One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 141
SERMON CXLI. Christ is the great Teacher of his Church.
JOH. 17.25.
But I have known thee.
IN theſe words are contained the cauſe and fountain of all that ſaving knowledge which beleevers have, viz. becauſe Chriſt knoweth God: For whereas the immediate oppoſition ſhould have runne thus, The world hath not known thee, but theſe have known thee; This is inſerted, as the cauſe, I have known thee. The word is in the Preterperfect tenſe, foreign for the Preſent, as John 8 55. I know him, and keep his ſaying. Now Chriſts knowledge may be conſidered two wayes, either
1. Subjectively, or immanent in him: Or,
2. Tranſitively, or by way of communication unto others; as the fountains fulneſſe may be conſidered either abſolutely in it ſelf, or as originally redundant and diffuſive to it's ſtreams. Now though the firſt kinde of knowledge be neceſſarily preſuppoſed, yet the latter is chiefly aimed at, as appeareth by thoſe words, I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare unto them.
In theſe words therefore our Saviour doth manifeſt himſelf to be the Mediator, and in a more peculiar manner the Prophet of his Church, whereby he communicates ſaving knowledge unto all beleevers, and that he is the Sunne, which enlightneth every one that cometh into the Church, That as God hath put all material light into the body of the Sunne, and all other things are enlightned by it: Thus it is with Chriſt the Sun of righteouſneſſe, all ſpiritual knowledge is given unto him, and that without meaſure, from whom there are ſeveral emanations and irradiations, whereby all that know ſpiritually, are enlightned by him: Thus he is the truth and the way.
Obſ.Obſerv. Chriſt is the original and fontal cauſe of all the knowledge that believers have. That Chriſt is the original and fontal cauſe of all the knowledge that believers have. There is not the leaſt ray or beam of any ſpiritual illumination, that doth not deſcend from him.
There are pregnant Texts to confirm this, John 1.18. No man hath ſeen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the boſom of the Father, he hath declared him; Where we have an oppoſition of Chriſt to Moſes, who yet talked to God, face to face, and to all other Prophets, though they had immediate inſpirations and revelations, yet none of theſe ſaw God at any time, that is, perfectly and comprehenſively; They were but ſervants, and had no more manifeſted to them, then what was convenient; but Chriſt he is the only begotten Son of God, and in the boſom of the Father, he knoweth the minde, the ſecrets, all the whole counſel and purpoſe of God, and that of himſelf; and this he doth not keep cloſe in himſelf, as Paul when caught up into the third heavens, heard things not to be uttered, but foreign thoſe things that otherwiſe were hidden and obſcure, he had made clear and known: Thus you ſee, that firſt Chriſt hath a full and perfect knowledge of the minde of God, and that he hath it, not in ſuch a manner as the holy Prophets ſometimes received it, but of himſelf, and that this knowledge he doth not keep to himſelf, no more then the Sun doth its light, but he hath it to reveal, and declare it to his people, ſo that we have the minde of God, becauſe Chriſt hath revealed it: Therefore ſome ſay, he is called the word of God, becauſe he doth manifeſt the inward purpoſes of God for our ſalvation, and the means to attain thereunto. This truth alſo is abundantly confirmed Joh. 3.31.32. where all the Prophets, and John himſelf is debaſed in reſpect of Chriſt, He that cometh from heaven is above all; All others come of the earth, but Chriſt, becauſe coming from heaven, the boſom of the Father, therefore he is above all, but it followeth, What he hath ſeen and heard he teſtifieth; ſo that he communicateth this knowledge to the world; Therefore the unbelief of the world is heavily taxed, No man receiveth his teſtimony. Although Chriſt be to be preferred above all that were ever ſent by God, for they were only infallible directively, and by outward aſſiſtance only, but Chriſt eſſentially and internally, yet the world doth not receive his teſtimony. If then it be thus, That Chriſt only knoweth God, and from him knowledge is derived to all others; Even the Doctors and Teachers in the Church, do ſtrive by his light, then it's no wonder if God from heaven doth take us of all others, and bid us attend to him, Mat. 17.5. Hear ye him: So that we are not to regard, what the wiſeſt, the learned, or the moſt ancient ſay, but what Chriſt ſaith.
Propoſitions about the point.To open this truth, Conſider theſe things:
1. That Chriſt a… God hath omniſciency, knowing all things. 1 Cor. 2.11. What is there attributed to the Spirit of God, is true alſo of the Sonne of God, The Spirit ſearcheth the deep things of God: Thus Chriſt as God muſt needs comprehend all the things of God, and ſo there is nothing hid from him; And this Omniſciency of his, was often manifeſted, eſpecially Joh. 2. when it's ſaid, He knew what was in man, and needed not that any ſhould tell him.
2. The humane Nature of Chriſt, or Chriſt as man knew not all things, but according as the Divine Nature revealed the hidden things of God, ſo he came to perceive him. Therefore the Doctrine of the Lutherans ſeem to confound the Natures, when they ſay, The properties of the Divine Nature are communicated to the humane Nature, Omniſcience and Ʋbiquity, &c. This cannot be, and yet Chriſt abide a true man. Hence he is ſaid to grow in knowledge; yea as Son of man he is ſaid, Not to know the day of Judgement, Mat. 24.36. which cannot be explained, as ſome would, he knew it not, viz. to reveal it, for in that ſenſe the Father alſo might be ſaid not to know it, yet the humane nature of Chriſt, though it was capable of neſciency, yet not of ignorance, for as he was without all ſin, ſo without all ignorant defects in minde, he wanted no perfection that was due to him, it was an experimental knowledge he grew in.
3. Even the humane Nature of Chriſt, is now lifted up to know many things without which as the Judge of the world, he could not accompliſh that work. For ſeeing that Chriſt God-man is appointed to judge the world, it's neceſſary that even as man, there ſhould be revealed unto him, all the thoughts, actions and circumſtances thereof concerning every man in the world, that ſo he might fulfill the office of a Judge.
4. Chriſt, as Mediator, God and man is the author and fountain of all the light, which is communicated to the Church. Hence it is that one of his Offices is to be the Prophet of the Church: He is called the chief ſhepherd of our ſouls, 1 Pet. 5 4. and being our high-Prieſt, he was to offer up himſelf for us, ſo alſo inſtruct and teach us: Therefore you heard the whole world is commanded to hear him, and therefore it is that he cals himſelf, the truth and the way, Joh. 14.16. So that in all matters of Religion we are ſtill to enquire what Chriſt hath revealed, and what he hath manifeſted; now he doth not only reveal the truth to be believed, but the duties alſo that are to be performed, and therefore the Apoſtle makes it ſo hainous a ſinne to refuſe Chriſt ſpeaking above Moſes, Heb. 12.25. Tremble then all ye wicked men, who do conſtantly refuſe Chriſt ſtill ſpeaking from heaven by his Word and Miniſters to leave your ſins and impieties.
5. The Scripture doth often (as in all actions ad extra) attribute the ſame work of teaching and enlightning, both to the Father, and to the Son, and to the holy Spirit. So that this great work of ſaving knowledge is attributed indifferently to all. Thus the Father James 1. is called the Father of lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift: So our Saviour alledgeth that promiſe, They ſhall be all taught of God, Joh. 6.45. So the holy Spirit is ſaid to guide and lead into all truth, Illumination being frequently aſcribed to the Spirit, and 1 Cor. 2.10. God is ſaid there to reveal things unto us by his Spirit. And laſtly, Chriſt himſelf is ſaid to be the great teacher of his people, as Mat. 23.10. For one is your Maſter, even Chriſt. Hence the Apoſtle magnifieth the Goſpel, Heb. 1. that whereas formerly God had ſpoken by the Prophets, in theſe later dayes he ſpake by his Sonne: So that the geeat ſinne againſt the Goſpel, and the aggravation of all wickedneſſe is from hence, that though this light be come into the world, yet men love darkneſſe rather then light.
6. The Lord Chriſt doth teach ſeveral wayes, either immediately, when he was upon the earth, or mediately by the Apoſtles and the Miniſters that he hath appointed in his Church. Therefore he is ſaid ſtill to ſpeak from heaven, viz. by the Word and the Miniſtry: ſo that we are not to conceive, as if we had nothing of Chriſt now, becauſe he is aſcended to heaven, for what the Miniſters, guided by the Word of God, do, that is, as if Chriſt himſelf ſpake it, and you are to receive it with the like faith and obedience. Hence our Saviour ſpeaking to his Apoſtles ſaith, Luke 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me; he that deſpiſeth an Embaſſadour contemneth him from whom he is ſent: Oh that this truth may be as a two-edged Sword in thy heart! What dareſt thou, who liveſt in thy prophaneneſs, if Chriſt himſelf were here upon the earth, commanding thee to leave thy ſins, yet to perſevere in them, if not, How is it that you refuſe thoſe who come in his name?
7. Though Chriſt hath appointed a Miniſtry to teach and inſtruct people, yet the whole efficacy and power cometh from Chriſt alone. It's God and Chriſt by the Word that can only open the underſtanding, and give a ſpiritual knowledge, ſo that converſion is ſo called the teaching of God, John 6.45. Therefore a man muſt hear and learn of the Father, before he can come to Chriſt, onelyonly Chriſt there addeth, that this hearing and knowing of the Father comes by him: So Joh. 3.26, 27. when Johns Diſciples ſaid, That all men come to Chriſt, he anſwered, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him of heaven, attributing it to the power of God, that any come to Chriſt. Therefore this Sun exceedeth the bodily one, which giveth indeed external light, but cannot give an eye to ſee, the blinde remain blinde for all that.
Laſtly, Though Chriſt only do effectually give a knowing heart, ſo that although we had the beſt Miniſtry of men and Angels, yet it would do no good without his ſecret power and energie, yet we muſt not from thence inferre the uſeleſneſs of the Miniſtry, as ſome fooliſhly have done, oppoſing the principal and ſubordinate. For in our natural life, although it be not the bread we eat, but the word of bleſſing from Gods mouth, that makes it to nouriſh us, yet none caſts away his food, reſolving to depend on God immediately: Thus though Chriſt alone give the ſeeing eye, and the underſtanding heart, yet it's by and in the uſe of the Miniſtry; though it was God alone that did give the healing vertue to the pool of Betheſda, yet the Angel muſt move it, and every lame man muſt come into it, elſe he could not be healed. Hence although Jeremy propheſie of ſuch abundance of knowledge, that they ſhall not teach one another, but be all taught of God, which may ſeem and is brought by ſome to overthrow the Miniſtry, yet the ſame Prophet Jer. 3.15. declareth it as a ſpecial bleſſing, that he would give them Paſtors according to his own heart, which would feed them with knowledge and underſtanding: So that Gods teaching, and the Paſtors teaching do not oppoſe one another. It's ſaid alſo of Lydia, that God opened her heart, Act. 16.14. but to what end? To attend to the words of Paul: So that you muſt never oppoſe Gods work, and the Miniſtry together.
In the next place, Let us conſider the Properties of Chriſts knowledge, whereby he makes us alſo to know. As
1. The Authoritative and poteſtative Nature of it, he taught as one having authority, not as the Scribes and Phariſees, Mat. 7.29. Hence Mat. 5. when he had related the corrupt opinions of their Doctors in the Interpretation of the Law, he addeth, But I ſay unto you, oppoſing his Authority to them all. It's true, he ſaith, he ſpeaks not of himſelf, but referreth his Doctrine wholly to his Father, but withall ſaith, He and his Father are one; he doth not ſpeak of receiving his Doctrine in the ſame manner, as Paul, and other Apoſtles did of him by revelation.
2. There is the freeneſs of this, he teacheth whom he pleaſeth. There are none ſo froward, and ſo contumacious, but he can open their hearts, and others that are of high and eminent underſtandings for want of him do remain blind owls, Mat. 11.26, 27. where our Saviour giving God thanks for manifeſting the things of the Goſpel to ſome, and not to others, reſolving all into Gods good pleaſure, Even ſo (Father) for ſo it pleaſeth thee, he addeth, No man knoweth the Father, but the Sonne, and he to whomſoever the Son will reveal him: So that where the Son will reveal it, there is knowledge, and where he will not, there remaineth blindneſs.
3. There is the effectual and powerfull way of this revealing, ſuch ſhall know, ſuch will come to God, ſuch ſhall have the vail-taken off their eyes, and the ſtone out of their hearts.
4. There is the continual and daily efficacy of this, I have manifeſted it to them, and will do it. Though they were Apoſtles, yet they need the daily guidance and illumination of Chriſts Spirit, we cannot either begin, or proceed without him.
Ʋſe of Inſtruction, To look above the Miniſtry, even up to Chriſt, that he would open thy heart, conſtantly wait upon that, but withall ſay, Unleſſe thou Lord go along with the Ordinance, all hearing, and all preaching is in vain; He that only can give eyes to the corporal blinde, can alſo to the ſpiritual blinde: Is it not for want of this, you finde the Miniſtry no more working upon you, you are not inſtant with God in prayer, that it may be effectual to you?
Ʋſe 2. Of Exhortation, To ſuch who have this vail and thick cloud on their hearts removed, let them not indeed proudly compare themſelves with, and inſult over others, yet by the oppoſition be quickned to walk humbly and praiſe God the more: O Lord, the world hath not known thee, ſuch great men, ſuch rich men, ſuch neighbours, but I by thy grace have known thee!