One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 37
SERMON XXXVII. Sheweth, That Gods People are ready and willing in Obedience, Whence it is that they are ſo; Tending to rouſe men up from dulneſſe and Formality in Gods ſervice.
JOH. 17.8.
For I have given them the words which thou gaveſt me, and they have received them.
THere remaineth two things more conſiderable in the deſcription of the Diſciples Obedience.
The next thing to be conſidered is their readineſſe and willingneſſe implied in the word foreign, They did not cavill or diſpute, They did not draw back or maliciouſly oppoſe, but they were like melted wax ready to receive any impreſſion, like white paper whereon Gods Will and Law might be immediatly written, and indeed if you obſerve the Diſciples all along from their firſt call to this preſent time there appeared much readineſſe in them; Chriſt did no ſooner ſpeak the word commanding them to follow him, but immediatly they leave all and obey, though it was ſo much to their outward diſadvantage, though it was to fall in the Whales mouth, yet they readily reſign themſelves, and although ſometimes they ſhewed dulneſſe to beleeve, and unwillingneſſe in his ſervice, yet our Saviour excuſeth it ſaying, The ſpirit is willing but the fleſh is weak, and certainly had there not been a ready free ſpirit in the Diſciples to take Chriſt above all, and to cleave to him only, they could never have devoured theſe troubles with ſo much patience as they did.
Doct. It's a ſure character of Gods people to be a willing people.Obſ. That it's a ſure character and property of the children of God to be a willing ready people in obedience; They are not as hypocrites kept from ſinne by conſtraint, meerly from a principle of fear within, but Pſa. 110. They are willingneſſes in the day of Gods power.
To explain this a little,
I. The dulneſſe in Gods people is not reigning but reſiſted and prai'd againſt.Firſt, There may be the preſence of dulneſſe and unwillingneſſe ſometimes in the Children of God, but this is not reigning, nor is it habitually conſented to, but reſiſted and with much agony praied againſt; There is no garden but hath ſome of this weed in it; No gold but ſome of this droſſe; No godly man but now and then hath weariſomneſſe and unwillingneſſe to holy duties ſeizing upon him; Thus we reade the Church when Chriſt knocked at the door, though he had ſtood all night, and his locks were wet with the dew, yet the Church out of a dull ſluggiſh humour doth refuſe to open to him, Cant. 5.2, 3. So Rev. 2. There the Church is reproved for ſuffering her graces to decay, and that her duties were not filled up with fervency and ſolidity; yea, we may reade of the Church complaining of this ſlothfulneſſe and coldneſſe, when ſhe ſaid, Draw us and we will run after thee, Cant. 1.4. And at another time, Why haſt thou hardened our hearts from thy fear? Iſa 63.17. So that it's too manifeſt the people of God have much coldneſſe and negligence in them; What is that which fils their hearts with ſo many complaints but this, what makes them ſo full of fears and doubts about their ſpiritual condition, Is it not want of life, vigour, and willingneſſe? Oh they finde their hearts can take delight and be willingly drawn out in earthly affairs, but they are like ſo many lumps of earth in heavenly things, when yet there is farre more excellency, worth, and dignity in holy things then in all the whole world to draw out the heart▪ ſo then let the godly for their comfort diſtinguiſh between the preſence of unwillingneſſe and the power of it; Between unwillingneſſe in the command and power over the ſoul, and the reluctancy and ſtriving againſt it; The Apoſtle ſpeaketh generally of ſinne, Let it not reign in your mortal bodies; Rom. 7. Non dixit, non ſit, ſed ne regret.
This ſtumbling-block removed let us conſider why the people of God muſt needs be ſo willing and ready in their obedience.Reaſons.
And firſt,1. The ſenſe of guilt and miſery. The ſence of their guilt and all the miſery ſinne hath brought upon them puts them into a melting yeelding frame; while mens hearts are hardened and they are not apprehenſive of the damnable eſtate they are in, while they are not in the fire of Gods diſpleaſure, they are ſtubborn and untractable, but when they are kindely humbled for ſin then they will do anything; Thus Paul, He that was mad in his oppoſitions againſt Chriſt, no ſooner did the Lord touch his heart with the ſenſe of his ſins but he crieth out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Thus David, when the Lord had humbled him, and uſed afflictions for his ſinne, ſee how humbly and obediently he ſpeaks, If he ſay, he hath no delight in me, behold, here I am let him do what he pleaſeth, 2 Sam. 15.26. and the Church Mic. 7. I will hear the indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned againſt him; Nothing then will ſo humble and mollifie the heart to make a man do and be any thing, as a deep ſence of ſinne; Thus the cold, hard Iron is put into the fire, and it may be beaten into any ſhape.
Secondly, As the ſence of ſinne, 2. The ſenſe of Gods mercy.ſo the ſence of Gods goodneſſe and grace in being reconciled, notwithſtanding all our provocations, doth much more enlarge the heart to thankefulneſſe and obedience; The love of Chriſt (ſaith Paul) conſtraineth us, We cannot hold, we cannot keep in, as you may ſee David upon the apprehenſion of Gods goodneſſe to him, reſolving to take the cup of ſalvation, and to praiſe God in the great Congregation, Pſa 116.13. Goſpel grace doth not in a filiall ſpirit harden and make wanton, but doth more ſoften and enflame to an active obedience; This made Paul run like the Sunne in the Firmament; You ſee it's the grace of God which lieth kindling and warming of him: This is like the Spirit in Ezechiels wheels, the dejected unbeleeving ſoul is not ſo readily obedient; An Evangelical frame of heart aſſured of Gods love, carrieth out to filiall fruitful obedience; Nothing is too much, too great, too dear to part with for ſo gracious a God; This breedeth love, and we know love is an active fire, it cannot lie ſtill, but kindleth all that it cometh near.
Thirdly, They are active and willing becauſe of that ſanctified renewed nature which they are partakers of; They are ſaid to have the divine Nature, 1 Pet. 1.4.3. The divine nature they are partakers of. The Seed of God is ſaid to abide in them, 1 Joh. 1.3. And by this means they are carried out voluntarily to divine actions, Thus in nature ſaith Ariſtotle, which is the inward principle of motion or reſt; How readily do ſparks fly upward? The ſtones deſcend downward? And thus it is here; Thoſe inward principles of Sanctification they do ſo new mold a man that now the will of God is his delight, the Law of God is written in the inward man; Nothing is ſo connatural and ſutable to him as thoſe things that are alſo pleaſing to God; Indeed for the unregenerated man it's no wonder he muſt be haled and conſtrained to what he doth, That he like the Mill cannot move any longer then the waters of affliction fall upon him, for there wants a principle within, but it is otherwiſe with thoſe that are born again; Their proper food, their proper delight, their all in all is to be doing the will of God, as Chriſt profeſſed, Joh. 4. and David doth often acknowledge thoſe indeared affections he had to the Word of God above Kingdomes and all other earthly advantages.
4. Becauſe they were ſo willing heretofore to ſin.Fourthly, They are a willing people becauſe in their former time of unregeneracy they were ſo willing and ready to ſerve ſin and Satan, and were conſtantly obedient thereunto; Now ſaith the Apoſtle, As they had given themſelves ſervants to ſinne, ſo now to righteouſneſſe, Rom. 6.19. They readily ſet themſelves, as the word ſignifieth, whenſoever luſt bad them go, they did go; Whatſoever was commanded, there was ready obedience; This by way of an holy revenge, and to make a godly ſatisfaction, They are the more ſerviceable to God, They grudge the devil had ſo much time, that ſo much of their choiceſt and beſt affections were leſſened in time; They therefore ſtrive to redeem the time, to recover all for God, They ſhame themſelves ſaying, What, was I willing and glad to doe the works of the devil, and ſhall I not doe the Will of God?
5. Becauſe they know none but willing ſervice is accepted.Fifthly, They are willing becauſe they know no Obedience is accepted of with God, unleſſe it be willing; It's not thy faith, thy humiliation, thy zeal, unleſſe there be willingneſſe and delight in it, that God accepts of, Iſa. 1.29. If ye be willing and obedient, ſo God accepts of a willing minde: Wo be to me (ſaith Paul) if I preach the Goſpel, and not willingly but of conſtraint, 1 Cor. 9.6. Though he did preach it yet if not willingly there is a Woe to him; Oh then it's no wonder if the people of God are ſo glad and chearfull within them in the work of the Lord, otherwiſe their work would loſe their reward, and they the Crown of Glory; Think of this then when you finde the wheels of your Chariots move heavily, Thou art happily thinking how to put off truth or duty, or thou wiſheſt it over, ſay this unwillingneſſe marreth all, God will not aceept of a Sacrifice unleſſe offered in fire: Say upon all thy dead and formal duties, theſe are not duties, God looks not upon them as ſo: Non operari & non eſſe are all one before God in ſome reſpects.
6. Becauſe of their great reward,Sixthly, They muſt needs be a willing obedient people becauſe of that eternall glorious reward which is promiſed to every holy duty; What will put Wings to the ſoul if not this? To think that God will aſſuredly put upon thee Robes of Immortality and glory, for a duty though never ſo little, for a cup of cold water, who may not admire the vaſt diſproportion that is between our work and Gods reward; If the Apoſtle ſpake of the moſt extreme ſufferings that could be in this life, they were not worthy to be compared to that eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4, 17. How much more is it true of thoſe good works we do, which are but little in quantity, and defiled in quality; Well therefore may they rejoyce and work righteouſneſſe, Well may the godly labour even in the heat of the day, with much gladneſſe of heart, for the recompence of thy reward doth exceed all proportion; If the Kingdomes of the world ſhould be given to a man for lifting up a ſtraw, it would not be ſo great a matter as when God and Heaven became thy reward for every holy duty: No wonder if they are beſt when they are thus doing; for how can they be better; There is no ſuch profitable and comfortable wotk as to be doing that of the Lords.
Laſtly, Even in the very duty it ſelf though there were no heaven hereafter, 7. Becauſe of the joy and comfort that attends Obedience.yet there is ſo much preſent comfort and joy attending it, that it's both work, and meat, and drink alſo, Therefore we ſee how David was joyfully affected herein, Who are we that we ſhould be able to offer thus willingly; He that doth Gods ſervice willingly and fervently, he hath preſent pay in hand; The very ſence and feeling that he doth it ſo readily, doth afford great comfort to him, Virtus eſt ſibi ipſi praemium; A godly duty is accompanied with honey and manna, he would not do otherwiſe for all the world; Oh then that wicked men who though they have ſome pleaſure in ſinne, yet finde many wounds and torments within them, would make an exchange, in ſtead of drunkenneſſe put on temperance, in ſtead of riot and wantonneſſe live in all chaſtity, Thou wouldeſt finde an heaven for a hell immediately: Oh how wouldeſt thou bewail thy time, that thou didſt not leave theſe husks no ſooner! Oh what an enemy was I to my own ſoul, when I lived in ſuch luſts, and neglected ſuch holineſſe! Taſte and ſee the difference: while you have this ſinful diſtempered palate upon you, it's no wonder if you love the Egyptian garlick above the heavenly Manna.
Ʋſe of Inſtruction, How lothſome and unacceptable all that Obedience is to God, which comes from any other principle then a renewed ſpirit;Ʋſe. It's the free and principal ſpirit David praied for, Pſa. 51. he ſaw all obedience if conſtrained, if forced by the judgements of God, was condemned as hypocriſie: Thus the Prophets complained of the Jews that in the time of their diſtreſſe and calamity they would pray to God. They would faſt and humble themſelves, but ſaith God, Oh that there were ſuch a heart within them, Deut. 5.29. And hence it is that Repentance and contrition extorted by the fear of death, and the judgements of God are not acceptable; Whatſoever is done is by force, and this m…y be even death to many that hear it, for when art thou for any good duty, When is thy heart or mouth for it but when ſome great judgements of God are abroads, or when ſome eminent calamity comes near unto thee, Then thou cryeſt out of ſinne, then thou ſpeakeſt well of godlineſſe, but all this is forced, It's a Land-floud, It's a Morning dew, why didſt thou not in thy proſperity ſhew forth willing affections to God.
Ʋſe 2. of Direction,Ʋſe 2. To humble the people of God that though there be ſo eminent and pregnant Reaſons for their willing obedience, yet they ſhould be ſo dead, ſo heartleſſe, ſo full of excuſes as they are, Oh is not this the ſinne of every godly man? May he not cry out of his ſlothfulneſſe and barrenneſſe? Are the things of God and Heaven as operative and lively upon thee as the things of the earth? Oh how hard is thy heart many times like the Mountains of Gilboa whereon no dew fals; Oh how often do they keep the door ſhut even when Chriſt knocketh; ſo that if you ask wherein may the people of God fear their ruine moſt? It may be ſaid, In their unwillingneſſe, in their deadneſſe and coldneſſe; Oh how many times are we not ſo much as capable of that excuſe our Saviour gave the Diſciples, The ſpirit is willing but the fleſh is weak, for how often is thy fleſh weak and thy Spirit unwilling alſo; For theſe things Gods children have cauſe to have poverty and ſhame of ſpirit within them.
We come to the fourth and laſt obſervable particular, viz. That theſe words are ſuch as the Father gave Chriſt to communicate to his Diſciples: ſo that Chriſt himſelf did not take upon him any other doctrine, or preach any other matter then what he had received: Hence he did ſo often ſay,Obſ. The Miniſters of the Goſpel are to preach Gods Word. The doctrine was not his but his Fathers, Joh. 7.16. Neither did he ſpeak of himſelf but what he heard the Father.
Obſ. That the Miniſters of the Goſpel are to preach that and only that, which they have out of Gods Word; As Paul ſaid, That which I have received of the Lord, that I delivered unto you; And the Prophets Introduction is commonly Thus ſaith the Lord; If Pythagoras Diſciples were ſatisfied with nothing but ipſe dixit, how much rather muſt the beleever whoſe Faith in the very nature of it doth relate to ſome word or Teſtimony; Hence it is that they are called the Embaſſadors of God, 2 Cor. 4. And ſuch muſt not go a word from their Commiſſion, We are to be Conduits not Fountains; The Word of God muſt exire per te non a te, as Bernard; It's the good thing committed to our truſt, 2 Tim. 1.14. We muſt therefore give the ſame that is committed unto us, we have received gold, we muſt not deliver copper; Thou art not author but cuſtos Religionis, not Res ingenii but doctrinae.
To open this Conſider,
1. It's their duty.It's firſt Their duty, So that they will be found guilty of high crimes if they doe otherwiſe; To mint falſe coin, or to forge a mans will are hainous faults amongſt men; Thine is greater for thou counterfeiteſt Gods Truth, yea, thou putſt a lye upon God, thou attributeſt that to him which belongeth to thy folly: The Apoſtle ſaith, If it be a mans will, or Covenant, none may adde to it or diſanull it, Gal. 3.15. how much rather ſhould this be ſo in Gods Word? Oh then conſider, thou wilt be found guilty of high Treaſon againſt God, if thou ſpeakeſt any thing but his Truth.
2. Their greateſt honour.2. As it's our duty, ſo it's our glory; It's the greateſt honour we are capable of, to have ſuch divine Myſteries committed to us, the Truths of God have onelyonly Majeſty in them, they onelyonly convince the Conſcience and awe it; They onelyonly breed reverence and admiration, ſo that although humane Learning and parts have a ſubſervient excellency, yet if the Word of God and the Truth of God be not principall, there is no maſtering of the Conſcience and captivating of it: Hence are thoſe commands, to attend to their doctrine, 1 Tim. 3.13, 15, 16. and to give themſelves to reading, that ſo they may deliver only Gods will as it is revealed in Gods Word. It's their glory as well as their duty, for the glory of a thing lieth in the excellency of its due and proper perfection; The glory of a King is a higher thing then the glory of a Peaſant, and in another nature; All arts and Offices have their peculiar Glory; Logick in diſputing well, Rhetorick in ſpeaking well, and the Glory of Divinity lieth in divine Arguments and Motives, ſo that thoſe who preach onelyonly humane or moral matter, they goe below the Majeſty of Divinity; Thoſe that ſtudy words and fancy-fall things that may tickle the ear, theſe regard not the gravity of their office, nor of their emploiment; But as in the Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, the Heathen ſaid all the while a Chriſtian argued with reaſon he could anſwer him, but when he brought forth the Authority of the Word, Thus ſaith the Lord, then he had no more to reply, Thus it's here, all the while thou haſt ſtrains of wit, and preacheſt like an humane Orator, not as one ſpeaking the Oracles of God; Men will hear thee and applaud thee, but they will retain their luſts ſtill, they th…nk thou art not in earneſt, That thou lookeſt more to an expreſſion that may pleaſe, then to an Argument that may wound the heart and conſcience; It's therefore the glory of a Miniſter to be potent in divine Scripture Truths.
3. It's his comfort and ſafety.3. It's his comfort and ſafety as well as his glory; His comfort becauſe his own heart tels him he hath not dealt deceitfully, he hath not purloined, he hath not corrupted or mixed the Word of God, to ſerve mens luſts and pleaſures; He did not like the Falſe Prophet daub with untempered mortar; Paul found this a great Teſtimony of Conſcience to himſelf, 2 Cor. 3.17. Thou wilt have more comfort in Preaching Gods Word powerfully, then in all the applauſe of hearers, for thine own ſubtle Inventions: Now as it's their comfort ſo its their ſafety; They are ſure not to do hurt to their flock when they alwaies break of the Bread of Life, they may be ſure this will nouriſh, but thy own thoughts are many times poiſon and deſtruction.
Laſtly, It's moſt uſefull and profitable, For they are the Scriptures only that are able to make us wiſe to Salvation, 1 Tim. 3.4. Moſt uſeful and profitable. From this Brook we can only get ſtones that will kill the Goliah, The Word of God is an Hammer, and a Fire, and a two-eged Sword, ſo that although to the ſwelling proud fancy of the world it may ſeem dulneſſe and plain ſimplicity, yet to the good and honeſt heart it's the power and wiſedom of God.
Ʋſe of Inſtruction To the Miniſters of God, how narrowly they are to look to their Commiſſion: To preach Scripture-Truths ſuch as will endure a fiery Triall; For the Apoſtle ſaith, Every mans work muſt be tried, and he that builds hay and ſtubble ſhall ſuffer loſſe, and he himſelf with much ado ſhall be ſaved.
Ʋſe of Admonition To hearers; for many times a vain people make vain unprofitable Preaching; They have ſuch wanton ſtomacks that they love nothing that is ſolid and ſound, give them words, rattles, and baby-clouts, theſe things pleaſe them, but to convince the Conſcience, to command the heart, to make it tremble for ſin, that they cannot abide.