One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 135
SERMON CXXXV. Of an humbled Christians improving in his Prayers the ſweet Appellation of Father.
JOH. 17.24.
Father, I will that thoſe whom thou haſt given me, be where I am.
ETernal glory (we heard) our Saviour prayed for all thoſe that ſhould believe in him, which is expreſſed thus indefinitely, To be with Chriſt, where he is; He doth not name the place, becauſe this is it which makes heaven to be heaven, that we do enjoy Chriſt there
From this we proceed to other things conſiderable. As
1. The Compellation, Father. This our Saviour uſeth three times, as being a name denoting the moſt intimate and ſweet relation, as alſo cauſing the greateſt confidence, why Chriſt cals God Father, hath been diſcuſſed already againſt Socinian gloſſes; he is not a Father to Chriſt in the ſame manner, as he is to believers, neither did Chriſt uſe this Title, to ſubdue and overcome any unbelieving and doubting thoughts in him, or to quicken up his confidence, which otherwiſe might fail, but hereby to demonſtrate the near relation between them, as alſo his dependance upon him. So that from Chriſts example herein, we may obſerve,
That it is a neceſſary duty in a Chriſtian in his approaches to God, Doct. It is a neceſſary duty in a Chriſtian, in his approaches to God, to think on thoſe attributes and relations in him, which may excite and ſtirre up holy confindence and boldneſſe.to think on thoſe attributes and relations in him, which may excite and ſtir up holy confidence and boldneſs. When we come unto God, we are to draw nigh to him, as our heavenly Father, whoſe bowels do exceed all parents affections in the world, if they were put together: Therefore it is our Saviour in that rule of prayer, directs to that title and compellation of a Father.
To open this, Conſider,
Firſt, That no wicked or unregenerate man is in a ſtate or condition fit to pray, or approach unto God upon theſe termes. If God be thy Judge, thy enemy, and thy adverſary, then it is not for thee to call him Father: As God expoſtulates in Mal. 1.7. If I be a Father, where is mine honour? It's true, there is a paternity by way of creation, and thus God is the Father of all; but we ſpeak onelyonly of that paternity, which is by Adoption, and the Covenant of Grace:Conſid. I. No wicked man is in a condition fit to pray or approach unto God upon theſe terms. Let therefore every wicked and ungodly man conclude, that while he abideth ſo, he cannot pray acceptably, he may not come to God as a Father. It's blaſphemy for ſuch prophane wretches to ſay to God, Thou art my Father. The Scripture tels us, That ſuch are of their Father the Devil: See then if the Devil thy father will bleſs thee, if he will make thee happy: Oh that wicked men would but conſider, what a wofull condition it is to lie in, that they cannot pray, that they cannot call God Father! Thou doeſt but blaſpheme with thy tongue all the while, what God, the God of wicked and prophane enemies to him? No, he is a Judge, and a conſuming fire to all ſuch.
II. Its of great conſequence for the humbled Chriſtian in his prayer to improve this relation of a Father.Secondly, It's of great conſequence and advantage for the humbled Chriſtian in his prayer, to improve this relation of a Father. To ſuch all the ſweetneſs out of this honey-comb. To improve this Meditation till it be like fire in his bowels. For
1. To the tender heart humbled for ſinne, it is the greateſt temptation that he conflicts with, to be perſwaded God is his Father. Such are the diſcoveries and experiences of his own ſins and infirmities, that he concludeth, though other may call God Father, yet he cannot: Is not this the great diſpute in the breaſt of a godly man, Whether God be his Father or no? Doth he not argue againſt it from the ſeveral corruptions that are in his ſoul? Oh how can this, and this be in me, if God be my Father! As alſo from the many ſad afflictions and exerciſes he meeteth with more then others; If God were my Father, would he thus break and bruiſe me, more then many in the world, making me the Butt againſt which all his arrows are delivered? So that you ſee it's neceſſary to compoſe the ſpirit againſt this temptation, which doth ſo naturally breed in the heart of a tender Chriſtian: Inſomuch that to call God Father cordially, and upon ſincere grounds, is a great mercy.
2. It's neceſſary to be perſwaded of, and call God Father, becauſe Satans great temptation is againſt this, if he overthrow this, all is gone, if once he can tempt thee to this, that God is not thy Father. What horrour, and what confuſion, yea what an hell will not preſently overwhelm thee? You ſee the devil working with this engine upon Chriſt himſelf, knowing this was to ſet the axe to the root of the tree, If thou be the Son of God do thus, he would have him put that to the trial, and is not the devil ſtill ſuggeſting this unto thee, if thou be the Sonne of God, then it would be thus and thus with thee? Gods children never do as thou doeſt: Now this temptation hath ſo farre prevailed by Satans inſtigation upon ſome of Gods people, that they have wholly given over to pray, that they dared not to preſume to pray; And why? becauſe God is not their Father, they may no more pray, then the damned in hell; So that the godly man is left in a wofull deſolate eſtate, all the while this truth doth not reign in his heart, that God is his Father.
3. This perſwaſion of God being our Father, is of ſo great conſequence, that the Spirit of God is ſent on purpoſe into our hearts for this very work. Gal. 4.6. Becauſe ye are ſons, God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Father. So that as we remain blind and darkned in mind, till the Spirit lead us into all truth, that as we remain unholy, and cleaving to our luſts, till the Spirit ſanctifie us, ſo we do alſo remain in a doubting, unbelieving and dejected diſpoſition, till God ſend this Spirit into our hearts; ſo that when a man is humbled for ſinne, and feels the load of his tranſgreſſions, it muſt be more then humane power, yea or all the counſels and directions of the ableſt Miniſters, that can inable ſuch an one to call him Father: Oh how often doth ſuch a tempted ſoul ſay, Oh that I could call him Father! Oh that I could delight in him as a Father! But now when this Spirit of Adoption cometh into our hearts, ſee with what efficacy and power it cometh, it maketh us to cry, that denoteth earneſtneſs, vehemency, and alſo confidence, undauntedneſs, notwithſtanding the roaring cries of the devil and conſcience to the contrary; and thus it enableth us to cry, Abba, Father, by way of ingemination, implying, that it is not once, but twice, yea often; for indeed if the Spirit of God did not conſtantly thus keep up a filial frame, every new failing would caſt us back into a meer darkneſſe and confuſion: Therefore the Spirit of God hath this office of being a Comforter, becauſe we of our ſelves cannot ſow that ſeed in our own ſouls.
4. This is neceſſary, becauſe this only raiſeth ſweet, comfortable and delightfull thoughts of God. The relation of a Father is ſweet, and what a great difference is there between a childe praying to a tender father, and a malefactor to a ſevere Judge? David once ſaid, He remembred God, and was troubled; Certainly the more we think of God and his Attributes, Omnipotent, Wiſe, Holy, Righteous; if not a Father, the more terrible and dreadfull is the apprehenſion of him: It's neceſſary to have good endeared thoughts of God; therefore the devils and the damned, who are of the fartheſt diſtance from God, they have hard and raging thoughts againſt him; It being therefore neceſſary to keep up ſuch thoughts in the ſoul as theſe; Let God afflict, ſmite, deſtroy, yet he is juſt and righteous, yea and to be loved, now this cannot be, unleſs this faith is ſtrongly carried out unto him, as a Father.
5. Perſwaſion of God as a Father is neceſſary, becauſe this only will produce faith and confidence in thoſe that pray with ſuch an aſſurance. Now faith is the very ſoul and life of prayer, He that prayeth believing, ſhall receive, and James exhorts, Let him ask in faith, nothing doubting, Chap. 1. Our Saviour told the woman, It ſhould be according to her faith; So that unbelief makes our prayers like a meſſenger without hands or feet, and if ſo, How ſhall we get our prayers animated with this grace? Nothing conduceth more to this, then the Meditation of God, as a Father, when this is aſſented to, then it eaſily believeth God will do all neceſſary good for it, ſuch a Father will not give a ſtone to his childe, when he asketh bread. Thus Mat. 5. our Saviour maketh this an argument againſt all diſtracting fears and cares, Your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of: Why is it that after prayer thy heart is as much troubled and diſquieted, as if the requeſt had never been made known to God, but only becauſe faith did not reign and predominate in thy heart concerning Gods fatherly relation to thee.
6. Perſwaſion of God as a Father is neceſſary, becauſe hereby the heart will be quickned to all thoſe holy and filial diſpoſiti…ns which ought to be in children. If ye call him Father, 1 Pet. 1.17, &c. Paſſe your ſojourning here with an holy fear. The Scripture apprehenſion of a Father, will not beget ſecurity and a licentious life, but rather it will cauſe an holy reverence, and a diligent attendance to avoid all thoſe ſins that may offend and provoke. The Spirit of adoption, is alſo a Spirit of Sanctification, being born of God, he doth not, he cannot ſin; for how abominable and uneffectual would our prayers be, if we ſhould joyn prophaneneſs to thoſe duties? In ſtead of obtaining mercy, we may juſtly expect, that God would pour out greater wrath, whereas a due and right apprehenſion of God, as a Father, will make a gracious and humble diſpoſition in the ſoul.
Ʋſe of Exhortation to the people of God, that they ſtrengthen and confirm this relation to them, as much as may be. Pray for that Spirit of Adoption, which will inable thee to cry Abba, Father: Oh know, that all the cauſe of thy diſquietneſs, diſtractions and diffidence of Spirit in thee, ariſeth from unbelief in this point! If thou believe God is thy Father, then ſin is forgiven, then no good thing will be denied thee; This Father will treaſure up for thee, yea the properties of this Father are wonderfully quickning, he is an omnipotent Father, and ſo can do all things; he is a compaſſionate Father, and ſo will do all things; he takes upon him both the bowels of Father and Mother alſo; Parents have been hardned to their children, as the Prophet obſerveth, but God cannot be; He is a wiſe Father, and ſo ordereth every thing for the beſt. This if duly conſidered would free thee from all diſtruſtfull cares, and thou wouldſt learn from thy own childe, to walk depending upon God, caſting all thy burden upon him, becauſe thou ſeeſt it taking no care what it ſhall eat, or what it ſhall put on, but reſteth it ſelf wholly upon it's Fathers care.
The ſecond thing obſervable in the Text is, The manner of Chriſts expreſſion, his Petition, I will, Father, I will. Some think this an expreſſion not of prayer, but of Chriſts juſt demand of his right to that which he had as God, and therefore they think, that whereas before he prayed as a man, here he interpoſeth himſelf as God; as thus Auſtin of old, Omnipotenti patri ſe velle dixit omnipotens filius. Others they make it an expreſſion of prayer, becauſe in the former part the word foreign is uſed, and thus Mark 10.35. when James and John prayed to Chriſt, they ſaid, Maſter, we will. But ſeeing this prayer of Chriſts is from him as a Mediator, we may well acknowledge that there is more then a meer humble ſupplication, ſuch as meer men make, but ſome powerfull declaration of his will, that he will have it ſo: For to this purpoſe he ſpeaks, Joh. 12.26. Where I am, there alſo ſhall my ſervant be. Chriſt by his own power and authority will cauſe it to be. From whence I ſhall touch only on this Doctrine,
Doct. 2. Chriſts prayer for his people will certainly and infallibly prevail for them.That Chriſts prayer for his people, will certainly and infallibly prevail for them. I will, ſaith Chriſt, that they be where I am. Though we may many times doubt of the efficacy, and ſucceſſe of our own prayers, yet there is no cauſe at all to queſtion the ſucceſſe of Chriſts Interceſſion, and the grounds are theſe,
1. Becauſe he hath merited and purchaſed at Gods hands thoſe benefits he prayeth for. Therefore though whatſoever God doth to us, be of grace in reſpect of us, yet it is of juſtice and right to him; ſo that it can no more be, that Chriſts prayer for us ſhould not ſpeed, then that God ſhould be unjuſt, and that not in reſpect of promiſe only to Chriſt, for he hath likewiſe promiſed to us, but of juſtice: So that now Chriſt may well ſay, Father, I will their glory and happineſs, becauſe I have purchaſed it at ſo dear a rate.
2. Chriſts prayer muſt needs be effectual, becauſe it lieth in his power alſo to do that, and accompliſh for us, which he doth deſire. Though therefore as man he prayeth, yet as God he can fulfill and bring about what we ſtand in need of: If therefore Chriſt ſaith, Father I will that they be ſanctified, that they be glorified, who ſhall withſtand this?
3. Chriſts prayer will alwayes take effect, becauſe his will, and the will of the Father are the ſame. So that as Chriſt argued, None could take his ſheep out of his hand, becauſe he and the Father are one; So alſo it followeth, Chriſts will in prayer cannot be gainſaid or hindred by any, becauſe the Father and he are one; if indeed the Father had one will, and Chriſt a contrary will to it, then we might juſtly doubt of the ſucceſſe of it, but it is not, as Chriſt wils the Sanctification and glorification of his people, ſo doth the Father alſo; So that all our confidence is to be in Chriſts prayer, and not ours.
Ʋſe 1 Ʋſe of Conſolation and comfort to the children of God, who mourn under the ſinfull imperfections of their prayers, yea are ready to cry out, that God ſhutteth out their prayers: Oh let them remember, what a glorious treaſure is here laid up for them! Though their own prayers are weak, yet Chriſts are not. Look therefore again and again, ſee the things Chriſt hath prayed for, and then doubt not, but they will be accompliſhed in thee: Oh let not thy heart ſink and be troubled within thee, when thou ſeeſt ſuch a remedy provided for thee! Urge Chriſts name, urge Chriſts prayer.
Ʋſe 2 Ʋſe 2. Of Terrour to wicked men, who have no intereſt in Chriſts prayer or interceſſion. If it were ſo terrible a judgement not to have Samuel or Jeremiah pray for ſome perſons, it argued their incurable condition, how much more may it ſtrike horrour and amazement into the hearts of all wicked men, as Chriſt minded thee not in his death, ſo neither in his prayer, I pray not for the world? But into the hardned and impenitent heart no terrible woe can enter.