One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 89
SERMON LXXXIX. Of growth in Grace, ſhewing that, and how many wayes, a Godly man may be more ſanctified.
JOHN 17.17.
Sanctifie them through thy Truth, thy Word is Truth.
HItherto our Saviour hath pray'd for the preſervation of his Diſciples in this world from the evil thereof; We now proceed to the ſecond main general part of his Petition, which is their Sanctification.
So that in this verſe we are to take notice of the Matter it ſelf prayed for, Sanctifie.
2. The Subject, Them.
3. The Inſtrumental cauſe, Through thy truth.
4. The Deſcription or Explication of this, Thy Word is Truth.
We will conjoyn the Matter prayed for, and the Subject together, Sanctifie them.
The word to ſanctifie is of a large ſignification in the Scripture; but to our purpoſe, here are two principal ones,
Firſt, To ſanctifie is often to conſecrate and ſet apart to an holy uſe; and thus many expound it, that our Saviour doth by this prayer commend them unto God in their Miniſterial labour; That as the Prieſts of old were ſanctified by many external Rites, ſo are the Diſciples in a ſpiritual manner by Chriſt at this time; and this appeareth probable by the verſe following, As thou haſt ſent me into the world, even ſo have I alſo ſent them into the world. This therefore is part of the meaning, but I ſhall referre the conſidering of that notion to the next verſe.
The ſecond general and frequent uſe of the word, is to make inwardly holy, by renewing all the parts and abilities of the ſoul, to walk in an holy manner; and in this ſenſe it is partly to be taken here, becauſe the Word of God is the inſtrumental cauſe of it.
Queſt.And if you ask, How could Chriſt pray for the ſanctification of his Diſciples, who were already ſanctified?
Anſw.To this the Anſwer is eaſie, That he prayeth for the continuance of, and increaſe in ſanctification, That they may be more and more increaſing in holineſſe; for no man is come ſo farre, that he cannot go further, he is not at the utmoſt of holineſſe. Hence we ſee the Scripture ſpeaking of, or ſuppoſing perſons already godly, doth yet exhort and command Sanctification ſtill, 1 Theſſ. 5 23. I pray God ſanctifie you wholly, and preſerve your whole ſpirit, ſoul and body blameleſſe. Here thoſe that are already ſanctified, yet are prayed for, to have a further degree, and deeper rooting of Sanctification.
So Epheſ. 4.23, 24. There he writeth to ſuch as are already converted, That they be renewed in the ſpirit of their minde, and that they put on the new man; yea to theſe Diſciples our Saviour ſpeaketh, Matth. 18.3. Except ye be converted, &c.
By this you ſee, That even thoſe who are ſanctified or converted, may be more ſanctified, and converted more cloſely to God: For although it be true, That if Sanctification be ſtrictly taken for the ſame with Regeneration, then it's the infuſion of a ſupernaturall life at once: So that as a man is born but once naturally, ſo we may ſay, he is regenerated and ſanctified but once; yet take it more largely for the improving and increaſing of grace thus put into us; then we are to be more converted, and more ſanctified daily; and in this reſpect, Sanctification is ſaid to differ from Juſtification, becauſe the former doth admit of degrees, and is more or leſſe, but ſo is not Juſtification.
Obſerv. That whereas the Diſciples, though already ſanctified and made holy, yet are prayed for, that they may be more ſanctified. We may gather,
That the moſt holy men that are, are yet to be more holy. Obſerv.It's not enough to be once called or converted, but we are to grow in grace. As it is not enough for a childe to be borne, but he muſt grow up to be a man. Thus Revel. 22.11. He that is holy (foreign) let him be holy ſtill; and 1 Cor. 7.1. Perfecting holineſſe.
This is a very neceſſary point, for our Saviour John 15. ſaith, He chooſeth us, that we may bring forth more fruit: Doeſt thou increaſe in thy faith, in thy heavenly-mindedneſſe, in thy zeal? Thou canſt bleſſe God, when thou findeſt thy health and bodily ſtrength better, when thou findeſt thy eſtate increaſe, and why then art thou not more deſirous, and rejoycing to ſee thy heart grow better, to ſee thy ſoul more ſanctified? And indeed concerning the former things, our Saviour ſaith, Which of you by taking care can adde one cubit to his ſtature? But here by fervent and conſtant prayers, we may adde many cubits.
But to open this Doctrine, Let us conſider,How many wayes a godly man may be more ſanctified. How many waies a godly man may be more ſanctified, and that is ſeen in ſeveral particulars.
Firſt, He may be more ſanctified intenſively, by adding more and more degrees to the grace he hath received. Our Love, our Faith, our Patience, even all our Graces are capable of augmentation. It's not with us;1. Inrenſively. as with Chriſt, who received the Spirit without meaſure; ſo that Chriſt could not be more holy then he was; he could not do any thing more obedientially to God,2. Extenſively. then he did, nor love God more then he did; but we may all cry out with that man, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief; Lord, I love, help my want of love: Therefore James 1.4. we are exhorted to let patience have her perfect work; Even as Apelles upon all his Pictures would write Faciebat non fecit, becauſe he would ſtill be perfecting it; thus are we to all our graces. Hence are thoſe daily exhortations, To grow in Grace: Even a Paul, even the talleſt Gyants are to grow in Grace. Paul ſaith, He knoweth but in part, 1 Cor. 13. and then he can but love in part, and believe in part: Oh then, this is of great concernment, to think that thy beſt graces may yet be made farre better! Thy Grace is nothing to a Pauls, and a Pauls is nothing to the Law, or the Rule, Look to it then, and be as deſirous to grow in Grace, as ever thou wert to get into the ſtate of Grace.
Secondly, We may be more ſanctified extenſively, in regard of the Objects about which our Graces are to be exerciſed, and in reſpect of our Relations.
1. There is an extenſion in reſpect of our Objects of Grace. As we are bound to do better then we doe; ſo to do more then we doe. What godly man is there, that can ſay, he hath done all things God required? Art thou not guilty of many omiſſions of duties? Thou haſt not reproved, mourned, prayed for others; Thou haſt not done that ſpirituall and temporall good thou ſhouldſt. Paul excuſed the Philippians that they would have done good, but they wanted an opportunity, Phil. 4.16. But how many times have we an opportunity, and we want hearts? John could write to that pious Gaius his Hoſt, 3 John verſ. 2. to wiſh that his body may be in health, even as his ſoul proſpered. What a glorious commendation was this? It was better with his ſoule, then his outward man. Now wee cannot ſay thus of our ſelves, becauſe we are not diligent and induſtrious to doe more then we doe. Certainly, every godly man may be aſtoniſhed, when he ſhall conſider, how broad the Commandements of God are, and how narrow his heart is growne in doing more then thou haſt done.
2. Thou mayeſt be ſanctified extenſively, by the Relations that thou doeſt take upon thee, when made an Husband, a Wife, a Miniſter, a Magiſtrate, here thy holineſſe is to extend further, God requireth more of thee, and that godlineſſe which would have ſerved thee before, will not now. While the Apoſtles were private men, they needed not that Sanctification which they were to have as Apoſtles. Hence we ſee the Apoſtle diligently in his Epiſtles, informing Husbands, Wives, Children and Servants of what they have to doe: And certainly, the grace of our Relations is an excellent evidence of our holineſſe in the main: If the Heathen could ſay, He was not Bonus vir, that was not Bonus civis, not a good man, that was not a good Citizen: So may we ſay, He is not a good Chriſtian, that is not a good Miniſter, a good Magiſtrate, a good Husband, a good Servant. The Apoſtle bids Archippus fulfill his Miniſtry: And thus Miniſters are exhorted to look to the flock over which God hath ſet them. Oh then ſee, if thou mayeſt not be greatly ſanctified in thy Relations, if they may not be filled with more Wiſdome, Patience and exemplarity of Converſation! Alexander wept, becauſe there was no more Worlds, he wanted work. But to be ſure, thou haſt more then ever thou canſt turn unto: Every Relation requires a new grace, or a new exerciſe of grace: So that here is no time for thee to ſit down, or to be ſtill, as if all thy enemies were conquered.
3. In the deeper radication of grace in our hearts.Thirdly, We may be more ſanctified in the deeper radication of Grace in our hearts. It's a Philoſophicall Diſpute, Whether accidents are intenſed by addition of degrees, or a deeper radication of them in the ſubject? We may conclude, That grace in the heart is both wayes improved, and for the rooting of it in the ſoul: This is ſo great a matter, that the temporary believer is in this reſpect as well as others, mainly differenced from the true believer. Though they had ſome root, yet they had not root enough, and the unwiſe builder did not dig deep enough; for this therefore the Apoſtle prayeth, even in reference to ſuch as were already rooted in Chriſt, that they may be more rooted, Coloſ. 2.7. Rooted and built up in him. And to this purpoſe are all thoſe Exhortations of being ſtedfaſt and immoveable, of being ſtrengthened, ſtabliſhed. ſettled, 1 Pet. 5, 10. as there the Apoſtle prayeth remrkably. There is no man hath laid ſo ſure a foundatinn, but he may make it more ſure: No man is ſo eſtabliſhed, but he may be more eſtabliſhed: Is it not a terrible thing to ſee the fall of many Cedars in Lebanon, of many Starres from Heaven? And why is all this? They were never eſtabliſhed deep enough, they never took more root downwards; like unwiſe builders, they attended to make a glorious upper-room, and ſtairs in the houſe, but mattered not the foundation; and certainly, though the childe of God, even of the loweſt form, be ſo farre rooted, that he ſhall never fall away, yet this eſtabliſhment and ſtedfaſtneſs of his, is not by his own power and ſtrength, it's God that keeps him, neither is it continued, but in the conſtant daily exerciſe of holy means: Oh then every day be indeavouring after this, Lord, grace is not rooted in me enough, it's too ſuperficiall! Oh that I could ſay, I no longer live, but Chriſt within me! Oh that it were like leaven diffuſing it's power over me, the Promiſe is Jer. 31. I will write my Law in thine inwards parts, in the midſt of them! So that grace ſhall be habituated in thee, and ſink as deep, as ever original ſin did in thee.
Fourthly, We may be more ſanctified Subjectively, 4. Subjectivelythat is every part of the ſoul may be more throughly ſanctified every day: as in that place, 1 Theſſ. 5.23. Hence to the converted Epheſians, the Apoſtle exhorts, as you heard, both a further renovation of the minde, and of the will and affections, Epheſ. 4.23, 24. In the mind, How greatly may we be more ſanctified, have more illumination, more heavenly knowledge of God and Chriſt? Thou art to grow in knowledge more and more; Paul was once like a childe, but he became a man; The Apoſtle Heb. 6. doth ſeverely reprove thoſe that continued babes, and were not carried on to further perfection. It's both a ſhame and a ſinne, that thou haſt yet no more knowledge, and heavenly underſtanding, by the Miniſtry thou haſt enjoyed ſo many years. Again, the minde is to be more ſanctified by a more firm and ſolid faith, the Apoſtle then directs, That they ſhould be ſtedfaſt and ſound in the faith, not toſſed up and down with every winde of doctrine. Their increaſe of faith may be both in the Objects believed, though for the things neceſſary to ſalvation, the knowledge of them by the Spirit of God is promiſed to every believer, yet there the ſuperſtructions in Religion, which according to the means we enjoy, we are to believe. Therefore the Apoſtle, 1 Theſſ. 3.10. ſheweth his earneſt prayer to come to the Theſſalonians, that he might perfect what was lacking in their faith; which could not be meant in regard of foundations, but ſuperſtructures; not eſſentials, but additionals. Thus they are to grow in the doctrine of believing, but then in the manner of believing, that is the proper way for all to grow. To believe more certainly, more firmly, more practically. Therefore though the fundamentals of Religion cannot be augmented: No neceſſary truth to ſalvation can be revealed, which was not known before, yet it may be more ſtrongly and clearly believed. And this is the end of all Authors, that write againſt Heretiques of all ſorts, not to bring a new Religion into the world, or new Articles of Faith, but to cauſe a more clear and firm aſſent to thoſe things, which the ſubtilty of Heretiques had obſcured. Further, Their mindes are to be more ſanctified by holy thoughts, heavenly-Meditation: For what godly man doth not perceive vain thoughts creeping into his ſoul, as the Froggs did into Pharaoh's Chamber, whether he will or no; and as for a fixed heavenly-Meditation, it's an unknown duty amongſt Chriſtians.
Thus as the minde is to be more ſanctified, ſo we might ſhew all other parts of ſoul and body. The will of a man is to be more bowed, and made more vehement and powerfull in the things of God. To overcome thoſe velleities and incompleat wiſhings which are ſo apt to undo us, To go beyond Paul, as Paul himſelf deſires to overcome himſelf, Rom. 7. What I would not, that I doe. To have this no longer, but what I would, that I do. And for the Affections, who is not ſenſible, what further Sanctification they need? Sanctified anger, ſanctified deſires, How beautifull and comfortable would they be? Who doth not finde them overrunning and going beyond all bounds, ſo that nothing can order them within their limits? The Body likewiſe, though that be the bruitiſh part, yet the Apoſtle prayeth for the ſanctification of it, which is then done, when it's no more inſtrumental to ſinne; the eyes, the hands, the tongue have an holy watch over them, and are imployed for God. Thus you ſee that every part of the whole man admits of further Sanctification. A man cannot look over all that he hath and doth, as God did on his works, and ſee all exceeding good, ſo as to reſt thereupon, and worke no more. We may ſee every day more to be done, and ſo never come to a full Reſt, till we are in Heaven.
Fifthly, We are to be more ſanctified Objectively, that is, Thoſe objects revealed in the Scripture, we are to partake more of, to receive more ſweetneſs and fulneſs from. Doth not the Apoſtle pray for the Epheſians, of whom he affirmeth the glorious priviledges of the Goſpel? Yet Chap. 1.17, 18, 19. That their eyes may be inlightned to know what is the exceeding power of God to them that believe. And again Epheſ. 3.17, 18, 19. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts, that ye may be able to comprehend what is the breadth, and depth, and length of Gods love. And leſt it ſhould be thought, that we are able to do this to the full, he addeth, And to know the love of God, which paſſeth all knowledge; Yea, the very glorious things of the Goſpel, even in this life are ſuch, 1 Cor. 2.9. That eyes have not ſeen, neither hath it entred into the heart of a man to underſtand. There is as much in God, in Chriſt, in Faith, in every Scripture-truth, that thou mayeſt make it new to thee every day. Chriſt may be a new Chriſt, Heaven a new Heaven; for every divine Truth is like ſome ſtately and magnificent Palace, wherein every room affords thee ſome new wonder and delight; and this is the reaſon why John 4. Chriſt ſaith, He that drinketh of that water, which is Chriſt, ſhall never thirſt more: Oh then this is our great ſinne and our hindrance alſo, that ſuch dainties are in the Goſpel, and we do not ſuck them out! There is no heavenly promiſe or comfort, but if thou didſt go to draw out of it, thou wouldſt finde it a deep Well, which can never be drawn dry: Oh then know, if Chriſt and holy things do not raviſh thy ſoul, it's becauſe thy heart is narrow! How can a veſſel with a narrow mouth, receive all the water of the Sea into it?