Exposition of John, Chapter 17 · Verse 21
Ver. 25. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and theſe have known, that thou haſt ſent me.
26. And I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them, and I in them.
In the cloſe of this ſolemne prayer, Chriſt, having prayed that his people may be glorified with him, doth (in the mean time, till they come to that bleſſed ſtate) recommend them to the participation of that love, wherewith himſelfe was loved, and to his own inhabitation. Which deſire he grounds upon their condition oppoſite to the world, and that they were ſeparate from the worlds faſhions; For whereas the world doth not know God, nor acknowledge him as they ought; Yet it was not ſo with them. However (as is imported) they knew not the Father fully, yet he knew him, and they knew Chriſt to be the Fathers Ambaſſadour; And he had revealed the Father to them in ſome meaſure, and would reveal him yet more, that ſo they might partake of theſe mercies deſired. This deſire is not ſo much propounded prayer-wiſe, as by way of confident aſſurance, that he ſhould obtain from his righteous Father what he deſired to them, conſidering what they were, and what he would make them; Hereby yet further aſſuring us of his ſucceſſe with the Father in the work of interceſſion. It is alſo to be marked, that however this ſute have place for all beleevers, when they are brought to that condition here mentioned; Yet, conſidering that here, Chriſt ſpeaks expreſſely of theſe to whom he had already revealed the Father, v. 26.—we are to conceive that, in the firſt place, he points at his Apoſtles already converted, and that he would cloſe his prayer with a word yet again more expreſſely in their behalfe, for their encouragement. Doct. 1. Chriſt hath ſo large an heart, and ſo diſtinct an eye upon his people, that at once, without any diſtraction, he can be taken up with his whole Church, and yet not forget any particular member or ſociety of his people; And he hath ſuch a care of every one, as if he had no moe to care for but that one; for here, in praying for all beleevers, he brings out a word more expreſſely for the Apoſtles, to let them ſee how one thought and care doth not juſtle out another with him. 2. In our prayers we ought to ground our ſelves well upon the knowledge of God in his attributes; That as we may be aſhamed to ſeek ſuch things as beſeem not ſuch a God to give, ſo we may be encouraged in what we are allowed to ſeek; Therefore doth Chriſt give this title to God, righteous Father, it being a righteous and approven petition, and God who is righteous engaged to Chriſt and to beleevers in him, by his promiſe, to grant it. 3. Chriſt is a ſupplicant, who according to the tenour of the paction betwixt the Father and him, can face the b…r of righteouſneſſe and juſtice on our behalfe, and be ſure to come ſpeed; Therefore alſo doth he deſigne him righteous Father, expecting that in righteouſneſs he could not be refuſed. 4. Albeit the compleat happineſs of beleevers be laid up in heaven, yet Chriſt allowes enough for their through-bearing, till they come there; As here we ſee in this large allowance till that ſute, v. 24. be granted. 5. The love of God in Chriſt, and the enjoyment of an intereſt and communion with him, is ſufficient for beleevers encouragement, till they arrive at full fruition in heaven; for, that, in particular, is their allowance here. 6. As Chriſt the Mediator is dearly beloved of the Father, ſo he is a ſtorehouſe thereof and a conduit to conveigh that love to his people; for, ſo is his deſire here, that the love wherewith thou haſt loved me, may be in them. See v. 23. 7. It is Chriſts allowance and deſire, that not only his people be beloved of the Father, but that they have the faith and lively feeling thereof, to refreſh their hearts, and drive away clouds and jealouſies; for, it is his deſire that his love may be in them, and they poſſeſſe it, and feele it, and dwell in it, and feed upon it. 8. It is by being and abiding in Chriſt that beleevers come to partake and poſſeſſe the love of the Father; and when they wander away from him, it is no wonder if a cloud come over their good condition; Therefore are theſe conjoyned, That the love, &c. may be in them, and I in them. 9. Chriſt is ſo tender and liberal toward his people, that he communicateth himſelfe, with all he giveth them; His love (ſo to ſay) being given over again with his love, and his heart communicated with all he beſtoweth: For this cauſe alſo are they conjoyned, The love in them, and I in them, to ſhew that he giveth himſelf with that love which is laid up in him, to be derived through him to them. 10. As Chriſt knoweth to whom he prayeth, ſo he knoweth well, who and what they are for whom he prayeth, and on whoſe behalfe the Father will hear him; And he would have all his people, who expect the benefit of his interceſſion, to make ſure their acquaintance with God, and their ſeparation from the evil manners of the world: Therefore, as he takes up a righteous Father in this ſute, ſo he recommends theſe he prayeth for, as not like the world, who have not known the Father, to teach us, That however he intercede for the Elect who know him not, that they may know him; Yet none but ſuch as this change is wrought upon, can make comfortable application of the benefit of his interceſſion. 11. It is the great ſin of the world and men unconverted, that they do not know God, whatever they pretend: What they ſeem to know, is but by hear-ſay, they have no ſolid impreſſion of it; They do not know God in Chriſt practically and ſavingly, and therefore all they know beſide is nothing; They do not affect and love God, and true knowledge in Scripture language imports alſo affection; and, They do not practice what they know, and ſo are but really ignorant. For theſe cauſes, and in theſe reſpects, it is ſaid, The world hath not known thee. 12. As Gods ſoveraignty doth ſhine in with-holding the knowledge of himſelfe from whom he pleaſeth, Matth. 11.25, 26. So alſo his righteouſneſs is conſpicuous in it: For the world doth not love to know God, and therefore juſtly are they filled with their own waies, Pſal. 81.11, 12. They will not be at pains to know him, Pſal. 10.4. And what wonder they ſuffer hunger becauſe of their idleneſſe? and, They abuſe what light they have, and therefore it is juſtly taken from them, Rom. 1.21.—24. &c. Therefore, as in other reſpects before mentioned, ſo in this reſpect alſo, he is called righteous Father, in that the world hath not known him, 13. Albeit the world do not know nor acknowledge God, yet he is content with the acknowledgement he gets among his people; and it is their commendation that they do know him, when ſo many are ignorant of him: In both theſe reſpects is their condition here held out and commended to the Father, in oppoſition to the world. 14. The beſt of Saints within time will finde no perfect oppoſition betwixt the world and them in themſelves, but only in Chriſt, and what he is for them and for their behoofe; Therefore, to ſupply their defect in knowledge, (which is here ſuppoſed) the oppoſition begins with this, but I have known thee. 15. Chriſt doth perfectly know the Father, that he may cover and rectifie all our ignorance, in our uptaking of him, and addreſſes to him; and that he may be aſſured he will give no falſe character of him: for, it is recorded for the diſciples behoofe and advantage, I have known thee. 16, Whatever degrees of ignorance Saints lye under, yet it doth commend them to God, if they know Chriſt as Mediator and Ambaſſador of the Father, and ſo know God in Chriſt, and in order to ſalvation; for, in this, Chriſt commends his rude diſciples, theſe have known that thou haſt ſent me. See 1 Cor. 2.2. 17. What ever meaſure of knowledge of God, beleevers have attained unto, it cometh all from Chriſt; who is the fountain of all the light the Church receives; and, who only can manifeſt him truely and ſavingly unto ſinners; for, ſo doth he commend their weak knowledge from the cauſe of it, I have declared unto them thy Name. 18. As what Chriſt hath been, or is, that he will ſtill be, to his people; (for, I have declared, and will declare, ſaith he) So he is an undertaker to his Father for his people, and engageth himſelfe to be forth-coming for what is wanting in them; that ſo their imperfections may not deprive them of his allowance: Therefore, that they may not be deprived of what here he deſireth to them, he undertakes for what they want, I have declared, and will declare it 19. Albeit the knowledge and grace of beleevers be but ſmall, yet if it be growing, it will not want the reward of a larger meaſure; Therefore doth he undertake for the encreaſe of their knowledge, I will declare thy Name, that upon this conſideration they may be admitted to pertake of this prayed for mercy. 20. Chriſt hath ſo abſolute power over the hearts and underſtandings of his people, that he can when he pleaſeth, break in with light upon them, and cauſe their hearts take with it; for, he undertakes, I will declare thy Name, which is not only a promiſe that he will afford ſufficient means, but alſo that he will effectually make them know the Father, and ſo put them in a condition for receiving this deſired mercy, which the offer and having opportunity of means could not do. 21. As the true knowledge of God in Chriſt is an evidence that men are converted, and ſo have acceſſe to the poſſeſſion of the Fathers love, and communion with Chriſt; So, in particular, the true knowledge of him will beget ſaith in him and love to him, whereby the ſenſe and aſſurance of his love is made clear to their hearts: In both theſe reſpects doth Chriſt on theſe grounds recommend them to the Fathers love, I have declared thy Name, &c. that the love may be in them, &c. becauſe this knowledge did evidence them to be converted, and ſo to have right to this love, and becauſe it did put them in a neer capacity and fitneſſe to partake of the ſenſe and fruits thereof. And ſo their poſſeſſion of this love depends and followeth upon this knowledge.