A Comment Upon Christs Last Prayer, Verse 24 · Doctrine 4
Our Savior doth affectionately deſire to have the preſence of the Faithful in Heaven with himſelf.Doct.
I ſay, he affectionately deſires, and that appears in his expreſſion, I WILL: Which implies Three Things in this place, as thus uſed.
That it is thing which ſuits the heart of the Lord Chriſt, and which he chuſeth, as a thing, that is wel pleaſing to him. This is as he would have it.
2. That he preſents the efficacy of his Merits, and Obedience before God the Father; and by vertue of the Covenant and Agreement betwixt him and the Father tranſacted, touching his Elect and Choſen, whoſe Redemption, and Recovery, he hath undertaken: and he challengeth, and claimeth at the hands of the Father, the enjoyment of Heaven, and Happineſs, which he hath purchaſed for his Servants the Faithful, and his enjoyment of them, and their preſence.
3. He earneſtly requeſts, and praies unto the Father for the accompliſhment, and performance of this.
The firſt and laſt of theſe Particulars, ye have fully declared by the ſame word, as uſed upon the like occaſion. When our Savior was to enter into his Agony in the Garden, a little before he was betrayed, he prayed more earneſtly, ſaies the Text; If it be poſſible, let this Cup paſs; and in the cloſe, ends and iſſues al with this ſubjection, Not as I will, but as thou wilt, Marth. 26.39. that is, according to the Rules of Nature, and Reaſon, I would chuſe, and do deſire mine own preſervation, as man: yet as Mediator, having undertaken the Redemption of mine, I ſubmit my Wil and Prayers to thy good pleaſure, and purpoſe. And for the Second Particular, it's thus alſo plain: Becauſe his Prayer is one part of his Prieſtly Office, and of that Interceſſion, which he makes for his redeemed ones: and that appears amongſt other things, in this; As he purchaſed, ſo in a righteous way he may obtain, the performance of al that good from the Father in the behalf of his; That they may be with them, and happy in them for ever, Iſa. 53.11. He ſhal ſee the travel of his Soul, he ſhal ſee the fruit of his dying and praying, the bringing of his unto God the Father into Heaven, and their bleſſedneſs there. And this our Savior doth not as man only, but as God-man, the Mediator of his Elect, as he voluntarily ſubmitted to the place of a Surety, and became a Servant for our ſakes, and ſo leſs than the Father, John 14.30. The Father is greater than I. Look as his Complaint, ſo his Prayer, may be conceived, as iſſuing and proceeding from the ſame ground. But when he complains, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? he was not forſaken of God, by the withdrawing of the ſence and ſweetneſs of his Favor, as man only, but as Surety; therefore as Mediator, and therefore ſo he prayed, and ſo was heard then, and now alſo heard and accepted of God the Father.
And this affectionate deſire of our Savior, appears in this; That as he cannot take content in Heaven, unleſs he have his Faithful with him: So he wil not reſt in Heaven, but wil come again to fetch them to him. John 14.3. I will come again, and take you to my ſelf. He hath betrothed his Bride and Spouſe here, and he wil come (as ſomtimes Princes and States come from their own Places and Kingdoms) with the great retinue of his Courtiers, and attendance of glorious Angels, thouſands ſhal go before him, and thouſand thouſands adminiſtring to him, at the Solemnization of the day of Marriage; and he ſhal ſay, as in Pſal. …0. Gather my Saints to me, thoſe that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice. We ſhal al be taken up with him into the Clouds, and he ſhal carry his Bride with Triumph into his own Country and Kingdom, into Heaven, and there we ſhal be ever with him.
REASON.
1. Hereby the Scope and End of the great Work of Reſtitution of loſt man, is in part, and in an eſpecial part thereof attained. This is the end of the Death and offering of our Savior, Heb, 9.7, 8. But into the Second, went the High-Prieſt alone, once every Yeer, not without Blood; the Holy Ghoſt thus ſignifying, That the way into the Holy of Holies, (that is, into Heaven) was not yet made manifeſt, while the firſt Tabernacle was ſtanding: but verſe 11. Chriſt being come an High Prieſt of good things to come, not by the blood of Goats, but by his own Blood, he entred once into the Holy Place (that is, Heaven) having obtained eternal Redemption for us. So that we have boldneſs to enter into the Holieſt of the Blood of Jeſus, by a new, and living way, which he hath conſecrated for us through the Vail, that is, his Fleſh. This is the Scope of his Reſurrection and Aſcention, John 14.3. In my Fathers Houſe, there be many Manſions, I go to prepare a place for you, that is, He aſcended into Heaven, that by vertue of his Aſcention, we alſo might ariſe, and aſcend, and ſit in Heavenly places with him. For Aſcention doth firſtly appertain to our Savior; and from him, as our Head, it is communicated to us, as his Members. Had not the Second Adam aſcended, for ought I can ſee, no Son of Adam had ever come into Heaven.
When the laſt Enemy, which is Death, is vanquiſhed, and that he hath brought al the Elect home, and preſented them to God the Father; Here am I, and the Children that thou haſt given me; then he ſhall deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father. The Rule and Government of our Savior, in al theſe outward Diſpenſations, ſhal be at an end. The end and ſcope of the Death, and Obedience, Aſcention, and Redemption wrought out by Chriſt, that he muſt affectionately deſire. But this is ſo. Therefore,
2. By this means, the perfection of his Body myſtical, and himſelf as myſtical Chriſt, is accompliſhed; without this, ſomthing would be wanting, to make up the fulneſs thereof. Eph. 1. laſt, It's ſaid of the Church (and is true of each Member for their meaſure) It is the fulneſs of him, who filleth all in all: the hearts of al his Saints, with al ſaving Graces. If at the laſt day of that great aſſembling of the firſt-born, there ſhould be but the pooreſt Saint wanting, and out of the way, the myſtical Body of Chriſt, would ſo far want it's fulneſs: if a finger, or a joynt be lacking, the Body would lack ſomthing of its ful integrity. And therefore Eph. 4.13. God never leaves ſending Officers, they never leave gathering, and perfecting the Body of Chriſt, until we all arrive and meet at the unity of Faith, and the acknowledgment of the Son of God. The Head and Members ſhould in reaſon be preſent one with another. The Husband and Wife in comlineſs, ſhould co-habit in the ſame place, and dwel together. Chriſt is the Head, his Faithful his Members; Chriſt the Husband is gone into his own, out of fair Countrey; and therefore he cannot but affectionately deſire the coming of his Bride unto him. Nay, rather than fail, as we heard, he wil come down from Heaven, and fetch her. John 14. I will take you to my ſelf, that where I am, ye may be alſo.
3. The compleat happineſs of the Saints, can only by this means be fully procured.
The Lord redeems, not only from guilt, and puniſhment, and power of our ſins and miſeries, but even from the preſence of them. And we cannot be wholly freed from the preſence of the evil of the world, before we be taken out of the World. And therefore as the Lord hath advanced our Savior far above Principalities and Powers, beyond the gun-ſhot of Satans temptations, and the evils of this vale of Tears: So the Lord Jeſus provides that we may triumph with him, as we have ſuffered with him, Matth. 13.41. Therefore in the Parable, while we live in the Field of the World, and the Church is here Militant, there wil be Tares, which wil annoy and trouble. But when the Lord ſhal ſend his Angels to gather out of his Kingdom al things that offend, and them which do iniquity: Then ſhal his Saints be tranſlated into the Kingdom of the Father. That which is the end of Chriſts Redemption, the perfection of his Body, the compleat happineſs of his People: that he muſt affectionately deſire. For the end ever carries, and commands the affection of the Agent, who works by Counſel and Reaſon.
USE, 1. Of Inſtruction.
Hence al that are given to Chriſt, muſt be raiſed from the dead, and be in an immortal condition, and in everlaſting happineſs. As our Savior reaſoned againſt the Sadduces, God is the God of Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob: God is a God in Covenant with the Living: Therefore Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob muſt live, and that in Bodies and Souls, becauſe he is the God of both. So thoſe that muſt ever be with Chriſt, they muſt have a Being, and be raiſed out of the duſt: nor matters it, though they were returned to the duſt, and that ſcattered into the four corners of the World; into the Sea, where they have been drowned; into the Earth, where they have been buried; into the Fire, where they have been burned. The Lord wil ſend his Angels, and he wil gather his Elect: The Sea ſhal give up her dead, the Fire and Earth their dead. They ſhal be made immortal, that ſo they may be ever with the Lord.
USE, 2. Of Reprehenſion.
It condemns both the Spirits and Practices of ſuch, who cannot abide the preſence, much leſs prize the communion, and company of the Saints. Chriſt is not at reſt in Heaven without them: and they are in a Hell, count themſelves in a Priſon, while the are in the place, and the preſence where they be. Certainly Chriſt is deceived, or thou art juſtly to be condemned, as one who haſt not the heart of Chriſt, the Grace and Spirit of Chriſt in thee, and that one day thou ſhalt find. They ſhal ever be with Chriſt, and thou that canſt not indure their ſociety in the Kingdom of Grace, thou ſhalt never have their company in the Kingdom of Glory. Such is the exquiſite Conſtitution, and Soveraign temper of the Iriſh Mold, that there, poyſonous Vermin, Toads, and Spiders, and ſuch like, they die preſently, if confined to the compaſs of the Earth, and therefore they forthwith leave the Mold, leſt they loſe their lives. So here, if thou counteſt it a kind of death to be confined to the holy Society, and gracious, and Spiritual communion of the Saints, it's certain, Thou haſt the poyſon of a prophane, and a graceleſs heart within thee. They went out from us (ſaies the Apoſtle) becauſe they were not of us; had they been of us, had they grown upon the ſame root, the Lord Jeſus, knit one to another by the ſame Spirit, They would never have departed from us.
When looſ-hearted, and wicked Hypocrites, are hemmed in by the Communion of the Faithful at unawares, they ſtand upon coals, and ſit upon Thorns; like Fiſh out of their Element, their hearts faint, and die away preſently, as profeſſedly contrary to the Spirit of our Savior, as Light to Drakneſs. Chriſts Wil is, They ſhould be where he is: and their wil is, To be any where elſe, but where they are.
USE, 3. Of Spiritual Comfort.
Hereby we may learn to ſupport our ſelves in ſeveral occaſions, that would prejudice us in our Chriſtian Courſe: Hence we may fetch ſupply to bear up our hearts in al over-bearing preſſures. Comfort againſt al Oppoſition of our Spiritual Adverſaries, which may hinder our Happineſs: Againſt contempt of the World that would diſparage our perſons and Profeſſions: Againſt our own weakneſſes, and feebleneſs, that might diſcourage us in a Chriſtian Courſe. The former Doctrine affords Spiritual refreſhing againſt al theſe: Againſt the fierceſt of al oppoſition, which al the Enemies of our Salvation can make againſt our progreſs, and ſucceſs in a Chriſtian Courſe. The Prayer of our Savior, is above the Power of Hel, and Devils, though they rage; above their malice and policy, though they undermine; above the corruption of mine own heart, which would betray, and deliver me as a prey, into the hands of Devils, and their Inſtruments. This Prayer of our Savior, ſhal carry the Cauſe againſt them all, and thee to Heaven in deſpight of al. This Requeſt wil not be denied; this Wil of Chriſt, nothing can reſiſt. The grant of the Father to our Savior, none in Heaven and Hell can fruſtrate, to make the Lord repeal his purpoſe.
This was the beſt ſupport that ſhored up Peter, when he was at the hardeſt ſhock, Luke 22.31, 32. Simon, Simon, Satan hath deſired to winnow thee as Chaff; but I have prayed that thy Faith fail not. Thy Heart, and Hope, and Grace, and al might have failed, and would; but I have prayed that it fail not.
Thou happily wilt ſay, Satan is ſubtil indeed, and the ſnares of the World ſecret; but I find moſt harm from mine own heart, a Wil that cannot ſubmit, and wil not come, though I might be ſaved. Look higher and further for help, to the Prayer of our Savior now in Heaven, and there thou mayeſt certainly find. Chriſt ſaies, Father, I will that they be with me. The Devil, and men, and thine own heart, wil the contrary: whether wil the Father grant, and which of al theſe is like to prevail? The wil of Chriſt ſhal ſtand certainly, and he wil do, whatever he wil do; the wil of Devils ſhal not hinder it, thine own wil ſhal not be able to reſiſt.
2. Comfort againſt all the contempt of the World; when the wicked, and the mighty deſpiſe the meanneſs of the perſons, diſdain the preſence of the poor Saints. If thou beeſt rejected on Earth, and received into Heaven: if men diſdain thy Company, and Chriſt deſire it, nay, the World deſire it, the more our Savior longs for it, and thee: Thou haſt no cauſe to be diſcouraged, nor diſcomfited. Thus David fenceth himſelf againſt the reproach of Michal, Oh how gloriouſly, &c. ſaies he, It was before the Lord, who choſe me, rather than thy Fathers houſe, 2 Sam. 6.21. As Haman ſolaced himſelf in this, as no ordinary favor, in that the Queen had invited him alone to her Banquet, Heſth. 5.12. Yea, Heſther the Queen let no man, &c. Much more here, when the Lord Chriſt profeſſeth, I pray not for the World, but for all that thou haſt given me, &c. John 17.9.
3. Comfort againſt thoſe feebleneſſes which attend upon us in our beſt Duties. My Prayers are ſo poor, my Deſires ſo faint and feeble, that I rather beg a denial than have any hope to attain what I deſire, nor like to ſee Heaven, nor Chriſt there. Nay, ſomtimes not a heart to ask: and ſomtimes ſo much deadneſs and heartleſneſs in asking, that how can I think to come to Heaven, when I have not a heart to deſire it? Be it, thy heart and thy prayers fail thee; yet the prayer of our Savior ever took place, and found ſpeeding acceptance in Heaven. Joh. 11.41, 42. Father I know that thou hearreſt me alwaies. He is alwaies ſoliciting, and pleading our cauſe before the Father, and he cannot but find acceptance. Therefore alwaies preſerved. Keeps them in the world; alwayes aſſiſted, alwaies quickned to al perſeverance.
USE, 4. Of Exhortation.
If Chriſt affectonately deſire our preſence, let us long to be with him, to be out of the Peſt-Houſe of the world, where we have been infected: out of this priſon of our corrupt Nature, where we have been deeply annoyed with the Body of death, and the ſtench of this carcaſe of abominations we bear about with us. Long we for the conſummation of the marriage, long for this day, that our Savior ſo much deſires. Our Savior longs for our company, worthleſs, Wretched that we be, though he have not need of us, and was ever happy without us, lies in the Boſom of his Father, and hath been his delight from Eternity, who hath millions of Angels to attend and ſerve him.
Yea ſo far longed for our company, that he came down from Heaven, and took our Nature, that he might die for our ſins in the daies of his humiliation, that thoſe may not hinder our beleeving and coming to him; and he would come again from Heaven, that he may take us to himſelf, that death may not ſtop our paſſage. Therefore we have more reaſon to long for him, of whom we have ſo much need, & in whom we ſhal find ſo much happineſs, to ſleep out our daies in the boſom of his love through al eternity. If our Feofment and inheritance lay here, he would be with us here, but it is not, but reſerved for us in Heaven, where he is, and therefore he wil have us with himſelf. So they Iſa. 26.8. The deſire of our Souls is towards thy Name, and the remembrance of thee. This is the laſt of al deſires, where they are compleat and ended. The Soul deſires union to the Body in the Grave: but Body and Soul deſire union with Chriſt, To follow the Lamb, where ever he goes. Why ſtand we gazing one upon another? go we to Heaven. When our Savior ſaies, I will, they be with me, Anſwer, and I wil be with thee, Lord. Say ſo ye Fathers and Mothers in Iſrael, ye are almoſt within ſight of ſhore: there is one ſtep to Death, that is the Wagon, and then to Chriſt. Say ſo ye Yong men and Maidens, though ye may live long, ye cannot better, this is the marriage I wil go alſo, I wil be with Chriſt alſo, who hath loved me, died for me, and redeemed me. And if any be yet in a demur, let me ask them, as Laban asked Rebecca. Gen. 24.57, 58. When Eleazar, Abrahams ſervant came to fetch her, Wilt thou go? and ſhe ſaid, I wil go. So let me propound the wil of Chriſt. He hath choſen it, deſires it, prayes for it, what ſay ye? wil ye go to Jeſus? I wil go. Truly, let us go. The time wil come, ye would be glad to hear that voice, Come ye bleſſed &c. Where then are our hearts, that your hearts ſhould be thus affected? either the Saints have loſt their intereſt, or their affections. Either Chriſt hath few ſervants, or they have loſt their deſires.
1. What Hinders?
2. What might help?
Hindrances are Three.
The Firſt Hindrance. When we ſurfet on theſe ſinful pleaſures and contents in the world: thoſe eat up our deſires, and take off the edge of our Affections. As Lot neer Sodom, then in Sodom, then cannot be perſwaded to leave Sodom. foreign, Hemammered, Lime-twigged with the things of the world, as Birds cannot find their Wing. Gen. 19.16. As ſurfettings take off our Stomach. Al men ſeek their own, none the things of Chriſt. Phil. 2.21.
The Second Hindrance. When through careleſſneſs and guilt they looſe their evidence, and aſſurance of their intereſt in Chriſt, and acceptance with him. And therefore fear and ſo fly him as a Judg, rather than rejoyce to be with him as a Savior. Is it not that Chriſt, whoſe Blood I have ſhed, whoſe Name I have diſhonored, whoſe Spiri… I have greeved? They think to appear before Chriſt as Malefactors before a Judg. As though ſtubble ſhould be with fire. Who ſhal dwel with thoſe Everlaſting Burnings? Hence David deſires ſome reſpit. Oh ſpare a little before I go hence. Pſal, 39.13.
The Third Hindrance. When we pleaſe our ſelves with the certainty of what we have, and ſettle upon our own ſufficiency, and think we can make a ſhift: and therefore lay aſide the care of a Chriſt, becauſs that dale is mown, that danger is over, and fal hand-pat to other things. The ful Soul deſpiſeth the Hony-Comb. Wind and raw Humors cloy the Stomach. As Bears wil live many months, and ſuck the moiſture of their Claws.
Helps are Three.
The Firſt Help. Make ſure of our intereſt in Chriſt. And maintain it. I go to your God, and my God, your Father and my Father. Joh. 20.17. No man will leave the pooreſt cottage, the meaneſt proviſion, where he is, for the uncertain Hopes of a palace, when he knows not whether ever he ſhal injoy it. Ye know the place and the way. Joh. 14. And therefore they deſire not to ſtir. He that knows he hath a Father to go to, he goes freely.
The Second Help. See the dayly uſe and need of a Savior, and that wil maintain a dayly deſire; as men of an uſeful, helpful companion. Him we muſt needs have, ſales one, I pray you cal him: him we cannot want, I pray you intreat him. We can do nothing without him, by any means prevail with him. So they ſay.
Truly without Chriſt we can do nothing. Joh. 15.4. He ſaith it, we find it. Each man deſires to maintain his life. Such is Chriſt to us. Col. 3.4. When Chriſt who is our life &c. Therefore Paul ſaw more of himſelf and his life in Chriſt, than in himſelf. 2 Cor. 5.8. And therefore deſired to be abſent from the Body, that he might be preſent with Chriſt. And that he was a Stranger, while he was in the Body:
The Third Help. There is nothing deſireable, but the Lord Jeſus.
We have done with the ſecond particular.
The Third and laſt comes now to be conſidered and that is, The ſcope of our Savior in this his petition, and the maine good and benefit for which our Savior makes this requeſt for them. Namely,
That they might ſee his Glory.
Not that they might have any glory in themſelves, ſee or ſatisfie themſelves with their own glory, but that they might gaze upon the Glory: Which the Father hath given to his Son and be ſwallowed up with the admiration thereof and that through al Eternity. q. d. That is the ſtaple commodity for which they trade in Heaven, and the only buſineſs, about which they ought to be imployed, and be…ow themſelves through al worlds. And about this our preſent inquiry wil be ſpent for this time.