Exposition of John, Chapter 16 · Verse 11 – Verse 13
Verſe 12. I have yet many things to ſay unto you, but ye cannot beare them now:
13. Howbeit, when he the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: For he ſhall not ſpeak of himſelf: but whatſoever he ſhall hear, that ſhall he ſpeak, and he will ſhew you things to come.
Hitherto Chriſt hath inſiſted upon the firſt benefit to be expected by the coming of the Spirit, for their encouragement; The ſecond followeth, in theſe verſes, relating more immediately to the Apoſtles themſelves; wherein is promiſed, That however, for preſent, they were not capable of the many things he had to ſay unto them, v. 12. yet the Spirit ſhould, by his coming, ſupply that defect: And, 1. Should guide them into all truth, as being the Spirit of truth, and ſpeaking what is common to him with the Father and Sonne. 2 Should ſhew them things to come, by being a Spirit of prophecie to them, as extraordinarily gifted men, and by revealing the great things abiding them and others, as beelevers, v. 13. how this purpoſe, v. 12. compared with v. 13. ought to be underſtood, is already cleared on chap. 14. 25, 26. compare alſo chap. 15. 15. In ſumme it imports, That whereas Chriſt had ſpoken many things ſummarily, which he was ready to enlarge, but that their incapacity hindered him; he here undertaketh that the Spirit ſhould make up this, by enlightening their underſtanding to take up what he had ſaid, and by explaining and enlarging the ſame more diſtinctly. They who (to ſavour unwritten traditions,) do aſſert from this, that the Spirit did teach ſomewhat, which Chriſt had not taught them, do nothing at all promove their own cauſe; for whatever was taught them by Chriſt himſelf, or by the Spirit afterward, was by them faithfully communicated to the Church, and committed to writing. And for theſe things which men urge as unwritten traditions, beſide the Sripture, they are ſuch toyes as Chriſt needed not ſay, ye cannot bear them, ſeeing they might eaſily be born by them, who have leſſe then the Apoſtles then had, and are more common and trivial then many things he had taught them. From v. 12. Learn, 1. Many are the precious truths of the Goſpel, to be learned by beleevers, and which are needful and comfortable for them to know; for, there are many things to ſay. 2. Chriſts heart is ſo large, and ſo tender toward his followers, that he hath never ſaid enough when he hath ſaid moſt, for their inſtruction and encouragement: for, after all the former ſweet doctrine, I have yet many things to ſay unto you, ſaith he. 3. Our hearing and learning much of divine truth, ought to tend, mainly to let us know that there is more to be learned, that ſo we may be humbled in what we know, and our deſires may be kindled after the knowledge of more; Therefore alſo doth he break off the former ſweet inſtructions with this, I have yet many things to ſay unto you. 4. As men by nature are uncapable of divine truths, till they be taught them by the Spirit; ſo even they who have received the Spirit, in ſome meaſure, may yet remain very incapable, ſo long as they want a further meaſure of the Spirit, and do continue under weakneſſe and errours of minde prepoſſeſſing them, or do give up themſelves to exceſſive ſorrow; for, ſo it was even with the diſciples, notwithſtanding the meaſure of the Spirit they had received. They continued ſtill ſo carnal and weak, were ſo prepoſſeſſed with errours concerning Chriſts Kingdom, and ſo taken up with ſorrow, v. 6. that he muſt ſay, ye cannot bear theſe many things now. 5. Men are never ſufficiently capable of divine truths, unleſſe their underſtandings do comprehend them, and their hearts and affections do digeſt them, as not to be ſtumbled or quarrelled at, that ſo they may reap the fruit of them; for ſo much doth the expreſſion, ye cannot bear them, import. It may allude to burden-bearers, who do ſhrink under too heavy burdens, as their weak underſtandings and preoccupied affections were ready to do under theſe high and ſpiritual truths; or, to weak ſtomacks which caſt up the ſtrong meat they cannot digeſt. 6. The moſt choice of outward means and advantages will not profit men, nor cauſe them to make progreſſe, unleſſe the Spirit concurre therewith; for, they had even Chriſt to teach them, and yet they cannot bear his words to profit thereby. 7. Our own infirmity, dulneſſe and incapacity, do obſtruct our mercies, and hinder the revelation of many precious truths unto us; for, Chriſt ſaith, not theſe many things, becauſe they cannot bear them. 8. As Chriſt takes particular notice of the ſtate of his diſciples; ſo he tenderly deals with them according to their ſtrength, and condeſcends to their weakneſſe and incapacity; for, he ſpares at this time to let out theſe things unto them, becauſe they cannot bear them now. See Mark 4.33.
From v. 13. Learn, 1. There are no infirmities of Saints, wherein they do not approve themſelves, for which Chriſt hath not a remedy; nor do they loſe any opportunity which he cannot make up; Therefore, whereas they loſt many advantages they might have reaped in his company, by their own greatneſs, he ſubjoyns this as a comfort, that it ſhould be made up by the Spirits coming. 2. It is by the Spirit only, that men, who do not profit under outward means, will be enabled to profit; who when he cometh, doth reveal truths clearly, and bear them in with life and power upon the heart, and doth renew mens ſpirits to embrace and ſubmit unto them; for, it is by this means that the diſciples loſſes are made up, Howbeit, when the Spirit is come, he will guide you. 3. As it is the duty of beleevers, to know all revealed truths, neceſſary for them in order to ſalvation, or in their places and ſtations: ſo they will need the Spirits teaching and guiding, for taking up all and every divine truth, even the leaſt and ſmalleſt point of it; for, it is needful, he guide into all truth. 4. The doctrine revealed by the Spirit unto the Apoſtle, containeth all neceſſary truths, and ſo is a moſt perfect rule of faith and manners: for, it is promiſed unto them, that he will guide you into all truth. 5. It doth ſet forth both the truth and divine authority of the doctrine of the Apoſtles, that it is taught by the Spirit, who is a Spirit of truth, and that the doctrine is not his only, but communicate by him from the Father and Son alſo; Therefore is he here called the Spirit of truth. And it is given as a reaſon why he will guide into all truth; for he ſhall not ſpeak of himſelf only, but whatſoever he ſhall hear (with and from the Father and the Son,) that ſhall he ſpeak. 6. It contributes to the encouragement of beleevers, that the Spirit of God, who taketh charge of them, knoweth things to come, and ſo can reveal them that they may be encouraged or warned, and hath a ſoveraign providence over and about them; for, this his knowledge is imported, in that he will ſhew things to come. 7. The Spirit of Chriſt did communicate unto the Apoſtles, and by them unto the Church, ſuch infallible predictions of things to come, as were needful to be known, and are uſeful to the Church in all ages; for, he will ſhew you things to come, ſaith he. 8. The Spirit of Chriſt by the doctrine of the Apoſtles did bring life and immortality, and the future glory of believers to light, 2 Tim. 1.10. And where he cometh, doth ſo clearly and fully perſwade believers thereof, as may bear them out under all preſent preſſures and diſcouragements: Thus alſo doth ſhew things to come, by their doctrine, and to them and all ſucceeding believers.
Verſe 14. He ſhall glorifie me, for he ſhall receive of mine, and ſhall ſhew it unto you.
The third benefit to be expected by the Spirits coming, (and an enlargement of the former) is, that he ſhall glorifie Chriſt, by communicating and ſhewing unto them, what he receives of him. Which is to be underſtood, not only of that truth that he communicates from Chriſt unto them, of which, v. 13. but alſo of all theſe extraordinary gifts, and that power to work miracles; of that efficacy, accompanying and bearing in the doctrine of Chriſt; of his bringing all that to a glorious effect which Chriſt had done for his people in his ſtate of humiliation, which otherwiſe ſeemed very ignominious; and, of his communicating the influences of the fulneſſe of Chriſt in heaven to beleevers on earth. By all which, communicate from Chriſt, he ſhall make it evident that Chriſt is glorious, and to be acknowledged as ſuch by his people. Whence learn, 1. It is not only the particular ſatisfaction of beleevers, but Chriſts honour alſo, that they ſhould look to in their ſpiritual enjoyments; ſo that it is not enough they be refreſhed and ſatisfied, unleſs he alſo appear glorious, and become great in their hearts thereby; for, this tends to their encouragement, that by what they ſhall receive from the Spirit, he ſhall glorifie me, ſaith Chriſt. 2. Albeit Chriſts perſon, doctrine, actions and ſufferings, in the ſtate of his humiliation, were clouded under obſcurity and ignominie; yet as he is ſtill glorious in himſelf, ſo the Spirit after his Aſcenſion did, and in all ages doth proclaim his glory and excellency, in his perſon, doctrine, and operations, to the conviction and ſatisfaction of beleevers; for, he ſhall glorifie me. 3. It is the work of the Spirit, where he is communicate, not to extol or teach men to cry up themſelves who do receive him, nor yet to glorifie and exalt any other thing in the Church but Chriſt alone; exalting his perſon, making his Word ſingularly effectual, pointing out his ignominious ſufferings, as the only mean of life, and himſelf, as the ſtorehouſe of his people; for the true Spirit ſhall glorifie me, ſaith Chriſt. 4. As all the fulneſſe communicate by the Spirit to the Church, in the primitive times and after-ages, is communicate from Chriſt, (for, it is mine, ſaith he, he ſhall ſhew unto you;) ſo the way to have Chriſt high in our hearts, is to have the Spirit keeping intercourſe betwixt him and us, and conveighing daily of his fulneſſe, and the warme thoughts of his heart and good-will to us; for, this is the Spirits employment, and by this he glorifieth Chriſt; for, he ſhall receive of mine, and ſhew it unto you.
Verſe 15. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore ſaid I, That he ſhall take of mine, and ſhall ſhew it unto you.
Leſt by the former expreſſion, of the Spirits receiving and communicating of what is Chriſts, the Father ſhould ſeem to be ſecluded from this great work; Therefore he ſubjoyns for explication, that by reaſon of the unity of eſſence, all things are ſo the Fathers, as they are his alſo, and therefore he might call theſe things his which the Spirit ſhould ſhew, as being communicate by the Spirit, from the Father and him. Whence learn, 1. The way to underſtand aright what Chriſt ſaith, is, to compare one paſſage with another; Therefore doth he, by this following paſſage, explain what ſeemed harſh in the former, that he ſhall take of mine, and ſhew it unto you. 2. Chriſt is to be ſo eyed in the large allowances communicate unto his Church, as we forget not the Father, but rather we ought to ſee the fulneſſe and rich good-will of the Father in what Chriſt communicateth, and Chriſts own excellencie, who hath all fulneſſe that is in the Father, to communicate; Therefore he aſſerteth, that all things that the Father hath are mine, as the reaſon of that expreſſion, He ſhall take of mine, &c. 3. Such is the ſtrict union of the Perſons of the bleſſed Trinity, that there is among them a perfect communion in all things; for, all things that the Father hath are mine, and ſo the Spirits alſo. 4. As there is an union in eſſence, and communion among the Perſons of the Trinity: ſo their order of ſubſiſtence and operation is diſtinct, the Son being and working from the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt from the Father and the Son; for, ſaith he, all things that the Father hath, are mine from him, and the Spirit ſhall take of mine, and ſhew it unto you.