One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 19
SERMON XIX. Sheweth how a Godly Life (though it merit no good) is a Ground of Comfort at the hour of Death.
JOH. 17.4
I have glorified thee on Earth, I have finiſhed the work thou gaveſt me to do.
IN this Verſe our Saviour addeth a new argument for that Petition mention mentioned v. 1. Glorifie me. Why? becauſe I have glorified thee on earth, I have finiſhed my work: Now his work is done, he expects his reward; Theſe words our Saviour doth not ſpeak out of oſtentation and boaſting, but to ſhew the order God appointed, that by his ſufferings when perfected he ſhould enter into glory.
In the words we have Chriſts profeſſion of the end he intended in all things, I have glorified thee on earth.
2. The manner how, or the means by which, I have finiſhed the work thou gaveſt me to do. I have glorified thee, though Chriſt as God had all divine glory due to him, yet as Mediatour in the ſtate of humiliation, ſo he was inferiour to the Father, and in this ſence he did glorifie him.
To glorifie is either when really that glory is exhibited, which was not before, and ſo God glorifieth us, or elſe when we celebrate, acknowledge, and declare that glory which is already poſſeſſed, and thus we glorifie God; For when we glorifie God, we adde nothing to him, we do not make him more glorious then he is indeed, We cannot advantage him but our ſelves by ſerving of him, as a man by ſeeing doth not profit the Sun but himſelf, nor the thirſty Traveller by drinking refreſh the Fountain but himſelf; Chriſt then being by the ſtate of humiliation made lower then God, yea, lower then Angels, had this purity of intention in all that he did and all that he ſuffered, to glorifie God.
Obj.Q. If you ſay, Was not the redemption and ſalvation of theſe the Father gave him his end, how then is the glory of God his end?
Anſw.A. The Anſwer is, the ultimate and chief end is Gods glory, The proxime and immediate was the ſalvation of man, and therefore in reſpect of the chief end this is the manner or the means of glorifying of God, and this is intended when he ſaith, He had finiſhed his work.
2. Conſider the reſtriction or limitation of this glorifying of God, from the place where, I have glorified thee on earth: That is mentioned, becauſe here only on the earth was he to be in a ſtate of debaſement, here only he was to work, in heaven he was to receive his glory; The Schoolmen uſe to call a man while he was in this life the way to heaven, viator, and when he is poſſeſſed of glory, they call him comprehenſor: Now they ſay, That Chriſt was both viator and comprehenſor together, but if they mean, that in this life he poſſeſſed all that glory which he ſhould have in heaven, that is falſe, for we ſee him here praying for it, and other places God promiſeth it as a reward of his obedience and ſufferings: Indeed the humane nature of Chriſt was alwaies united perſonally to the godhead, but there was a ſuſpenſion of that glorious influance and happineſſe while on the earth.
3. Conſider the time when Chriſt makes this profeſſion, at the end of his daies, when he is to go out of this world; This was the ground of his confidence in his Petition; Now although we are not able in the ſame degree and perfection to ſay as he did, yet for the main we ought to be like him in this, when Death comes, when our daies are to be finiſhed, to be able to ſay, Lord, we have glorified thee, we have finiſhed the work thou gaveſt us to do, and of this particular I ſhall treat.
Obſ.Doct. It's a bleſſed thing at death truly to ſay, Lord, I have glorified thee. That it is a bleſſed and moſt happy thing to be able at the time of death truly to ſay, Lord, I have glorified thee in my life, I have finiſhed all the work I was to do. This Subject will be very profitable and neceſſary, you cannot expect health and life alwaies in this world, your time is running, your daies are decaying, you are haſting to the grave, who knoweth how ſoon God will put a period to thy life in this world? What then ſhould be more in your hearts and thoughts then this, Whether have I lived to Gods glory? whether have I faithfully diſcharged the work put upon me? It's not riches, wealth, greatneſſe, or any earthly advantages will then do you good; This or nothing will then be a reviving to you; We have two pregnant examples for this, 2 Kin. 20.3. When that ſad meſſage was brought to Hezekiah, that he muſt ſet his houſe in order, for he muſt die and not live; What is a comfort and a cordial to him under this bitter news, Remember O Lord that I have walked before thee With an upright heart, and done what was good in thy ſight; Hezekiah had great outward proſperity, he had many earthly delights as a King, but ſee how every earthly comfort vaniſheth away, That he had ſerved God in the uprightneſſe of his heart comforted him more then all earthly honour or greatneſſe. The other Inſtance is in Paul, 2 Tim. 4.7. I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, a Crown of glory is laid up for me; If all the glory of the world had been given Paul, would it have comforted him like this Teſtimony of a godly converſation? Oh how many dying men may ſay, I have ſerved the devil, I have fullfilled his luſts, and now I goe to my everlaſting torments.
To quicken and affect you in this Point take notice of theſe Introductory particulars.
Firſt, That there is a day of Judgement when God will call every man to account;Conſider We are not to live here as we liſt, and to do all things without controul; No,I. There is a day of judgement when God will call every man to account. God hath appointed a time when every man ſhall appear before him, and he muſt give an account of all his time, all his Talents, all his actions, all his thoughts, of all things in this world that have been his; The Scripture is very clear in this formidable Truth, 2 Cor. 5. We muſt all appear before the Judgement Seat of Chriſt to give an account for what hath been done in the fleſh, Mat. 12.36. yea, of every idle word we muſt give an account, yea, of every ſecret thing, Eccl. 12.16. The Parable of the Talents Mat. 25.15. where the man with ten, with five, with two, are called to give an account of their improvement doth evidently ſhew, that there is no good thing we have, let it be health, wealth, riches, but we as Stewards muſt be reckoned with concerning the good improvement of them; Oh beloved, what an overwhelming conſideration is this, to think the time is coming when every thought, every word, every hour, every day, every opportunity, every penny, every thing I have had will be called for, who can hear theſe things and not tremble? Never think all thy ſins are forgotten, no, the Scripture attributes a Book to God, God writeth down every thing, and thoſe Books will be opened, what manner of perſons ſhould we be who beleeve theſe things? Rev. 20.11. Is it for you to live riotouſly, to follow all vain pleaſures and delights, or not rather to pray and mourn, and bethink your ſelves what is to be done at this time.
II. The meaneſt perſons have Talents to improve as well as the greateſt.2. Take notice That there is no man or woman though never ſo inconſiderable, but they have their ſeverall Talents: They have their peculiar work to doe, and their proper relations to ſerve God in; There is none but they have their courſe to finiſh, they have the work of God to do, and therefore let no man think it may be for Magiſtrates, for Miniſters, for great men, for rich men, to look to thoſe things, but not ſuch inferiour perſons as they: No, he that had but one Talent, that is the leaſt ability and opportunity to glorifie God, yet becauſe he was negligent, he is called an unprofitable ſervant, and is caſt out, where there is weeping, and gnaſhing of teeth; So then barrenneſſe and unprofitableneſſe in our places and relations, will be a damning ſinne, yet who conſiders this? Do I promote the glory of God? Is God honoured by me in my place and calling? Do not I hide my talent in a Napkin? Am I able to anſwer for my great neglect? For thy health, who can ſpeak for that? For time and many daies given to repent, who can ſpeak for that? Theſe things will be fire in your bones, They will be thunder in your ears, and arrows in your heart, though for the preſent thou doſt not matter them.
III. None are perfect diſcharges of their duty.Thirdly, Though it be the duty upon all thus to glorifie God, and do our work commanded, yet none is able to be perfect in this; None ever lived that could challenge a Crown of glory for his perfect ſervice; Indeed Chriſt he being God and man did all theſe things without ſinne, therefore he was a full Mediatour for us, God had nothing, the Law had nothing to object againſt him, but every meer man hath a woe belonging to his beſt life, to his beſt duties, if God judge him in ſtrict juſtice· Hence David praieth, that God would not enter into judgement with him, that he would not mark every thing done amiſſe; Why? becauſe in thy ſight no fleſh ſhall be juſtified, Pſa. 143.2. So David doth not only exclude himſelf, for he had murther and adultery, and many other things amiſſe in his life, but no fleſh ſhall be juſtified; None though preſerved from ſuch fals. And Paul whom you have heard acknowledging the good fight he had fought, and looking for a Crown of glory, yet doth not challenge any perfection, for at another time he accounts all things dung and droſſe, and would be found in Chriſt, Phil. 3. having the righteouſneſſe by faith, ſo that all doctrines of perfection, and a poſſibility to be without ſinne in this life are but the proud dreams of carnal men.
IV. No merit or cauſality of ſalvation in the beſt work.Therefore Fourthly, No ſervice or works that we have done are any waies meritorious, or have any cauſal influence upon our Salvation: It's very hard to preach the neceſſity of all holy and good works, and not preſently to look on them as merits and cauſes of Salvation; but we ſee the Scripture doth both, and therefore we are to reconcile them in our practiſe; To be zealous of good works, yet to rely only on Chriſts merits; It's not my purpoſe here to give you ſeveral grounds why the beſt holy action we do comes ſhort of all kinde of merit; It's enough to inform you Rom. 4. that beleeving and working are oppoſed, and ſo works and grace, and indeed to hold the fulneſſe of Chriſts merits, and yet to pleade our own, is to think that the light of the Sun is not able to make perfect day, unleſſe we light a candle alſo; There cannot be any more two meritorious cauſes of ſalvation, then there can be two Suns in the Orb; Chriſt will not have a copartner under any diſtinction whatſoever in the work of our Redemption; As for the doctrine or thoughts of perfection, let thoſe be abandoned, Let us walk humbly, and lowly under our imperfections, yet breathing after perfection.
Fifthly, Becauſe no works we do can be perfect, hence at the end of our daies, V.when we look over all our former life, we may not put any truſt or confidence in what we have done; Paul that knew nothing by himſelf, yet was not thereby juſtified: The Phariſees are condemned for this, that they truſted in their own righteouſneſſe, yea, the whole Nation of the Jews, that they went about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſſe, and would not ſubmit to the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, Rom. 10. Though ſelf-righteouſneſſe be not a groſſe ſcandalous ſinne, making men abominable and no…ſome in the world, yet it is as damnable and as dangerous as thoſe ſins, yea, more damnable, partly becauſe it overthroweth all the principles of being cured, None being more miſerable then thoſe who are ſo, yet do not feel or think ſo; This is like the Pſalmiſts arrow that deſtroieth at mid-day, and then partly becauſe it doth ſo immediatly oppoſe Chriſt revealed as a Mediatour and Saviour, for they that truſt in their own righteouſneſſe are a Chriſt, are a Saviour to themſelves.
Laſtly, Though all this be true, our godlineſſe is no merit,VI. no ground of confidence, yet a faithful zealous performing of thoſe duties God hath required of us may as a ſign and evidence wonderfully comfort and imbolden our hearts: As the Rainbow is not a cauſe but a ſign that God will never deſtroy the world more by water, ſo this tenderneſſe and diligence of thine in all the waies of God are not a cauſe but a ſure ſigne that Gods eternal love is placed on thee, and that thou art in the number of thoſe who are prepared for glory, our rejoycing is this, ſaith Paul, the teſtimony of a good conſcience, 2 Cor. 1.12. and 1 Joh. 3.21. Hereby we are ſure he heareth us, if our hearts condemn us not; Hezekiah and Paul did not mention their good life, as a cauſe or means; Neither did they put confidence in them, only they took this as a comfortable ſigne they were in the favour of God, and they looked upon theſe things as inſeparable qualifications; Even as Rahabs thred hanging out of the window was not a cauſe but a ſigne that ſhe was in the number of thoſe who were exempted from deſtruction, and in this ſence we maintain the doctrine, That it's a bleſſed thing at the end of our daies to have this teſtimony, this cordial in our hearts.
Let us conſider the grounds of this bleſſedneſſe.Grounds of this bleſſedneſs
1. At the time of death, all our earthly comforts they vaniſh away, they continue with us no longer; Now if thou think how rich thou haſt been,At death all comforts vaniſh. what pleaſures and delights thou haſt had, this is ſo farre from comforting that it torments the more, but a drop of this heavenly aſſurance of our endeavour to pleaſe God, will be more precious then all the world, Oh fooliſh people and unwiſe that do no more conſider your latter end, Can you but look on your body and ſay, this face, theſe arms, this body will one day moulder in the duſt: Can you but look on your houſes and habitations, and ſay, Theſe dwellings will know me no more, muſt every thing break thy heart, thou lookeſt upon thy husband, thy Children, thy friends mourning by thee, muſt there be ſuch a ſad and dolefull time, and doſt thou provide no comfort, no hopes to encourage thee? The Pſalmiſt ſaith not as the horſe and mule, without underſtanding, whoſe mouth muſt be held in by a Bridle, Pſa. 31.9. Alas, thou art worſe, here is a bridle put on thee to keep thee from ruſhing upon ſinne any more, and yet it will not ſtop thee; If then all theſe earthly comforts will fail thee, and thou ſhalt look back upon thy life, and that torment thee, that torture thee alſo, thou art twice and thrice miſerable.
2. It's a bleſſed thing to have this Teſtimony and Seal upon our hearts, that we have glorified God and done his work,Then if ever Conſcience is awakened, and the devil is moſt buſie to tempt and trouble. becauſe Conſcience if ever is then awakened, and the devil he is moſt buſie to tempt and trouble; He that formerly ſhewed only the pleaſant bait of ſinne, will now manifeſt the hook, He that before ſaid you ſhould not be damned, now makes it neceſſary, he that made pardon eaſie, now makes it impoſſible, and as the devil is thus a roaring Lion, ſo conſcience is a roaring witneſſe within; Thou haſt ſtopt the mouth of it, and muzled it a long time, but now 'twill ſpeak, and thou canſt not make it quiet; Indeed too many die like beaſts rather then men; They think not of their ſinnes, they conſider not Eternity but drop into hell, before they conſider any thing, but yet when death comes commonly there is ſome terrour and trembling upon the conſcience, and if ever any ſinne did formerly ſting, it will then: Oh then how bleſſed a thing is it to have ſuch an argument in our mouths that ſhall quiet conſcience and confound the devil, when they tell thee there is no hope, thou haſt been an hypocrite, thou canſt bring this teſtimony out of thy boſome; O Lord, thou knoweſt though I was overtaken by many infirmities, yet my heart was ſet to glorifie thee; I was tender and careful to diſcharge all my work, though I failed in many things, this will make thee like Adamant and marble, how much did the conſciouſneſſe of the integrity which Job had, ſtrengthen him under thoſe powerfull ſtorms and blaſts that fell upon him.
3. It's a bleſſed thing to be able to ſay thus upon juſt grounds, becauſe of the terrour of death to fleſh and bloud; We cannot be willing and ready to die, all the while the worms of conſcience are gnawing the ſoul, before worms be gnawing the body; When Simeon had ſeen Chriſt, and taken him in his arms, then he ſaith, Lord, let thy Servant depart in thy Peace, Luk. 2. When Paul hath thus diſcharged his truſt, then I have fought a good fight, and there is laid up for me a Crown of glory; It hath been the caſe of many good men to have uncomfortable ſickneſſes, and an uncomfortable death, and what makes it ſometimes ſo but want of this aſſurance this good teſtimony about themſelves, oh their life troubles them, ſuch ſins and ſuch barreneſſe; They know not what to do; Their hearts are within them, They think of death, and their ſoul is troubled, ſo that it's a moſt deſirable thing to have this in thy heart when thou art dying; Oh thou thinkeſt, Would I might have ſuch a Miniſter, ſuch a Friend by me when I am dying, I tell thee this is the beſt friend: It was Auguſtus his wiſh, that he might have an foreign a quiet eaſie death, without pangs and torment, but this is the eaſieſt, the comfortableſt, the beſt dying; Oh that we ſhould preferre any thing before that; Oh that thou ſhouldſt not cry out of every ſin, This will trouble me when I am dying.
4. It's a bleſſed thing to go out of the world, having done Gods work, becauſe we are immediatly to appear before him; No ſooner is thy ſoul gone out of the body, but it appeareth before God, he either for thy ſinne adjudgeth it to hell, or becauſe thou art a member of Chriſt appoints thee to eternall glory, oh then when there is but ſuch diſtance between God and thy ſoul, how comfortable is it to have been all thy life time glorifying God? Thou haſt been glorifying God, and God comes now to glorifie thee; Thou haſt been doing his work, and now he is giving thee the good things promiſed: Oh Beloved how ſhould this prevail with you, there is but a ſtep between my ſoul and God, how will God look on me? who can endure his frowns and diſpleaſures? Doth not the Apoſtle ſay, It's a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 10.3. And now I am falling into Gods hands, either the hands of a merciful Father, or provoked enemy; Well then, while thou art in theſe conflicts and agonies, what ſupport is it to have this ſure evidence; O Lord, in my life time I lived for thee, and to thee, now I come to live with thee: O Lord, In my life time I knew thee, I did thy work, but I was at a vaſt diſtance; now I come to the immediate injoying of thee.
Reaſ. 5 5. Its a bleſſed thing to have this evidence, becauſe it's of that good which will be eternall: Canſt thou truly ſay thus? then it's an immortall Crown of Glory that is laid up for thee, no more deaths, no more changes, no more fears or tears, thou art made for ever: But of this heretofore.
Ʋſe of Admonition,Ʋſe. Let every one attend and give all diligence to get this evidence. Oh the terrour and horrour that muſt take hold on thee, if thou haſt been diſhonouring of God all thy life long, if thou haſt been doing the work that ſinne and Satan tempted thee to, why art thou ſo devoid of all underſtanding, will thy health and ſtrength alwaies hold? Art thou exempted from the ſtroke of death? Is not thy time running on? ſit down then and conſider what thoughts will at thy death poſſeſſe thee, What teſtimony have I, that I have done the work of the Lord? Oh doth not thy life accuſe thee! Is it not all over bloody? Canſt thou think of what thou haſt been with any content? Is thy life at preſent ſuch that thou canſt ſay, O Lord I am doing thy work? Oh the amazement and aſtoniſhment that ſhould take hold on ſuch men!