One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 18
SERMON XVIII. The Neceſſity of the Knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus as well as of God the Father.
JOH. 17.3.
And Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent.
WE now come to the ſecond Object of this knowledge neceſſary to ſalvation, and that is Chriſt. This latter Object is added becauſe of the Jews, and ſome Heretiques, who though they acknowledge the only true God, yet becauſe they are eirher ignorant of, or deny Chriſt, therefore they are not in the way to ſalvation; The object to be known is deſcribed,
1. By his proper Name.
2. By his appellative or name of office.
3. From the Original and Cauſe of it.
His proper name is Jeſus, Though ſome learned men have affected to go out of the ordinary way in giving the true root of this word, yet certainly the moſt common derivation of it is moſt true, viz. that it comes from the word foreign to ſave, as the Angell plainly interprets it, his Name ſhall be called Jeſus, becauſe he ſhall ſave his people from their ſinnes, Mat. 1.21. It's the ſame with Joſhua, who was ſo called, becauſe he delivered the people out of their temporal miſeries, and brought them into Canaan, being herein a Type of Chriſt.
2. His Name of office Chriſt, as much as anointed, I ſhall not ſay much of this word now, Though the word be attributed to others, yet Jeſus is properly called the Meſſias, he is the Ʋnctus unctorum, the anointed of the anointed, and this doth eſpecially demonſtrate the Prieſtly and the Kingly office of Chriſt,
3. There is the Original or Fountain of this office, It's from God the Father, Now when the Father is ſaid to ſend him, it is not to be underſtood as if it were againſt Chriſts will, no, but he voluntarily and readily undertook this Office likewiſe, ſo that if we did know and acknowledge ſuch a perſon as was called Jeſus, yet if we did not alſo acknowledge him to be the Chriſt, the Mediatour appointed by God, our knowledge would be inſufficient.
Obſerv. The knowledge of the true God is not enough to ſalvation without the knowledge of Chriſt.Obſ. That the knowledge of one true God is not enough to ſalvatian, without the knowledge of Chriſt alſo; They are both put together, and none may ſeparate them: Hence it's ſo often in Scripture commanded that we ſhould beleeve in Chriſt, That be who beleeveth ſhall not enter into judgement, and our Saviour makes the knowlege of him and the Father inſeparably joyned together, Ioh. 8.19.
To open the Doctrine Conſider,
1. That we cannot have any knowledge about Chriſt, either that there is ſuch an one, or what he is, but only by Revelation; We told you about God, there was a threefold Knowledge, by nature, by the Creatures, by the Scriptures; And therefore whereas it might be, and is eaſily granted by all, that none can be ſaved without the knowledge of the true God, yet both of old and of late, there have been thoſe who have held that the Nations that know not Chriſt, may be ſaved: It's true, they are divided among themſelves, for ſome ſay, the Gentiles have ſome implied or confuſed knowledge of Chriſt, or elſe God revealeth it to them extraordinarily, but others poſitively ſay, the knowledge we have by nature and meer light of reaſon is enough to conduct to heaven: As for Cornelius the Centurion whom they inſtance in, the firſt Heathen converted and baptized under the New Teſtament, it is plain that he had a knowledge of Chriſt, though imperfect; Neither is that expreſſion of Peter upon Cornelius his admiſſion, Act. 10.35. where he ſaith, God is no accepter of perſons, but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteouſneſſe ſhall be ſaved, any waies favouring ſalvation without Chriſt; For now the partition wall being broken down, and the Goſpel to be preached to all Nations, which was repreſented in the viſion of a ſheet full of clean and unclean beaſts, the Knowledge of Chriſt was likewiſe therewith to be propagated: It's true the Apoſtle ſaith, they that ſinne without the Law ſhall be judged without the Law, Rom. 2. God will not judge them by that they knew not, and ſo they that ſinne without the knowledge of the Goſpel, they ſhall not be judged for not beleeving in Chriſt, and not receiving of him to whom he was never tendred, but then they have a law of conſcience within them, by which they ſhall be condemned, ſo that by the Scripture we cannot ſay there is any other way of ſalvation but by the Name of Chriſt, and Faith in his Name, yea, that Text Act. 4.12. is plainly excluding any other way of ſalvation, There is no other Name under Heaven whereby we muſt be ſaved; Howſoever men may tropically explain and ſay, how can we think ſo merciful a God can ſuffer ſo many thouſands and thouſands who never heard of Chriſt to periſh? yea, their poor Infants, who committed no actual ſinne; We muſt ſubmit to the Scripture, otherwiſe we may take up Origens opinion, and ſay, how doth it ſtand with the goodneſſe of God and his pity to let ſo many Angels and men be damned, and not ſave them all at laſt; But when the Word of God ſpeaks man muſt be ſilent and hold his tongue.
2. A right knowledge about one true God is not enough without the knowledge of Chriſt, partly on Gods part, and partly on our part; On Gods part, for ſo he is abſolutely conſidered as a righteous and juſt God,The Reaſons of the Point. hating all ſinne, and puniſhing it where he findes it; Now in this conſideration he is a conſuming fire, there is a great gulf between him and us; The devils and damned in hell may as well hope for mercy as we, if there were no Chriſt; The heathens therefore who hoped for pardon they ignorantly thought to ſatisfie God, as if he could be ſatisfied by any finite thing, as Luther ſaid, It's not Deus abſolutus but relativus, not God conſidered abſolutely but relatively as a Father in Covenant, through Chriſt that is the ground of all our hope and comfort; This knowledge would only terrifie and drive to deſpair, as you ſee in Adam till he was comforted with the promiſe. 2. On our part, It's neceſſary to know Chriſt as well as God, becauſe without Chriſt there is no foundation for any duty; We cannot pray, we cannot approach near to him; As he is a conſuming fire, ſo we are combuſtible ſtubble, Whatſoever ye ſhall ask in my Name, ſaith Chriſt, ſhall be given you; It muſt be through that Name our duties are accepted: Can two walk together unleſſe they be agreed? What concord or agreement can there be between a righteous God and a corrupted ſinner? For this cauſe it is that the moſt holy men have praied that God would not enter into ſtrict judgement with them, Pſa. 143.2, If men ſanctified dare not appear at the Tribunal of God in their own perſons, much leſſe may ſinners; It's neceſſary then becauſe of that contrariety between God and ſinful man, there ſhould be a Mediatour, an advocate, one that ſhould ſtand between juſtice and us, the condemning power of the Law and us; Who is not afraid of juſtice? Who hath ſo much purity that the Law cannot finde any fault with him? So that if we conſider of theſe two particulars we ſhall ſee great reaſon that we have to know Chriſt and God alſo.
Thirdly, Take notice, That a Knowledge or belief that there is a Meſſias, is not enough, unleſſe we beleeve that perſon called Ieſus, to be Chriſt; For he doth not ſay, This is Eternal Life to beleeve a Chriſt, but that Jeſus is Chriſt; The Jews to this day beleeve there will be a Meſſias, all their hope and expectation is for ſuch an one, but yet the Apoſtle ſaith, they are caſt off by God for the preſent, that they are branches broken off from the Olive, Rom. 11. and why? becauſe they erre in two particulars: 1. They deny that Jeſus born of the Virgin Mary to be the Meſſiah, Therefore they will not beleeve the promiſes to be fullfilled in him. And 2. They look for a temporall Meſſiah, who ſhall reſtore them from bodily captivity, not for a Saviour in a ſpiritual ſence. Indeed before Chriſt came into the fleſh, then a belief and expectation of a Meſſiah was enough, as appears by Simeons Song, Luk. 2.34. who was one of the expectants for Chriſt, and when he ſaw him then deſired to depart in peace, but now ſince he is come, it's neceſſary to ſalvation to beleeve that Perſon born of the Virgin Mary, and crucified by the Jews under Pilate, was the true and promiſed Meſſias, Therefore a great part of the Apoſtles Miniſtry was to prove that Jeſus was the Chriſt.
Fourthly, In that Chriſt makes Eternall Life to lie in theſe two neceſſary things, therefore the Papists are horribly preſumptuous, who adde a third thing neceſſary to Eternal Life, which is Subeſſe Romano Pontifici, To acknowledge the Pope to be head of the Church, and to ſubmit to him, This is de neceſſitate ſalutis ſaith Bellarmine. But they have never yet been able to make this out that there is ſuch an univerſal viſible and infallible head of the Church: Yea, Gregory one of the Popes ſaid, Whoſoever ſhould arrogate to himſelf the Title of Ʋniverſal Biſhop, he was the Forerunner of Antichrist; For the great Antichriſtianiſm deſcribed by the Apoſtles, lieth not ſo much in doctrines; Though they be Antichriſts alſo that deny Chriſt to be come in the fleſh, 1 Joh. 2.16. yet the great Antichriſt is deſcribed by the Church-power, and univerſal dominion; he ſhall take to himſelf in the Church, exalting himſelf above every thing that is called God, 2 Theſ. 2.4. Therefore howſoever they pronounce ſuch dreadful ſentences upon all the Reformed Churches, that have caſt off the Popes power, as if they were not in a way to Eternal Life, yet this Scripture may abundantly encourage, where there is a true knowledge of God and Chriſt, there is a poſſibility of Eternal Life.
Fifthly, To know Jeſus Chriſt whom the Father hath ſent implieth the knowledge of theſe particulars.
1. That he is really and truly God, for how can he be a ſpiritual Saviour if he be not God? Is it not God only that can raiſe from the dead? Could meer man ſatisfie the juſtice of God, deſtroy the works of the devil? It's not my purpoſe here to confirm that main Article of Religion, I only inform you that he who truly knoweth Chriſt muſt know him to be God the only begotten of the Father, elſe he cannot know him as a Jeſus, as a Saviour; Therefore howſoever Arians and Socinians talk much of Chriſt, diſpute much of him, yea, mention him in their praiers and Petitions, yet they do not truly know Chriſt, if the Apoſtle makes it ſo great a ſinne to deny Chriſt to be come in the fleſh, to be man, that he ſaith, he is Antichriſt that doth ſo, 1 Joh. 2.18. then it muſt needs be a greater ſinne to deny him to be God, for as he doth a man a greater wrong that denieth him a rationall ſoul, then that denieth a mortal body to him, ſo he doth in a greater manner diſhonour Chriſt that denieth him to be God then to be man: Shall Chriſt himſelf Phil. 2. think it no robbery to be equal with God, and will they make Chriſt guilty of ſuch robbery? for he aſſumed to himſelf both the Title and reality of God.
2. To know Jeſus Chriſt is to acknowledge him man as well as God, for this was his name given him by the Angel, when he was born, ſo that he only knoweth Chriſt who acknowledgeth him both God and man, as the Scripture ſometimes cals him the only begotten Son of God, ſo ſometimes the Son of man, and many places in Scripture ſpeak of both his natures, Rom. 9.5. who concerning the fleſh, was of the Seed of Abraham, and yet he is God for evermore, concerning the fleſh, that is ſpoken oppoſitely to his divine nature, ſo that to deny the humane nature of Chriſt, though we ſhould affirm he was God, yet this is not to know Chriſt, Therefore the Marcioniſts and ſome Anabaptiſts who ſaid he had not a true reall body, that he was only in the appearance of a man, They do not know Chriſt.
3. To know Jeſus Chriſt implieth alſo that we have ſome underſtanding of his Offices; Of his anointing with all ſufficiency and fulneſſe, to be a Mediatour for us; He that ſaith he knows Chriſt, and doth not acknowledge him anointed by God, with all fulneſſe to be a Mediatour for us, ſaith, he knoweth not what; Now the ignorance of Chriſts Office, and his fulneſſe therein doth wonderfully abound in Popery; The devil in former times oppoſed the natures of Chriſt, when he could no longer ſucceed that way, then he oppoſeth the Offices of Chriſt, all thoſe doctrines of merits, indulgencies, and ſatisfactions do oppoſe the Offices of Chriſt, for if Chriſt be the Meſſiah, if he be the full Mediatour, to what purpoſe are all theſe? Although therefore in Popery there is the true doctrine retained about Chriſts Natures, he is acknowledged to be God and man, yet in reſpect of his Offices there is a total burying of him in ſilence: Angels and Saints merits and indulgencies have even almoſt put out the very Name of Chriſt amongſt them, ſo then all acknowledging that Chriſt is not enough, it muſt be a Scripture-confeſſing of him; We muſt give him his full due, not make him half a Mediatour, half a Saviour, and joyn' our ſelves or others in this great work.
4. To know Chriſt implieth alſo that we acknowledge the great love of the Father in ſending his only Son thus to mediate for us: Therefore it's added, whom thou haſt ſent, and for this reaſon it's ſaid, he that knoweth and honoureth the Son, muſt know and honour the Father alſo, Joh. 5.23. For from the Father comes the Spring of all this love, He ſo loved the world that he gave his only Son, Joh. 3. and certainly this is of great conſequence to know the Father ſent Chriſt into the world, for hereby we may be aſſured that all the obedience and ſufferings of Chriſt ſhall be accepted of by the Father; We need not fear it or doubt of it, for the Father did make the firſt motion as it were to the Sonne, Though the Sonne alſo did readily and voluntarily undertake it; Now how great a matter was this, for God the Father to do? Was not Chriſt the only begotten and beloved of the Father? Did he not come out of his Fathers boſome to the Croſſe, and ſhall not this make us return all thankfulneſſe and obedience unto him.
Laſtly, This muſt neceſſarily imply a knowledge of our miſery and damnable condition by ſinne: For if we were not loſt what need had we of a Saviour? If we were not ſinners what need of a Mediatour? So that the acknowledging of a Chriſt ſent into the world to be a Mediatour is the beleeving alſo of man by nature to be the childe of wrath, the Enemy of God, one who may not come into his preſence, or expect the leaſt hope of mercy, till an Advocate and Interceſſour come and pleade his cauſe, ſo that this Knowledge of a Chriſt ſhould be accompanied with great affections and workings of heart, it ſhould breed ſhame, fear, and confuſion in us, it ſhould breed an hungring and thirſting after Chriſt, an eſteem of him as the only Remedy; In Chriſt only is our fulneſſe, our ſins would undo us, were it not for his righteouſneſſe, our iniquities would overthrow us; Did not be intercede, bleſſed art thou then when this Knowledge is like fire in thy boſome, kindling holy flames within thee: Now here may be ſome Queſtions made:
Obj.1. Doth not this exclude all that lived under the Old Teſtament diſpenſation from Salvation? For howſoever they might know the true God, yet was there any diſcovery or Knowledge of Chriſt in thoſe daies, This is ſo great a matter that ſome have looked upon all the Jews as knowing only temporall promiſes; That they knew nothing of heaven but an earthly Canaan was their heaven: That they had no Knowledge of Chriſt but thought by the bloud of Sacrifices to appeaſe God:
Anſw.But to anſwer this: 1. No doubt but the common and ordinary ſort of them was greatly ignorant of Chriſt, and therefore reſted in their Sacrifices, and the knowledge of the Law, as the only thing that made them acceptable; This is plain by the Apoſtles Arguments in his Epiſtle to the Galatians, and we ſee by the Prophets they ſo relied upon theſe externall ſervices, that they thought themſelves beloved of God, though abounding in all wickedneſſe: And no wonder they did ſo, for under the Goſpel how many reſt on their duties, and have no faith in Chriſt.
But 2. Thoſe that were holy and godly, they looked upon all their bodily Sacrifices as Types of Chriſt; It was Chriſts bloud they put confidence in; The Apoſtle in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews ſhews, that God intended Chriſt by thoſe Sacrifices, and that the bloud of Rams and Goats could never clenſe away ſinne, as this was Gods meaning, ſo the Prieſts and Prophets they explained the meaning thereof to the people, and ſometimes they have clear promiſes of a Saviour, a Meſſias to come to them, who ſhall be a Prince of Peace, and ſhall bear their ſinnes for them, as Iſaiah ſpeaks like an Evangeliſt to this purpoſe, which made the Apoſtle ſay that the Prophets did bear witneſſe of Chriſt; Abraham he ſaw Chriſts day and rejoyced, Act. 10.43. Now all the godly have the ſame faith Abraham had, therefore he is made the Father of the Faithfull, ſo that what was covered in the Old Teſtament is revealed in the New; Chriſt they had, and Mediation they had, though the Knowledge of it was more obſcure: Hence the Goſpel is ſaid to riſe like the Light of the Sun.
Obj.2. It may be demanded, why the Knowledge of the holy Ghoſt is not there ſaid to be Eternal Life, as well as of the Father and the Son, for without the Spirit of God efficiently enabling us, we cannot do any holy duty as well as without Chriſts merits, we cannot be accepted: Chriſt is the meritorious cauſe, and the Spirit of God the applying cauſe.
Anſw.To this we may ſay, that the Knowledge of the Spirit is neceſſarily implied in the Knowledge of Chriſt; For he was in reſpect of his humane nature conceived by the holy Ghoſt, when he was to leave his Apoſtles bodily, he promiſeth his Spirit to ſupply his preſence, So that none can know Chriſt as a Mediatour, that doth not alſo know the holy Ghoſt: Hence be is called, the Spirit of Chriſt.
And in the 2d place we may ſay it's not neceſſary that this Text ſhould ſpeak of all things neceſſary to Salvation, It's enough that other places doe ſufficiently teſtifie it; Now that the knowledge of the holy Ghoſt is alſo requiſite to Eternal Life appeareth, in that we are baptized into his Name, ſo that it's a principle and Foundation to be inſtructed about the holy Ghoſt, as well as the Father and the Sonne. We reade that the Apoſtle doth in moſt of his Salutations pray for grace and peace from God the Father and the Lod Jeſus Chriſt, yet none may from thence gather the Spirit is excluded, for 2 Cor. 1.13, 14. There is the communion of the Spirit added to the love of God and the grace of Jeſus Chriſt.
3. You may demand, If the Knowledge of thoſe things be enough to eternall Life, what then needs the Miniſtry or Preaching to a man that knoweth theſe: If a man have theſe, is he not above Ordinances and the Miniſtry; This indeed ſome have arrogantly thought.
But 1. There is no man knoweth as much about God and Chriſt as may be known; The Apoſtle that was lifted up to the third heavens, yet he ſaith, We know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. If Paul then knew but in part, what muſt others do? We ſee the Angels themſelves deſire to have the Myſtery of Chriſt made more known to them, Eph. 3. ſo that it's a fooliſh conceit to think thou knoweſt enough already, for though our knowledge ſhall be perfected in heaven, yet even there we cannot know God as much as he is known, for the infinite object cannot be comprehended by a finite faculty.
2. Suppoſe thou couldſt not grow in knowledge, which yet is impoſſible, yet the Miniſtry is neceſſary for thy heart and affections; The devils know more then any man, but there will is obdurate and hardened in wickedneſſe; So thou maiſt have great knowledge and underſtanding, yet thy heart may need much quickening, much mollifying, and for this end the Miniſtry is appointed.
3, If thou didſt not finde a need of them either for underſtanding or heart, which yet is more impoſſible then the former; yet God having appointed ſuch a way, thou art only for obedience ſake, and to teſtifie thy ſubmiſſion to God to do it; Chriſt needed not to be baptized, for he wanted not the grace ſignified, viz. remiſſion of ſinnes: Yet to ſhew his obedience he did it, Adam though created in a ſtate of integrity, yet had a command of triall, to manifeſt his obedience, and ſo though never ſo perfect, yet thou canſt not be exempted from obedience to Gods commands.
Ʋſe of Inſtruction to the full ſelf-righteous man that is not burthened and loaded with the ſence of his ſinnes, whatſoever knowledge thou maiſt have,Ʋſe. yet thou canſt not know any thing in a ſaving manner about Chriſt; Till thou be affected with thy miſery and the remedy, thou art not yet a knowing man in Chriſts School, or to thoſe who labour and are greatly affected with their ſinne, They know ſin, They know the Law, They know the terrors of an angry God, but they know not Chriſt: Conſider how Paal was affected herein, he knew nothing but Chriſt crucified, 2 Cor. 2.2. All things were accounted dung and droſſe for the excellency of this knowledge, Phil. 3.8. Conſider Eternal life is as well in knowing of Chriſt as in knowing of ſin, or what duties God requireth of thee.