One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 138
SERMON CXXXVIII. Of Gods love to Chriſt as Mediatour, and in him to all believers from all Eternity.
JOHN 17.…4.
For thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world.
THis laſt clauſe is brought in as a Reaſon of that which went before, Some make it a Reaſon of Chriſts Petition, why the Father ſhould hear him, viz. becauſe he alwaies loved him, and ſo nothing could be denied to him; others referre it to the gift of Glory mentioned immediatly; The Father gave Chriſt glory becauſe he loved him from Eternity, but theſe do not oppoſe, but may include one another: The only doubt is, In what ſenſe the Father is ſaid to love Chriſt before the Foundation of the world; Many underſtand it of Chriſt as the natural and only Son of God; That as he had alwaies the ſame glory with the Father, ſo likewiſe he was alwaies loved of him, and from hence they prove the Deity of Chriſt; But Calvin and others expound it of Chriſt as Mediatour; That the Father did love him from the beginning, in appointing of him to be a Mediatour, and preparing him thereunto, Now this ſeemeth the more genuine Interpretation, and doth not exclude but include the former alſo, So that by direct conſequence the eternal god-head of Chriſt is aſſerted; Indeed Piſcator referreth thoſe words (before the foundation of the world) to the verb foreign Thou haſt given; As v. 5. implieth, but there is no neceſſity to make ſuch a traj…ction; The ſum is that Chriſt as Mediatour doth referre all the glory and honour he hath to the Fathers love, Now you muſt know that when the Father love…h him as Mediatour, It's not abſolutely terminated upon the perſon of Chriſt but the whole number of beleevers in him, and therefore this loving of Chriſt is to be extended unto all Beleevers, for the Apoſtle ſaith the ſame thing of them becauſe of Chriſt, Eph. 1.4. where we are ſaid to be choſen in him before the foundation of the world, To be holy and without blame before him in love; where that (love) is referred to Gods predeſtinating and electing of us, by ſome Interpreters; So that from the words we may obſerve.
That God the Father loved Chriſt as Mediatour, Obſerv. That God the Father loved Chriſt as Mediatour, and thereby all believers in him from all Eternity.and thereby all beleevers in him from Eternity: This Truth deſerveth explication and application. And
1. Let us conſider wherein the love of the Father was ſhewed to Ch…iſt as Mediatour, as that will appear in the deſigning of him to it, and approbation or complacency in him while diſcharging of it; The love of God in preparing him thereunto is ſeen in theſe things,
1. In appointing and ordaining the ſecond perſon as the only begotten of the Father, to come into the world and take our nature upon him; For herein did the Father love the Son, becauſe when mankinde was loſt, and juſtice could no waies be ſatisfied by any meer creature, that in this exigency Chriſt ſhould offer himſelf, and ſo readily profeſſe, Behold, I come to do thy will O Lord; Thus when he formerly had ſaid, I ſanctifie my ſelf, that doth not ſolely relate to his humane nature but even his divine alſo, becauſe the ſecond perſon was in a peculiar manner ſent into the world, and to become man for us.
2. The Fathers love was more remarkably ſeen towards that particular humane nature which the ſecond perſon aſſumed, in the ſanctifying and glorifying of that with all ſutableneſſe, and thus the love of God was to the humane nature of Chriſt before the Foundation of the world by way of purpoſe and decree in God, even as it is to all the Elect Children of God, for Chriſt attributeth i… to God the Father, that he had ſo fitted his humane nature, Therefore he ſaith, a body thou haſt prepared me, Heb. 10.5. Now ſeverall waies did the Fathers love appear herein, as 1. to ordain and appoint him to be a Mediatour, to make him man for this purpoſe; This is attributed wholly to God the Father, hence 1 Pet. 1.20. Chriſt is ſaid to be fore-ordained before the foundation of the world; Chriſt coming into the world was not of meer neceſſity, There was no compulſion to this, but the Father out of his meer good pleaſure did thus ordain him; Hence it is, that our Saviour doth conſtantly make the Fathers miſſion or ſending of him to be the cauſe of being our Mediatour.
2. This love of the Fathers to him was ſeen in taking that particular humane nature rather then any other into an hypoſtaticall Ʋnion; Though Chriſt did not take an individuall humane perſonalized as men are, yet he took a particular nature into a perſonal Union with the God-head, which is the greateſt exaltation of mans nature that can poſſibly be imagined; It's that great myſtery which Angels are continually ſearching into; but if you ask why the ſecond Perſon did take this particular nature rather then another, that the holy Ghoſt might have ſanctified? here Gods meer love made the difference, for as it was an high act of grace and favour to the Virgin Mary that ſhe rather then any other woman ſhould be appointed to be the mother of Chriſt, ſo it was much more a great honour and expreſſion of love that this humane nature rather then another was aſſumed into perſonal Union, and for this cauſe it is that Auſtin did ſo invincibly preſſe the Pelagians with this argument from Chriſt as man, for (ſaith he) if Chriſt as man was choſen not for any foreſeen merit or worth which might be in him, but it was ſolely by the love and goodneſſe of God, then much more will it follow that no meer man eſpecially corrupted and defiled, can be elected to Eternal Life upon the ſuppoſition or preſcience of any good thing in man, So that Chriſt as man was ſo, meerly from the favour and love of the Father, This is that gratia ſingularis to Chriſt as man, de quâ fas eſt praedicare, ſed nefas adjudicare, as Auſtin.
3. The love of the Father to Chriſt in preparing him for Mediatour, is ſeen in the ſanctifying and endowing of him with all holineſſe, that ſo he might be a compleat Saviour, for ſeeing it behoved us to have ſuch an high-Prieſt as was holy and ſeparate from ſin, therefore it was that he was made man in ſuch an extraordinary manner, for he was conceived by the holy Ghoſt; The holy Ghoſt ſanctified that corpulent ſubſtance of Chriſts body wherby there was not any form of or inclination to ſin abiding in him, and therefore he is called the foreign becauſe he wrs habitually and originally holy; Now this was wholly of the love of God that his humane nature was thus anointed with all holineſſe, and that he received the Spirit of God without meaſure, and therefore the humane nature of Chriſt was infinitely obliged to bleſs and praiſe God who had powred more holineſſe into it then in all Angels and men; Thus the Fathers love was ſeen in preparing him to be Mediatour, and when he was thus appointed, and in the diſcharge of his Office; The love of the Father was exceeding great to him:
For 1. you have the Father in a moſt glorious manner from heaven, owning of him, and giving of that ſolemn approbation, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed, what a glorious manifeſtation was here of the Fathers love to him, his love did reſt on him, yet ſo as thereby he makes others beloved Sonnes in whom alſo he is well-pleaſed, even thoſe that do believe in him; This glorious Teſtimony then given to Chriſt by the Father is made by ſome Learned men part of that glory which is ſpoken of in v. 22.
2. The Fathers love is wonderfully diſcovered to him as Mediatour, in that he was willing to lay down his life for thoſe who were appointed to ſalvation; Inſomuch that although the world thought him forſaken of God, and ſmitten for his own ſins, yea, though Chriſt himſelf in reſpect of his ſence and feeling expoſtulated with his Father, why he had forſaken him, yet even then was the Fathers love moſt of all towards him, Joh. 10.17. Therefore doth my Father love me, becauſe I lay down my life for my ſheep; Here you ſee that although there were many other Reaſons of the Fathers love to him, yet he inſtanceth in this wherein we would think Gods anger was for the preſent moſt diſplaied; It's true, this is urged by ſ…me that therefore Chriſt could not ſuffer the anger of God in his ſoul, neither could the Father afflict him as for our ſins, for how could this be, (ſay they) that at the ſame time the Father ſhould love him and yet be angry w…th him, as puniſhing the ſins of all the Elect upon him; But as Gods love towards Chriſt could conſiſt with that leaving of him to the hands of his Enemies, So alſo could the love of the Father towards the perſon of Chriſt well conſiſt with that anger of his towards him as our Surety, and certainly this very particular may much encourage the people of God, for when they are ſollicitous about their acceptance with the Father whether he will receive them into grace or no, what a ready anſwer is this, the Father loveth Chriſt becauſe he would die for us, becauſe he would be crucified for us.
3. The Fathers love towards him is eſpecially ſeen in exalting of him to all that honour and Majeſty the Scripture ſo often mentioneth, that is, the ſitting at the right hand of God the Father; It is true, as God he had a right to all this glory before, but then there was a manifeſtation of it, and not only ſo, but a reall communication of ſuch glory to his humane nature which it had not before, and his perſon was not admitted into a more plenary and conſummate poſſeſſion of that glory, of which there was but beginnings before; Even as it was with David, firſt he had a right given him to the Kingdom, but for the preſent he was in conſtant oppreſſions and miſeries; Thus Chriſt while having a right to all majeſty and divine honour was in a ſtate of humiliation, and he was in a form of a ſervant, even then when he was equal to God, and as David when he came to the actuall poſſeſſion of the Kingdom, did come to it by degrees, firſt at Hebron in ſ…me part, and then afterwards in Jeruſalem over all Iſrael; Thus the Lord Chriſt while on earth had ſeverall diſcoveries of his divine glory and honour, but the full enjoyment of it was upon his aſcenſion, and hence it is that here he ſpeaks he was loved before the foundation of the world, becauſe the Father had appointed this glory to him from all Eternity; Thus we have handled this love as it relateth to Chriſt, but you muſt know that it doth not concern him only, but it belongs alſo to the whole Church of God, So that herein is involved our greateſt conſolation, for there are theſe particulars contained in it.
1. That Christ and we are comprehended in one act as it were of Gods love and his Election; So that although we may and muſt conceive a priority and poſteriority in ſigno rationis, as they ſay, yet in naturâ they are together, for ſeeing that the Father did predeſtinate him to be head of his Church, and ſo doth love him as head of his Church, it muſt neceſſarily follow, that the Church alſo which are members to Chriſt their head, muſt be included in that Election, for the head and the body cannot be ſevered; Now doth not this wonderfully make for the glory and comfort of Gods people, that at the ſame time Chriſt was appointed to be a Mediatour; They alſo are ordained to be ſaved by him; As ſoon as ever he was made the head, they were made the body; In this reſpect it is that Chriſt and believers are ſaid to make up one myſticall perſon, and by this means what Chriſt had and did is communicated unto us.
2. Here followeth the Eternity of Gods love to us, For ſeeing that Chriſt was loved before the foundation of the world, So alſo muſt we, for we are choſen in him, Eph. 1.4. from all Eternity; So that although the effects of Gods love are vouchſafed to us in time, yet the purpoſe to do this was from all Eternity; Oh then the overflowing love of God to a beleever, how ſhould this melt thy heart and be like fire in thy bowels, when thou hadſt no thought of thy ſelf, when no friend could ſpeak a word for thee, yet even then God had thoughts of mercy towards thee.
3. Here is the perpetuity and immutability of the Fathers love to thee, for he cannot repent in his love as men may, They ſometimes love thoſe who prove otherwiſe then they expected, They never thought ſuch would prove ſo forgetfull, and therefore repent of all the kindeneſſe that ever they ſhewed them, but it is not ſo with God, for he foreknew all that ever we would do, he knew our ſins, our unkindneſſes, our rebellions, and yet for all this intended love to us, ſo that God cannot ſay, theſe men are greater ſinners, prove more unkinde to me then ever I thought they would have; No, the only wiſe God cannot be ſubject to ſuch errour, beſides men may love thoſe where they repent afterwards, becauſe they cannot make them good whom they love, the more they love, it may be the perſons loved do become the worſe by it, but it is not ſo with God, whom he loveth he makes holy; This is one great effect of his love, to put his Image into them, to make them walk in fear of him all the day long, Thus God will immutably love becauſe he will alwaies keep up grace in the hearts of thoſe where he hath begun it.
Furthermore, This love is perpetuall becauſe in Christ; We are now joyned to him by an Union that can never be diſſolved; When Chriſt ceaſeth to be an head then we ſhall ceaſe to be his body, So that the perſeverance of the Saints is built on this rock, they are elected in Chriſt, and are in time united to him, and therefore ſhall never be caſt off, no more then the Father will ceaſe to love Chriſt as an head, but theſe things were in part ſpoken to before.
Ʋſe, Doth the Father thus love Chriſt? Then what ſtrong arguments have we to believe and be confident in all thoſe Petitions which are put up in Chriſts Name; Hath Chriſt praied for thy Sanctification, for thy preſervation, that the evil of the world may not infect thee; Know Chriſt is ſo loved that nothing can be denied him; What if the Father love not thee for thy own ſake, what if he ſee no lovelineſſe in thee, yet in Chriſt he ſeeth enough; Certainly as the Father doth only look upon us in Chriſt, ſo ſhould we alſo look upon our ſelves as in him.
Ʋſe 2. Are the godly alſo comprehended in the ſame love wherein Chriſt is? then what matter of joy have they under all diſcouragements, under all the hatred and cruell oppoſitions they meet with in the world? What though the world hate thee, though thou haſt no love from all thy natural friends ever ſince thou began to love God; Oh poſſeſſe thy ſoul with this love of God in Chriſt, for this anſwers all things.