Twenty-Five Lectures Upon the Lords Last Sermon and Conference, Lecture 17
THE XVII. LECTVRE, OF CHRISTS PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION.
IOHN, CHAP. xvii. VERS. 1.
THeſe thinges ſpake Ieſus, and lift vp his eyes to Heauen, and ſaide, Father, that houre is come: glorifie thy Sonne, that thy Sonne alſo may glorifie thee.
WEE heard (Welbeloued in the Lord Ieſus Chriſt) the large Sermon which the Lord hath to his Diſciples, from the beginning of the fourteenth Chapter of this Goſpel, to this preſent Chap. which is the ſeuenteenth. Now in the ſeuenteenth Chap. he endeth his Sermon, with an earneſt Prayer to the Father. For the better vnderſtanding of this Prayer, wee hauehave to know thus farre, The Lord Ieſus, when he was in this world, manifeſted in the fleſhe, abiding amongſt the Iewes, and conuerſant with his Diſciples; he abode amongſt them as an high Prieſt: that eternall high Prieſt, of whome all the high Prieſtes amongſt the Iewes, before his comming, were onelyonly but types and figures: and when he came, he put an end to all the types, being the very bodie it ſelfe. Nowe as it became the high Prieſt to make interceſſion for the people; ſo he being high Prieſt, made interceſsion for his own people. The interceſsion which the Lord made for his owne, conſiſteth in two points; to wit, in prayer, and in offering vp of a ſacrifice. Then, as for the firſt part of this interceſsion, when the Lord was in the world, he prayed continually for the people; hee neuer ceaſed night nor daye from prayer. As for the other part of his interceſsion, when he had bene in the world awhile, at the laſt hee offereth vp that ſweete Sacrifice of his owne body to the Father; and ſo hee putteth an ende to all thoſe ſacrifices, which were but types of him the true Sacrifice. As for the Prayers whereby the Lord interceded betwixt God and man, they were manie, and made at ſundry times: But amongſt all the reſt, it may bee eaſilie ſeene, that this prayer in this Chapter was one of the moſte excellent and ſo it hath pleaſed the holy Spirite to regiſter this Prayer eſpecially, and to recommend it to the poſteritie, to the end of the worlde. Firſt, this Prayer is no able, in reſpect of the time in the which hee made it: it was euen about that time, when hee offered himſelfe vp to the Father. Next, in reſpect of the vſe, it is notable, becauſe by this prayer he did conſecrate and dedicate that bleſſed Sacrifice to the Father: for ſacrifices were dedicated to Go… by prayer. Thirdly, in reſpect of the ſubject and matter of it: for as ye may ſee in the Chapter it ſelfe, firſt the Lord prayeth for himſelfe, and for that eternall glory which he had with the Father from all eternity: the faireſt thing, and the greateſt matter that euer was, was that which hee prayed for: and this hee doeth in the firſt fiue Verſes. Then he commeth on, and prayeth for his Diſciples, which he ſhould leaue behinde him in the worlde, that the Lord would take the cuſtody of them, after his Aſcenſion vntounto the Heauens, and would preſerue them from all perill: and this hee doeth from the fifth Verſe, to the twenty: And laſt, hee prayeth for the whole Kirke, for life euerlaſting, and juſtification: and this he doeth to the ende of this Chapter: So yee s;ee, it is a notable ſubiect. Laſt of all, will ye looke to the force of this Prayer, yee ſhall ſee the excellencie of it: The force was not for the preſent, or for a time; but the force of it abideth continually, to the ende of the worlde. And this ſame Prayer is a meane, whereby all men and women, who are ſafe, and ſhall bee ſafe, to the ende of the world, obtaine ſaluation: And ſo this Prayer may bee well called, A ground, wherevpon the Kirke ſtandeth. And as our ſaluation ſtandeth on the Sacrifice of Ieſus Chriſt, ſo it ſtandeth on that Prayer that was offered to his Father.
But to come to the Text, When Jeſus (ſayeth John the writer of the Goſpel) had ſpoken theſe thinges, hee lifted vp his eyes to the Heauen, and he ſaid as followeth. This is the entrie to the Prayer, wherein Iohn firſt concludeth the Sermon which the Lord made to his Diſciples: When Ieſus had ſpoken theſe thinges to his Diſciples. Then hee proponeth the Prayer that followeth, Hee lifted vp his eyes to Heauen, and ſaid. There is the propoſition of the Prayer. In the propoſition he noteth narrowly the behauiour of Chriſt in his Prayer: Hee lifted vp his eyes to Heauen. So in the eleuenth Chapter of this Goſpel, he noteth this behauiour in praying, when hee thanketh his Father, that he heard him: before he raiſe … Lazarus from the dead, he lifted vp his eyes to Heauen.
Nowe, Brethren, to ſpeake of geſture in Prayer, it needeth not much: will ye reade the Scriptures, yee ſhall reade theſe geſtures to bee in prayer: Firſt, Godly men hauehave humbled themſelues before that Majeſty: (It becommeth the beſt of vsus all to bow vsus before God:) They ſignified by the bowing of their knees, the humbling of the heart. Offer not, if ye hauehave a proude heart, to come before that Throne. Then they were wont to hauehave their handes, and their eyes, lift vp to the Heauens; that ſignified the lifting vp of the eye of the ſoule to God, to looke to him▪ and to ſee him thorowe all theſe cloudes, and theſe viſible heauens, to come to that light that hath none acceſſe: and this agreeth with the other. There are many who ſhall ſee Heauen, but with an humbled heart: when the heart is humbled, and brought lowe, then it is conuoyed thorowe theſe heauens, euen to that light of God. It becommeth all Chriſtians to bee humbled on their knees, and to lift vp their eyes to Heauen: but all ſtandeth in the heart. What recks of the outward diſpoſition, if the ſoule be not heauenly diſpoſed? If it hauehave a ſenſe of Heauen, then the outwarde geſture will followe, then wee will bowe our knees, and humble vsus before that Maieſty. An humbled heart will fall downe, but a proude ſinner, who is not touched with a ſenſe of his ſinnes, will hardly bow his knee.
Nowe wee come to the Prayer: firſt hee maketh his petition for himſelfe: and why not? the moſt precious thing in the worlde is the glory of Ieſus Chriſt: Hee ſayeth, Father, glorifie thy Sonne. There is his petition. Marke the ſtyle: it is a very warme and hearty ſtile that he giueth him, ſpeaking familiarly to God: the heart of him warmeth ſweetly with him, and as a Sonne, he calleth him Father. The ſtile which he giueth him, vttereth, that he had a ſenſe of that fatherly louelove and affection towards him. While as he nameth him Father, hee vttereth that Sonly affection and louelove that hee bare to him: A Sonly louelove, craueth a Fatherly louelove, and conciliateth a Fatherly affection from Heauen. Why ſhould we not ſtriue to be like the Lord Ieſus, and in Prayer chiefly? Woulde any man or woman finde the Fatherly affection of God? Would they hauehave that louelove that Fathers beare to their Children? Let them vtter in Prayer that affection that a Sonne or a Daughter ſhoulde hauehave to their Father. If thou wouldeſt hauehave the Fatherly louelove of God, (the ſweeteſt thing in the worlde,) looke that the Names which thou glueſt him, teſtifie, that thou loueſt him, as a deare Childe loueth his Parentes: and looke aye wee pray with that Spirite, which is the Spirite of Adoption, that teſtifieth to our ſoules, that wee are adopted to bee the Sonnes and Daughters of God: for it is that Spirite, that giueth libertie to the heart, and openeth the mouth, and cauſeth thee (as the Apoſtle ſayeth,) to crie, Abba, Father. And if thou hauehave not this holie Spirite of Adoption, and if that Spirite open not thine heart, and lowſe thy tongue, call him Father as thou wilt, hee is nothing elſe to thee, but a terrible Iudge, to take vengeance on thee, and thou art nothing els but a ſlaue to him, and not a Sonne. Looke aye therefore, that thou hauehave that Spirite, that ſhall teſtifie to thee, that thou art not the childe of wrath, but that thou art bought with the blood of Ieſus Chriſt: and when thou feeleſt that Spirite within thee, thou ſhalt finde moſt ſweete and comfortable motions, yea, motion vponupon motion riſing in thine heart.
As hee calleth him Father, ſo hee calleth himſelfe his Sonne: hee ſayeth not, Father, glorifie mee: but, Father, glorifie thy Sonne. Euen as the firſt ſtile conciliateth the louelove of the Father to the Sonne, ſo this ſtile reconciliateth the louelove of the Sonne to the Father. So, Brethren, let all the ſtiles wee vſe in prayer to God, ſauour of the louelove we hauehave to God: whether wee name God, or call him Father, let that ſtile ſmell of that ſonly louelove we beare to God: or whether wee ſtile our ſelues to God, let that ſtile ſhew the louelove wee beare to God: and then, when theſe two affections meete, our affection going vp to him to the Heauens, and his ſweete affection comming downe to vsus, there is the tendereſt and ſweeteſt meeting that euer was: and bee aſſured, and if it were but a little affection that thou beareſt towardes him, hee will meete it with an infinite louelove: yea, hee will ſende downe, out of the Heauens, by his holie Spirite, ſuch louelove to thy ſoule, as the tongue of no creature can expreſſe. HaueHave yee not experience of this, that the louelove that the LORD beareth to vsus, in JESƲS CHRJST, is the ſweetest thing that euer was? The LORD hath giuen vsus leaue to bee homelie with him through CHRIST: and they who want CHRJST, dare not bee homelie. The Pagans and the Iewes, who denie the LORD JESƲS, hauehave not this familiaritie with GOD. Through JESƲS CHRIST wee hauehave this wonderfull libertie to come to GOD, and call him Father.
But to come to the matter: Father, ſayeth hee, glorifie thy Sonne. Th…n, what is it that he ſeeketh of the Father? He ſeeketh glorie: He hath bene humbled exceedingly, and layde downe: the tongue of man nor Angell cannot tell howe lowe the Lord was layde, ſo being humbled at the pleaſure of the Father: nowe when hee hath neare finiſhed the worke which hee ſhould hauehave done, hee ſeeketh againe his owne glory, and good reaſon were: he ſayth, Glorifie me, Father, with that glory which I had with thee from all eternitie. The Sonne with the Father ha… equall glorie. Paul, in the Epiſtle to the Philippians, Chap. 2. verſ 6.7.8.9. hath a notable place to this purpoſe, and hee pointeth out three thinges of Chriſt in that place: Firſt, hee letteth vsus ſee the glorie which hee ha… before hee came into the world: Secondly, he letteth vsus ſee how hee humbled himſelfe to the Father: And thirdly, hee letteth vsus ſee how hee recouered againe that glory which hee ha… from all eternity: as comfortable a place of Ieſus Chriſt, as is in all the Scripture. This then was his glory, when as hee was in the forme of God, hee thought it no robbery ſo to be equall with God, for he was equall with his Father in glory in all reſpects. Then hee telleth vsus of his humiliation, But he himſelfe, of his free will, made himſelfe of no reputation. At the will of the Father, the Sonne of God commeth downe from the Heauen, and layeth downe that glory, and taketh vponupon him the vile habite of a ſeruant: the habit of man, that is the next degree: and being in the habit of man, he is made obedient to the death, the vildeſt death that could bee, an accurſed death, the death of the Croſſe: & this was all done at the pleaſure of the Father. Laſt, he commeth to the recouery of this glory, God exalted him in a wonderfull ſublimenes & highnes, & he gaue him a name aboue all names, that at the Name of IESVS all knees ſhould bee bowed, of all things in Heauen, and in earth, and vnderunder the earth, and that all tongues ſhould confeſſe that IESVS was the Lord, to the glory of the Father. In the firſt to the Epheſ. alſo hee ſpeaketh of this his glory, ſaying, He raiſed him vp from the dead, he placed him at his right hand in the Heauens, farre aboue all empire, principality, and power, and he ſubjected all things vnderunder his feet, and hee made him head ouer all, euen ouer the Kirke it ſelfe. Whoſe heart is able to tell the glory that the Lord Ieſus, who was ſo farre humbled, got after his humiliation? I recommend often theſe places to you: for if we louelove our Sauior, it ſhould be our joy to reade of the glory and exaltation of him, which he hath in our fleſh: for his glory, is our glory: and as he was exalted, ſo ſhall we be. What glory is this which he ſeeketh? The Lord Ieſus is very God & verie man. Now whether ſeekes he the glory of the Godhead, which dwelt in him bodily, as Paul ſaith, Col. 2. verſ. 9. or the glory of the humane nature, or the glorie of them both? The anſwere is eaſie: The Lord Ieſus is that eternall high Prieſt, and Mediatour betwixt God and man: And as hee is Mediatour, being both God and man, no doubt, he ſeeketh at the Father, the glorifying of both the natures: The glorifying of the Sonne of God, as he was equall with the Father, to be reſtored to him againe: and the glorifying of the humane nature, to be giuen him of new, which hee had not afore: but principally the glory of the Godhead, Glorifie mee with that glorie, ſaieth hee, which J had with thee from all eternitie. So chiefely hee ſeeketh the glory of the Sonne of God, that glory he had from all eternity: for why? As yee heard, Philipp. 2.6. the Sonne of God had paſſed farre, and layde downe that glory which hee had with the Father: therefore Ieſus ſought the glory of the Godhead. As for the glory of the manhood, it is but the conſequence of the other. What is the glory of the manhood, vntounto the glory of the great God? The glory of the nature of man in Chriſt, is nothing but the beames of that glory which commeth from the Godhead. The glory of the nature of man in Ieſus Chriſt, howbeit it paſſeth all the glory of Angels and man, is nothing in reſpect of that glory of God, which dwelleth in Ieſus Chriſt. To tell this more plainely, wee ſee howe the glory of God vttered it ſelfe in Chriſt, when that bleſſed body was in the graue, and when hee was lying earthed cloſed in a Tombe, then that glorious God beginneth to vtter himſelfe: for God left him neuer, but kept him ſtill in the graue, that he corrupted not: and the firſt thing hee doeth, hee raiſeth vp the dead bodie out of the graue: and when hee raiſed that bodie, hee carrieth it vp to the Heauens, and ſetteth it at the right hand of the Father, & that glorious Godhead ſhal vtter it ſelfe in conuoying that bodie, at the terrible day of judgement, and ſhall ſet down that man Chriſt in the aire, as a Iudge, to judge both the quicke and the dead. As in the firſt to the Romanes, hee declared that he was the Sonne of God mightilie, in that hee roſe from the dead. So that Godhead declared it ſelfe, that it left him not after this life was exſpired, but raiſed him from corruption.
Then hee commeth to his argumentes to mooue his Father: the firſt is, Father, the houre is come, therefore, Father, glorifie thy Sonne, the houre of death appointed from all eternitie, that I ſhould offer vp the Sacrifice for the redemption of man▪ ſeeing this death approacheth neare, let glorie follow that ignominious death: my death will bee verie offenſiue, both to the multitude, and to my Diſciples: as hee ſaide, This night yee will all bee offended at mee: and, as hee would ſay, O my Father, leaue mee not in that ignominious death: but out of death, raiſe mee to glorie. Chriſt Ieſus, all the time that hee was in the worlde, the onlie thing which he ſought, was the glorie of Heauen: for our life ſtandeth in that Reſurrection: And if CHRIST had not beene rayſed, ſayeth Paul, all our preaching ſhould bee in vaine, and yee ſhould lie ſtill in your ſinnes. So, during all the time that hee was in this worlde, this was aye his prayer to his Father: and chiefelie, when hee ſawe the houre of death, hee was inſtant and earneſt in ſeeking that glorie, Wee may learne heere a leſſon: The nearer and the nearer wee are to death, (deceiue not our ſelues, with a falſe life,) the more earneſt wee ſhould bee with GOD, that hee would giuegive vsus life: and men and women, as they growe in age and drawe nearer death, they ſhould bee the more inſtant to ſeeke life: and when they growe to graye haires, (it is a great ſhame to ſee an olde bodie prophane,) they ſhould prepare themſelues for the houre of death: for death is a dangerous thing, death is not to bee jeſted with. All men will ſay, I will die: but if thou dieſt once, woe is to thee, if thou getteſt not life: for why? death is a port, whereby wee either paſſe to that euerlaſting death, or then to euerlaſting life: Looke for no Purgatorie: when as the ſoule is looſed from the bodie, it ſeeth an horrible darkneſſe, if in this preſent life it had not a fore-taſting of a better life. Therefore during the time of grace, when … wee hauehave ſpace in our life, let vsus ſeeke that life of Heauen▪ not on…ie in our olde age, but euen in our youthhood, we ſhould caſt vsus to ſeek life: and happie is that young bodie, that entereth into that race to life, and aye goeth forwardes, with the Apoſtle Paul, neuer ſitting downe, but aye ſtriuing to apprehende that Butte and Marke, which is the Crowne of glorie in IESƲS CHRIST. Whether thou bee man or woman, happie art thou who lookeſt for that life, and ſayeſt, before the death drawe neare, I muſt flitte. So, during this life heere, wee ſhoulde aye groane to feele that life, and faſten heart and hande to finde that life: but then chiefely, when we are drawing neare the doore of death: and daylie we gette manie warnings to flitte, and remooue out of this life: And the Lord ſayeth by theſe ſickneſſes and calamities, Flitte, flit: but then greedily wee ſhould gripe to Ieſus Chriſt, and faſten to him, who is life: and if wee gette a gripe of him, that death, which is terrible otherwayes, it will bee turned to a ſweet ſleepe. Paul ſayeth, Thoſe who ſleepe in him, he ſhall rayſe them vp: there death is but a ſweete ſleepe. Woe to them that hauehave no gripe of Chriſt! for at the laſt houre death ſhall bee terrible vntounto them. Euen as I beganne, ſo I ende: Thinke not lightlie of death: and if thou beſtoweſt thy life, looke that thou beſtowe it well, and for a good cauſe: and if thou flitteſt, and if thou changeſt this houſe of claye, bee ſure that thou gette a better: and if this tabernacle of the bodie bee diſſolued, bee thou aſſured in thy ſoule, that thou ſhalt bee cloathed with the glorie of Ieſus Chriſt. Paul, in the ſeconde Epiſt. to the Corinthians, and the fifth Chapter, was ſure of this, after the diſſolution of his bodie from the ſoule: when as hee ſayeth, I knowe perfectlie, if once the earthlie houſe of this tabernacle were diſſolued, I ſhall gette a lodging, not made with the handes of men, but eternall in the Heauens. Before yee flitte out of an houſe heere, yee will bee ſure of another to dwell in. O foole! art thou ſo wiſe in the thinges of this worlde, and art not ſure to bee cloathed with that building of the Heauens? Therefore, before thou loſeſt this life, ſee howe thou beſtoweſt it, and ſee that thou dieſt in a good cauſe, and looke that thou hauehave a gripe of Ieſus Chriſt: and if thou wouldeſt die, giuegive this life to him, who is able to giuegive thee a better life. And ſeeing the time of triall draweth neare, for ought we ſee, and the time will declare, who will die with Ieſus Chriſt, and offer their liues vp to him, the Lord giuegive euerie one of vsus grace to die for Ieſus Chriſt: and ſaye in thy ſelfe, Lord, if it ſhall pleaſe thee to bring on that triall, prepare mee to giuegive thee this life, which thou haſt giuen mee; for I knowe aſſuredlie, that I ſhall receiue a better of thee. Well is the ſoule which is this wayes prepared! And well is them who die for the cauſe of Ieſus Chriſt, for this glorious Goſpel! And woe is them who die in the contrarie parte!
The ſecond argument is, That thy Sonne may glorifie thee alſo. This is the reaſon: If thou glorifie mee, Father, I ſhall glorifie thee: for the knowledge of thee ſtandeth in the knowledge of mee: if the worlde ſee not mee, they cannot glorifie thee. If the creature ſee not the glorie of the Sonne, hee will neuer ſee the Father. Yee ſee a ſweete meeting heere, betwixt the Father and the Sonne: howe euerie one of them joyneth together in glorie: the Father, who is the Fountaine of all glorie, beginneth, and communicateth his glorie, with the Sonne and the holie Spirite: the Father hath not his glorie of them, but he beginneth, and communicateth his glorie with the Sonne and the holie Spirit: & the glorie of the Sonne and the holie Spirit, redoundeth backe againe to the Father. And that glorious Trinitie deliteth in glorifying one another: for the glorie commeth from the Father, vponupon the Sonne, and from the Sonne, to the holie Spirit: and back againe, from the holie Ghoſt to the Sonne, & from the Sonne to the Father: euen as the Sunne maketh reflexe from a mirrour towardes himſelfe againe. No words are able to expreſſe this, for it is a thing incomprehenſible to ſee that glorie betwixt the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghoſt. The conſideration of this woulde confounde all the creatures, both men and Angels; howe the Father putteth on the beames of his glorie vponupon the Sonne, and from the Sonne to the holie Spirit: and then it cōmeth about from the holie Spirit, and ſtriketh on the Son, & on the Father. Of this we are not capable, nor no Angel can ſufficientlie conſider the deepnes of this glorie: yet wee may knowe, that all glorie commeth of the Father, and paſſeth on the Sonne, and on the holie Spirit: and, as it were, in a circle, the beames of that glorie commeth backe againe, glancing on the Father: and the glorie of the Father is not diminiſhed, but euer hee remaineth infinitelie glorious: and the Sonne, and the holie Spirite, are nothing inferiour in power, majeſtie, or glorie, vntounto the Father: for they differ nothing, except in order: The Father is firſt, and the Sonne is the ſeconde perſon of the glorious Trinitie, begotten of the Father: and the bleſſed holie Spirite, the thirde perſon, proceedeth of the Father, and the Sonne, all alike glorious. Nowe I will leaue this: There is euen ſuch a meeting betwixt God and man, in a manner: for all the glorie which wee hauehave, commeth of the Father: for what is the glory of a King, but a little ſmall beame of that infinite glorie? So the glorie of the creature redoundeth to God. Looke to the Heauen, and to the Earth; there is great glorie in them: yet the glorie of them ſhall all come to him againe: and Heauen and Earth ſhall periſh, ere he want a jote of his glorie. Rom. 11. By him, thorow him, and to him, are all thinges. So that to him redoundeth all glorie: in ende all commeth home againe till him, as in a circle.
And marke this: he ſaith not this, That thou mayſt be glorified in the Sonne: but, That the Sonne may glorifie the Father. If anie man hath gotten a ſparke of that glorie, let him not thinke, that that glorie ſhall onelie come backe againe to God, but let him bee the conuoyer of it: and let him ſay, yea, if he bee a King, who hath gotten a Crowne, Lord, I wil take this Crowne, and with as good will as thou haſt giuen it to mee, will I giuegive it to thee againe: for wee hauehave nothing but that which commeth from this God: And ſo, if thou hadſt nothing but this life, ſay, Now, Lord, with as good will as I gotte it, with as good will, will I render it to thee: otherwayes hee will bee glorified in thee whatſoeuer thou doeſt, doe what thou canſt; but thy life ſhall bee turned into death, and thine honour into ſhame and ignominie. Therefore, whenſoeuer it pleaſeth him to ſeeke our liues, euen with heart and good will we ſhould render them vntounto him: for if he take them from vsus, he will giuegive vsus life euerlaſting: and if hee take a Crowne from a King, hee will giuegive him the Crowne of life euerlaſting. And if hee take this worldly riches from thee, hee will giuegive thee that rich treaſure of glory in Ieſus Chriſt: and ſo with all other worldly things: but if we giuegive them not with good will, he will take them from vsus, & wil giuegive them to others, and we ſhall get ſhame and ignominie. So, in deſpite of thine heart, God ſhall be glorified, in whatſoeuer thing hee beſtoweth on thee. Therefore let eueryevery one of vsus, whatſoeuer wee receiue of God, bee ſo diſpoſed, that if it pleaſe God to hauehave our life, riches, or whatſoeuer commodities of this world, we render all vntounto God willingly: as Job ſaieth, The Lord giueth, the Lord taketh, bleſſed bee the Name of the Lord. As hee would ſay, I hauehave gotten all from thee, and I will giuegive all to thee againe. What got Iob for rendring all to the Lord? He gaue him the double. Euen ſo, thou ſhalt get the double. Nowe the Lord prepare vsus to offer vp this life willingly vntounto him, and to ſpende it thankfully for his glory and ſeruice, being aſſured, that wee ſhall gette a better life layde vp in the Heauens for vsus, through IESƲS CHRIST: To whom, with the FATHER, and the holie SPIRIT, bee all Prayſe, Honour, and Glorie, world without ende.
AMEN.