A Comment Upon Christs Last Prayer, Verse 26 · Doctrine 4
That the Love wherewith thou haſt loved me, may be in them, and I in them.
For the underſtanding of which words, we ſhal open theſe four Things:
1. How the Father loves Chriſt.
2. How that Love is ſaid to be in them; that is, the Faithful.
3. The Means, and Order know this is done.
4. When we ſhall know this.
To the Firſt.
1. This Love is that, which in an eſpecial manner, is appropriated unto our Savior: It's a peculiar Legacy, and Inheritance which appertains to him as a Son. And therefore look at it, as we muſt do in this place, as circumſtantiated in the ſpecial Reſpects and Conſiderations, as proceeding from the Father as the Father, and terminated, and bounded upon him, as a Son: It's peculiarized, and impropriated to him, and to him alone. That however it may be ſaid, and that truly, in a true ſenſe, of al the glorious Perſons in the bleſſed Trinity, that they love each other: yet this Love, as it is dyed in the heart of the Father, hath as it were the Tincture of that Relation, out of which, in an eſpecial manner, it ariſeth, and is reſolved, and reſts in, and upon the Son. So it is given to him, and in that reſpect; and is of the like Nature with ſome other Acts, which are ſo attributed. As the Father ſends the Son, the Son is ſent only by the Father.
2. This Love is founded firſtly in that Eternal Generation, whereby the Son was begotten of the Father before al Worlds. For therein is the root of thoſe Relative Properties, and ſo that Perſonal diſtinction, that appears betwixt the Father and the Son, and conſequently of al thoſe proper reſpects that appertain to each, and be attributed to them in a diſtinct manner.
3. Hence there ariſeth a ſpecial knowledg betwixt the Father and the Son, which anſwers the Specialty of their Relation. For that is a Conſequent which follows from things that undergo relative Reſpects, they give ſpecial intimation each of other, becauſe they give relative being each to other: And therefore our Savior when he checked Philip for his ignorance, becauſe he knew not the Father; Have I been ſo long time with you, and knoweſt thou not me? he that hath ſeen me, hath ſeen the Father, John, 14.9. Relatives give Being each to other, and therefore give Knowledg each of other, Matth. 11.27. No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; and no man knows the Father, but the Son. As we ſee it in the Senſitive Creatures, ſo in al Generations, there is an eſpecial owning each of other: as the yong owns the Dam, the Dam the yong, by ſmel or bleating. He that hath his mind rectified by a Truth, he wil own that Truth that did rectifie him. The Son is the ſhine of the Fathers Wiſdom, Heb. 1.3. A Light ſprung from a Light, John 10.15.
4. The Father begets his Son; he owns him when he is begotten, the ſhine, and engraven Form of his own perſonal Excellency.
Laſtly: He loves whom he thus owns: The heart of the Father is wholly taken up with him, his thoughts wholly ſet upon him, his Soul is wholly ſatisfied in him; an Infinite, and Eternal Favorite, of an Infinite, and Eternal Father; ſo that he cannot look off him, raviſhed with his beauties, and with an infinite fulneſs of Soul-pleaſing ſatisfaction, takes contentment in him.
This Love, look we at the next effects of it, diſcovers it ſelf in theſe two things, which are to be attended in this place.
In
Ʋnion, that is moſt neer.
Communion, that is moſt intimate, and inward.
Love laies out it ſelf in theſe two eſpecially, wherein the heart-blood, and vital Spirits of Love, expreſs themſelves.
1. The neerneſs of Ʋnion.
Therefore our Savior preſſeth this with ſo much inſtancy, and holds the thoughts of Philip upon this Conſideration: Beleeveſt thou not, that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father? q. d. It's ſtrange thou ſhould'ſt fal ſhort of this: and therefore, verſe 11. he ſets home this Truth, as the main Corner Stone of a Chriſtians Comfort. [Beleeve me] I am aſſured of what I ſpeak, and it concerns thee deeply to receive what I ſay, as the loweſt Foundation of thy Faith.
I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or elſe beleeve me for the very Works ſake] Theſe Works would never have been done, could never be accompliſhed, nor your Comfort maintained therein, unleſs this In-being (taken together with the manner of it) as Son and Father, be proper to them. And therefore it is that the Father is ſaid to dwell in the Son, a Phraſe not attributed to the Holy Spirit in the Senſe and manner of Apprehenſion; nay, they are ſaid to be one, viz. in point of this Relative Union, John 10.30. For having ſaid, verſe 28. None ſhall pluck his Sheep out of his hand; he adds, Becauſe the Father, who gave them him, is greater than all, and he, and his Father are one; and therefore if they cannot pluck them out of his Fathers hand, they cannot out of his. Nay, this is made the ground of the great accompliſhment of al the great works he did, John 10.37, 38. If I do not the works of the Father, beleeve me not: But if I do, though ye beleeve not me, beleeve the Works; that ye may know, and beleeve that the Father is in me, and I in him. And therefore they are alwaies conjoyned in the Work by our Savior: My Father worketh hitherto, and I work, John 5.17. therefore he is ſaid to come out of his boſom, and to lie in the Boſom of his Love. And this is true in regard of Chriſt, God-man, in regard of that Hypoſtatical Union, the Humane Nature hath with the Second Perſon, and ſubſiſtence it hath in him.
2. The intimateneſs of Communion.
This Love layeth open it ſelf in moſt inward, and intimate Communion of the Father and Son, each with other; as we have formerly obſerved from Prov. 8.30. I was with him, &c. and was his delight, a word compounded of two, to behold, and to retain. So to eye, and gaze upon another with raviſhment, and ſo pleaſingly to apply our ſelves to that other, as to hold, and keep him with us for ever. They have mutual intercourſe in al their Operations. The Son works nothing but what he ſees the Father work: Speaks nothing, but what he hears the Father ſpeak: doth nothing, but what the Fathers Wil is.
They mutually glorifie one another, and that is their aim in al they do, John 17.1. Father, glorifie thy Son, that thy Son may glorifie thee, ver. 4, 5. I have glorified thee on Earth; glorifie thou me with thine own ſelf, with the Glory which I had with thee, before the World was.
He hath then the Soveraign Diſpenſation of al Works from the Father, who had his Being from him, and ſo his working.
In the daies of his Humiliation, he laid aſide the Diſpenſation of Power, and ſuffered the Power of darkneſs to prevail: but now he deſires al might be reſtored to him, verſe 5. Al theſe belong to Chriſt; God-man, in regard of the Union of our Nature with his Perſon.
And this is the Love that is here intended.
Reaſ. 1. Love of the higheſt ſtrain and pitch, of greateſt, and choyceſt Excellency, is here intended, and underſtood: This is the Standard to al the reſt. But the Love of God to Chriſt, is the cauſe of other the Bleſſings and Benefits that are beſtowed, John 3.35. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hands. Therefore this Love, is a peerleſs, and unmatchable Love: al other things, which are given to our Savior, Grace, Glory, al Power in Heaven and Earth, are but the effects of it.
Again Joh. 17.24. The glory that our Savior hath given him of the Father, it is ſaid to Iſſue from a higher fountain, and to be but a ſtream of it, Namely, The Father loved him from the foundation of the World. Love is from Eternity: the fruits are in time.
Laſtly: The whol Tenor of the Prayer and expreſſions of our Savior in this Chapter gives further evidence and argument to confirm it.
2. How is this Love ſaid to be in them?
When this love of God in Chriſt ſets God on work to wil a like or proportionable good to the Creature. I would ſay thus.
When God wils to have a Creature neer to him, in his Son, as his Son, to communicate intimately with the Creature through his Chriſt, as his Chriſt.
Then this love leaves a being like it ſelf upon the Creature: Its then in its vertue and efficacy in the fatithful.
It was with God, put forth upon Chriſt, before the World was, and therefore much more before they were.
But our Saviors Prayer is, that this love, which was expreſſed upon him, might alſo be extended unto his, made effectual and operative in his.
Its true, the expreſſions of common love, and the communication of ordinary good, is of larger extent and iſſues from God, as the Creator of al, and he that is the firſt being and ſo gives being to al Creatures.
But ſpecial union to be ſo high unto God, and to communicate ſo intimately with him, its firſtly here to be ſeen, and from hence therefore muſt be derived to all ſuch, who ſhal be ſo Priviledged, as to be made partakers thereof.
3. The Means and Order how this is done.
Anſw. The means by which God doth convey the efficacy of this love, wherewith he loved his Son, unto his Saints, may be thus conceived; As the eternal generation of the Son from the Father was the foundation of his love of the Father to the Son, as we have ſhewed, he begat him, knew, and owned and loved him: So the vertue of this eternal generation is the Cauſe, whence this love comes to have a being in the Saints. For out of this eternal generation it is, that God ſends his Son The Son being ſent, acts under that Authoritative Order and doth anſwer the purpoſe of the Father. And as Second Adam, and as Son, and as begotten of the Father, he aſſumes ou… Nature into perſonal union with himſelf, becomes Head of the Covenant, and as he was begotten of the Father, ſo he begets Children unto God the Father. Therefore he is called the eternal Father: and the Father is ſaid to beget Children, becauſe Chriſt doth, as ſent by God the Father. 1 Pet. 1.3. The Father begets us through his reſurrection. Joh. 13. Born of God. And thence they have the Spirit of Sons. So in the text. The love wherewith thou haſt loved them, may be in them. But how is that? And I in them. That our Savior adds, to intimate how this comes about
4. When is this done?
Anſw. When the love of God in Chriſt ſet Gods love, or ſet God on work, to ſend Chriſt begotten of him, to beget Children to him. And then this love through Chriſt, leaves like impreſſion and operations upon the Soul.
1. Brings the Soul into neereſt union with God through Chriſt.
2. Moſt intimately communicates of the ſpecial operations of the Spirit of the Father through Chriſt.
1. Brings the finner into neereſt union, to wit, Chriſt is in the Soul Rom. 8.10 If Chriſt be in you, the Body is dead &c. Yea dwelt in the heart. Eph. 3.17. And God by and through Chriſt. Rom. 8.9. So Joh. 17.23. I in them and thou in me. So 1 Joh. 2.24. Ye ſhall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 1 Theſſ. 1.1. The Church which is in God the Father and in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
2. Leaves like operations, the moſt intimate and ſpecial communion of the Spirit of Chriſt and the Soul. So that God doth al through Chriſt by man, he doth nothing of, nor from himſelf. Thus Chriſt is al in al, Col. 3.11.
And the ſinner is wholly now beyond the covenant of works made with Adam, and with him in Adam. So that as Paul obſerves, I live not, but Chriſt lives in me. Gal. 2.20. I work, not I but the Grace of God with me. 1 Cor. 15.10. And Chriſt in me. Coloſſ. 1. and laſt Verſe.
When the love of God in Chriſt ſets God on work to ſend his Son begotten of him, to beget Sons unto him, ſo that he brings them to the neereſt union: God in Chriſt, and Chriſt, he one in them. They in Chriſt, and through Chriſt in God the Father: So that the Father in Chriſt doth al by them, they nothing of themſelves, receives alſo al from them, they take nothing to themſelves. Then this love of Chriſt is in them, and leaves a like efficacious impreſſion upon them.
Hence a double Collection.
1. We may hence learn, how to come to a right apprehenſion of Gods ſpecial love, and ſo to a right explication and underſtanding of ſeveral Scriptures thereby.
Gods ſpecial love is, when he purpoſeth to make the Creature neer to him in his Son, as his Son is neer. The Father is in his Son, Chriſt in the Faithful, and the Father by Chriſt in them. Chriſt is in the Father, the Faithful in Chriſt, and by him in the Father. He doth intimately communicate with them through his Chriſt, as with his Chriſt. God by Chriſt, doth al by them, they not of themſelves. He through Chriſt receives al from them, they take nothing to themſelves.
This Love is like the main Hinge, upon which the whol Frame of Gods Diſpenſations turn, and many Scriptures ſeem to be made familiar, and ſomwhat open hereby. As this: Becauſe I wil make a Creature to me, in my Son, as my Son; therefore I wil Elect him, to ſet out this Love: And therefore create, and give Grace; and becauſe his own Grace cannot bring him ſo neer, as my Son, he ſhal through his default fal, and then I wil ſend my Son, and he ſhal take Humane Nature into Perſonal Union with him: In that to purchaſe al Grace, and have right to communicate al Grace, and in his time to bring them to God, and implant them in himſelf, and beſtow al Grace and Glory upon them: That when they have Grace and Glory upon them, they may acknowledg whence they had it: Cling about that God, and in Chriſt, that gave it: admire his Love to them; and cleave wholly in Love to his Son, whence he came to love them.
Hence thoſe places receive Explication: Whom he knew, he elected. it's ſuch a knowledg that brings in Election; and therefore not common to Reprobation, Rom. 8.29, 30. Therefore it's a knowledg with Affection, ſuch as would own, and take neer to himſelf. So Paul to the Epheſ. 2.4. God who is rich in Mercy, according to his great Love, &c. God who is rich in his pitying, and compaſſionating Mercy, according to his great Love, whereby he would take us to himſelf, make us next Neighbor to his Chriſt, and neer as his Chriſt.
Hence therefore God expreſſed his pity and Compaſſion towards us, in recovering of us out of our diſtreſs: God ſo loved the World, &c. John 3.16.
2. The tranſcendent Happineſs, which the Faithful attain, through the Covenant of Grace, above that of Adam. A man covenanted for men, and might have purchaſed happineſs for them, and communicated that to them by Natural Generation. But here, man loſt, can of himſelf, do nothing for himſelf: but God, and the power of a God, doth al that for us, which we cannot do for our ſelves. This is the Nature of our Glory.
But God in Chriſt, wil be ſo neer to us, as to be in us; and give al, that we may be ſo neer to him, as to be in the Son, and the Father, and ſo return al. This is the Diamond in the Crown.
But that the Love of the Father to his Son, ſhould ſet his Love on work to bring us to the like Union and Communion: This is the beauty, and brightneſs of the top of the Diamond of the Crown of Glory.
The Words thus opened, and explicated; we have hence theſe three Points of Doctrine:
1. It is the Deſire, and Endeavor of our Savivior, That the deareſt of Gods Love, which was beſtowed on himſelf, ſhould alſo be given to his Faithful Servants.
2. Our Union, and Communion with God in Chriſt, is the top of our Happineſs in Heaven.
3. Our Saviors manifeſtation of the Name of the Father, is the means, and his ſcope, to bring in the Being of this Love of God unto us.
This laſt ariſeth from the Coherence of theſe Words with thoſe which went before; and we do but name it, and refer the Reader to what we have formerly at large laid down touching the ſame, where we have declared both what the Name of the Father is, what is the Manifeſtation of it, and what our Saviors Work is therein; and how, and why, he hath, and doth manifeſt it.
The Two former we ſhal ſpeak ſomthing unto, whereof the firſt, with which we ſhal begin, was thus laid down: