One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 40
SERMON XL. Further ſetteth forth the Excellency and Neceſſity of preſſing the Doctrine of Faith in Chriſt the Mediatour, and of our being affected with it, And invites the greateſt Sinners to come unto him for Salvation.
JOH. 17.8.
And have known ſurely that I came out from thee, and they have beleeved that thou didſſ ſend me.
MArvell not if I am the third time upon this Subject, for we ſee our Saviour doth again and again commend this Faith in his Diſciples, and certainly this is the Summe of the Goſpel, the marrow and quinteſſence of Chriſtianity; By this we differ from Jews, Pagans, and Turks, yea, by this we are ſeparated from Papiſts, Socinians, and other Hereticks, None of them allowing this imputed Righteouſneſſe by a Mediatour, which by Faith is to be received.
Therefore I ſhall proceed in exalting and preſſing this Faith in a Mediator, that at laſt we may come to have a ſpirituall and ſound underſtanding herein; For here are two great ſtones to be rolled out of the way.
1. Ignorance or misbeleef in this Point; There are very few that have been Orthodox here; There are moſt in the world that have an erroneous perſwaſion in this matter, under the guilt of ſinne they do not fly only to Chriſt as a Mediatour; They ſay, Lo here is Chriſt and Lo there is Chriſt; They have ſomething elſe they put a confidence in, and therefore what the Lord ſaith in another caſe, is alſo true here, He will reject their confidence, Jer. 2.37. Never were the people of Iſrael more prone to lean on Egipt and Aſſyria for outward help rather then on the Lord only, then we are in a ſpiritual manner ready to reſt upon ſome ſpirituall prop beſides the Lord Chriſt, ſo that ignorant people they know nothing of this, and knowing people are hardly perſwaded of the truth of it.
A ſecond ſtone to be rolled out of the way, is that ſenſeleſneſſe and unſavourineſſe on mens hearts, though it ſhould be granted that they know and rightly beleeve in this matter, for indeed none can prize or be affected with this Subject, but ſuch a ſpirituall heart that is ſenſible of his ſpiritual diſeaſe and the ſpiritual Remedy; They muſt be Children of the Adoption, They muſt be Evangelical hearers, ſuch as have been in a ſpirituall Transfiguration with Chriſt on the Mount as it were, That are refreſhed with theſe Truths; It's not every hearer, It's not every one that cometh to the Aſſemblies that can ſay, How welcome are the feet of thoſe that bring glad tidings of the Goſpel: Therefore we deſire your hearts as well as your heads, your tender affections as well as ſolid underſtandings: This is a Truth that muſt be eaten, you will not feel the ſweetneſſe of it till it be in your belly.
Now there are very good grounds why we ſhould be thus inſiſting upon this Subject.
For 1. It's the main ſcope and end of the whole Scripture; If you ask why the Word of God was written, the Anſwer is, That the chief principal end was,1. Faith in Chriſt the Mediatour the main ſcope of the Scripture. that man being convinced of his ſinne and of the utter impotency of any righteouſneſſe in himſelf or other Creatures, ſhould fly unto Chriſts Righteouſneſſe as the onelyonly Sanctuary; Thus John, Theſe things are written that beleeving you might have eternal life, All the Adminiſtrations in the Old Teſtament were Types of Chriſt, as the Apoſtle in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, doth at large open their meaning; It was not their Sacrifices but Chriſt, It was not the bloud of Rams and Goats, but Chriſts bloud; Hence it's ſaid that Moſes and the Prophets bear witneſſe of Chriſt; It's true the Scripture hath many other ſubordinate ends, but the chief is to direct us to Chriſt, to make us ſee that nothing in the world can pacifie God for our ſinnes but Chriſt; Oh then how neceſſary muſt that be which all the Penmen of the Scripture aimed at, Moſes, David, all the Prophets; They looked at this Meſſias; And the New Teſtament is wholly ſpent in deſcribing his perſon and his Office, or the end of his coming into the world; Oh then whatſoever thou maiſt be ignorant of or negligent in, yet give thy ſelf to the ſtudying, meditating, and beleeving of this Subject.
2. The great work of the Spirit of God in the Miniſtry is to convince of this Righteouſneſſe; It is to make us ſee that all humane Righteouſneſſe,2. The work of the Spirit in the Miniſtry is to convince of ſin. all moral duties, no, nor the graces God beſtoweth on his people, are the Righteouſneſſe God looks for, Joh. 16.9, 10. The Spirit of God is there ſaid to reprove or convince the world of ſinne, eſpecially of that great ſinne of Unbelief, and then of Righteouſneſſe, which Chriſt procureth by going to his Father, Obſerve that, It's the work of Gods Spirit thus to convince, So that all Moral Philoſophy and the wiſeſt directions of the moſt civil men will leave us in a Wilderneſſe; They cannot tell us what is true Righteouſneſſe, and how we come to be accepted of by God; Therefore this is revealed by the Goſpel only; If we would know what is that Righteouſneſſe which we may truſt to, which may be as a Skreen between Gods juſtice and us; Neither Ariſtotle nor Plato among the Heathens, no, nor Bellarmine and Suarez among the Papiſts will inform us rightly; Becauſe in the matter of Juſtification and the doctrine of Righteouſneſſe they have too much conſulted with Ariſtotle, as if the Scripture ſpake of ſuch a Righteouſneſſe as the Heathens do; No, this tels us, It's a Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt imputed to us without works, this it doth again and again; Seeing then all natural reaſon would never perſwade us herein, it muſt neceſſarily be the Spirit of God that will convince us in this, and therefore though you hear ten thouſand Sermons of this Subject, your hearts will never be convinced of your own ſinfulneſſe and Chriſts Righteouſneſſe till you are overpowerd by Gods Spirit; Oh then pray to God that he would make thy heart readily to yield to it, yea, and rejoyce in it.
3. The end of the Law and the preaching of that is wholly for this end, 3. Its the end of the Law.to diſcover Chriſt the Mediatour; Thoſe that would not have the Law preached cannot have Chriſt preached truly and effectually, for Rom. 10.4. Chriſt is the end of the Law for righteouſneſſe; Can the end be obtained without the means? It's the Schoolmaſter to bring to Chriſt; The diſeaſe muſt be diſcovered are we will ſeek out for a Phyſician; The heart muſt be wounded ere we ſhall deſire oyl; The Law then is to be preached in the exact purity of it, and in the condemning power of it; That ſo when we ſee our ſelves wholly undone in that Court; That there remaineth no hope for us, then we may fly to Chriſt; The Law ſaith, Do this and live, Do all things in the higheſt degree, elſe you cannot live; Now into what horrour and deſpair doth this put men till we come to hear that voice, Beleeve in Chriſt who hath fullfilled the righteouſneſſe of the Law; When therefore we preach the exactneſſe of the Law and the ſeverity of Gods Juſtice, it is not that we ſhould ſtay here; Alas, who can ſay It's good to be here? no, They will cry out as the People of Iſrael did at the giving of the Law, when there was ſo much terrour; But our aim is that by this commotion and trouble upon you, you might lay hold upon Chriſt; We would burthen you that Chriſt might eaſe you.
4. It's the eſſence and marrow of the Goſpel.4. This Doctrine is indeed the very eſſence and marrow of the Goſpel; This is the glad tidings that when we of our ſelves were eternally undone, Chriſt as a Mediatour reconcileth the offended God and offending ſinner; It was this that the very Angels though it did not ſo immediatly concern them ſang for joy, Glory be to God on high, Good will to men, and peace on the Earth, Luk. 2.14. This is that which we finde the Apoſtle Paul ſo magnifying every where, This is a faithfull ſaying and worthy of all acceptation, 1 Tim. 1.15. Great is the Myſtery of godlineſſe, God manifeſted in the fleſh, 1 Tim. 3 16. Oh then we ſhould never be weary of this Subject, It's eyes to the blinde, It's meat to the hungry, Clothes to the naked, mercy to the ſinner, grace to the afflicted one; This is the fatted Calf, and the Robe for the diſtreſſed Prodigall; Truly as he ſaid he did not love to reade, no, not Tully, becauſe he did not finde the Name of Chriſt, ſo ſhould all Sermons and Subjects be dull and tedious, that do not directly or indirectly, mediately or immediately bring us to him; All other Points are but acceſſary or preparatory, this is the Subſtance; It's ſuch an excellent Subject that the Angels deſire to be informed more in it, and take infinite delight in the knowledge of it.
5. The devil in all ages hath laboured to obſcure this Doctrine.5. This is the more to be preſſed becauſe the devil in all ages hath laboured to obſcure this doctrine above others; Inſomuch that Luther called this, Articulus ſtantis & cadentis Eccleſiae, when the devil could neither overthrow the humane or divine nature of Chriſt by Heretikes; Then he laboured to overthrow his Office of being a Mediatour; That if there muſt be a Chriſt, yet he might be a needleſſe and uſeleſſe one, ſo that by this Point only we differ not onelyonly from Jews and Pagans but all Heretiques and Papiſts; The righteouſneſſe of Chriſt our Mediatour imputed to us is the Treaſure in the Church only; This Pearl is hid in this Field only, The excellency therefore and dignity of this Point is ſeen by the devils oppoſition, and his Inſtruments raiſed up to obſcure and darken it; And then on the other ſide God hath raiſed up choice Inſtruments in his Church, to vindicate this Truth; Luther of all Points was moſt affected with this, and God prepared him for it, by laying ſoul exerciſes and heart temptations upon him, inſomuch that he ſaid he often wiſhed he had never been a man; Oh the trouble and darkneſſe that was upon his ſoul, and he uſed all the Remedies preſcribed in Popery, to comfort himſelf, but ſtill his heart was as unquiet as ever, till at laſt he was by ſtudying in Scripture directed to beleeve in Chriſt the Mediatour, and in particular to be cloathed with Chriſts righteouſneſſe in ſtead of his own, and thus it is ſtill, the more ſpiritually tempted and exerciſed any man either Miniſter or private Chriſtian is; The more he walketh in darkneſſe and hath no light: The more doth he come to prize and eſteem this fulneſſe in Chriſt; None love this honey-comb but thoſe who hunger after a righteouſneſſe that they cannot finde in themſelves; Theſe particulars diſcover the neceſſity of preſſing this often and often.
Therefore the ſecond Uſe is to bring your hearts in relliſh with this Doctrine;Ʋſe· Oh that thou wert ſuch an Auditour, that this Truth might breed a ſweet pleaſure in thy ſpiritual appetite; If this be the Goſpel, If this be the glad Tidings, If this be the Pearl and the Treaſure, be thou in the number of thoſe that will part with all to be partakers of it.
But you will ſay, How may we fit Subjects for this Truth? Queſt.how may we come to prize it more then the honey or the honey-comb.
Take theſe Directions.Anſw. Directions ſhewing how a man may come to prize this doctrine.
1. Feel ſinne as a burden; as a weight let it be more to thee then all temporal evils in the world, for ſo Mat. 11. Come to me ye that are heavy laden and I will eaſe you; David Pſal. 32. when his ſinne was ready to overwhelm him, then he crieth out, Bleſſed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no ſinne; When Mary Magdalene hath her head and heart a Fountain of water becauſe of her ſins, then ſhe is greatly indeared in her affections to Chriſt; Thoſe love much to whom much is forgiven, as our Saviour at large ſheweth, Luk. 7.46. If then thou art not perſwaded of thy debts, or if the thoughts of them do not afflict and grieve thee, never think that Chriſt will be chief in thy heart; Oh then begin here, lay this for a Foundation, ſaying, All theſe precious Truths will be ſpilt like water upon the ground, until I be of a broken contrite heart for ſinne; The Prodigall never regarded the bread and Fulneſſe in his Fathers Houſe, till he comes to want even husks themſelves: Joab would not come to Abſalom, till all his Corn was fired: Neither do we readily and willingly runne to Chriſt, till God hath ſhot his arrow into us, tiill he hath wounded us at the heart, till we feel ſinne the greateſt burthen, and that becauſe God is diſhonoured and provoked, and indeed this may be a very good motive to Repentance and humiliation, becauſe there is ſuch an excellent Remedy; Thou needeſt not fear going into the depths of this water becauſe Chriſt will preſerve thee therein; No wonder if a man not beleeving or acquainted with this Truth be afraid to think of his ſinnes; That with Luther he hates the word Repent, for there is nothing but deſpair and hopeleſneſſe about ſinne till this Truth be diſcovered; Oh then be no longer afraid to have thy ſinnes brought to thy minde; Say not, They are a greater burthen then can be born; for had Cain beleeved in Chriſt, Had Judas beleeved in Chriſt, Their ſick and wounded Souls had quickly been healed; It's not the greatneſſe nor the multitude of thy ſinnes; It's not the terrible aggravations of them may wholly overwhelm thee if ſo be thou doſt but caſt Anchor upon Chriſt.
2. If you would have an high eſteem of this Point labour for a ſpiritual heavenly heart; For as Chriſt in his Mediation is wholly ſpirituall, all his offices and works are ſpiritual, ſo it's onelyonly the ſpirituall and heavenly heart that can cloſe with it; There muſt be a proportion between the Object and the faculty or Subject; Supernaturall will not agree with that which is naturall; If therefore thou art carnall, earthly, and wholly minding worldly Comforts, thou wilt preferre every Thiſtle before this Jewell; To you that beleeve Chriſt is precious, ſaith Peter, 1 Peter 2.7. but to others he is not ſo; Oh then if thy heart doe not leap for Joy within thee, as John did in the womb at the Preſence of Chriſt, it's becauſe thy heart is carnall and ſenſuall; Thou knoweſt no better good then what pleaſeth ſence: It's not becauſe the matter is empty, but becauſe thy heart is empty of heaven: What makes Paul deſire to know nothing but Chriſt and him crucified; Was it not the high ſpirituall Frame of his heart? and it cannot be otherwiſe, for Chriſt is all that an heavenly heart can deſire; He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; He is the Head, and the Vine, He is the true Bread that came down from Heaven; He is made of God Wiſedome, Righteouſneſſe, and Sanctification: If then there were more Pauls, Chriſt in his Mediatourſhip would be more magnified, but the generall ſort of people are like the Gadarenes, they had rather that Chriſt ſhould depart out of their Countrey then that they ſhould loſe their Swine, Or like unto the Jews, that deſire to ſhew more favour to Barabbas then to Jeſus.
3. Would you be affected with this Truth? then pray earneſtly for the Spirit of Adoption, and an Evangelicall Frame of heart: An heart not under the Law in a well-explained ſence, but under Grace; Pray that ye may be led by the Spirit of God, and ſo be as Sonnes; For by this means Chriſt will be all in all: It's our hard, unbeleeving, and diſtruſtfull thoughts of God that makes us keep at ſuch a diſtance from Chriſt, and ſo neglect him who is the Peace-maker and Reconciler: Whereas an Evangelical diſpoſition would make us draw nigh to God as a Father in Chriſt; It would remove the great Gulf that is in the way: It takes away the partition Wall; So that the longer we are kept in diſcouraging Fears, the leſſe Fellowſhip have we with the Father and the Sonne, and ſo the leſſe eſteem and reſpect of him who is to create and work all this.
4. Would you Rejoyce in this Truth? Then Acquaint your ſelves with the Imperfection of your graces, and the inſufficiency that is in you even when you have done the beſt; For by this means you will finde that every thing within faileth you, Nothing will ſtand ſure enough, and thereby you will be neceſſitated to ſeek for a Mediatour without: Thus Paul Rom. 7. when he diſcovered all that droſſe within himſelf, That when he would do good evil was preſent with him, Yet what doth this drive him to at laſt; I thank God through Jeſus Chriſt; And David upon the apprehenſion of what defects did cleave to him, praieth That God would not enter into Judgement, for then no fleſh ſhould be juſtified, Pſa. 133. Not any one perſon in the world becauſe he is fleſh; Oh there is little cauſe for any man to bear up his Head, though he did ten Thouſand times more then he did, though he were a Gyant in Grace, whereas now he is but a Dwarf, becauſe there is ſo much Imperfection in the beſt Duty, that it needs pardon; Not onelyonly our ſinnes but our Righteouſneſſe needs the Righteouſneſſe of Chtiſt, as you ſee Paul acknowledged, and the Church of old complained comparing them to a menſtruous Cloth, Iſa. 64.6. Oh then if thou wert ſetled in this, thou wouldeſt cry out, Chriſt he is all in all.
Ʋſe. An Invitation of the greateſt ſinners to come to ChriſtƲſe 3. of Invitation, Even to great and grievous ſinners to bewail their Iniquities, and to come in to Christ; For even your caſe is not deſperate; Seeing we have ſuch a Mediatour, if Chriſt be truely apprehended what he is, all our ſinnes will be no more to him then the Earth to Heaven; It's a long while ere the Law hath its due efficacy upon many ſinners; They bleſſe themſelves when God curſeth them, They acquit themſelves when the Law condemneth them; But when once their hearts are maſtered, and they feel the wounds of ſinne whether they will or no; Then it's as hard to direct them to this Mediatour; Then they think their ſinnes greater not onelyonly then they can bear, but then Chriſt can or at leaſt will bear; Then the thoughts of the Multitude and bloudy aggravations of them are ſo great that they ſee no way but Hell and Damnation before them; Oh let ſuch conſider what this Mediatour is, who is ſufficient to ſave to the uttermoſt; That he is more able to juſtifie then the firſt Adam to condemn; Let them remember how well-pleaſing it is to throw our ſelves into the Arms of Chriſt; That he will not in any wiſe caſt out thoſe that come to him, That he will not break the bruiſed Reed, nor quench the ſmoaking Flax.
But you will ſay, This Truth if preached publiquely will do more hurt then good, For the Prophane ungodly Wretch he will go home in the hardneſſe of his heart, and when he can ſinne no longer, nor live no longer, then he will ſay, Oh it's good to truſt in the Mediatour.
But firſt Conſider That there is an Order and Method in our Truſting in Chriſt; It's not the firſt Duty we are to ſet upon; But as he that would get the Fruit of ſome Tree muſt firſt pull away the Briars or thorns that haply hang in the way, So it is here; Before thou art called to beleeve in him, thou art called to Know thy Self and thy ſinnes, how wretched and damnable thy Eſtate is; Unto what wrath and vengeance threatned by the Law thou art obnoxious; Thou muſt be loſt in thy own ſelf ere Chriſt will finde thee, and further thou art called to have ſtrong deſires even as hunger and thirſt is after Chriſt above all worldly and earthly things, ſo that none can bid thee beleeve; and as for thy Repentance or thy love to thy ſins that is no matter, Chriſt will receive you howſoever: And then
Secondly, As you cannot come to Chriſt but this Preparation muſt be made, ſo neither can you keep him as yours, but with a conſtant, holy, and earneſt endeavour to all Godlineſſe, 2 Cor. 5.17. He that is in Chriſt is a New Creature, and He that is Chriſts hath mortified the affections of ſin; Never think the Spirit of Chriſt will abide with willfull and obſtinate wickedneſſe.