Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 36
JOHN 17.13.
That they might have my joy fulfilled in themſelves.
DOCTRINE. 2. That Jeſus Chriſt would have his people to be full of holy joy.
THis he declares to be his purpoſe and intention in my Text, the thing at which he aims in making this Petition in behalf of his Apoſtles and Diſciples, while he was in the world among them, and while he was in their hearing: Theſe things I ſpeak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themſelves. By which it is apparent, that Jeſus Chriſt hath a ſingular regard to the comfort of his people, that he would have their hearts repleniſhed with the conſolations which they have from him. He is not ſatisfied that they have ſome degrees of joy begun; No, he deſires to have this joy compleated and fulfilled in them to the very utmoſt.
And therefore in the Chapter next before, he gives them counſel and direction how they might attain to this, how they might come to have their hearts brim full of holy joy; by which he makes it to appear, that he for his part was willing that it ſhould be ſo, Joh. 16.24. Ask and ye ſhall receive, ſaith he, that your joy may be ful. The Apoſtle hath a phraſe that looks much this way, 2 Cor. 1.5. As the ſufferings of Chriſt abound much in us, ſo our conſolation alſo aboundeth by Chriſt; q. d. The conſolation which we have by Chriſt, which he diſpenſeth, and communicateth to us, is an abundant conſolation. He doth not give us ſlight and ſlender comforts, his conſolations are not ſmall; No, it is uſual with him when his hand is in, to exceed and to abound, to do over and above for his people; Be you glad and rejoyce for ever, in that which I create, ſaith he, Iſa. 65.18. For behold, I create Jeruſalem a rejoycing, and her people a joy; Though there be no appearance of it for the preſent, no probability from whence it ſhould ariſe, yet I will do it out of nothing: I will not only make them joyful, but a rejoycing and a joy; I will make them all joy.
But not to reſt in generals, I ſhall proceed to ſhew you more particularly and diſtinctly, that Jeſus Chriſt hath made it ſufficiently to appear, that he would have his people to be full of joy: and this he hath done many ways.
By publiſhing the Goſpel to them, which as it is a Goſpel of Salvation, ſo of Conſolation; and therefore it is called foreign, good news; or as the Angel tells the Shepherds, Luk. 2.10. good tidings of great joy. In which reſpect it is very notable, that when our Saviour was about to preach the Goſpel, he was anointed with the Spirit, which is called the Oyl of gladneſs. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, ſaith our Saviour, becauſe he hath anointed me, Iſa. 61.1. And what follows? why then he preaches good tidings to the meek, he binds up the broken-hearted, proclaimeth liberty to Captives, and opening of the priſon doors to thoſe that are bound there, which is very joyful tidings: He comforts thoſe that are in ſorrow, appoints to thoſe that mourn in Sion (not to thoſe that mourn abroad, but to thoſe that mourn in Sion, in the Church,) beauty for aſhes, the Oyl of joy for mourning, and the garment of praiſe for the ſpirit of heavineſs: So that you ſee, my Brethren, it is all joy, and all comfort. By which it is apparent, that our Saviours ſpecial aim and drift in publiſhing the Goſpel, is, that the people might be full of joy. And therefore it is much to be obſerved, that when our Saviour entred on his Miniſtry, aſſoon as he had been baptized and tempted, he preached his very firſt Sermon, upon this comfortable Goſpel Text, Luk. 4.17. to ſhew what was to be the main intent and drift of his miniſtry.
Chriſt gives his people pretious promiſes, and ſeals them with his own blood, that they might be full of joy. Indeed this is the great end, my Beloved, both of the promiſe, and of the confirmation of it. It's true, if Chriſt had been reſerved, if he had kept his purpoſe and intention in his breaſt, and in his boſom; if he had made his people no promiſe, the execution of his merciful deſigns had not been leſs ſure and certain in it ſelf, but it had been leſs ſure to us; we had not had the leſs benefit, but we had had the leſs comfort; For he would ſurely have fulfilled his own intentions to his people, though he had never been obliged by promiſe to perform them.
So, when the promiſes were made, there is no doubt they would have been obſerved and kept, though they had never been confirmed: yet Chriſt hath ratified them with his own blood, as the Apoſtle ſhews us, Heb. 9.16. Not with the blood of Bulls and Goats, but with his own moſt pretious blood. And why hath he done this? why doubtleſs, that there might be nothing wanting to his peoples comfort. The promiſe is not made a whit more certain by our Saviours ſealing of it with his blood, but we are made the more certain: The promiſe is not made a whit the more ſure, but we are the more aſſured, and ſo we have the more comfort. What do we think of God, that he who is the God of Truth, would not have kept his promiſes, that he would have broken with us, had they not been thus confirmed? No, certainly my Brethren, he would have been firm and conſtant, but we might have been aſſaulted with continual doubts and fears, we ſhould not have attained to ſuch unſhaken and ſuch ſweet aſſurance. And therefore Chriſt hath ſet his ſeal to all the promiſes, he hath ſealed them with his blood, to this end, that we might have ſtrong conſolation, as the Apoſtles phraſe is, Heb. 6.18. He hath ſhed his blood you ſee, that our comfort might not be weak, but ſtrong comfort; that our joy might not be imcompleat, but full joy.
Chriſt gives his people glorious Ordinances, that they might be full of joy. For Ordinances are not for our profit only, but they are for our comfort too. Oh how was David taken with them? How did they fill his heart with joy? when he was baniſhed from them for a time, how did he melt to think upon the overflowing Conſolations he had ſometimes found in them? How did his heart pant and gaſp after them? Oh with what ſelf-conſuming wiſhes did he long to be reſtored to them? One thing have I deſired of the Lord, ſaith he, Pſal. 27.4. No queſtion he deſired many things, but one thing he deſired above the reſt, that he might dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the dayes of his life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple where publick Ordinances were diſpenſed: Which ſhews the infinite delight he took in them. I might diſtinctly ſhew how ſpecial Ordinances ſerve for the comfort of the Lords people; I will bring them to my Mountain, ſaith the Lord, and make them joyfull in my houſe of prayer, Iſa. 56.7. So for the word, Jer. 15.16. Thy word was to me, ſaith the Prophet there, the joy and the rejoycing of my heart. With joy ſhall ye draw water, ſaith the Lord, out of the wells of ſalvation, Iſa. 12.3. Some underſtand the Ordinances by the wells in that place. You ſee particularly then what the end of Chriſt is, in giveing Ordinances to his people, and what uſe they ſerve for. Not only to help onward their Salvation, but their Conſolation too. By which it is apparent, that even in theſe diſpenſations he hath a great aſpect upon their comfort.
Chriſt gives his people cleer diſcoveries and revelations of himſelf, that they might be full of joy: you may obſerve how they were overjoyed to whom he ſhewed himſelf after his reſurrection from the dead, they were not able to contain themſelves. And ſo when Chriſt reveals himſelf to any ſoul at this day, when he comes in and ſhews himſelf to it, it is ſometimes almoſt tranſported to an extaſie of joy. Eſpecially when he hath hid himſelf awhile, then ſuch diſcoveries of himſelf are out of meaſure ſweet and pretious. When this Sun of righteouſneſs hath been overcaſt awhile, ſo that the Saints have walked in darkneſs dayes and years, without a glimps of this reviving light, Oh with what inward raviſhment doth it break forth upon the ſoul again! The wife while ſhe enjoyes the conſtant preſence of her loving husband, it may be thinks not much upon it, ſhe is not much affected with it. But if he have been long away, ſo that ſhe hath not heard for many years neither where her husband is, nor when he means to come again, and after all her fruitleſs expectations of him, hath reſolved with her ſelf, that out of queſtion ſhe ſhall never ſee him more, and then at laſt, when ſhe is wholly our of hopes, in ſtrikes her husband on a ſuddain at the door, ſhe is not able to contain her ſelf for joy, his preſence is incomparably ſweet and pleaſing to her. Even ſo when poor diſtreſſed ſouls have waited long for Chriſt, and thought that they ſhould never ſee him more with comfort, and then at length he comes and ſhewes himſelf to them; his gratious preſence is extremely pretious; He makes them full of joy with his countenance, as the expreſſion is, Acts 2.28.
Chriſt ſends the Comforter to his people, that they might be full of joy: when he promiſed him you know to his Apoſtles and Diſciples, they were full of ſorrow; and he did this as an antidote againſt it. Come, be not troubled, ſaith our Saviour, I will ſend you another Comforter that ſhall abide with you for ever, John 14.16. I have been a Comforter to you, I confeſs; but ſeeing I am ready to depart from you, I will not leave you comfortleſs; no, I will ſend you another Comforter, one that ſhall comfort you as much as I have done, and one that ſhall ſtick to you too, and ſhall not leave you, as I am about to do, but ſhall abide with you for ever. So that you ſee one ſpecial end of Chriſt in ſending down the Holy Ghoſt into the hearts of his people; is to comfort them and cheer them; to be to them not only a ſpirit of Sanctification, but a ſpirit of Conſolation, and ſo diſcovers that he hath a great regard to the joy of his people.
Chriſt gives deliverance to his people, that they may be full of joy. He hath divers other ends why he becomes a Saviour to them in the day of their diſtreſs; but this is not the leaſt of all, that he may put new joy into their hearts, and a new Song into their mouths. When he appears to the ſalvation of his people, in doing ſo he appeareth to their joy, as you may ſee, Iſa. 66.5. That is the End and Drift of his Appearance.
Chriſt hath purchaſed Heaven for his people, that they might be full of ioy; For Heaven, as it is a place of the heigth of holineſs, ſo it is a place of the heigth of happineſs. Here indeed we are in Bochim, in a place of weeping; we go through a vale of tears, and digg up Wells, but they are of ſalt water, the rain alſo fills the pools. But when we are arrived at Heaven, we ſhall weep no more, but all our tears ſhall be wiped from our eyes. We ſhall not have a wrinkle in our faces, nor a tear upon our cheeks, nor a ſad thought upon our hearts, but all ſhall be ſmooth and clear and ſweet, and that for ever. Then we ſhall be full of joy; Chriſts joy ſhall be fulfilled in us, yea we ſhall have the fulneſs of joy, Pſalm 16. ult. Indeed full joy importeth nothing but enough to fill us, ſo much as we are capable of, as is commenſurate to our capacity, as we are able to receive. But on the other ſide the fulneſs of joy importeth all the meaſures and degrees of it; So that there can be nothing added to it; there is nothing wanting to it to make it abſolute in all reſpects; It is not to be raiſed higher any way; And this hath Chriſt prepared and purchaſed for us. By theſe things it is evident that Jeſus Chriſt would have his people to be full of holy joy.
But wherefore will he have it to be ſo? Why would he have his people to be full of holy joy?
Out of ſelf-reſpect he would have it to be ſo, becauſe by reaſon of the Reaſon 1 neerneſs of his union with his people, he hath a kind of ſhare in their comfort. As his joy is their joy, according to his own expreſſion in my text, that they may have my ioy fulfilled in themſelves: So upon the other ſide, their joy is his joy. And as there is a ſocial glory of the head and of the members; as the School-expreſſion is; as Chriſt is glorified in the glory of his people, 2 Theſ. 1.12. ſo there is a ſocial joy of the head and of the members; Chriſt rejoyceth in the joy of his people. The Comfort of the members redoundeth alſo to the Comfort of the head. As Chriſt delights in the proſperity, ſo in the joy of his people. When they are joyfull, he rejoyceth over them with joy, and joyeth over them with ſinging, as his own expreſſion is, Zeph. 3.17.
Reaſon 2 Chriſt would have his people to be full of holy joy, to recompence them for their ſorrow. They are deſcribed to be ſuch as mourn, Mat. 5.4. That uſes to be firſt with them, they uſe to begin there; But then they do not uſe to end there. And therefore it is added preſently, for they ſhall be comforted. Bleſſed are they that mourn for they ſhall be comforted: And Chriſt would have their comfort to be anſwerable to their ſorrow: That as his ſufferings have abounded in them, their conſolation alſo may abound by him, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 1.5. Indeed they go forth weeping, bearing pretious ſeed, as you may ſee, Pſal. 126.6. They ſow in ſhowry weather, in a weeping time. In ſuch a time did David ſow the ſeed of true repentance for his ſin; he wept ſo much that he made his bed to ſwimm, and watered his Couch with his tears: In ſuch a time did Peter ſow the ſame ſee; in a time of bitter weeping, Mat. 26. ult. But then the harveſt makes them ample recompence, for all the dark and ſad and ſhowry weather in the ſowing time. They come again with joy, and they bring their ſheaves with them. They ſcatter it by grains, but they gather it by ſheaves; they have twenty, thirty, forty, yea an hundred fold for one.
So that if any now ſhould ask me, You ſay that Chriſt would have his people to rejoyce; but what? would he not have them mourn too? Yes he would have them mourn, but in order to rejoycing. Sorrow is an unperfect paſſion, and is not for it ſelf, but for ſome higher uſe, as all the reſt of the declining paſſions or affections are. As hatred is for love, and fear for confidence, ſo ſorrow alſo is for joy, unto which it is ſubſervient. As lancing is not for it ſelf, but for eaſe and remedy: and as a potion is not properly for ſickneſs (though it cauſe it for a ſeaſon) but for health: ſo ſorrow is for joy, and joy is the end of ſorrow in the Saints. And Chriſt intends it to be ſo; You ſhall be ſorrowfull (ſaith Chriſt to his Diſciples) but your ſorrow ſhall be turned into Joy, John 16.20. He gives to them that mourn in Zion, beauty for aſhes, the oil of gladneſs for mourning, and the garment of praiſe for the ſpirit of heavineſs, Iſa. 61.3. The ranſom'd of the Lord go out lamenting, but they return to Zion with Songs and everlaſting Joy upon their heads, Iſa. 35. ult.
Reaſon 3 Chriſt would have his people to be full of holy joy, that they may be large in duty. Sorrow is a kind of ſtraightning the heart; a ſad heart is a ſtraigthned heart, it is ſhut up, it cannot pray, it cannot praiſe, it can do nothing with enlargement. And therefore the Apoſtle calleth mourning foreign, a contraction of the heart, 2 Cor. 2.4. And I appeal for this to thoſe whoſe ſpirits are oppreſt with ſadneſs and dejection, whether it do not make them indiſpoſed to duty, unfit to hear, unfit to pray, and in a word unfit for any part of Chriſts ſervice. But holy joy upon the other ſide dilates the heart, it ſpreads it, and it widens it, and conſequently doth not only make it fit for duty, but it makes it large in duty. It makes it to abound, and to exceed in every ſervice that is ſuitable to joy; It carries it beyond the ordinary rate. And therefore Jeſus Chriſt would have his people to be full of joy, that they may be full of fruit, and that they may abound in his ſervice.
Is it ſo that Jeſus Chriſt would have his people full of holy Joy? Ʋſe 1 Then firſt it ſerves to cenſure thoſe who ſeek to hinder the Joy of Chriſts people, and to imbitter all their comfort with ſpitefull moleſtations, and vexations; who like the Cananites are thorns in their ſides, and daggers at their hearts. Jeſus Chriſt would have his people to rejoice, yea to be full of Joy as their very hearts can hold; but they will not ſuffer it, but alwayes ſeek as much as lies in them to interrupt their comfort, and to diſturb their peace and joy. They diſturb them by their perſecutions with the hand and with the tongue, and which is worſe, they diſturb them by their ſins; They rail at holineſs and holy men, blaſpheme religion, and the name of Chriſt, of purpoſe to diſquiet and to vex his people, who cannot chooſe but mourn and weep for theſe things. Juſt like the Sodomites of whom the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Pet. 2.8. who vexed the righteous ſoul of Lot from day to day with their filthy converſation. But yet this difference we may obſerve, they did not their prodigious villanies of purpoſe to diſquiet Lot (for ought we find) What think we, ſhall their portion be, my brethren, then, who paſs the Sodomites in villany, whoſe wicked deeds are yet ſet forth for an example, ſuffering the vengeance of eternal fire?
Is it ſo that Jeſus Chriſt would have his people full of holy Joy? Ʋſe. 2 Then in the ſecond place it taxeth ſuch among the Lords people who waſte away themſelves in heavineſs and diſcontent, who are ſo far from promoting the deſign of Chriſt in this particular, that they rather ſtrive to croſs him, and even waſte away their hearts in pleaſing ſadneſs and affected diſcontent; and ſurely there are many ſuch among Chriſts own people, who even give themſelves over to ſorrow, and wilfully thruſt away this Joy from them. Now I beſeech you my beloved, conſider what the will of Chriſt is, and let him have his will in this buſineſs; uſe all means poſſible to have your hearts brim-full of holy Joy; And to this end I ſhall preſcibe you ſome directions.
Be converſant and ſtudious in the word of Chriſt. There is the fountain of living waters, whence every may draw ſufficient to refreſh his fainting ſoul in all his troubles and afflictions. The ſtatutes of the Lord are right, ſaith David, rejoycing the heart, Pſal. 19.8. Through comfort of the Scriptures we have hope, ſaith Paul, Rom. 15.4. (Philoſophers indeed have taught us many wayes to fence and fortifie our hearts againſt ſorrow.) But when the Lord ſhall ſet afflictions home upon the ſoul, and put a ſting into them too, there is nothing in the world that can cement and cheer us, but the comfort that is fetched out of the Scriture. We may run in our diſtreſs to other means as Saul when he was with a melancholy humor to the minſtrel; but we ſhall find that nothing goes the right way, and that we graſp at nothing but ſome empty ſuccors of contentment, unleſs we comfort our ſelves with theſe words, as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks, 1 Theſſ. 4. ult. David was cut ſhort of nothing that the world could have afforded to revive his drooping ſpirit; yet he profeſſeth freely, that he muſt have fainted unleſs he had been ſtaid with better comfort: Ʋnleſs thy Word had been my comfort, I ſhould have periſhed in my affliction, Pſal. 119.92. And in another place he cries out, Remember thy Word unto thy ſervant, upon which then haſt cauſed me to hope; this is my comfort, my only comfort in my trouble, Pſal. 119.49, 50. And therefore at this Fountain let us draw if we mean to have comfort; but chiefly let us wait upon the publick preaching of the Word of God, which is called the Miniſtry of reconciliation, in which there are divulged glad tidings of good things, which ſhould carry ſomething in the power and efficacy of it to work joy: For God doth commonly diſpenſe it rather by the way of hearing them by the way of reading the Scriptures: And hence ſaith David, Make me to hear of joy and gladneſs, that ſo the bones that thou haſt broken may rejoyce, Pſal. 51.8. It is the Publique Ordinance, it is the Publique Ordinance that is the Interpreter one of a thouſand that comforts the dejected ſoul, as you may ſee, Job 33.23.
Imploy your ſerious thoughts upon the meditation and ſurvey of that delitious place, where there is fulneſs of all joy and pleaſures for evermore, into which you that are Chriſts, aſſoon as you are paſt through the veil of tears, ſhall enter, and there continue and abide for ever: There is the place where you ſhall ſigh and weep, and mourn no more, where all your tears will be wiped away from your eyes; and ſurely did you think upon this joy with which you ſhall be filled there to over-flowing, this would preſerve you here from being ſwallowed up with over-much ſorrow; we rejoyce, ſaith the Apoſtle. How? not in the fruition; No, in the hope of the glory of God, Rom. 15.4. Indeed the Saints of God while they compaſs and carry their afflictions according to their preſent ſtate, are very penſive and diſconſolate, and ſo at once they do an injury to Chriſt, who hath reſerved ſuch pretious comforts for them in the world to come: And to themſelves who have received good aſſurance that they ſhall certainly enjoy them in their ſeaſon; but did they walk by faith, and not by ſight; did they not look ſo much upon the difficulties that they meet with in the way, but on the things that are not ſeen, the inviſible pleaſures of which they ſhall be made partakers in the end, they ſhould ſoon find cauſe enough of joy unſpeakable and glorious; yea, even amidſt the greateſt tribulation of this preſent life; you ſee how frolike the poor Worldling is, if he have gotten a few thouſand pounds, and built a goodly houſe, and bought a little earth about it; and yet his title to it is ſo uncertain and unſound, that the very following night for ought he knows, the Lord may turn him out of all, and take away his ſoul from him, and make him roar in Hell before the morning. But you who by the hand and ſeal, and earneſt of the Lord himſelf, have a moſt certain title to that happineſs and joy which neither tongue of men or Angels can expreſs, if you have but a wicked diſobedient child, a froward wife, a ſickly body, or a low eſtate, do waſte away your lives in heavineſs and diſcontent, and ſo you undervalue heaven, and the incomparable riches of Chriſts mercy to your ſouls. And whence proceedeth this, but from the fleſhineſs of your corrupt hearts, while you walk by ſenſe only? and therefore I beſeech you, take a little pains to make your ſelves conceive and underſtand your happineſs, and ſpend a little time upon the contemplation of the bleſſedneſs that is reſerved for you in the heavens, and this will draw and ſwallow up your preſent ſorrows and afflictions.
Is it ſo that Jeſus Chriſt would have his people full of holy joy? you Ʋſe 3 then who have your hearts repleniſhed with it, take heed that neither ſin nor Satan ſteal away this Jewel from you, which is the legacy that Chriſt bequeathed you when he was even about to leave this world. But firſt, before I preſs you any further in this kind, this caution would be fitly interpoſed; be ſure the joy you have be Chriſts joy, the joy which he works by his Spirit, which he would have you to be full of, and that you have his joy fulfilled in your ſelves; for you muſt know my Brethren, that as there is a kind of joy that is a fruit and effect of the Spirit, as the Apoſtle Paul ſtiles it, Gal. 5.22. ſo there is another kind that is a fruit and effect of the fleſh; there is a laughter that is madneſs, a rejoycing that is not good, as the Apoſtle hath it, Jam. 4.16. And nulla eſt verior miſeria quam falſa laetitia: There is no truer miſery then falſe joy and feigned felicity. A very hypocrite may have his raptures and flaſhes of exceeding comfort. The ſecond ground you know received the Word of God with joy; and thoſe that followed John the Baptiſt, rejoyced in his ſight; and ſuch as after fall away, may find a kind of taſte and ſweetneſs in the Word of God, and in the powers of the world to come. And therefore we had need to prove the joy and comfort that we have, whether it be Chriſts joy, the joy which he works in his people by his Spirit. The marks to try it may be ſuch as follow.
The joy of Chriſt which he works by his Spirit, is chiefly moved with ſpiritual things: It's true, there is a joy allowable for earthly bleſſings; as when the Lord vouchſafes us rain and fruitful ſeaſons, and the like; in doing ſo he fills our hearts with joy and gladneſs, Act. 14.17. But this is as if we rejoyced not, as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks, 1 Cor. 7.30. it is not worthy to be named with the joy that ariſeth from the ſenſe of the favour of God and ſpiritual bleſſings conferred on our ſouls. Here then examine, my Beloved, when your joy is moſt; when you are freed from ſome affliction, or when you have obtained conqueſt over ſome corruption? when inward grace, or elſe when outward wealth, when Corn and Wine, and Oyl increaſeth? Alas, how evidently do the greateſt part of men diſcover the unfoundneſs of their joy? who take abundantly more comfort in theſe outward things, the thriving of their Trades, their ſpeeding of their pleaſures and paſt-times, then in the thriving of the means of grace, or any other thing that moſt eſpecially concerns Gods glory or the Churches good? They make it to appear where lies the toot and Fountain of their joy, and conſequently of what kind it is, which if they be deprived of their riches, or honors, their hearts like Nabal dye within them, their joy is daſhed, and their comfort gone. Whereas the Saint of Chriſt whoſe heart is filled with ſpiritual joy, retains it in a meaſure in the loſs of earthly things, and profeſſeth with the Prophet Habbakuk, chap. 3.17. Though the fig-tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall there be any fruit in the Vine, if the labour of the Olive fail, and the field yeild no meat; if the Flock be cut off from the fold, and there be no Herd in the ſtall, yet I will rejoyce in the Lord; yea, I will joy in the God of my ſalvation.
The joy of Chriſt which he works by his Spirit, proceeds from a conſcience teſtifying good, and not from a conſcience teſtifying nothing. For our rejoycing, ſaith the Apoſtle, is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience, 2 Cor. 1.12. There is as Barnard ſtiles it, Conſcientia mala & quieta, an evill conſcience that is quiet, which being lulled aſleep by Satan, ſaith nothing to diſquiet him that owns it, and ſo he lives as jocund and as metry for a time as he whoſe heart moſt really acquitteth him from any thing that may diſturb or interrupt his joy. But yet this kind of comfort, beauſe it comes from nothing elſe but a Vacation in the Court of Conſcience, (if I may call it ſo) a reſpit of the accuſations there, is moſt uncertain and unfound. Aſſoon as term begins again, when Satan as he ſeeth occaſion, ſhall ſet the ſins of ſuch a man before his face, when conſcience ſhall awaken and accuſe, that joy and comfort will be turned into ſorrow, yea into ſuch tormenting pangs of horror, that no tongue is able to expreſs. But if thy joy ariſe from a conſcience teſtifying good, that in ſimplicity and ſincerity of heart, thou haſt had thy converſation in the world, this is the joy that Chriſt would have fulfilled in thee.
The joy of Chriſt which he works by his Spirit, hath its matter within, and not without the perſon rejoycing. There be many (my Beloved) That have nothing in themſelves, whereof they have a juſt occaſion to rejoyce, and therefore ſeek it up and down without. And from this kind of joy the Apoſtle Paul diſſwadeth as unſound, Gal. 6.4. Let every man prove his own work, and he ſhall have rejoycing in himſelf alone, and not in another.
Now men are ſaid to rejoyce in another, eſpecially in two caſes: As firſt, when they compare themſelves with ſuch as are extremely vitious and prophane, and finding that themſelves are not ſo bad as many others are, they cheer and comfort up themſelves with this, as the Phariſee did, I thank thee God, ſaith he, that I am no extortioner, &c. I am not as other men are, nor as this Publican, Luk. 18.11. and yet they may be bad enough for all this. And ſecondly, when men take comfort only in the good opinion that others have conceived of them, and not in any good that hath a true and real being in themſelves. And this St. Paul ſuggeſteth is a falſe deceitful joy, and therefore preſſeth every man to prove his own work, to ſift and try his own actions; and if on tryal they be good indeed, then he hath ground and matter to rejoyce in himſelf and not in another
And now my Brethren, are there not too many ſuch among us, who when they look on drunkards, whoremongers, blaſphemers, and men of the moſt infamous and vitious lives, that paſs them and exceed them in prophaneſs, take joy and comfort in themſelves, but never prove their own works, their own lives. And thus while they compare themſelves with others more looſe and vitious then themſelves, they rejoyce in another and not in themſelves; they think themſelves are very good, becauſe others are more evil. And even as Jeruſalem juſtified Sodom, Ezek. 16.5. ſo drunkards and adulterers juſtifie them, and are occaſion of their joy. Others there are who finding that they have obtained a good opinion and repute with others, and that they are approved by men of judgement, and of conſcience too, are comforted in this exceedingly; and here is the foundation of their Joy: Oh ſuch a godly man, or ſuch a Miniſter approves of them, and is familiar to them; and hence it comes to paſs that when they once begin to loſe the good opinion and conceit of men, they are like perſons ſtracken in the head, their joy is blaſted and their comfort gone, becauſe the ground and matter of it was without, and not within. O then let us endeavour my Beloved, to have our comfort in our ſelves; and if it have a ſpring and fountain in the heart, it will not fail; there will be a ſufficient ſupply of joy and comfort there, though men neglect us, and caſt away their good opinion of us: Whereas if it proceed from that which is without us, it will be like a ſtanding Pool that is not nouriſhed with the Spring, but with a ſodain fall of rain; aſſoon as heat of Summer comes, away it dryeth and is ſeen no more.
And now my Brethren, having proved your joy, and found it to be right, the joy of Chriſt, which he would have to be fulfilled in you, preſerve it as your lives, and ſee that neither ſin nor Satan ſteal away this jewel from you; and to this end, you muſt eſpecially beware of ſinning againſt Conſcience, which is the ſubject and the ſeat of joy. As long as you do well to Conſcience, Conſcience will ſay well to you; but if you wound your Conſcience with the guilt of ſin, Conſcience will wound you with the horror and the ſting of ſin; and if by ſinning againſt light you waſte your Conſcience in regard of grace, Conſcience will waſte you in regard of peace and comfort: yea, it may ſet you on the rack of ſuch affrightments as no tongue is ſufficient to expreſs. What was the cauſe that David cryed ſo often in his bones, and in his heart, that they were broken, that it was melted in the midſt of his bowels, but becauſe he ſinned ſo groſly againſt the light of his own underſtanding, and the convictions of his own conſcience? But if in ſincerity you have your converſation in the world, this will be your rejoycing. And if you walk according to the rule, peace ſhall be upon you as upon the Iſrael of God. This joy of Chriſt ſhall be fulfilled in you, and your joy ſhall none take from you.
And thus we have diſpatched the firſt and ſecond Obſervation; Chriſt is the Author and Original of the joy of his people; Jeſus Chriſt would have his people to be full of holy joy.
DOCTRINE 3. Their clear and perfect knowledge of his interceſsion for them, is one eſpecial means to fill them full of this joy.
It is the means our Saviour uſes in my text, and certainly it is available to this end. That he might cheer the hearts of his Diſciples, and repleniſh them with comfort, he lets them hear him pleading for them to his Father. He doth it in their preſence, and while they are liſtning to him, as being very well aſſured that this will make their joy abound, and overflow the banks. And this is the account he gives his Father of the buſineſs, having been very earneſt with him to keep them through his own name, as he himſelf had done, as long as he had been among them, and urged many things in their behalf. Theſe things, ſaith he, I ſpeak in the world, before I come away to thee, I ſpeak them here among theſe men for whom I am a Suitor to thee, in the ears of my Apoſtles and Diſciples, who are by and liſten to me, that being witneſſes themſelves to my importunate and earneſt interceſsion for them, they may by this means, have my joy fulfilled in themſelves.
True, you will ſay; this was an extraordinary comfort to them for the preſent; but what was this to them after Chriſt was gone from them? Or what it this to us in theſe times?
Yes, my beloved, it was much to them, even after Chriſts departure for the fulfilling of their joy: For when he was aſcended into heaven, they could on all occaſions, reflect upon the prayer that they heard him make in their behalf, while he was converſant upon the earth: when they were in any fear or any danger, when they were even ready to be overcome with grief and ſorrow, they could conſider with themſelves, We perfectly remember that while our Maſter was among us, we heard him earneſtly beſeech his Father for us, that he would keep us, and that he would Comfort us, and that he would Sanctifie us, and that he would ſave us, (as all thoſe things and many more you ſhall obſerve along the Current of his prayer here,) and we ſhall ſurely find the fruit of it in ſuch a time as this is. Yea, we have reaſon to believe that what he did for us, in a way of interceſſion, while he was here upon the earth, he doth the ſame in heaven to this day, and will do till we follow him to that place. And why then ſhould we not be cheerfull in the midſt of theſe troubles? And this our Saviour cleerly aims at in the words, Theſe things ſpeak I in the world, while I am yet among them, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themſelves: That hearing what I do now while I am here, they might a little gueſs what I am like to do hereafter, when I am once ſate down at the right hand of my Father to be an everlaſting Interceſſor or for them; and therefore might be full of comfort, yea though I am departing from them, while they conſider with themſelves, If he do ſo much now, ſurely when he comes to heaven, he will do much more.
And as for us who live in theſe times, it is a means to fill us full of comfort too, Chriſts ſpeaking theſe things in the world, and ſo giving us a taſte of his future interceſſion: For hence it comes to paſs that this prayer of our Saviour being uttered in the ears of his Apoſtles, it is pend accordingly, and left upon record in Scripture. And ſo we have a ſpecimen, a form, a modell of our Saviours interceſſion for his people, which he hath left behind him, for us to look upon on all occaſions, and to gather comfort from. What he doth in heaven for us, we are not able fully and exactly to diſcover. But this he did on earth before he went; he did it openly, and there is a memorial of it, for ever, in the Church. And by this we may conjecture what he doth in heaven for his people at this day, and will do to the worlds end. For certainly he is not leſs regardfull of them now in Heaven (which is the moſt proper place of acting the ſecond part of his Mediatorſhip which conſiſts in interceſſion) then he was upon the earth.
So that whatever our Condition be, how ſad or ſorrowfull ſoever, if we would know our Saviours interceſsion what it is for us in heaven, we may ſurvey this counterpane thereof on earth, which is recorded for this very end, That we may have an exemplar, and a pattern of it continually lying by us in the Scripture to have recourſe unto, and to fetch overflowing comforts from in all caſes.
Now to cleer this a little further to you, I ſhall proceed to ſhew you in a few particulars, that the perfect knowledge of our Saviours interceſſion is one eſpecial means to fill his people full of holy joy.
It is a means to comfort them exceedingly in reference to all the oppoſitions of their enemies, whether without them or within them. Do you not think it was a comfort to the Hoſt of Iſrael, when they had got a Champion to ſtand up for them, againſt the daring inſolencies of Goliah, who had ſo long defied the armies of the living God? It made them even ſhout for joy. And ſo it is a comfort to the poor ſoul, when he hath been long contending with the world which ſets upon him mightily with all its blandiſhments and its allurements on the one ſide, and with its threats and perſecutions on the other ſide, and with the Devil who furiouſly aſſaults him with his fiery darts, and his violent temptations, and with his own corruptions and his luſts, that warr againſt the ſoul as the Apoſtle ſpeaks: And when he is about to faint and ſink away, he conſiders with himſelf, Why though I have all theſe againſt me, yet I have Jeſus Chriſt for me, and he is pleading-hard on my behalf, that I may not have the worſt in theſe Encounters, but that I may be more then a Conqueror. I ſeem to hear him ſaying to me, Theſe enemies of thine have deſired to winnow thee, and to deſtroy thee, but I have prayed for thee that thy faith may not fail; Thy courage and thy ſtrength may fail a little, but thy faith ſhall never fail. When Chriſt was here upon the earth, he earneſtly beſought his Father for me, that he would keep me through his own name: and what he did on earth, I know he doth in heaven much more; and he cannot be denyed. So that I am as ſafe as the Almighty power of God can make me.
Oh what a matchleſs comfort and encouragement is this! The poor perplexed ſoul but now was toſsing on the boyſtrous waters of violent temptations, and of raging paſsions, and of furious luſts, and even ready to be caſt away: But now as David ſpeaks, the ſoul is glad becauſe it is at reſt, and it is brought to the deſired haven. Ah my beloved, when a man who is mightily aſſaulted by corruptions and temptations, and perſecutions and afflictions, and when the ſtones and buffets are about his ſoul, can look up as Stephen did, Acts 7.56. and ſee the heavens opened, and the Son of man ſtanding at the right hand of God, this cannot chooſe but fill him full of comfort. Nay ſayes the ſoul, If thou art there pleading for me to the Father, and ſtanding up in my defence, I know it is impoſsible that I ſhould periſh or miſcarry.
The knowledge of our Saviours Interceſsion for his people, is a means to comfort them in reference to all the accuſations that are laid againſt us at the barr of Gods juſtice. The Law comes in with a black bill againſt us, layes very heavy things to our charge, and taxes us with many grievous violations of it, which we are no way able to deny; Sathan for his part, is the grand accuſer of the brethren, and he objecteth heynous things againſt us, and layes it on with full load; And then our conſciences perhaps accuſe us, as faſt as any of the other two. They are not able to gainſay the allegations, either of Sathan or the Law, but are forced to acknowledge, that all the curſes that are written in the Book of God, are very juſtly due to us. What ſhall we do, or how ſhall we keep up our hearts from ſinking into utter deſperation in ſuch a caſe as this is? As for our parts, we have nothing to alledge in, or of, or from our ſelves, why the ſentence of the Law ſhould not be pronounced againſt us; But this is that which fills us full of Comfort, that Jeſus Chriſt hath enough to ſay for us, and that he ſits in heaven for this very end to make interceſsion for us, when any thing comes in againſt us there, to appear in our behalf, and to plead our cauſe. If any man ſin, we have an Advocate with the Father, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 John 2.2. and he is the propitiation for our ſins. We have ſuch an Advocate as is a propitiation: So that when Sathan, and when ſin accuſes, and makes a dreadfull noiſe againſt us, he can wipe all off again with one word: Saith he. This perſon hath offended, I confeſs; but what of that? There is a full propitiation made, it is well known that I have done it; and what hath any one to ſay to this man? If he have out-ſinned my ſatisfaction, even let him be condemned. But if not, let him be acquitted; or what do I ſit here for? How can this chooſe but raviſh and tranſport the ſoul into an Extaſie of joy, and make it to triumph with the Apoſtle, Rom. 8.33. Who can lay anything to my charge? who is he that condemneth? Let me but ſee the man that durſt to do it. So that no marvail though our Saviour Chriſt be called foreign in the forecited place, which ſignifieth both a Comforter and Advocate: To ſhew that Jeſus Chriſt doth comfort us exceedingly, by undertaking for us as an Advocate, and pleading for us with the Father.
The knowledge of our Saviours Interceſſion for his people is a means to comfort them in reference to the many weakneſſes and imperfections of our own prayers. Oh how are we dejected and caſt down ſometimes, when we are dull and flat and cold and ſpeechleſs in our addreſſes to the Majeſty of God. When we are ſo deſerted, and our hearts are ſo ſhut up, that (as Hezekiah once) we cannot ſpeak in prayer, but only chatter like a Swallow, Iſa. 38.14. when we know not what to ſay, nor what to plead, we are ſo barren; when we are deſtitute of matter and expreſſion, this puts us many times into a very ſad condition and overwhelms our hearts with ſorrow; As David once complained in ſuch a caſe, Pſal. 77.3. I remembred God, ſaith he, I was troubled; I complained and my ſpirit was overwhelmed. But now, my brethren, is it not a matter of exceeding comfort to conſider that we have an Interceſſor to help us out with all this? That he puts in to God the Father for us, and takes our Suites into his hands; That he excuſes what is wanting in our prayers, and ſupplies it in his own; That he is lively there where we are dull; that he is quick where we are flat; that he is full where we are ſhort. My Clyent, ſaith our Advocate, means this and this; this is the meaning of the ſpirit in him. He is not able to expreſs himſelf as many others can, but this is that which he intends and aims at. His words are not ſo ready and ſo apt, but he hath as ſincere a heart as the moſt voluble and fluent of them all: and he is one for whom I have laid down my life, and ſhed my blood, for whom I have deſerved all the good that he can ask and ſtand in need of; And therefore I beſeech thee Father, let him have what he deſires, give him a ſpeedy and a gratious anſwer for my ſake. Ah my beloved, is it not able to fill our hearts brimfull of joy, when we remember that we have ſuch an Advocate as this is?
The knowledge of our Saviours Interceſſion for his people, is a means to comfort them in reference to the defects of all our graces. For we come ſhort in all of them, there is not one of them compleat. There is much lacking in our faith, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Theſ. 3.10. and ſo there is in all the reſt which ſpring from faith. For if there be a failing in the root, there cannot chooſe but be a failing in the branches. And this is that which makes us walk ſo heavily and ſadly many times, when we conſider with our ſelves how ſlender the degrees and meaſures of our graces are, ſo that we know not where to find comfort. What ſhall we do in ſuch a caſe to keep our ſpirits from deſpondency? Why truly among many other wayes, this is a very ſpecial one to fix our thoughts upon the interceſsion of our Saviour for us, and to conſider ſeriouſly with our ſelves, that this is one great buſineſs that he urges to his Father, that he would ſanctifie his people; That he would give them out more grace, and more holineſs. This prayer of our Saviour in my text, as I have hinted formerly, is but a Counterpane of the perpetual interceſsion that he makes for his in heaven. And it conſiſts eſpecially of two branches, which comprehend the two main things that he deſireth of his Father for his people, Preſervation and Sanctification. The latter he is large upon, ſanctifie them with thy truth, and ſo on. They were ſanctified before, for they were not of the world, and he deſires they might be ſanctified yet more; That they might have larger meaſures of all the graces of the ſpirit. And is not this an extraordinary comfort to thoſe who are but meanly furniſhed, and who have but a ſlender ſtock of grace, that Jeſus Chriſt is alwayes interceding to his Father in their behalf for a more full ſupply? It was a ſuit that he begun on earth, and he is ſtill purſuing it in heaven to this day, and will do to the worlds end, he will never give it over; ſo that we may be confident we ſhall have ſuch degrees of holineſs and grace beſtowed upon us, as are neceſſary for us.
The knowledge, &c. as it aſſures us of his dear love to us, and his tender care of us. What our Saviour doth in heaven in a way of Interceſſion, if it were unknown to us, though it might profit us and benefit us very much, it could not comfort as at all. But when we know that Jeſus Chriſt hath ſuch a ſingular regard to us, and that his heart and his affections work towards us ſo ſweetly, and ſo ſtrongly now he is in heaven, at ſo great a diſtance from us (I mean as he is man) that he is always taking all advantages, to further and promote our buſineſs with his Father, and ſpeaking to him upon all occaſions for our good; and in a word, that he is ſo extremely kind and loving to us, ſo infinitely tender of our welfare every way; This cannot chooſe if it be duly weighed, but fill our hearts up to the brim, and make them over-flow with joy.
Ʋſe 1 Now is it ſo my Brethren, that the aſſured knowledge of our Saviours Interceſſion is one, &c. If then we would abound in this heavenly affection, let us exactly ſtudy, and throughly p…y into our Saviours Interceſſion, that we may know as much of it as we are able to attain to. We are here in an unquiet and unſtable world, in which we meet with many cauſes of diſcomfort from within, and from without, and many times they take extremely deep upon us, ſo as almoſt to make our lives a burthen to us. Now if we would be free from ſuch diſtempers, let us endeavour to look more into our Saviours Interceſſion. And if we underſtand it well, it will fill us full of comfort, that will ſwell high, exceedingly above all the afflictions of this preſent life. Indeed the interceſſion of our Saviour is of it ſelf a large volume, too much for us to read over, and that Volume ſealed too, ſhut up in heaven, that we cannot open it, or look into it: But he hath given us a brief compendium, and a ſhort abridgement of it, in the Prayer that he made for his Apoſtles and Diſciples, and in them for all the Church, that is or ſhall be to the worlds end, that we may read it and acquaint our ſelves with it: He ſpake that prayer in the world, that they might hear it from him, and ſo might have his joy fulfilled in them: And that we might hear it from them, and ſo might have his joy fulfilled in us. In which regard, my Brethren, it is left upon record in publique in the Church for ever, that all his people might have recourſe thereto, on all occaſions for their Comfort. And therefore when we are in any trouble, when ſorrow ſeizes deep upon us, let us ſtudy this prayer in all the parts and branches of it, that from thence we may conjecture what he doth in our behalf, now he is fitting at the right hand of his Father. And this let us depend upon, that if he ſpake one word in our behalf in any caſe while he was here upon earth, he ſpeaks a hundred for us now he is heaven. And truly if this Counterpane of our Saviours Interceſſion were dived into and ſtudied more, there would be more holy joy among the Saints. Their troubles and their ſorrows would be leſs, and they would be more full of comfort then they are.