One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 60
SERMON LX. The great Paterne of Ʋnity; The Nature and Properties of the Ʋnity that is between God the Father, and the Sonne, againſt the Socinians. That the Miniſters of God ſhould endeavour after a perfect Ʋ nity, even to be One, as the Father and Sonne are. Alſo ſome Rules guiding thereunto.
JOHN 17.11.
That they may be One, as Thou and I are.
WE are now come to the cloſe of the Prayer, which containeth the Example or Patern of that Unity Chriſt prayeth for. It's not for every kinde of Unity he prayeth for, but he would have them imitate that Unity which is moſt abſolute and compleat, even the Unity of the Father and the Son.
Before we raiſe the Doctrine, this particular muſt be vindicated: For the Arians and Socinians think this a pregnant place to overthrow the foreign all nature of the Father and the Sonne. That therefore here cannot be meant an eſſential Ʋnity. Thus they argue,
Such an Ʋnity the Father and Chriſt have, as the Diſciples are prai'd for to have:
But that is a Ʋnity and Concord and Agreement, not of Eſſence:
Therefore Chriſt and the Father are not Eſſentially One.
This ſeemeth to be very ſpecious and plauſible. But
Firſt, Grant that we ſhould interpret the Oneneſſe ſpoken of in the Text of conſent in Will and Agreement, as Calvin doth, yet it doth not follow, that other places ſpeaking of their Oneneſſe ſhould be alſo underſtood in the ſame manner, yea from the Oneneſſe of Will between the Father and Sonne, is neceſſarily inferred the Oneneſſe of their nature: So that although we ſhould underſtand this principally of Unity in accord, yet by conſequence it would prove Unity of Nature; for in free Agents, where there is the ſame will, there there is alſo the ſame nature; where there is the ſame humane will, there is the ſame humane nature; and where is the ſame divine will, there is the ſame divine nature, indeed with men it's the ſame ſpecifical nature, not numerical; but becauſe there is one God onelyonly, therefore it muſt be the ſame numerical nature.
But in the ſecond place, We are to take the Unity of the Father and the Sonne, in as large a ſenſe (at leaſt not to exclude it) as in other places it is. Now in other places, eſpecially John 10.30. there we have undeniable Arguments to prove it is an Eſſential Unity, I and my Father are One. Bellarmine, though otherwiſe a Papiſt, yet in this point againſt the Arians, is Orthodox, and doth ſtrongly maintain the truth againſt them. Now theſe three Arguments he brings, That the Unity ſpoken of in that verſe, is Eſſential.
Firſt, Becauſe otherwiſe our Saviours Argument there mentioned would be inſufficient; for thus Chriſt argueth, None can pluck my ſheep out of my hands, becauſe none can pluck them out of my Fathers hands: Why doth this follow? Becauſe I and my Father are one. So then, if Chriſt and the Father had not one power, and ſo one Divine Nature, the Argument would not hold.
A ſecond Reaſon is, Becauſe the Jews did underſtand him in this ſenſe, and therefore they took up ſtones to ſtone him; and mark the reaſon, verſ. 33. Becauſe thou being a man, makeſt thy ſelf God. If our Saviour had meant no more, then Ʋnity of Agreement with Gods will. The Jews knew that every godly man had the love of God in this ſenſe written in his heart. Therefore they could not think that blaſphemy. They did not think that David made himſelf a God, when he delighted in the Law of God, making his will to accord with Gods.
Thirdly, Becauſe our Saviour upon this accuſation, doth not deny the thing, or charge them with falſhood, but further proveth it, Becauſe he doth the works of the Father, therefore he bids them believe his works, if they will not believe him, which are to make them know that the Father is in him, and he in the Father; upon which words it's ſaid again, verſ. 39. They ſought again to take him, implying, he had not corrected, but confirmed that more, which they called blaſphemy.
In the third place, Though our Saviour prayeth the Diſciples may be One, as he and the Father are; yet their Argument will not hold, unleſſe they can ſhew, that foreign (as) is alwayes uſed as a note of equality, and not ſimilitude onelyonly; but we can ſhew the contrary in Scripture, that foreign is uſed for ſimilitude, not equality, Luke 6.36. Be ye mercifull, as your heavenly Father is mercifull: There it's a note of ſimilitude onelyonly, for how can a drop be equal to the Ocean? So 1 John 3.2. He that hath this hope purifieth himſelf as God is pure; Here it muſt be a note of ſimilitude, for none can be equal to God in purity; and thus here in the Text, endeavour to be One, as the Father and the Sonne, not that you can equalize it, but propound that abſolute and perfect Rule to follow: Inſomuch that if this place be well conſidered, it makes againſt all Arians, and ſo is pro teſtimonio fidei, which they perverted in argumentum perfidiae; and Auſtin's obſervation is not to be neglected; Chriſt ſaith, he prayeth, that they may be One as we are; he doth not ſay, that they may be One with us, or that they and we may be One, as we are One, but that they may be One, as we are One. What more may be ſaid upon this, is to be ſpoken unto verſ. 21.Obſerv. The Miniſters of God muſt endeavour after the moſt perfect Unity. Even to be one as the Father and Son are. Obſerve,
That it's not enough for the Miniſters of the Goſpel to be one, but they are to endeavour after the moſt perfect Ʋnity, to be One as the Father and Sonne are. Oh this conſideration ſhould make us bluſh and aſhamed to ſee the contentions and differences that are! Did the Father and the Sonne, ever ſhew ſuch diſcord! We ſhould never take our eyes off this patern.
Let us but conſider in how many reſpects we are to aim at ſuch a Unity as is between them.1. The Unity between the Father & Son is a ſpiritual union.
Firſt, The Ʋnity between the Father and the Sonne is a ſpiritual Ʋnity: Inſomuch that ſome have called the Spirit of God, the holy bond of the Trinity; It's not a carnal, bodily Unity, but ſpiritual; and thus ought the Miniſters of the Goſpel to be, though they be of the ſame nature, of the ſame fleſh and bloud, yet if they have not the ſame ſpirit compoſing and ſanctifying of them, they will be like ropes of ſand; This the Apoſtle urgeth admirably, 1 Cor. 12. 4, &c. and verſ. 13. where enumerating the ſeveral gifts and operations of Gods Spirit, he ſtill addeth, It's the ſame Spirit, and by one Spirit, we are all baptized in the ſame bond. This then ought to be our Unity, the holy Spirit of God is to move, work and guide all our hearts and affections. As it's the ſame Soul that informeth all the parts of the body, or as ſome Philoſophers ſaid, There was one intellectus agens, that was univerſal to all men. There may be agreement for civil and political conſiderations, but this will never hold, till there be a ſpiritual Unity. As Tully obſerved, That all friendſhip founded upon bonum utile, or jucundum, would never endure, unleſſe they added bonum honeſtum; We may adde further, Even that moral honeſt good, is not ground enough, unleſſe it be bonum ſpirituale; If then the Spirit of God did work, the ſame meaſure of illumination and ſanctification in all, there would not be any diſagreement; but though all godly men have the ſame Spirit, yet not the ſame gifts or graces, or degree of graces, and for want of this cometh contention.
2. Its conſtant and individed.Secondly, The Ʋnity between Father and Son is conſtant and individed. There can never be a ſeparation between them. The Father and Sonne were alwayes one, though the manifeſtation of this is more, under the Goſpel-light, then it was under the Law; and thus ought the Miniſters of the Goſpel to agree conſtantly, perpetually; for if at any time contention breaketh forth, it proveth like a dead flie in a box of ointment, it makes all the other good they have to be ill ſpoken of; Let them never be ſo learned, ſo godly, ſo zealous, yet diſcord will ſcandalize all; and this conſtancy of Unity is to be preſerved againſt all outward or inward cauſes of difference; outward is the perſecution and oppoſition of enemies to the Church of God; inward is from our own corruptions and diſtempers. Againſt both theſe we are to watch, that ſo our peace be not weakned.
3. An holy unity.Thirdly, The Ʋnity of the Father and the Sonne is an holy Ʋnity. They are one in that which is holy and heavenly; They onelyonly will what is good, and the Sunne may ſooner become a dunghill, then they will what is evil; ſuch an Unity let the Miniſters of God endeavour after. An unity in errour, an unity in miſchief and wickedneſs, is ſuch an unity as the devils have amongſt themſelves: That unity amongſt Papiſts, which they boaſt of, is it not like the unity of Herod and Pilate, both agreeing againſt Chriſt?
4. Full of love to mankinde.Fourthly, The Ʋnity of the Father and Sonne, is full of love and bowels to mankinde. They both are one in this, to procure the ſalvation of believers: The Father he wils to ſend his onelyonly begotten Sonne, to die that reproachful death, and to be an atonement for mans ſinnes; The Sonne doth voluntarily and readily undertake this bitter cup, then they are one to procure the ſalvation of man; If the Father and the Sonne had diſagreed, no ſalvation had been poſſible: Oh then that the Miniſters of the Goſpel would make this uſe of their Unity, that they might all as one man endeavour the converſion and edification of ſouls! How happy would it be to lay all differences and diſputes aſide, that they might bring people to the ſaving knowledge of God? What a ſpur ſhould this be to us? Shall the Father not think his Sonne too dear? Shall the Sonne not think his bloud too dear for mens ſouls, and ſhall we ruine ſouls by contentions? Do we not take the devils work then upon us, and not Chriſts?
Fifthly, The Ʋnity of Father and Son is a well-ordered Ʋnity. Though there be a Unity of Nature, yet this breedeth not a confuſion of the Perſons: The Father is the Father,5. A well-ordered unity. and the Sonne is the Sonne; for all this Unity, they are not unus, though they he unum, and thus the unity amongſt Gods Miniſters, and the people muſt not degenerate into confuſion; The difference between ſhepherd and ſheep, between Governours and governed in the Church muſt be maintained; When the Devil cannot divide, then on the contrary he would bring unity into confuſion; The difference of gifts and offices ſhall not be kept up, as Corah and his Company told Aaron, They took too much upon them, all the Congregation was holy as well as they: But the Apoſtle though he preſſe unity fervently, and that becauſe we are one body, yet he ſheweth a difference between the members in that body, every member is not the eye; ſo neither is every one a Preacher, an Officer in the Church. This unity ends in all ſchiſm and diſorder at laſt.
Laſtly, The Ʋnity of the Father and the Sonne is moſt perfect and abſolute. 6. Moſt perfect and abſolute.It's an eſſential Unity, and although we cannot have this Unity, yet this ſhould teach us to a…m at the higheſt degree of unity we can, not to ſuffer the leaſt grudging and repining thoughts, not the leaſt proud or envious thought againſt one another, to love more then father or children, then husband or wife, or any kinde of relation that cauſeth unity, for they are but one fleſh This calleth for an higher unity. We have heard the duty and neceſſity of unity, as alſo the cauſes that break it, what good remedies may be preſcribed to keep this excellent harmony. Although I ſhall not lanch into this whole point, deferring it, till verſ. 21. yet I ſhall name ſome,
Firſt, We are earneſtly to pray to God, to beſtow ſuch a ſpirit of concord. Means to be uſed to get and keep this unityIt's not the induſtry or policy of all the Conciliators, Moderators and Pacificators in the world, to bring this about, but God onelyonly can bend mens hearts for it. Hence we ſee our Saviour praying to the Father for this agreement, and God is called, The God of peace, becauſe he only can make it in the Church and State. It's from Gods anger and wrath, when an evil contentious ſpirit is amongſt the Prophets, as well as when he ſends a lying ſpirit amongſt them, when the Temple was to be deſtroyed, the rending of it was a prognoſtique of the deſolation thereof; and when God will unchurch a Church, and make a Garden a Wilderneſs, commonly diviſions are the antecedent cauſes of it.
A ſecond Rule is, To rejoyce in the parts and gifts of others, as much as our own, when God is glorified by them, and to be compaſſionately affected in the weakneſſes and failings of others. Theſe two are neceſſarily joyned together, and they are able to cement, and unite all differences. The former is to rejoyce in other mens gifts, and abilities with that ſucceſs accompanying them, as if they were our own. As we ſee John did, John's Diſciples came with an envious ſpirit againſt Chriſt, and ſaid, All men runne after him. This was enough to leaven and ſour John's heart, but ſee his excellent temper, I muſt decreaſe, and he muſt increaſe, John 3.30. he was willing that Chriſts light and glory ſhould be exalted, though it darkned and obſcured his. This is a good Reconciler, and the latter is a tender forbearing of one another, and ſuffering of one anothers weakneſſes, and a proneneſs to forgive others raſhneſs, if the ſtones of Jeruſalem were thus poliſhed and ſmoothed, they would lie even and firm together.
A third Rule is, Love to the publique good of the Church, if this did reign in our hearts, it would compoſe all differences. The true mothers bowels would not ſuffer her to have the childe divided. It muſt be ſelfiſh revenge that ſhall make two enemies deſire to ſee the ſhip ſink in which they are, rather then they will agree to preſerve it. What ſelf-denial was that in Jonah, to give himſelf up to deſtruction, rather then have the whole ſhip endangered: Every one ought to ſay, If I be the Jonah, caſt me out. Among the Romans they had a Temple dedicated Jovi depoſitorio, becauſe there they would go and lay aſide their mutual contentions before they entred into the Senate-houſe. What a ſhame is it when many Heathens have laid aſide their mutual quarrels for the common good, and ſhall not the Miniſters of the Goſpel much more for the Churches ſafety?
A fourth Rule is, Not to charge ſuch conſequences upon one anothers doctrine, that are not natural, and which they do abhorre. This in doctrinal diſputes hath been oil to the flame. The Lutherans charge upon the Calviniſts Doctrines about Predeſtination, That they make God the autheur of ſinne, that they make him cruel and unjuſt, worſe then Pharaoh, that commanded brick, but gave no ſtraw; yea, cruel like Nero, who, having a minde to put a veſtal Virgin to death, cauſed her to be raviſhed, and then put her to death, becauſe ſhe was raviſhed. But the Calviniſts deteſt and abhorre all ſuch conſequences, and if they did ſee ſuch concluſions did follow neceſſarily from their Doctrines, they would publickly abjure them, ſome gathered from Paul's preaching of free-grace, that therefore men might ſinne that grace might abound; but Paul crieth, God forbid at this, and ſaith, The damnation of ſuch Logicians is juſt, Rom. 3.18.
Laſtly, So farre as men do agree with us in the fundamentals, let them retain peace and concord. The Apoſtle thus exhorts Phil. 3.16. Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the ſame rule. It hath been Gods mercy that the Proteſtant Churches, though differing in many opinions, yet do not diſſent in fundamentals, For as for the Socinians I do not reckon them among the Proteſtants, yea ſome place them not amongſt Chriſtians; but as for other, they keep the ſame foundation, though ſome are purer Churches then others. Now it's a ſpecial preſervative of charity to imbrace one another with hearty affections. So farre therefore it's an uncharitable and peeviſh thing in ſome Lutherans, that will not call the Calviniſts brethren, or admit of reconciliation, but profeſſe they will rather do it with the Pope, whom yet they maintain to be Antichriſt.
Ʋſe of Exhortation, to run to the God of peace for to ſettle peace and truth. The greater the mercy is, and the more the devil doth oppoſe it, the more do thou ſtrive for it: How many Unities doth the Apoſtle mention Epheſ. 4? And why then ſhould we be many? Bleſſed are peace-makers, for they ſhall be called the Sons of God, Mat. 5.9.