Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 2
John 17.1.
And lift up his eyes to heaven and ſaid.
AND thus of the tranſition to our Saviours Supplication, Theſe words ſpake Ieſus.
The manner of preſenting it to God the Father, or if you will, the carriage of our Saviour in it, comes now in order to be handled. He lifted up his eyes to heaven, and ſaid. And here you have his geſture, and expreſſion. His geſture firſt, he lifted up his eyes to heaven while he made it. And in the next place his expreſſion, he did not meditate, or think it only, but he ſaid it, his Prayer was not mental only, but it was a vocal prayer, He lifted up his eyes to heaven, and ſaid.
As for the firſt of theſe (my brethren) it was uſual with our Saviour to pray with eyes erected, and lift up to heaven; as I might give you many inſtances out of the Scripture. And out of queſtion it proceeded from the zeal and earneſtneſs of his affections, and from the fixedneſs, and the intention of his thoughts, he being as it were, withdrawn from the earth, and from thoſe lower things, and wholly taken up to heaven, while he prayed. He was no longer here below, no, he was above with God, while he was exerciſed in this duty.
Indeed it is obſerved of the Publican, that he was contrary to Chriſt, in this regard, viz. in the external geſture of his body. Our Saviour prayed, as you have heard, with eyes erected, and lift up to heaven; The Publican with eyes dejected and caſt downward to the earth, and yet this carriage alſo ſeems to be approved, Luke 18.13. The Publican (ſaies the Evangeliſt) would not lift up ſo much as his eyes to heaven, but ſmote his breaſt, ſaying, God be mercifull to me a Sinner. And truly both theſe geſtures have their uſe in prayer, the one to manifeſt a repentance, the other to declare our faith. The one to ſhew that we are caſt down in our ſelves, the other to diſcover that we are rayſed, and lifted up to God. But it became not Ieſus Chriſt to pray in ſuch a poſture as that wretched creature did, becauſe he had no ſin in him, and conſequently no ſhame, nothing to caſt him down or hinder him from looking up with boldneſs, and with confidence to God the Father. And hence he prayed not like the Publican in a dejected way, but lifted up his eyes to heaven, and ſaid.
That leads us to the ſecond thing conſidered, Chriſt did not meditate, or think his prayer only, but he ſaid it. His prayer was not mental only, but it was a vocal prayer, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and ſaid, Father, the hour is come, and ſo on: Its true indeed that as a man may ſay, and yet not pray, he may utter good petitions, and ſpeak a form of Specious words to God, and yet he may not pray indeed, ſo as to find acceptance and ſucceſs with God: So on the other ſide, a man may pray, and yet yet not ſay, that is, not uſe the voice at all, nor utter any words to God in prayer. And therefore it is ſaid of Moſes, that he cried to God, when he was ſilent. And the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the Spirit tells us that he makes requeſt to God ſometimes, with ſighs and groans, that are not, yea, that cannot be expreſſed, Rom. 8.26. So that a man may make requeſt to God without expreſſion, as well by meaning as by ſpeaking: And therefore it is added in the following verſe, God knows the meaning of the Spirit, that is, he underſtands it, and accepts it. David prefers the meditation of his heart, as well as the petitions of his mouth, Pſal. 19. ult. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, &c. And therefore in another place, he ſaith of God, Lord, thou haſt heard the deſire of the humble, Pſalm 10.17. So that you ſee that Prayer is not tyed to the expreſſion of the tongue; For even Ejaculations that are ſwift, and ſudden wiſhes darted from the heart to God, the inward anhelations, thirſtings, longings, meditations, meanings of the Soul, are honoured in the Scripture with the name of prayer. Such mentall prayers we have cauſe to think our Saviour ſometimes offered to his Father when he was alone.
But here his prayer, it ſhould ſeem, was vocal, he uttered it aloud that his Apoſtles and Diſciples who were about him, at that time, might hear it. He lifted up his eyes to heaven, and ſaid.
Now, this you ſee the Holy-Ghoſt takes ſpecial notice of, as a remarkable, and a memorable thing. He doth not only tell us, that our Saviour prayed, and what his prayer was, from the beginning of it to the end. But he acpuaints us alſo with the manner, and the circumſtances of his prayer. He ſhews us what his geſture was, he tells us how he placed his eyes, and how he uſed his voice in prayer. Theſe things may ſeem but ſmall matters, and we may look upon them as petty, inconſiderable things: But wherefore doth the Holy Ghoſt ſo carefully take notice of them, and ſet them down in writing for the Church, unleſs they be of ſome weight, and ſome conſideration? Methinks he intimateth thus much to us.
DOCTRINE. That there ſhould be Conſideration had, not only of the matter, but even of the circumſtances, the very geſture, and the utterance of a prayer.
The Spirit of God, you ſee, doth not let paſs ſuch things as theſe, no, he obſerveth them exactly; And therefore ſurely, ſo ſhould we too. He ſets them down for our uſe, and there is ſomewhat to be learned from them; For whatſoever things are written, are written for our learning, as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks.
And therefore it is uſual in the Scripture, not only to expreſs the prayers that the Saints have made, and that Chriſt himſelf hath made, but alſo to deſcribe their outward carriage, and behaviour in them, which ſhews that there is ſomething even in that too. Sometimes our Saviour Chriſt is noted to caſt himſelf proſtrate upon the earth in prayer, as you may ſee, Mat. 26.39. he fell upon his face, and prayed. And ſometimes to look up to heaven, as you have it in my text; So alſo when he raiſed Lazarus, John 11.41. he lifted up his eyes; and when he healed the deaf man, he looked up to heaven, Mark 7.34. Sometimes he only ſigheth to himſelf in prayer, and we hear of no expreſſion in the ſore-alleadged text. He Sighed, you muſt conceive in ſome petition which he then put up to God, and ſaid to the deaf man, Epphatah, be opened. Sometimes he utters words alſo, which are audible to others, as I might give you divers inſtances out of his ſtorie in the Goſpel.
So for the Saints, ſometimes we find them repreſented ſitting, as holy David, 2 Sam. 7.18. Sometimes ſtanding up, as, Neh. 9.2. and ſometimes kneeling in their Prayers, as that is very uſual in the Scriptures. Sometimes we find them ſpeaking words in prayer, and ſometimes uſing meditation only, as David ſo divides his prayer in the fore-alleadged text, into the words of his mouth, and the meditations of his heart, and prayes that both may find acceptance with the Lord, Pſal. 19. ult. And all theſe wayes the holy Ghoſt takes ſpecial notice of, and leaves upon record for our inſtruction, by which he teaches us that there ſhould be conſideration had not only of the matter, but even of the circumſtances, &c.
What then, it may be you will ask me, do our geſtures, or doth the manner of preſenting our requeſts to God, the outward manner with the voice, or otherwiſe, fall under the command of God? Are we expreſly bound to pray in ſuch a poſture, in ſuch a way, or manner of expreſſion? Do theſe external circumſtances appertain to Gods worſhip?
I anſwer, No, in no caſe, the difference is wide between the bodily exerciſe, and the Spiritual ſervice. We are not under any ceremonial Law that binds us to an outward circumſtance, to a place, or to a poſture, as the Jews of old were. And yet there ſhould be due conſideration had, not only of the matter, but even of the circumſtances, &c. and that eſpecially upon theſe two grounds. For,
Theſe outward circumſtances may in caſe promote the ſpiritual ſervice. Reaſon 1 The very geſture, or the utterance of a prayer, may help ſometimes to raiſe and quicken the affection, which is the life and Soul of prayer. Our hearts are naturally dead, and ſtupid, and prophane, and ſtand in need of all good outward helps to ſtir up zeal, and reverence, and devotion in them. And to this end, they have been uſed by the Saints in Scripture, and that not only in their publike, but even in their private, and their ſecret prayers, when their ſubmiſs and humble geſtures could have no influence upon other men; And conſequently had no other uſe, but to help their own hearts. As Daniel was exact in this, even in his chamber, and it is carefully recorded, Dan. 6.10. He kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed. He prayed three times a day, and ſtill he was in this poſture. And it is noted of our Saviour that he kneeled down and prayed, Luke 22.10. and this was in Private too. So that he did it not with reference to others; and therefore a moſt eminent and worthy man obſerveth, that undoubtedly he ſaw he needed it himſelf: And if that be admitted, aſſuredly we need ſuch helps and furtherances much more.
Theſe outward circumſtances if they do not further, yet they expreſs Reaſon 2 the ſpiritual ſervice. They teſtifie the ſorrow, the humility, the affection, and the devotion of the heart, and the reverence of the ſoul. As in my text, our Saviours lifting up his eyes to heaven, diſcovered where his heart was. And therefore, humble geſtures are eſpecially required in publike worſhip, becauſe God will be honoured in the ſight of others, yea, they are ſometimes put for all his ſervice, Rom. 14.11. As I live, ſaith the Lord, every knee ſhall bow to me. And ſeeing hypocrites in matter of the worſhip and the ſervice of the Lord, are alwayes ready to pretend they have as good hearts as the very beſt; Therefore the Lord is wont to call ſo often, and ſo earneſtly for the external Service of the body, and that in the new Teſtament as well as in the old, as you may ſee that place for inſtance, 1 Cor. 6.20. Glorifie God (ſaith the Apoſtle there) and that not in your Spirit only, but in your body alſo, which is Gods.
Uſe 1 Now is it ſo, that there ſhould be conſideration had not only of the matter, but even of the circumſtances, &c. Then,
Firſt it ſerves to let them ſee their error, and miſtake, who utterly neglect ſuch things as theſe are; who take no notice of their outward carriage in ſuch holy duties, but rather look upon it as a thing below the obſervation of a Chriſtian, who ſhould be wholly, and entirely taken up with their ſpiritual ſervice; And yet as you have heard, the Holy-Ghoſt takes notice of a geſture, a caſt of the eye in Prayer; and ſets it down in white and black, we need not doubt, for our information.
I muſt confeſs the great defect is on the other ſide, men are imployed ſo much about the form, the ſurface, and the outſide of religious duties many times, that they neglect the main buſineſs; Their thoughts are exerciſed ſo far about the geſture of their body, the compoſure of their words, the framing of their voices, and the like, eſpecially in publike prayer, that they have no regard at all to the inward and ſpiritual ſervice. The outward work is infinitely more eaſie, and there is much more oſtentation in it: And hence it is that the greater part of men are wholly taken up with that which they themſelves can do, and being done, procure them moſt applauſe from other men.
But yet their placing all in forms, and outſides, and minding nothing elſe in holy duties, doth not juſtifie at all our running off to the Extream upon the other ſide. No it is poſſible that even as hypocrites and rotten-hearted wretches may be ſo intent upon the outſide, that they have no regard unto the inſide; So on the other ſide the holieſt and ſincereſt Chriſtians, may be ſo intent upon the inſide, that they have no regard at all unto the outſide. They may ſo far look after the affection, and the zeal, and the devotion of the heart (which is indeed the main thing to be looked to) that they may have no thought at all of the External circumſtances of their prayers, the geſture, or the manner of their utterance, which are Conſiderable notwithſtanding (as I have made it plain enough) and therefore to be wholly careleſs of them is a failing, yea though it ſhould be in the beſt of Gods people.
Uſe 2 And therefore in the ſecond place, let me perſwade you to think ſuch outward circumſtances worthy of your thoughts, the very geſture, and the utterance of your prayers. Let there be due conſideration had of ſuch things as theſe are. I would by no means hinder you from having your eſpecial eye on that whereon the eye of God is moſt, when you are making your approaches, and addreſſes to him. I mean the carriage of the ſoul and ſpirit, the inward fervor and humility, affection, and devotion of the heart, without which all the reſt is worth nothing; But yet let not the geſture of your bodies, the utterance of your voice in prayer be utterly neglected by you, concerning both of which, becauſe I find them in my Text, I ſhall give you ſome directions.
As for the geſture of your bodies, I ſhall commend theſe few things.
We are not bound to all the ſelf-ſame geſtures, which were in uſe among the people of the Lord of old; we read that Joſhua and the Elders when they were routed at the Siege of Ai, and came before the Ark of God to pray, they rent their cloaths and put duſt upon their heads, Joſhua 7.16. And Hezekiah when he came into the houſe of God to pray, at the time when Senacherib beſieged Jeruſalem, he rent his cloaths, and put on Sack-cloath, Iſa. 37.1. And this they did, not that theſe faſhions were appropriated to the worſhip of the Lord, but becauſe they were in uſe in thoſe times and thoſe places, to expreſs their grief by; So in the ſelf-ſame place in Joſhua, they fell down to the ground upon their faces when they prayed. And ſo did Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, as you may ſee, Mat. 26.39. Not that this geſture was peculiar to this piece of ſervice, but it was taken from the civil uſage of the Country, becauſe this was their way of ſhewing reverence to ſuperiors, as you may ſee, Ruth 2.10. And therefore we do well and ſuitably to the directions and examples of the Scripture, that we take up ſuch geſtures only in our prayers as are uſual in our Country, to expreſs our ſorrow and dejection, or elſe our civil reverence and reſpect by.
Thoſe reverend geſtures which we uſe in prayer ſhould be moſt obſerved in publike. There may more liberty be taken in private, and in ſecret, then there may in publike and open prayer, both in the uſe of outward geſture, and in the forbearance of them. Some geſtures may be uſed in private prayer which would become us ill in publike, in which we ſhould not go remarkably beyond the reſt of the Aſſembly for fear and danger of hypocriſie: And geſtures on the other ſide may be forborn in ſome caſe in private prayer, which yet in publike ought not to be ſo; For evermore in publike (as far as it is poſſible) our geſture muſt be ſuch as may expreſs ſome reverence, and devotion, that we may honour God before the People, and that our outward poſture may not carry in it an appearance of a ſleight eſteem of God, and of his ſervice; whereas in private there is greater freedom, becauſe indeed there is no need of ſuch Caution.
But thirdly this muſt be continually heeded both in publike, and in private, that the geſtures which we uſe be ſuch, as that we do not hinder, but rather further the ſpiritual ſervice. It were far better to abate of the reverence of our geſture, then the affection of our heart. It were far better for a man to ſtand in prayer, then that by the diſeaſe and trouble of the other poſture he ſhould be diſtracted, and conſequently his devotion, and his heart ſhould fall. That may be allowed the weak in this regard, which would not be convenient in the ſtrong. The bodily exerciſe; be it of what kind it will, is but a means to the ſpiritual ſervice. The end is better then the means; and muſt be more regarded then the means. I muſt not uſe the means but for the end, ſo far as they are ſerviceable to the end. And much leſs, muſt I uſe the means aganiſt the end.
We muſt be very wary that the outward geſture (eſpecially in publike prayer) do not exceed the inward affection, and that we make not ſhew of more without then there is indeed within; for if we do, there is hypochriſie; Such duties are not done in truth, when there is more in ſhew, and in appearance, then there is in ſubſtance. If either of the two be lower then the other, it were far better that the outward expreſſion were lower then the inward affection, then that the inward, &c. It were far better that the geſture came ſhort of the heart, then that the heart, &c. It is not good to compaſs God about with lies, meer ſhews do never pleaſe in his ſervice.
This for the geſture of your bodies when you pray: A word or two for your direction touching the uſe, or the omiſſion of the voice in prayer, &c.
And here the firſt thing that I offer is, Thoſe prayers that are publike, whether in the family, or the aſſembly, wherein one is the mouth of many to the Lord, muſt of neceſſity be vocall: ſo was our Saviours in my text, you ſee, he prayed with his Apoſtles and Diſciples, and therefore did no only form a prayer in his heart, but expreſſed it with his mouth; he did not only think, but ſpeak, that they might hear. He lifted up his eyes to heaven, and ſaid.
The voice is not of abſolute neceſſity in private prayer; For however men, who having bodies are endued with ears and ſenſes, know not our meaning, otherwiſe then by our words, yet God who is himſelf a ſpirit, knows the meaning of our ſpirits. Sighs may find audience, and acceptance with him; inward and mental ſupplications may be in ſome caſe more fit then vocal.
But yet, if other circumſtances will permit, in which your Chriſtian prudence muſt direct you, uſe your voices. We ſhall obſerve it to have been the uſual practiſe of the Saints to ſpeak in prayer, yea, in private prayer, as our Saviour did, Mark 10.39. God made the tongue aſwel as other members of the body, and therefore will be ſerved with this, as well as them. And ſo the Prophet David praiſed God with the beſt member that he had, which ſome expound to be his tongue. And therewith bleſs we God, ſaith the Apoſtle James 3.9. It is ſometimes a quickning to the heart, and ſtirreth up the dead affections to greater fervency, and zeal, which by continuing in a mental ſupplication would be apt to languiſh and decay; It keepeth in the heart from wandring, by binding it to give exact attendance on the tongue, to furniſh it with matter and expreſſion; whereas in mental prayer, it is more apt to ſlide away, and run a roving unobſerved. Howbeit here I ſhall not peremptorily preſcribe; in certain caſes to omit the voice is more expedient, and therefore I ſhall ſhut up all, and leave it to your Chriſtian prudence to direct you, to pitch upon that way and method of preſenting your requeſts to God, which ye will find moſt to conduce to the affectionate, ſpiritual and heavenly performance of the duty.
And thus of the tranſition to our Saviours ſupplication, together with the manner of preſenting it to God the Father, both his geſture and expreſſion.
Proceed we now to enter on the Prayer which he makes; and here I ſhall take notice only of theſe two things, the Object of it, and the parts of it.
The Object of it, or the Perſon whom he preſents it to, you ſee, is God the Father: or to come a little nearer, God his Father, ſo he ſtiles him in the entrance of his Prayer, Father, the hour is come, &c. and the ſame phraſe he uſes all along, as you ſhall ſee, if you ſurvey it from the beginning of it to the end.
Indeed, he gives him once the attribute of Holy, and once the attribute of Righteous Father, but this is ſtill the appellation that he uſes, and from whence he never varies. If he calls him any thing, he calls him Father. And in this notion he conſiders him, while he is putting up his prayer to him; and therefore this you ſee (my brethren) is the firſt word that he uſes, when he ſets himſelf to pray, Father, the hour is come, &c. I make theſe addreſſes to thee, as a Father, I look upon thee as a Father ſtill, while I am pouring out my prayer to thee; and therefore he reviews the appellation ever and anon, on all occaſions; ſo that the point to be obſerved is this.
DOCTRINE. God is the Father of the Lord Chriſt, and ſo he apprehended him, and looked upon him, when he was making his Petitions to him.
The point, you ſee, hath two branches: Firſt, God is the Father of the Lord Chriſt; then Chriſt did look upon him as a Father, and apprehend him as a Father, when he was making his Petition to him.
God is the Father of the Lord Chriſt; I ſhall not waſte away my time to prove it, it is ſo clearly, and expreſly taught in Scripture every where: you ſhall obſerve them often owning one another under the relation of a Father, and a Son. Sometimes the Father owns our Saviour for his Son, and this he doth by an immediate atteſtation out of heaven it ſelf, Mat. 3.17. Lo, a voice from heaven, ſaying, This is my beloved Son: Me thinks he ſeems to point him out, to ſpecial obſervation, This is he.
Sometimes our Saviour on the other ſide acknowledges, and owns the Father, and this is very uſual upon all occaſions.
But how is God the Father of the Lord Chriſt? or in what ſenſe doth he call him Father here? no otherwiſe then we do? this will need a little opening.
To clear it to you in a word or two, you muſt conſider, that God the Father hath two ſorts of ſons, either he hath ſons made, or elſe he hath ſons begotten. He hath ſons made, and that both by Creation and Adoption. Firſt, he is ſaid to be a Father by Creation; and thus he hath a kind of univerſal Fatherhood to all the Creatures. And therefore the Apoſtle ſtiles him, the Father of all, Eph. 4.6. He is in this regard, the Father of our bodies, and the Father of our Spirits; The Father of our bodies mediatly and virtually Created, in the loins of Adam. The Father of our Spirits, immediatly, and actually infuſed by himſelf; with this diſtinction only, that there are men, who, under him, are the Fathers of our Fleſh; but he himſelf alone is the Father of our Spirits, as the Apoſtle lays it down, Heb. 12.9. And in this ſenſe, he is the Father of the Angels, who were immediately framed, and created by his own Almighty hand, and therefore are called the ſons of God, Job 1.6. This Fatherhood of God (as I have ſaid) is univerſal, and all the Creatures have a ſhare in it; ſo that even all of them may call him Father too, as well as we, and uſe the Prophets words, Mal. 2.10. Have we not all one Father? hath not one God created us?
And thus, our Saviour as a Creature, hath an intereſt in the Fatherhood of God. And here he hath an Intereſt above others, though not an intereſt without others, For he is the firſt-born of every Creature, as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks, Col. 1.15.
And as this Father hath his Sons made by creation, ſo he hath Sons made by Adoption, by which a remnant of Mankinde are ſet apart, out of the free and undeſerved Grace of God, to be the children, and the heirs of God.
And here I ſee not, why our Saviour Chriſt, as Man, ſhould not come in for one of the Adopted Sons of God; for one (I mean) above the reſt, though not for one among the reſt; ſo that he hath his Priviledge in this regard, as the Apoſtle intimates, Eph. 1.5. God hath predeſtinated us to the adoption of Children by Ieſus Chriſt. Perhaps the meaning may be this, firſt he hath adopted Chriſt as man, and as a creature, and then he hath adopted us by him, as part of Jeſus Chriſt, and as Members of his body.
And as this Father hath his Sons made, both by creation, and adoption: ſo he hath his ſons begotten, and his ſons born; for both of theſe expreſſions we ſhall finde in Scripture. He hath begotten us, ſaith the Apoſtle Peter, 1 Pet. 1.3. Of his own will begat he us, Jam. 1.18. And whoſoever loves him that begat, loves him that is begotten, 1 John 5.1.
And thus, our Saviour alſo is begotten of the Father; and here he hath his priviledge, and his preheminence as well as in the reſt; For he is the firſt-begotten of the Father, Heb. 1.6. when he bringeth in the firſt begotten into the world: herein he is above Men, yea he is above Angels: For unto which of the Angels ſaid he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day, &c. And when he bringeth in, &c, he ſaith, And let all the Angels, &c.
Its true, that even we that are his Children are begotten, as Chriſt is; he is begotten from eternity, but we in time. He is begotten ſo that he partaketh of his ſubſtance, and of his very eſſence, that begets him: We are indeed partakers of the Divine nature, but not by communication of the Eſſence of God, but by participation of the properties of God. He is begotten of the Father perſonally taken, whereas none of us are ſo. Its true we are the Sons of God, begotten by an Act without, but we are not the Sons of God the Father (taken as diſtinct from both the other perſons of the God-head) begotten by an act within, as Chriſt is. He is begotten by a proper and peculiar act of God the Father, in an unſpeakable communication of the Eſſence of the God-head from the Father to the Son, which we are better able to admire then to expreſs; for as the Prophet ſaith, who can declare his generation?
And this for clearing of the former member of the point, God is the Father of the Lord Chriſt.
Now for the ſecond, that Chriſt did look upon him as a Father, and apprehend him as a Father when he was making his Petitions to him. You ſee it evidently, and demonſtratively in my Text. This is the appellation that he gives him in this prayer, all along, as I have noted to you heretofore. Its true, that God is frequently in Scripture ſtiled the God of Chriſt, as ſee the place, &c. Pſal. 45.7. God even thy God; and Chriſt doth ſometimes call him his God, as Iohn 20.17. I aſcend to my God, but to the beſt of my remembrance he never calls him ſo in prayer. He comes not to him by the name of his God, but by the name of his Father, that is the ſweet, and precious name that he delights to call him by, when he is pouring out his prayers to him.
I ſhall add no more for proof, the point is plain, God is the father of the Lord Chriſt, and ſo he apprehended him, &c.
Is God the Father of the Lord Chriſt? this then may ſerve for ſweet Uſe. 1 and precious conſolation to the Saints, and to thoſe that are in Chriſt. For if God be Chriſts Father, then he is their Father too: And this our Saviour Chriſt himſelf acknowledges to his Diſciples for their comfort. I aſcend to my Father, and your Father. My Father, but ſo that he is yours too: firſt mine, and then yours. My intereſt indeed, in this reſpect, is ſomewhat higher and above yours, but it is not without yours: nay, to ſay truth, my intereſt is for yours. God is my Father that he may be yours in me. Oh my beloved, what melting joy and comfort is here for every member of the Lord Chriſt, in regard of this relation; I give you but a hint in three particulars.
Firſt, being the ſons of God in Chriſt, we may be ſure that he will hear us in, and by, and through Chriſt. He always hears his ſon Chriſt, and never puts him off with a denial; Thou art my ſon, this day, &c. Ask of me, and I will give thee. Pſal. 2.7. and this our Saviour Chriſt himſelf profeſſes, Iohn …1.4. and as the Father always hears his ſon Chriſt, ſo he doth always hear his Sons in Chriſt. And truly, if the firſt be once admitted, the latter follows unavoidably. For Chriſt the eldeſt Son is interceſſor for his brethren; in all their regular requeſts he never faileth to put in with them: ſo that they cannot be denied, unleſs he be denied too; Chriſt and they muſt either ſtand or fall together.
Secondly, being Sons of God in Chriſt, we may be confident he will provide for us. He hath provided very well for Chriſt, he is not his Son only, but he is his Heir too; yea, he is heir of all without exception, Heb. 1.2. And as Chriſt is the Son and Heir of God, ſo we are ſons and heirs of God in Chriſt: there is not a younger brother of us. Thou art no more a ſervant but a ſon, Gal. 4.7. And if a ſon, then an heir of God through Chriſt. If Sons of God through Chriſt, then Heirs of God through Chriſt too. If we be ſons, then alſo heirs, Rom. 8.17. yea we are heirs of all as Chriſt is; and therefore it is added preſently, Heirs of God, joynt-heirs with Chriſt. Jeſus Chriſt as Mediator, is not Heir to any thing, but we are joynt-heirs, and have a joynt-right with him; there is an Inventory of our riches, 1 Cor. 3.21.
Thirdly, being Sons of God, we may be confident he will protect us; Fathers uſe to protect their children, if they can; God can, and therefore will. As Naomi laid Ruths childe in her boſom, Ruth 4.16. ſo God lays his children, Iſa. 4.11. and that is certainly a ſafe place. And as the Eagle ſpreads her wings over her young, and carries them upon her wings, Prov. 32.1…. ſo God throws his children under the wings of his protection, and carries them above the reach of danger. This is very ſweet comfort; be your troubles what they will, you have a Father that is able to ſecure you, that is very tender of you, that hath ſet a guard upon you, Heb. 1. ult. Pſal. 34.7.