The Treasure of the Church, Lecture 1
The first Lecture, declaring the order and methode of this Chapter, with some speciall obseruations concerning prayer in generall.
THe prayer of our blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus in this Chapter cō prehended, is eyther concerning his owne glorification, from ve. 1. to verse 6. or as touching the confirmation of his Church, either then present, consisting of his Apostles, & other Disciples, from v. 6. to v. 20. or which was afterward to bee called by their preaching, from v. 20. to the end.
The summe of Christs prayer is for his glorification, which is expressed v. 1. v. 5. The reasons which our Sauiour vseth for this his request, are four, 1. à fine, from the end, v. 1. Glorifie thy Sonne, that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee. 2. à pari, from the like, v. 2. As thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh: and as power is giuen vntounto him, so also glory belongeth vntounto him. 3. à causa meritoria, from the meriting or deseruing cause, v. 4. I hauehave glorified thee on earth, and now glorifie mee: he was worthy of this glory which was due vntounto him. 4. ab aequo, from the equitie of it: it was his owne glory before the world was.
But before I descend to intreate particularly of this Scripture, or any part therof, there are three necessarie considerations first to be handled: two of them concerne Christs prayer in particular: first of the validitie and efficacie thereof; whose force and vertue extendeth to the worlds end: secondly, of the qualitie and difference betweene Christs prayer and ours, betweene Christs prayer then in the daies of his flesh, and the prayer or intercession of his Mediatorship now. The other point is, of the vse of Praier in generall, namely of the necessitie thereof.
First concerning the force and efficacy of our Lords prayer,Doctr. 1. it is euerlasting, it is not yet either extinct or slaked, but remaineth still, and shall till the worlds end: for though there are now sixteene hundred yeares well nie, since this praier was vttered by our Sauiour, yet the benefite thereof doth extend it selfe vntounto this age: for we also, as many as beleeue in Christ through the word of the Apostles, are comprehended in this praier, verse 20.
1 Thus the Apostle testifieth, that our Sauiour offered vp in the daies of his flesh, praiers and supplications with strong cries and teares, and was heard, Hebr. 5. 7. As he was heard in that zealous prayer which hee made in the Garden before his passion, whereof the Apostle there chiefly speaketh; so also he was heard in all other his praiers, Iohn 11. 42. I know thou hearest me alwaies: and especially in this praier, which he powreth forth in the behalfe of his vniuersall Church, then being, or which was to come.
2 If Abels voice spake after his death: (for by saith yet being dead hee speaketh, Heb. 11. 5.) much more doth the voice of Christ in this praier yet speake vntounto God, which as the Apostle saith, speaketh better things then the bloud of Abel, Hebr. 12. 24. If Abels voice was heard after his death crying for vengeance, much more Christs voice yet soundeth in the eares of GOD calling for merciemercy. Salomons praier, which he made at the dedication of the temple, 1. Kin. 8. did consecrate the temple to that holy vse, not during his time, but so long as the temple stood: for thus he praieth, v. 38. What prayer or supplication soeuer shall be made of any man, &c. and shall stretch forth his hands in this house, heare thou in heauen. If Salomons prayer did transferre the benefit thereof to the succeeding ages, much more auaileable is the power of Christ.
3 Then like as the Manna was laid vp in the Arke, though it was of it selfe but as a melting dew, which faded by the heate of the Sunne, yet by Gods blessing endured many hundred yeares: so the voyce of Christ,Plutarc. de garrulitat. though it were a transitorie sound, yet it hath a permanent force. The Grecians doe speake much of a certaine place of Olympia, which giueth seuen ecchoes or reflexions of one voice, which therefore they call foreign, of seuen voyces. But we may woorthily admire this prayer of Christ, which giueth not only seuen or seuenty seuen voices, but cōtinually sounds in the eares of God & reboundeth to vsus.
4 For the Preacher saith, Ecclesiast. 3. 12. I know, that whatsoeuer God doth shall bee for euer: and the Prophet saith, Psal. 119. 89. Thy word endureth for euer in heauen. This prayer therefore proceeding from the sonne of God, must needes be of an euerlasting force, as the Apostle saith. This man, because he endureth euer, hath an euerlasting priesthood. Hebr. 7. 24. Wherefore his prayer being an act of his priesthood, is also euerlasting.
5 Wherefore, this is much to the comfort of the Church of God, that this holy prayer of Christ is still in memorie with God: that like as they boldely come into the Princes presence, when their supplication is already offered, and their suit granted; so hauehave wee through the prayer of Christ bold accesse: his prayer maketh a way for our prayers, euen as the arke went before to diuide the waters of Iordan, and the people followed after, Iosua 3. 14. so hath Christ our Arke, Altar, Priest, and all, diuided a way for our prayers: he is the doore, and by him also a doore is opened to our prayers, as Ambrose well saith vponupon these words, Reue. 4. 1. I looked, and beholde a doore was opened in heauen: In L…c. ca. 11.apertum est igitur ostium Ioanni precanti, apertum est Paulo: A doore is opened to Iohn praying, a doore is opened to Paul.
… Secondly we are to consider first of the difference betweene the praiers of Christ,Doct. 2. and the praiers of his church: then of the diuersity betweene the praiers of Christ in the dayes of his flesh, and now in his glorious maiesty.
For the first:Difference betwixt the pr…uer… of Ch…st and of his members. 1. Christs prayer tendeth wholly to the good of his church; he hath no neede to pray for himselfe, as neither did hee offer vp sacrifice for himselfe, as the high Priest did, both for his owne sins, and then for the sins of the people, Hebr. 7. 27. for euen the prayer of Christ for his glorification is for the church, that they may behold his glorie, Iohn 17. 24. but the scope & end of our prayers is onelyonly for the release of our selues.
2. Christs prayer is perfect, without any doubting or wauering or any infirmity besides: for God is in him well pleased, Mat. 3. 17. but our praiers are imperfect: wee know not what to pray as wee ought, Rom. 8. 26.
3. Christs praiers are meritorious, as euerie other worke of his was: for the lamb that was killed, is worthie to receiue power. Reuel. 5. 14. but our prayers merite not: for when wee hauehave done all, we hauehave done nothing, but which was our duetie to do, Luke 17. 10.
4. Christ prayeth by himselfe, he needeth none other to pray by: but our praiers cannot bee accepted without a mediatour: yea the Apostle dare not presume to offer thankes vntounto God, but through Iesus Christ, Rom. 1. 8.
5. The prayer of Christ is the prayer not of a mortall man, but of one that is both God and man, who is inferiour to his father as he is man, but equall as he is God: who prayeth not as an inferiour, when he thus saith: Father, I will that they which thou hast giuen me, be with mee where I am, verse 24.
6. Our prayers, because they are weak and imperfect, had neede often to bee renewed: but this prayer of Christ being once made, hath an euerlasting force: as the Apostle speaketh of the offering of Christ, with one offering hath he consecrated for euer, them that are sanctified, Hebrews 10. 14.
Now hauing thus briefly shewed how the prayers of the head and members differ, let vsus consider likewise of the difference of Christs praiers:Christ praieth not in heauē now as he did in the earth. the apostle saith, that Christ euer liueth to make intercession for vsus, Hebr. 7. 25. But wee must not imagine, that Christ praieth now sitting at the right hand of God, as he did while he liued in earth: with sighes and groanes as at Lazarus graue, Iohn 11. 38. with criee and teares, as in the garden, Math. 26. 39. sometime lifting vp his eyes, Iohn 17. 1. falling vponupon his face, Marke 14. 35. sometime kneeling, Luke 22. 41. We must not thinke that Christ prayeth now after anie such manner, by bowi…g the knee, or making intreaty, or offering supplication to his father, as Augustine well saith, that these are the cogitations of carnal men, to imagine,Tract. 10…. in Ioann… tanquam, in alio loco patrem, in alio filium patri ast antem, pro nobis verba facere, That the father is as it were in one place, the sonne to stand by in an other speaking for vsus: and the Apostle, saying that Christ in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong cries, Hebrews 7. 5. sheweth that this manner of prayer vsed by Christ then in the dayes of his humiliation, doth not beseeme him now in the time of his exaltation: and our Sauiour himselfe saith, At that day ye shall aske in my name: and I say not vntounto you, that I will pray vntounto the father for you, Iohn 16. 26. that is, in such manner as he prayed in earth he shal not then neede to pray for vsus.
Wherefore to cleare this point: these three waies our Sauior is called our intercessour and mediatour: first, because the Lord for Christs sake, and together with him doth graunt vsus all things, Rom. 8. 32. and he hath promised, that whatsoeuer we aske the father in his name, he will giuegive it vsus, Iohn …6. 23.
Secondly, Christ maketh intercession for vsus, non vòce, sed miseratione, not by his voyce, but in compassion and merciemercy, in continuall succouring of his members, & relieuing our necessities: and therefore he is called by the Apostle, a mercifull and a faithfull high Priest, Hebr. 2. 17. that is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, Hebr. 4 15. Wherefore in this sense also, because he alwayes willeth and desireth our good,How Christ is the Mediatour of his church and doth send continuall succour and reliefe to his members, he is worthily called our Mediator: for his wil and desires and his fathers are all one; & in that the Lord God the father of our Lord Iesus performeth the will and desire of his sonne toward vsus: as where he prayeth, Ioh… 17. 24. I will that they which thou hast giuen mee bee with me, &c. herein doth his mediation and intercession consist.
Thirdly, the Apostle saith, He is entred into the heauen to appeare in the sight of God for vsus, Heb. 9. 14. The very appearing then of Christ in his humane flesh before God in the heauen…, is his intercession for vsus: the presence of his humanitie, the exhibiting of his glorious bodie,How Christ appe…eth before God for vsus. the remembrance of his obedience, the force of his passion, is an effectuall mediation with God the Father for vsus: there needs no other supplication or request making. This Daniel saw in vision, one like to the sonne of man come in the heauens &c. and they brought him before the auncient of daies, Daniel 7. 13. The very approching of Christ to his father, and exhibiting of his flesh in his glorious presence, is our sufficiēt mediation. As the Lord saith concerning the bowe in the cloud, that I may see it and remember my couenant, Genesis 9. 16. so the very seeing of this mightie Angell, which is cloathed with a cloud, and the Rainbowe vponupon his head, Reu. 10. 1. brings to Gods remembraunce the euerlasting Couenant made with vsus in Christ. To this purpose Gregorie well saith,Lib 22. mo…al. cap. 13. Vnigenito filio Deum …ro homi… interpellare, est apud coaeternum patrem seipsum hominem demonstrare: For the onelyonly begotten sonne to pray vntounto God for man, is to shew himselfe before his eternall father to bee man.
This trueth then concerning the manner of Christs mediation reprooueth the blind superstition of the papists, who hauehave these fond speculatiōs, of Mary her shewing her breasts to her sonne, & Christ his wounds to his father: these are their words Securum habes O homo accessum ad Deum, vbi pro te mater stat ante filium, filius ante patrem, mater ostendit filio pectus & vbera, filius patri latus & vulnera: nulla poterit esse repulsa, vbi tot sunt charitatis insigm…: O man, thou hast secure accesse vntounto God, where the mother stands before her sonne for thee, the sonne before his father, the mother sheweth her sonne her breasts, the sonne his father his side and wounds, there can be no repulse, where there are so many signes of louelove. These sond conceits and idle imaginations are not beseemi…g the glorious maieshe of Christ: and the Apostle speaketh otherwise, This man after he had offered one offering for sinnes, sitteth for euer at the right hand of God, Hebr. 10. 12. He sitteth as partaker of the same maistie, he standeth not or kneeleth in token of subiection or humilitie.
In the next place the necessitie of prayer is to be considered,Doctr. 3. which our Sau… our sheweth, where hee saith, Matth. 6. 33. Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof, and all things else shall bee ministred vntounto you: our principall seeking whereof is, 1. by prayer, as Mat. 7. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen you, seeke and ye shal find: seeking there is asking: this is that vnum necessariū, that one necessary thing, which Christ commended in Mary, Luke 10▪ 42. for she was occupied in hearing Christ, & in attending vponupon him: for what in the world can bee more necessarie, then to heare God speaking to vsus in his word, and to speake to him in prayer?
2 Dauid held this exercise so necessarie, that in the morning before all other things he preferred prayer, Psal. 5. 3. in the morning I will direct mee vntounto thee, and I will wait: hee preferred it before his sleepe, Psalme 119. 148. Mine eies preuent the night watches: Dauid holdeth prayer and praysing of God so necessary, that he will not intermit it, though it cost him his life, Daniel 6. 10.
3 What is more necessarie for the day of battell, then armour? so is prayer a principall part of our spirituall armour: as the Apostle saith, Ephes. 6. 13. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to resist in the euill day: and hauing set foorth the diuers parcels of this armor, he addeth this, v. 18. and pray alwayes, with all manner prayer and supplications: what more requisite for the sicke man then medicine? but the prayer of faithfull saue the sicke, Iames 5. 15. prayer, it is the hauen of the soule, Psal. 116. 7. Returne vntounto thy rest O my soule: it is the food of the soule, as Christ said to his disciples, Iohn 4. 32. I hauehave meate to eate that ye know not of.
4 The reason of this necessitie our Sauiour Christ sheweth, Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray, that yee enter not into temptation: because wee are continually assaulted and tempted of Sathan, wee hauehave neede also continually to arme our selues with prayer: an other reason Saint Paul giueth; 1. Tim. 4. 5. all things are sanctified by the word of God and praier: thy meate, drink, labour, riches, marriage, are polluted, vnholy, defiled, without prayer.
5 Wherefore the negligence of this Age is to bee condemned that so seldome vse prayer, either priuately, or in their families, together with their wiues, children, seruants: when they sit downe at meate, they giuegive no thankes: being worse in this respect then the oxe and asse, which know their masters cribbe, Esay chap. 1. ve. 3. When they goe to bed, they do not commend themselues vntounto God, neither at their rising praise him for their rest: but they rouze themselues as swine out of the strawe: when they goe foorth to labour, they call not vponupon God for his blessing: but as it is in the psalme: the voyce of ioy and mirth is in the habitation of the righteous: Psalme 118. It is knowne where faithfull men dwell, by their praying and singing of Psalmes together: they that do not so, shew that their heart is empty of heauenly thoughts: they make not their treasury in heauen, seeing their heart is not there: they which hope to go to heauen yet send their praiers as their agents and forerunners before them: But as Bernard saith, Oratio est hominis Deo adhaerentis affectio: Prayer is the affection or desire of a man, that cleaueth vntounto God. Hierome thus testifieeth of himselfe, Post multas lacrymas & caelo inhaerentes: Ad Eusta…h…m.oculos (mihi deus testis est) interesse videbar agminibus angelorum: after many teares fastening mine eies in heauen, I seemed to be present among the companies of Angels.