One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 49
SERMON XLIX. Of mans Glorifying of Christ, And how many waies that is done.
JOH. 17.10.
And I am glorified in them.
THis is a new Argument propounded by our Saviour in the behalf of his Diſciples; Formerly when he praied for himſelf he made this an Argument, that he had glorified the Father; Now when he praieth for his Diſciples, he urgeth, that they had glorified him: So that we ſee it's very acceptable to God the Father that Chriſt ſhould be glorified; He that is jealous of his glory and will not give it to another, that ſtrook Herod dead, and made him to be eaten with the vileſt creatures, becauſe the people cried, The voice of God and not of man, yet to his Son is willing that all honour and glory ſhould be given as he himſelf alſo had immediately glorified him from heaven.
In the Argument we may conſider,
1. The Perſon glorified.
2. The action it ſelf, foreign.
3. The Subject in whom and by whom he is glorfiied.
The Perſon is Chriſt; Having before aſſerted a community in eſſence and all things with the Father, he now aſſumeth alſo a propriety in the glory his Father is to have; Chief and ultimate glory belongs only to God: Let not him that glorieth, 1 Cor. 1. glory in his riches, in his honours, but that he knoweth God; The glory of God is the utmoſt end of man, and we may no more attribute it to a creature then divine worſhip; So that the Deity of Chriſt is here alſo implied.
2. The other is the action to glorifie; The word is in the preterperfect tenſe (as Auſtin thinks) for the future, according to the cuſtome of the Hebrews, for the Apoſtles had glorified Chriſt but little, comparatively to what they would do after Chriſts aſcenſion, when ſuch heavenly gifts were beſtowed upon them, but we may keep the proper ſignification, for the Apoſtles in that they left all, beleeving in him as the promiſed Meſſias, as alſo preaching and working Miracles in his Name did in a great meaſure glorifie Chriſt; Now when Chriſt is ſaid to be glorified by his Diſciples, that is to be underſtood declaratively only, not really for Chriſt being God, no reall glory could be added to him, only there might be an outward acknowledgement and manifeſtation of it.
Laſtly, There is the Subject, for them, Some of the Ancients referre foreign. to the foreign before in the Text, to things and not to perſons; all things are mine, and I am glorified in thoſe things, but it's more coherent with the words to referre it to the Apoſtles of whom he had ſpoken before, They are thine, as alſo becauſe they are the Subject for whom he is praying, and this is a new argument in their behalf foreign that may imply two things.
1. That they were the Subjects in which Chriſt was exalted.
And then 2. foreign is for foreign as often the Hebrew Prepoſition Beth, and ſo Chriſt was glorified by them, becauſe through their preaching many were converted to acknowledge and beleeve in Chriſt as the Meſſias, and ſo they glorified him.
Obſ. That as the people of God do make it their work to glorifie Chriſt, Doct. As the people of God make in their work to glorifie Chriſt, ſo it is well-pleaſing to God. How many waies the people of God glorifie Chriſt.ſo this alſo is very well-pleaſing to God the Father; Chriſt uſeth it as an argument to the Father why he ſhould grant his praier for his Diſciples, becauſe they glorified him, ſo that two Propoſitions are in the doctrine.
1. The people of God make it their utmoſt end to glorifie God.
2. That this is very acceptable and well-pleaſing to God.
For the firſt, Let us conſider how many waies the people of God do glorifie Chriſt, and then why it's their duty:
For the firſt, Chriſt is glorified in theſe particulars,
Firſt, When by Faith they do receive and own him to be the promiſed Meſſias; This our Saviour you heard did again and again commend them for,1. When by faith they own him to be the promiſed Meſſias. they did beleeve him to be the Meſſias ſent of the Father, and ſo in other places they acknowledged this, ſo that the very acknowledging of him to be the Chriſt ſo often ſpoken of by the Prophets, and looking for no other, was in an high manner giving glory to him, as on the contrary; Thoſe Phariſees and unbeleeving Jews who rejected him, ſaying, he was an Impoſtor and a deceiver; Theſe did in an high manner diſhonour him, making him a lyar, and therefore charging him for communion with the devil, as if by him he did all his miracles; It is therefore a glorifying of Chriſt when he is acknowledged and beleeved to be the promiſed Meſſias, and that to him only belongs the characters of ſuch an one.
But 2. This hiſtorical bare acknowledgement is not enough unleſſe there be a fiducial application of him, 2. When there is relying on him as Mediatour.and an holy confident relying on him as the Mediator between God and man; To ſay as Thomas did, My God, My Lord, Joh. 20.28. and Paul Gal 2. who loved me and gave himſelf for me; This is that beleeving on him (a phraſe peculiar to the Scripture) that brings Salvation; It's one thing beleeve that there is a Chriſt who is a Mediator, and another in him as that perſon by whom we expect to have Salvation; Auſtin formerly made a diſtinction between Credere Deo, Deum, and in Deum, but the Learned Criticks obſerve that the Scripture makes no ſuch difference in the phraſe, only we may for diſtinction ſake uſe thoſe expreſſions for thoſe ſpoken of Joh. 2. to whom yet Chriſt would not communicate himſelf are ſaid, foreign,, Well, though the words and phraſes may be promiſcuous, yet the matter extremely differs, for many do ſpeculatively beleeve that Chriſt is the Mediatour, who yet practically do not out of the ſence and burthen of ſin lay hold on Chriſt; Whereas this is indeed to glorifie Chriſt, when we renounce all our own righteouſneſſe, when we feel our ſinnes a greater weight then ever we can bear, when we cry out as they did in the Ship, Maſter, we periſh; The immediate danger they were in, made them cry out three times, foreign we periſh, we periſh; we periſh; Thus that ſoul doth unfeignedly glorifie Chriſt that crieth out from the overwhelming nature of ſinne, I am damning, I am damning; This is to glorifie Chriſt when we ſee neither the Righteouſneſſe of the Law, or of Men, or Angels, can interpoſe between God and us, but Chriſts Righteouſneſſe onelyonly; Therefore in Popery grace is obſcured, the Righteouſneſſe of Saints, and the merits of their own works eclipſe Chriſt; Hence they are like the Moon which though it receiveth all light from the Sunne, yet is the only thing that obſcures and ecclipſeth it by its Interpoſition.
3. To glorifie Chriſt there muſt be an outward profeſſion of him.3. To glorifie Chriſt is not thus only to acknowledge him, and to reſt on him, for theſe are only internal acts of the ſoul, and ſo a ſpiritual inward glory known by God only, but it's greatly ſeen in the outward confeſſion and profeſſion of him, and that to the greateſt reproach and danger which can be in the world, Rom. 10. With the heart man beleeveth, but with the tongue profeſſion is made to Salvation; He that will be ſaved muſt in the greateſt danger and moſt ſcornful reproaches own Chriſt and his way; Thus our Saviour Luk 12.8. Whoſoever ſhall not confeſſe me before a crooked generation, of him my Father and I will be aſhamed; Certainly in this particular the Diſciples did highly honour Chriſt, for we know Chriſt himſelf was both by birth and life in a moſt contemptible manner; There was no comelineſſe or deſirableneſſe in him, and then at laſt was crucified in a moſt ignominious manner; Now for the Apoſtles to look on him as the Meſſias, to have ſuch high and indeared thoughts of him, when all the world held Chriſt wretched and accurſed, and would not upon any terms be of his followers, this was greatly to honour him; Therefore our Saviour ſaid, Bleſſed is he that is not offended at me, Mat. 11.6, It was the greateſt wonder in the world not to ſtumble at Chriſt; We ſee the wiſe men; the great men that lived then, they were all offended at his meanneſſe, Is not this the Carpenters Son? Mar. 4. Oh how hard would it have been for us to have received him as the Meſſias, if we had lived in thoſe daies, for thoſe that followed Chriſt they were but a handful comparatively, and they were of the more deſpicable ſort, and they were accounted illiterate and mad ſimple people that adhered to him.
4. A receiving him as Lord and King.4. They glorifie Chriſt who receive him as a Lord and King, to whoſe Laws they willingly ſubmit themſelves; For the ſelf-love of a man may make him glad of Chriſt as a Saviour, but then to reſigne up themſelves in an obediential manner to all the commands of Chriſt, in this they draw back: Chriſt is not to be conſidered only as a propitiation for our ſins, but alſo as a King who doth govern his people by holy and ſpiritual laws, and hence we may reade that he interpreted the Law in a more ſpiritual and ſtrict way Mat. 5. then the Phariſaical Doctors had done, and laid the axe to the very root of all corruption within us, he forbids heart-luſts, heart-paſſions, theſe Embers in the fire though they never flame out; he cals upon all to deny themſelves, to take up their croſſe, and to follow him; To love him more then Father or mother; If therefore we would honour Chriſt, it's our duty to forſake all thoſe rebellions we are guilty of, To lay down our oppoſition and enmity againſt his commands, to take his yoke upon us, and to think it light and eaſie; What an honour was it to Chriſt to have men leave all their outward ſubſiſtence and earthly comforts to follow him? Did they not hereby declare that they prized the ſervice of Chriſt more then all the world, and that they accounted more of his commands then the greateſt Monarchs in the world; So that all who walk diſorderly and contrary to Chriſts command, they ſay with thoſe in the Parable, Chriſt ſhall not reign over us; Though he will reign over them, maugre all their diſobedience, if he do not govern them with the Scepter of grace, he will break them with a rod of Iron.
5. A ſuffering perſecution for his ſake.5. Thoſe that ſuffer and endure all perſecutions willingly for his Name and Truth; They do in an high degree glorifie Chriſt; In a ſpecial manner did Chriſt take notice of his Diſciples, becauſe they had accompanied him in his Temptations, and the Apoſtle Peter doth at large ſhew how God is glorified when men ſuffer not for ill doing, but as Chriſtians; That as they glorifie Chriſt, ſo Chriſt makes a ſpirit of glory to reſt upon them, 1 Pet. 4.14. Thoſe marks Paul did bear on his body, They were ſo many Trophees; Even as Souldiers count wounds a mark of honour, they have received in fight for their commander; When the Diſciples went away rejoycing that they were accounted worthy to ſuffer any thing for Chriſts ſake; This did greatly redound to Chriſts glory; Oh then let not the people of God be afraid or ſhrink at reproaches, diſhonours, and troubles for Chriſts ſake, for wherein can they glorifie him more? Or can the world ſay upon better grounds, Behold how they loved Chriſt and his Truth, better then their eſtates or their lives; Thoſe millions of Martyrs that have died for Chriſts ſake, brought an aſtoniſhing even to the very heathens; No Emperour or Monarch, No Maſter or Teacher ever had ſuch a multitude of Diſciples readily ſacrificing their lives, ſo that we miſtake if we think the glory of Chriſt hath been in ſuch an outward pomp as earthly Kings have been; No, by ſufferings, by revilings, by the moſt cruell deaths that malicious men could invent, they made the Name of Chriſt glorious through the whole world; Even as Chriſt called his own death a glorifying both of himſelf and his Father, ſo did the miſeries and calamities of his Children redound greatly to his honour, for greater love and eſteem they could not ſhew then by laying down their lives for him.
6.6. And by a holy life. Thoſe honour Chriſt and glorifie him who walk in an holy and worthy manner to that calling whereby Chriſt hath called them, 2 Theſ. 1.12. That the Name of Chriſt may be glorified in them? And how was that? by walking worthy of their calling; Even as on the other ſide when men live prophanely and wickedly they reproach Chriſt, and make the Gentiles to blaſpheme the Chriſtian way; Oh that this were ſadly thought upon by moſt; Is not every Town, every Family full of curſing, ſwearing, drunken and unclean perſons? Now theſe are a Reproach to Chriſt, they make the Chriſtian Religion a ſcorn, and the name of it even to ſtink; Even as Salvian a zealous Writer againſt the prophane lives of Chriſtians, ſaid, The heathens by way of ſcorn might ſay, Chriſtiani ſanctè vixiſſent, ſi Chriſtus ſancta docuiſſet; They thought the reaſon why Chriſtians had no more ſober, chaſte, and godly lives, was becauſe Chriſt was not an holy Law-giver, he did not give them holy precepts; The looſeneſſe and prophaneſſe of a Servant is a diſgrace to his Maſter, and what diſhonour muſt this be that thoſe who call upon Chriſts Name, yet ſhould live according to the devils temptations, that they ſhould ſay they are for Chriſt, and their lives for Satan.
7. They honour and glorifie Chriſt who live chearfully and comfortably in the midſt of all their troubles and exerciſes;7. By walking chearfully in the midſt of all troubles. For ſeeing that Chriſt by his Death hath purchaſed juſtification for us, this ought to cauſe great peace and joy in our hearts, as Paul ſaid; Bleſſed be God who cauſeth us to triumph through Jeſus Chriſt; And why ſo? becauſe as afflictions ſo Conſolations by Chriſt abound much more, 2 Cor. 1.3. Oh then let the people of God who are apt to be dejected and caſt down, to walk in a diſcouraged manner, to have their hearts pierced through with many thorny cares, Remember what Chriſt hath done for them, and how acceptable it is to him that we ſhould walk comfortably and thankfully; Is it not a diſhonour to the Maſter for the ſervant to be dejected and grieved? Doth it not proclaim to others that they account his ſervice an hard uncomfortable condition? Thus when men leave their former wicked courſes, and give up their names to Chriſt, but after that are troubled, grieved, and have no comfort or encouragement; Theſe reproach the Lord Chriſt as if the world could give better comforts then Chriſt, as if we had done for the worſe by forſaking the devils ſervice, and reſigning our ſelves up to the Lords; Oh then conſider that as in groſs prophaneſſe and unrighteous waies there is a ſcandal to Religion, ſo in all diſcouraged and uncomfortable dejections, refuſing to be comforted, thou art a diſhonour unto the Lord Chriſt, as if he could not give manna to us in the wilderneſſe of this world; Thus you ſee how many waies Chriſt may be glorified.Why it is our duty to glorifie Chriſt.
Now let us conſider why it's our duty thus to glorifie Chriſt.
1. Becauſe Gods purpoſe from Eternity was to put infinite glory on ChriſtFirſt, Becauſe Gods purpoſe from Eternity was to put infinite glory on Chriſt; God ſuffered Adam to fall, and in him all mankinde to be loſt, that ſo the glory of Chriſt ſent into the world for an atonement and a Mediator might breed amazement to all, yea, ſome Divines have ſaid, that the firſt Decree which God made was to glorifie Chriſt, and that therefore he had been incarnated, though man had not fallen; Therefore ſay they all our Predeſtination, Juſtification, and Salvation, it's not ſo much for us as in order to Chriſt; Howſoever that there is a Church, a people of God, that they ſhall have ſuch priviledges of glory, the end of all is that hereby Chriſt ſhould be honoured, Joh 5.23. Chriſt was ſent into the world that he who honoureth the Father ſhould alſo honour the Son.
2. It is the end of the Miniſtry to glorifie Chriſt.2. The end of Gods Spirit in appointing a miniſtry, and giving gifts to them, as alſo accompanying of them with his spiritual preſence is to glorifie Chriſt; We are appointed for the work of the Miniſtry, for to glorifie Chriſt, and all your hearing ought to be for that end, Joh. 16.15. He ſhall take of mine and glorifie me, and Ioh. 14. he ſhall convince the world of ſin and righteouſneſs in reference to Chriſt; We ſee here what is the utmoſt end in preaching and hearing even that Chriſt may be glorified; Inſomuch that there is no greater peſt to the ſoul of man then for the Miniſters thereof to be given up to vain glory, to ſeek their own glory from men, for hereby Chriſt will not be exalted; Oh it's farre better for them to have it ſaid Chriſt is glorified in our Miniſtry, then that men give glory to us.
Laſtly, Chriſt will in time glorifie his, therefore they may well glorifie Chriſt; For what is our drop to his Ocean? What is our glow-worm to his Sun? It's well he will accept of it, we are of ſuch polluted lips.
Ʋſe.Ʋſe of Inſtruction to live both doctrinally and really to the honour and glory of Chriſt; doctrinally, when we beleeve all ſuch opinions as magnifie Chriſt, the contrary whereunto Popery doth abound in; This made the worthy Reformers firſt think of departing from that Church, Chriſt was rob'd of his glory, he had not that honour which did belong to him; And then really by an heavenly, holy, and unſpotted converſation; Oh the patience and mercy of Chriſt, that he ſhould ſuffer the earth to bear ſo many prophane wretches that are a reproach to him and all Chriſtianity; Did the Diſciples call for fire becauſe the Samaritans would not receive Chriſt? how would their zeal have kindled to ſee ſo many crucifie the Lord Chriſt again? You glorifie the devil, and exalt the waies of ſin, but in time you will feel how dear this will coſt you.