Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 24
JOHN. 17.6.
And they have kept thy Word.
WE have been long upon this uſe of trial and diſcovery whether we be given up to Chriſt, or no, by the donation of the Father. Three branches of it we have now diſpatcht, and are arrived at the fourth and laſt, which God aſſiſting we ſhall finiſh at this time. Have we kept the word of God, as in our minds by remembring, and in our hearts by believing, and in our affections by loving, ſo in our lives by obeying? For all of theſe as you have heard, are comprehended under this expreſſion. And this indeed, my Brethren, as it is the laſt, ſo it is the heigth, the upſhot, and the ſum of all, to keep the word of God in the life by obeying.
Many there are that remember much of it, that give aſſent and credit to it, yea, that pretend a great deal of affection to the word of God, and are indeed much taken with many things that are delivered in it, and yet they fail in this which is the main buſineſs, they do not give themſelves up to the practice and obedience of it. They leave the rule of God, and are a way and rule unto themſelves. And this was Herods temper right, he heard the word of God gladly, he took ſome kind of pleaſure in it, and therefore out of doubt had ſome affection to it; but when it came to practice and obedience, there he failed. He did but many things at moſt, he did not all that was delivered to him from the word of God, and this was that which marred all, and made all the reſt worth nothing. And ſo the ſecond ground, the ſtony places in the parable, Matth. 13.20. they received the Word of God and that with joy, and there muſt be ſome love where there is delight and joy; and yet no fruit at all follows, as you may ſee in that place: And truly there are many ſuch among us, who find ſome taſte in the good Word of God, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Heb. 6.5. There is a pleaſing reliſh in it which they are delighted with, as there is ſomething in the Word that may content a palate that is meerly carnal, but they make it not their rule in their lives and converſation. They ſit before the Preacher as the people ſits, and liſten with affection to his words perhaps, they are a pleaſant ſound to them, but their hearts are far from ſtooping to the obedience of the Word; no, they are for their covetouſneſs, their uncleanneſs and their luſts ſtill.
Now I beſeech you, my Beloved, ſee how it is with you in this regard: If you will have this ſweet aſſurance in your ſelves that you are given up to Jeſus Chriſt, by the donation of the Father, you muſt keep the Word of God in your lives by obeying it: you muſt not reſt in this, that you have (as you conceive) ſome love to it, and that you take ſome kind of pleaſure and delight in it, (for this a carnal wretch, a reprobate may do) but you muſt yeild obedience to it; you muſt be ruled and ordered by it in your ways: the Word of God muſt be a guide to you. When you have any thing to do, you muſt not think what is agreeable to your wills, humors, intereſts, ends, and ſo act accordingly. But you muſt ſeriouſly conſider with your ſelves what is agreeable to the direction of the Word of God, and to the rule which he hath there preſcribed to you, and to that you muſt conform, how unſutable ſoever it may be to your deſires or to your aims. Thus you muſt keep the Word of God, (if you will clear your intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt, in your lives by obeying it.
And here that you may not be miſtaken, and deceive your ſelves, I ſhall deſire you to take notice of a few things.
You muſt keep it wholly and entirely, you muſt not keep ſome parts and parcels of the Word of God, and leave the reſt out of your practice and obedience. No, you muſt keep it all throughout without reſtraint or limitation, if you will make it to appear that you belong to Jeſus Chriſt. Thou haſt given them to me (ſaith our Saviour in my Text) and they have kept thy Word. Obſerve it well; he ſaith not, They have kept ſome portion of thy Word, or They have kept it in ſome certain things, they have obeyed ſome rules and ſome directions of it, but they have kept thy Word, you muſt conceive it, all thy Word, without any reſervation. They have not willingly allowed themſelves in any diſobedience to the leaſt iota of it. And thus it is with thoſe that are beſtowed on Jeſus Chriſt, they are obedient to the Word in all things, and ſo they make it to appear that they are men of proof indeed, that they are tried Chriſtians, as the Apoſtle ſhews, 2 Cor. 2.9. To this end did I write to you, that I might have the proof of you, and whether you would be obedient in all things. They can ſay as David doth, Pſal. 119.104. Through thy precepts I get underſtanding, therefore every falſe way I utterly abhorre. Aſſoon as I get ſo much underſtanding from thy Word and from thy Law, to know that ſuch a way is falſe, and leads not to the happineſs and comfort which it ſeems to promiſe. I do not follow it and keep it as I did before; no I decline it and abhorre it, yea, I abhorre it utterly, I never touch more with it, let it be what it will, never ſo ſweet, ſo pleaſing, ſo delightful, ſo accuſtomed to me. Through thy Law I get underſtanding, therefore every falſe way I utterly abhorre.
And is it ſo with you (my Brethren)? Turn in upon your ſelves a little, and conſider how farre you are acquainted with the Word and Will of God, how far the Lord hath ſhewed what is good, and what he requires of you, ſo that you are convinced of it; and then examine whether you fall ſhort in nothing, whether you come fully up to the obedience and the practice of it: whether you keep the Word entirely, ſo that you do not fail in any thing adviſedly and cuſtomarily, of which your underſtandings are informed, and which you know to be a duty. Tell me Beloved, is there no ſuch thing? is the Conſcience quiet now? doth it lay nothing to your charge? no neglect of any thing you ſhould have done? doth it not tell you that in this and that particular you know the rule, and yet you have not walked accordingly? In ſuch or ſuch a thing you have gone quite and clean againſt it. Brethren, if your hearts accuſe you, God is greater then your hearts, and knoweth all things. Go home and judge your ſelves for it: Commune with your hearts and ſay, Herein I ſee I have been faulty; I have not kept the Word of God, my practice hath not been in every point according to the Rule; no, I have failed in this and that and the other thing: But now I am reſolved in good earneſt, by the grace of Jeſus Chriſt to take another courſe as far as it is poſſible; I will not ſwerve a whit, nor vary in my converſation from the Word of God. This I acknowledge I have done, which I know well enough I ought not to have done. This, I confeſs, I have neglected, which I know I ſhould have done, but now it ſhall be ſo no more. My aim ſhall be to keep the Word, as far as humane weakneſs and infirmity will ſuffer, wholly and entirely. Thus you muſt do if you will make it to appear, that Chriſt hath any ſhare in you.
As you muſt keep the Word wholly, ſo you muſt keep it cordially too. As you muſt obey it all, ſo you muſt obey it all with all the heart: Your obedience to the Word muſt flow from principles of heartineſs and love with…n, and not from baſe reſpects and ends without. And this is that which the Apoſtle teſtifies of the Romans, Rom. 6.17. Ye have obeyed from the heart (ſaith he) the form of Doctrine that hath been delivered to you, or whereto you were delivered, as it is rendred in the margent; you have obeyed it, and you have obeyed it from the heart; ſo that your obedience was voluntary, free, delightful; you found complacencie and pleaſure in it; you needed nothing elſe to carry and incline you to it, but the inward motion, diſpoſition, and affection of the heart: You had enough within you, to quicken you, and ſtir you up to the obedience of the Word of God. And thus it is with thoſe that are beſtowed on Jeſus Chriſt; they obey it heartily, while others do it meerly out of ſelf-ends: All their motives and inducements to the obedience which they yeild are from without; either they are drawn by force, or they are hired, or they are frighted to it. Their hearts meerly of themſelves do nothing with them in the buſineſs. Jehu was large enough in his obedience to the command and will of God, as to the matter of the things he did with reference to Ahabs houſe. To ſay the truth, he did all, every thing that God would have him; But he failed in this particular, he did nothing heartily, nothing out of love to God, but all for his own ends, and therefore all he did was worth nothing. See what an ample atteſtation he received from God himſelf, 2 King. 10.13. Thou haſt executed that which was right in my eyes, and haſt done to the houſe of Ahab according to all that was in my heart. He had not omitted any particular, and yet becauſe it was not cordially done for God, but meerly for himſelf, that he might bring about his own deſigns, he met with a revenge inſtead of a reward, as you may ſee Hoſ. 1.4. How far doth Artaxerxes go? Ezra 7.23. Whatſoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done. You ſee to what a paſs this Heathen Prince is brought, he will do any thing for God; any thing that he requires, let it be what it will, he will obey. But what is that which moves him to it? is it a principle of love to God, doth he do it heartily? No, it proceeds from noting elſe but fear of wrath and vengeance, as it is apparent in the latter member of the verſe, for why ſhould there be wrath upon the Realm of the King, and of his Sons?
Now I beſeech you, try your ſelves in this particular; you obey the Word of God, yea, and it may be you are large in your obedience, as to the matter of the thing required. But do you (as it is obſerved of the Romans) obey it from the heart, or from ſome other principle? if there is nothing elſe to move you, would your hearts carry you to this obedience? Have you that within you ſtill, that would hold you in from ſin and ſtir you up to duty, if there were no inducement from without? Can you ſay as David doth? Pſal. 10 8. Lord, I delight to do thy will, for thy Law is in my heart. Lord, we delight to pray, read, hear, perform religious duties; it is our meat and drink to do thy will, for thy Law is in our hearts; It is not written in our underſtandings only, but in our hearts and our affections, and this is that which makes obedience to it pleaſing and delightful to us. So that if you might be free from the injunctions and directions of the Word (with the ſervant in the Law) you would not value ſuch a libertie: You would not ſwear, and be unclean, and run out into all exceſs of ryot, if you might becauſe your ſpirits have by grace an inward contrariety and antipathy againſt it: you would not ceaſe to pray, and hear, and perform religious duties if you might, becauſe your ſpirits have an inward ſweet complacencie in theſe things. If you thus keep the Word, it is a ſign that you are Chriſts Diſciples.
As you muſt keep the Word wholly, and keep it cordially, ſo you muſt keep it conſtantly; you muſt keep it to the end, as the Prophet David ſpeaks, Pſal. 119.33. You muſt hold on in keeping it; you muſt perſiſt in your obedience to it, even to your lives end: that Chriſt may ſay at laſt concerning you, when you depart out of this world, and appear before his Father, Thou haſt given them to me, and they have kept thy word. And indeed to obey it for a time, and then to throw it off again, is not to keep it, but to loſe it. Alas how many ſuch are there among us, in theſe latter times, who for a while were very diligent, and Inſtant in the ſtudy of the Scriptures, ſeem'd to be very cautious and exact to frame their lives in every thing according to the word of God, ſo that they would not vary from it in the leaſt particular. Or if they found themſelves at any time, in any thing to ſwerve from the direction of the Rule, they would judge themſelves for it. But now the Word the rule it ſelf is laid aſide, as an unneceſſary and a uſeleſs thing, as if it were not worthy the keeping any longer; there is no care at all to walk by it: when there are groſs and horrid deviations from it, they are not looked upon as matter of Humiliation or Contrition in the leaſt degree. I wiſh that ſuch would ſeriouſly conſider with themſelves, how Chriſt ſhall own them in the latter day, how he ſhall plead before his Father for them, that they have kept his word.
Now, my Beloved, lay theſe things to heart, and never reſt till you have gotten this Character of thoſe that are beſtowed on Jeſus Chriſt, by the donation of the Father. Never ſatisfie your ſelves till you keep the Word of God in your lives by obeying it; till you keep it wholly, and till you keep it cordially, and till you keep it conſtantly: And then there is a bleſsing poured out upon you by the mouth of Chriſt himſelf, Bleſſed are they that hear the word of God and keep it, that is, that do not hear it only, but obey it. And to the ſame effect ſpeaks the Apoſtle James, Jam. 1.23. If as you look into the Law the word of God, and underſtand it, ſo you continue in it, and are doers of the work, not forgetful hearers of it, but doers of the work, you ſhall be bleſſed in the deed: And that you may attain this bleſſedneſs that follows thoſe that are obedient to the word, I ſhall give you ſome direction.
1. You muſt ſeek to God to teach you, though you may learn to know it, as that a Caſtaway may do, yet you can never learn to keep it any other way; you ſhall never keep the word in the obedience of your lives, unleſs God and Chriſt teach you. David was very ſenſible of this▪ and therefore poured out his prayer to the Lord, Pſal. 119.33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy ſtatutes, and I will keep it to the end. When thou thy ſelf haſt taught me once, and not before, I ſhall walk accordingly, I ſhall be obedient to it. It is not in the power of any in the world to teach a man to frame his life in every thing according to the word, unleſs God himſelf do it. But if he undertake it once, if he be pleaſed to be our Teacher, all is well. And this is that which the Apoſtle Paul inſinuates, Epheſ. 4.20. and in the following verſe, ye have not ſo learned Chriſt, (ſaith he) viz. to ſay and to profeſs that you are Chriſtians, and yet to live prophanely and licentiouſly, and lewdly ſtill, If ſo be that you have heard him, and been taught by him as the truth is in Jeſus. Why what doth he intend? what is it to be taught by him? he tells us in the following verſe, That you put off (touching the former converſation) the old man, and be renewed in the ſpirit of your mind, and put on the new man. It is ſuch a kind of teaching whereby we are transferred and brought to the obedience of it: And therefore if you do indeed deſire to have your lives conformed to the rule and Word of God, ſeek to Chriſt himſelf to teach you.
2. Be ſure to ſet your ſelves to the obedience of it, out of hand; Procraſtinations and delays will daſh all. It is obſerved of the Coloſsians, that they obeyed the Word from the day they heard of it, Col. 1.6. So you my Brethren, do you grow practical from this day. It may be you are now convinced of many things, you think of this and that, in which your practice is not anſwerable to the rule; you have ſecret inward motions, and it may be reſolutions to amend all, as David had, I have ſaid that I would keep thy Word, ſaith he to God, Pſal. 119.57. ſtrike now while it is hot; do as the ſame holy Prophet did, I made haſte and delayed not, ſaith he, to keep thy precepts, Pſal. 119.60. Aſſoon as I reſolved, I made haſte and ſet about it. If you have holy reſolutions wrought to practice any duty which you have hitherto neglected, up, and be doing preſently; do not permit ſuch reſolutions to grow cold, and die within you, leaſt you never have them more. I am perſwaded there are many ſouls in hell, who have purpoſed in many things to bring their practice to the Word, to abandon ſuch a ſin, and to ſet on ſuch a duty; they were reſolved upon the thing, but they could not do it yet, and ſo the Lord hath cut them off, and their delays have proved their ruine.
2. If you will keep the Word of God in your lives by obeying it, you muſt find out and mortifie the luſts that hinder you in this buſineſs, or if you do not ſo, you may reſolve on this and that, but ſurely it will come to nothing; and therefore if you have within you any holy purpoſes of coming nearer to the Rule, of leaving ſuch a ſin, or ſetting upon ſuch a duty, think now what luſt, or what corruption there is in you, that will be like to make this bleſſed reſolution fruſtrated in you, and ſet the edge of your Petitions of your humiliation againſt this; for if you do not this, you do nothing. Many men have been very well reſolved to walk according to the Word in many things; but when they come to act their reſolutions, there is ſome luſt or other that prevails againſt them, and this they do not mortifie, and ſo are able to do nothing. Well then my Brethren, you have purpoſes perhaps to keep the Word of God in ſuch and ſuch particulars: You are extreamly ſenſible that you have failed, but now it ſhall be ſo no more: I but there is ſome luſt, or other, a luſt of pride, or covetouſneſs, or uncleanneſs, which if it be not mortified will blaſt all; ſtrike that, and kill that, and then you may with comfort hope that you ſhall approve your ſelves, ſuch as are given up to Chriſt, in that you keep his Word.
And thus we have at length diſpatched the Character of thoſe who are beſtowed on Jeſus Chriſt by the donation of the Father; they are ſuch as keep his Word, that is, the Word of God the Father: So ſaith our Saviour here of his Apoſtles and Diſciples, they have kept thy Word.
Now in the following verſes he proceeds to ſhew how they were brought to keep the Word of God, and by what means it came to paſs, that they receive it, and believed it, and embraced it, and obeyed it. Why ſaith our Saviour, they did it upon this account, becauſe they were perſwaded and convinced, that it was the very word which I received of my Father to deliver. They knew for certain that it was not any thing which I (as man) deviſed and invented of my ſelf, but it was the very meſſage which my Father put into my mouth, and therefore they gave heed to it. Now they have known that all things, whatſoever thou haſt given me are of thee, for I have given unto them the words which thou gaveſt me, and they have received them, and have known ſurely that I came out from thee.
Now this (if you obſerve it well) is both expreſſed and amplified. Firſt it is nakedly expreſſed, Now they have known that all things whatſoever thou haſt given me are of thee. Then it is amplyfied in the ſucceeding verſe, For I have given unto them the words which thou gaveſt me, and they have received them, &c. And here our Saviour doth theſe two things: Firſt, he declares his own fidelity in the delivery of his meſſage from his Father to his people, for I have given to them the words which thou gaveſt me, thoſe very words and no others. And then he ſhews the iſſue and event of this faithfulneſs of his in his Apoſtles and Diſciples; and that eſpecially in two reſpects: Firſt with relation to the meſſage which he brought, they have received them, ſaith he, that is, the words which I delivered to them in thy Name. Secondly, then with relation to himſelf the Meſſenger, they have known ſurely that I came from thee, and they have believed that thou didſt ſend me. Let us at this time make a little entrance on this diſcovery of our Saviour as it is nakedly expreſſed. Now they have known that all things whatſoever thou haſt given me are of thee.
Theſe words as I have hinted formerly, my Brethren, are annexed to thoſe immediately before, which we have even now diſpatched, to ſhew the means and way by which our Saviours hearers came to keep the Word which he delivered to them from his Father. Why, ſaith our Saviour, this was a great inducement to it, becauſe they were perſwaded that it was of thee, that it was thy word indeed, and not my own. If I had ſpoken to them in my own Name, or brought my own word to them, they would never have received it. But this was that which made them keep thy word, becauſe they knew that it was thine. Now they have known that all things whatſoever thou haſt given me, (you muſt conceive it to deliver or declare to my Diſciples) or as it is explained in the following verſe, all the words which thou haſt given me are of thee. So that the point apparently ſuggeſted here is plainly thus:
DOCTRINE. They that will give the Word ſuch entertainment as it ought to have, muſt know for certain that it is the word of God.
Had not our Saviours hearers been convinced of this, had they conceived, and apprehended that it came from him meerly as he was a man, they would never have believed it, or embraced it, and obeyed it as they did. But this was that which made them keep it in the ſenſe that hath been ſaid: becauſe they knew that that which Chriſt delivered to them was the Word of God. And to this end it is that Chriſt is ſo exactly cautious to perſwade his hearers ſtill, that the meſſage which he brings them is not of or from himſelf, but from his Father. My doctrine is not mine ſaith he, but his that ſent me, Joh. 7.16. He that ſpeaketh of himſelf, he ſeeks his own glory; but he that ſeeks his glory that hath ſent him, the ſame is true, and no unrighteouſneſs is in him. And in the following Chapter at the 28. verſe, As my Father hath taught me, ſo I ſpeak. Even as the Father ſaid to me, ſo I ſpeak, Joh. 12.50. The words that I ſpeak unto you, I ſpeak not of my ſelf, Joh. 14.10. And this he beats ſo much upon, to gain the better credit, and reſpect and entertainment to his Meſſage. By which he intimates that he could look for no acceptance, or regard among them, if that which he delivered to them were not Gods Word. It is obſervable in Nicodemus, that this was that which made him come to Chriſt, to hear him, and be taught by him, becauſe he was perſwaded that he was a Teacher come from God, as his own expreſſion is, John 3.2. that he had ſomewhat to deliver to him from the Lord. Had it not been for this perſwaſion he had never waited on him. And this was that which wrought upon the Theſſalonians, and brought them to a meet receiving of the Word, becauſe they looked upon it as the Word of God himſelf. So the Apoſtle teſtifies of them, 1 Theſ. 2.13. when ye received the Word which ye heard of us, ſaith he, ye received it not as the word of man, but as it is in truth the Word of God. If you had apprehended it to be the word of man, and not of God, you would not have regarded it, and entertained it as you did. But this was that which drew your hearts to ſuch an high account and eſtimation of it, becauſe you were perſwaded that it was in truth the Word of God; not in appearance only, and in the apprehenſions and conceits of men, but really in deed and truth the Word of God.
So that the point is plain, you ſee, They that will give, &c.
And there is ſuch reaſon for it, as amounts to demonſtration, Reaſon. the cleareſt and moſt evident that can be, viz. becauſe there is ſuch entertainment due to it, as nothing elſe can draw us to, but this perſwaſion that it is the Word of God. If we conceive it to be nothing but the word of man, this apprehenſion will never raiſe the heart to ſuch an eſtimation of it, to ſuch an acceptation of it as belongs to it: This will never draw the heart, to give it greater credence, or greater reverence or obedience then appertaineth to the word of man. Now this is infinitely ſhort of that which appertaineth to the Word of God. And therefore that we may come up to that, that we may give the Word ſuch entertainment as it ought to have, we muſt know for certain, that it is the Word of God, and this I ſhall exemplifie in many particulars.
1. Ye muſt know for certain that it is the Word of God, that we may give it ſuch entertainment as it ought to have in point of reverence. The Word of God muſt be received with holy fear: This carriage of the heart is due to that which hath ſo great and ſo divine an Author as God is; we ought to tremble at the Word of God, Iſa. 66.5. To hearken to it, not with an ordinary meaſure, but with a very high degree of fear; with ſuch a fear as worketh trembling. So did the Prophet Habakkuk, as you may ſee, Hab. 3.16. When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voyce, rottenneſs was in my bones, and I trembled in my ſelf. And ſo the holy Prophet David, as he profeſſeth of himſelf, Pſal. 119.10. My heart trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements, (that is) of thy word, as ſome underſtand it. I fear and tremble at thy word, for that hath frequently the name of the Judgements of God, as you may ſee that place for inſtance, Pſal. 19.8. Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City, and the people not be afraid? it is the Prophets queſtion, Amos 3.6. By the City underſtand the Church of God; by the Trumpet, the word of God; and by the people, the hearers of this word: So that it is as if the Prophet ſhould have ſaid, Shall the word of God be pronounced, and the hearers not fear? as who ſhould ſay, that were a ſtrange and an incongruous thing indeed; So that you ſee they that will give the word ſuch entertainment as it ought to have, muſt hear it, and receive it with extraordinary fear and reverence. Now this they will never do, unleſs they know for certain, that it is the Word of God. If they be doubtful whether it be ſo, or if they look upon it as the word of man, they will be apt to diſregard it, and to give it no reſpect at all. Nothing but this perſwaſion that it is the Word of the Almighty, and the glorious God himſelf, will raiſe the heart to ſuch an high degree of fear and reverence as belongs to it. No other apprehenſion of it will prevail to this effect, but this alone will ſurely do it, as the Apoſtle Paul inſinuates, 1 Cor. 14.24. If there come in an unbeleiver or unlearned perſon, he is convinced, he is judged, the ſecrets of his heart are manifeſted by the word, ſaith the Apoſtle there. And what follows? So falling down upon his face, he will worſhip God and ſay, that God is in you of a truth: when he perceives that God is in you, that you ſpeak from God, that that which you deliver is the word of God, then he will fear and tremble and fall down and worſhip God.
2. We muſt know for certain that it is word of God, that we may give it ſuch entertainment as it ought to have, in point of credit and belief. For you muſt know my Brethren, that we owe this ſpecial and peculiar honor to the word of God, beyond the word of any man, to give compleat and abſolute aſſent and credit to it. Though it be never ſo unlikely, never ſo much againſt appearance and above reaſon; yet when the Lord hath ſpoken it, when we have his word for it, we ought to make no doubt or queſtion of it. Thoſe truths which own him for the Author of them, do not admit of any doubtful diſquiſition, but rather call for abſolute belief: The very thoughts and cogitations muſt be captivated to faith, when it appears that God hath ſpoken. And therefore it is charged home on Iſrael, as a very great offence that they believed not his word, Pſal. 106.24. And on the other ſide it is obſerved to the praiſe of Nineveh, that they believed God, that is, the word of God, his Meſſage ſent them by the Prophet Jonah, Jonah 3.5. And yet it was a moſt unlikely one. VVhat probability that forty days ſhould put a period to all the happineſs and luſtre of ſuch a flouriſhing and famous City: However they believed it, becauſe it was the word of God. You ſee then what our duty is in this reſpect, to hear the word with abſolute belief, this is the entertainment which we ought to give it.
Now this it will not find amongſt us, unleſs we be perſwaded that it is the word of God; the word of man can never challenge this from us, for men are lyars, as the Prophet David ſpeaks, they are deceitful on the ballance. Though they give us good words, yet when we come to prove them, and to try them, many times they prove too light: Thoſe that we think are beſt to be believed among them, may deceive us; ſo that there is no reaſon in the world why we ſhould take what they deliver upon truſt, becauſe they deliver it. And therefore we are bid to ſift the doctrines and to try the ſpirits, becauſe there be that ſay, The Lord hath ſaid, when the Lord hath not ſpoken. But when the word appears to be of God, this apprehenſion and perſwaſion is enough to ſilence all objections, that in appearance may be made againſt it. This alone will raiſe the heart, to entertain it with that abſolute belief wherewith it ought to be received: while we remember that the God who is the Author of it, is the God of Truth, yea he is the Truth it ſelf: His ſaying always is a faithful ſaying, 1 Tim. 1.15. becauſe it is the ſaying of the faithful God, and therefore worthy of all acceptation.
3. We muſt know for certain that it is the word of God, that we may give it ſuch entertainment as it ought to have, in point of humble reſignation and ſubmiſſion to it. For this belongeth to the word of God, that we quarrel not againſt it, but that we juſtifie it and ſubmit to it. So it is ſaid of Johns hearers, Luk. 7.29, 30. All the people that heard him, juſtified God; yea the very Publicans, the worſt among them, as it is noted there in that place. So holy David, I eſteem all thy Commandements concerning all things to be right, Pſal. 119.128. yea he will have him always to be juſtified when he ſpeaketh, and clear even when he judgeth, Pſal. 51.4. when it is hardeſt to acquit him, and to ſtoop to him. So that you ſee, my Brethren, we muſt juſtifie the Lord in his reproofs and threatnings, how ſharp ſoever they may ſeem to be. As Rehoboam and the Princes did when they were ſharply menaced be the Prophet, they replyed not, they fretted not againſt him, but confeſſed the Lord is righteous, 2 Chron. 12.6. And Hezekiah when Iſaiah dealt ſo roundly with him in the Name of God, Good is the word of the Lord which thou haſt ſpoken, 2 King. 20.19. Yea, God requireth this of all his people, that they ſay Amen to every Curſe of his, and that they ſet their ſeal to it, as you may ſee, Deut. 27.26.
This is the entertainment which we ought to give the word of God in this reſpect, meekly and humbly to ſubmit to it, even when it ſeemeth to be moſt againſt us; and not ſo much as once to mutter or repine at it. Now this we ſhall not do unleſs we look upon it as the word of God. Nothing but ſuch an apprehenſion of it will bring the heart to ſuch a temper, and put the ſpirit into ſuch a frame as this is. That which comes to us under the notion of the word of man, will never be ſo yeilded to; No, the heart will boyl, and rage, and riſe againſt it. But when it hath the ſtamp of God upon it, it ſtoops the ſpirit to ſubmiſſion. Such entertainment (you may ſee) it found in Eli upon this account, It is the Lord: when Samuel who was then a child, declared to him what the Lord reſolved to bring upon him and his houſe, ſaith Eli, it becomes me to be humble and ſumit to this, and not to murmur and repine againſt it; for it is the Lord, 1 Sam. 3.18. As Hezekiah, Iſa. 38.15. What ſhall I ſay? for he hath ſaid it to me. And ſo in every truth that is delivered to us, in every precept that is laid upon us, in every reprehenſion that is given us, in every Commination that is thundred out againſt us, if we conſider with our ſelves, whoever be the meſſenger, it is the Lord that ſpeaketh this, it is the word of God and not of man, this and only this will make us in all humility to ſtoop to it.
4. We muſt know for certain that it is the word of God, that we may give it ſuch entertainment as it ought to have, in point of obedience. Herein the word of God is ſingular, it muſt be abſolutely and univerſally obeyed, and that not only with the outward but alſo with the inward man. It doth not only take command upon the members, but even the ſpirit and the conſcience muſt be ſubject to it. And that without delay, without queſtion, without exception, without reſervation; aſſoon as that which is delivered to us, appears to be the word of God, there is no room for diſputation, or expoſtulation, but obedience. All that the Lord Commandeth we muſt do, Exod. 1….8. if he command it, we muſt do it. This is the entertainment which we ought to give the word of God. The word of man can challenge no ſuch honour and reſpect from us. All the commands of men are limited, and are to be obeyed ſo far, and but ſo far as they agree with the commands of God, or elſe at leaſt as they are not repugnant to them. And conſequently while we look on any word as that which comes from man, or as that which is of man, we cannot yeild it ſuch obedience as is peculiar to the word of God. But when we know once that it is of God, when we are certain that he is the Author of it, we ſhall no longer think our ſelves at liberty to obey or diſobey. No, this perſwaſion will convince us, that it is abſolutely neceſſary to reſign our ſelves to the obedience of this word of his, who is ſuch a Law-giver as is able either to ſave or to deſtroy, and with whom every diſobedience receiveth a juſt recompence of reward.