One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 84
SERMON LXXXIV. Of Conformity to Chriſt in not being of the world, And in his Sufferings.
JOH. 17.14.
Becauſe they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
THE Laſt particular conſiderable in this Verſe, is the exemplarity of Chriſt or the Diſciples conformity unto Chriſt, They are not of the world as I am not of the world; Which words are repeated in the 16. verſe, and therefore have ſome weighty and great matter contained in them.
In the words we are to take notice,
1. What it is to be of the world.
2. How Chriſt was not.
3.The ſimilitude between Chriſt and his Diſciples herein. To be of the world, is to partake of the manners, life, and converſation of the world, to have the ſpirit of the world in a man,What it is to be of the world. and this is oppſite to the Spirit of God, and to all heavenly things, ſo that both the inward inclination, and outward converſation is wholly worldly, as our Saviour ſaith, he that is of the earth, is earthy; That as bodies in whom the element of the Earth is predominant, doe naturally fall downward, ſo that ſoul which is thus principled and habituated in a worldly manner, doth minde only earthly things; this is to be of the world. To be in the world is another thing: Our Saviour and the Diſciples were in the world, but not of it: A man may be in the water for ſome good end, but the fiſh are properly of the water becauſe that is their Element, and they have a watery Conſtitution.
2. Chriſt is ſaid Not to be of the world, How Chriſt is ſaid not to be of the world.Now that is a higher degree then the Diſciples can be, for Chriſt as God is no waies of the world, and then take him as man, yet being conceived by the holy Ghoſt he was not of the world in a natural way, 1 Cor. 15.47. The Second Adam is the Lord from Heaven, oppoſed to the firſt Adam, who is ſaid to be of the Earth earthly.
And then 3. If it be taken for the wickedneſſe of it, Then Chriſt was never ſo of the world, Therefore here is a difference between Chriſt and his Diſciples, for though they were not now of the world, yet once they were plunged in ſinne, and corrupted through pollutions as others were, but Chriſt never was of the world in this ſence,
Therefore in the laſt place, the particle of ſimilitude foreign is not of equality, as if the Diſciples were in every reſpect not of the world as Chriſt was, but in ſome reſemblance only.
The words thus explained two Doctrines ariſe,
Doct. 1 Firſt, The not being of the world is that which makes wicked men hate the Godly; If there were ſutablenſſe of Naturee and Manners, then like would agree with like; Hence 1 Joh 3.12. when the Apoſtle inſtanced in Cains murther of his Brother, becauſe his own works were evil, he ſaith, v. …3. Marvell not if the world hate you, Never wonder at that, but rather if it ſhould not hate you; Our Saviour ſpeaks notably of this to his Brethren, Joh. 7.5, 7. For they did not beleeve in him though ſo greatly acquainted with him, and ſaw his Miracles; The world cannot hate you, but me it hateth, becauſe I teſtifie of it, that the works thereof are evil, It cannot hate you; No wicked man can hate another, viz. in reſpect of fundamental principles, as a Godly man is hated; It's true, wicked men may be at deadly fewd one with another, but it is not from contrary principles of nature, but from matter of profit and injuries or wrongs done: As the Dogge doth not hate another, yet for bones and other matters they will be ready to kill one another: Though therefore Herod and Pilate cannot endure one another, yet that oppoſition was upon carnal Intereſts, it was not like that hatred which was to Chriſt: Therefore when ſuch Earthly Intereſts are removed, they can heartily embrace one another, but the wicked man can never love the Godly till his Nature he changed, till he become godly alſo, as the wolf can never love a ſheep, unleſſe he be made a ſheep.
To open this Let us Conſider What it is not to be of the world.What it is not to be of the world.
And firſt, It conſiſts in Doctrine to be beleeved, Such are not of the world who receive thoſe hevenly Truths that the world cannot reach unto, yea, that it ſcorneth and derideth: When Peter made that Solemn Confeſſion; That Chriſt was the Son of the Living God, It was told him. Fleſh and bloud had not revealed this to him, Mat. 16.16. There is a worldly Religion, worldly Doctrines, ſuch as are ſutable to the principles and Intereſts of the world, and theſe are readily embraced; The world loveth ſuch Preachers, and ſuch Doctrines, 1 Joh. 4. 4. The Apoſtle John ſpeaking of the Antichriſtian Spirit that was coming into the world, ſaith of ſuch Teachers, They are of the world, therefore the world heareth them, but we are of God, and he that is not of God heareth us not; Therefore there is a remarkable oppoſition, 1 Cor. 2 12. between the Spirit of the world and the Spirit of God, For by this only we come to know the things that God hath given us. Then therefore are we not of the world when God ſhall ſo enlighten our mindes by Faith, That we do aſſuredly beleeve thoſe Truths God hath revealed in his Word, that neither our corrupt Reaſons, nor our Education to the contrary, nor the Opinions of the moſt men and great men in the world ſhall make us go contrary, and certainly the Lives of men are ſo worldly, becauſe their Underſtanding is ſo, We receive our Religion not as it's revealed of God, but as we can any waies turn it to our corrupt ends.
2. Not to be of the world is to be Regenerated and born again; To have another Nature then what we come with into the world, another not ſubſtantially but qualitatively, whereby we are ſaid 1 Pet. 1.4. to be partakers of the divine Nature, So that though at firſt made of the duſt, yet now we fly up to Heaven, as the vapours though ariſing out of the Earth, yet aſcend up to Heaven, and follow the motions thereof, Joh. 3. and 2 Cor. 5.17. A man muſt be born again, or from above, and he is made a new Creature, Old things are paſt away; This is to be above the world, not of the world, and indeed ſeeing the Soul is not naturally of the world, being created by God, why ſhouldſt thou voluntarily debaſe it, and make it a Servant to every worldly Object, to love the world, To delight in the world, To be enſnared by the world; Oh pray for this Divine Nature, beg for Regeneration, for till this be done thou art all over earthly, a worm is as good as thou art, Thy Love, thy heart, thy thoughts, thy all is nothing but earth.
3. Not to be of the world is to have an Heavenly Converſation; To live as one whoſe heart is with Chriſt already in Heaven; It's not enough to be once regenerated, but the progreſſe of our Lives is to be ſpent on Heavenly motives and Conſiderations; As the Fowls of the Heaven, though they light upon the Ground to eat their meat, yet immediatly fly up again; Thus it is with the godly, though they take the lawful comforts of this world, yet their hearts are preſently off aſcending to God; Thus the Apoſtle Our Converſation is in Heaven, Phil. 3, 20. And becauſe we are riſen with Chriſt, we ſet our affections upon things above, Col. 3.1, 2. See our Lord Chriſt, he was not of the world, Did he not manifeſt it by his converſation, when he made it his meat and drink to doe his Fathers Will, when he was alwaies either praying to God or preaching to the people; Oh then do thou endeavour after this life. Though thou art in thy Family, in thy Trade, in thy Calling, yet be not of the world, becauſe the choiceſt part of thy ſelf is from God, Thou canſt ſay, what are all theſe to the favour of God? They are good to uſe but not to enjoy; They are good ſawce but not good meat, a good Inne but not a good home.
4. Not to be of the world is to partake of other joys, other comforts then the world knoweth of, and ſo to be exerciſed with other Temptations then the world underſtands, with other joys; Therefore it's ſaid, It hath not entred into the heart of man to conceive of this, 1 Cor. 2.9. It's called Joy unspeakable in the holy Ghoſt, 1 Pet. 1.8. David acknowledged, God had put more joy in his heart then worldly men could have in all their abundance, Pſa. 4. Alas, what is thy carnal mirth and delight to that admirable and unſpeakable joy which the godly finde in God; This is a joy that will hold in tribulations and death it ſelf, when in ſuch a Drought the wicked mans ſtream is quite dried up, his temptations alſo are ſuch as the world accounts madneſſe; To be in ſpiritual deſertions, to have no ſence of Gods favour, to fear himſelf a damned Caſtaway, to have no reſt in his bones day or night, To be aſſaulted with the devils buffetings, to be filled with hideous thoughts, Theſe things the world alſo knoweth not, and therefore they count them melancholy and mad, Such as by their too much poring about Sermons and good Books put themſelves out of their wits.
Laſtly, They are not of the world in reſpect of their Converſation, Rom. 12. they are not conformed to the faſhion of the world, The one goeth Weſtward, the other Eaſtward as it were, Their words and language are different, their actions are contrary, What the Righteous man loveth, the wicked abominateth, and what the wicked loveth the godly man abhorreth; Thus as they ſay of the heavens, the primum mobile hath one motion of its own, and the inferiour Orbes a contrary motion to that; Thus the godly man he moveth one way toward heaven, he preſſeth hard thither, The wicked man he maketh as much haſte to hell, So as there were two ſtrugling in the Mothers womb, which encreaſed her pain: Thus there are two ſtriving upon the face of the world, an Iſaac and an Iſmael, a Jacob and an Eſau, the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent: This enmity will not be extinct in this life.
Ʋſe of Exhortation to the godly, Remember what ye are, Not of the world, Therefore take heed of worldly affections, worldly hearts, For where your treaſure is there will your heart be alſo; If it be in God, in Heaven, there the heart will be, If in Earth and in earthly things, there it will be; You tremble at the commiſſion of groſſe and grievous ſins, you think hell it ſelf would immediatly devour you upon ſuch ſins: Be afraid of the world, Let it not be a Dalilah to thee, a Judas to thee, by kiſſing thee to deſtroy thee, Conſider therefore God hath put gall into all worldly comforts, therefore every creature, every condition in the world hath a ſting in it, that thy ſoul ſhould be more on God; Thou canſt never live quietly till above the werld, In heaven only there are no ſtorms, no waves, no diſquietings, and this life thou maiſt attain unto; He that is not of the world. The troubles of the world hurt not him, the loſſes of the world grieve not him, The vexations of the world diſquiet not him; But becauſe we are ſtill of the world in part, we are not compleatly and perfectly out of diſquietneſſe, Therefore in this life we remain in a combating, conflicting way that heaven may be the ſweeter.
Doct. 2 Obſ. 2. That it is the honour of Beleevers that they are like Christ, They are not of the world as he is not; What a glorious condeſcention was this, that he who is the God of all the Earth, and hath all things at his command, yet be in the world hated, ſcorned, and at laſt crucified, That it ſhall be no better with him then it was with us; Hence our Saviour added this, as I am of the world, both for conſolation and information, Information, that they ſhould look for ſuch hatred, miſery, and trouble as they ſaw him grapling with, ſuch a contradiction of ſinners as he ſuſtained, and then alſo for conſolation, They could not think much if the Diſciple were not above the Maſter, ſo could they expect to be more loved of God then he? Could they think to walk more wiſely and holily then he did? It muſt needs bring much comfort, when we ſhall Conſider that it can never be ſo bad with us but it was worſe with Chriſt; Are we hated? ſo he; Did he ſeem forſaken of God? So may we be.
To open this Conſider That there is a twofold conformity and likeneſſe to Chriſt.There is a twofold conformity to Chriſt.
The firſt is active, the ſecond paſſive.
An active conformity conſiſts in the Imitation of Chriſt and reſembling him in our lives; That as Chriſt lived, ſo we endeavour to do;1. Active. Although there be ſome things wherein it's impoſſible for us to imitate him, as in his actions, which he did as God, yet in thoſe things which he did as being under the Law, we are to conform to him. We are to be humbles, meek, and patient as he was; We are to do Gods Will and to ſeek Gods glory as he did; Let the ſame minde be in you (ſaith the Apoſtle) which was in Christ, Phil. 2.5. Chriſts life and death was chiefly ſatisfactory and meritorious, but ſecondarily it was exemplary, being as a Copy to write after; Thus Paul bids them be Followers of him as he was of Chriſt, Phil 3.17. Heathens have preſcribed to have ſome grave, ſober man in our mindes alwaies, to think him preſent, but behold a greater then all men, even Chriſt himſelf; Check thy ſelf when impatient, diſcontented, repining at ſufferings, ſaying, Did Chriſt do thus?
2. There is a paſſive Conformity of which the Text ſpeaks; To be like him in his Sufferings, To have the ſame hard meaſure in the world as he had, Rom 8.2. Faſſive. We are ſaid to be predeſtinate, to be conformable unto Chriſt in this very particular; What befell Chriſt God hath ſo ordered that it ſhould befal us, Not indeed for the ſame end, for Chriſts Sufferings were not for himſelf, or becauſe he had ſinned, but to make an atonement to God for us; But our ſufferings are for our ſins not to ſatisfie Gods juſtice, but to humble us, and to make us in ſome meaſure to feel how much Chriſt ſuffered for us, what the wrath and anger of God was he endured for us; This paſſive reſemblance then unto Chriſt in his ſtate of humiliation God hath ordained all beleevers unto; That as it behoved Chriſt to ſuffer, and ſo to enter into Glory, Thus it doth behove every godly man through many Tribulations to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; As he had a Crown of Thorns before a Crown of Glory, as he muſt drink of the Brook, and then lift up his head, ſo it muſt be with all his Diſciples, and this is matter of Comfort though otherwiſe grievous to fleſh and bloud.
The comfort of being like Chriſt in ſuffering,For 1. Hereby we ſee that we may be never the leſſe loved of God, though greatly afflicted in this world: For was not Chriſt (though dearly beloved of his Father) yet delivered up to the cruell mockings and rage of men? Did not he cry out, My God, why haſt thou forſaken me? We may reade but of one Sonne of God without ſin, but not of one without chaſtiſement, even Chriſt himſelf drank deep of that Cup; Do not thou then doubt of thy Sonſhip or Intereſt in the Fathers love becauſe of the preſent afflictions that are upon thee; Chriſt was a man of ſorrows, and yet God from Heaven ſaid, This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well-pleaſed.
2. There is matter of comfort becauſe hereby we are aſcertained of our Conqueſt over them, That no tribulation ſhall ſeparate God and us, for Chriſt hath undergone theſe conflicts as our head, he hath taken the ſting out of all; They are not judgements, they are not to deſtroy, the nature of them is wholly altered through Chriſt, for as Chriſt would be baptized to ſanctifie that Ordinance for us, ſo he would be afflicted and troubled to ſanctifie them to us; Thus we may argue, if no troubles or afflictions could overcome him, neither can they us.
3. Here is matter of comfort becauſe hereby Chriſt is fitted to help us and pity us; He himſelf knoweth what the worlds reproaches are, and therefore will the more compaſſionate us; This the Apoſtle urgeth, Heb. 5. We have a High-Prieſt that is tempted like us in all things, ſin only excepted.
Ʋſe of Inſtruction, What cauſe the people of God have to triumph in all their hard uſages from the world, Say not, were ever any thus contemned, and abuſed as I am, yea, a better then thou, even Chriſt the only Son of God? Do thou rather look on it as an honour to be made like unto him, he bleſſed when he was reviled; Be like Chriſt in his graces, as thou art in his tribulations, thus ſhalt thou be hereafter like him in glory.