The Treasure of the Church, Lecture 16
The sixteenth Lecture.
Vers. 24. Father, I will, &c.
NOw followeth the other petition of our Sauiour for the glorification of his Church: where we hauehave the request it selfe, that they may be with Christ: the end, to behold his glorie: the assurance, for thou louedst me before the foundation of the world.
First,Doct. 1. we see the efficacie of Christs prayer, that whatsoeuer he but willeth of God, as the Mediator of his Church, it is accomplished.
1 Thus the Apostle testifieth: The prayer of Christs mediation.He is able perfectly to saue those, that come vntounto God by him, because he euer liueth to make intercession for them, Heb. 7. 25.
2 Thus our Sauiour was heard for Lazarus: I know thou hearest me alwaies, Ioh. 11. 42. Thus our Sauiour prayed for Peter, that his faith failed him not, Luk. 22. 32. and it was so fulfilled: for though Peters faith was shaken, yet was it not ouerthrowne; though it fainted, it failed not.
3 If Moses by the lifting vp of his hands ruled the battell betweene Israel and Ameleck: if Eliah by his toung gouerned the aire, that it should not raine, but according to his word. If Peters shadow commaunded diseases, Act. 5. 15. how much more effectuall is the holy will and desire of Christ.
4 For Christ is the beloued sonne of God, in whom God is well pleased, Mat. 3. 17. whatsoeuer Christ therefore willeth of his Father, he cannot denie vntounto him, for the great louelove he hath toward him.
5 First, to our great comfort we are taught, that seeing the will of Christ is omnipotent: whatsoeuer it pleased the Lord, that did he in heauen and earth, Psal. 135. 6. and his will toward his church is most kind, louing, mercifull, and bountifull, that nothing can fall our amisse to Gods children; they need not feare temptation, tribulation, trouble, all shall fall out for the best, Christ will hauehave it so. Againe, so forcible is the mediation of Christ, that whatsoeuer we shall aske the father in his name, he will giuegive it vsus, Iohn 16. 23. No man hath any such assurance in his suites and requests which he maketh vntounto men: wherefore we ought most chearefully to resort to the throne of grace, where our faithfull petitions are neuer reiected and cast forth. Hierome well saith, Peto vt accipiam, & cum accepero rursus peto, auarius sum ad accipienda beneficia Dei, nec ille deficit in dando, nec ego satior in accipiendo, quanto plus bibero, tanto plus sitio: I aske to receiue, and whē I hauehave receiued, I ask again, I am couetous to receiue Gods blessings, he faileth not in giuing, and I am not filled with receiuing, the more I drinke, the more I thirst.
That they which thou hast giuen me, Doct. 2.be with me where I am. This is a great priuiledge, that our blessed sauior hath appointed vsus to no other place,The faithfull shal be in the same place with Christ in heauen. then where he himselfe is.
1. Thus S. Paul saith, We shall meet the Lord in the aire, and so shall be euer with him 1. Thess. 4. 17.
2. The Lord said to the conuert vponupon the crosse, This da… shalt thou be with me in Paradise. S. Paul assureth himselfe, that when he should be dissolued, he should be with Christ. Phil. 1. 23.
3. Like as it is a great honour if the master should set his seruant at his own table: so our Sauiour saith to his Apostles, that they should eate and drinke at his table in his kingdome, Luke 12. 29. Like as Iehu took Iehonadab vp into the chariot with him, 2. King. 10. 15. the like honor Christ vouchsafeth vntounto his Saints.
4. Our Sauiour giueth this reason▪ they had contiued with him in his temptations, Luke 22. 28. And againe he saith, Where I am, there be my Ministers also, Iohn 12. 26. They which hauehave bene partakers of the afflictions of Christ, shall also be made partners in his glorie.
5. If we desire then to dwel with Christ in the kingdome of heauen, he must dwel with vsus in earth: if to be receiued into his euerlasting habitation, then we must now prepare for him the habitation of our hearts. How can they then be assured to enioy Christs presence in heauen, that delight not to heare him present now? who by their corrupt communication and prophane behauior, do grieue the spirit of God, and chase away Christ from them. Ambrose saith wel, Proiectus est Adā è Paradiso, nō immerito ipse, enim se prius absconderat à facie Dei: Adā was cast out of Paradise, and not without cause, for first he had hid himselfe from Gods face: so they which behold not Gods face, nor enioy the presence of his spirit here, cannot hauehave the presence of his glorie in heauen,
That they may behold my glorie which thou hast giuen me: Doct. 3.they shall not onelyonly be beholders, but partakers also of that great glorie.
1. So the Apostle saith, We all behold as in a mirrour with open face the glorie of the Lord, and are changed into the same image from glorie to glorie. 2. Cor. 3. 18. This glory seene here as in a glasse, shall be seene there with open face, and so seene as that we shall be changed and transformed into it.
2 Thus Moses and Elias appeared in glory in mount Tabor, where our Sauiour was also transfigured, Luke 9. 31. So Stephen beholding the glorie of God, and Iesus standing at the right hand of God, himselfe also was partaker of that glorie being yet vponupon the earth, his face was as the face of an Angell, Act. 6. 15.
3. Like as Hezekiah to gratifie the king of Babels messenger, who was sent to congratulate with him for his recouerie, did shew him in kindnesse all the treasure of his house, though this were a simple part of Hezekiah and done without warrant. But yet like as men exalted to honour and wealth, do delight to shew to their friends their happie estate: so our Sauior Christ desireth that his Church shold behold his great glory. Like as the church saith in the Canticles, I will leade thee into my mothers house, I will cause thee to drinke spiced wine, Cant. 8. 2. so our blessed sauior will bring vsus into his fathers house, and shew vsus of his best things.
4. For this glorie which Christ hath receiued as our Mediator, he hath to this end receiued it, to bestow it vpō his church Iohn 17. 22. The glorie that thou gauest me, I hauehave giuen them. Christ hath not merited or purchased any thing to himselfe by his great glorie, but whatsoeuer he wrought for vsus as our Mediator, the whole gaine and benefite thereof redoundeth to vsus.
5. But as we hope to behold the glorie of Christ in heauen with open face,They that wil see Christ face to face in heauen, must see him by faith here. so must we now see him by faith: as the Apostle saith, We walke by faith, not by sight, 2. Cor. 5. 7. then we shall walke by sight, not by faith: wherefore whosoeuer now seeth not Christ by faith, shal not then inioy his sight and presence in glorie. We must, as Moses, discerne the land of promise a far off, before we can enter into it. They therfore that want the vision of the soule in this life, cannot hauehave the full contemplatiō of Christs glorie afterward. Certaine it is, that Christ will reueale himselfe to all his children before they go hence, as he was seene and embraced of Simeon before his departure.Hom. in Mat. 13. Origene saith wel, Vt naturalis quidam attractus quibusdam inest, vt magneti ad ferrum, bitumini ad ignem, sic fidei ad diuinā virtutē: as some things hauehave a natural property to draw vntounto them, as the lode-stone to draw iron, brimstone to draw fire, so faith hath attractiue force to draw diuine vertue. Faith then will draw vsus to heauen, hope pitcheth her anker there,Heb. 6. 19. and will in good time draw vsus thither.Doct. 4.
For thou louedst me before the foundation of the world. Our Sauiour speaketh of that glorie which the Lord decreed to giuegive vntounto him before the beginning of the world: whereby we do learne, that as Christ the head was predestinate vntounto glorie, so also his members were set apart vntounto life in the euerlasting decree of God.
1. The Apostle saith,Christ how said to be predestinate▪ that Christ was determined or predestinate the sonne of God, as some translate foreign, Rom. 1. 4. Saint Peter sayth to the same purpose, foreign, knowne or ordained. Augustine therupon doth inferre, that Christ was Praeclarissimum lumen gratiae & praedestinationis: The most manifest light of grace & predestinatiō. As Christ was predestinate as man vntounto glorie, so are his members: Who hath predestinate vsus to be adopted thorough Iesus Christ vntounto himselfe, Ephes. 1. 5.
2. So the Lord saith to Ieremie, Before I formed thee in the wombe, I knew thee, Ier. 1. 5. God had knowne, approued, and chosen the Prophet euen before he was borne.
3. For like as Dauid was annointed and appointed to be King, long before he entred to his kingdom: and Moses was dessigned to be deliuerer of Israel forty yeares before he exercised his office: so the elect of God were long ago ordained to saluation▪ though the accomplishment thereof they must expect with patience.
4. And this God did, to the praise of the glorie of his name, Ephes. 1. 6. 6. …or herein appeared louelove, not that we loued God, but that he loued vsus, …. Iohn 4. 10. This is Gods great goodnesse, that hath prepared for vsus an euerlasting kingdome before as yet we were.
5. Seeing then that God in his gracious decree of electiō, hath sorted out some to euerlasting saluation, we must take heed of 2 gulfs, that we fal not into them: the one is of superstition, not to thinke with the Papistes, that it is presumption to be sure of that which God hath most surely and certainly decreed: the other is of presumption, that men without good ground be not too confident in their hope, thinking to be saued whatsoeuer they do: but that as the Apostle saith, We worke out our saluation with feare and trembling, and labour to adde dayly somewhat to our assurance: that as saint Peter saith, We giuegive dili…ence to make our calling and electiō sure, and seale the same vntounto our soules by the fruits thereof. This assurance of saluation is neither impossible to be had,Assurance of heauen is neither impossible, nor yet easie to be had. as the Papist thinketh, nor yet easie to be had, as the carnal Protestant thinketh. It may be had, but with much study and faithfull endeuor and godly care, by feare and trembling. Happie are they, which by Gods grace hauehave attained to this gift and heauenly worke, as all wee which beleeue in Christ shall in good time before we go hence by Gods grace attaine vntounto it: then shall we with patience runne out our course, and nothing can happen so grieuous which this happie assurance of heauen will not make easie vntounto vsus. That we may say with Prophet Dauid: I had fainted, if I had not beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing, Psal. 27. 13. Ambrose saith well: Manipulis beatae vitae si quid accidit aduersi, tanquam sterilis auena al…sconditur, &c. By this bundle of our hope of eternal life, if any thing fall out crossely, it is hid as wild oates or weedes in an handful of corne: that like as in a peece of good wheate a few weeds are not seene; no more is aduersitie felt, where heauen is hoped for.