One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 142
SERMON CXLII. Setteth forth the ſingular Christian cleaving to God, though the multitude go another way; And how his godlineſſe in that caſe endears him to God.
JOH. 17.25.
And theſe have known, that thou hast ſent me.
IN theſe words you have deſcribed by way of commendation the Faith of believers with the object thereof.
1. Their Faith is called knowledge, as ſeveral times in this Chapter.
2. There is the object of this Faith, That the Father ſent Chriſt into the world, Auſtin underſtandeth it thus, as if the meaning were, They have known me, not by nature or free-will, but becauſe I was ſent into the world to reveal and cauſe this knowledge in them, So that he expounds it in a cauſal ſence, They have believed wholly of grace, becauſe thou haſt ſent me to be the Sun of Righteouſneſſe enlightening of them; But it's more conſonant to the cuſtomary uſe of that phraſe, to take in an objective ſence, making (Chriſt ſent) to be the ſpecifying object of their faith, and as for the perſons the foreign theſe who are ſaid thus to know, though ſome limit it to the Apoſtles only, yet becauſe the world is made the immediate oppoſite to it, we are to extend it to all believers; I have handled this deſcription of believers Faith abſolutely already, both as it is called knowledge, and as it is terminated upon Chriſt as ſent by the Father, and hereby diſtinguiſhed from the abſolute knowledge which men may have of God without Chriſt: I ſhall therefore only take notice of it relatively, as it ſtands by way of argument in this Petition, for therefore doth Chriſt commend them as the fit objects of glory, becauſe they do believe, though the world be wicked and mad oppoſers of the knowledge of God.
Obſ. That it's an endearing reſpect of believers to God that they do own him, Doct. That it's an indearing reſpect of believers to God that they do own him, and cleave to hint, when the whole world go quite contrary.and cleave to him, when the whole world goeth the contrary way; If the whole world did lie in godlineſſe, as it's ſaid to be in wickedneſſe; If every one did believe in God, then the excellency of ſuch who do believe would not be ſo great: If all the ſtones of the earth were jewels, then theſe would not be ſo much ſet by, and if all the weeds of the field were choice flowers, then flowers would not be ſo much regarded, ſo that the wickedneſs of the world is an excellent foil to the godlineſs of believers; The darker the night is, the light of the ſtars is thereby the brighter, and this the Apoſtle alludeth unto in that glorious commendation given to the Saints at Philippi, Phi. 2.15. where praying that they might be without rebuke in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe generation, he tels them, they did ſhine as lights in the world, So that as the darker the night is, the more glory is in the ſtar when it ſhineth, ſo the more perverſe and wicked the world is, the more amiable and lovely is the faith of ſuch who believe in Chriſt; Hence it is that ſuch an encouraging promiſe is made to ſuch who confeſs Chriſt before men, Mat. 18. that is an adulterous and wicked generation, as Mar. 8, 38. The acknowledging of God amongſt ſo many vile oppoſers and wicked perſecutors is eſpecially taken notice of by God; Thus when the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaks of Lot, how merciful God was in protecting and delivering him from the impendent judgements he giveth him this character, that he was a juſt and righteous man, 1 Pet. 2.7. which was abundantly diſcovered in this, that he was vexed (tormented as if he had been put upon the rack the word is applied to the very torments of hell) with the converſation of the wicked, his eye and ears, yea the whole ſoul it ſelf was vexed with their unlawful deeds, for Lot to walk righteouſly and holily in the midſt of ſuch miſcreants and incarnate devils as they were, this moved God to have a more ſpecial care over him.
Propoſitions clearing the Point.To conſider this Truth more throughly take notice,
1. That there is a wonderfull proneſſe in every man by nature to do as the moſt do, not to be thought more wiſe, more holy, or more ſtrict then others, eſpecially to be ſcoffed or derided, or perſecuted for walking more ſtrictly then others do, this is much againſt fleſh and bloud; Hence it is that we have ſuch a peremptory prohibition, that we are not to follow a multitude to do evil, Exo. 23.2. therefore our Saviour when he foretold that his diſciples ſhould be hated of all men for his Names ſake, he ſpake the moſt diſcouraging matter that could be, for every one naturally would gladly have the good word of all, the praiſe and applauſe of all; But becauſe that is impoſſible to pleaſe God and pleaſe men too, therefore it is that he who will be godly, who will do his duty, he will ſtir up the generation of wicked men againſt him as ſo many hornets, he ſhall neither have good name, eſtate, liberty, or life it ſelf, if they could complete the height of their wickedneſſe, now then muſt not this greatly indear them to God and Chriſt, that though they be godly at ſo dear a rate, though it coſt them ſo much, yet for all that they will not forſake God; Oh ſaith God, It's for my ſake, thou art thus reproached, thus perſecuted, if thou wouldſt do as the world doth, walk according to the courſe and faſhion thereof; Then the world would love and advance thee: Let not then the godly be troubled, but rejoyce rather under all the hard words, and ungodly deeds which they meet with, for all theſe ſufferings indear them more to God, He accounts what is done to them to be done as to himſelf, and therefore he will not let their ſin go unpuniſhed.
2. To be godly in a wicked and crooked generation doth indear to God becauſe thereby is manifeſted our ſincerity and uprightneſſe of heart; That there are no carnal and earthly advantages we look after, for if there were our earthly policy would ſuggeſt us to take ſome other way, and for this reaſon it may be thought our Saviour did upon all occaſion to ſuch who proffered to be his diſciples, ſtill inform them of the hardſhip, of the troubles and miſeries they muſt meet with, That ſo they might not apoſtatize afterwards, that they might not ſay, this is more then ever was told us, we would never have taken up the profeſſion of Chriſt upon ſuch terms; And certainly this is a rock many have ſplitted at, they begin to be diſciples of Chriſt before they throughly conſider how much it will coſt them to be ſo indeed, they do not take our Saviours advice, Luk. 14.31. to ſit down and conſider whether being now to go to war with ſuch luſts and ſins as formerly have been ſweet to them, they can endure or no, whether their luſts will not prove too ſtrong for them, and ſo they compound at laſt to be their ſervants again, they conſider not whether being now to rear up a ſtrong and enduring building they can be at ſo much coſt or no, whether they can extend ſo much from their former time, and cares and worldly thoughts and buſineſſes, ſo as to make this building their great work for want of theſe conſiderations aforehand, it is that ſo many have dealt fooliſhly in the way of Religion, They began but could not make an end; Oh but now when the heart is ſincere and upright, there it accounts no fiery triall ſtrange, whatſoever difficulty and trouble it meeteth with; It ſaith, this I looked for, this I expected, this I muſt undergo, and by this we diſcover our uprightneſs to God, and thereby we are more indeared to God, that it is not any outward thing but himſelf only that makes us profeſs our obedience to him, and this indeareth us to God.
3. Thoſe that believe in Chriſt in the midſt of a wicked and ungodly world are eſteemed of by God, becauſe ſuch have the image of God reſtored in them, and ſo become like him, now then where God ſeeth his own likeneſſe, there he will tenderly reſpect and protect; He that hath put ſuch bowels into a Father, that he will lay up for his children, and take more care of them then all other children in the world, muſt much more have ſuch bowels in himſelf towards thoſe that are his; Hence it is that we are ſo often exhorted to meditate on that relation of a Father which he hath ſo graciouſly aſſumed to himſelf, for what Father is there that ſeeth his good and obedient childe maintaing his credit, ſtriving for his honour againſt all thoſe that ſhall oppoſe him, will not inwardly be moved to take part with his childe, and defend him all he can, and ſhall not our heavenly Father much more ſhew his love herein to us? our Saviour would convince believers, Mat. 6.8. not to be troubled under any exerciſes from the tranſcendent affection that is in him as an heavenly Father to all earthly parents; Seeing therefore believers do reſemble God, and he ſeeth his own likeneſs upon them, Inſomuch that God ſaith, it's not ſo much for their ſakes as my ſake, that they are thus maligned, how can it be but that God will take care of them?
4 Such as believe in Chriſt they are become the Lords in a more peculiar propriety; They are his people, they are his jewels, they are the apple of his eye, and this propriety is that which prevaileth with God to keep them, though all the world be deſtroied, Pſal. 4. all wicked oppoſers of the godly are exhorted to know this that God hath ſet apart the godly man for himſelf; That as the godly man ſets God apart for himſelf, leaveth all the world to take him for his portion, So on the other ſide God paſſeth by wicked men, they are not in his favour or ſpecial protection but the godly are, They are his, and therefore he will love them as his, and delight in them as his; In Iſa. 43.34. we have a glorious promiſe, Since thou waſt precious in my ſight, I will give men for thee, and people for thy life, that is, God will give up many to deſtruction to ſave his children; As they ſaid to David, Thou art worth ten thouſand of us, Thus God ſpeaketh concerning his choice ones, they are worth more then many thouſands of wicked men, and it's better thouſands of them periſh then few of the godly, So that this propriety Gods children have in God, is that which will be a ſure protection for them to paſſe ſafe through all calamities.
5. To be faithful to God amongſt wicked men indeareth God to them, becauſe this demonſtrateth many excellent and choice properties in the godly, which make them lovely and precious in his ſight; As firſt here is demonſtrated Gods grace already begun in them, and therefore where God hath begun there will he alſo preſerve to the latter end, for when our Saviour here ſaith, the world hath not known thee, but theſe have known thee, he doth not commend them for their own ſtrength and abilities, as if they had differenced themſelves from others, but he diſcovers how much God had loved them hitherto, he choſe us, and loved us firſt, and therefore we chooſe and love him again, So that when believers accept of Chriſt they do not herein diſcover any worth in themſelves, but the infinite grace of God to them that made them to be diſcriminated from others. Now then where Chriſt hath begun to love, there will he conſummate and finiſh, one degree of Gods love cals for another, and he hath ſo chained his graces together that the link ſhall not be broken, if then you ſee the godly laboring and working after God when all the world is contrary; Do not ſo much admire them as the grace of God given to them; Even as the people did when they ſaw the Apoſtles work ſuch wonderfull miracles.
2. Here is manifeſted their magnanimity and courage for God, that they dare confeſſe his Name, and promote his kingdom to ſuch exceeding hazard of all they have; Will not this alſo make God have a ſpecial regard to them? It's moſt acceptable to God to be good in evil times, and amongſt evil men, as Obedmelech in Ahabs Courts, and ſome of Caeſars houſhold; This magnanimity was admirable in the Confeſſors and Martyrs of old, who deſpiſed death, yea, triumphed over it, inſomuch that though the Heathens ſpeak of a vertue called fortitude, and another named magnanimity, yet they are never able to ſhew the hundredth or thouſandth part of any heathens ſuffering for their ſect, as we can do millions of Chriſtians for the Chriſtian Faith; If then David did ſo much prize his Worthies, and thoſe who were valiant men, venturing their lives for him, were ſo indeared, how much more will God highly eſteem ſuch as are couragious and venturous for him, Therefore there is ſuch encouraging promiſes made to ſuch as are willing to loſe for him, Mat. 19.29. he ſhall receive an hundred fold, and ſhall inherit eternal life; Is not this plain that God is very tender of and remunerative of ſuch who are couragious and ready to loſe any thing for his ſake.
3. Herein the godly manifeſt their love to God; In this time of adverſity they diſcover their kinde affections towards God; Now love of God is abundantly rewarded with love from God, What a happy exchange is this for thy poor finite creatures love, which is not able to make God more bleſſed and happy, to have the infinite, effectual, and unſpeakable love of God towards thee; If we love the inanimate creatures they do not love us again; Thou loveſt riches, riches do not love thee again; Thou loveſt honours, but honours cannot love thee again, but if we place our love upon God, then God will powr out his love abundantly upon us again, love obtains love, and where God loveth his love is infinite like himſelf, and withall it's efficacious, his love while we are ſinners made him ſend his Son to die for us; much more will his love be operative ſince reconciled with us.
Laſtly, All ſuch true believers who acknowledge Chriſt in the midſt of an ungodly world, they do betake themſelves to Gods faithfulneſs, and reſt only upon that; They take up this reſolution, all the world will prove malicious and ungrateful, they cannot expect better meaſure then what Chriſt himſelf had, who yet did ſo much good where he came; Now having theſe expectations they fortifie themſelves with Gods promiſe and fidelity, he will not leave them nor forſake them; You ſee how often David profeſſeth his truſt in God, making him his fortreſſe and ſtrong tower; We ſee among men if any one betake himſelf to another mans fidelity, and ſay, he will truſt on him, he will depend upon him, if ſuch an one have any ingenuity or ſpark of goodneſs in him, to be ſure he will not fail ſuch, he will not deceive, how much rather then will God abide ſure and faithful to all thoſe that depend on him.
Ʋſe 1. of Exhortation not to be infected or poiſoned with the common iniquity of others, though others grow wicked, yet let not thy love grow cold, for this will be a remarkable aggravation of grace, when the world was obſtinate and would not know God, yet thou didſt, Do not think that multitude of ſins can be any patronage to thee at all; Though thou art but one man, or one Family for God in the whole Pariſh, do not ſhrink at this, but think that God doth the rather take notice of thee; It's a more difficult task to be godly in ſome places then others; It will coſt more, there will be more ſufferings, but ſtill remember never did any loſe by loſing for God.
Ʋſe 2. of Comfort to the godly, Though they have ſo little from the world, for God he takes notice of all the hard ſpeeches, all the hard practiſes that ungodly men are guilty of towards them, but let them know, the more this Pharaoh, this Egypt doth oppreſs them, the more graciouſly will God at laſt hear all their groan, and they ſhall enter into a Canaan, that will make amends for all. Think not of thy conflicts and fightings, but of the Crown of glory: Oh that the godly would conſider who it is that looks on them, while they run in this race, while they are ſtriving for an holy victory.