might indeed either be wonderfully hindered or else utterly lost as in Adam But it issues from a Fountain which is beyond not only Heaven but that which is above Angels there yea the highest Stars even the first Origination of the eternal blessed In-being of the Father in the Son which is without al Creatures nothing can further it above al nothing can hinder it before al nothing can reach it This seems to be Pauls ground Rom. 8. and last Nor things present nor things to come Principalities Powers Life Death Angels c. Why good Angels do not hinder It 's from the Love of God in Christ therefore it 's beyond the reach of al created Power 2. Exhortation See the lowest corner of the Foundation stone of our Eternal happiness and look to it and stay there Look at al means as from Christ The Law as kept in the Ark The Truth as in Jesus dispensed as in the Head of the Second Covenant Eph. 4. 2. Look at Christ as from the Father John 14.24 The words ye hear are not mine but the Fathers that sent me This sending and speaking by Christ is because the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son Verse 23. That the World may know that thou hast sent me and loved them as thou lovest me HERE we have the last thing in the Verse laid out to wit The several ENDS which the Lord aimed at in the Order and Degrees whereby this Vnity of Relation was brought in Christ was in them the Father in Christ and this In-being of the Father in the Son brings in this perfection of the Unity of the Faithful These last words set forth a Double â—nd of this Dispensation 1. That the World may know that thou hast sent me 2. That thou lovest them as thou lovest me To the first of these we have spoken formerly in verse 21. where it was first mentioned and so first came into consideration to be opened and handled and therfore we shal say no more of that at this time but refer your thoughts unto our former Expressions That which now offers it self to a further and more ful enquiry is thus expressed That thou hast loved them that is That the World may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me We have Three Particulars here to open and then the meaning of the Text and the mind of the Lord wil appear The Father hath loved the Son He loveth the Faithful as he loves the Son the Lord Jesus When the Faithful attain their full perfection of Vnity the World shall know that he loved them as he loved the Lord Christ To the First of these We must know That when we attribute these Perfections either to the God-head or Persons they are not attended in propriety of Speech as though the Godhead or Persons were subject to such passions and affections as are in man signified by such words But they are spoken by way of resemblance and similitude that there be some actions affirmed of the God-head and Persons and put forth by them which men out of the Disposition of Love do put forth Sometimes again Love as it is affirmed to proceed from God 〈◊〉 Christ discovers not only nor so much the act of God properly but the Fruits and Effects which issue and proceed from Gods Love and are expressed upon our Savior Christ and blessings which flow from and are procured by his own Merits Which may be truly called the cause of the things or the fruits of Gods Love not properly the cause of any Act as it issues from the Lord. John 10.17 The Father loveth me because I lay down my life for my Sheep Nothing without God is the cause of any act of Gods Wil or Understanding but the laying down of his life may be the cause of that Glory which the Father had intended and he according to the Fathers intention had purchased Phil. 2. He humbled himself to the Death the death of the Cross wherefore God hath exalted him and hath given him a Name c. Or else the manifestation of the approbation or satisfaction which the Father took in his Death The first of these I conceive to be principally intended in the place and so we shal speak unto it The Lord Jesus is the Object of the Fathers Love His heart was wholly after him his thoughts wholly set upon him not once looked off him taken up wholly with him from al Eternity The infinite and Eternal Favorite of an Infinite and Eternal Father upon whom he spent as I may speak with Revereace his whol affection John 3.35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand We shal 1. Open it 2. Give in the Reason 3. Make the Use The Lord Christ is said and that truly to be the Object of this Fathers Love two waies Partly As the Second Person God with the Father As God-Man taking our Nature upon him 1. The first respect If we look at the Lord Jesus as the Second Person his Eternal Love then issues from his Eternal Generation So himself speaks and confesses verse 24. Thou hast loved me before the Foundation of the World and so termed the only begotten and welbeloved Son And it shews it self as the special operation of the most pâ—â—e and perfect Love doth in three Particulars 1. Love affects Union and where it can it attains it with most strength So it is here after an unconceivable manner the Father is intimately endeared unto his Son that his Eye is never off him himself never from him Therefore it is in Prov. 8.22 the Father is said to possess him in the beginning of his way He
thy waies and do likewife it s a mercy that he wil accept of our love and suffer us to love him 1. None more worthy than our Savior One of then thousand altogether pleasantnesses Wouldest thou love thy peace love Christ that procures it lovest thou thy Soul and salvation love Christ that purchased it 2. None deserves our love more whom wil ye love if ye love not Jusus ye wil love the world and it wil deceive you Ye wil love you friends and they wil forsake you Ye wil love your own conceits and those wil delude and ruin you No Christ hath bought our love dearly and us also He loved us more than Heaven He emptied himself of his glory He loved us more than his own life loved us more than the sense and feeling of his Fathers love which is better than life it self Therefore he that hath bought our love and us so dearly we should dearly love him Let our minds love him who hath inlightened them our hearts who hath comforted them our consciences because they have been pacified and refreshed by him 3. We cannot lay out our love better to better advantage and improvement for our own spiritual wellfare Joh. 14.21 If any man wil love me he shal be loved of my Father and my Father and I will come to him and Sup with him and manifest our selves to him Is there no drooping and distressed Spirit when thou breathest after the assurance of Gods love Oh but one smile of his countenance when thou sittest in darkness and in a disconsolate condition what wouldest thou now give to gain evidence of Gods favor that he should make known himself unto thy Soul and say unto thee I am thy Salvation Oh thou sayest part with any thing do any thing Why Love jesus Christ lay out thy affection upon him and its certain thou shal attain what thou desirest Prov. 4. Love Wisdom and she will keep thee exalt her and she will preserve thee she will bring thee to honor if thou wil embrace her Thus we have finished the first point of the three observed from the last end of our Savior's prayer Viz. The Father loved the Lord Jesus We are now to inquire of the second proposition that is plainly expressed and taken for granted as the main thing that is intended here by our Savior The point then is in the express words of the Text Viz. God the Father loveth the Faithful as he loveth Jesus Christ He loves the Saints as he doth our Savior he loveth his adopted Sons as he doth his natural Son the members as the Head I confess judicious Calvin â—asts another Construction upon the word and therefore interprets the Particle which carries a similitude with it causally thus That thou lovest them because thou lovest me But since this Translation which we read carries the proper signification of the Word with it and since that which he intends is not denied but included in it I therefore chuse rather to follow the Native and Natural signification of the word when there is no constraining Argument to the contrary nor any inconvenience doth accrew thereby to the Context and Scope of the place Only attend this that ye may not mistake the mind of our Savior nor the meaning It is but AS for the quality and likeness of this Love not so much as that it should be equal for the quantity and greatness of that Love which was extended to our Savior and to his Saints and Children For that were to derogate from the Wisdom and Goodness of the Father from the Honor and Excellency of our Savior and to lift up both the Persons and Priviledges of the Faithful more than were meet and due It sufficeth nay it 's unmatchable and incomparable Mercy and unconceivable goodness of the Lord that poor sinful Dust and Ashes may so far be advanced that they may be like to Christ which they deserve not though to be equal to him is unreasonable to expect as impossible to attain it The like Phrase we have again repeated in the last verse of this Chapter with which our Savior ends his Prayer leaving that as the last farewel in which such spiritual god things and those glorious Priviledges that ever were promised or could be expected or received were summed up even the marrow of al those loving kindnesses the Lord lets out unto his People the tast and rellish whereof if it were kept upon the Soul it would keep a satisfing and ravishing content upon the heart of a Christian in al Conditions yea carries him beyond al the fulness of Comforts that al created Nature can afford whether in Earth or Heaven being somthing above Heaven it self and al the beauties of all created Excellencies which the place can afford We shal open Two things 1. Wherein the Love of the Father to the Saints shews it self 2. That it is like to that wherewith he loved his Son 1. To discern wherein this Love appears we shal follow it in these Particulars by which Love is in a special manner made known as before Love of Vnion Complacence Benevolence Love Desires Union to the thing Rests contented with it Desires the good of the thing beloved 1. God loves his Saints with a Love of Vnion that 's thus conceived God the Father brings the Faithful into a neerer Vnion with himself and Christ than any Creature by any ability or excellency received by Creation could ever be capable of or could ever attain unto And this wil appear if we compare the surpassing excellency of this Union and the intimate neerness which every Beleever hath with God in the Covenant of Grace with that which Adam could attain unto by the Covenant of Works Had Adam stood and attained the utmost perfection it was possible for him to be made partaker of by the improvement of the Spiritual Stock of Grace bestowed upon him The utmost of al his happiness had been confined within this compass 1. A man by the Principle of Grate was fâ—â— to close with God and perform the Covenant made betwixt God and him But since the Fall of our first Parents and departure from God it was impossible for any Creature or any created Grace to bring back the soul to God therefore the God-head of Christ dwelling in the Nature of Man assumed bodily must bring the Nature of Man again unto God Man out of the mutability of his Grace departed from God but neither man nor Grace but the infinite Power of the God-head must bring man to God again and keep him with him So that the Second Person in the Glorious Trinity taking our Nature upon him did not only purchase by the power of the Deity all for us but by the same power enables us to receive the Work of his Spirit by which he carries us unto himself and the Father So that it is not any created Principle of Grace or gracious habit which either fits us for Christ or carries us to
with the cast of the eye of the Spouse Cant. 4.9 That cast of the eye of Faith that looks only to God in Christ takes al from him holds out nothing else 3. Love of Benevolence God wisheth wel unto the Faithful and studies to advance them and their happiness with the advancing of Christ 2 Thes 1.12 That the Name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him according to the Grace of God and the Lord Jesus Christ Quest Why you wil say Is there any Name higher than the Name of Christ or Glory due to any beyond and after Christ Why is it added That Christ may be glorified and you in him Answ The meaning may thus be conceived The Apostle having prayed in the fore-going verse That God would count them worthy of their Calling worthy of the Glory unto which they were called and so fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodness that is fully bestow al that Spiritual good which is the ful purpose of his good pleasure he intended to them and that he would bring the Work of Faith to perfection by his mighty Power Now the end of al that glory and fulness of al that Spiritual good he praies for and they should partake by vertue of his Prayer is That the Name of Christ that is Christ as he is made known in the Gospel in his Offices and Execution of the great Work of Redemption may be made glorious in you who from the Father hath given al to you you also may be glorified not in your selves but in your reference and oneness with Christ As God was made glorious in receiving al so also in returning al to the Father by him And therefore it 's added According to the Grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ God the Father through Grace in Christ gives himself and Christ to you so they are glorified in you receiving you also through Grace give up your selves to Christ and through him to God and return al to God in Christ Thus he is said to the admired in them that beleeve So John 3.27 The Father loves the Son and hath given al things into his hands and in Christ also he hath given al unto them for all things are yours and you Christs yea he hath advanced them and set them in Heavenly places with Christ their Bodies made Spiritual which Adams could not be and therefore it 's taken down to be glorified as Christ's is Thou fool unless the Seed fall it riseth not again The Saints die not because of sin for Christ hath freed them from the second Death and so from the first but they die to be like Christ and so to be glorified with him and then both Bodies and Souls to sit at Gods right hand in Heaven It 's a proper Prerogative appertaining to our Savior to ascend and sit and therefore to al from him not from Adam USE 1. Comfort and Contentation to the Saints in the meanest and lowest Condition though the World hate and the Wicked pursue Saran tempt Ungodly undermine they al conspire to cast reproaches upon your Persons and disgrace upon your Religion and shame upon your Faces when they curse God wil bless If they hate and God love you you need not fear you should not care In Love is no lack If thou hast Gods Love thou hast himself art sure to speed when thou seekeft sure to obtain when thou askest So Martha for Lazarus He whom thou lovest is sick he whom thou lovest is troubled is tempted persecuted discouraged What price dost thou put upon thy Health if sick upon Wealth if poor on Life if at the point of dying If thou hadst these for thy succor al was wel Behold Gods loving kindness better than Life it self 2. If God love the Saints what are they who hate them This is a certain evidence of a Son of the Devil 1 John 3.11 He that hates his Brother is a Man-slayer c. Therefore they are worthy our love This second particular I shal further open as follows Viz. That the Farthers love to the Saints is like to that wherewith he loved his Son The Father loves the faithful as he loves Jesus Christ This Love carried to them carries a lively expression or is as a picture wherein the love of the Father to the Son is discovered in fresh colors in an especial manner This love to the faithful however it is impossible it could not was it reasonable or suitable to the wisedom or goodness of the Lord it should equal the love of God to his Son in the measure or largeness of it Because that was infinite unconceivable incomprehensible and therefore there is no equality of measure or greatness which is beyond al measure yet it comes up to it as neer as may be in the proportion and likeness thereof in like resemblance and answerableness thereunto it s not to be found in any creature nor in the whol creation beside As it is in the Parelion It s like the Sun in appearance and resemblance yet in no wise equal either for bigness or greatness or the vertues thereof So it is with this love of God to the Saints it lively resembles not fully equals the love of the Father to the Lord Jesus We shal further follow the several particulars 1. The Father loves us with the like love of union as he did Jesus Christ The Father wholly and alone gives being to Jesus Christ and that thus appears The Father stands in relation to the Son looks only towards him his Eye is ever upon him The Son as he receives so he returnes his being as a Son to the Father As Relations refer each to other only and heâ—ce the Father is said to be in the Son the Son in the Father Verse 22. As I told you before my hand closing and closed are one in another both with the hand The Father looks to the Son in giving The Son to the Father in returning his being They are perfect in this wholly give wholly take Thus they wholly delighted in each other mutually glorified each other Verse 2. Now as God in Christ thus begets and gives being of Sonship So Christ as Son and second person he so assumes for had he assumed as God all had assumed But he assumes person and to say that any person assumes but the Son is Haeresie Therefore its peculiar to the Son and that as Son then as begotten and as such he assumes and becomes the Head of the covenant and so he begets and gives being of Adopted Sons to the faithful sending his Spirit immutably to set their hearts for God and to hold the bent thereof towards him Thus receiving this impression from Christ and so from God the Father through Christ The faithful receiving this impression as from the Father by Christ they return it wholly and perfectly to the Father in and through Christ Namely The whol man under their impression of the begetting Spirit of the
not known nor whom we know deal harshly and discourteously with us in our common occasions of commerce or If those of alliance and acquaintance who are prophane and ungodly if they be fals in their promises or injust or injurious in their carriages towards us They deal like themselves they do but their kind as we say If fals hearted persons deal falsly If loose men shew themselves base to us it s that they do to al yea to their own Souls we expect no other and therefore if we find no better measure it doth not trouble If it had been an Enemy I could have born it saies David but when it comes to that It was thou my familiar Friend we took sweet counsel and went up to the house of the Lord together It was he that lift up himself against me this is more bitter than death It is so with the Lord. If the Ignorant world who knows him not who are strangers from him and the convenant of his Grace If the wicked and prophane who are professed adversaries to his Grace and Kingdom if they dishonor his name transgress his Laws grieve his spirit and cast his Ordinances behind their back It I say the world deal so with the Lord he looks for no other he hates the world he never gave his Son for the world Christ never prayed for the world But that his faithful whom he hath owned imbraced in the Bowels of his tenderest mercies should deal frowardly in his covenant this is killing unkindness Will ye also go away Joh. 6.67 When the Crown of those counterfeit wretches who followed Christ for the Loaves when they missed of their Dinner and sweet morsels they departed presently and came no more at him Our Savior is content to see so free a riddance of them and the place quit of their company But turnes himself to his disciples with that melting expression wil ye also go away q. d. That they are gone I care not it matters not I never knew them nor was known of them but wil ye also go away that would be unsufferable Though Israel play the Harlot yet let not Judah offend And hence it is The Lord is compelled with such unreasonable carriages to make his complaint unto the senseless creatures as those who would give in witness against such miscarriages as professedly cross to the course of things Hearken O Heaven and hear O Earth I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me Isa 1.2 And upon this ground it is the Lord makes that so sad an expression when the Sons of God married with the Daughters of men and were carried with the common stream Gen. 6.6 The Text saith It grieved God to the Heart It went to the heart of the Almighty Bears any thing but the Contempt of his love and goodness For it is a sin out of measure sinful Not only that which Nature gainsaies and reason rejects and conscience condemnes and Grace abhorres to the bottomless pit But it is a practise more vile than the worst of sinners wil adventure upon Math. 5.46 If ye love them that love you what reward have ye Do not the Publicans the same Not to return love for love c. It s that which the Publicans the worst and most reffuse wretches in the world do loath For the faithful who have been redeemed by the precious Blood of Jesus comforted by the spirit of Jesus beloved of the Father as the Lord Jesus his only begotten Son for them to be tainted with that sin which the Publicans the worst of men wil give witness against Oh how hamous are such miscarâ—iages and how grievous must they needs be to the God of love I shal Instance in two Evils unto which the Saints are usually too much subject and taken aside withal which are so professedly opposite to this enlarged compassion of the Lord. 1. When the Faithful either question this Love when it is so sure Or 2. Undervalue it and little esteem of it when it is so great as that it exceeds the thoughts and apprehensions of men Both are marvelously distastful and that justly to the Father of Mercies and in truth unsufferable were it not that he makes us acceptable and lovely through his wel-beloved It could not be that he could bear with the abuse of his constant kindness in so gross and unkind manner and yet this is the baseness and wretchedness of our unreasonable hearts He hath loved us with an everlasting Love he never ceaseth loving and we never cease questioning and quarrelling with his kindness we are ever of the jealous and suspicious hand that this favor of the Lord it is but for a fit it wil one day fail and we shal be forsaken utterly If Christ wil cease to be a Son and to be this wel-beloved of his Father with whom he is wel pleased then wil he cease to love thee to accept of thee and to be wel pleased with thee in him The one is impossible the other is incredible and therefore stifle those distempered pangs they are so deeply injurious to the Lord and distastful to his Majesty that he cannot bear them but wil undoubtedly correct Such a way-ward jealous pang ye shal perceive in the Church of the Jews in the day of Discouragement when God cals Heaven and Earth to rejoyce in the Consolation of his People Sing O Heavens and be joyful of Earth break forth into singing O Mountains for God hath comforted his People and will have mercy on his afflicted Isa 49.13 but they were silent in this Quaere and sate down in sullen discouragement verse 14. But Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her Womb yea they may but yet will not I forget thee verse 15. and therefore the Lord professeth he takes it unkindly Isa 40.27 Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel amp c. This is the dayly talk of al dismayed and gloomy discouraged Spirits it 's al they speak and have in their Meetings Jacob saies and Israel speaks this is common My way in hid from the Lord and my Judgment is passed over of my God Thus ye say but what saies God Why speakest thou c. q. d. I cannot abide those words God cannot brook such groundless suspicions of his Favor which is more sure than the Foundations of the Earth As it is whith men who are real and cordial in their kindness and sincere hearted in the expression of their Love so that they never gave the least appearance of any instability and feebleness in their Promises and Performances as either their engagements or others desires or necessities should require if yet their Friends and intimate Familiars should out of their jealousie either cast out such words in their presence or give it in their expressions to others to understand That however they have ever been
hath accomplished that great work of our redemption and that unto the ful That the ignorant who never knew him the stubborn and rebellious amongst whom he lived and preached yet would not receive him yea the flinty hearted Jews that scorned and despised the meanness of his person and the power of his dispensation Al these at last should be constrained to acknowledg that he is the true and only Messias set a part and sent to that work This is the Son of God saies the Heathen of whom we have heard but never laboured to know him This is the Son of God saies the prophane whom we in his word have opposed and hated in his servants This is the Son of God sent to save us and we have blasphemed his name and flame and crucified his person despised his government saies the Jew See the lively expression of this Rev. 6.13 This I say wil certainly come to pass for our Savior hath prayed for it yea pursued it with re-doubled desires propounded in the 21. Verse repeated in verse 23. And he is alwaies heard in what he begged Hence we have two things 1. It s lawful to begg the same thing several times in the same prayer We have here a pattern before us beyond al compare a practise beyond al exception nay in truth beyond al question or doubt He cannot do but wel who could not erre in what he did where he hath gone before us in his example in things imitable we may without either feare or hazard safely go after him As it was said of his speaking and it s as true of his praying he prayed as never man did And there do not many sentences pass between but ye have the very same petition expressed What our Savior did its lawful for us upon the like occasion and like grounds for us to do to put up the same petition several times the same prayer If we find we have greater need of that we ask than any other or if there be special worth in it or that our hearts grow warmer in the work and increase into the strength of our affection towards the thing we ask For then there is no vain babling or empty repetition but the expressions though the same have new strength of fresh apprehensions and affections put upon them Therefore David again unto the place striks the same string often which made best melody in that musick and song of his Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders he doth for the Children of men 2. We ought to pray most earnestly that the power of our Savior might be expressed that his right appointment to the work of Redemption might be acknowledged by the world It s that which our Savior doubles his desires for the attainement of as that wherein the great weight of the work lay and which he counted worthy such importunate seeking for at the hands of his Father And this carriage should be a Copy and Sampler to conform our prayers unto This is that which God the Father is so Zealous of Hebr. 1. When he brings his first begotten into the world he saies Worship him all ye Angels of God And to this purpose was the eight Psalm penned and is to be understood touching our Savior as having the preheminence above al creatures in Heaven and Earth as Mediator So the Apostle to the Hebrews seems to expound it Hebr. 2.20 Learned Junius judgeth and therefore here the Psalmist dwels and delights to descant on this strain Psal 8.1 O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in al the world That 's most worthy our desires upon which our Savior spent his This only from the repetition The point it self we spake unto on verse 21. So much of the first end The second End is this Our Savior prayes that they might be perfect in one that so the world also might know that the Father hath loved them as he loved him This is for the honor and excellency of beleevers in the acknowledgment of the world That howsoever while they are wildering here in this vale of teares they become the scorn of the wicked the scrapings of men as the Apostle hath it and the Off-scouring of the world in the misguided apprehension of the wicked of the world who know not how to judg aright of things and persons and therefore account them Out-casts of Heaven and Earth yet our Savior prayes that they may proceed on to that perfection of Oneness with the Father and himself unto which one day they shal attain in Heaven That the world may be constrained to see and say that indeed they are Gods precious ones to whom his Soul is exceedingly indeared in surpassing love even like unto that wherewith he hath loved the Lord Jesus his only Son This our Savior Christ prayes for as a means to this end and therefore it wil undoubtedly attain it There be two points in the worlds 1. The world shal know that the Father hath loved the faithful as he loved Jesus Christ 2. This shall then be known when they come to be perfectly one with the Father and Son in Heaven But we shal handle them both together because they border so neer each upon other and the explication of either wil add to the discovery and so to the confirmation of both Point Then shall the world know that the Father hath loved the Faithful as his Son when they come to be perfected in Oneness with the Father and the Son These two the Apostle joynes together also in his prayer 2. Thess 1.11 12. Wherefore we pray alwaies for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling And fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you that is the first that Christ may be acknowledged as he that hath been sent for that work and hath done it Secondly That ye might be glorified in him according to the Grace of God at aâ—d â—uâ— Lord Jesus Christ Next under the Advancement of his own Name the Lord provides and the Apostle praies for the Advancement of his Servants ' Matth. 13.41.43 when the Lord shal gather out of his Church whatever doth offend whatever persons that are wicked and whatever things even aâ—oâ—gst the godly that offend Then shal the righteous sâ—ine as the Sun in the Kingdom of my Father They have been here undeâ— hatches cooped up in Duâ—gâ—â—ns there they shal be in their Kingdom and that in the Kingdom of their Father Here they lie among the ports al dinâ—â—ed â—eâ—coâ—ed with the shame and disgrace that hath been cast upon them as the scum of the world and the scorn of Heaven and Earth This is Zion whom to Man regarded There they shal shine and that as the Sun which every man wil see because he cannot look ofâ— the light of it and wil be dazelled with the
Election doth Nor yet is this meaning so fully suitable to the sense of the place and force of the Argument For glory was given and doth appertain to our Savior not as man alone but as the Second person in the glorious Trinity as we opened and gave in undeniable evidence thereof in the former Doctrine As our Savior was the subject of this glory which was given so is he the subject of that love which gives it But that Election properly so termed should be attributed to Christ as the second person I do not remember that any Scripture evidenceth Therefore in the. Third and last place I do conceive that this love is attributed to the Father in a personal regard and for the manner of it it doth in a proper and peculiar sort appertain to him and Issues from that inward and intimate relation that is betwixt the Father and the Son The Father gives al to the Son as Son The Son returnes al to the Father as Father Nor a Father because God but because he hath a Son Not Son Because God But because he hath a Father And hence it is they are said to have an In-being each in other Beleevest thou that the Father is in me and I in the Father Joh. 14.8 9. Thou in me and I in thee that they may be one as we are one And for that reason it is the Father is said To dwel in Christ the second person Joh. 14.10 And that cannot in any propriety of speech be said of the Essence because that the person dwels not in the Essence For relations make no impression in the subject Hence it is the Lord Jesus becomes the object of his Father love his heart wholly affects his thoughts are wholly set upon him taken up with him An infinite and eternal Favorite of an infinite and eternal Father Called the express Character of his Fathers person Hebr. 1.3 No such likeness No such Love So that he cannot once look off from him Enamoured with him and with an infinite fulness of Soul-pleasing satisfaction takes contentment in him Hence our Savior professeth Prov. 8.30 I was dayly his Delight The Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a compound of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intueri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retinere so to eye blande applicaâ—e fe alteri ut inclusum retineamus in solidum So to Eye and pleasingly to apply our selves to another as to hold keep that other with us for ever So the Father doth gaze upon the infinite beauty of his own image in his Son bestows his affection wholly upon him and holds him to himself for ever The Father and the Son being subsistences of the same Essence they are one with another in regard of the Essence unto which they be adjoined and one in another in regard of the personal relation that is betwen them they are the delight one of another and glorifie each other continually The issue then is In that the Father eyes affects delights in his Son as the brightness of his Glory the express image of his person as his only begotten bearing his similitude and likeness in an unconceivable and unmatchable resemblance This love in this manner is proper to the Father the fountain and first cause of that glory the Lord Jesus had with the Father before the world was and the first cause whence that glory comes to be restored after he had emptied himself of his glory and suffered the shameful death of the Cross Father glorifie me with thy self with the same glory that I had with thee before the world was And hence it is our Savior is said to be in the bosom and to come from his bosom He lay in the bosom of his love and from thence was sent to reveal those bosom secrets of the riches of his free love and Grace which Els had never seen Sun This is the love wherewith the Father loved the Son before the world and this love is the cause why he gave him that glory And that appears by a double Reason REAS. I. Love laies out it self for the behoof and benefit of the thing beloved as much as may be for the furtherance of the good of it to the utmost of that perfection its able to contrive and the other able to receive saies not in wishes but is active and working not desires only in a kind of complementing formality but really procures what may be most useful for the advancement of the thing beloved Let us not love in word and Tongue only 1. Joh. 3.18 But in Deed. The love of the Father being of greatest excellency even of unconceivable vertue efficacy our Savior being of unmatchable likeness to draw out the love of the Father and incomparable worth to deserve it it could not be but so great love should give the greatest good to one of greatest desert and therefore must give him that incomprehensible glory which might be the amazement of the hearts of men and Angels through al eternity Behold here is the incomprehensible glory of the ever blessed Son given out of the unconceivable love of the Father of glory Hence the Evangelist Joh. 3.35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand In love there is no lack and its bountiful and studies the advancement of the thing beloved So Jonathan to David I know thou shalt be King in Israel and I shal be second to thee He loved him as his own Soul and could have given that to him and therefore did not grudg him the Kingdom And however it cannot stand with the glory of the Father that his Son should be above him yet he provides for eminency of honor answerable to his excellency He hath so provided carried al things by the counsel of his own wil and course of his providence to bring in al praise to this Christ He hath given power to him even power to have life and to quicken whom he wil and to judg al. Joh. 5.20 to 23. That al might honor the Son and they honor the Father 2. Love is of a cementing Nature desires union and neerness with the thing beloved is not pleased nor satisfied but with the presence of that which it doth affect seeks the fellowship society and company of that in a special manner It s the guise of the Spouse that is sick of Love when she went to seek her Savior Cant. 3. I found him whom my Soul loved I held him and would not let him go So Ruth to Naomi when she perswaded her to depart and go into her own Countrey Intreat me not to leave thee where thou goest I wil go where thou livest I wil live and where thou diest there wil I be Buried Ruth 1.16 17. Now the love of the Father being of infinite purity and perfection must needs have like proportionable operation and therefore must not only affect the presence of his Son but must provide for the injoyment of it in the neerest
and fullest communication of himself that may be and hence as he came out of his bosom and left his glory so also he must bring him unto glory that he may again lie in the bosom of his love This our Savior intimates Joh. 13.3 Knowing that the Father gave al things into his hand and that he came from God and went to God he came from the Father for the accomplishment of the great Work of Redemption and he furnished him with the supply of al power and al provision al things in Heaven and Earth to attend him until he come again to him and when he is come into Heaven as he put the greatest glory upon him so he advanceth him to the neerest familiarity with himself By his right hand he hath exalted him Act. 2.33 And set him at his right hand Verse 34. That he might make him ful of joy with his countenance that the Eye smiling countenance of the Father might ever be upon him and fulness of the perfection of joy in him for ever If glory carry with it the greatest perfection that can attend our Savior and neerest union unto the Father then the love of the Father wil provide it But glory includes both greatest perfection in regard of Christ and neerest union unto the Father Therefore the love of the Father wil provide for it USE 1. Trial. We may hereby try what mettal our love is made of whether it come from the God of Love carry his likeness and superscription that we may be sure that he will own it at the great day and we both now and then may find the undoubted comfort of it unto our Souls we shal know the nature of it by the efficacy and work of it As it is in prime cordial quintessences if they be made of lively ingredients they do not only warm the Mouth and heat the Stomach a little but they search into al the Veins clear al the passages Purg al the Humors and cleanse the Blood that the Body is recovered to a lively and healthful constitution But if it warm a little overly and work no further we conclude it It s not the right it hath not the right work So with thy love if it be like the love of God it wil have the like work It aimes ever at the glorious good of the thing or person beloved staies not in these lower and inferior things but in and by these looks at those which be higher and of a more heavenly excellency Take then a Survey of the several operations of thy love according to the several occasions with which it meets and therein it s exercised What doth it work in the family where thou livest in the place and amongst thy neighbours with whom thou dwellest with thy Brethren who are linked to thee and thou to them in the fellowship of the Faith Nay what doth it do for thine own Soul if there be any power and efficacy it will then appear In thy family thou castest up and down how to compass the things of this life and art marvailous busie to contrive al earthly conveniences to thine own content Thou seekest what to Eat to Drink what to put on and obtainest what thou seekest and thy love looks no further Surely its worldly love and that in the lowest degree Thou wilt do as much for the beasts of the field and Heards of Cattel as for thy servants Children family Thou dealest courteously with those who shew Kindness to thy self yieldest repect to mens places honorest their persons carriest thy self honestly and inoffensively towards al. This love is no great excellency do not the Publicans and sinners the same Nay it may be thou dost incourage men in a good course and strengthenest their hearts and hands in the profession or the Gospel labourest for some knowledg of the truth and ablities to holy services that thou maiest carry out thy profession with applause and approbation of such with whom thou dost converse Lookest after ability to please eares rather than for humility and abasedness of heart to please God and here thou art at thy furthest desirest to be no other and do no more And it s the Pitch thou wouldest have others to aim at This is but the love of Formalists and moralists Thou never hast the love of God shed abroad in thy heart nor yet the true love for the good of thine own Soul to this day If thy love had been from God it would not have ceased until it had brought thee and others unto Heaven and glory and God Noâ— that it is in our power to do this but its certain if the Love of God be in us it wil make us look at this and be easeless to endeavor after this So Paul travels till Christ be formed not til they had got a form of Godliness until Morality or Civility was formed in them but Christ glorious Grace Power Peace This is God-like Christ-like Love 2. TRYAL Whether our Love to the Lord Christ be God-like Love it 's then certain God wil own it Christ accept it and we may find comfort in it If it bear the Image of the Love of the Father it wil imitate God loved the Son and gave al things to the Son Do likewise give thy self yield and resign thy soul and al things unto Christ Thy Mind let him teach thee Heart let him rule thee Affections let him order thee Rom. 12.1 1 Cor. 6. last He out of his Love exalted him far above all Principalities and Powers and whatever is named Do thou set up the Lord in thy Soul far above al profits pleasures thy dearest lusts thy darling delights al powers and principalities the principality of thine own wil mights and dominions mighty and domineering distempers above every name the name of thine own Parts and Gifts the name of thy Glory and Credit and that which is named in another World even thy safety and Salvation He gave him Glory made him Lord and King Acts 2.36 Do thou likewise Let him Lord it over thy Lusts thy Pride thy haughty and high thoughts and bring every thing into obedience Rev. 4.10 Cast down the Crown of al thy Excellencies whatever is most honored admired loved lay it at his foot Honor him with al thy substance As he in the Gospel if he need let it go USE 2. For COMFORT to the Saints whom are beloved of the Father through Christ Where he loves his love wil work alike He is not the weaker for the working nor hath the less for his giving He loveth thee as Christ therefore he wil glorifie thee as he hath done to him Get Love and gain al Love carries al with it If he love thee if dead he wil quicken if weak he wil strengthen if damned he wil save though stubborn he wil draw thee With an everlasting Love I have loved thee and therefore I have drawn thee USE 3. Of Direction How we may gain the Gift of Glory from the
aprâ—â—d Your Souls refuse comfort peace and assurance unless it be granted on your manner and therefore God seals it not up in the Soul VERSE 25.26 Righteous Father the world doth not know thee but I have known thee and these know that thou hast sent me And I have declared c. THe verse containes the close of our Saviors prayer wherein he ascends in his thoughts and desires to the utmost top of that heavenly happiness that can be enjoyed or in truth begged for the Saints when they shal come to the end of their Hopes And herein he reserves the best until last leaves a sweet â—aâ—ewel and rellish that he might raise up his own heart and the hearts of his Disciples to the highest piâ—ch not only leads and presents them to the throne of glory puts them in the armes of his mercy but leaves them in the bosom yea lodgeth them in the heart-Blood of his Fatherly love and faithfulness which doth not only exceed the very expectation of a Creature as he came out of Gods hands and needs look no further than the perfection of Adam and Innocency would carry him into but swallows up the Soul in everlasting admiration that he should come so neer unto God and be received in that indeared affection of a Father that he is entertained with no less but the like love as Jesus Christ hath been beloved of God and the Father of love We are then come to the Pinnacle of the perfection of happiness it self and there seems to be somthing more one step higher than the glorious Grace of Heaven look we only to the glory of that Grace that shal be imprinted upon the Saints and perfected in them at that time Here we have the Diamond of the Crown of glory even the love of the Father whereby he hath loved Christ himself and which is better than life it self or sanctifying Grace it self when it is come to the greatest perfection as we shal indeavor to speak to it when we come to that place It s the last resolution of Pauls confidence and the top of the rock whereon the Soul rests It s beyond al gunshot I am peeswaded c. That neither Principalities nor powers c. Shal ever be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ It was before al these therefore it cannot be reached by any of these In the twenty fifth and twenty sixth Verses we have two things 1. A description of the person to whom the Prayer is made Righteous Father an expression not recorded in al the new Testament beside nor can I sodainly find it in al the Old As though it were reserved on purpose for this place And for this Prayer of our Savior 2. The Prayer it self wherein are four Particular 1. The thing our Savior eyes and desires in the last words That the love c. 2. The Party who intreats in their behalf 3. The persons for whom whose worth and excellency is here set forth by their effects and that special Communion and Communication or intercourse between them and the Father 1. I know thee 2. These also know that thou hast sent me 3. A dis-similitude and unlike Condition of the wicked The World doth not know thee 4. The Means here used and that which is resolved on to be improved for this end that it may be attained which is sought for with such earnestness I have manifested thy Name and will manifest it Begin we with the Description of the Person Righteous Father In the words our Savior looks at God and at that in God which might give him greatest encouragement to seek and greatest assurance to speed of that which he did desire from the hand of the Lord. Righteous This is attended in a double Consideration so far as suits the place and purpose in hand 1. Properly speaking according to our apprehension and the practice of the vertue in our ordinary converse betwixt man and man it 's that vertue whereby we give every one their due and that is either by way of distribution called distributive Justice in giving Honor to whom Honor belongs or of Commutation in our Contracts and Bargainings when we make payment according to the worth and price of things called Commutative Justice or else Corrective Justice when in Civil Judicature of Causes and Persons we respect no mans Person but the equity and right of the Cause and give to every Cause his ful due Some Needle-headed men who are sharp and Eagle-sighted in the search of Secrets they have conceived and concluded That this Commutative Justice cannot be attributed to God For they imagine it would cast some kind of disparagement and imperfection upon the Majesty of the Almighty 1. That God should be bound and become a Debtor to the Creature 2. Where Commutative Justice is there one may receive somthing from another as wel as give somthing to another With this I wil not now meddle because it is not the special intent of the place However I confess the subtilty of the Conceit wil not easily satisfie my Apprehension For I see no more disparagement put upon God to be bound by the Goodness of his Nature than to be bound by his free Promâ—e He is Debtor to his own wil in the one as to his Nature in the other Nor do Iâ—ee what prejudice is done to the Soveraignty of Gods Wil and absolute Dominion to say The goodness of his Will cannot go cross to his Justice then it cannot go cross to his infinite Wisdom and Prudence which all grant Besides Justice is exercised according to the Nature of that Commerce and Intercourse which is betwixt the Parties with whom it is exercised As the Justice of God may have wrong by the breach of a Rule so it may receive content and satisfaction equally by the full restoring of a Rule Though no intrinsecal hurt can be done to the Essence of God for in that there is no intercourse of Justice betwixt the Creature and Creator Yet there may be wrong done to the Covenant of God in which regard Justice only is to be attended as it is exercised betwixt God and the Creature If it were a disparagement to God to receive equal to wrong done how could the merits of Christ give equal satisfaction for our sins and that to the exact Justice of God wherein the Glory of Gods Justice is not prejudiced but advanced It Justice wil require the manifestation of his Goodness by the work of the Creature It 's but equal in case it be wronged in her Commands to glorifie his Severity in punishing By some proportion in case it be pleased and content it may reward the work by blessing Neither doth Justice deprive her self of the Dominion of that which she doth bestow but in what she bestows and they receive in al they are bound to serve and yield obedience unto Justice Besides by Justice thus to convey a change deprives God no more of the
everlasting Mercy and Fatherly Faithfulness in Christ These are deep things and as no man knows what is in man but the Spirit of man so no man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God And it 's the Answer to that Question 1 Cor. 2. and last Who hath known the mind of the Lord q. d. None can pry into the Ark of his Privy Counsel which hath been from everlasting and therefore he ads We have the mind of Christ He that hath Christs mind may know Gods mind for he is Privy to it Luke 10.21 I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so O Father because it seemed good in thy sight no man knows who the Father is but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him It must be from the Revelation of Christ that any come to the right knowledg of the Father John 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son who came out of the Bosom of the Father he hath revealed him that is those Bosom Affections of his Fatherly Love 2. Our Apprehensions and Conceivings of God hold proportion with his Dispensations of himself to us There must be ever some print of some operation and impression of his Excellencies or Relation left upon us before any thing can be discerned For he dwells in the Light that no Creature can attain unto and to pry into his Secrets which he hath reserved in his own Bosom as indeed we should not Secret things belong to the Lord but things revealed to us so in truth we cannot reach them they are far beyond the scantling of our shallow Conceits Now the expressions which God leaves of his Fatherly Love and Faithfulness are sound no where but in the hearts of his whom he cals unto himself Them he takes into the Bosom of his Love To them he communicates these Bosom Secrets the Foot-steps whereof are to be found no where upon Earth but in the Souls of the Faithful Therefore they only can see the Print of them they only come to know them The great Characters of Gods Power Wisdom and Bounty are left instamped and engraven upon each Creature and therefore they may be seen of al and read of al and so known But that he should set his heart upon any lost Son of Adam an his Christ and draw him into special intimate and spiritual Communion with himself through his Son this is only to be found recorded in the Consciences whom he hath called out of the World These are the unknown yernings of the Bowels of a Father which can be owned by none but such who are his own Rev. 2. He gives a new Name which no man knows but he that hath it unknown Benevolence and unknown Complacency of a Fathers Bowels USE 1. Of Instruction 1. Therefore it is not safe to lean to the Counsel or be led by the Opinion of Carnal men touching the doubts we have or difficulties we find concerning the Love of God unto our souls and his Faithfulness in the performance of his gracious Promises Alas they know nothing of those things how shal they be able to make us know them They understood nothing themselves and how shal they reach others Is any so weak and silly that he would go to a blind man to make him judg of Colors or a deaf man of Sounds or he that never knew the way to be a Guide to lead him the way unless he were resolved to miss his way and end also True indeed they may somtimes speak things by hear-say but to speak things from grounded Knowledg and Experience they cannot because they have none 2. Hence it 's plain That the meanest Saint and most ignorant doth yet know more of Gods Fatherly Love and is better acquainted with the Faithful Performance of his Promises than the most learned and profound Doctors of the World Because they know the Father and are privy to his Secrets and have his Bosom Counsels communicated to them by the Lord Christ which are Riddles and Wonders and Mysteries to the whol World and to the Princes thereof USE 2. Of Terror It discovers the dreadful Estate and miserable Condition of al wicked men the Children and Darlings of the World who take content in it and give content to it The World it is likely may lay you in her Bosom for the World wil love her own but ye be far enough from the Love of the Father as ye be far from the knowledg of him Hence a Sea of Misery breaks in upon thee able to over-whelm thy Soul irrecoverably If it can be once said Thou knowest not the Father there is enough said to sink thy heart in everlasting discouragement In this Estate thou canst expect no good for thon canst receive no good from the hand of the Lord though he be the Father of Mercies and God of al Consolation There is none for thee not one Blessing nor Comfort For if God communicate any thing of himself unto the Sons of Men it is by his Spirit whose Office it is To lead them into all Truth John 16.13 and to seal them up in the Truth unto the day of Redemption Eph. 4. Al that is the Fathers is Christs and the Spirit takes of Christs and so of the Fathers and gives it unto such for whom it is appointed John 16.15 But it 's the depth of thy Misery thou canst not receive the Spirit 1. Thou canst receive nothing of the Father though it were given thee John 14.17 I will send the Comforter whom the World cannot receive because it doth not see nor know him This is thy Condition right Thou canst not see nor know the Spirit and consequently nor the Father therefore not receive him and therefore receive no good The Spirit wil not take the Mercy of a Father to pardon thee the Love of the Father to support the Peace of the Father to quicken Grace of a Father to purge and sanctifie thy corrupt heart The holy Spirit would take of Christs and so of the Fathers and give to thee But thou art a worldly wicked wretch and thou canst not receive the Spirit nor Christ nor Mercy nor Love if thou had'st them laid before thee 2. And as thou canst receive no good from the Father so thou canst perform no good Duty to him that may find acceptance with him or a blessing from him Thou knowest not the Father therefore thou canst not love him nor fear nor honor nor obey him That which the Eye sees not the Mind knows not the Heart affects not fears not prizeth not at al nor performs the least Duty to him because thou fallest short in thy Apprehensions wholly of him Nay mark what I say Thou did'st never pray to this Father of Christ and of al compassion in him If I wil pray with my Tongue I wil pray with my
words of our Saviors Prayer with which he issues and closes al and that is the Aim and desire of our Savior for which he praies and for the obtaining of which he hath and he wil declare the Fathers Name unto the Faithful Viz. That the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them For the understanding of which words we shal open these four Things 1. How the Father loves Christ 2. How that Love is said to be in them that is the Faithful 3. The Means and Order know this is done 4. When we shall know this To the First 1. This Love is that which in an especial manner is appropriated unto our Savior It 's a peculiar Legacy and Inheritance which appertains to him as a Son And therefore look at it as we must do in this place as circumstantiated in the special Respects and Considerations as proceeding from the Father as the Father and terminated and bounded upon him as a Son It 's peculiarized and impropriated to him and to him alone That however it may be said and that truly in a true sense of al the glorious Persons in the blessed Trinity that they love each other yet this Love as it is dyed in the heart of the Father hath as it were the Tincture of that Relation out of which in an especial manner it ariseth and is resolved and rests in and upon the Son So it is given to him and in that respect and is of the like Nature with some other Acts which are so attributed As the Father sends the Son the Son is sent only by the Father 2. This Love is founded firstly in that Eternal Generation whereby the Son was begotten of the Father before al Worlds For therein is the root of those Relative Properties and so that Personal distinction that appears betwixt the Father and the Son and consequently of al those proper respects that appertain to each and be attributed to them in a distinct manner 3. Hence there ariseth a special knowledg betwixt the Father and the Son which answers the Specialty of their Relation For that is a Consequent which follows from things that undergo relative Respects they give special intimation each of other because they give relative being each to other And therefore our Savior when he checked Philip for his ignorance because he knew not the Father Have I been so long time with you and knowest thou not me he that hath seen me hath seen the Father John 14.9 Relatives give Being each to other and therefore give Knowledg each of other Matth. 11.27 No man knoweth the Son but the Father and no man knows the Father but the Son As we see it in the Sensitive Creatures so in al Generations there is an especial owning each of other as the yong owns the Dam the Dam the yong by smel or bleating He that hath his mind rectified by a Truth he wil own that Truth that did rectifie him The Son is the shine of the Fathers Wisdom Heb. 1.3 A Light sprung from a Light John 10.15 4. The Father begets his Son he owns him when he is begotten the shine and engraven Form of his own personal Excellency Lastly He loves whom he thus owns The heart of the Father is wholly taken up with him his thoughts wholly set upon him his Soul is wholly satisfied in him an Infinite and Eternal Favorite of an Infinite and Eternal Father so that he cannot look off him ravished with his beauties and with an infinite fulness of Soul-pleasing satisfaction takes contentment in him This Love look we at the next effects of it discovers it self in these two things which are to be attended in this place In Vnion that is most neer Communion that is most intimate and inward Love laies out it self in these two especially wherein the heart-blood and vital Spirits of Love express themselves 1. The neerness of Vnion Therefore our Savior presseth this with so much instancy and holds the thoughts of Philip upon this Consideration Beleevest thou not that the Father is in me and I am in the Father q. d. It 's strange thou should'st fal short of this and therefore verse 11. he sets home this Truth as the main Corner Stone of a Christians Comfort Beleeve me I am assured of what I speak and it concerns thee deeply to receive what I say as the lowest Foundation of thy Faith I am in the Father and the Father in me or else beleeve me for the very Works sake These Works would never have been done could never be accomplished nor your Comfort maintained therein unless this In-being taken together with the manner of it as Son and Father be proper to them And therefore it is that the Father is said to dwell in the Son a Phrase not attributed to the Holy Spirit in the Sense and manner of Apprehension nay they are said to be one viz. in point of this Relative Union John 10.30 For having said verse 28. None shall pluck his Sheep out of his hand he adds Because the Father who gave them him is greater than all and he and his Father are one and therefore if they cannot pluck them out of his Fathers hand they cannot out of his Nay this is made the ground of the great accomplishment of al the great works he did John 10.37 38. If I do not the works of the Father beleeve me not But if I do though ye beleeve not me beleeve the Works that ye may know and beleeve that the Father is in me and I in him And therefore they are alwaies conjoyned in the Work by our Savior My Father worketh hitherto and I work John 5.17 therefore he is said to come out of his bosom and to lie in the Bosom of his Love And this is true in regard of Christ God-man in regard of that Hypostatical Union the Humane Nature hath with the Second Person and subsistence it hath in him 2. The intimateness of Communion This Love layeth open it self in most inward and intimate Communion of the Father and Son each with other as we have formerly observed from Prov. 8.30 I was with him c. and was his delight a word compounded of two to behold and to retain So to eye and gaze upon another with ravishment and so pleasingly to apply our selves to that other as to hold and keep him with us for ever They have mutual intercourse in al their Operations The Son works nothing but what he sees the Father work Speaks nothing but what he hears the Father speak doth nothing but what the Fathers Wil is They mutually glorifie one another and that is their aim in al they do John 17.1 Father glorifie thy Son that thy Son may glorifie thee ver 4 5. I have glorified thee on Earth glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was He hath then the Soveraign Dispensation of al Works from the Father
who had his Being from him and so his working In the daies of his Humiliation he laid aside the Dispensation of Power and suffered the Power of darkness to prevail but now he desires al might be restored to him verse 5. Al these belong to Christ God-man in regard of the Union of our Nature with his Person And this is the Love that is here intended Reas 1. Love of the highest strain and pitch of greatest and choycest Excellency is here intended and understood This is the Standard to al the rest But the Love of God to Christ is the cause of other the Blessings and Benefits that are bestowed John 3.35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hands Therefore this Love is a peerless and unmatchable Love al other things which are given to our Savior Grace Glory al Power in Heaven and Earth are but the effects of it Again Joh. 17.24 The glory that our Savior hath given him of the Father it is said to Issue from a higher fountain and to be but a stream of it Namely The Father loved him from the foundation of the World Love is from Eternity the fruits are in time Lastly The whol Tenor of the Prayer and expressions of our Savior in this Chapter gives further evidence and argument to confirm it 2. How is this Love said to be in them When this love of God in Christ sets God on work to wil a like or proportionable good to the Creature I would say thus When God wils to have a Creature neer to him in his Son as his Son to communicate intimately with the Creature through his Christ as his Christ Then this love leaves a being like it self upon the Creature It s then in its vertue and efficacy in the fatithful It was with God put forth upon Christ before the World was and therefore much more before they were But our Saviors Prayer is that this love which was expressed upon him might also be extended unto his made effectual and operative in his It s true the expressions of common love and the communication of ordinary good is of larger extent and issues from God as the Creator of al and he that is the first being and so gives being to al Creatures But special union to be so high unto God and to communicate so intimately with him it s firstly here to be seen and from hence therefore must be derived to all such who shal be so Priviledged as to be made partakers thereof 3. The Means and Order how this is done Answ The means by which God doth convey the efficacy of this love wherewith he loved his Son unto his Saints may be thus conceived As the eternal generation of the Son from the Father was the foundation of his love of the Father to the Son as we have shewed he begat him knew and owned and loved him So the vertue of this eternal generation is the Cause whence this love comes to have a being in the Saints For out of this eternal generation it is that God sends his Son The Son being sent acts under that Authoritative Order and doth answer the purpose of the Father And as Second Adam and as Son and as begotten of the Father he assumes ouâ— Nature into personal union with himself becomes Head of the Covenant and as he was begotten of the Father so he begets Children unto God the Father Therefore he is called the eternal Father and the Father is said to beget Children because Christ doth as sent by God the Father 1 Pet. 1.3 The Father begets us through his resurrection Joh. 13. Born of God And thence they have the Spirit of Sons So in the text The love wherewith thou hast loved them may be in them But how is that And I in them That our Savior adds to intimate how this comes about 4. When is this done Answ When the love of God in Christ set Gods love or set God on work to send Christ begotten of him to beget Children to him And then this love through Christ leaves like impression and operations upon the Soul 1. Brings the Soul into neerest union with God through Christ 2. Most intimately communicates of the special operations of the Spirit of the Father through Christ 1. Brings the finner into neerest union to wit Christ is in the Soul Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you the Body is dead c. Yea dwelt in the heart Eph. 3.17 And God by and through Christ Rom. 8.9 So Joh. 17.23 I in them and thou in me So 1 Joh. 2.24 Ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father 1 Thess 1.1 The Church which is in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ 2. Leaves like operations the most intimate and special communion of the Spirit of Christ and the Soul So that God doth al through Christ by man he doth nothing of nor from himself Thus Christ is al in al Col. 3.11 And the sinner is wholly now beyond the covenant of works made with Adam and with him in Adam So that as Paul observes I live not but Christ lives in me Gal. 2.20 I work not I but the Grace of God with me 1 Cor. 15.10 And Christ in me Coloss 1. and last Verse When the love of God in Christ sets God on work to send his Son begotten of him to beget Sons unto him so that he brings them to the neerest union God in Christ and Christ he one in them They in Christ and through Christ in God the Father So that the Father in Christ doth al by them they nothing of themselves receives also al from them they take nothing to themselves Then this love of Christ is in them and leaves a like efficacious impression upon them Hence a double Collection 1. We may hence learn how to come to a right apprehension of Gods special love and so to a right explication and understanding of several Scriptures thereby Gods special love is when he purposeth to make the Creature neer to him in his Son as his Son is neer The Father is in his Son Christ in the Faithful and the Father by Christ in them Christ is in the Father the Faithful in Christ and by him in the Father He doth intimately communicate with them through his Christ as with his Christ God by Christ doth al by them they not of themselves He through Christ receives al from them they take nothing to themselves This Love is like the main Hinge upon which the whol Frame of Gods Dispensations turn and many Scriptures seem to be made familiar and somwhat open hereby As this Because I wil make a Creature to me in my Son as my Son therefore I wil Elect him to set out this Love And therefore create and give Grace and because his own Grace cannot bring him so neer as my Son he shal through his default fal and then I wil send my Son and he shal take Humane Nature into Personal
Union with him In that to purchase al Grace and have right to communicate al Grace and in his time to bring them to God and implant them in himself and bestow al Grace and Glory upon them That when they have Grace and Glory upon them they may acknowledg whence they had it Cling about that God and in Christ that gave it admire his Love to them and cleave wholly in Love to his Son whence he came to love them Hence those places receive Explication Whom he knew he elected it 's such a knowledg that brings in Election and therefore not common to Reprobation Rom. 8.29 30. Therefore it 's a knowledg with Affection such as would own and take neer to himself So Paul to the Ephes 2.4 God who is rich in Mercy according to his great Love c. God who is rich in his pitying and compassionating Mercy according to his great Love whereby he would take us to himself make us next Neighbor to his Christ and neer as his Christ Hence therefore God expressed his pity and Compassion towards us in recovering of us out of our distress God so loved the World c. John 3.16 2. The transcendent Happiness which the Faithful attain through the Covenant of Grace above that of Adam A man covenanted for men and might have purchased happiness for them and communicated that to them by Natural Generation But here man lost can of himself do nothing for himself but God and the power of a God doth al that for us which we cannot do for our selves This is the Nature of our Glory But God in Christ wil be so neer to us as to be in us and give al that we may be so neer to him as to be in the Son and the Father and so return al. This is the Diamond in the Crown But that the Love of the Father to his Son should set his Love on work to bring us to the like Union and Communion This is the beauty and brightness of the top of the Diamond of the Crown of Glory The Words thus opened and explicated we have hence these three Points of Doctrine 1. It is the Desire and Endeavor of our Savivior That the dearest of Gods Love which was bestowed on himself should also be given to his Faithful Servants 2. Our Union and Communion with God in Christ is the top of our Happiness in Heaven 3. Our Saviors manifestation of the Name of the Father is the means and his scope to bring in the Being of this Love of God unto us This last ariseth from the Coherence of these Words with those which went before and we do but name it and refer the Reader to what we have formerly at large laid down touching the same where we have declared both what the Name of the Father is what is the Manifestation of it and what our Saviors Work is therein and how and why he hath and doth manifest it The Two former we shal speak somthing unto whereof the first with which we shal begin was thus laid down It is the Desire and Endeavor of our Savior Doct. 1. That the dearest of Gods Love which was bestowed on himself should also be given to his Faithful Servants You see how our Savior is not content to put them off with the least pittance the meanest provision but he would have them have the best the choycest rarities If there were any Dainties better than other he would carve out them to his People as the Love wherewith thou hast loved me Christ was the only begotten the First-born of God and had the First-born Affections of God bestowed upon him and he is not satisfied unless that First-born Affection of the Father be imparted to them in their proportion If there be one bit better than another some special Rarity that comes unexpected and that from far it 's the fashion of tender-hearted Friends I would this Carving were but in such a ones hand though it cost me more than I would speak it 's the choycest Provision that ever I tasted So our Savior when his heart is ravished with the relish of the unconceivable Complacency and Soul-pleasing Satisfaction he cannot make a meal of it but he minds and remembers the Father of his tender Lambs and poor feeble Servants O that my Members and Faithful might have a share of this Love but a little relish of it though it cost me more than wil be imagined Thou lovest them as Creatures thou gavest them their Being and thou preservest it He preserves both Man and Beast Thou pitiest them as Sinners thou hast appointed a means for their relief and thou hast revealed it Thou providest for them as Christians thou hast sent the means blessed be thy Name and hast dispensed al those glorious Helps of Life and Grace And this is a high Favor for thou hast not dealt so with any Nation though thou dealest wel withal neither have the Heathen knowledg of thy waies Thou tenderest them as thy Saints appointed to Eternal Life with Grace as given unto Adam and he as a man had he kept the Covenant for himself and his and so a man by keeping of Covenant had brought man to Eternal Life But blessed Father thou hast not only communicated thy Grace but thy self unto me thou hast loved me before the World and I have enjoyed the neerest Union Thou in me and I in thee not as an infinite God who hast created al things sustainest what thou hast created governest guidest al things to their ends and in their ends for which they were created But as a Father I was with thee as thine everlasting delight and lay in thy Bosom O! this Love this endeared and intimate Love of a Father let my feeble poor Servants have some of that some relish of that As thou art in me and I in thee so they may be in me and in thee also O! let them have but a relish of this Love I have enough that they may be for ever refreshed everlastingly setled and established When the Spirits of Friends are most indeared to those that they would entertain with greatest content they are not satisfied to take what is next at hand or content themselves with ordinary or common Provision with course or mean Fare but they send far and neer spare no cost nor care nor pains nor expences but the best Rarities fetched from the remotest places purchased at dearest Rates preserved in the most especial manner and that on purpose to give such Persons wel-come to whom they are indeared as unto their own Souls and would lay out their heart for their hearts content It is so with our Savior That the Saints may know his endeared Affection to them and what Provision he hath laid in for their wel-come in Heaven he leaves this as his last farewel upon their Souls He tels them he doth not purpose to set before them ordinary Fare common Courtesies which he vouchsafes to al as Life
Breath and Being poor Diet of these perishing things here below of Profits Pleasures Honors and Applause Nay he cannot satisfie himself how he may give the choycest satisfying content to them And therefore he looks out not what Provision Earth or Heaven can afford but what the Bosom and Breast and Heart-blood Affection of God the Father can afford That Love wherewith thou hast loved me the first of al the greatest of al let out some of that Righteous Father unto the fainting Souls of my Faithful Ones This Holy Paul praies for as for the most precious Favor that could be obtained as that indeed wherein the rest issue begs it upon his Knees Eph. 3.14 I bow my Knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye may be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwel in your hearts by Faith that ye may be rooted and grounded in Love The end of al is That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledg verse 19. The Height exceeds al Excellency al Apprehensions al Admiration The Length exceeds the limits of al Time from everlasting to everlasting The Breadth exceeds the Bounds of al Being none have received the impressions of such Love It is the Happiness of the Supreamest of the Angles to have but the Reflection and to come within the Shadow of this Love Their Work and Happiness is to attend upon those that God hath taken so neer unto Christ and himself in Christ As great Personages maintain their Gentlemen honorably to attend upon their Heir They keep them at Cambridg or some such like place because they will have their Son and Heir there They are ministring Spirits sent out for the good of those that shal inherit Salvation No Creature hath this nor indeed is capable of this Love but Man As I might demonstrate to you by the Course of Gods Dispensation The Depth being al the most inward intimate and enlarged working of al Creatures let al the Affections of al Creatures be put together let there be a Confluence and concurrence of al Fatherly Motherly Brotherly Friendly Natural Spiritual Affections put together This draws deeper than them al. David expressed Jonathans Love it was beyond the Love of Women which are most ardent and most vehement That was but as one Creature might love another but this is such a Love as God loves himself and his Son withal And to procure this Love the heart of our Savior was so strongly carried that he left Heaven and his Glory yea lost his Life yea was content to lose Gods Love that is the sence and sweetness thereof which was better than Life it self that we might enjoy it For he became a Curse that we might be blessed Gal. 3.13 He was willing to be forsaken My God my God why hast thou forsaken me that so we might be received and kept for ever safe in the Bosom of his Love Matth. 27.46 And hither Christ would bring and here leave us never to depart from hence And therefore he doth content himself that this Love was appointed provided prepared tendred to the Saints nay enfeoffed and bestowed upon them but that it might be with them and remain in them for ever Be in you that is That it might take up its Residence and abode in them for ever REASON 1. Love we know is an Affection of Vnion and by this the neerest Union betwixt Christ and his Saints is procured They are brought to lie both in the Arms of the Father nay to lodg in his Bowels and Bosom together And therefore as hath been mentioned before there is that proper Relation that peculiar Disposition to be found in the Second Person towards our Nature and the Saints by that means which is not to be found in the Father or in the Holy Ghost As the Second Person he is the Head of his Church which can be said of none of the Persons it 's an Heresie to maintain it This Union of our Nature is not only an impression in the Soul as a work upon the Creature For then it had been common to al the Persons For al the Operations which are created Expressions are indivisae undivided what one doth that al do This Union therefore being a real Union me non cogitante though no man in the World had a thought or apprehension of it therefore beside the impression that is left upon the Creature there is somwhat a peculiar operation issuing from the Second Person which belongs to him alone and by which it is he is said to be united and none else And therefore there is a peculiar kind of propriety and relation which the Second Person hath in this Union wherein he suits with our Nature which is not to be found in any of the other and that he must have as Second Person because it 's his Prayer Hence we are called Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone Neerer than Flesh and Bone as neer as one part of the Bone to the other one part of the Flesh to the other So our Savior John 6.57 As the living Father hath life in himself so I live by the Father and he that eateth my Flesh shall live in me Al the whol Aim of our Saviors Prayer is 1. To bring his Saints as nigh as may â—e I will that those that thou hast given me may be where I am that is not enough 2. That they may see my Glory nor yet that But 3. That they may gaze upon it Nay yet further not they only in Glory but 4. I in them and we both in the Cabinet as nigh to God as may be and as nigh one to another as can be in him 2. The greatest good together with the greatest safety of the Saints is provided for This shews the indeared Affection of the Love of Christ for Love ever desires the greatest good to the thing beloved So he praies 2 Thes 3.5 The Lord direct your hearts into the Love of God and the expectation of Christ So also he perswades Jude 21. Keep your selves in the Love of God If they be once here they are beyond either evil or danger they need fear nothing Nothing can separate from the Love of God in Christ Nothing ye can want John 16.26 27. I say not that I will pray the Father for you I need not that for the Father himself loveth you His Love sent me and set me on work his Love is the highest Fountain the first mover and therefore it wil set me on work If once God love his as his Christ nothing can alter or hinder If the same Love the same Happiness with Christ This Love hath al works al is before al over-rules al. 3. By this the Glory of the Father and Christ is most advanced This Love is the Treasury and Magazine of al that incomparable and
unconceivable Mass of Mercy and Goodness in this it is contained and by this it is expressed to the World This Love set God on work to create a World and to set out his Excellencies therein to redeem the World out of the World and to bring to light those depths of his indeared affections to his in his Christ which the world could not conceive and would not believe That the world may know thou hast loved them as thou lovest me They did know and they would not beleeve it that there was such love in God or such love towards men By this God is admired in them that do beleeve 2 Thess 2.10 He is glorious in his Saints but his glory is beyond comprehension admirable when the condition of the Saints what they were and hereby are comes to be considered USE 1. Of Reprehension It Checks the opinion and carriage of the drooping and discouraged Saints who poar upon their own sins and sit down discouraged in the sight and sense of their own unworthiness and then begin to measure the Lord Christs affections according to their own disposition nourish secret Jealousies and surmises If there be any blessings which are of especial account that they want or Graces which they desire or Counsels which they need They secretly conceive that Christ who knows their weakness and wretchedness better than themselves he grudgeth the graunt of such high favors to such undeserving and sinful wretches as they be No say they it wil never be Happy they who are sit to receive but the Lord sees them too good and too much for me And the Devil is ready at hand to add fuel to the fire to help forwards such groundless misconceivings as they be That he may mint and maintain hard thoughts in the Soul against our Savior Christ and his intended compassions So he dealt with our first parents The Spark was no sooner stirring and appearing but he blows and increaseth it until it come unto a great Flame Yea hath God said ye shal not eat of every Tree He knows that ye shal be as Gods knowing good and evil Therefore he forbids you the meanes that ye may not attaine the end He envies the happiness otherwise he that knows what it is he would have provided for your spiritual good that ye might have knowledg as wel as provide the Tree Therefore the Lord professeth himself offended with this way ward distemper of his froward Children The Father cares not for me loves not me thinks al too good for me Isa 40.27 Why sai'st thou O Jacob speaks O Israel my way is hid from the Lord This is the dayly talk of al dismayed ones the speech they have in their meetings Jacob saies Israel saies This ye say but what saies the Lord Jesus Why speakest thou thus Christ cannot abide such unkind surmises and Jealousies To cast an Eye to such a wretched Creature as I my wants are such c. But the Lord knows how better to bestow his supplies That I should have peace or evidence or assurance c. Let it suffice thee that Christ wisheth thy welfare as he doth the most able and excellent Christian upon Earth He doth not grudge the greatest excellency in Heaven no not in the very heart of the Father He would not have a choice Sit but he would have thee to be partaker of it he would have thee share in the love of the Father with himself Sit down ashamed and confounded in thy self that ever thou should'st have a hard thought of Christ whose heart is so fully â—nlarged for thy good USE 2. For Instruction The Faithful shal certainly be made partakers of the Fathers love in Christ and when they have it its as certain they can never loose it 1. They may certainly expect it They may certainly expect that which Christ desires because he ever attaines his desires at the hands of God the Father Joh. 11.42 I know that thou hearest me alwaies he is sure to speed and therefore they are sure to possess But Christ desires this Therefore they may expect it Nay he not only desires but the strength of his indeavor is spent to this purpose and its the end he aimes at His desire is ever answered his labour ever blessed And therefore the faithful may undoubtedly expect this love The Lord Christ makes it the main work on Earth in Heaven what he hath done what he wil. I have made known I will make known thy Name He that hath al power he is improving al power for this end and purpose that this love may be setled and established Wil the Lord Christ loose his labor can he miss of his end can any thing oppose his power or prejudice his success 2. They can never loose it The love of the Father to Christ nothing can alter that The love of the Father to us is the same nothing can change it Our union as his nothing can separate or break Our communion as his nothing can interrupt it Hither Paul repaires and lands his heart and Hopes in safety Rom. 8.38 Nor things to come Obj. Somthing is yet to come Ans Come what wil come This is his aim to settle the conclusion of their happines and the certainty thereof To be beyond the reach of al the hosts in Heaven and Earth Therefore he musters up al what are what shal be If there were a thousand worlds to come and should set themselves to shake the comforts of the faithful it could not be The ground is hence Because of the love of God in Christ It was before al these things therefore they come too late to hinder it It was without any repect and therefore they could not work it It was only and wholly from God and therefore they cannot alter it The Devils and sin may as wel separate Christ from the Father as pul the love of the Father from his own heart and so from Christ as separate us from it 3. It s ground of greatest contentment to the hearts of al Gods people in al their conditions Christ cannot love thee better than he doth nor provide greater good for thee than he intends Thou canst have no more I had almost said God can give thee no more Be therefore content with what thou hast our Saviors desire is to interest thee in the heart and love of the Father as himself Not to love thee as a Creature as a friend a subject but as the Son of his love What me Yea thee poor weak silly worthless Worm that beleevest in him Go thy way therefore never quarel nor question any more never murmur nor repine any more It is enough nay it is too much I would not have thought it I durst not have desired it I could not have beleeved it but that our Savior hath said and done it What I beloved of the Lord Jesus miserable wretch who cannot but loath my self and Judg my self worthy to be condemned Yea thou Therefore rest
Love The In-let unto the hearts and affections of others and cals out and requires a disposition in another like unto it self And this is here in greatest eminency Look we at the constitution of the person of our Savior Hebr. 1.3 Called the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person Nothing is more like than a lively Image resembling the Father in the most perfect and infinite manner none like him Look at imitation likeness in behavior carriage and conversation is that which inlargeth affection also and this also is here to be seen Joh. 5.19 The Son doth nothing but what he seeth the Father do For whatsoever the Father doth these also doth the Son likewise 3. There is a suitableness of worth The best of our affection and deserve our dearest love to be bestowed upon it So it is here The Lord Christ he being in the form of God counted it no robbery to be equal with God the Father And so there is an answerableness and proportion only here to be found between the affection and the thing here affected Whereas al the creatures taking in al their excellencies together are too mean and under for the Lord once to bestow his Love yea his look upon further than his own image is in them or resembled by them in them So the Prophet gives in the Jnventory of al their worth All the Nations of the Earth are less than the Dust of the balance yea vanity nothing less than nothing Christ himself it is whose name is as an Oyntment poured out and perfumes the world which if once taken away they would remain nothing disireable USE 2. Reprehension This shews the vilenes of the hearts and the hainousness of the sins of those wretched persons who undervalue the Lord Jesus in their hearts and apprehensions and look at him as one unworthy their affection and love How far are these men from the disposition of the eternal God the Holy one of Israel He sets his heart upon the Lord Jesus as the only Object of his Love These men loath him He delights in him They despise him How divelish are these distempers how contrary to the God of glory even as far as darkness from light and Hell from Heaven How can such ever expect to see the face of God in Christ in another world whose hearts are so contrary to him in this and yet every place is pestered with these Rebels Some of the posterity of those of whom the prophet speaks Zach. 11.8 Their Souls loathed me and my Soul loathed them saith the Lord of Hosts God wil pay thee in thine own coin and recompence thine own waies upon thy head and heart Nay how canst thou not but expect the Lord should justly loath thee who art a very Dunghil of distempers and whose works are worthy to be hated especially in that thou haâ—est him The name and memory of Judas is accursed and execrable upon Earth He is gibbâ—â—ed up with this remembrance Judas Iscariot who also betrayed him The carriage of the Jews is detestable to the eares of all that have heard of the Name of Christianity who preferred Barabbas before the Lord Jesus Away with him not him but Barabbas And yet there be multitudes in the world who deal worse with the Lord Jesus in their daily course Who sel Christ not for Silver but for their sins and the lusts of their own hearts and that they may give satisfaction thereunto And proclaime it in their practises Away with the commands of Christ not they but mine own carnal desires shall carry me Away with the promises and comforts of Christ not they but the way wardness of mine own wil and distempered perversness of mine own heart that only pleaseth me Oh but it wil be replied True it is our infirmities may be many and temptations strong our failings great by reason of the Body of death but should we be haters and despisers of the Lord Jesus its pity we should live Should we hate him that came to save us we Hope we be far from that hellish frame I desire ye were far from that and that 's the worst I wish you Put it then to trial according to the truth of the Gospel yea ye wil say with al our hearts The Text saies thus He that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10.16 The Text saâ—es thus The Citizens hated him and sent after him and saâ—d This man shal not rule over us Luk. 19.14 Examine now thine own heart and observe thy carriage Is it not the word which Christ proclaimes the messenger he sends the work of his Grace which he requires the rule and government which he would â—et up in thy heart And life that thou settest thy self against that wâ—l not have his law Lord it over thee his Grace take place in thee know assuredly thou art a hater of Christ and of God the Father Nay what if it prove true that thou hatest Christ more than any thing in the world beside will not thou conclude thy condition damnable and thy self hateful Why thou hatest the ordinances of Christ because of their power and purity Thou hatest the servants of Christ because of their Graces that is because Christ is there If the Theif hate the Lanthorne for the light sake he hates the light much more Hie thee out of this hellish condition and hate and loath thine own soul that ever thou hast loathed Jesus Christ Lest that doom that is denounced be made good He that loves not Jesus Christ let him be accursed Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Curse him all ye Angels in Heaven Devils in Hell Churches on Earth until Christ come to judgment and he there have that Doom Depart c. USE 2. Trial. We may here prove the truth of our love If it be like Gods love it s then of the right stamp 1. The we desire Vnion breathing after our coming to him Phil. 1. I long to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better I have been too long with the world too long with the distempers of mine own heart It s far better to be with Christ Breath after his coming 2 Tim. last and 8. Love his appearing sollace our selves we shal ever be with him 2. Then we shal take ful contentment in him I have enough Christ is mine as Joseph Live upon him be satisfied with him Phil. 1.21 Christ is in life and death advantage In al gets Christ and gaines in al his wants hath advantages in al necessities and losses 3. Then we study how to honor him lay our crowns at his Feet live to him die to him Phil. 1.20 That Christ may be glorified in our mortal Bodies whether by life or death Be willing he should pluck his praise out of us The Father wil own this love Christ accept it The spirit bear witness to it This is from the Father through Christ by the spirit God-like love USE 3. Exhort Doth God love Christ go
free in the manifestation of their Favor and they have ever found them faithful that they cannot challenge them in the least yet they fear in the issue when it comes to a dead lift they wil leave in the lurch Should such expressions be dayly presented before a man and such unkind expressions be laid in his dish he could not but with indignation cast off such a one Why have I ever failed of my Word ever been wanting in my labor to answer al your desires bestead you in al your needs and have I this for my love and labor that ye look at me as one feeble and faithless Take ye other and chuse ye better Friends I wil have no more to do with you And it is not possible but our groundless needless surmises hard conceits that we harbor and unloving thoughts of the Lords dealing and goodness but it should imbitter Gods heart against a wretched Creature and suffer him to sink in his sorrows and however he cannot out of his Love forsake his yet he cannot in respect to the Honor of his Love and Faithfulness but draw and with-hold the sense of it that the way-ward heart may the better perceive its own wretchedness and unreasonable dealing and learn not to doubt of Gods Love when there is no cause Our groundless surmises of Gods Favor causeth yea compels God to darken our apprehensions and his expressions The Second Evil. The little and mean account we make of the intimation on Gods Love unless it answer our conceits and humors in each particular Unless we may have what we wil and when we wil and as much as we wil unless the Lord take measure of our mind and please us in every Point we cast al his kindness behind our back and the Love of the Almighty is in but little esteem with us when their complaints are many and sad that their temptations grow fierce and their corruptions get head and over-bear their abilities smal and their comforts less But yet the Lord loves you notwithstanding whatever these hindrances be which stand in the way and that is enough to settle and satisfie the heart Obj. True I cannot say but he loves me but if yet my Graces be so weak and my distempers so strong what is that Ans What is that It 's of more worth than al thy Graces thou canst either attain or desire if thou did'st know how to value things according to the worth O! if I had such a measure of Grace the enlargedness of heart and abilities to perform Service in a Spiritual manner as such and such then I might be comforted and might be perswaded the Lord loved me to purpose As though the Child that is now yong and smal should conceive his Father did not carry the strength of Fatherly affection towards him because his Coat was not so long or his Doublet Jerken or Apparrel was not so large as his Elder Brothers when indeed it is not because he wants Love to provide them but he is not able to wear them So it is here Thou art happily but a Babe in Christ not of time and standing in Christianity canst not tel how to wield and exercise such eminency of Abilities for the present Let if suffice he is thy Father and loves thee as he doth the most able and excellent Christian upon Earth Doth not that please your Pallates What would ye have which would please if ye can be pleased I wil say more He loves thee aâ— he doth the Lord Jesus the Son of his Love I hope now ye are contented What! love me so ye wil say poor silly weak ignorant worthless Creature it 's a likely matter indeed Yea thee Hast thou but a grain of Faith but as a grain of Mustard-seed even the least of al others the poorest weakest filliest unworthy Worm be thy place thy parts never so mean he loves thee as his Son Go thy way never quarrel question any more never murmur repine any longer this is enough on Conscience nay it 's too much I could not have thought it I durst not have desired it I could not have beleeved â—t but that thou hast said it that thou should'st love me who loath my self and know my self worthy to be abhorred Therefore rest thy weary heart here in thy weaknesses do not think to bring such measures of Grace to deserve this Love Nay lay hold upon this Love it wil encrease the eminency of al Graces and that in the most glorious manner in thy Soul Eph. 3.18 Paul praies That they might comprehend with all Saints the length breadth depth and height c. and know the Love of God which passeth knowledg that so they may be full of all his fulness View this Love wistly and warm thy heart with it and thou shalt not need to complain of barrenness or emptiness thou shalt be ful of Grace not have a scant measure thou shalt be ful of Wisdom and Meekness Patience Holiness c. Nay ful of the fulness nay of al the fulness of God-like Grace no kind of Grace no Excellency in any kind that suits the Station and Condition thou dost obtain in the Body of Christ but thou shalt be possessed of it How the knowledg of this Love brings in this fulness it 's not now a place to enquire only the Doctrine now delivered wil lead us by the hand to some further Light in this Work While we know that is while we constantly attend to the Dispensation of Gods Love in Christ begetting of us as his adopted ones by his Spirit to himself while we experimentally find this and so know it and leave our hearts under the influence thereof as of him to receive al as from him to do al we shal then be ful Whatever may be lacking to thy Hope Meekness c. repair to this Love and know there is no lack I have the choicest Love of God that either Heaven or Earth affords and that is beyond the excellency of al Grace and the chiefest of al Abilities that either I do want or can desire He loves me therefore let him do what he wil with me take what he wil Love wil supply al give that he wil Love is better than al. Cant. 1.1 His Love is better than Wine As Elkanah comforted Hannah in the want of Children Am not I better to thee than ten Sons 1 Sam. 1.8 2. Instruction We hence infer beyond denyal and conclude beyond al doubt That the Love of God to his is unchangeable As he loves his Son he loves his Saints and adopted ones That did never change this will never fail We are accepted as Christ nothing can prejudice us in Gods Favor or shal be able to condemn us We are advanced as Christ he wisheth al good and works al good for us as for him sets us far above al Principalities and Powers and what is named in this World or the World to come Though we know it not understand it
not if it be named or can be conceived it shal never prevail against our Comforts We are brought neer to him and made one with him as Christ nothing shal be able to separate us from his Favor Christ is in God we in Christ and therefore the power of darkness must pluck us out of his hand nay from his bosom As the Father cannot be without the Son nor Christ perfect without us Satan and Sin must take somthing of Christ his perfection if he take away our Comforts Hither Paul repairs and here he Lands his Heart and Hopes in safety Rom. 8.38 I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor things present nor things to come some troubles and dangers are over but it may be there may be more and more sharp to come who knows what may be why come what can come nor height nor depth if any thing in Heaven nor any thing in Hel nor any other Creature shal be able to separate us from the Love of God in Christ The Holy Apostles intent it to settle this conclusion upon the Consciences of the Romans that the happiness of their Condition and the certainty thereof was beyond the reach of al the Hâ—sts in Heaven and Earth and therefore he doth not mention the Adversaries of the Saints and their Salvation but musters and marshals al the created forces within the compass of Heaven and Earth Nay not only what are but what shal be it there were a thousand Worlds to coâ—e and should set themselves to shake the Comforts of the Faithful it could not be But what 's the ground It 's hence Because the Foundation thereof is laid in the Love of God in Christ towards his It was before al these things therefore they come too late they cannot hinder it It was without any respect to them therefore cannot weaken it It was only and wholly in God and from God and therefore cannot alter it The Devils and sin may as wel separate Christ from the Father as they pul the Love of the Father from his own heart and so from Christ as to separate us from it Psal 103.17 Psal 89.33 My loving kindness I will never take from him He may take away our Credits Comforts Priviledges Ordinances yea the work of our Grace our Peace but never take away his loving kindness nor suffer his Faithfulness to fail Heart Hopes Comforts may fail but never this Love Only remember He may take away the sence of it the sweet and rellish of it for a turn and time So with Christ when he loved him so with us while he tenders us So with Christ while our sins lay upon him by imputation so with us while our sins lie upon us without Humiliation So with Christ while his Justice is satisfied so with us until his Righteousness comes to be imputed USE Study therefore to answer Gods Love in our manner and according to our measure He thought nothing too good for us let us account nothing good enough for him Let not the Lord have the leanest of our Love the Female Affection the leavings of any thing here below We had the chief of his Love let us lay out the choycest of our Affections wholly and only upon himself before al Creatures we prize They are nothing yea less than nothing In comparison of the Lord let them be so in our Affections they are nothing let them have nothing of our Love but reserve that only for the Almighty who is only worthy of it The Wife she receives strangers into her House to entertain and lodg them Neighbors to her Conference to counsel them Familiars to her Table to welcome them but her Husband only hath her heart and love So let thy Prudence order these things thy hand use them thy skil and diligence husband them but keep thy Love for God alone yea give away thy Heart from thy self to God to whom thou owest it more than to thy self Let not thy Life be dear unto thee that thou mayest finish thy course lose that to gain him cast away that to content him As Lovers they count it happiness that they may have any thing to pleasure glad we have it for a Friend As the Martyr he was sorry he had but one Life to lose for God Yea love him as Christ loves him and that 's in three things 1. He came not to do his own Will John 6.38 but the Will of his Father Do thou likewise As our Savior in another like case professed the Zeal of Gods House had eaten him up eaten up al his Zeal for his own Honor or Ends. So let the Wil of God and Strength and Authority of it carry our Wils as a mighty Stream doth the weaker Current whatever is cross to us let nothing be cross to him Not my will c. The will of the Lord be done As our Savior The Son doth nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do John 5.19.30 So do thou 2. Our Savior sought not his own Honor but the Glory of him that sent him Let it be in our eye and aim yea the Scope of our Lives to live meerly to lift up his praise John 8.50 To live to God not to our selves or the world or any of those sinful ends 3. Do not think thou canst do enough for him therefore get more Grace and Spiritual Ability that thou mayest improve al thou gettest To finish the work that is commended to thy trust and put into thine hand to discharge John 4.34 I have them for my wel-beloved Cant. That the world may know thou hast loved them as thou lovest me 1. That God loves Christ 2. That he loves beleevers and. That he loves them as he loves Christ We have spoken to al those particulars formerly and because they were al of special consideration and carried choice both comfort and profit with them we â—taied the longer upon them There is one point yet remaining wherein the scope and end of our Saviors prayer is expressed and indeed directly intended in the words There is a double end here mentioned by our Savior why he so earnestly and so importunately pursues the request at the hands of his Father in so many several Circumstances That they might be one as the Father and he was one The means how this comes to be attained and order how dispensed I in them and thou in me The perfection which was aimed at That they might be perfect in one Here lastly we have a double end 1. Touching the honor of our Savior that it might be manifested and magnified even in the hearts and by the mouths of the wicked even the worst of men that wil they nil they they should be forced to see it and forced also to confess it that the Lord Jesus was the Messias of the world appointed by the Father before al worlds foretold by Prophets exhibited and sent in the fulness of time by God the Father and he that
Lord Jesus hath here been under hatches and the wicked have seemed to carry the day against him This is your hour But Christ wil have his day and then ye will have yours As David encouraged himself in the simplicity of his heart I shall be had in account of those Maid Servants So here USE 2. Of Exhortation To perswade the Saints that they should labor to know this Love that so they may know their own honor and happiness It 's part of their Priviledg their Propriety a note of Christs Sheep They know me and are known of me If the Lord wil have the wicked acknowledg thee who only see it how much more doth it concern them that have it It they who are but Spectators much more they who are the Possessors and do enjoy the same how would this support in al wants It 's but to diet and physick us not to hurt us it 's out of Love How would it sweeten al our Sorrows and Corrections even the sharpest It 's out of love to purge us and to fit us for himself nay solace our souls in Death it's out of Love it 's to take down our Bodies not to destroy them to take out of the World because he loves us to take us neerer to himself How should this settle us and establish us in al Change There is an end of al things and an end of al Perfections but whom God loves he loves to the end He loved our Savior when he brought him to the Grave that he might bring him to Glory And so with us when we are parted from al things when we shal be separated one from another Wife from the Husband Child from the Father nay our Bodies separated from our Souls so that they are not or if they were they cannot live There is an end of al those Relations no marrying in Heaven no trading in Heaven yet nothing shal be able to separate us from the Love of God in Christ Verse 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me for thou loved'st me before the Foundation of the World IN this Prayer of our Savior two things were especially attended 1. He prayeth for himself to verse 6. 2. The for his Children from thence to the end And that Either especially for his Apostles because the greatness of the Work now under their hand their pressures and difficulties that would necessarily attend them therein the large measure of Grace and Abilities that might suit them to so weighty and Spiritual employment together with the need of more than an ordinary presence and assistance of the Lord without which they would not only be unfitted for a business of that worth but wholly discouraged in it Therefore the Lord Jesus laies in for a larger measure of Spiritual supply and relief for them in the first place and here he is marvelous importunate to verse 20. Or else for al the Faithful that ever did or for the future should beleeve in him unto the end of the World whose case he commends from Verse 20. and the things he begs are partly such which might concern their Spirittual good in an especial manner in this Life and because that was the Root and Treasury of al the rest of their good things in which they were contained and from whence they might be received he propounds and pursues with much instancy of desire That they might be one as the Father and Son were one Partly such as did concern their everlasting welfare in the world to come and this our Savior as though he would carry them to Heaven being presently to ascend himself seeks to the Father for here in the closure of his Prayer that so nothing might be wanting that either they did need or could desire but that they might be fully furnished with a sufficiency of supply for whatsoever concerned either Grace or Glory the present comfort of this or the happiness of a better life Thus the Lord laies in Provision and that in a plentiful manner 1. That which might fit them for their way and Voyage while they are travelling towards their home 2. That which might give them sweet welcome when they came at the end of their Hopes Our Savior is not satisfied until he see them in the Haven safely arrived in Heaven with himself beyond al the rage of Devils and malice of Men dangers of Sin or the sorrows of the Grave and Death In this 24. Verse and Prayer of our Savior we may attend Four Things 1. A Description of the Parties for whom Christ praies from that Spiritual respect and relation they had to him Those that thou hast given me together with the cause of it his Father gave them 2. The thing he desires That they might be where he is namely That they might enjoy a likeness Condition with our Savior in regard of the glory and security of the place and mutual society of each others presence or else a Parity if we look at the kind That they who had been in the same Storms might be in the same Haven enjoy the same ease and honorable safety share in the Society of that glorious and safe Condition when their hearts shal be ravished with the remembrance of the wonderful Salvation and Deliverances that have been wrought for them the surpassing excellency of Grace and Glory that hath been purchased and bestowed upon them so unworthy Swallowed up with the admiration of the sight and presence of our Savior who hath suffered ascended sits at the right hand of the Father and hath taken possession of al Glory that they may be possessed of the same by him and with him And the also solacing himself with the sight and presence of those whom he hath so loved so redeemed so graced so advanced as himself as though he could not have been in Heaven unless they might come to Heaven 3. The End why he begs this That they might be with him that they might see the Glory of Christ which hath been given him of the Father Not that they might have any Glory in themselves or see or satisfie themselves with their own glory but that they might gaze upon the Glory of the Lord Jesus through al Worlds and that 's al they have to do in Heaven 4. We have the first Fountain whence this Glory proceeds to wit hence Because the Father hath loved him before the Foundation of the World was laid In the General from the Scope of the whol observe It 's the care of our Savior to seek and provide for the welfare of his Servants even till they come to the fulness of their perfection See here in the words of the Text the inlarged tenderness of the heart of the Lord Jesus he doth not content himself to look to his disciples and so beleevers while they were but in the shel Babes in Christianity nor satisfies himself that he
hath purchased and bestowed the same glorious Grace upon them which he hath received from his Father Nor yet doth he count it enough that he hath pressed the Father with such uncessant importunity to intreate that they might be kept in that Oneness of relation to the Father and the Son as they are one with another and one in another which notwithstanding in reason might have been conceived to have been a large provision a goodly portion and inheritance even for the choicest of Gods servants to be so left by God the Father and the Lord Jesus with so faire an estate that in reason they might have been able to maintain themselves wel and not only made a shift to live Christianly but honorably and with much content since the Lord had left them wherewithal and aforehand in the world so fully stocked and stored But alas this is little in the Eye of the Lord Christ do we but consider the endless compassions which he extends towards such He laies in with God the Father for their welfare in another world stores up for eternity in their behalf Father I will they be where I am He wil not forsake them before he see them wel arrived and in safety therefore doth not ascend to Heaven and leave them to the wide world to sink or swim and shift for themselves No he hath laid in provision of prayer answerable to al their occasions their changes and necessities in life in death after Death In life Lead them keep them in their Graves raise them out of their Graves bring them to glory and preserve them in glory for ever He wil not have his glory but they must see it nay his glory wil not satisfie unless he may see them If our Savior pray for this their being with him then prayes he for and provids and also succeeds al means to attain this As wise Merchants victual their shipps for the longest time our Savior victuals even for a Voyage of eternity for life for death for Grace for Glory for a Momentany passage of time in this world and for eternity in another he laies out for their present needs but Oh how great is that goodness thou hast laid up for them that feare thee like Joseph provide for the seven years Famin laies in provision of prayer for their everlasting supply The Saints may find even refreshing baits by this prayer of our Savior in their most famishing distresses feast their hearts with it Hence it is the Lord Christ is said Hebr. 7.25 To be able to save them to the uâ—most that come to God by him that is by the vertue of his eternal intercession of which this prayer is one part This was signified by those two types The Pillar of fire and the Pillar of cloud which went before the Israelites in their travailes It s said The Lord went before them in a Pillar Exord 13.21 22. He took not away the Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night from before his people until he brought them into the promised Land Thus the Lord Jesus leads his people into the way everlasting and withdraws not the power of his prayer and presence and provision of al mercies until he bring them to himself So again Moses left the people in the desert and died before he came into the good Land but Joshua brought them to the place of rest of which it was said they shal remove no more 2. Sam. The Law leaves a man in sin and misery even to perish while he is in his passage but our Joshua brings his to rest that yet remains for there is yet a rest remaining for Gods people When he went away and withdrew his Bodily presence yet his Bowels yerned towards his I wil not leave you as Orphans Joh. 14.18 He sends the comforter his blessed spirit to lead them into al truth To guid them in the way while they are wildering here towards the end of their Hopes And his care is even in Heaven to prepare mansions of rest for their welcome and refreshing after their weary-some travailes Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers House are many mansions I go to prepare a place for you and I wil come again and receive you And before he comes he sends post to meet his poor servants and to inquire of their welfare Joh. 16.22 I will see you again and your heart shal rejoyce This was the meaning of the vision Gen. 18.14 16. Jacob saw a Ladder Angels ascending and descending and the Lord standing at the top and he said I wil bless thee and be with thee where ever thou goest and I wil not leave thee until I have performed that which I have spoken to thee of REAS. I. 1. It s the charge which he hath undertaken and unto which he stands bound by free agreement with God the Father that he wil see to the everlasting welfare of his servants and therefore in faithfulness he cannot but with al care perform it That by no means in no case they do miscarry It was the main scope of his sending by the Father and of his coming into the world Joh. 6.38 39. I came not to do mine own wil but the wil of my Father that sent me that of those which he hath given me I should loose none but raise it up at the last day Nay for this purpose he received Power and Commission From God the Father Joh. 17.2 Thou hast given him power over al flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him He hath given Jesus Christ power over al enemies of the salvation of his people that they should never be able to hinder them over al means which might procure their good that they should never be wanting to help and further them in the good waies of Gods Grace power over al wants weaknessess infirmities that they should never be able to discourage their hearts in a Christian course He wil not fail of his end they cannot fail of their comforts 1 Cor. 15.25 26. He must reign until he hath put al his enemies under his feet the last enemy that is to be destroyed is death The Lord wil see the last enemy destroyed and see them beyond death and danger So that our Savior wil come last out of the field as Conqueror and wil not leave his people their Souls under distresses or their bodies in their Graves and make them Conquerors and triumph over al their Adversaries O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory thanks be given to God who hath given us the Victory through Jesus Christ 2. The love of our Savior constraines him to lay out himself and the improvement of his power and prayers and al he hath for their good in al conditions until they come to be with him Joh. 13.1 Having loved his own he loved them to the end In love there is no lack if he love them to the end he wil care
for them and their comforts unto the end He loves and tenders in al their necessities and occasions therefore wil undoubtedly relieve and succour them in al Therefore the Apostle concludes so confidently nor life nor death nor Principalities noâ— Powers shal ever be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ If death cannot put an end to his love It skils not though it put an end to our lives his love wil quicken and raise If he love us in prison he wil devise means to free us Love us in temptation he wil provide Grace and Comfort to strengthen sustain us in al our trials It was an argument which they pleaded and by which they supported their hearts for help in the death of Lazarus Joh. 11.3 He whom thou lovest is Sick and then he recovered him He whom thou lovest is overwhelmed with temptations and distempers therefore he shal be comforted and delivered 3. The necessities of the Saints prevail with our Savior to pity to help and to pray for them who are not able to help themselves in the shock and stress of the violence of their assaults He comforts the Abjects 2 Cor. 7.6 Beares the Lambs and little ones in his Armes Isa 40.11 Their enemies be many and mighty which do pursue them with deadly hatred Their strength and ability but weak to oppose and their Grace but smal and unable to maintain them if they should live meerly upon the stock and therefore the Lord lends them daily supply For in a mans own strength no man shal be strong 1 Sam. 2.9 He speaks to them as unto Paul His Grace is sufficient when there is nothing but Insufficiency in themselves Renewed necessities renewed mercies his power pitcheth his Tent in weakness USE 1. CONSOLATION To sustain and shore up the fainting hearts of the Saints under their heaviest trials and in the midst of the many alterations and temptations which may attend them in their daily course to the discomfort and discouragement of their Hearts It s the care of our Savior to provide for their comfort when happily they cannot either care or provide for themselves and their own relief and succour ignorant and unskilful to foresee weâ—k to oppose unable to bear the miseries and hopeless to deliver themselves from under them behold the Lord Jesus hath said in help before-Hand for you in Heaven Object Oh but thou saiest Though the assaults be fierce and distempers strong and discouragements sad yet if I had a heart to seek a spirit to send to Heaven for some relief I could conceive there mere some ground of Hope But when I have no help in my self and yet no heart to seek for help elswhere what can I expect but utter confusion Answ Christ hath laid in provision of prayers for thee when thou canst not pray for thy self he wil provide help and a heart to pray also When Peter was Marvailously foiled by the sodain surprisal of that over-bearing assault that carried him Head-long to the commission of so many notorious evils Our Savior leaves a receipt with him to which he might resort for some relief after his fal Simon Simon Satan hath desired to winnow thee but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Luk. 22.31 32. It may be thy condition as it was Peter's case Thy assaults may be Fierce and thy overthrow and Failings so Foul that thou mayst sit down confounded in thy self thy Hope thy Heart and thy Prayer may fail also Yet remember whither to repair for thy support It was spoken to Peter but it was performed for al may be applied to al the Saints The Lord Jesus hath prayed that thy faith sail not His Prayer is laid in before-hand to stay thy heart at a dead lift In some dangerous and infectious places men take Antidâ—tes and Presâ—â—â—atives that though they should by occasion take some poison unseen or unsuspected which â—â—ghâ— annoy their Natures and drive them into some â—â—â—â—ous and troublesome sickness yet this would stil and maintain the heart in the heaviest time I Hope it s not deadly my Antidote wil out-bid the force of it free me from the deadly danger thereof Such is the Preservative oâ— our Saviors Prayer which works out any Poyson otherwise it had cost Peter his life So our Savior directs In the world ye shall have perâ—ecution But be of good comfort I have overcome the world In temptations be comforted though they have over-bidden thy feebleness Christ hath overcome the violence of them Joh. 16. and last In thy distempers be humbled and yet comforted Christ hath overcome the power of them they may plague thee they shal not prevail against thee The snares may delude but Christ wil deliver Oh but they indure stil live and are mighty Answ His mercy endures for ever his Prayers live and wil out-bid al their might T is true they are through mercy somtimes abated but they return again with more violence and take again But know Christ wil provide again Joh. 16. I will see you again And the vertue of his prayers hath eternal and everlasting Efficacy and therefore wil for ever help thee As thy corruption may for ever plague while thou livest but the power of Christs Prayer wil out-live thy life and the life of thy sins and set Heaven Gates open before thee USE 2. Instruction The worst condition of a beleever is better than the best Estate of the wicked The poverty of the Saints better than their wealth The discouragement of the Saints better than al their contentments and comfort Because in al the Lord Jesus hath provided for their good and out of al wil work their welfare and happiness A little that the righteous hath is better than a great deal of the wicked for God blesseth his store Though the Diet be but mean yet the dressing is much and the sweetness of the sauce makes it more pleasant and cordial than better provision that wants both Ps 37.16 17. Gods love that sweetens al and the vertue of our Saviors Prayer that perfumes and gives a pleasing rellish to al. It turnes the Water of the Saints into wine nay make their Water better than Wine For thy Love is better than Wine But there is a Canker that Breeds in the best comforts of the wicked their table is their snare their proâ—perity their ruin and a curse accompanies the choicest of their most comfortable blessings From hence it is that holy Asaph beares up his heart in that heavy temptation when he was so much taken aside by the prosperity of the wicked that his Foot had wel-nigh slipt he thus recovers himself Thou wil lead me by thy counsel and after bring me to Glory Ps 73.24 Thou leavest them in their Errors they have an easie way but a wrong way that wil lead them to confusion Ps 17.14 15. USE 3. Of Direction Let the practise of our Savior be our DIRECTION How to steer our Course to
prepare a place True there be Mansions enough but how hard to come at them He answers I wil come and bring you to my self USE 4. Of Instruction If God give Glory to Christ how unreasonable is it for us sinful wretches to deny our Savior his own his due If the Father give it we should be ready and careful ever to acknowledg it We do not the work of Angels but the work of God himself And this is the Scope of the Father in al his Counsel and therefore it should be ours He turns the Trade this way The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son that all men might honor the Son as they honor the Father John 5.22 23. As great Princes when they wil advance any Person whom they purpose to make a Favorite they so contrive that all business must come through his hand that al may eye him honor him and have dependance upon him So it is with the Father Christ is his Favorite he hath so ordered it that al must come through his hand al from the Father by him al through him returned to the Father So the Father professeth Phil. 2.10 11. He hath given him a Name above all Names that at his Name all might bow As therefore the Father determined mined so we resolve I have both glorified him and will glorifie him John 11.28 There were Three things as ye have read before in the words 1 The Parties for whom Christ praies such as the Father had given him 2 What he praies for That they might be where he is 3 The end of this their being with Christ That they might see the Glory which the Father had given him Before we could come at the Second of these there was one Point which was supposed and taken for granted which makes way for al those that follow namely That Christ was in Heaven and did enjoy the fulness of Glory there given him of the Father and of both these that is both the Parts of the Point 1. That Christ is in Heaven 2. That he is possessed of the fulness of Glory by gift from the Father at his right hand both as Second Person and as Mediator God and Man Redeemer of the World we have fully written And before we can proceed to the Second Thing which was formerly propounded and wherein the pith of the Prayer of our Savior appears containing the main thing petitioned we shal be enforced to take in the last clause of the Verse as being nothing else but an amplification of the former Doctrine and laies out unto us the cause and reason whence it comes that the Father gave and Christ received this so great Glory The first Original from whence this so great and unconceivable Glory proceeds It is from the Love of the Father towards our Savior his blessed Son And that Love is not of yesterday nor of late or in this last Age of the World occasioned but it issues out of his antient and everlasting Lover wherewith he imbraced the Lord Jesus before the World was and that not only finished and brought to perfection but before the first corner stone before the Foundation thereof was laid I wil not give way to any curious Speculation but I beleeve it 's true and I suppose it 's suitable to the meaning of the words That the Father laid the Foundation of the Love of his Son in his own heart and thoughts in order of Nature before in his everlasting purpose he laid out in his contrivement the first Pillars and Principles upon which the World was founded He understands himself directly al other Quatenus sui imaginem gerunt So Wisdom seems to speak Prov. 8.22 He possessed me in the beginning of his way before his Works of old The first beginning of Gods way is to understand himself But we shal content our selves with that which is taken up with the currant and common consent of al. And then we have two Points 1. The Father loved his Son from everlasting before the Foundation of the World And this we handled formerly in the foregoing verse 23. 2. That which is of fresh Consideration unto which we shal speak a few words very briefly is the force of Argument or Reason here laid forth viz. The everlasting love wherewith the Father embraced his Son is the first cause why he gave him everlasting Glory The Eternal Glory of Christ is a Gift of the Eternal Love of the Father In grows out of this root it issues firstly out of this Fountain Hither our Saviors thoughts arise and here he rests This is the Crown of Glory and the Diadem in the Crown and the lustre and shine of that is The Love of the Father To this our Savior ascends and in this he satisfies himself and he would lead al his as afterwards we shal see Had not the Father given him glory out of his love glory it self would never have given our Savior content Nay Heaven and glory it self had not been worth the loving nor having unless the love of God were in them That is the quintessence of al. We shal open shortly two things 1. What we must understand this love to be 2. How this love is the cause of this glory For the right discovery and discerning of this love that we may come as neer the mind of our Savior and the meaning of the text as we may we shal with warines in some doubtful Seas sound and cast several passages that we may find where the Channel lies 1. It cannot then be taken for the spiritual and special fruits and effects of Gods love which the Lord dispenseth to his according to the good pleasure of his wil of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.5 The love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts This rather looks at the fountain that those streames for which Jude Prayes Grace Peace and Love be multiplied Jude 2. For this love is from eternity so are not those fruits and expressions because they are put forth in time Beside the glory of our Savior is one of those fruits which are here said to Issue from that love And I suppose it doth vertually and summarily include those spiritual expressions which makes way for it 2. Somtime the love of God is put by a Figurative speech for Election as that in Rom. 9.13 Jacob have I Loved that is Elected or set apart to be the subject of the expressions of his love And this also seems not to fit the place in hand For it goes somwhat against the grain of the phrase The love in the former and following words in the verse before and after leads us to another apprehension and looks another way Beside the aim of our Savior and his expression would perswade one to think that he eyes somthing in the Father which in a peculiar manner relates to him Not that which equally and indifferently belongs to the Holy Spirit and himself also as that purpose of
Pride and Peevishness Wearishness sluggishness c. and they are with us in our Prayers Duties Hearing Conferences Whence it is we crowd Christ into a narrow corner not an Ear to hear a Mind to attend our Prayers few and faint c. We are mated and molested with Friends miseries wants necessities families occasions they are calling and crowding But then the Coast wil be cleer we shal only be with Christ Thus the Apostle speaking concerning fasting and Prayer enjoyns the Man and Wife to part mutual Company and Society and forsake their Contentments in their mutual fellowship 1 Cor. 7.5 that they might give themselves to Prayer While we live here we give away some Love bestow some delight spend some thoughts and affections take some content in these therefore he would have them al laid aside that we might give our selves c. Now this shal be done at that day nay not only and alone bound for Christ But now it 's the whol imployment of the Soul to attend upon him the Soul hath none other to see nothing else to do Rev. 14.4 They follow the Lamb where ever be goes see no Wife nor Child nor Friend nor Honor Pleasure but Christ only Old things are passed Have none to love to desire to delight in to be satisfied with but Christ alone Now we send our thoughts and affections upon other Errands If a man knew nothing loved nothing needed nothing but one thing how would that carry him command him prevail with him 3. How this brings in this Happiness Answ Upon a double Ground and here we have a double Reason of the Point 1. Because men come to receive more of God and that in the most intimate and inward manner and this is one end of the great Works of God in our Creation and Redemption of our being men and Christians that he might leave the impressions and manifestations of himself and his Divine perfections upon us whom he would have to be Monuments of those everlasting Mercies and glorious Attributes through al Eternity For God cannot but work for his own Glory and because there can be no addition made to himself who is infinite in al his Excellencies therefore there must be only a manifestation of these and this is the aim of al Gods Counsels He wil shew forth and make Editions of his glorious Grace and Mercy which may be seen and read and acknowledged therefore a world therefore a man and he a Vessel of glorious Grace When they partake most of his glorious Mercy and are tunn'd top ful of glory and there is nothing els Then the Lord attains the end of the work of his Grace For it s not Heaven the place nor the freedom from evil or the presence and confluence of al pleasure or our being there that makes us happy But the injoyment of God in al his perfections and should he withdraw himself Heaven were a Hel and we as miserable as Devils We then attain our supream happiness when we attain our end and our good is to have more of God Whom have I in Heaven but thee That Christ may be glorified in life and death It s part of the scope of Gods proceeding at the day of judgment 2. Thess 1.10 He wil be glorious in his Saints but admired in al those that beleeve He wil be glorious in the Eyes of al standers by Angels and Devils for the Grace that then shal be expressed in the Saints But that by faith they have received Christ and come to be one with God through him and receive al by him this dazels the Eyes of Angels and amazeth the hearts of Devils Yea it s a work beyond admiration implies some thing unexpected such as we cannot tel the reason of that is matter of admiration is not in comprehension The Devils have seen men holy and innocent and unblamable as Adam in Paradise But when the Devils shal see such as were haters of Christ and God to receive Christ and to be made one with God through him to have God to be al in al when they were without God in the world this wil make Angels to be swallowed up in admiration This is an especial part of that reward that God hath promised unto his not to have freedom from annoyance nay the presence of evil but to have himself God communicating himself in al the fulness of perfections fully to the Soul as it is capable of God is the Objective happiness to the Soul in himself and so its equal to al but God communicating himself in his fulness as far as a sinner is capable is part of that special reward we have in Heaven Gen. 15.1 Lament 3.24 2. Reas More of our Souls are for God For now the strength of the whole man is wholly spent and exercised in the injoying of God and him only and immediately God without means God instead of al means God only and no means Now some love and joy and desire c. Is spent upon the choice ordinances But then none of al these are in the Eye and desire but al the faculties of the Soul are fully taken up with God This is the errand of our lives and the end why we came into the world This is intimated in 2. Thess 1.11 12. Wherefore I pray alwaies for you that God would make you worthy of your Calling and fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in him according to the Grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ The meaning is That God would Count them worthy of their calling That is the glory unto which they were called and so Fulfil al the good pleasure of his goodness that is fully bestow al that special good which in the purpose of his good pleasure he intended to them and the work of Faith with power that is bring the work of faith to perfection Now the end of al that glory and fulness of al perfection and spiritual good he prayes for is 1. That the Name of Christ That is Christ as made known in his word Offices and the great work of Redemption Might be made glorious in you in receiving this and the impression of this that is that it may be said See what the Lord Christ hath done 2. And you al may be made glorious and glorified not in you selves but as you are in him As he made glorious in you by receiving So you may be glorified in him by returning al to him while you Put forth the exercise of all upon Christ and through him upon God You by receiving of Grace become to have his image by the exercise of Grace you become to be like him and suck out the sweet of that infinite good that is in him For herein lies the beatifical Vision of God If truly glorious and efficatious brings in the fruition of him and his goodness
familiarity yet if their hearts can take contentment and suite and soder secretly with thee Certainly they sent and savor somthing like themselves or els they would never love it Joh. 15.19 The world loves her own And if it love thee assuredly it owns thee as one of hers really however thy profession carries another appearance to men to whom thou canst conform and with whom thou canst comply Why say your companions such a one a Puritan Tush he may and can comply with his godly Brethren for to please them but he is a good fellow If time place and company fit him But a man sound at heart at core they cannot indure his company nay not abide his Name As with the Stomach that is chollerick we can judg the good of the Physick by the working of the Stomach if it can receive and digest it that it stirr not we conclude it s not right Rhubarb but a Dock-root it stirs not the humor especially when the Body is so fit to be wrought upon 2. Consider how thy heart can secretly suit with worldly ones He is known by his companion that cannot be known by his own course and practise in private Because like wil to like Birds of a Feather wil flock and fly together As here in New-England The color of some Birds is very strange by reason of the Climate hearts and colds and that causes some wholly to differ from other Yet if we see them flock and mate commonly together we conclude it is a Starling not a Black-Bird she keeps with such though her color and Feathers be other yet her Nature and kind is the same 1 Joh. 4.5 They are of the world and the world hears them When a man can hug and harbor a varlet a scummy wretch that is not fit to sit among the Dogs of a mans Table and a wise holy-hearted man would take the windy side its certain such a one is a worldly wretch Away from me ye wicked Psal 6.8 The wicked is an abomination to the Righteous Prov. 29.27 3. Observe whence the root and rise of thy disposition or thy actions come Canst thou say as Christ I do nothing but what I see the Father do The words I speak they are not mine Canst thou say so The words I speak the works I do they are not mine but Christs O Righteous Father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee c. THis verse being a further discovery and description of the parties for whom our Savior Christ prayed in the foregoing 24. Verse That they might be with him and see and so injoy his glory in Heaven Each part of the description carries a secret kind of constraining force to set home the former conclusion and provoke the Lord to the grant of his Prayer and that Priviledg unto the Faithful that they might see the glory of Christ 1. The world knows not the Father nor yet the Son and therefore they have as no Title to it so no ability to Fathom it nor hearts to take delight therein or to promote the praise thereof 2. Our Savior he knows the Father the depth of that Fatherly affection of his and that unconceivable glory which he hath and wil also communicate to him And his Saints also know that he was sent by the Father on that Ambassage of life and for the accomplishment of that great work of Salvation by which as the highest pitch of glory might be possessed by himself so also purchased for them And therefore as he is worthy to obtain this of the Father so they also fit to injoy it and to advance the glory of the Father and him in it 3. That he hath manifested and wil manifest yet further the name of that Fatherly love the glory of that Grace and mercy and saving Redemption by him provided and al to this end that Christ might be in them And Gods love manifested in them and by them sharing and injoying the glory that Christ should possess and that they should be spectators and admirers of for ever If now the world neither knew the Father nor therefore could love or honor him nor his Son It was not fit they should be with Christ or see the glory of Christ given him out of his Fathers love But if Christ knew the Father and his Fatherly love and that he was sent on purpose upon this Ambassage and being sent for this did and doth indeavor this and that for this end that Christ and that Fatherly love might be in them and the Saints know al this Then he is sit to ask and obtain this mercy they fit to receive it and they shal glorifie God herein and he attain his glory while he is pleased thus to grant the Prayer of our Savior and to glorifie him and them We have opened and finished that part of the descripon of the parties which was laid down by way of dissimilitude both as the world are considered in themselves in regard of the ignorance they have of God and as by way of dissimilitude they stand in reference comparison and consideration with our Savior and his disciples We are now come to inquire the other parts of the description of the partyes for whom the Prayer is made whose worth and excellency is see forth by their effects 1. I know thee 2. These also know that thou hast sent me And here with we shal take in the second general to wit the person who doth pray intimated in the words where we have two points 1. From these words I know thee The Lord Christ hath the knowledg of the Father in a peculiar manner Doct. I say the knowledg of the Father for that is constantly to be carried along with us in our consideration and to be kept in our Eye that we may keep to the scope of the place and aime of our Savior in his Prayer and expression For he looks at him as we have shewed as a righteous Father such a one as doth dispense his Fatherly affection in Faithfulness unto his And therefore those of the world upon whom his Fatherly affection was never set nor were they within the compass of the Covenant of his Grace had no interest therein to whom his Faithfulness and truth was never ingaged and therefore they could challenge nothing nor yet was he â—ound to accomplish any thing for their spiritual and eternal good And therefore if our Savior had prayed for them that they should have been in Heaven and have seen his glory he had prayed for that which the Father was not bound to grant in Faithfulness nor were they fit to injoy For they know not that Fatherly love and affection of his which moved him to give Christ that glory nor could they be affected with it nor receive the good of it But He who knew the Father he Prayes for this Favor And he Prayes for them also who have known both the Father and him in their conjoint purpose The one
wil a little make some search with Sobriety so far as may help us to understand the place in hand Thus our Savior makes it the Head Corner Stone of our Confidence This is Eternal Life to know thee that is the Father to be only God not he only to be God but to be the only God there is but one only Deity and he hath that only God-head and what beside and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ Know him as a Christ annointed and fitted and as a Jesus a Savior who hath performed the work and that he is sent for that very End and Errand and for that purpose from God the Father For had our Savior done it if he had not been sent the Soul would have been at a loss whether he had ever satisfied or should ever be accepted But when our Faith can reach this That the Father who is the only God hath sent him he wil then assist and accept and we should go no further seek no other we then â—it down and are at rest John 12.44 We shall therefore make way for the Discovery of the Nature of this Sending by the Propositions following 1. This Sending taken in a ful Sense is not an Act of the Deity or Divine Nature properly but of the Person or Persons in the Deity who nextly and immediately dispenseth it Reas That which is an Act of the Deity or God-head belongs indifferently and equally to al the Persons in that al are equally God and have the Essence of the Deity and al the Essential Attributes equally attributed to them al. As al are Eternal Omnipotent all Create Decree c. But to send much less to send the Lord Christ doth not belong to al the Persons The Spirit is never said to send in the Phrase of Scripture nor is the Father ever said to be sent And this shal be further cleared and proved in the Conclusions that follow and by the Nature of Mission as it 's set forth to us in the Word 2. This Sending hath a double Reference 1. To the Person that is sent 2. To the thing about which he is sent namely When the Person sent leaves a new act or impression upon the Creature so that the Creature is said to be otherwise than it was and to have somthing which formerly it had not and the Person is sent on purpose to leave such operations and impressions God sent his Son made of a Woman sent him to take our Nature here the second person takes our Nature into personal union with him Sanctifies it unites it supports it Though Christ be the same yet here be new impressions which appear in the Creature which formerly did not I wil send the Comforter and be shal teach you and lead you into al truth Here be new and diverse expressions of the work of the Spirit appearing which formerly did not Joh. 16.10.11 The second respect implies ever the first the sending to a work implies a person that must be and is sent to that end though then these may be distinguished in our reason and consideration yet in the Nature of the thing the one is included in the other 3. Sending when it respects a Person properly It ever implies in the Nature of the thing The Authority of him that sends in respect of the party that is sent I say Authority but not of rule or Dominion so much as Authority of Order Communication of work from one to another and in this sense which is a proper and true sense he only can be said to be sent who works from another whether it be in way of Origination or firstness of Order to be first beginner or setter in of a work before al other or whether it be in regard of operative or active production when several persons may as one Joint principle put forth a work for the producing They are not one in order before another but both meet as one principle and producer or bringer forth of the other And therefore hence it is plain and undeniably Evident which ye must especially observe that in this breadth and extent of sending which the Scripture speaks to The Son and the Spirit are only said to be sent and it is never and indeed it can never be affirmed of the Father If sending imply Authority of Order and communication of work from another then there is none can send the Father because there is none in Order before him nor can he be sent because he works of himself and from himself nor from another therefore cannot be sent from another Hence again it follows The Spirit may be sent from the Father and the Son and the Father and the Son may sent because the Spirit the Holy Ghost works in Order from both and there is Authority of Order and communication from both Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of the Son That is the Father as appears by the distinction of Son in the words Joh. 15.26 When the Comforter is come whom I wil send unto you from the Father Joh. 14.26 When the Comforter is come whom the Father wil send in my Name Hence Christ can only be said to be sent of the Father not of the Holy Ghost I speak now of this internal sending which is attended only in regard of the Person not of the thing about which he is sent the Reason and ground is the same Sending implies the Authority of Order and Communication of work from one to another but the Son works only from the Father therefore can be said only to be sent from the Father Hence are there so many expressions and confessions of our Savior in this kind almost in every verse when he would settle his commission Joh. 5.30 I seek not mine own Wil but the Wil of my Father which sent me And verse 36. I have greater witness than that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish they bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me 4. Propos This sending of our Savior is the first of al others and makes way for al other sending or spiritual good things that are sent unto us from God Have this have al make sure of this make sure of al maintaine this maintain a certain intercourse and Communication of al good things unto our Souls from the Lord. This is the first out filet of God everlasting love and goodness 1 Joh 4.9 God so loved us that he sent his only begotten Son c. There is no expectation of the Spirit there is mo possibility of having no in truth of the sending of the Spirit but only by this way and upon this ground Joh. 16.7 It behooves that I go away for unless I go the Spirit wil not come unto you but if I go I wil send him No coming of the spirit unless he had first come Unless he go to Heaven no sending of the Spirit from Heaven As it is true for the measure in regard
Father would keep them Joh. 17.11 3. To perfect that life of Grace in Glory Joh. 12.49 50. 1 Joh. 4.9 Joh. 6.40 I wil raise them up at the last day He is sent on this Errand that he shal see them safe arrived landed in Heaven USE 1. Matter of Admiration See and be swallowed up with the wonderment of Gods love to such worthless ones as we Had he sent his letters to comfort his Creatures to visite his Angels to administer it had been more than we worthless worms could have expected So the Apostle 1 Joh. 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us in that he sent his Son If any man question his love or desire to see the discovery of love In this it s manifested undeniably infallibly Love unmatchable unconceivable that he should send his own Son from his own bosom to such worthless dust In this is Love herein is Love it 's here to be adored admired for ever Not that we loved him for that had been Love to have owned us and accepted of us But that he loved us and sent his Son to be a Propitiation for our sins Elizabeth is drawn to a wonderment at the coming of Mary How comes it that the Mother of my Lord cometh unto me Luke 1.43 But how cometh it that the Lord himself come It 's more than is usually observed or indeed can be expected that a man should send a choyce Pearl from his Closet a Diamond out of his Cabinet But that one should send his whol Treasure it 's more than can be imagined Or desired But it 's so here God hath sent his Son in whom al the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg are his and to us so vile so unthankful and unworthy Nay as God when he would convince Satan of Jobs Sincerity he impannels a Jury from Hel tels him that he had moved him to afflict Job without a Cause for yet he held his Innocency and the Devil could not deny it So consider here for thy shame if thy heart stir not with admiration we shal impannel a Jury from Hel which wil give in a Verdict 2 Thes 1.8 9. At the day of Judgment God shal be Glorious in all his Saints but admired in them that believe When al the wicked shal be gathered at the left hand of Christ the Devils and damned Spirits and al the rabble of those fulsom Goats shal see the poor Saints such as were opposite to Christ haters of him to be made one with him They who rejected nay may be persecuted Christ and the means of Grace to be now made partakers of Christ and Grace The Devils wil admire this mercy though they never share in it and shalt not thou admire it who art partaker of it 2. Comfort of never failing assurance of our safety and happiness It 's the wil of the Father and that must stand and Christ is sent to do his wil and he wil not fail of doing that for which he was appointed and therefore thou canst not fail of Heaven Christ professeth John 6.38 39. he came to do the Wil of the Father and this is his Wil That he should lose none but raise them up at the last day and he resolves he wil lose none but he wil raise them up verse 40. We have done with the Two former Things which were to be attended in the Explication 1. What it was to be sent 2. Why or for what End he was sent III. We are now to enquire touching the knowledge of this so far as it comes in an especial manner to be appropriated to the Saints And his is the third Particular to be opened for the discovery of the former Point are we shal only look at it in that peculiar respect as it is a proper Brand for Christs Sheep and a Livery of his Servants and Followers For so the Text intimates and our Savior speaks of it in that regard The World knows thee not they never attained this Learning nor were trained and taught up to it they are amongst the Petties and Punies of the world and may have some worldly wisdom These waies of wisdom they are above and too high for a Fool such as the wicked of the World are These who are promoted to the University of the Gospel and have learned of Christ these know such and such only know have a special knowledge of God the Father in Christ they know him as sent and therefore must needs know the Father who did send him Touching the Specialty of this Knowledg which is the Portion and Inheritance appropriated to the Saints as the wise man saies The Wicked meddle not with the Joy of the Righteous so it 's as true in this they reach not their Knowledg Of this we shal enquire 1. Wherein the Specialty of this Knowledg consists 2. How it comes to be communicated to them First The Specialty of this Knowledg consists in Four Things 1. In the Ability by which they know 2. In the thing known 3. The Manner of the discovery of that so known 4. The setling of the heart by that 1. This Knowledg is peculiar to the Saints in regard of that special Ability which they do receive from God in special manner by which their Judgments are cleered and their Understandings enabled to search and see into such mysterious depths and secret Dispensations of God unto the Souls of his in the Covenant of his Grace and the Conveyance of his Mercy which exceeds and over-flies the most Eagle-sighted Apprehensions of any Natural Man in the World They have the wisdom and enlightening Grace of the Spirit in their Minds and the concurrence and assistance of the Spirit to act and lead them out and thereby to lead them into al Truths and these must not be severed because God hath joined them together Zach. 4.2 3. There must not be Lamps only to burn in the Golden Candle-stick but there must be Olive Trees to feed those Lamps and to further their Light in their dayly burning As that is true in the Church of Christ it 's true also in the heart of every Member of the Church there is not only a Lamp of Knowledg burning in the Mind but there must be also a constant supply of the Oyl of the Spirit which must quicken and act out that Spiritual Wisdom for the right discerning of the things of our Peace And this is the Condition of al the Saints and the ordinary course of Gods Dispensation of himself in the way of the Gospel He hath given us a mind to know him saies the Apostle 1 John 5.20 he hath given his Spirit saies Paul whereby we may know the things that are graciously given us of God This is the end of giving both without which it cannot be So the words run 1 Cor. 2.11 12. We have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are graciously given us of
by the Bush burning he went neer to see that wondrous fight Exod. 3.3 2. But this is not al He further sets on those excellencies by the discovery of some unexpected suitableness to the Soul and the condition thereof as appointed and performed with intendment to his good who is given to Christ Gods wil hath determined Christ hath received al power for this very purpose to communicate them to him It s possible for God to dart in some kind of ravishing appearances of the excellencies of mercies life and Salvation which pass by as sudden lightning upon the understanding So it was with Balaam who had a glimpse of the glory of Heaven and it stirred his affections for the while Let me die the death of the Righteous and let my last end he like his Numb 23.10 But it left nothing behind it he is as far to seek as before As a man seeing his Face in a Glass so these forget what they were But these leave some intimation of some kind of special provision appointed for the purpose My Message is to thee Leaves some impression of Wisdom to discover the way of Grace for our own future good that he comes to a guess of the way of life and peace though he hath no perfect skil yet he can say it coasts within such a compass it lies to that point though he cannot readily hit the Particular Path. As the poor Man said after God had broken his heart It seised upon me like Thunder and Lightning from that day forwards I could discern somthing in every Sermon This I take to be the meaning of that which torments Interpreters and exercised mine own thoughts many a time and it s very difficult to cut the Hair we wil speak a word to it 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made of God to us Wisdom We may come at it thus 1. This Wisdom cannot be justification not sanctification for those are mentioned immediately after and therefore they are not there meant Therefore it must be in vocation When Christ sets open the way Of all the good that God wil do And Of the manner of his communicating of himself for so the word â—â—lâ— belongs to a Syllogisme impliâ—â— the laying open of the frame of things as they lie in inference and sets it on upon the mind 3. The Reason why this is properly given to our Savior 1. Argument is taken from that relation he stands in unto the Father The proper Nature of Relates is to manifest and give knowledge each of other Math. 11.27 No man knowes the Father but the Son c. Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son 2. Argument from the commission delegated unto Christ He it is Whom the Father hath appointed to communicate his counsel to his faithful Ones Hebr. 1.2 He hath spoken in these last daies unto us by his Son Joh. 16.15 All that the Father hath are mine therefore said I He shal take of mine and shal shew it unto you So that the Son hath al committed to him and he communicates to the Holy Spirit who speaks not of his own but what he hath heard Thus we have the explication of the point And the work of our Savior what he hath done We shal refer for application to what follows in the uses hereafter made to the ensuing Doctrins The Second and next thing in order it the work of our Savior and his profession and ingagment What he wil do I have declared thy Name This he hath done And he add's further And I wil declare it Before I enter upon that we shal Observe by the way the conjoyning and coupling of these two works of our Savior together I have and I wil What he had done in former times and what he would do for future The Lord Christ extends the same Care at all times Doct. to all his Servants for their Eternal Good What he hath been he is and he wil be to the Faithful in things which concern their Spiritual Happiness He deals variously and dispenseth in a differing manner the Comforts and Conveniences of the things of this life He advanceth me leaves contempt upon another one is wretched another impoverished another spends his daies in health and peace as Isaac another is under dayly pressure and tryals Because al these things though good in themselves yet they are under and petty things and therefore not good for every man Diets are ever judged and directed to men according to their temper and disposition That which is Cordial to one as heating and nourishing Provisions to such as be weak and languishing i'ts hurtful to another that is of a ful Body and Feaverish distemper Therefore the wise God as a tender Father and wise Physitian he gives liberally to one when he holdâ— another to a spare Diet. So God Diets his Servants according to their Spiritual Disposition they are not alike useful and therefore he doth not in a like manner and measure dispense them But when it comes to Faith in God Repentance from dead Works and such things as concern Gods Eternal Love and so Eternal Life there look what care God shewed in former times to his he wil shew the like at al times to al to provide for their Spiritual welfare Compare Gen. 28.15 with Hos 12.2 He found him in Bethel and there he spake with us He spake to Jacob who was dead and buried long before that Generation But what he spake to him he spake to al the Saints Exod. 13.21 22. He took not away the Pillar of the Cloud by day noâ— the Pillar of Fiâ—e by night A Type of Christ who by night and day in al the Conditions and times of a mans Pilgrimage vouchsafes his guiding and saving presence to his People This also the rock in the Wilderness typed our unto the Israelites 2 Cor. 10.2 The Rock that followed go whether they would the Water out of the Rock followed them and attended upon them for their dayly refreshing So doth the Mercy and Truth of the Lord follow his al the daies of their lives Psal 23.6 And it is the aim of the place Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever that is in his saving overshadowing guiding presence to his Saints REASON 1. His Love is the same and that wil set him on work by the like care and endeavor to provide for their welfare If any thing without him had been a moving Cause of this Care and resolute endeavor for their good when that had altered or failed this would have failed also But his own Love which only issues out of his own Bowels and Bosom made him do good at one time and therefore to the same at al times for it is the same Jer. 31.3 With everlasting Love I have loved thee therefore I have drawn thee therefore called thee therefore comforted thee and wil continue so to do for ever John 13. Having loved his
thy weary heart in al thy weakness do not think to bring such measure of Grace to deserve this love Nay lay hold of this love and it wil increase the eminency of all Grace and that in a glorious manner Paul Prayes that the Ephesians may know this love that they may be filled with all Gods fulness Eph. 3.19 View this wishly and warm thy heart with it and thou shalt not need to complaine of barrenness thou shalt be ful of Grace Nay ful of al fulness of glorious Grace No kind no excellency of any kind that fits thy station shal be wanting How this is done is not now to inquire the Doctrine leads us to the same while we constantly attend to the dispensation of Gods love in Christ begetting us as his Adopted ones to himself while we find this experimentally and so know it it leaves our hearts under the influence of it as of him to receive al and as from him to do al. What ever may be lacking to thy Hope patience meekness c. repaire to this love and know that there is no lack I have the Choicest love of God that Earth or Heaven or the heart of God can afford And that is beyond the excellency of al Grace and al abilities that either I do want or can desire He loves me therefore let him take what he wil from me do what he wil with me love wil supply al. Give what he wil love is better than al. As he Am I not better than ten Sons Gods love is better than al Graces and blessings for it is the fountain of all Our Union and Communion with God in Christ is the top of our happiness in Heaven Doct. 2. And therefore this comes in as the last Issue of al that our Savior had prayed or could pray for for them The good of what he did desire for them in Heaven Father I wil that those whom thou hast given me be where I am that they may behold the glory that thou hast given me for thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world It was not to be in Heaven nor to have glory in themselves but to gaze upon the glory which was given to Christ and was in him from his Fathers love The good and benefit of what he had done and what he would do for them for ever here on Earth yea the end and scope of al that they did in attending and in receiving direction from our Savior and the glorious things that he had revealed unto them It s here resolved I have made known and will make known thy Name they learned and shal learn what I shal teach on Earth That they may be in Heaven and glory in me That so they may get into the Bosom of the Father and the love wherewith he hath loved me might be in them And I in them Hither he leads them and here he leaves them in the arms of Gods everlasting love Here is the landing place what Christ desires for them in their behalf The good of al that he should provide and they should receive under his daily dispensations by Hearing Praying Word Ordinances Providences it s al to bring them to Heaven that they might be in glory and his love might be in them Here he lands al. Ye must go beyond God himself and the first out-goings of the Deity if ye go any further We shal open here two things 1. What this happiness of Heaven is 2. How this is the top and highest strain of it 1. Happiness is a ful fruition of al Spiritual good things in so perfect a manner as our feeble Natures are capable of Two things are to be attended in the Description 1. There must be a confluence and concurrence of all spiritual good things For we now speak of the happiness of the Soul and that which is inward and spiritual not of any outward and temporal happiness which is to be found in these outward things and belongs also to wicked men For they may prosper in them For they grow as the grass and workers of iniquity flourish It was that which Jeremy saw and that which some repine at Jer. 12.1 Why doth the way of the wicked prosper But we speak now of spiritual Heavenly and eternal happiness and the first ingredient which is here especially required is That there must be a meeting together of all spiritual good things The gathering together of the Waters make the Sea not the scattering of them in sundry places or the meeting of some little rivelets So the gathering together of al such spiritual excellencies which answer the desire and welfare of the Soul These make a compound of sufficiency of supply which we cal Felicity As a Posie of al Flowers An Elixer or Quintessence of al Cordials Psal 144.15 Happy is that people that is in such a case Yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. Now these good things are considered according to the pith and substance of them or according to the pleasantness and sweetness that doth attend upon them and accompany them and the injoyment of them The confluence of those good things wherein the Marrow of a mans happiness especially consists may be presented to our apprehensions in three particulars 1. When the whole Soul and so the whole man is so wholly possessed of al Grace that it can and doth put forth the exercise of al vertues Intellectual and Moral of the understanding and wil exactly to answer al the rules thereof according as occasion at any time shal cal for the same It s not to have good but to do good which is a mans happines Jam. 1.25 bâ—essed in his deed To do wel is our greatest welfare in this world Adam had al Grace but was not happy with that but fel away from God destroyed himself and his posterity But if these things abound ye shal never sal 2 Pet. 1.10 And it was Epaphras his Prayer That they might be perfect and carried ful fail in every good wil of God Col. 4.12 So far as the Soul misseth is weak or wanting in any work when God cals so far he misseth and fals short of his happiness and misseth of the ful injoyment of his last end That is to do al Gods wils to wil Gods wils to meet with him in every act to give entertainment to him and to take contentment in him When we do his wil on Earth as it is done in Heaven we are then in the Suburbs of Heaven He formed us for himself and then we attain his end and our own good also when we shew forth his praise Isa 43.21 And therefore Jam. 1.4 He wisheth that patience may have her perfect work have the exercise of al trials and miseries that we may be handy at al weapons when we have with meekness borne one evil we may with quietness bear al But what benefit wil there be in that Ye shal be perfect Entire and wanting nothing When