One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 73
SERMON LXXIII. The Great Stumbling-blocks in Religion removed.
JOH. 17.12.
That the Scripture might be fullfilled.
THoſe are the laſt words in the Text, and are brought in as a Second Anſwer concerning the Objection that might be made againſt Chriſts Faithfulneſſe in preſerving thoſe that were given him, For Judas periſhed.
To this was anſwered,
1. It's no wonder, for he was a Son of Perdition.
2. The Scripture had a long while before foretold of this, ſo that we may conceive this ſecond Reaſon brought in upon a threefold account.
1. It would be a very great ſcandall and offence to have Judas one of Chriſts own Society to betray him; Now that they may be well fortified againſt ſuch an unwonted and horrible thing, he tels them this is no more then the Scripture had foretold.
2. Seeing that the Scripture is Gods voice, and therefore that which properly God doth, the Scripture is ſometimes ſaid to do, as Gal. 3.22. The Scripture fore-ſeeing hath concluded all under ſinne, that is, God fore-ſeeing &c. did conclude: Hence this paſſage may be brought in to ſhew, that even all that ſinfulneſſe and perdition of Judas, the conſequent thereof did not fall out caſually, but by the wiſe ordering providence of God.
3. This may be brought in to prevent any ſuch errour as might be gathered from our Saviours words, as if ſome of the Elect perſons might periſh; No (ſaith our Saviour) he was none of them; The Scripture a long while agoe had pronounced fearful curſes againſt him.
Now to underſtand this, Conſider theſe things,
Firſt, That the Scriptures which do moſt palpably thus foretell Judas his perdition are Pſa. 41.10. applied Joh. 13.8. Pſa 69.26. Pſa. 109.8. applied Act. 1.20. Here you ſee are clear evident places containing a Prediction of what would befal Judas, David ſpeaks by way of bitter Imprecation againſt his implacable and crafty Enemies, who ſet againſt God and his cauſe in him and this was a Type of Judas: Indeed Junius relateth this paſſage in the Text, not only to Judas his perdition, but alſo to all thoſe ſeverall places of Scripture, which ſpeak of Chriſt and his office in ſaving of his people, but that ſeemeth not ſo accomodated to the Context.
2. Theſe words are not ſpoken to take off the cauſe of perdition from Judas, and to lay it upon the Scripture or Gods previſion, but only (as you heard) to prevent the offence, the Diſciples might take; Therefore Calvin ſaith well, that the Scriptures meer prediction is not the cauſe of an Event; Neither did Judas periſh, becauſe the Scripture ſaid ſo; Indeed no predictions whether divine or humane, as Aſtronomicall, politicall, &c. are the cauſes of any Event: Things are not therefore becauſe foretold, but they are foretold becauſe future; This is true of prediction or previſion meerly as ſo, not including preordination in it.
Hence 3. The particle foreign that is taken two waies in Scripture, ſometimes denoting a cauſe, Sometimes an Event only, foreign and foreign, as the Learned inſtance in many places; Now here they make it to ſignifie the Event only, that the ſence amounts to thus much, when Judas had betraied his Maſter, and periſhed in that wickedneſſe, then were thoſe places of Scripture fulfilled; The Scriptures did not force or compell him, but when he had accompliſhed his impieties, then was the Scripture fullfilled; Indeed Tolet makes it to be cauſall, and Maldonate cauſall, apparently but not really; Janſenius grants it may be cauſall, not in reſpect of Judas his ſinne but the end why God permitted all this.
Laſtly, Though Gods previſion and the Scriptures prediction be not ſimply the cauſe of any thing future, yet becauſe Gods previſion is never without his pre-ordination, and that though wicked men are juſtly damned for their ſins, yet all theſe things fall not out without ſome antecedent Decrees of God; Therefore we muſt underſtand this place as taking in Judas his Reprobation alſo.
Doct.Obſ. That ſo many contrary things to a Beleevers Expectation may fall out in matters of Religion, that did not the Scripture foretell them, we ſhould be greatly offended; This hypocriſie of Iudas was ſo hainous and monſtrous, that had not Chriſt forewarned them out of the Scripture, it had been enough to make them ſtagger and reel; To think there was no ſuch thing as Truth of Grace and Uprightneſſe; To cry out as he did, obſerving the deceitful waies of the world,foreign, &c. O Vertue, I thought thou hadſt been ſome reall thing, but now I finde thee to be a meer ſound of words, &c. What if one of the Apoſtles be thus falſe, then ſurely there is no Truth or Religion in the world; It hath alwaies been thus in the Church of God, ſuch paſſages have fallen out beyond a godly mans expectation, that ſometimes with David they have been ready to ſay, It's a vain thing to be godly, they have doubted about God and his Word, and all hath been becauſe they have not diligently conſidered that this is no more then the Scripture hath ſpoken of.
Let us Conſider ſome particulars ſo hardly concocted without Scripture-Information.
And firſt, That the way of Chriſt ſhould have ſo much oppoſition and perſecution in the world; Did not a man Conſider that every Page almoſt of the Scripture foretels this, it would be enough to diſhearten him, Mat. 10.…3. there and in many other places Chriſt foretels their portion in this world, They ſhall be ha…ed, that is the higheſt degree of mens ſpirits againſt them, which reſts in nothing but the utter deſtruction of thoſe that are hated, Joh. 15.18. There alſo are ſerious Informations againſt this offence that might be taken at Chriſts way, and indeed by that paſſage it is a Sect that is every where ſpoken againſt, Act. 26.22. It ſeemeth many were diſheartened, it was enough to keep a man off if it were ſaid, None in the world likes this, you will be the Object of every mans ſcorn and deriſion, and is it not the great Temptation ſtill in Heavens way, that ſo many troubles do abide thoſe that will live godly? They cannot bend and turn their Conſciences as the world would have them, They muſt oppoſe and diſcountenance ſinne, though it be never ſo advantagious, and by this contrariety of their works to the works of the world, therefore it is they are ſo much hated; Now theſe things are hardly born, a man had need again and again go to the Scripture and inform himſelf ſaying. This is no more then I reade daily, then I am to look for, Hence 1 Pet. 4 12. Think it not ſtrange concerning the fiery Triall, as if ſome ſtrange thing happened to you; Though the afflictions be never ſo fierce, ſo terrible, yet do not think this any ſtrange matter, Say Chriſtianus ſum, as he did, homo nihil Chriſtiani alienum … me p…to, I am a Chriſtian, and think nothing that may befall a Chriſtian is ſtrange to me; Oh thus we would think that the way to heaven ſhould be a pleaſant, ſmooth, and delight ſome way; That whenever we are in Chriſts way, there ſhould be no Hils or Dales, no troubleſome paſſages, but we finde the clean contrary, and this is a ſtumbling block to us, as David ſaid, ſuch things were to him, till he went into the Sanctuary of God.
2. This is a ſtumbling block in Religion, That ſome of thoſe who are eminent in the profeſſion of Chriſt ſhould yet degenerate and turn Hypocrites, Heretiques, and Apoſtates; Oh theſe are ſad Temptations, and cauſe many weak ones to fall, when ſuch pillars prove rotten, This was Judaſſes Caſe in the Text; Better he had never been born even in this reſpect as well as others, that hereby Religion was wounded, the ſouls of many endangered and the Adverſaries of Chriſt more confirmed and made obdurate in their wicked waies; Therefore the Scripture foretels ſuch ſad things for Hereſies, that they ſhould break out in the preaching of the Goſpel, that ſuch Tares ſhould grow up as well as the wheat, is again and again ſpoken of, 2 Pet 2.1, 2, 3. Falſe Teachers ſhall ariſe that ſhall bring in damnable Hereſies, and though they be thus damnable, yet many ſhall follow their pernicious waies; There is no Hereſie ſo deformed, but many people will follow it, and by this means the way of Truth ſhall be evil ſpoken of; See this in our daies; How greatly do the Papiſts blaſpheme that holy Truth of God by which we are ſaved, becauſe of the many Sects and errours which ſprung up amongſt us; They think this Argument enough if there were no other, when they can ſay how violent is one Proteſtant againſt another, condemning one another for Heretiques, They all pleade the Spirit, and yet are oppoſite to each other, and certainly did not the Scripture forewarn us of ſuch things, it were enough to make the ſtouteſt beleever ſometimes at a ſtand, but 1 Cor. 11. The Scripture ſaith there again, There muſt be Hereſies, That neceſſity ariſeth both in reſpect of mens corruptions, and alſo in reſpect of Gods wiſe permiſſion, that ſo the approved and ſound may be made manifeſt; It's no little part of a Chriſtians wiſedom in the overflowing of Hereſies, when men of ſeveral waies ſpeciouſly pretend to Truth and Piety, to know how to deport our ſelves, and ſo to walk that we do not fall from our ſtedfaſtneſſe: Now there is not a ſurer Buckler to keep off theſe poiſonous arrows from our breaſts, then to ſtrengthen our ſelves with powerful Conſiderations out of the Scripture: Thus it muſt be, Thus it will be; The Scripture again and again tels us of it, men of great Eminency and repute may make ſhipwrack of their Faith, and through deceivableneſſe and ſubtle inſinuations will draw many after them; Wonder not at this when it comes to paſſe, That is notable to this purpoſe, Act. 20.29, 30. Though Paul himſelf had inſtructed thoſe Churches, yet he tels them after his departure that Wolves would venture in amongſt them, what a ſad change would this be, But from whence ſhould they come? Even out of your ſelves will ariſe men; Thus theſe Toads and Serpents would breed in Gods own Garden: As the Leproſie of Hereſie is thus a Scandall in Gods Church, So the Apoſtacy and revolt of ſuch as were once forward for the Truth; To have them degenerate, yea, ſometimes to become malicious Enemies againſt what they profeſſed, this is very hard, Heb. 6. and 2 Pet. 2. mention is made of ſome who were endowed with eminent gifts, and much outward Reformation, yet they are ſuppoſed to fall away, and ſo to fall as never to recover again; Let it not then ſtumble thee if there be ſuch who will for earthly advantages betray Chriſt after much love pretended to him; That will ſell Chriſt for ſilver, Do not thou loath Religion for this; Do not thou begin to ſay, Are there any Religious even in this world? Do not thou follow them, thinking I may do, as they do? But rather tremble at ſuch Inſtances, conſidering how terrible their latter end will be.
3. When for the profeſſion of the Truth and Piety we finde our neareſt friends and ſuch as ought moſt to encourage us to ſet againſt us, yea, to betray us, and to work our Deaths if it were poſſible, though this be very hard to bear, yet ſay as in the Text: This is done that the Scripture may be fullfilled; If Chriſt himſelf complain it was not an open enemy, but thou my familiar friend, we took ſweet counſell together, that did lift up his heel againſt him, that is proudly, contemptuouſly, and bloudily ſet againſt me,: Do not thou expect a better condition then Chriſt thy Maſter, eſpecially attend to that place, Mat. 10.34, 35. Luk. 11.52. where the conſequent of the Goſpel preached is to ſet the neareſt relation one againſt another, ſo that for thy Godlineſſe ſake neither Father or Friend may own thee, yea, the wife of thy boſome will betray thee, ſuch things have fallen out in times of perſecution, and therefore be not offended at that which the Scripture hath foretold.
4. That Antichriſt ſhould prosper and prevail; even to the ſhedding of the bloud of ſo many thouſand Martyrs, and yet meet with no remarkable judgement would be an unanſwerable Temptation, had not the Scripture foretold it; The Scripture informeth of a twofold Antichriſt, a doctrinall one, ſuch as John ſpeaks of, that denieth Chriſt to be come in the fleſh, and a politicall Antichriſt, or one that is chiefly ſo, in reſpect of Church-Government, who yet alſo ſhall be doctrinally Antichriſt, of whom Paul ſpeaketh that he ſhall exalt himſelf above every thing that is called God, and of which the Revelation makes often mention, for although this Antichriſt ſhall prevail, and the greater part of the earth ſhall receive the mark of the beaſt, yet at laſt the time will come when thoſe joyfull Songs ſhall be ſung, that Babylon is fallen, and the judgements of God are juſt, who hath avenged himſelf upon the Beaſt; Let not then Bellarmine glory in his temporal felicity as a mark of the Church; Let him not ſay in ſuch a daring manner, If the Pope be Antichriſt, and the man of ſinne aimed at in the Scripture, Why have not horrible judgements from heaven overtaken him? All this is eaſily anſwered, The Scripture foretels he ſhall have a time, and he muſt for a while make his garments red with the bloud of the Saints; But as certainly as he doth this, ſo alſo ſhall his perdition come as certainly; Wonder not at this, or be offended, for the Scripture muſt be fulfilled.
5. The manifold exerciſes and conflicts that Gods own Children have ſometimes about the guilt of ſinne, and ſometimes about the power of ſinne, makes them think there was none ſo in the world before; Oh how ſhall they bear it, there is no mans condition like theirs, you cannot hear one reade of the like, ſay they; But do not all theſe troubles ariſe from ignorance in the Scripture? Do ye not reade of David though ſometimes on the Mount of Transfiguration, yet at other times on the Mount of Calvary Is he not ſometimes lifted up with the light of Gods Countenance, and at other times ſo dejected and diſquieted he knoweth not what to do; And as for the power of Corruption abiding in us, Doth not Paul Rom 7. cry out, O miſerable man that I am who ſhall deliver me from this body of Death? and the Apoſtle Jam. 4.5. doth the Scripture ſpeak in vain? The spirit that is in us luſteth to envy, Even in the Godly there is a ſtrong provocation to envy, one of the vileſt ſins and moſt contrary to the Spirit of Chriſt▪ Seeing then the Scripture doth thus admoniſh us, Let not the Children of God walk diſconſolately, Let them not ſay God hath forſaken them; Let them ſtill remember that the Scripture hath forewarned them of ſuch things, That the devil is a roaring Lion, ſeeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5.6.
Ʋſe of Inſtruction, Hath the Scripture by it's prediction forewarned againſt all poſſible offences that fall out, then, 1. See the truth and faithfulnes of Chriſt that hideth not the worſt things from us, he dealeth plainly with us, What ſufferings, troubles & perſecutions? What difficulties and hardſhip we ſhall meet with in the way to heaven, he tels us afore-hand of them? The devil and the world they come with their pleaſures for the preſent, they tell us not how bitter they will be at the latter end; But the Lord Chriſt he informeth us of the worſt that may fall out.
2. From this prediction, we ſhould arm our ſelves againſt all temptations whatſoever. Being fore-warned, we ſhould be fore-armed. Oh how bleſſed is that man, who under the greateſt affliction can ſay, This I knew before; It is not ſtrange to me, the Scripture gave me warning of it, and hath furniſhed me with all due qualifications thereunto.
3. From the evil fore-told being accompliſhed, aſſure thy ſelf alſo, the good promiſed ſhall be fulfilled. As the Scripture proveth true in all the troubles and miſeries it ſpeaks of; ſo it will be as true in all the comforts, honour and happines it ſpeaks of. This is our ſinfull narrowneſs of heart, we many times look to that evil threatned, not to the good promiſed: Oh we ſay, Now all thoſe texts I feared are fulfilled in me! not remembring that all the promiſes ſhall alſo be accompliſhed; What ſhall the Scripture be true in one part, and not in the other? Shall it be true to a wicked man, and not true to a godly man? Are they not called The ſure promiſes of God? As therefore thou art to prepare for all that hardſhip and difficulties which will be in the way of godlineſs; ſo do thou as aſſuredly expect and look for all thoſe joyes, that peace and happineſs which the ſame word of God affords to thee.