Twenty-Five Lectures Upon the Lords Last Sermon and Conference, Lecture 10
THE TENTH LECTVRE, OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION.
IOHN, CHAP. XV. VERS. 7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.
7 If yee abide in mee, and my wordes abide in you, aske what yee will, and it ſhall bee done to you.
8 Heerein is my Father glorified, that yee beare much fruite, and bee made my Diſciples.
9 As the Father hath loued mee, ſo hauehave J loued you: continue in that my louelove.
10 If yee ſhall keepe my Commaundementes, yee ſhall abide in my louelove; as I hauehave kept my Fathers Commaundementes, and abide in his louelove.
11 Theſe thinges hauehave J ſpoken vntounto you, that my joye might remaine in you, and that your joye might bee full.
12 This is my Commaundement, That yee louelove one another, as I hauehave loued you.
13 Greater louelove than this hath no man, when anie man beſtoweth his life for his friendes.
14 Yee are my friendes, if yee doe whatſoeuer J commaund you.
YEE heard the laſt day (Beloued in the Lord Ieſus) the firſt exhortation of the Chapter, was, That his Diſciples ſhould abide in that vnion with him, and he with them. Wee hauehave ſundry arguments of this purpoſe: The firſt, Except yee abide in mee, and in that vnion with me, yee can bring foorth no fruit, nor doe no good in this world: The ſecond is, That if yee abide in me, and I in you, ye ſhall bee full of good workes: The third, If a man abide not in mee, and I in him, hee ſhall bee caſten out of the Kirke: and once being caſten out, he ſhal wither, (for out of Chriſt there is no ſap of life) and then (being dried vp) hee ſhall bee gathered vp, like a drie ſticke, and caſten into the fire, to burne. So the argument in this, Hee who cannot abide in Chriſt, he ſhall bee caſten into the fire of Hell: theſe arguments wee hauehave heard. Now in this Text, the Lord goeth forwarde in the argumentes, and firſt he giueth the fourth reaſon, wherefore they ſhould abide in him: then he paſſeth to other exhortations: Then the fourth and laſt argument is this, If ye abide in me and my words in you, then what euer ye aske, or ſeeke, ye ſhall hauehave it: Note the wordes, If yee abide in me, and my words in you: Before hee ſayd, If I abide in you: But all is alike: the Lord Ieſus abideth in the heart by the worde, and by fayth: ſo all is alike. But to come to the argument: What euer ſhall be your deſire, aske, and ye ſhall hauehave it: that is, If ye abide in me, all your petitions ſhall be granted. This argument is very alluring, to tell a man what euer he deſireth, he ſhall hauehave. Before hee threatned, now he allureth. Ye ſee how the Lord tempereth his arguments. But, Brethren, marke this: in reſpect of whom is this argument alluring? and whom moueth it? Not eueryevery one: tell this to a man or woman who hath no ſenſe of their need, they will anſwere when they heare this, Wee hauehave no need to aske: tell this to a ſenſeleſſe ſinner, he will anſwere, he hath no need: what need hath the whole of the Phiſicion? but tell it to them who hauehave felt the weight of ſinne, and who hauehave felt their want, and knowe they are depriued of the glory of God, and ſtrangers from the life of God, as the Apoſtle ſayth, it ſhall be the joyfulleſt and ſweeteſt hearing that euer they heard: hee will be moued when he heareth this ſweete promiſe. Then when wee come to heare of the promiſes of grace in Chriſt, let vsus prepare our ſelues this way, and ſay, I am voyde of al grace; therefore I will goe heare theſe faire promiſes of grace. Now the thing I marke here, Yee ſee how a ſinner getteth grace, and yee ſee by what degrees hee commeth to grace: The firſt and immediate meane to get grace and mercy, is to ſeeke: aske▪ and thou ſhalt hauehave: Heauen is little worth, and if it bee not worth the asking: beg Heauen, and thou ſhalt hauehave it: But who is it can doe this? Can all men doe it? Looke what muſt goe before asking: ere a man can aske grace, there muſt bee a thirſt and a deſire: looke that the heart bee hungry: Bleſſed are they who hunger and thirſt for righteouſneſſe, for they ſhall bee filled. The worlde is full of want, yet they hauehave not a ſenſe of want, or an heart to ſeeke. Howe riſeth the deſire in the heart? The deſire riſeth of a feeling in the heart, of a wonderfull inlacke and miſery, when a ſinner feeleth hee is voyde of all grace, with this ſenſe, together with a ſadneſſe, & godly ſorrow, for it hath euer ſadneſſe: (for who wanteth theſe earthly things, but they will bee ſad?) So the want of theſe Heauenly things hath a ſadneſſe with it. Paul ſayth, 2. Corinth. 5. verſ. 4. Wee being burthened with ſinne, wee ſigh for ſadneſſe. Whoſo…uer feeleth this burthen of ſinne, and mortality, will ſigh and ſob. But from whence commeth the feeling and dolour? The ſinner cannot hauehave it of himſelfe: for fleſh and blood, that is, the corrupt nature, will not feele this ſenſe: but it commeth of the Siprit of God. Paul, Rom. 8. …erſ. 26. saith, The Spirit of God intercedeth for vsus, with ſighs vnſpeakable. And againe, We who hauehave gotten the firſt fruits of the Spirit, ſigh. So it is the Spirit who raiſeth vp theſe ſighes in the heart: and without the Spirit thou canſt not once giuegive a ſigh: Thou mayſt ſigh like a man, but not like a Spirituall man. And how gette wee the Spirit? Belieue in Ieſus Chriſt: faith in Chriſt furniſheth vsus the Spirit. Epheſ. 1. verſ. 13. After yee hauehave belieued, yee are ſealed vp with the holy Spirit of promiſe: for faith draweth out of Chriſt, into the heart, that Spirit: The grace of all grace, is to belieue in Ieſus Chriſt: and hauing him, thou ſhalt get the Spirit. I grant, the Spirite muſt goe before, and worke faith, but it is true alſo, that by faith wee gette a fuller meaſure of the Spirit▪ So faith in the blood of Ieſus, is the fountaine of all grace: for all grace floweth from that blood, and the merit therof: and by the power of the Spirit, which accompanieth that blood, grace is applied till vsus.
Then yee ſee, that faith is the beginning of grace: the holy Spirit followeth faith: after the holy Spirite followeth a ſenſe of our miſery and want: vponupon this ſenſe followeth an earneſt deſire: vponupon the deſire followeth asking: by asking grace is obtained. So, looke thou ſtand in Chriſt, if thou wouldeſt hauehave grace. Out of this place yee may aske this queſtion, Will a man get all that hee ſeeketh of Chriſt? Hee anſwereth here, If yee abide in mee, and my wordes abide in you, aske conforme to this worde, and thou ſhalt obtaine it: if thou aske any Spirituall grace, thou ſhalt get it: Vndoubtedly, Heauen and Earth ſhall periſh ere thou want it. As for earthly thinges, he will not aye giuegive them according to thy deſire, but as hee thinketh meet, for his owne glory, and thy weale: And howe can they want, who getteth the Kingdome of Heauen? The Lord ſhall giuegive them ſo much as ſhall content them. The Lord ſhall giuegive thee ſo much as is neceſſary to a Pilgrime.
Nowe wee goe to the ſecon…e exhortation, which is to good workes: The firſt was to ſtande in that vnion with Chriſt: The ſecond is, to bring out good works: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye beare much fruit; and in this ye ſhall be knowne to be my Diſciples. There are the two thinges: hee ſayeth not, Bring out fruite: but, Bring out much fruite, that is, doe much. A man ſhould ſtriue not to bring out fruite, but much fruite: and indeede, if wee continue in that vnion with Chriſt, wee ſhall grow in that regeneration, and ſo wee growe in good workes. The firſt argument hee uſeth, is taken from the glorie of the Father, In this is my Father glorified, that yee bring out much fruite. Surelie a moouing argument: at leaſt it ſhoulde mooue all ſoules to doe well, ſeeing God is glorified in my well doing, for I am ſet in the worlde to glorifie God. Take vp the grounde: Whome will this argument mooue? Not euerie man: Tell to a man, who hath no zeale to God, nor no ſight of the glorie of God, Doe well, and glorifie God: hee will not care for it. But to tell a man, who loueth God, (alace, whome can hee louelove, and if hee louelove not God?) tell him, if hee will doe manie good workes, hee will glorifie God: hee will doe all that lieth in his power, yea, hee will ſuffer, that he may glorifie God: as Moyſes and Paul wiſhed to renounce Heauen to get their God glorified: And if Paul could gette God glorified, he cared neither for life nor death. Then when wee come to the hearing of the word, where ſuch exhortations are giuen vsus, we ſhold bring hearts filled with zeale to the glory of God: and if thou bring ſuch an heart, when thou heareſt ſuch an argument, it will bee verie ſweete to thee. Yee ſee here in theſe wordes a faire effect following on good workes: when a man doeth well, the faireſt effect that euer was followeth: to wit, the glory of God thy Creator. The Papiſts think, there can folow no goo… of good works, except a man merit, and get life by his works: as though the Prophet had ſaid, The juſt ſhall liue by his good works: No, he ſaid not ſo: but, The iuſt ſhall liue by faith. Habac. 2.4. May not this ſerue them, that God is glorified in well doing? Yee ſee the wordes that are heere, are borrowed from the Vine tree: Then let vsus take vp the compariſon, to make the matter more cleare: Wee ſee by experience, that the branches of the Vine tree doe not liue vponupon the fruite, nor take no ſappe from the Berries: the Berries doe not furniſhe life to the branches: Therefore can they conclude heereof, that the Berries auaile nothing, becauſe they giuegive no ſap nor food to the vine tree? Hath not the berrie none other vſe? Yes, it hath a better vſe, for it ſerueth chiefely to refreſh and make chearfull the heart of man. It is euen ſo with our good workes, the good workes are not cauſes of our juſtification, or life: they are but the fruites of juſtification: A man doeth not good workes to bee juſtified; but is …ustified to bring out good workes: they hauehave their owne vſe: they are not onelie comfortable to them who worke them, to confirme their election, calling, juſtification, and life: but alſo thoſe who ſtand by, and looke to them, the Apoſtle ſayeth, they are edified by their on-looking, as yee may reade in the firſt Epiſtle of Peter, and the firſt Chapted: Yea, more edified by one worke, than by a thouſand wordes: And not onelie are men edified, but thereby God is glorified. Chriſt ſayeth, Matth. Chap. 5. verſ. 16. Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good workes, and maye glorifie your Father which is in Heauen. So by good workes the God of Heauen is glorified, and men are holpen.
The ſecond argument: Ye ſhall bee my Diſciples: As hee would ſay, God ſhall not onlie be glorified, but ye ſhall get good your ſelues: yee ſhall bee my Diſciples. It is the ſame in effect with that which he ſaid, Chap. 13. verſ. 35. By this a man or woman is knowne to be the Diſciple of Chriſt, by mutuall louelove. Then let vsus ſee what doctrine is taught in the Schoole of Chriſt: there is the ſumme of the doctrine, Doe well, bring out much good fruite, bring out many good workes. All the doctrine that is taught of fayth, is to the ende that a man may do well. The Apoſtle to Titus, chap. 2. verſ. 11. telleth vsus what is the end of the Goſpel, to wit, that the grace of Ieſus Chriſt hath ſhined in the worlde, that wee may liue ſoberlie, temperatelie and godlilie in this preſent world. So the end of the Goſpel is, that men and women ſhould liue an holy and ſanctified life: and he who liueth an holy life, he is indeed a diſciple of Chriſt: not he who knowes moſt, but he who doth moſt, is the beſt ſcholler: and he who doth euill, and deliteth in miſchiefe, hath no more to doe with Chriſt, than the Deuill hath. Epheſ. 4.20. After that hee hath ſet downe the life of the Gentiles, that they gaue themselues to wantonnes, and to commit wickednes, with all kinde of griedineſſe; he turneth to the Epheſians, and he ſaith, Ye hauehave not learned Chriſt ſo: whoſoeuer leadeth an euill life vnderunder the name of a Chriſtian, they hauehave neuer heard Chriſt ſpeaking to them by his Spirite in their ſoule: Thou haſt not learned at Chriſt to bee a murderer, an adulterer, and drunkard. Then if thou wouldeſt ſhewe to the worlde, that thou haſt learned at Chriſt, ſtriue to doe much, and not to ſpeake much: In one worde: As thou wouldeſt ſhew thy ſelfe to bee a Scholler in the Schoole of Chriſt, doe euer many good workes. Then when hee hath exhorted to good works, he commeth to the grounds of good works: the grounds are two, the louelove of God, and the louelove of thy neighbour: the whole Commandements are grounded on theſe two. Then hee exhorteth his Diſciples to louelove: It is not enough to begin to louelove Chriſt, but to continue. Hee giueth the argumentes, J hauehave loued you, wherefore then ſhould ye not louelove me? The beſt thing we can doe, is to meete him with louelove in ſome meaſure, who hath loued vsus ſo wel, ſo dearlie, and tenderlie: I hauehave loued you, therefore louelove ye me. And that they ſhould not thinke this a common louelove, hee saith, As the Father hath loued me, ſo louelove I you: I louelove you not as men louelove men, but as the Father loueth mee. Then wee ſee here, that Ieſus Chriſt is not onlie aye the firſt louer: (for if we louelove him, it is becauſe hee loueth vsus firſt: louelove aye beginneth on the part of Chriſt: ere wee beginne to thinke to louelove him, hee loueth vsus:) but alſo wee learne more heere, What kinde of louelove Chriſt beareth to vsus. 1. John, Chap. 3. verſ. 1. What a louelove hath the Father borne to vsus, that hath called vsus his ſonnes? So the louelove of Chriſt to vsus, is a tender louelove, ſuch as the louelove of the Father is to him: what tongue can expreſſe the louelove of the Father to the Sonne? So all the tenderneſſe of the worlde, is nothing to that louelove that Chriſt hath to vsus: it is paſſing in tenderneſſe, and paſsing in meaſure. Indeede the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of a great ſenſe of this louelove to men, Rom. 5. where he ſayth, This louelove of God is powred out from the Heauens, and powred out in the hearts of men & women. Who doeth it? The holy Spirit ſheddeth it abroade in our heartes: and indeede a man will feele the louelove of God in Chriſt, more than the tongue can tell. Looke Epheſ. 3. verſ. 18.19. No, Paul nor all the Apoſtles, could not tell the louelove that Chriſt beareth to men and women that are ſinners: and in this life we cannot be capable of it, nor yet in the life to come, when we ſhal hauehave a thouſand times a greater ſenſe: for it is infinit: then we ſhal bee aſtoniſhed, and wonder at it: but wee ſhall bee filled with it there, where God ſhall bee all in all. Abide and walke in fayth, till thou meet with him, and thou ſhalt find this to be true.
Nowe I ſhall ende: Leſt they ſhould hauehave thought that the louelove they ſhould beare to Chriſt ſhould bee fectleſſe, and ſhould bee cloſed in, and ſmoared in the heart, and not ſhine into world, the Lord ſaieth, If yee keepe my Commaundementes, yee ſhall abide in my louelove. Thinke not that the louelove of Chriſt can bee in the heart of a man or woman, and then bee ydle: and if wee louelove a perſon, wee muſt doe him good: So if a man or woman louelove Chriſt, they will goe about, night and daye, to pleaſe him, and to obey his bleſſed will, and his Commaundementes: And if a man hauehave no will to obeye God, it is ſure, there is no louelove in the heart. Well, I ſay, thou who liueſt not an holie life, in that great daye, that will teſtifie againſt thee, that thou neuer louedſt Ieſus Chriſt. So, take heede our hand bee anſwerable to our profeſsion of louelove, that good deedes maye followe it: for if thou bee ydle, thou haſt no louelove. One thing I marke heere: VponUpon what grounde doeth our obedience to Chriſt ariſe? The firſt ground, the louelove that a man beareth to Chriſt bringeth out obedience: Yet there is an higher ground, J hauehave loued you, ſaieth Chriſt, therefore abide in my louelove. The louelove that Ieſus Chriſt beareth to a ſinner, bringeth out that mutuall louelove wee beare to him: When yee ſee a man ſet to keepe the Commaundementes of God, (and bleſſed is that ſoule that ſo doeth:) I ſaye, ſurelie yee may, by all appearance, conclude, that that ſoule loueth Chriſt: And farder, ſurely it appeareth of this obedience, that God loueth this perſon well: and that is a better louelove, and a ſtronger ground, than is all his louelove to God: and certainlie, the Lord will louelove that man exceeding well, whome hee will imploy in his ſeruice. Bleſſed is that creature whome the Lord will imploy in his ſeruice in this life, whatſoeuer calling it be into: and of all bleſsinges in this life, there is the firſt, when wee know the Lord hath choſen vsus to ſuch a turne, and giuegive him thanks therefore. 1. Timoth. Chap. 1. verſ. 12. Paul being imployed in that Miniſterie, ſaieth, I thanke my God, that hee hath counted me faithfull, to imploy me in that Miniſterie. So bleſſed is the ſeruant, who can ſerue Ieſus Chriſt: yea, hee is more happie, that can ſerue Ieſus Chriſt, than he were a King of the worlde: whoſoeuer ſerueth him, whomſoeuer he imployeth in his ſeruice, he ſhall giuegive him a rich rewarde: Let this therefore bee the ſtrife and endeuour of eueryevery one of vsus, to ſerue him.
Nowe in the latter parte of the tenth verſe, to the end that they ſhould ſhew that louelove they bare to him, by keeping his Commandementes, hee layeth out his owne example: As I, ſayeth hee, hauehave kept the Commaundementes of my Father, and abide in his louelove: that is, LoueLove mee, as I hauehave loued my Father: the louelove that I beare to my Father, is obedience to him: ſo bee ye obedient to mee, if ye louelove me. So yee ſee, Brethren, hee layeth out his example of louelove and obedience to his Father, to bee followed by his Diſciples. Marke this: The Lord Ieſus is the liuelieſt example of louelove and obedience that euer was, or ſhall be in the world. There was neuer ſuch a louelove as the Sonne bare to his Father: neuer one ſo obedient as he was… he obeyed his equall. Philip. 2. verſ. 6.7.8. He being in the forme of God, he thought it no robbery to be equall with God: Yet hee thought it no ſhame to humble himſelf, to become humble to the death of the Croſſe: Yea, hee not onelyonly ſubmitted himſelfe to his equall, but alſo to his inferiours. Hee waſhed his Diſciples feete, John, 13. Hee humbled himſelfe to the world, to ſerue the world. Rom. Chap. 15. verſ. 3. As the Lord is the true patterne of louelove and obedience; ſo is it needefull that his example bee aye laide out before our eyes: for except wee ſee it, there is not ſuch a thing that any man can bee truely humbled, to obey God: for it is the obedience of Ieſus Chriſt, and fayth in him, that reformeth the heart of a ſinner, and maketh of a proude heart an humbled heart: and if thou take not a gripe of that Croſſe by fayth, thine heart ſhall abide vnreformed, till it bee put into Hell. The tongue of man is not able to tell what grace we hauehave in the obedience of Chriſt: We hauehave not onelyonly ſaluation, and juſtification, thorow his obedience; but we hauehave alſo his obedience, to learne vsus what obedience wee ſhould giuegive to him, and what we ſhould giuegive to God. Learne at me to be humble, ſayth the Lord, Matth. 11. verſ. 29. Marke another thing concerning this matter: Whileſt he is exhorting to louelove, and to the keeping of his Commandement, hee giueth himſelfe an example moſt liuely of that thing wherevnto hee exhorteth them. This is a leſſon for all others, who teach into the Kirke of Chriſt: whatſoeuer doctrine they teach, let them not onelyonly bee ſpeakers, but doers of that which they teach: otherwayes they will deſtroy more with their life, than they are able to build vp with their doctrine.
In the next verſe, hee concludeth all this, and ſetteth downe the end of his exhortation: Theſe thinges hauehave I ſpoken to you, thay my joye might abide in you, and that your joye might bee full: All is for your weale, that ye may be repleniſhed with joy: all mine exhortations tend to your joy. The end of Chriſt is joy: indeed hee beginneth with a ſadneſſe and heauineſſe: Learne how yee ſhall come to him: the firſt ſtep by the which the ſinner commeth to Chriſt, is by repentance, by the ſight of ſinne, and that bringeth ſadneſſe vvith it: but frae once the ſinner hath gotten that ſight of Chriſt, then the heart is full of joy, and departeth with joy: and all the ſpeach the Lord ſpeaketh to a ſinner, is to put joye into the heart of the ſinner: whatſoeuer diſpleaſure the ſinner hath in the meane time, yet all is for this, that in the ende hee ſhould rejoyce: And the ende of the ſpeaches hee ſpeaketh to his Diſciples, exhorting them to that vnion, and good workes, and louelove, and obedience, and ſocietie, and communion with Chriſt, is joye: Good workes bring joye in the ende: The louelove of Chriſt filleth the heart vvith joye: there was neuer the like of it, eſſay it and ſee: louelove the Lord, and thou ſhalt finde ſuch a joye, as the worlde knoweth not: louelove Chriſt, and thou ſhalt hauehave a good conſcience: and a good conſcience bringeth with it joye, reſt, and peace. So the ende of all is joye to the heart of a ſinner: the vnion with Chriſt bringeth with it an vnſpeakeable joy. Reade 1. John, 1. verſ. 4. After he hath beene ſpeaking of the communion with the Father, and the Sonne, hee ſubjoyneth, Theſe things write I vntounto you, that your ioye might bee full. And if wee bee not in ſocietie with that bleſſed Trinitie, wee hauehave no matter of ioye: and therefore we ſhould euer ſtriue to get a communion with that bleſſed Trinitie, for therein ſtandeth the happineſſe of man.
Nowe to marke the wordes more narrowly, hee tearmeth it firſt, His joye: then hee tearmeth it, Their joye: ſo it is both the ioye of Chriſt, and alſo of his Diſciples, but in diuerſe reſpectes: It is the ioye of Chriſt, becauſe hee is the giuer of it: all ioye proceedeth of Ieſus Chriſt: It is our ioye, becauſe it belongeth to vsus, and is giuen vsus. So then, what is the ioye of a Chriſtian man? Learne it heere, It is nothing but the participation of that heauenly ioye that is in God: God is full of ioye, and his whole nature is ioye: the ioye that one hath, who belieueth in Chriſt, is a part of that diuine nature, 2. Epiſt. of Peter, Chap. 1. verſ. 4. of that ioye that paſſeth all vnderſtanding: there is the felicitie of man, to get apart of that infinite ioye.
The Philoſophers diſputed much about the felicitie of man: ſome of them placed it in pleaſure: the generall is not euill, but here they failed, that they placed it in a beaſtly pleaſure: Indeede it ſtandeth in the participation of that ioye of God, begun in this life, and perfected in the Heauen, when wee ſhall ſee Chriſt Ieſus face to face. The ioy we hauehave here is mingled with ſorrow, and for one ioyfull houre, we hauehave aye ten ſad: but then all teares ſhall be wiped away from our eyes, when God ſhall bee all in all, and ſhall be filling the ſoules of his owne with ioye.
In the next verſe, hee commeth to the other grounde of good works: The louelove to man, the firſt was the louelove of God: thinke not: that thou canſt doe a good thing, and if thou louelove not thy neighbour. The wordes are, This is my Commandement, That yee louelove one another, as I hauehave loued you. LoueLove will not ſtand on one ſide onelyonly, but it muſt bee mutuall, otherwayes thou canſt not ſtand in that ſocietie either with God, or with man. Yee heard before this, of the Lord, If ye abide in my Commandements, ye ſhall abide in my louelove. So the louelove of Ieſus Chriſt, is to keep his Commandements. This Commandement is not ſo much the Cōmandement of the firſt Table, as the Cōmandement of the ſecond Table. The true touch-ſtone whereby is tried whether thou loueſt God or not, in thine heart, as is cōmanded in the firſt Table, is the louelove to thy neighbour, which is cōmanded in the ſecond Table: ſo that if thou wilt ſtand vp, & ſay, I louelove God, God will anſwere, Loueſt thou thy neighbour? & if …e find an hatred in thine heart to thy neighbour, he will anſwere, Thou loueſt me not. Hee who hateth his neighbour, hateth God. Well, let men continue on in murder, & wrongfull dealing, & ſtand vp, & ſay, We louelove God, they lie. Mark another thing: there appears here a wonderfull louelove the Lord beares to his members on earth: no tong can expreſſe it: That louelove the creature would vtter to him, he will hauehave it turned ouer on his members in the earth: I meane not as though the Lord would hauehave none of our louelove to himſelfe, or regarded it not, & ſo bade vsus louelove one another: No, for he deliteth exceedinglie to be loued by vsus: But that louelove wee beare to him, hee biddeth vsus kythe it on his members, and doe good to them. And what is the cauſe that the Lord biddeth vsus louelove his members? The Lord himſelfe is perfect: Our Head is full of all felicitie: but as for the members, they hauehave great need of things ſpirituall and temporal: So the Head is not to bee benefited by vsus: but the beſt member, though hee were a King, hath neede to be holpen, and the beggar may helpe him: And ſo, ſeeing He hath no need, he turneth the benefite of our louelove, ouer to vsus his members, who hauehave need therof. Dauid profeſſeth this, Pſal. 16. verſ. 2.3. Help me Lord, he ſaith. And leſt the Lord ſhould anſwere, What good canſt thou doe mee? he meeteth this, I cannot doe thee good: my well-doing extendeth not to thee: thou art all ſufficient: but, Lord, keepe mee to thy Sainctes on the earth: howbeit my good cannot helpe thee, yet, Lord, keepe me to thy Saincts. Farder, ye ſee he requireth mutuall louelove: for except louelove be mutuall, men cannot bee united: the members of that body are conjoyned with louelove: albeit thou bee loued, yet if thou louelove not againe, thou art not of the body.
When he hath exhorted them to louelove one another, hee ſetteth downe his owne example, As I hauehave loued you, eueryevery one of you louelove another. Seeing hee loued them ſo well, why ſhould not they louelove one another? As before when he exhorted them to louelove him, that is, to louelove God, hee laide downe before them his owne example; ſo now hee exhorteth them to louelove their neighbour by his example. Wee learne by this, the Lord Ieſus is the liuely example of all true louelove, either to God, or to man: and the example of the louelove of Chriſt is needefull to moue vsus to louelove man in this worlde: ſo that except we ſenſibly find that louelove of his in our heartes, there ſhall bee no ſpunke of true louelove to man in the heart: for why? all this louelove we beare to God, and to man, ariſeth vponupon the feeling of that louelove of Chriſt, ſhed abroad in our hearts: hee muſt warme our heartes by his louelove; and then ſhall ariſe the louelove of God, and of man: Except a man feele that God louelove him, hee cannot louelove: for our louelove is but a repercution of that louelove wherewith hee ſtriketh on our hearts.
Then in the next verſe, he layeth out the louelove he bare to them in the owne greatneſſe, and that by compariſon: No man can hauehave a greater louelove than this, that he lay downe his life for his friend: but I hauehave laide downe my life for you: there yee ſee what a louelove I beare to you. The greateſt token of louelove in the worlde, is, when a man is content to lay downe his life for another. Indeede it is a great token of louelove, when a tender friende will laye downe his life for his friend. Rom. 5. verſ. 7. Scarcely will a man lay downe his life for the juſt: but when a man will be content to giuegive his life for his enemy, that is a greater token of louelove: there is not ſuch a token of louelove in the worlde, as this.
Nowe to come to Ieſus Chriſt: The Lord Ieſus died not for his friends: he had neuer a friend in the world, till he died; and by his death he purchaſed friends: No man euer loued the Lord Ieſus, but by vertue of his death. Looke the fift Chap. to the Rom. verſ. 8. This commendeth his louelove, that hee died for vsus, ſinners, and enemies to him. There was neuer ſuch a louelove, as the louelove of Chriſt to man, who ſuffered ſo ſhamefull a death in the body, and ſo great anguiſh in conſcience. Indeede all men will ſay in worde, that that louelove was wonderfull: but all the difficultie is to feele in the heart the greatneſſe of the louelove of Chriſt, and to apprehende it. Except there be ſome ſenſe in the heart, the heart is but ſicke, and euill diſpoſed: And therefore this was a point of Pauls prayer for the Epheſians, Chap. 3. verſ. 18.19. Hee prayeth for them on his knees to God, that the Epheſians, being rooted and grounded in louelove▪ might be able to comprehend, with all the Saincts, what the hope is of his calling, and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Sainctes, and what is the breadth, what is the length, what is the infinitneſſe of the louelove of Chriſt, that yee may knowe the louelove of Chriſt, which paſſeth all vnderſtanding. There is no ſaluation without that ſenſe: no peace, no reſt, no joy: for of all things vnderunder the Heauen, wee ſhould ſeeke to feele it the moſt, and ſaye, Lord, as thou haſt loued mee, ſo let mee feele it. If thou wouldeſt, feele this louelove, get an aſſurance that the Lord hath died for thee, when thou waſt a ſinner; for therevpon ſhall riſe ſuch a ſenſe in thy heart, as thou neuer felt before: Firſt feele that thou waſt condemned to die vnderunder ſinne and the law: then get an aſſurance that hee died for thee, and ſhed his blood that thou mighteſt bee free. That ſinfull woman, who waſhed the Lordes feet with her teares, and dried them with the haires of her head, and kiſſed his feete, and anointed them with oyntment, was filled with the ſenſe of the louelove of Ieſus Chriſt: Except the louelove of Ieſus Chriſt had looſed the heart of her, ſhee had not had one teare: Shee was a great ſinner: and hee ſayeth, Becauſe much is forgiuen her, ſhee loueth me the better, Luke, 7. verſ. 47. The moe ſinnes that are forgiuen a ſinner, when be getteth this ſenſe, that Chriſt died for him, he wil louelove him the better. Rom. 5. verſ. 5. Paul ſayeth, The louelove of God in Chriſt is ſhed out into the heart: ere euer that louelove be ſhed out, the blood of Chriſt muſt bee ſhed out, and the heart muſt gripe to his death, and bee waſhen with his blood, and bathed in it: and when the ſinner feeleth that, then floweth that ſweetneſſe of his louelove; and there is a mutuall louelove betwixt the heart of the ſinner, and Ieſus Chriſt; and the ſinner will feele ſuch an exceeding louelove, that he will defie all the world, as Paul ſayth, Rom. 8. verſ. 35. The Diſciples might hauehave ſaid, We ſee thou doeſt for thy friendes, and ſheweſt a great louelove to thy friends: are we thy friends? The Lord meeteth this, Yee are my friendes; but vnderunder this condition, If ye louelove mee, and doe my will, ye are my friendes. Surely when wee heare ſuch conditions as theſe, That the Lord hath laide downe his ſoule for his friends, we ſhould ſearch to know, if we be of that number, and ſhould ſay to our hearts, I ſee the Lord hath died for his friendes, am I one of the friendes of Ieſus Chriſt? There is no life without his death: and he died for none, but for his friends: and eueryevery one of you who heareth me this day, ſhould trie your ſelues, if yee bee the friendes of the Lord: Yee ſhall knowe it by this, if yee bee his friends, ye ſhall not be fectleſſe. What ſerueth a fectleſſe profeſsion for in the mouth, whē the heart is contrarious? What ſerueth ſucha a friend for, as is a friend in the mouth, & a foe in the heart? Look if thou haſt an heart bent to doe his will: take heede to thy tong, and to the motions of thine heart, that they bee ſanctified: and if thy tong be ſoule, and thine hand be bathed with murder, if thou ſeeſt this, thine heart will teſtifie to thee, that thou haſt nothing to doe with Chriſt; the louelove of Chriſt hath nothing adoe with thee; but that carcage of thine, and that ſoule of thine, ſhall bee dragged to Hell, if thou abide in that eſtate: But if thou finde in ſome meaſure a delite to pleaſure him, who hath pleaſured thee, & died for thee: (Fie on him▪ who will not ſtriue to pleaſure him!) If thou find in ſome meaſure good actions fall out of thine hand, then thou mayeſt hauehave a good conſcience, and the heart will get a piece of that reſt and peace which paſſeth all vnderſtanding: When a creature ſeeth, that hee hath beene doing nothing all day but euill, ſleepe as thou wilt, and wake as thou wilt, thou haſt the curſe of God vponupon thee.
Bleſſed is the man who hath good workes, for they are tokens vntounto him, that hee is ſealed vp in the blood of Chriſt. Wee muſt not gather out of this place, that becauſe we were friends to Ieſus, therefore hee died for vsus: for by the contrary, becauſe hee died for vsus, therefore he made vsus his friends. Hee had neuer a friend, till by his death hee acquired them. And if thou finde the force of his death in thee, thou muſt bee his friende, and muſt preaſſe to pleaſure him: To whome, with the Father, and Holy Spirite, bee all prayſe, honour, and glory, for euermore.
AMEN.