One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 6
SERMON VI. Of Heavenly mindedneſse, Shewing that we ſhould ſeek both Earthy and Heavenly bleſsings, chiefly for this end, viz. That God may be glorified.
JOH. 17.1.
Glorifie thy Sonne, that thy Sonne may alſo glorifie thee,
THE next thing in order is the laſt Argument or motive Chriſt uſeth in this Praier, for Glory, and that is, the end and motive why he deſireth it, which is altogether pure and ſincere: He deſireth it not for himſelf, or in reference meerly to his own advantage, but thereby to glorifie God; O admirable example of modeſty and humility! He that thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet as Mediatour challengeth nothing for himſelf ultimately: He that in other places is called Alpha and Omega, now denieth that prerogative, and giveth it ſolely to God his Father, ſo truly did he ſay, Nulla Creatura humilior Deo, that is, Chriſt, you ſee then this Sun of Righteouſneſſe making himſelf like one of the inferiour Starres, borrowing all light, and returning the ſame again to God, and certainly if Chriſt himſelf as Mediatour will not take to himſelf the glory due to God, then this will highly condemn all that arrogance in man, who ſhall deſire any earthly or heavenly advantages meerly for his own ſake; That ſhall deſire riches, honours greatneſſe, or heaven it ſelf, for any other end but to glorifie God thereby: It's not the much eating but the good digeſting that gives health, and it's not the poſſeſſing of great abundance but the wiſe improving of all for Gods glory that makes happy, ſo then this example of Chriſt ſhall be conſidered by us as an argument a majori ad minus; That if Chriſt praied for all that heavenly and tranſcendant glory principally to glorifie God thereby, and did not chiefly aim at himſelf, then how much more ſhould man deſire either heavenly or earthly glory, not ſo much that it is his own good, as that thereby it will be inſtrumentall to Gods glory? and hence obſerve.
Doct. We ſhould deſire comforts and advantages chiefly that God may be glorified.That as Chriſt ſo much more all men, are to pray for and deſire any comfort or advantages, not ſo much for themſelves as that thereby God may be glorified. that as Chriſt ſaid, Joh. 8 50. I ſeek not my own glory but the glory of him that ſent me, ſo every one ſhould ſay, If God make me rich▪ great in this world, I do not regard theſe things as my advantages, but as opportunities to glorifie God; It's a Rule in Logick, Media non ſunt appetenda propter ſe ſed propter finem, and appetitus finis eſt infinitus, the deſire of the end is infinite, but of the means is only finite and limited; Thus not only all our earthly comforts here below, but all that eternall glory and happineſſe which we ſhall have in heaven is but a medium to promote the glory of God, and although the ſalvation of our ſouls be in ſome ſence the end of a man, yet even this end hath a further end, the glory and honour of God, of which we are to ſay as the people of David, Thou art worth ten thouſand of us, ſo is the glory and honour of God of more worth then the ſalvation of all mens ſouls; But that you may all feel power coming out from this doctrine to your ſouls, let us conſider the truth of it in Chriſt briefly, and then more largely how it is to be fulfilled in us.
And firſt For Chriſt, Conſider his two ſtates, the ſtate of his humiliation,I. Chriſt did ſo and his exaltation, for this Sunne of Righteouſneſſe had his ſetting as well as his riſing, and if God be ſaid to humble himſelf to look on the Children of men, 1. In his humiliation.Pſa. 113.6. how much more then to become a childe of man; This humiliation of Chriſt the Apoſtle expreſſeth by an emphaticall word, Phil. 2.7. foreign and foreign, Though he was equal with God, yet he laid aſide all the glorious manifeſtation and appearance of this, and was of no repu…ation; This humiliation expreſſed it ſelf two waies, in his active obedience and paſſive, in both which he ſtill referred all to Gods glory; Though he be called Heb. 1▪3. foreign, The brightneſſe of Gods glory, yet by his humiliation, he is ſaid to have no comelineſſe on him, a worm and no man: For his active obedience ſubjecting himſelf to the Law of God, teaching and declaring Gods will to all men, and revealing the truth of God from the boſome of his Father, He in all this profeſſeth, Joh. 8.50. He ſought not his own glory but the glory of his Father; If you ask him why he was born, why he was baptized, why he did fulfill all righteouſneſſe, he would ſay, for the glory of his Father; Oh but in all our religious duties how much vain-glory doth infect and rotten them! That is the Pirate which doth intercept the golden Fleete of our praiers, that they return not again fraughted with good things for us, yea, that is remarkable, Heb. 5.5. Chriſt is there ſaid not to glorifie himſelf, he did not undertake that office of a ſpirituall Prieſt till he was called by God, he glorified not himſelf; And as for his paſſive obedience, all thoſe ſufferings and ignominious reproaches which he did undergo, it was only thereby to glorifie the wiſedom and goodneſſe and infinite love of God to man, which made the Apoſtle call Chriſt crucified, the power and wiſedom of God, 1 Cor. 1.24, 25. Joh. 13.31. There we have Chriſts glorifying of God, and Gods glorifying of Chriſt both put together;. When Judas was gone out to accompliſh Chriſts death, Now (ſaith he) the Son of man is glorified and God is in him: Chriſts ſufferings were his glory, and Gods glory, and then mark the connexion, If God be glorified by him God will glorifie him again, he ſhall be no loſer, and that in himſelf, Oh how admirable and different is that glory which God himſelf giveth from that which either Men or Angels can beſtow! ſo then we ſee all the end of Chriſts humiliation, both in his active and paſſive obedience, was to glorifie God.
There remaineth the ſecond part of Chriſts ſtate, which is his Exaltation, 2. In his exaltation.and in that we ſhall finde all the glory and honour he had did not ſtay in him, but was carried out further to God the Father, This glory he praied for, God beſtowed it on him, yet ſo that at the laſt he ſhall deliver up the Kingdome unto his Father, that ſo God may be all in all, 1 Cor. 15.28. Not but that all honour and glory ſhall be given by the Saints in heaven to all Eternity to the Sonne, only it ſhall be to him as the meritorious and procuring cauſe,II. Much more ſhould all men be affected more with Gods glory then their own good. whereby we are brought to enjoy the Father.
Having thus conſidered Chriſts intentions in all his works, that the Sun cannot be free… from ſpots, then his holy will was from all oblique and ſiniſter reſpects, Let us conſider man, who being a meer creature, having all both in being and continuation from God, as the beams from the Sun, and the ſtreams from the Fountain, it lieth as unavoidable upon him to be affected more with Gods glory then his own good: This is a very hard task to fleſh and bloud, but ſelf-love and de-ordination of the faculties of the ſoul hath made it thus difficult.
The goods of a godly man.Now we may divide the good of a godly man into two ſorts, Either that in heaven,1. Heavenly. his treaſure laid up there in the upper Region, Or all the good he can have in this life in the lower Region; And of both theſe we commit a kinde of horrible Idolatry, when we deſire them upon any other terms then in tendency to God▪ If it be ſo great a ſinne to alter the bounds and change the Landmarks which the Laws of a Nation have ſet, how much more to break that good and excellent order which God hath appointed between him and the creature? Let us conſider the firſt kinde of a godly mans good, his eternall felicity and ſalvation; even this glory he is to deſire in ſubordination to Gods glory; For if Paul could make a conditionate wiſh and veleity, that he might be accurſed from Chriſt, Rom. 9.3. to ſerve his brethren; how much rather might this be done for the glory of God? yet take heed of a miſtake here; ſome have gone ſo farre as to ſay, that a godly man is never truly humbled till he can be willing to be damned for Gods glory, and that it's unlawful to look at the reward in heaven; This is dangerous as well as falſe, for it's not lawfull but a duty to ſeek our ſalvation, Rom. 2.7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing ſeek for honour and glory, and Moſes is ſaid foreign, to have a fixed earneſt eye upon the reward, Heb. 11.26. So that it's a Speech full of vanity, and no man can ſpeak it truly, that he is willing to be damned for Gods glory, for ſuch a thing cannot be, and our ſalvation we are bound to deſire, ſo that we muſt take heed leſt by overmuch wringing a good truth we make bloud come out, inſtead of milk; yet though this be ſo, it's no contradiction to ſay, that a godly man hath ſuch an holy principle within him that would carry him out to the obedience of God, though there were no heaven, and that the glory and honour of God is his principal end, that it's dearer to him then his own ſoul, and truly if we ſee in nature God hath ſo ordered it, that every particular denieth it ſelf to preſerve the univerſall; The water will aſcend upwards that there may not be a vacuum, and the particular orbes are carried about againſt their own motion, according to the power of the firſt mobile, how much more muſt this hold in man and God? all his life comforts and happineſſe it ſelf is to give place for Gods honour and glory, Let God be glorified, and ruat mundus, but I ſhall not inſiſt on this.
2. Earthly.Let us deſcend to thoſe particular good things we have in this world, riches, honour, greatneſſe, and parts; We ſhall ſee it's the greateſt reaſon in the world that we ſhould not deſire theſe things to advance our ſelves, to ſatisfie our appetites, but only thereby to glorifie God, but who doth this? yea, who is able to bear this truth, to take this yoke, till a renewed nature hath made it eaſie? And therefore let us firſt conſider the cauſes procreant, or principles conſtituant of ſuch a gracious diſpoſition as to be able to ſay, O Lord I begge for health,The principles conſtituent of ſuch a gracious diſpoſition. for a good name, for outward comforts in this world, but it's not for my own ſake ſo much that I do this, as that hereby I might glorifie thee. And
1. He muſt neceſſarily be born again or from above, he muſt be partaker of a divine nature that can aſcend thus high;1. He muſt be born again that can do it. He that is of the earth is earthy, he that is of heaven is heavenly; Till a man have the Image of God, and be made like him, he cannot but minde earthly things; When men are made godly, you cannot ſay, O Curoae in terras animae, No, then their ſouls as well as their bodies are made ſtreight up towards heaven; A worm can never do as the Lark, ſoar up on high ſinging as ſhe goeth, but when deſcending towards the earth, ſilent as if ſhe were grieved, Till then God hath made us new creatures, given us new hearts, and a new ſpirit within us, we cannot deſire theſe worldly comforts for any other end but our ſelves; To be rich, to be great, to be wiſe only for our ſelves.
2. There muſt be great love to God that can make us relate all things to him; 2. He muſt have great love to God.Jacobs great love made him do every thing to obtain Rachell, and ſo a ſtrong love to God will make us ſacrifice all to him, inſomuch that our love is of ſo great an operation that God in a ſpeciall manner commands that for himſelf, and that not a meer love, but love with all the heart and might, Mat. 22.37. Nothing is to be left out, love is fire, and where that is, it will burn, ſeparat heterogenea, it divides all heterogeneous matter, if riches, if honors, if friends oppoſe this, it trampleth on them all, and for this reaſon it is that our Saviour ſaith, If a man hate not Father and Mother he is not worthy of me, Luk. 14 20. ſo that the love of God is not kindled in mens hearts, if it were, as fire aſſimilateth all things into it ſelf, ſo would this love make us referre all things to him whom our ſouls love: Thus David, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and Paul the love of Chriſt conſtraineth me, 2 Cor. 5. Oh that we had the experience of this more. Doſt thou not ſee what the love of money puts the worldly man upon; What the love of pleaſures puts the voluptuous man upon? They doe all things in reference to ſuch corrupt ends; Thus where there is an heavenly love, that makes uſe of every thing to glorifie God, that ſtudieth and meditateth how may I advance and ſet up the honour of God by theſe things; This love would quickly put out all carnall and worldly love, as the beams of the Sun will put out the materiall fire.
3. Mortified affections to every thing here below, when we can perform the Apoſtles commands, To buy as we bought not, to weep as if we wept not, 1 Co. 7.3. And be mortified to the world. This duty of mortification the Scripture often ſpeaketh of, as a neceſſary companion to the minding of heavenly things; There is no externall duty of praying or hearing that will make the heart moderate and regular in the uſe of all comforts, unleſſe it be accompanied with mortification; Let not then the waters overflow the banks, Do not over-love, over-deſire, over-grieve, about theſe earthly comforts; It's an argument thou loveſt them for their own ſakes, or thy own ſake, and not for God, who art thus over-ſollicitous about them, ſo then to ſay, I deſire no temporall mercy but to honour God thereby, requireth an heart mortified and crucified, if we would ſpeak the truth, and not deceive our own ſouls; Till therefore we be thus divinely qualified within, You may as ſoon gather grapes of thorns and figs of thiſtles as the honour of God from ſuch men.
In the next place take notice of the Reaſons why we are to pray for all our comforts in reference to Gods glory.Reaſons.
And 1. Becauſe God himſelf doth all things for his own glory;1. God doth all things for his own glory. His own actions are for it, and therefore much more ought ours to be, God made the world, God ſaveth his people, and all this is for his own glory, and indeed as Gods wiſedom is only able to comprehend himſelf, ſo his own love is able to love him, in quantum eſt amabilis, yet we are commanded to be holy as he is holy; Now as his holineſſe is in willing of his own glory, and all things in reference thereunto; So our godlineſſe conſiſts in willing and procuring Gods glory, and improving all we have for that purpoſe; If God made the world for his glory, do thou uſe it for his glory; If God give thee parts and gifts to glorifie him, oh do not abuſe theſe againſt their good and lawfull end.
2. From the nature of Gods glory and all theſe earthly comforts reſpectively, 2. From the nature of Gods glory and all earthly comforts reſpectively.that is the ultimus finis, and theſe are the media, and morall Philoſophy teacheth us that media movent bonitate finis, it's not abſolute goodneſſe in the means, but the relative goodneſſe of the end in the means, that excite and provoke the appetite: It's not Phyſick for Phyſicks ſake though never ſo ſweet, but for healths ſake that we take it; Lay this as an undeniable argument upon thy own ſoul; Theſe good things are but the means they are not the end; Now they are deſired not in an unlimited but commenſurated manner, If a man would quench his thirſt, he doth not deſire all the water in the Sea; but as much as will quench his thirſt; If a man deſire a garment to cover his nakedneſſe, he would not have all the cloth in the world, but what is proportioned for his body, So it's here; Thou art not to will as much wealth, as much honour and greatneſſe as may be had, but what will be ſerviceable to that great end the glory of God, otherwiſe thou art in thy abundance as David in Sauls armour; It was too great for him, and in ſtead of being ſerviceable was cumberſome, and truly hence ariſeth the inordinate ſinfulneſſe of our ſences in all earthly comforts, we deſire them for their own ſake, and ſo are infinite and never ſatisfied, ſtill ſaying Give, whereas this regulated deſire would much moderate us, Appetitus non eſt regula concoctionis, the appetite is not the rule of our concoction, is in Divinity true, as well as in Philoſophy.
3. Becauſe of the greatneſſe of Gods glory, and the value of it.3. Conſider the greatneſſe of Gods glory, It's more worth then all the world, all thy wealth, eſtate, and greatneſſe is nothing to this glory of God, neither thy ſoul or body, no nor all mens ſouls and bodies are to be compared to this; Better we all periſh then that God ſhould loſe his glory; Oh then how ſhould this make us whatſoever we do, to do all to his glory, 1 Cor. 10.31. becauſe the Sun is far above one Star, the Ocean above one drop.
4. Elſe we are guilty of ſpirituall Idolatry.4. If we deſire not all things in reference to him, we are guilty of ſpirituall Idolatry; we ſet up another God beſides him, or we attribute that ſupreme dominion to another which belongs only to him, unleſſe we were God himſelf; we might not do ſo, how ſevere was God againſt that Jewiſh Idolatry in worſhiping Idols, his glory he would not have given to another; Now this is not the leſſe Idolatry becauſe it's not ſo bodily; The more ſecret and hidden it is the more abominable; Herod was eaten up with lice becauſe he was not diſpleaſed when others ſaid, The voice of God and not of man, Act. 12.23. He was tickled with it, and received it well enough, I tell thee ſuch ſins as this, are committed when thou takeſt thy wealth, thy honours, and exalteſt thy ſelf thereby and not God.
Ʋſe.Ʋſe of Inſtruction, How few then take notice of this doctrine, who deſire mercies only to ſerve God thereby, riches and greatneſſe, to promote God therewith; If this were ſo, there could not be thoſe immoderate and unſatisfied affections in thee; Thou wouldſt be more ſolliciuous bow to improve all for God, Thy heart would tremble, leſt God receive not more glory by giving thee more mercies, We give thee of thy own ſaid David, 1 Chro. 29 14. and certainly if we have any thing to glorifie God by both the gift and the good uſe of it, is wholly of Gods grace; What wilt thou do who takeſt the good mercies of God, and uſeſt them as weapons againſt him? Thou ſerveſt thy own luſts and the devils, Will the patience of God alwaies bear this?