One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 56
SERMON LVI. That it's not enough to be put into a ſtate of Grace, unleſs by Gods Power we are kept therein. How farre Men may acknowledge Gods Help, and yet with the Pelagians, Arminians and Papiſts not give him his due Glory: And alſo ſheweth, How many wayes the Power of God keepeth his People.
JOHN 17.11.
Keep through thy own Name, thoſe thou haſt given me.
THe Mercy prayed for, and the Subject for whom, deſcribed in theſe words, Thoſe whom thou haſt given me, have been treated of: Our Saviour doth ſo often repeat this Deſcription of his Diſciples [Whom thou haſt given me] that although we have ſaid much of it, yet what more may be added, ſhall be brought in verſ. 34. where in the laſt place it's mentioned.
I proceed therefore to the Inſtrumental Cauſe, or Manner how God is pray'd to keep them, and that is, Through his own Name, foreign, which expreſſion admits of various Interpretations, although all be ſubordinate, and none contrary to each other.
Some take Name for Glory, Gods Name, for his glory, Ezek, 36.22. Pſa. 79.9. and then the Prepoſition foreign, they take for propter, for it anſwereth the Hebrew ב Beth, which is ſometimes uſed ſo, Gen. 18.28. Luke 22.20. And indeed here is a truth in this, becauſe whatſoever God doth about his Church, he doth it for his own glory: There is no merit or worth in us to move him; It's his own glory only, as Joſhua urged, What wilt thou do for thy great Name? Joſh. 7.9. Yet this Expoſition ſeemeth not to be ſo pertinent.
Others by Gods Name underſtand his power, his ſtrength, his might, and thus it's often uſed, Prov. 18 10, &c. and then the Prepoſition foreign anſwers per, and ſo the Hebrew ב is often uſed, called therefore foreign beth auxilii, This ſeemeth very pertinent, and is part of the meaning, but laſt of all that which late Interpreters pitch moſt upon is, that Name is here taken for the Truth, Doctrine and Knowledge of God, both for the Object, the Doctrine that is known, and the Grace is, that Faith whereby we are enabled to know, it being uſuall in Scripture to call the Object of any affection, by the affection it ſelf. That Name is here taken for the Truth and Doctrine manifeſted by Chriſt, appeareth from ver. 6. where it's ſo uſed, where the foreign is expounded by foreign and foreign. Thoſe therefore that underſtand it of the true and pure Doctrine Chriſt hath delivered, retain the proper ſenſe of the Prepoſition foreign, Keep them in thy Name, in thy true Doctrine: So that they ſay, Chriſt prayeth, firſt for the purity of their Faith, 2. their Unity of Love and Charity, which are the two Pillars that bear up the Church of God.
Others take Name, not for the Object, but for our Knowledge and Faith of this Doctrine, and ſo you have a notable uſe of the word, Revel. 2.13. and they make the Prepoſition inſtrumental, Keep them through the knowledge and faith of thee; as we have a like phraſe, 1 Pet. 1.5. They are ſaid to be kept by the power of God through faith.
Theſe three later Interpretations we take as one whole compleat ſenſe, for they are kept by the power of God in the true Doctrine, and a true faith in Chriſt is the means whereby we are kept. From the firſt Interpretation, that God keeps us by his power, Obſerve,
That it is not enough to be put into the ſtate of Grace, Obſerv. That its not enough to be put into the ſtate of grace, unleſs by Gods power we are kept therein.unleſs by Gods Power we are kept therein: Or, When a man is regenerated, it's not his own ſtrength, or ability, but Gods power meerly that keeps him.
Let us take notice of that place again, 1 Pet 1.5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith to ſalvation. The Greek word foreign is obſerved to be very emphatical, for it's properly uſed of thoſe who keep a place by a Gariſon of Souldiers, it's a military word; here it's applied to the Power of God that doth keep us as ſafely, as ſtrongly, and as ſecurely, as if we had an whole Army about us.
So that the word denoteth two things,
1. The Defence and Cuſtody in a ſtrong manner the people of God have.
2. The great Danger we are in from Satan, ſinne and the world; for what needeth ſuch a defence, if there were no danger? It's then God that keeps us, and that to ſalvation: Though God did never ſo much for us at the firſt, yet ſhould he not keep to the very laſt to ſalvation it ſelf, we ſhould ſuffer ſhipwrack in the very Havens mouth.
To open this Doctrine, Conſider,
Firſt, That the power of God is neceſſary both to the beginnings of grace, and the progreſs. Chriſt muſt be not only the Author, but the finiſher of our faith. Heb. 12:2. When the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 1.3. had ſhewed, that God through his abundant mercy had begotten us again, he ſheweth this is not enough, but we are kept afterwards by his power; only the power of God in working grace in us, at firſt findes us in a different eſtate, then when it preſerveth or keepeth us. At firſt the power of God findes us dead in ſinne, and in reſpect of any holineſs, like that Chaos at firſt without form and void. Therefore Epheſ. 2. it's a quickning power, which infuſeth ſupernatural life, and ſo maketh us of ſpiritually dead, to live: It's an Omnipotent, inſuperable Power, like that of Creation, which was out of nothing; and therefore we are ſaid to be created, and his new-creatures. But in the progreſs of Grace, the power of God findes us not dead, but with ſpiritual life, only there cannot be any further motions or actings of this life without power from above, Acti agimus, and moti movemus, it's God that inableth us to believe, to hunger and thirſt after the enjoyment of him: Even as Conſervation doth not finde the creature in the Womb of nothing, as Creation did, only it continueth that being already exiſtent, which otherwiſe would fall into nothing: Thus did not the Lord bear up daily by his power, that heavenly building raiſed up by him at firſt in thy ſoul, it would become a very ruine, and not a ſtone left upon a ſtone. It's this later kinde of power, the godly need all the day long, if his right hand bear them not up, they immediately fall to the ground.
Secondly, Although we ſay, It's the power of God onelyonly that keeps the godly and not their own ſtrength, yet it cannot be denied, but that the Scripture, as in ſome places it affirmeth, Gods keeping of us, So it alſo ſpeaketh of a godly mans keeping himſelf. Thus 1 Tim. 5.22. foreign, Keep thy ſelf pure, James 1.27. Pure Religion is to keep a mans ſelf unſpotted from the world, 1 John 5.18. He that is begotten of God, keepeth himſelf. Sometimes they are put together, Jude v. 21. Keep your ſelf in the love of God, and not long after he addeth, To him that is able to keep you. So 2 Tim. 1.14. Timothy is exhorted, To keep the good thing committed to him by the holy Ghoſt. Queſt.By theſe places we ſee a godly man is ſaid to keep himſelf, and Gods power likewiſe, Doth not this ſeem to attribute too much to man, or at leaſt divide the work of preſervation between God and our ſelves?
Anſw.I anſwer, No. For firſt, Our own keeping is wholly inſufficient and unable without Gods keeping, when man attends to the utmoſt, with all watching, and diligence, yet if God come not in with his power, all is in vain. We like Gehezi may lay the ſtaffe to the dead childe, but it will not riſe till the Prophet himſelf come. Satan and his power is greater then ours, if conſidered in our ſelves: Therefore no wonder, if we of our ſelves cannot combate with him; he that is with us is ſtronger then the devil, but not we our ſelves. And
2. Though we keep our ſelves, yet this is wholly from and by God: We act with ſubordination and dependance on him, we keep our ſelves, becauſe God inableth us to do ſo, as the leſs wheel is moved by the greater, as the greater orbmoveth the leſs; ſo that here is no glory or praiſe due to us no more than the pen that writeth, or the hatchet that cuts, for we depend wholly upon God, both quoad eſſe, the eſſence and being of grace would not continue did not he uphold it, as alſo, quoad poſſe, and quoad operari; Therefore our keeping is not à contra-diſtinct or ſeparate keeping from God, as if he were one partial cauſe, and we another, as when two lift one burden; but ours is from him, by him, and under him, as the Maſter guideth the hand of the Scholar to write.
How far men may acknowledge Gods help, and yet not give the full glory to him.Hence in the third place, We may acknowledge Gods power to help us, and that ſeveral wayes, and yet not not give the full glory that belongeth to him. All the Erratical Starres that have been in the Churches firmament, have at laſt acknowledged ſome power, ſome auxiliary help of grace, but yet juſtly condemned by the Orthodox, as robbing grace of its due praiſe; for if a man ſhould ſay, It's Gods power that helpeth us, becauſe he created us at firſt with a rational ſoul, ſo giving of us underſtanding and will, whereby we are inabled to chooſe what is good, here Gods power is acknowledged, but at a remote diſtance. Here like ſome Heathens, we ſacrifice the wax to God, but keep the honey to our ſelves; thus Nature and Grace is confounded; Pelagius at firſt thought this would ſerve. But if a man ſhould go further, acknowledging Gods power in revealing the object, though he worketh nothing upon the ſubject; Here God is acknowledged but at a low rate. Thus alſo Pelagius ſaid, It was the grace and power of God to make known and reveal the objects of faith, but when revealed, then we have power to believe them, as a man cannot ſee, till the Sunne ariſe, but of himſelf he hath perfect eyes to behold the light, Here is power given to God, but not enough, who doth not onelyonly prepare the object, but fit and ſanctifie the ſubject.
Further, If a man confeſs the power of God to help, Not abſolutely to do that which is good, but to do it more eaſily and willingly, as Pelagius at laſt did yeeld. Here is Gods power acknowledged, but ſtill here is not glory enough aſcribed to God. God will have all the glory, or elſe none.
Laſtly, If we acknowledge the help of God to keep us neceſſarily, yet if we make it a general indeterminate cauſe, and not efficacious, till by mans will it be particularized. Here is ſomething attributed to God, but yet ſtill much aſcribed to man; Therefore though the Jeſuites have many large Tractates De auxiliis gratiae, yet becauſe they do not make Grace efficacious in it ſelf antecedently to our will, but our will to improve that; Therefore ſtill we ſay, They advance not Grace, for it's not Grace, unleſſe it be Gratuita omni modo. Thus then you ſee a neceſſity of informing your judgements in this Point, That no ſubtill Hereticks under fair pretences, and acknowledgements of Grace, do deceive you: For Pelagius deceived the Eaſtern Biſhops by this means, yea Sulpitius was ſeduced by the Pelagians, who had been a long enemy to them, which when he perceived, he was ſo grieved, that he enjoyned himſelf perpetual ſilence, as the Centuriators obſerve.
In the next place, Let us conſider, How many ways the power of God doth keep us.How many waies the power of God doth thus keep us: and let it not be thought tedious, if I be long on this Text, I do not compell the Text to go one mile, one Sermon further than it would: The honey drops from the comb without any cruſhing of it. And
Firſt, The power of God keepeth his people in the way of grace inſpirando, by inſpiring and breathing into the Soul ſuch holy thoughts, and quickning meditations, that thereby we are kept in the fear of ſinne, and love of God alwayes. The Apoſtle ſaith, We are not able to think of our ſelves any thing tending to our own good, or the good of others, but our ſufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3 7. How vain, idle and diſtractive would our thoughts be, if the Spirit of God did not ſuggeſt and put in other things? Therefore that is promiſed as a remembrancer, to bring to our mindes, ſuch things as we let ſlip, when the Church prayeth, Ariſe, O North, and blow, O South, (Cant. 4.6.) that her garden may give a ſmell; it's a prayer for the heavenly and holy breathings of Gods Spirit into the ſoul.
Secondly, The power of God helpeth excitando, by ſtirring up and quickning thoſe habits and principles of grace, which are in us. Our faith, our love, are apt to lie dormant in the ſoul, till they be awakened. Thus David, though in the ſtate of grace prayeth often, That God would quicken him, that he might keep Gods Commandments, Pſal. 119. And this the Church prayeth for, Cant. 1. Draw me, and we will run after thee; ſo that were there not this drawing, this quickning the people of God would be like ſo many lumps of earth, they would be very Idols in all their duties, ſeeing they would not ſee, and though knowing, yet not underſtand. This exciting grace is as neceſſary every moment to thee for ſpiritual life, as the air is for thy natural.
Thirdly, The power of God keeps, inclinando, by inclining and determining the heart: For though the heart have grace in it habitually, yet the world and ſin tempt ſtrongly; ſo that theſe habitual principles work not, till God incline and determine the heart, as Ezek. 36. beſides an heart of fleſh, God promiſeth to cauſe him to walk in his ſtatutes. David prayed, That God would incline his heart to keep his Law. This determining grace is that, which Pelagians, Arminians and Jeſuites object againſt, whereas if the power of God doth not this, our power will have the greater part in our Salvation.
Fourthly, The power of God keeps us dirigendo, by directing and ordering our ſteps, ſo that we do not fall. We are very weak and unskilfull, and like babes, who are ſaid, Heb. 6. to be unskilfull in the word of righteouſneſs; Chriſt and the way of faith is unknown to us, a ſtrange thing to us: As Sampſon being blinde, needed one to direct him, where the beams were: Thus we need direction concerning the Author of our ſtrength, and how we may be made partakers of it. When David was in Saul's armour, he could not tell how to weild or manage it: The Lord Chriſt he it is that ſtrengthens his people; a kinde of omnipotency is communicated to them by him, I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth me, Phil. 4.13. But there is much skill, and an heavenly act required to make uſe of Chriſt, and to derive power from him: Therefore the Lord helpeth us by directing our hearts unto the love of Chriſt, and faith in him, 1 Theſſ. 3.5. Hence David many times prayeth, God would direct and order his wayes. This directive power is of conſequence to us, for without it we ſhould throw our ſelves into every pit.
Fifthly, The power of the Lord keeps us applicando, by an efficacious applying of the means of grace to us. For when we ſay, God's power keeps us in grace, that is not to be underſtood immediately, as Angels in Heaven are kept, but mediately by the Word and Ordinances. Therefore the organical and inſtrumental cauſe of our conſervation is the word of God, as our Saviour afterwards prayeth, God would ſanctifie them by his truth, his Word was truth: So that this makes much for the advancement of Chriſts Miniſtery, and the Goſpel preached, for by the lively working of theſe, we come to ſtand faſt. Theſe are the continual rubbings that keep heat in us: Theſe are the Cocks that crow, to put us in minde of our ſinnes: Theſe are the frequent alarms againſt our ſpirituall enemies, that they ſurprize us not in our ſecurity.
Sixthly, The power of God keeps us corroborando, by ſtrengthening and fortifying the powers of the Soul while they do work. A man that is paralytical, though he hath life in him, yet cannot ſteadily and firmly move the parts of his body, but they ſhake as if they did not belong to the body: Thus even while the people of God are acting, and working what is good, they do it ſo remiſly, ſo faintly, that did not the Lord confirm them, all their duties would be very uncomfortable to them. Hence Paul ſo often prayeth, That God would ſtrengthen and ſettle them, that he would eſtabliſh and build them on the work. It's a bleſſed thing to walk in the paths of godlineſs, with an imboldened and confirmed heart.
Seventhly, The power of God doth keep us ſuaviter alliciendo, by putting ſtrong conſolations, and ſweet delights in our ſoul, while we are doing his will. Nehem. 8.10. The joy of the Lord is your ſtrength. We glory in tribulations, when we are filled with joy. As fear and unbelief make feeble knees and weak hands; ſo joy and heavenly delight doth ſtrengthen and confirm the ſoul, What is that which makes Angels and Saints ſo inſeparably adhere to God, and that to all eternity, never weary of him? Is it not the infinite joy and delight they have in God? So while God doth thus give us to taſte and feel how good he is, while we have an experiment of the preciouſneſs of Chriſt upon our hearts, we ſtand immovable like ſo many Rocks in the ſame place, though never ſo many waves beat on us.
Eighthly, Gods power keeps us from ſinne reprimendo, by repreſſing and curbing thoſe reliques of ſinne, which are within us; For from our own ſelves would ariſe ſuch noiſome luſts that would ſeparate us from God; even as from the earth ariſe ſuch black vapours, that hide the Sunne from it. The Spirit of God therefore doth mortifie the body of ſinne, keeps this root from ſprouting forth, and is ready to cruſh the Cockatrice in her eggs.
Laſtly, The power of God doth keep us arcendo, by driving away, and keeping of the devil from us. How ſtrangely this roaring Lion is ſet upon us as a prey, appeareth by that of our Saviour, Luke 12. Satan hath deſired to winnow you, he would ſpare no godly man; Therefore he is called the Tempter, becauſe all the day long it's his work to ſeduce to ſinne; ſo that herein the neceſſity of Gods power appeareth Epheſ. 6. We wraſtle with principalities and powers. Thou art no fit match for them: You ſee that Adam in the ſtate of integrity was overcome by him. It's God then that keeps theſe roaring Lions tied up, otherwiſe what could poor Sheep do to oppoſe ſo many Lions?
Ʋſe of Inſtruction. With what thankfulneſs and joy we ſhould bleſs God at the cloſe of every day? Haſt thou not been a Cain, a Judas this day? Bleſs God that kept thee; Haſt thou not by words or works broken thy Communion with God? Oh acknowledge his goodneſſe to thee! Thou mightſt have been tempted and ſeduced by ſinne or Satan, ſo that great wounds and gaſhes might have been made upon thy Conſcience: Oh ſay, Lord, I am amazed at thy power and grace in keeping of me! The Godly are called foreign the preſerved ones, and well may they be called ſo, for did God withdraw his hand you ſhould ſee them wallowing in filth, and made like the vile ones upon the Earth: Do not then preſume on thy own ſtrength but depend upon Gods power.