One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 129
SERMON CXXIX. Of the Ʋnity of Believers; Of the Cauſe and Nature of it; And what makes to the perfect Conſummation of it.
JOHN 17.23.
That they may be made perfect in one.
THoſe words contain the effect and fruit of that former Unity ſpecified viz. Chriſt in us, and the Father in him; for our Saviour here ſpeaks of a three-fold Unity,
1. Of the Father with Chriſt, as Mediator.
2. Of Chriſt, as Mediator and Head with his Church.
3. Of believers amongst themſelves, and the Ʋnity of Chriſt with believers, as their Head, is the cauſe of the Members union and communion one with another.
Now this is the laſt time our Saviour repeateth this particular of unity; for our Saviour doth in this prayer for believers four times repeat it, which demonſtrateth his exceeding ardent affections for it, only every expreſſion ſeemeth to riſe higher then the former.
The firſt is, That they may be one.
2. That they may be one in us.
3. That they may be one, even as we are one.
4. That they may be made perfect in one, and this is here mentioned.
Now what it is to be made perfect in one will appear afterwards; onelyonly the word foreign and foreign, is uſed ſometimes of performing and conſummating a thing with perfection, ſometimes it's uſed of ſanctification and conſecration, Heb. 2.10. Heb. 5.9. Heb. 7.28. Now although it be true, that all believers are conſecrated and ſet apart as holy from the world to God, yet that which is here primarily intended, is the perfection and conſummation of them in unity,Doct. The Father and Chriſts being in believers is the cauſe of that perfect and conſumma…e unity which they ought to have of themſelves. What is implied in their being made perfect in one. which though it will not be compleat till in heaven, yet it is inchoate, and begun in this life.
Obſ. That the Father and Chriſts being in believers, is the cauſe of that perfect and conſummate unity, which they ought to have of themſelves. There could be no union in the body, if the Head did not unite it. All believers union doth firſt flow from Chriſt as their Head and Mediator: Inſomuch that whatſoever unity they may have, which doth not firſt ariſe from this ſpring, is humane and carnall.
To open this, let us conſider, What is implied in their being made perfect in one. And
Firſt, Here is implied ſincerity and uprightneſſe; That their unity be from a pure heart and unfeigned faith. This is often the uſe of the word perfect, as oppoſed to that which is falſe and counterfeit; many are ſaid to walk with a perfect heart, becauſe they did not walk with an heart, and an heart by diſſimulation; ſo that it's a perfection of eſſence and parts, not of degrees; and this indeed is greatly to be urged, that as all the other things in the godly be ſincere, ſo their unity, that they be joyned together from ſpiritual principles, and by ſpiritual means: It was the Heathens Poſition, That amicitia could onelyonly be inter bonos, that whatſoever friendſhip was from bono utili, or jacundo, and not honeſto, it did not deſerve the name of friendſhip: Now how much more is this true in that unity amongſt the godly, which hath for it's cauſe and original, Chriſt himſelf, and for it's patern, ſuch an unity, that the Father and Sonne have? To be perfect then in unity, is to have ſincere hearts one towards another, as the Apoſtle Rom. 12. Let love be without diſſimulation; Let there be no water to debaſe this wine, let not this fair fruit be rotten at the core.
Secondly, To be perfect in Ʋnity, doth imply, not onelyonly ſincerity, but integrity of all thoſe ſubſtantials and eſſentials, wherein this oneneſſe doth conſiſt. You have heard, that the Unity of believers doth empty it ſelf into two great ſtreams, one of Faith, in reſpect of Doctrine; The other of Charity, in reſpect of life and affections: Therefore if any of theſe be wanting, the Unity is diſſolved; if love be pretended, but yet there is no divine truth, this is conſpiracy, not unity; and if faith be pretended, but not love, as yet we have no ſigne of the true Diſciples of Chriſt; Let then the Church of God, look it hath theſe two pillars, like Jachin and Boaz to bear it up. All Unity without Truth is like a ſtately building upon ſand, and Truth without love is like a foundation without ſuperſtruction; pray that the Spirit of God would lead into all truth, for the former; and would alſo work thoſe ſanctifying fruits of it, love, peace, meekneſs, &c for the latter.
Thirdly, The word perfect in one, doth imply, an increaſe and daily progreſſe in the way of Ʋnity. For though the Church of Chriſt be his Body, yet it's a growing body, it's not come to it's full ſtature, no not in this life; There are further degrees to be attained, Epheſ. 4.13. We are to grow to a perfect man in Chriſt Jeſus; and thus we reade of many called perfect, as 1 Cor. 2.6. Heb. 5.14. not in an abſolute ſenſe, but comparatively, becauſe they are carried on to further degrees of grace then others: We are not then to think, that any Church will have ſuch perfect Unity in this life, but that it may be more perfected; In the beſt conſtituted Churches there are ſeveral imperfections, there is much weakneſs, many carnal affections, which are apt to diſcompoſe the beautifull frame of the Church.
Fourthly, It doth imply, That they are perfected in thoſe means, which are appointed by God for this Ʋnity. For ſeeing the means are wholly for the end, the end can never be better enjoyned then formerly, if the means be not better improved; ſo that if the Church of God be perfected more in one, it muſt more faithfully improve the means of unity, and they are eſpecially two,
1. The preaching of the Word of God; For as by that at firſt the Church is called out of the world, ſo by that alſo it's kept up in it's purity, and unity. The Word of God preached is the onelyonly means appointed to remove ignorance and mortifie corruptions, which are the rares that hinder the good ſeed: As the envious man ſoweth theſe, ſo the Spirit of Chriſt by the Word worketh the clean contrary. Hence Epheſ. 4. the Miniſtry is appointed as a means to bring us to this perfect ſtature: farre be it therefore from them to make diviſions and rents in the Church of God, whoſe great office and imployment is to proclaim peace: The good ſhepherd will not ſuffer his ſheep ſo to fight with one another, as thereby to be deſtroyed.
2. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper, that is a ſpecial means to preſerve Ʋ nity, yea and to perfect it. The Apoſtle 1 Cor. 10. ſpeaketh fully to this, For we being many are one bread, and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread: So Eph. 4. one Baptiſme is brought as an ingagement to unity: Therefore the more graciouſly and perfectly theſe Ordinances are received, the more is this unity confirmed and eſtabliſhed; and therefore thoſe primitive Chriſtians, who had one ſoul, and one heart, were conſtant alſo in their breaking of bread, whereby their mutual love was ſtrongly preſerved.
Bellarmine not unfitly ſpeaks of a ſix-fold Unity in the Church:
The firſt is, Ratione principii, of God who calleth, though (as he ſaith) this makes the Church not ſo much una as ſub uno, one as under one.
2. Ratione ultimi finis, the ſalvation to which it's called, and this makes the Church not ſo much one, as ad unum.
3. Ratione Mediorum, in reſpect of the means of Faith and Sacraments; and thus the Church is rather by one then one.
4. In reſpect of the holy Ghoſt, as a ſeparated Governour.
5. In reſpect of Chriſt, as an internal and conjoyned Head.
6. In reſpect of the connexion of the Members amongſt themſelves, and in theſe two laſt reſpects it's properly one.
Laſtly, This Ʋnity will be wholly perfected in Heaven; Then will all partition walls be deſtroyed; Then ſhall it no more be ſaid, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollo, but God will be all in all. Therefore as this life is a place, like Hadadrimmon, a valley of tears, bewailing corruptions and ſinnes amongſt us; ſo alſo the diviſions and breaches that are upon us: But in Heaven, all opinions, all different wayes will ceaſe: So that although this unity for the main of it, be attained in this life, yet in the life to come, there it will be totally compleated; Thus it is here perfect, becauſe the endeavours and breathings of the godly ſhould be after that heavenly unity, to have it with the Church here in grace, as it ſhall be with the Church hereafter in glory: And certainly, if this were not accompliſhed in Heaven, then there would not be all tears wiped away, nor would the reproach of Jeruſalem ceaſe.
The cauſes of this unity.Thus you have heard what it is, that makes this unity of believers conſummate and perfect.
Now let us conſider, What is the cauſe of this, and that we ſhall finde to be no humane ſtrength, or outward wiſdome and policy, but the lively communication of grace inabling thereunto by Chriſt himſelf. Though the Papiſt pleades, That the acknowledgement of one viſible Head in the Church, is the onelyonly means to preſerve unity, yet experience ſheweth the falſeneſſe of it. The diviſions and breaches of the godly, like thoſe of Reuben, have made ſad workings of heart, and many have come running in, with their water to quench this fire: Several Antidotes have been preſcribed againſt this corruption, but yet when all is done, It's the onelyonly power of Jeſus Chriſt, as Head of his Church, that workes this ſweet Harmony. It's true indeed, many rules and pacificall means are commended by wiſe and godly men to make an unity, but theſe work onelyonly morally and ſwaſorily; that which doth (as it were) phyſically and really worke it, is the Lord Chriſt himſelfe, as the fountain of this unity: And the reaſon is, becauſe this unity among believers, is not onelyonly externall, but internall and ſpirituall; Now no man can worke this unity in the hearts of the godly, any more then he can worke purity, and holineſſe: Therefore we ſee in the Text, That becauſe Chriſt is in us, and the Father in Chriſt, therefore are the godly perfected in one; ſo that it requireth a Divine, Supernaturall power to make the godly at heavenly accord; even as it doth to make them godly. Hence it is that in this prayer Chriſt commendeth it to God to work it, as being beyond all humane power to effect it: Now Chriſts being in a believer, is a cauſe of theſe things in reference to their unity.
Firſt, He is thereby a cauſe of the Ʋnity it ſelf: For we told you, This unity, though externall, yet is chiefly ſpirituall and internall, viz. The harmonious knitting and joyning of all the Members of Chriſt together, in him their Head: Now this being wholly ſpirituall, none can effect it, but God alone; for naturally we are diſ-joyned from God, and full of contrariety to him: Therefore to be made a member of Chriſt, and implanted into him, cannot be by any other, but the Spirit of God: As thoſe dry bones in Ezekiel could not of themſelves gather together, nor can a Cyen graft it ſelf into a ſtock; Thus it is here, till the Spirit of God joyne us to Chriſt, we are enemies and adverſaries unto him. That power therefore which gives grace, that onelyonly unites, As in the naturall body, the ſame cauſe which makes a member▪ makes it alſo a united member: Inſomuch that in all the fractions and diviſions we ſee amongſt the godly, we ought to have our eyes up more to God, to conſider that power which makes them holy, muſt unite them; and indeed to make them gracious and holy is the greater work, yea unity would flow by a neceſſary reſultancy from our memberſhip in Chriſt, but that ſtill our corruptions are too ſtrong and apt to diſturb all.
Secondly, Chriſts being in us, is not onelyonly the cauſe of our Ʋnity, but alſo of the harmonious ſutable proportion to each other. We have an admirable deſcription of this harmonious ſutableneſſe in the unity of Chriſts body, Coloſ. 2.19. Epheſ. 4.15, 16. For the firſt, It's a Text full of rich and glorious matter, and to underſtand it, conſider, What it is that the Apoſtle makes the cauſe why thoſe falſe Teachers did advance the worſhip of Angels, introduce humane traditions, and all to ſet up other means and wayes of Juſtification, then the Scripture hath appointed, It is (ſaith he) becauſe they hold not the Head: So that every Chriſtian in the matter of all ſpirituall concernments, is ſtill to look up to Chriſt, as the Head, and not to let him goe; and this he amplifieth from a two-fold precious effect of this Head; The firſt reſpects the union of beleevers to Chriſt, and ſo the body is ſaid by joynts to receive nouriſhment, that as the body hath it's nouriſhment ſuppeditated by thoſe natural helpes, ſo hath every Chriſtian from Chriſt: Now the joynt that ſuppeditates theſe ſpirituall helps, is chiefly the Spirit of God: So Romans 8.9. If any man have net the Spirit of Chriſt, he is none of his: So that as that is not a member truely united to the Head, which is not informed with the ſame forme, the Head is; ſo neither is that Chriſtian really united to Chriſt, which wants the Spirit of Chriſt: Now the Spirit of Chriſt is here ſaid, foreign, To adminiſter nouriſhment. The word foreign doth properly ſignifie to ſupply all thoſe ornaments, which were neceſſary to ſuch as kept their ſacred dancings and feſtivities, but here it ſignifieth the ſupply of thoſe things that are neceſſary for our ſpirituall end, and the word foreign added, amplifieth it, denoting the full, plentifull and abundant ſupply it giveth. So that you ſee, it's Chriſts Spirit, not ours, which doth thus inable us.
The ſecond benefit flowing from Chriſt our Head, is of the Members themſelves. They by bands are knit together; Now the band here is chiefly alſo the Spirit of God, though gifts and graces doe ordinarily unite: So the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 12.13. For we all by one Spirit are baptized into one body: So that the Spirit of God, which is in Chriſt, doth alſo work in all beleevers, inflaming and exciting to ſuch graces, whereby they have intimate communion one with another. Now from theſe two benefits conjoyned, we have the admirable fruit thereof, that the body groweth with the increaſe of God. The ſpirituall growth of Chriſtians, as in the body, is called, The increaſe of God; partly, becauſe God onelyonly is the efficient, and cauſe of it; partly formally, becauſe the nature of this increaſe is divine and heavenly; partly finally, becauſe it is to the glory and honour of God. So that by all this we ſee, Every true member of Chriſt is a thriving and growing member, and that harmoniouſly according to it's reſpective nature, and all this comes wholly by the Spirit of Chriſt; ſo that an unity in the harmonious increaſe of it, depends ſolely upon him. By this Explication, the other fore-mentioned Text may alſo be diſcovered.
Laſtly, Chriſts being in us, is the cauſe of the perpetuity and conſtancy of that Ʋnity the godly have. This Union in Chriſts body can never be diſſolved. As the Perſonall Union of Chriſt could never be divided, ſo neither the myſticall. Therefore our ſound Divines doe well from Chriſts in-dwelling in us, propugne and aſſert the perſeverance of the Saints.
Ʋſe of Inſtruction, Whence it is, that even amongſt the godly there are ſo many differences, heart-burnings, &c. It's becauſe Chriſt is not in them after ſuch a powerfull and efficacious manner, as he might be. The dark night and miſty fogs can no more endure before the glorious beams of the Sunne, then corrupt paſſions and contentions can ſtand before this Sunne of Righteouſneſſe, when riſen to it's verticall point. Under the torrid Zone there cannot be any cold froſts, ſo neither under the efficacious preſence of Chriſt can there be ſuch ſinfull breaches.