The Treasure of the Church, Lecture 10
The tenth Lecture.
Verse 12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name.
THese words shew another reason why our sauior Christ prayeth for his Disciples, that God would finish that worke which was begun in them, that as Christ had hitherto preserued them all, except onelyonly Iudas, so that God would keepe them to the end.Doct. 1. They then which are giuen vntounto Christ to be kept,They which are once truly graft into Christ cannot finally fall away. cannot possibly perish or finally be lost.
1. So the Prophet Dauid saith, My shepheard is the liuing Lord, I shal want nothing: though I walke through the valley of death, I will feare no euill, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me, Psal. 23. 1. 4. He was perswaded that the sheepe which were vnderunder the conduct and custodie of this shepheard, could not possibly miscarry.
2. Saint Paul was thus perswaded, that nothing could separate him from the louelove of God in Christ, Rom. 8. 39. and he was fully assured that there was layed vp a crown of righteousnes for him. 2. Tim. 4. 8.
3. Like as none of those perished which were saued in the Arke; nor any lost of all the host of Israel, which were led vnderunder Moses through the red sea: so much more shall they be preserued which are committed to the sole keeping of Christ.
4. The Apostle giueth the reason hereof, Heb. 7. 25. He is able perfectly to saue them that come vntounto God by him, seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them: Christ then is yesterday, and to day, and the same for euer, Heb. 13. 8. Therefore seeing Christ neuer dieth, neither of his kingdom is there any end, his sheepe cannot perish, that are vnderunder his happie gouernement: his kingdome is not as the kingdome of earthly Princes, who can no longer care for their subiects thē they are in the world: but Christ the King of his Church, not onelyonly when he was in the world, but now and for euer is able to preserue those that belong vntounto him.
5. First then this doctrine discouereth a popish error, that faith may be lost, and that they which beleeued in Christ may fall away and perish, which is contrarie to the Scriptures,Iustifying faith cannot be lost. Ioh. 14. 16. Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish, but hauehave euerlasting life: they that beleeue aright in Christ cannot be lost. Indeed an vnfruitfull faith, and which is in show rather then truth, may be lost; but a right faith whereby the heart is purified, and the beleeuer iustified, cannot fall away: for then they which are giuen vntounto Christ, might belost.
Secondly, though Christ do surrender vp his disciples here into his fathers hand, it thereby is not gathered, as though he were not sufficient to protect them now: but our Sauiour here speaketh of his visible protection in the world, in which respect he is gone from vsus now: but in respect of his diuine power, and euer-during Mediatorship, he is alwaies present, and continually careth for his Church. As at this present this Church and Commonwealth of England hath most comfortable experience, for whom the Lord hath prouided a Princely shepheard to gouern his people: that although our nurcing mother be taken from vsus, he hath sent vsus a nursing father: a Baruch for a Deborah, a Moses for a Mirriam, a Iosias for an Huldah, which singular merciemercy we cannot sufficiently praise the name of God for. Wherefore blessed be God, that of his fatherly & tender care hath so prouided for vsus; & blessed be his annointed, that he may many yeares gouerne the Church & people of God in all pietie, peace & trāquility.
But the child of perdition] That is Iudas,Doct. 2. which was as Augustine interpreteth, Perditioni destinatus, ordained to destruction: this then is an euident and certaine truth out of the word of God,Some reiected from the beginning. that the wicked and impenitent hypocrites and faithlesse men, were from the beginning ordained of God to destruction.
1. This is testified Reu. 17. 8. Whose names are not written in the booke of life from the beginning of the world. If they were not appointed of God vntounto life, nor numbred amongst the elect, then it is certaine they were reiected of God, and excluded out of his kingdome from the beginning.
2. Of this decree of perdition and reprobation, the Apostle propoundeth the examples of Esau and Pharao, Rom. 9. the on was hated, that is, refused of God before he was yet borne, and left to himselfe: the others heart according to his own wicked inclination was hardned, that in his confusion Gods iustice might appeare.
3. For like as the Apostle saith, In a great house there are vessels of honor and dishonor, 2 Tim. 2. 19. so is it in this great house of the world: as there are some appointed to be vessels of euerlasting glorie, so others are worthily adiudged to eternall shame and confusion.
4. And the Lord doth all this for his owne sake: Prouerb. …6. 4. The Lord hath made al things for his owne sake, yea the wicked against the day of euill. As God is glorified in shewing merciemercy to his faithfull seruants so likewise he is honored in iudging the wicked, carelesse, and impenitent sinners.
5. First the opinion of those is refuted, which think that no mans end is in particular appointed of God, but that eueryevery mans state and condition dependeth vpō his owne will and choise. Yea some hauehave presumed so farre to say, that God not elected Paul or Peter more then Iudas, and so consequently not reiected Iudas more then Paul or Peter: but let them shew vsus if this were so, where Iudas in scripture is called a chosen vessel as Paul is, Act. 9. 15. or Paul the sonne of perdition as Iudas is.
Secondly, whereas it may be obiected, that if God in the beginning hauehave cast away some, then it is needlesse for men to endeuour to attaine to saluation, for he whom God hath decreed shall be damned cannot possibly be saued. To this obiection I answer: first, that by this reason if it concluded any thing, Gods prescience and foreknowledge is as wel ouerthrowne, as his decree of predestination: for he foreseeth all things that shall come to passe in the world, neither cā any thing be otherwise disposed, then he hath foreseene. Secondly, if that Gods decree were knowne in particular, who shall be damned, who saued, then indeed it were in vaine for any man to striue against Gods decree: but seeing that no man can know his election,The doctrin of Predestination a spur to godlines. but by his workes and fruites of faith, eueryevery man must labour thereby to make his election sure, as S. Peter exhorteth, 2. Pet. 1. 10. God condemneth none but for his sinnes, the faithfull and beleeuers he condemneth not, but such as Iudas, hypocrites, and vnfaithfull men vntounto Christ. Wherefore seeing there are some children of perdition, but such as are giuen ouer to a reprobate sense, and are past feeling, and are destitute of the spirit: we therefore so many as God shall cal, should labor for grace, that we may by our faith, vertue, knowledge, louelove, conscience, and by other fruitfull workes be assured that we belong vntounto election, and are not of the forlorne sort. And as Saint Paul saith: Wilt thou be without feare of the power? do well, Rom. 13. 3. So he that will be without feare of euerlasting perdition, let him seeke to please God, and walke before him by a liuely faith.
That the Scripture might be fulfilled] It is then impossible,Doct. 3. that the word of God should faile; but whatsoeuer is declared in the Scripture, shall most certainely be fulfilled.
1. So our Sauiour saith: It is more easie that heauen and earth shold passe away, The certaintie of Gods word.then that one tittle of the Law should passe away, Luk. 16. 17. Yea he saith further: heauen and earth shall passe away, but my words shall not passe away, Mat. 24. 35.
2. As Mat. 2. 15. that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet: Out of Egypt hauehave I called my sonne, and vers. 17. Then was that fulfilled, which was spoken by the Prophet Ieremie, saying, In Rama was a voice heard, &c. and in many other places the Apostles shew the accomplishment of the auncient Prophesies in our Sauiour Christ.
3. Therefore are Gods words compared to siluer seuen times purified in the fire, Psal. 12. that as nothing is lost of pure siluer, being now throughly tried, but eueryevery part thereof is laid vp safely: so the words of God being most pure, are preserued in heauen: as the Prophet saith: Thy word endureth for euer in heauen, Psalme 119. 89.
4. The reason of the stedfastnesse of the word is taken from the author thereof, which is God: who it is impossible should lie, Hebr. 6. 18. neither is there any variablenesse with God, or mutabilitie, …a. 5. 17
5. First then this doctrine teacheth vsus, that we should relie vponupon the credit of Gods word: that whatsoeuer we there find to our comfort, edifying or instruction, we should as steadfastly beleeue it, as if God spake vntounto vsus from heauen. And although in particular the promises of God are not made to vsus, yet are they most certaine: as here is no Scripture rehearsed, wherein Iudas was declared to be a child of perdition; but there is relation to those generall predictions against the wicked. As Psal. 69. 26. Let them be put out of the booke of life, and let them not come into thy righteousnesse.Gods foreknowledge not the cause of mens workes.
Secondly, we must not thinke, that the prediction of the Scripture was the cause of Iudas perdition, as though Gods prescience imposed a necessitie vponupon mens actions. De Predest. lib. 1. cap. 15.But as Augustine well saith: Des praescientiam non cogere hominem vt talis scit, qualem praesciuit Deus, sed praescire talem futurum, qualis futurus erat, quamuis sic non cum fecerit Deus: Gods prescience forceth not a man to be such as he is foreseene, but foreseeth him to be such as he is like to be, though God made him not such.
Vers. 13.Doct. 4. And now come I vntounto thee, and these things speake I in the world, that they might hauehave my ioy fulfilled in them] This is alleaged as another reason, why our Sauiour maketh this prayer in the hearing of his disciples; not for any necessitie which he had, but for the comfort of his disciples that heard him: for the hearing of Gods word bringeth true ioy and comfort.
1. So our Sauiour saith elsewhere,Gods word worketh true comfort. Ioh. 6. 4. These things hauehave I told you, that when the houre shal come, ye might remember that I told you them: it is a great comfort, when we see things to fall out according to the word of God.
2. In like manner our Sauiour hauing prayed for Lazarus, said: Father, I thanke thee because thou hast heard me, I know that thou hearest me alwaies, but because of the people that stand by, I said it, that they may beleeue that thou hast sent me.
3. Like as Peter, though he had laboured all night and caught nothing, yet was encouraged to let downe his nets againe, after Christ had bidden him to let them downe to make a draught, because he knew he should not any more labour in vaine, Luk. 5. 5. so the Apostles here conceiued great ioy, being themselues earewitnesses of Christs prayer.
4. The reason may be gathered out of our Sauiours words, Mat. 24. 25. Behold, I hauehave told you before: that is, being warned before of dangers, we are better prepared to beare them when they come, and being afore assured of Gods assistance, we conceiue the greater ioy in our deliuerance.
5. If then the hearing of Christ in his word,The danger of those that are ignorant of the word. as the Apostles here heard his voice, do worke such great ioy and comfort, iudge ye what a great benefite they are depriued of, which are ignorant of the word, and are not acquainted with Gods promises, neither know the familiar and earnest prayers and requests which Christ maketh vntounto God for his Church. And as Saint Paule saith: Whatsoeuer things are written, are written for our learning, that we through patience & comfort of the Scriptures might hauehave hope, Rom. 15. 4. No maruell then if men ignorant of the Scriptures, and not being acquainted with Christs comfortable words, are void and destitute of all true ioy and comfort in their afflictions. Dauid saith: I remembred thy iudgements of old, O Lord, and receiued comfort, Psal. 119. 52. that is, he found comfort by meditating of the examples of Gods merciemercy and iustice declared in his word. Their case therefore is much to be pitied, that either wilfully contemne, or carnally neglect the reading & meditating in Gods word, which is called by the Apostle, the sword of the spirit, Ephes. 6. 7. Like as then a souldier set in the midst of his enemies, without his sword and other warlike weapons, is in danger to be deuoured and destroyed of them: euen so as much vnable is a Christian to stand against the temptations of Sathan, being not armed spiritually with the knowledge of the word: which, as one well saith: Si tribularis, consolatur te, si laetaris, accumulat gauda…; si iracūdus es, mitigat te; si paupertate deprimeris, erigit te: If thou art afflicted it doth comfort thee: if thou be merrie, it addeth to thy ioy: if angrie, mitigateth thy mood: if pressed with pouertie, doth raise thee vp.