One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 102
SERMON CII. Sheweth, Why Christ who could do all things, yet put up Prayers What difference there is between his Prayers and ours. And the great advantage Believers have by Chriſts Praiing for them.
JOH. 17.20.
Neither pray I for theſe alone, &c.
HItherto our Saviour hath praied for his Apoſtles as they were Apoſtles; But becauſe many things in his Petition for them did a…ſo concern all Beleevers, and leſt it ſhould be thought that none but the Apoſtles were the Object of his Praier, he therefore comes to a third part in his Petition, which relates to the Catholique Church even the whole number of thoſe who in time by Gods Spirit ſhall be enabled to beleeve, Chriſt doth repreſent in his Praier to God the weakeſt beleever as well as the moſt Eminent Apoſtle; So that here begins the third principall part of this Chapter.
Now in this Context we may obſerve,
1. The Object of Chriſts Praier.
2. The Final Cauſe of it.
3. The Reaſons enforcing it.
The Object of the Praier is ſet down,
1. By a Negative limitation, Not for theſe alone.
2. By a Poſi…ive explication or deſcription, But for thoſe who ſhall beleeve;
Through their word.
In the Negative limitation Conſider Who it is that is here ſaid to pray;
The Perſon is Chriſt God und man.
As for the word foreign we need ſay no more to that, only we are to adde a further Conſideration about Chriſts Praying; Seeing therefore that this is the laſt place wherein he mentioneth his praying; I ſhall now ſupply what hath been defective in the conſideration of this Point, and ſo Obſerve,
That Chriſt though God, yet as man did pray unto the Father as other men: Doct. That Chriſt though God, yet as man did pray unto the Father.This Point about Chriſts Praying is worthy of our knowledge and right underſtanding, For the Arians and Socinians did from hence argue, that Chriſt was not God, it being abſurd they ſay for him to pray who could do what he pleaſed, even as it's abſurd to ſay, that God can pray, ſeeing he is omnipotent, and hath no Superiour; Yea, ſome of the Ancient Fathers have not ſpoken ſo ſoundly in this Point; Hilary makes it to be but a kinde of holy ſimulation, that Chriſt praied, and generally it's made a reaſon why he praied that he might give us an example; But although this be one ſubordinate end, yet there were other more principal ends.
Upon what grounds Chriſt who was God as well as man did pray.1. Therefore let us Conſider upon what ground Chriſt did pray.
2. The difference between his Praier and ours. He praied then for himſelf and his Church.
1. Becauſe as man he was not omnipotent, and ſo his humane will was not able to accompliſh the things he deſired, for although as God he could do all things, in which reſpect he wrought Miracles, and did them not by Petition, as the Apoſtles, but by his own power and in his own Name, yet as man, ſo, what he deſired by his humane will, by that he could not ſimply accompliſh it, ſo that in this reſpect it was that Chriſt as man did pray.
2. As man Christ was ſubject to the Law of God, and ſo was bound to give that worſhip and Religious Service to God which the Law did require, ſo that when Chriſt praied he did it as fulfilling a duty, he had voluntarily ſubmitted unto; Even as when he came to be baptized, he told John, it behoved him to fullfill all Righteouſneſſe, Matth. 3.15. It was part of his Righteouſneſſe to be baptized, becauſe as man he was made a member of the Church; Therefore Matth. 4. he brings that command of worſhiping and ſerving God alone, as reaching to him, intimating he was bound by that Command as well as other men: So Joh 4. he tels the Woman of Samaria, We worſhip, we know not what: He puts himſelf in the Number of Worſhipers, So that Praier being part of Gods worſhip, and a chief part of it, no wonder if Chriſt was conſtant in it: Hence we reade of ſpending nights in Praier, yea, in his Troubles, his Prayers were accompanied with ſtrong Cries and Agonies, and the more they encreaſed, the more earneſtly he praied.
3. He praied, becauſe though all things were due unto him, yet by the Ordination of God he could not be partaker of them but by Praier; So that though the Glorification of his body was due unto him from the beginning of his Incarnation, yet he is to come to it by way of Prayer; Hence in this Chapter he doth by many Arguments ſeek for it at the Fathers hands: Thus Pſal. 2. when God there declares his will of making him King over his Church, and giving the Nations of the world for an Inheritance to him, it's ſaid, Ask of me, and I will give thee, Chriſt is to ask and pray for ſuch things, So that in this reſpect Chriſt praied, even as all the Godly do, though God hath appointed and promiſed to beſtow ſuch glorious things upon his penple, yet it is by way of praier that they muſt be poſſeſſed of them; God could give them otherwiſe; Neither do our praiers or Chriſts Praiers make God alter or change his minde, only praier is appointed by him as that medium whereby his purpoſe ſhall be brought to paſſe.
4. Chriſt praied upon the ſame ground, as he gave thanks; Now we reade he praiſed God ſeverall times, yea, they ſang an Hymn to God; Praier is divided into Petition and Thankſ-giving; If then Chriſt could give God praiſe by the ſame reaſon he might make Petition to him; He praiſeth God as the Father of ſuch mercies, his Soul was affected with, and ſo he praieth to God for ſuch things as he had not yet the full accompliſhment of.
Laſtly, Theſe main Reaſons being laid down then we may adde, Chriſt praied for our example alſo; It's wonder any ſhould be ſo tranſported with pride as to think themſelves above praier, that they need not to pray, when we ſee Chriſt himſelf diligent in this Duty, So that as we are to learn of him, and imitate the Zeal, Patience, and Love that was in him, ſo we are the Religious Converſation alſo of Chriſt, which was manifeſted in his fervent Praiers unto God upon all occaſions, yet though Chriſt did thus pray, there was a great difference between Chriſts Praiers and ours.
For firſt, If we ſpeak abſolutely of Chriſt as a perſon, ſo he needed not to pray, The difference between Chriſts praier and ours.for being in that reſpect God as well as man; Therefore he could have done all things the humane Nature deſired without any humble Supplication unto the Father; It was then in reſpect of his humane nature only, and his voluntary Humiliation of himſelf, otherwiſe being God as well as man, He might have done all things by ſole power and authority; Indeed there are ſome who hold that Chriſt ſtill in Heaven as man, doth pray to God the Father, properly and formally in reſpect of his Church, and ſo underſtand thoſe places where he is ſaid to be an Advocate with the Father, and where he is ſaid ſtill to make interceſſion for us, not (ſay they) that he praieth in ſuch a ſervile humbled manner as he did here on Earth, yet they ſay it's more then meer a repreſentation of himſelf, or will that the Father fulfill what he hath purchaſed; It's true and formall praying, neither (ſay they) is this any more indecent and unbeſeeming Chriſt as man in Heaven, then praiſing of God, which yet as man he doth; Howſoever this be, yet it's ſure that when he did pray on earth, yet it was not with ſuch an abſolute neceſſity and indigency as any man, or the whole Church doth pray for, they cannot in any Conſideration help themſelves.
2. Neither did Chriſt pray for any ſpiritual gracious mercies; Theſe are the chiefeſt matter of our praier, inſomuch that temporall things are praied for only with a ſubmiſſion unto Gods Will, and ſo farre as they conduce to our ſpirituall good, but Chriſt had already received the Spirit of God in ſo full meaſure, that he could not pray for further Sanctification, nor for a better heart or more communion with God then he had, much leſſe could he pray for ſuch things as ſuppoſe a ſinnefull Imperfection in the Subject, So he did not or could not pray for the pardon of ſinne which yet he taught the moſt holy that are, to pray continually for, neither could he pray for juſtifying Faith, for although he had faith and confidence in God, yet he had not juſtifying Faith, which is the relying upon Chriſt for Righteouſneſſe; Neither could he pray for the conquering and ſubduing of corruption ſeeing his pure Nature remained altogether ſpotleſſe and free from the leaſt ſtain or pollution.
Neither 3. Were Praiers to him as they are to us, means to quicken up and excite the heart, to make it more Heavenly and zealous; Prayer in us doth quicken and excite a man, and takes off the ruſt upon his Soul; Chriſt was alwaies in contemplation and enjoyment of God, and therefore he did not need praier to make his ſoul aſcend higher to God.
Hence in the fourth place, All the matter he could pray for in reference to himſelf was concerning his body, and the further glorifying of that, for ſeeing it pleaſed him to take our body upon him in all the natural defects and infirmities thereof, ſinne only excepted, it was neceſſary that he ſhould not alwaies be in ſuch a paſſible mortal way, but riſe again to glory, dominion, and all honour; Now this Chriſt praied for as being to be obtained by praier as well as his Sufferings; He praied alſo for aſſiſtance and deliverance in thoſe agonies he conflicted with; But in reſpect of his praier for the Church, So he praied for their Sanctification, though not for his own, he praied Peters Faith might not fail; he praied God would not impute ſinne to ſome of thoſe who did crucifie him; Though he needed not ſuch Petitions, yet we do, and therefore in this reſpect Chriſt praied, in which we cannot imitate him, for he praied as he was to offer up himſelf a Sacrifice for our ſinnes, ſo it behoved him alſo to put up praier for his people; Thus you have heard how Chriſt was capable of Praier, though God.What advantage Beleevers have by Chriſt.
Let us now Conſider the comfortable advantage of theſe Praiers of Chriſts unto us: And
1. See the love of Chriſt, that he doth remember our good in his praiers, as well as his own; It is not enough to pray for his own Glory, but he beggeth and prayeth for ours alſo: Paul ſpeaketh of it as his great affection and Love to ſome that he made mention alwaies of them in his Prayers, he never praied for himſelf but for them alſo: And thus we ſee Chriſt though ready to be offered up, and to die ſuch a tormented, ignominious Death, So that he might juſtly be taken up with Praier for himſelf only, yet he doth the ſame time think of his Church, and all that ſhall beleeve in him; Oh what comfortable Refreſhment and Encouragement ſhould this be to the dejected and humbled Soul! That Chriſt doth in his Prayer remember and conſider of thee as well as his own Glorification.
2. This Prayer of Chriſt is alwaies heard; We many times pray, and God doth deny us, becauſe as the Apoſtle James ſaith Chapt. 4. verſ. 4. We ask amiſſe, or we ask not in Faith; Now Chriſt had every thing concurrent that might make his Prayer ſucceſſefull: Therefore John 11.42. Chriſt there profeſſeth God the Father heard him alwaies: In that Hiſtory many things are remarkable.
For 1. In the raiſing of Lazarus though he could have done it by an immediate Word, yet he wept, and was ſorely troubled; yea, he groaned twice, which were not ſimply groans of his Body in a natural way, but ſuch as were accompanied with Praier; Therefore he addeth, I know that thou hearest me alwaies; Though we do not reade of any Praier of Chriſts at that ſame time, yet the groans and the deſires of his Heart, they were Praier.
2. It is Obſervable how thankfull Chriſt was for having his Prayer heard; The ſame Perſon who is obliged to give thanks, is alſo bound to pray: Thus John 6. Chriſt gave Thanks about that Refreſhment, though it was by Barley and ſome ſmall Fiſh; Chriſt himſelf giveth God thanks for that poor and courſe Diet: Oh what Thankfullneſſe ſhould this teach us, and ſtirre us up to expreſſe: And ſo in this Hiſtory, though the good he praied for did not immediately redound to him, but to Lazarus and his Siſters, yet Chriſt giveth thanks for it, ſo that Chriſt who prayeth for the good of Beleevers as his own good, So he giveth thanks likewiſe to God for Mercies and Bleſſings beſtowed on them as though they were his own mercies: If thou canſt not give God Thanks large and hearty enough for his diſcriminating Mercy in opening of thy Eyes, and paſſing by and leaving the Eyes of more prudent and honoured in the world blinde and ſhut up: Know that Chriſt hath alſo thanked the Father for this, Luke 10.21. Chriſt that praieth for all thy ſpiritual bleſſings, doth alſo praiſe the Father for them.
But 3. That for which I brought this place is, That Chriſt doth not only ſay, That the Father heard him, but I know, demonſtrating the Aſſurance of this, and that he heareth him alwaies: This ſuppoſeth Chriſt is alwaies praying, for he that is alwaies heard, is ſuppoſed to be alwaies powring forth his Petitions: And further If you ſay that Chriſt praied, That the Cup might paſſe away, yet he was not heard in that prayer, it is eaſily anſwered, That was not Chriſts Abſolute but his Conditionall prayer: It was an Expreſſion of his Will ut natura, not ut ratio; Therefore he addeth, Not my Will, but thy Will be done: Hence Hebrews 5.7. it is ſaid, He offered up Prayers with ſtrong Cryes to him that was able to ſave him from Death, and was heard in what he feared; Though he dyed, yet was heard in that Prayer becauſe Death had not any Dominion over him.
Now Chriſt muſt needs be heard alwaies,
1. Becauſe he is the Mediatour and High Prieſt, and ſo powreth out his praiers in his own Name; If Chriſt ſhould not be heard for himſelf, then he would need another Mediatour for himſelf, and he muſt alſo pray in anothers Name, which is highly derogatory unto his honour to imagine or think of.
2. His Prayer is meritorious as well as his death, and ſo in juſtice nothing can be denied him.
3. He is infinitely beloved of the Father, and ſo when he appeareth nothing can be denied him.
Laſtly, He doth not abſolutely pray for any thing but what is conformable to his Fathers Will, and if ſo be we, who are the Sonnes of God by Adoption only, are ſure to ſpeed and to prevail when we keep cloſe unto that Rule, how much more then ſhall the Naturall Sonne of God!
Ʋſe 1. To reprove thoſe who either through pride think themſelves above praier, or elſe through prophaneſſe neglect it: Chriſt praied alone and with his Diſciples, and thou haſt neither Family-Praier or private prayer: Chriſt gave thanks though for barley bread, and thou conſtantly eateſt thy Food without acknowledging God to be the Authour of that mercy.
Ʋſe 2. of Direction To the Godly, Make up the Defects and Inſufficiency of thy own prayers, with the Fullneſſe, Excellency, and infinite worth that is in Chriſts Prayer, Chriſt prayed not with ſuch defects and failings as thou doſt, they are thy prayers, for thy good, farre better then if thou hadſt offered them up for thy ſelf.