Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 30
JOHN 17.11.
Holy Father, keep through thine own Name, &c.
AND thus of the tranſition to our Saviours ſupplication in the behalf of his Apoſtles and Diſciples, conſiſting of a heap of grand conſiderations that induced him to become a ſuitor for them to his Father.
Proceed we now to enter on the prayer which he makes for them. 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, is mentioned by his title, and his attribute. His title here, you ſee, is Father, and his attribute is holy. Holy Father; The ſweeteſt title, and the choiceſt attribute. As for the firſt of theſe, the title that begins the object of his ſupplication here, is Father. So he ſtiles him in the entrance of his Prayer, and the ſame phraſe he uſes all along, as you ſhall ſee if you ſurvey it, from the beginning to the end. Indeed he gives him once the attribute of holy, as you have it in my Text and once the attribute of righteous Father, at the 25. verſe. But this is ſtill the appellation that he uſes, and from whence he never varies. If he call 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. Thus he begins his prayer for himſelf in the firſt verſe of the Chapter, Father, glorifie thy Son: And thus alſo he begins his prayer in behalf of his Apoſtles and Diſciples in my Text, Father, keep them through thy own Name: So that you ſee our Saviour looks upon him as a Father ſtill, when he is pouring out his prayer to him, either for himſelf, or others. And this would yeild us matter of very good conſideration, but that it hath been very largely handled heretofore. And therefore I ſhall paſs on from the title Father, unto the attribute our Saviour gives him here, and that is holy.
But wherefore doth our Saviour mention this rather then any other attribute of God, on this occaſion why might he not have ſaid aſwell Almighty, or Eternal, or Merciful, or Gratious Father? the ſpecial reaſon why he chooſes this Expreſſion (as far as I conceive) cannot be clearly and undoubtedly reſolved. Indeed he prays for holineſs for his Apoſtles and Diſciples afterwards, and therefore it was congruous he ſhould ſeek it of his Father under the notion of a holy God, who is holy in himſelf, and who is alſo the hallower and ſanctifier of his people. But ſeeing there are divers other things in his Petitions, this doth not ſeem of weight enough to bind him up to this Expreſſion. Once, this is clear and manifeſt that he picks out this attribute of God among the reſt; and whereas many other lay before him, he fixes upon this only; He comes to God in Prayer by the name of Holy Father. The thing is evident, though the particular conſideration that induced him to it, be unknown. So that this obſervation we may ſafely pitch upon.
DOCTRINE. As God it holy in himſelf, ſo Jeſus Chriſt came to him as a holy God, and looked upon him as a holy God, when he was making his Petitions to him.
The point you ſee, hath two branches. Firſt, God is holy in himſelf; Then Jeſus Chriſt came to him as a holy God, and looked upon him as a holy God, when he was making his Petitions to him. I ſhall purſue them in their order.
God is holy in himſelf; ſo he is ſtiled in my Text, you ſee, and that by Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, who, of all others in the world, is beſt acquainted with his nature, for he came forth out of the boſom of the Father. Indeed it is the attribute that he delighteth in, and therefore he is called the Holy One foreign, very often in the Scripture, to ſhew that he excells in this regard; ſo that however there be many others that are holy in a meaſure, yet he is the Holy One; there is not one ſo holy as he is; And he is known in the Old Teſtament by the name of the Holy One of Iſrael, which is aſcribed to him more then thirty times. The Seraphims which ſtood before the Throne, Iſa. 6.3. cryed out three times a row, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hoſts. And ſo accordingly the Beaſts that ſtand about the Throne, Apoc. 4.8. reſt not day and night, ſaying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty. To ſhew that God tranſcends in holineſs, he is ſuperlative in this regard; for ſo thrice holy in ſome Languages is moſt holy. To ſay the truth, this is the attribute that makes him glorious; He is great in power, fearful in praiſes, but he is glorious in holineſs, Exod. 15.11. In this reſpect he is a None-ſuch; none to be compared with him, none like him, not among men only, but among the Gods too. Who is like to thee O Lord, among the gods, glorious in holineſs, fearful in praiſes, doing wonders! And hence he glories in his holineſs, and ſwears by it. Even as the great men of the world are wont to ſwear upon their honor, becauſe it is eſteemed among them the moſt ſacred and inviolable thing: So God you ſee, my Brethren, ſwears by his holineſs, Pſal. 29.35. Once have I ſworn by my holineſs, ſaith God: Once for all, and by my holineſs, having no better or more pretious thing to ſwear by. Let me no longer be eſteemed a holy God, and that I would be very loth, then I inviolably keep the Covenant that I have made to David in my truth.
So that you ſee the former member of the point is firm, God is holy in himſelf.
Now for the ſecond branch, that Jeſus Chriſt came to him as a holy God, and looked upon him as a holy God when he was making his Petitions to him, you ſee it evidently in the Text, this is the appellation that he gives him, Holy Father; His thoughts are taken up it ſeems, more with the holineſs of God, then any other of his attributes, while he is pouring out his prayers to him.
I ſhall not undertake to ſhew why he did ſo, he had his reaſons in his own breaſt, and in his own boſom. Only this is probable, that he did it that he might be an Example, and a preſident to us, that we might learn of him to do as he did; That when we are approaching to the Throne of Grace we might be very much poſſeſſed with deep and ſerious contemplations of the holineſs of God. I ſhall adde no more for proof, but haſten to the Application.
Now is it ſo, that even as God is holy in himſelf, ſo Jeſus Chriſt came Ʋſe 1 to him as a holy God, and looked, &c. Then let us learn of Jeſus Chriſt, how to behave our ſelves when we are making our addreſſes to the Majeſty of God, and pouring out prayers to him. We are exhorted very often in the Scripture to be followers of Chriſt, and ſo to walk and act as we have him for an Example. In all his imitable ways and actions, his practice ought to be a rule to us. And therefore let us labour to conform our ſelves to Jeſus Chriſt in this particular, when we are drawing nigh to God in prayer, let our thoughts be taken up with meditations of his holineſs, let them work much upon this attribute of his. Indeed the Saints of the Old Teſtament, when they ſet God upon his Throne, and clothe him with his Majeſty and glory, (as they uſe to do in the beginnings of their prayers) do ſeem to take more notice of other attributes of God, of his power, of his dreadfulneſs, his righteouſneſs, his faithfulneſs, his truth, his mercy, then his holineſs. But under the New Teſtament you know, God hath been ſerved & worſhipped in a more ſpiritual way, and here we have the High Prieſt of our profeſſion Jeſus Chriſt, the moſt unparalleld and matchleſs pattern teaching us by his example, to exerciſe our thoughts upon the holineſs of God, when we are making our approaches to him: And therefore when at any time we ſet our ſelves to pray, let us endevour to affect our ſelves, and to be taken up with deep conſiderations of this attribute of his.
Let our moſt working apprehenſions fix upon his holineſs, and make a deep impreſſion of it in our hearts, that we may carry it along throughout, from the beginning of our ſupplications to the end. It will be ſingularly uſeful to us as I ſhall ſhew you in a few particulars.
1. It will help exceedingly to frame our hearts to put them into ſuch a poſture as the Lord delights in. It's true, the meditation of other of the attributes of God, hath its work upon our ſpirits when we are drawing nigh unto him: But this, me thinks, hath ſomewhat proper and peculiar to it ſelf further and beyond the reſt. It's true, the apprehenſion of the Mercy of the Lord will make us to have comfortable cheerful hearts; the apprehenſion of his truth and faithfulneſs will make us to have bold couragious hearts; the apprehenſion of his power and greatneſs will make us to have trembling and awful hearts: But now the apprehenſion of his holineſs, will make us to have holy hearts, that ſo we may be like him whom we are making our addreſſes to: And holineſs alone compriſes all that hath been ſaid, and much more; our cheerfulneſs, our confidence, our reverence in prayer, are all but parts of holineſs: A holy frame of heart involves and comprehendeth in it all this, and more beſides then we are able to expreſs. Indeed what ever God takes pleaſure in, as to the temper of his people when they are pouring out their prayers to him, is all contained under holineſs: Let them come with holy hearts, and all is well; and this they ſhall the better do, if they conſider with what an infinitely holy God they have to do. Oh, this will raiſe the heart if it be duly weighed, to ſuch a ſweet and pretious frame, that it will be no longer earthly, it will be fit to have Communion with the holy God: And therefore David preſſes the Conſideration of this attribute of God, in thoſe whom he exhorts to worſhip him, by way of preparation to that great buſineſs, Pſal. 99.9. Exalt the Lord our God, and worſhip at his holy hill, for the Lord our God is holy.
2. The meditation of the holineſs of God, will quicken us, and ſtir us up as far as it is poſſible, to cleanſe our ſelves from every ſin when we are making our approaches to him. For ſin, my Brethren, is againſt his holineſs, yea in directeſt oppoſition: And therefore it is known by the name of filthineſs and uncleanneſs in the Scripture. Not only whoredom, and adultery, and fornication, and ſins of that kind are unclean, as they are called uncleanneſs in the abſtract, but ſin is generally ſo, as you may ſee that place for inſtance, 2 Cor. 7.1. And hence it is, my Brethren, that it is ſo odious to the Lord, there being nothing in the world ſo contrary and ſo oppoſite to him and to his Nature, as ſin is: No man in the world hates any thing, no mans heart abhors, and loaths, and riſes againſt any thing, as the Lords againſt ſin: By reaſon of his pureneſs and his holineſs, he cannot brook it, Hab. 1.13. he is not able to endure it: He ſeems, me thinks, to ſhut his eyes, and to cry out to his people, Oh do not this abominable thing which I hate: And therefore when men will not hold, but commit it, the infinitely holy God is vexed and troubled out of all meaſure; ſo he is repreſented in the Scripture, Iſa. 63.10. They rebelled againſt him, ſaith the Prophet, and they vexed his holy Spirit. Becauſe he was ſo holy, he was vext the more at ſin, which was ſo filthy.
And truly, my Beloved, if we did ſeriouſly conſider the holineſs of God when we are about to pray, we would not dare to bring this filthy thing into his preſence, which is ſo contrary to this attribute of his, and conſequently is ſo odious and deteſtable to him. At leaſt we would endeavour to the utmoſt of our power to cleanſe our ſelves from all the filthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit, to waſh our hands and hearts in Innocency (with holy David) and ſo to compaſs Gods Atar, to offer up the Incenſe of our prayers to him. Oh we would ſhake and quiver every joint to think of coming to the Holy God, in the midſt of our pollutions, unpurged and unhumbled for. We would conſider with our ſelves, What will the Lord ſay to me when he ſees me in his preſence, ſo defiled? How will he look on ſuch a filthy and abominable wretch as I am? how is it poſſible but he ſhould hide his eyes from me, when he perceives the hands that I ſpread forth before him are ſo full of gore and blood? how can he chooſe but loath me and abhor me? Do I expect to find favour in his eyes, and come before him with that which he ſo abhors, as if I meant to vex him and provoke him? And therefore if we ever look to ſpeed with God in prayer, let us conſider what a holy God he is, and let us labour to be holy too. Let us be ſeparate from the remainder of the world (as he himſelf adviſes us, 2 Cor. 6 17.) and touch no unclean thing, and then we have his promiſe, that he will receive us.
The meditation of the holineſs of God, as it will be very uſefull to prepare us, and to make us fit for prayer, ſo it will be very helpfull to us, in the parts of prayer, and that both in confeſſion, and petition, and thankſgiving.
1. It will help to humble us in the confeſſion of our ſins. While we conſider that they are ſo filthy and unclean: and God upon the other ſide, whom we confeſs them to, ſo holy. This cannot chooſe (if it be duely weighed) but ſhame us wonderfully in the preſence of the Lord, that we have been, and are ſo filthy before ſuch an holy God. Indeed we ought to be aſhamed to commit iniquity, being ſuch an odious thing. The Lord hath planted ſhame in man, to be a bridle as it were to check him, to curb him, and to hold him in from ſinfull courſes. But if we have not been aſhamed in the commiſſion, we ought eſpecially to be aſhamed in the confeſſion, as God adviſes Iſrael, Be aſhamed and confounded for your own wayes. Ezek. 36.2. To review our ſins with ſhame, and to cry out as Daniel doth, Dan. 9.8. to us belongeth confuſion, &c. And Ezra in his ſad confeſſion, Ezra 9.6. Oh my God, I bluſh (ſaith he) and am aſhamed to lift up my face to thee. We ſhould remember our evil wayes and our doings that are not good, and loath our ſelves for our abominations, Ezek. 36.30. we ſhould remember and be confounded, and never open our mouths any more becauſe of our ſhame. We ſhould caſt aſhes on our heads, and rent our hearts, and cry unclean unclean, Lev. 13.45. And there is no one thing that will confound and ſhame us more then the conſideration of the matchleſs purity and holineſs of God, whom by our ſins we h…ve offended. Oh this will make us wonder that he ſhould endure ſuch filthy perſons in his preſence!
2. As it will humble us in the confeſſion of our ſins, ſo it will encourage us in our petitions for the cure of ſin. As it will make us low in our confeſſions, ſo it will make us high in our petitions. For how is ſin, which is uncleanneſs removed and cured in any of us, but by holineſs? And is it not a comfort to us when we are making our requeſts for holineſs, that we are praying to the Holy God? who is holy in himſelf, and who is the original of all the holineſs that is communicated to the Creature, who is the Sanctifier of his people. Is it not comfortable that when we come to draw, that we are at the Well-head? If you obſerve, it is the great petition that our Saviour hath to make in the behalf of his Apoſtles and Diſciples, verſe 17. Sanctifie them with thy truth, and this he proſecutes throughout. And therefore he begins his prayer for them, Holy Father.
3. It will enlarge us in our thankſgivings to the Lord for holineſs, when we conſider whence it came, and by whom it was beſtowed. We ſhall ſee what cauſe we have to praiſe the Lord, the Donor and Diſpenſer of it: As David intimateth in that memorable place to this purpoſe, Pſal. 97.12. Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous, (ye that are ſanctified, ye that are holy,) and give thanks at the remembrance of his Holineſs. And yet again, Pſal. 30.4. Sing unto the Lord, O ye Saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holineſs.
And thus far of the Object of our Saviours Prayer, as he is mentioned by his title Father, and his attribute Holy, Holy Father. Proceed we now to enter on the parts of it.
There are two things eſpecially for which our Saviour is a ſuitor to his Father, in the behalf of his Apoſtles and Diſciples; Preſervation and Sanctification. To theſe may be reduced and referred all that he deſires for them, preſervation in my text, and onward to ver. 17. Sanctification in the reſt that follow.
Firſt he deſireth preſervation, Keep them through thy own name. And this deſire of his, he backs eſpecially with two reaſons, and they are weighty and of great importance. Firſt he would have his Father keep them now, becauſe he himſelf had kept them, and kept them very ſafe till now. While I was with them in the world, ſaith he, I kept them; and none of them is loſt, but the Son of perdition, but he who was deſigned to be loſt. And now I come to thee, ſaith Chriſt, I am to be no more among them, and therefore I beſeech thee now receive them into thy ſpecial care and tuition. Here I reſign them ſafe, and whole, and ſound to thee, I pray thee keep them henceforward as well as I have done to this time. Secondly he would have his Father keep them, becauſe they were in ſuch a dangerous place, where they were in great peril every day, and every hour, where they were hated and maligned upon all hand, and that for the truths ſake. I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, and ſo on. And therefore I beſeech thee Father, look to them, and keep them from the evil, as it is added in the next verſe. The evil of fault, and the evil of pain. Some other things are interpoſed and touched incidentally, which ſhall be handled in their places.
The thing deſired, is firſt in order to be handled, before we pitch upon the Arguments and Reaſons with which our Saviour preſſeth and enforceth this deſire of his; and this, as we have heard, is preſervation. And here we have to be conſidered two things: Firſt the means by which our Saviour here deſires that his Apoſtles and Diſciples might be kept, and that is by or through his Fathers name. Holy Father, keep through thy own name, thoſe whom thou haſt given me. And Secondly the end for which he prayes they might be kept, that they may be one as we are. So that you ſee the ſupplication of our Saviour Chriſt is full, he prayes both for the Means and End, deſireth that the end might be attained for them by the means.
Begin we with the means by which our Saviour here deſires that his Apoſtles and Diſciples might be kept, and that is through his Fathers name. Holy Father, keep through thine own name, thoſe whom thou haſt given me.
The name of God is generally taken for any thing that makes him known to men, as one man is diſtinguiſhed from another by his name: Particularly it imports ſometimes the attributes of God, now one and then another of them. Sometimes his attribute of mercy, as that is called the name of God, Exod. 34.5, 6. The Lord deſcended in a Cloud, and there proclaimed the name of God. And what was that? The Lord, the Lord God mercifull and gratious, and long-ſuffering, and abundant in goodneſs and truth: Keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſsion and ſin. Sometimes his attribute of Juſtice, as that is alſo called his name in the very ſame place, who will by no means clear the guilty, viſiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children, and upon the childrens children, unto the third and fourth generation. Sometimes his attribute of Power is intimated by his name, as you may ſee that place for inſtance, Pſal. 20.1. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble, the name of the God of Jacob defend thee, that is, the power of God defend thee. And this is that by which our Saviour prayes, that his, Apoſtles and Diſciples might be kept, keep them through thy own name, that is; through thy own power. And ſo accordingly the point to be obſerved, is this.
DOCTRINE. They that belong to Jeſus Chriſt, as long at they remain in this world, are kept by the Almighty power of God himſelf.
It is the prayer of our Saviour for them, in my text you ſee, Holy Father, keep them through thy own name, whom thou haſt given me, and therefore out of queſtion they are kept by that name, the almighty power of God. For Jeſus Chriſt is alwayes heard in every thing for which he is a Suitor to his Father.
So that his people are as ſafe as the power of God can make them. They are committed by him to his Fathers Cuſtody, and he is able very well to keep that which is committed to him, as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks, 2 Tim. 1.12. And this is clearly intimated in our Saviours ſpeech, John 10.29. with reference to his people, My Father which gave them me is greater then all. Greater, in what regard? greater in place and dignity? No my beloved, greater in power and in ability. And therefore it is added preſently, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand. Many are willing, but none is able becauſe his power is infinitely greater then theirs is. So in another place, he ſhall be holden up, Rom. 14.4. he that is weak ſhall be held up; how ſo? For God is able to make him ſtand. And Jude to the ſame purpoſe, he is able to keep us from falling, verſe 24. you ſee our preſervation and ſupport is ſtill aſcribed to the power and ability of God, by which it is apparent what guards us, that we are kept, and kept ſafe by that power. That of the Apoſtle Peter is expreſs and full, ſo that we need to add no more for confirmation, we are kept by the power of God, ſaith he, through faith unto ſalvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. The point is plain, They that belong, &c.
Now to open this a little, becauſe you do not ſee it in the full extent of it, you muſt conceive that ſuch as appertain to Jeſus Chriſt, are kept by the almighty power of God; Eſpecially two wayes. Either by the power of God in them, or by the power of God for them. Either by the power of God aſſiſting, or by the power of God protecting. Either by the power of God within them ſtrengthening, or by the power of God without them guarding and defending. I ſhall ſpeak to theſe in order.
They that belong to Jeſus Chriſt are kept by the Almighty power of God in them; aſſiſting them and ſtrengthning them, and fortifying them to ſtand, and to hold out, both in temptations and afflictions. Man is by nature foreign a feeble and infirm thing. So weakned and enfeebled with his fail, that of himſelf he is able to do nothing. And therefore God communicates his own tranſcendent power to ſuch as he intends to keep and to preſerve, ſo far as they are capable of it. And thus however they be weak in themſelves, yet they are ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Eph. 6.10. He ſtands by and ſtrengthens them, 2 Tim. 4.17. And of this inward ſtrengthning it is that the Apoſtle ſpeaks. Col. 1.11. Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power, that is the power of God himſelf, which he gives in to his people, and ſo corroborates them, makes them ſtrong as Oaks, to bear the burthen that is laid upon them. For if you mark it, the Apoſtle ſaith not, the power of God bears our afflictions, reſiſts and overcomes our temptations for us but we are ſtrengthened by his glorious power to both theſe. And God is able, ſaith the ſame Apoſtle, to do abundantly according to his power that worketh in us, Eph. 3.20. Obſerve it well; not his power that worketh for us, but his power that worketh in us, and that makes us able. So that you ſee my brethren, it is an infuſed thing, there goes forth power and vertue from the Lord to us, and becomes inherent in us. Not as one friend may help another that is weak, with an external ſuccour and ſupport, bearing his heavy burthen for him, but giving him ability himſelf to bear it. Even as a man that hath been much enfeebled with along ſickneſs, and being now recovered in a meaſure, and his malignant humours purged away, encreaſeth every day in ſtrength: So we my Brethren, having been enfeebled by the fall, God makes us ſound and ſtrong again, enables us to do and ſuffer what he cals us to So that it is an inward and habitual power that we partake, infuſed into the ſoul by God. And God in this reſpect is ſtrong in us. His power is perfected, declared to be perfect in our weakneſs.
Now my beloved, to follow this a little further, this glorious power of his the Lord conveyeth into a Chriſtians ſoul through Jeſus Chriſt. The Father hath annointed him with the Holy Ghoſt and with power, as the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaks, Acts 10.38. And upon him the ſpirit of power doth reſt, as you have it in the Prophet, Iſa. 11.2. That ſo from him it might be given out to all his people. He is the Conduit-pipe through which the ſpirit and the graces of it run, obtaining them by vertue of his meritorious interceſſion from his Father, and ſo conveying them to every member, as he (by reaſon of his near communion with the manhood, being more deeply touched with the feeling of their wants) obſerveth their neceſsities to be. And ſo to every one of us is given grace; and what is grace but power to do, and power to ſuffer? power to ſtand out, and not to faint or yield in temptations or afflictions? Habitual grace is nothing but the inward ſtrengthening of the ſoul. To every one of us, I ſay is given grace, according to the meaſure of the gift of Chriſt, Eph. 4.2. that is as he is pleaſed to diſtribute.
And as this power proceeds originally from the Father by and through Jeſus Chriſt, ſo it is wrought immediatly by the Holy Ghoſt. And hence the ſtrength infuſed into a Chriſtians ſoul, is called the ſpirit of power, as you may ſee, 2 Tim. 1.7. Becauſe indeed it is wrought in us by the ſpirit. That place of the Apoſtle Paul is cleer and full to this purpoſe, Epheſ. 3.16. where he deſireth God in the behalf of that people, That he would grant them to be ſtrengthened with all might in the inner man. How ſo? Why by his ſpirit, as you may ſee in that place. And thus you ſee both that, and how they that belong to Jeſus Chriſt, are kept by the almighty power of God in them.
They that belong to Jeſus Chriſt, are alſo kept by the almighty power of God for them. For even as God is ſtrong in them, ſo he is alſo ſtrong for them. And as he makes them ſtrong, ſo he ſhews himſelf ſtrong in their behalf, as the Expreſſion is, 2 Chron. 16 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth, to ſhew himſelf ſtrong in the behalf of thoſe whoſe hearts are perfect with him. And thus they are preſerved and kept, not only by the power of God ſtrengthing and fortifying them within, but alſo by the power of God protecting them, and helping them without. And therefore it is ſaid the name of the Lord, that is, the power of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower, the righteous runneth to it and is ſafe, Prov. 18.10. Now ſecurity of any perſon that runneth to a Tower for ſhelter, conſiſts not in his own ſtrength, but in the ſtrength of the Tower he runs to. A ſtrong Tower will protect a weak man; if he can get within it he is ſafe. And ſuch a ſtong Tower is the name, the power of God for the ſafeguard of his people. And thus you ſee, he keeps us through his own name, his own power (according to our Saviours prayer in my text) in a way of protection, by giving outward help and ſuccour, when we are in great danger. And this outward help he gives us two wayes.
Firſt ſometimes immediately by his own power: he helpeth us himſelf by his own almighty arm, without the uſe of ſecond cauſes, and then his arm is made bare. He brings in ſuccour to his people, as he made the world of nothing, and therefore he is ſaid in Scripture, to create it, as you may ſee that place for inſtance, Iſa. 65.18. Be ye glad and rejoice for ever, in that which I create, for behold I create Jeruſalem a rejoycing, and her people a joy. And thus he kept his people in the fire, and in the water, and in the wilderneſs, where there were no means at all of preſervation, he did it meerly by his own name.
Secondly, Sometimes he helps and keeps his people mediately by his power communicated for that end to ſecond cauſes: He raiſes inſtruments of their delivery, and makes them able to relieve his people, as he did the Judges often. And as it is obſerved of David, when God was pleaſed to uſe him for the help of Iſrael, in a time of great diſtreſs, he furniſhed him with power ſufficient to go through with the buſineſs which he had deſigned him to. And therefore ſaith the Lord of that inſtrument of his, Pſal. 89.19, 20. I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one choſen out of the people, I have found David my ſervant, with my holy oil have I annointed him. Mighty he is to help indeed, but it is becauſe I have made him ſo, becauſe I have laid help upon him. And ſo he ſtirs up ſome continually to favour and relieve his people; he makes the earth ſometimes to help the woman, men that have nothing elſe but earth in them; but ſtill the power by which they help them is from him. Their power is his power, and therefore when his people are preſerved and kept by them, they are kept by his name, as you have it in my text, and his name muſt have the glory.
This ſhall ſuffice for explication of the point, they that belong to Jeſus Chriſt, are kept by the almighty power of God himſelf. And there is pregnant reaſon for it. For firſt of all, no other power but his will keep them, and his is every way ſufficient. And ſecondly his power is mightily engaged to keep them.
Reaſon 1 They that belong to Jeſus Chriſt are kept, &c. becauſe no other power but his will keep them. Kept they muſt be, and none but this alone will do it. Alas the adverſaries power that is againſt them, is abundantly too ſtrong for any power that can appear for them, but that of the almighty God himſelf. The power of all the world, and all the ſtrong temptations that are in it, of pleaſure, profit, honour, which is bent againſt the Saints, you will conceive to be a great matter: Yet this is nothing in compariſon; this is the leaſt part of their danger. What think you of the power of all the luſts and the corruptions that are in them, that are continually raging, warring? Who is able of himſelf to overpower and maſter theſe? What think you of the power of Satan, and his black confederates, the power of darkneſs, as it is ſtiled in the Scripture? All the united ſtrength of hell it ſelf? nothing but the power of heaven is able to out wreſtle this: and they that will ſtruggle with it, had need be ſtrengthned by that glorious power.
And hence our Saviour places the ſecurity of his Diſciples in this That they are kept by him that is greater then all, John 10.29. That is, of greater ſtrength, as I have ſhewed, ſo that none can pluck them out of his hand.
Reaſon 2 They that belong to Jeſus Chriſt, are kept, &c. becauſe as no other power can keep them, ſo this is mightily engaged to be for them: And that eſpecially two wayes, by the Sons prayer, and the Fathers promiſe.
1. By the Sons prayer, and that muſt not be denyed; For this we need to go no further then my text; Holy Father keep them through thy own name. It was one of the laſt requeſts he made when he was taking leave of this world, and therefore certainly it was ſucceſsfull. Simon, Simon, ſaith our Saviour, Satan hath deſired to winnow thee as wheat. But how is Peter kept now? Why by our Saviours interceſsion, I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not.
2. By the Fathers promiſe; he hath engaged himſelf by promiſe to his people many times, that his power ſhall be for them. The Covenant is a Conſtellation, and a heap of promiſes, and he is a God in Covenant with them. So that as he himſelf is theirs, ſo all his attributes are theirs too. His mercy to forgive them, his juſtice to avenge them, his power to keep them.
The Romans were in league with many people, and if thoſe people were in danger, they were obliged in point of honour to defend them; And ſo they did with as much diligence and care as they did their own City. Even thus it is between the Lord and his people; he is in League and Covenant with them, and he hath undertaken their protection: And therefore if they be in any ſtreight, he is bound in point of honour to ſet his power on work to ſave them: And hence it is that they are kept by the almighty power of God as long as they remain in this world.