Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 46
JOHN. 17.20.
But for them alſo that ſhall believe on me through their word.
VVE are at length arrived at the third particular conſidered in the words, viz. The inſtrumental means of their believing, whom our Saviour prayes for in my Text, Neither pray I for theſe alone, but for them alſo that ſhall believe on me through their word. There hath been noted, as you may remember, the time of their believing, not the preſent, but the future time, they ſhall believe; The Object of it Jeſus Chriſt; The inſtrumental means of it, through their word.
Through their word; through whoſe word? why through the Apoſtles word, for whom our Saviour is a Suitor to his Father in the foregoing parcell of his prayer, and addeth in my Text, Neither pray I for theſe only, but for them alſo that ſhall believe on me through their word. Their word, as the Publiſhers and Pen-men of it, not their word as the Authors of it; For the Apoſtles were the Preachers and the Writers, though not the Authors of the Goſpel. This word our Saviour makes the inſtrument of faith in this place. Mark it, not the Prophets word, but the Apoſtles word; Their word. Them that ſhall believe on me through their word. So that you ſee
DOCTRINE. It is the Goſpel word that maks believers; the Goſpel is the inſtrumental means of faith.
If faith be wrought in any ſoul, it is by the Apoſtles word, the word of the New Teſtament, not of the Old; Of the New Covenant, not of the Old; In brief, not of the Law, but of the Goſpel: And this is that which the Apoſtle ſhews expreſly, Rom. 10.15, 16, 17. How beautifull are the feet of them, ſaith he, that preach the Goſpel! But they have not believed the Goſpel. For Iſaiah ſaid, Who hath believed our Report? So then faith comes by hearing, viz. by hearing of the Goſpel. And hence the Goſpel is ſaid to be the power of God unto ſalvation, to every one that believeth, Rom. 1.16.
Q.But what then, hath the Law no hand at all in the working faith?
A.No hand in working it, but only in preparing to the work. Indeed it ſhews a man his ſin and his tranſgreſſion; it empties him of all opin on of himſelf; it humbles him, and layes him low, and ſo it makes him fit to cloſe with Jeſus Chriſt by faith, as the Apoſtle ſhews, Gal. 3.24. The Law was our Schoolmaſter to bring us to Chriſt, that we might be juſtified by faith. John Baptiſts rough rigid Miniſtry muſt prepare the way for Chriſt. He muſt be like a Pioner to go before, to bring down every high exalted thought, to make the Mountains levell with the Vallies. The Law muſt bite and ſting men with the curſes and the terrors of it, and ſo work inclinations in them to look up to Jeſus Chriſt who is the brazen Serpents Antitype erected in the Goſpel.
And this is all the Law can do, it can but fit a man for Jeſus Chriſt, and prepare a man for faith, which is indeed and properly effected in him by the Goſpel. This is the royall and triumphant Chariot in which the Son of God comes riding gloriouſly into the ſoul, and ſo dwelleth there by faith, as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks, Eph. 3.17. And hence the Goſpel hath the name of faith in Scripture, as you may ſee that place for inſtance, Gal. 1.23. becauſe it worketh faith in the hearts of Gods people.
Is it the Goſpel word that makes believers? Then ſurely they are in Ʋſe 1 an infinitely ſad Condition who want the Goſpel, who want it wilfully, as the Jews do, and have done many hundred years. They have it, but they put it from them, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks. They receive the Prophets words, but they receive not the Apoſtles words. And how then ſhould they believe through their word? And there are others in the world who want it neceſſarily or of neceſſity, and through the juſt ſeverity and righteous judgement of the Lord upon them. Many perſons, many Nations are in this lamentable caſe to this day. They have no Goſpel, and ſo no means at all to work faith in them, without which there is no ſalvation; No, they are ſhut up under unbelief, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 11.32. God hath concluded them in that condition. There they are, and there is no coming out, the door of wrath is ſhut upon them, whoſe miſerable caſe in bowels of compaſſion we have cauſe to pitty, though they pitty not themſelves.
Is it the Goſpel word that makes believers? then certainly it is no Ʋſe 2 other word that is the means or ground of faith. We have a company of men in our times that believe ſtrange things, that bottom faith upon a ſtrange foundation, Revelations and diſcoveries of a ſpirit that hath no commerce at all, no agreement with the Goſpel: let the Apoſtles word be what it will, if they have another word from that which they conceive to be the ſpirit of God, they believe that, and not this; whereas the ſpirit that brings men any other Goſpel then that which the Apoſtles taught, though he come from heaven it ſelf, ought not to be believed, but accurſed. And yet alas how confident have many been in their aſſent to ſuch diſcoveries as have been clear againſt the Goſpel, and againſt the Apoſtles words? Ah, my beloved, this is not revelation, but deluſion; this is not faith, but unbelief. Our Saviour ſpeaking in my Text of all that ſhould believe from that time in which he prayed to the end of the world, deſcribes them to be ſuch as ſhould believe through the Apoſtles word. Not through any other word but that of the Apoſtles only, that which they preached, and that which they writ, which they have left recorded in the Scripture. If any man believe through any other word, or any other revelation that accordeth not with this, he is none of Chriſts beleivers, none of them which he owns, none of them for which he prayes; I pray for them that ſhall believe on me through their word; For them and none but them. He that believes through any other word, you ſee, is out of Chriſts prayer.
Ʋſe 3 Is it the Apoſtles word, the Goſpels word that makes believers? you then that are as yet without faith, be hence prevailed withall to hear it, and to attend upon it. This is that which the creature can do (I mean by general influence of common Providence without any ſupernatural grace) and therefore this do you do. It is the word of faith, as I have ſhewed you formerly; and when the Lord is pleaſed to concurr with it, it worketh faith in thoſe that hear it. Its true, you are not able to convert your ſelves, or to believe in Jeſus Chriſt; but the Apoſtles word, the Goſpel is a fit inſtrument for this purpoſe: Faith comes by hearing, and therefore hear that you may believe. You that are ſtrangers to the life of faith, be you entreated and prevailed withall to put your ſelves under the powerfull preaching of the Goſpel, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, be ſwift to hear, lay hold on every opportunity to be partakers of this holy Ordinance, and then perhaps it may in time become a word of faith to you: Wait diligently on the doors of Wiſdoms houſe, liſten attentively to them that teach you Apoſtolical doctrine, and who knows but you may yet believe through their word?
And thus of Chriſts deſcription of the perſons for whom he here becomes a Suitor to his Father: Them which ſhall believe on me through their word.
Proceed we to the matter of the prayer which he makes for theſe perſons; And there are two main things that he deſires in their hehalf. Firſt that they may be one; next that they may be in one place together.
The firſt of theſe he propoſes in the verſe that I have read, and proſecutes in the ſucceeding verſes. 1. He propoſes it in the verſe that I have read, that they may all be one as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us. 2. And then he proſecutes this Suit of his with divers arguments and reaſons to ver. 24. as (God permitting) we ſhall ſee hereafter.
In the propoſal of this Suit of his, you may obſerve that it is both expeſſed and amplified. Firſt it is nakedly expreſſed in plain terms, that they may all be one. Secondly, then it is amplified by a Similitude in which our Saviour ſhews how he would have them to be one, as thou father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us. A ſtrange expreſſion if you look upon it with a ſuperficial view: That the Diſciples of our Saviour may be one in ſome reſpects, is very eaſie to imagine. But how they ſhould be one as God the Father and the Son are one: how they ſhould be in God and Chriſt, as they are in one another, is very hard to be conceived: Yet this is the expreſsion of our Saviour to his Father in my Text, That they may all be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us.
For clearing this, beloved, you muſt know, that [as] in Scripture many times is a note of ſimilitude, not of equality; It intimates the truth and the reality of that wherein likeneſs ſtands, and not the meaſure and degree. I might give many inſtances wherein that Particle is ſo taken. See Luke 6.36. Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull. It is impoſsible for any man to be as mercifull as God is, if you look to the degree; For as the heavens are higher then the earth, ſo are his thoughts above ours in this particular. But yet we may be mercifull as he is, though not as mercifull as he is. So in the Text our Saviour prayes for his Diſciples, That they may all be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us. The meaning is not that they may be one as nearly (that is impoſsible) but, as truly as we are: That as we are in one another, ſo they may (in ſome reſpect) be all in us. How and in what reſpect they may be ſo, I ſhall ſhew at large anon, in the mean time the point is this.
DOCTRINE. It is the will of Jeſus Chriſt that his Diſciples ſhould not only be one among themſelves, but that they alſo ſhould be one in God.
Indeed it is the will of Jeſus Chriſt that his Diſciples ſhould be one Ʋſe 4 among themſelves: That they ſhould be all one, as you have it in my Text: Indeed he ſhed his blood for this purpoſe, Eph. 2.14. that though they be of divers Nations (as for inſtance, Jews and Gentiles) yet they may be both one, as in the fore-alledged Scripture. He is our peace, ſaith the Apoſtle there, who hath made both one, having aboliſhed in his fleſh the enmity, to make in himſelf of twain (of Jews and Gentiles) one man. Though they be of divers places, ſome in heaven and ſome on earth; and though they that are on earth, are many of them many thouſand miles aſunder, yet he would have them to be all one. It is his project and deſign to gather all things into one, which are in heaven and which are in earth, as Epheſ. 1.10. But you will ask me, How can this be done, that they that are ſo diſtant ſhould be one?
I anſwer, Very eaſily, becauſe the bonds of this conjunction are not carnal but ſpiritual: So that they may be one, without a corporeal or local union. From him the head (ſaith the Apoſtle) all the body by joints and bands is knit together, Col. 2.19. Part of the body is in heaven, and part of it is on earth, and here ſome perſons are in one, ſome in another quarter of the earth: yet all the body ſo divided and ſo diſtant as you ſee, by joints and bands is knit together. And you will eaſily conceive it, when you conſider what theſe bands are.
1. They have all one ſpirit, and ſo in that reſpect are one. I ſpeak not of the ſpirit or ſoul of a man, but of the ſpirit of the Lord Chriſt, which being one, dwells in all the Saints at once, and ſo makes them one too; yea let them be as diſtant as they will. And as the formal reaſon of the union of the members of the body natural, conſiſteth not ſo much in contiguity as animation by the ſame ſoul; ſo that if any part be mortified, and if the ſoul give over to enliven it, it is no more to be eſteemed a member, notwithſtanding its external and corporeal inherence to the body: So though the Saints be far from one another in regard of place, yet they are cloſely knit together by the ſame ſpirit, being joyned to the Lord, they are all one ſpirit, and ſo indeed are all one.
2. They have all one faith, (one at leaſt in fundamentals) and one faith makes one, as Epheſ. 4.4, 5. They that are of many faiths in fundamentals, cannot come ſo cloſe together to be all one; and therefore Jeſus Chriſt when he aſcended up on high, gave gifts unto men for the work of the Miniſtry, and for the edifying of the body of Chriſt, till we all come, all, both Jews and Gentiles come, in the unity of the faith, &c. So that there is a unity in the faith you ſee; and to ſay truth, my Brethren, faith will make a union at a diſtance, as well as if the perſons joyned were all together: What doth th the corporal or local preſence of the parties contribute to the union that is made by faith, which is a ſpiritual and inviſible thing, and conſequently joineth in a ſpiritual and inviſible manner, which no diviſion or diſtance in regard of place can hinder?
3. They have all one heart, and one affection, and ſo in that reſpect are one. The multitude of believers were of one heart, Act. 4.32. Though they were multitudes, yet they had but one heart; and when there is but one heart, there is a great Oneſs. The underſtanding is the principle of ſpeculation, the heart the ſeat of love and of affection. And the Saints are ſo united and linked togther in affection, as if they had among them but one common principle of this affection, as if they had but one heart; and therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the faithful, ſaith, that they were knit together in love, Col. 2.2. The term there uſed importeth ſuch a knitting as is between the divers parts and peices of a building. For ſo the Saints, though there be Millions of them in the world, yet they are built up altogether to a ſpiritual houſe, 1 Pet. 2.5. And love is as it were the morter and the pins, the ligaments and tyes of the connexion; and elſewhere it is called a bond, Col. 3.10. Above all theſe things put on charity which is the bond of perfectneſs, with which we are perfectly joined together, 1 Cor. 1.10. Now love will make a union at a diſtance (as well as near at hand.) The nearneſs of the place (ſimply conſidered in it ſelf) contributes nothing to the nearneſs and to the ſtrength of the affection: No, love will reach a perſon at the other end of all the earth as well as if he were juſt by us, in the very next room, or in the very next dwelling.
You ſee both that, and how, it is the will of Jeſus Chriſt, that his Diſciples ſhould be one among themſelves, which is the firſt thing in the point.
But now there is a Second branch, he would not have them only to be one among themſelves, but he would have them alſo to be one in God. This is the ſpecial thing for which he is a Suitor to his Father in my Text, That they may be all one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us: Not one among themſelves alone, but one in us; which is indeed a very high thing.
Now that you may the better know what Chriſt intends in this particular, you muſt conſider that he ſpeaks to God the Father, as man and Mediator in this place: For he ſpeaks in prayer here; and conſequently when he ſaith, As thou Father art in me, and I in thee; he ſpeaks not of the union which is between his Father and himſelf as he is God: For in that conſideration the Father and the Son are ſo in one another, that they are the very ſame; The ſame Eſſence (for ſo the union is Identical) though they be not the ſame Perſon: And in this ſenſe it is impoſſible for Chriſts Diſciples to be ſo one in God and Chriſt, as God and Chriſt, the Father and the Son, are the one of them in the other.
Well then our Saviour ſpeaks here of the oneneſs which is between his Father and himſelf, as he is the Mediator, and as he is the Head of his Church: For ſo they are both one, as Jeſus Chriſt himſelf ſpeaks, Joh. 10.30. And in another place he uſes the very ſame expreſſion in my Text, and tells us that he is in the Father, and the Father in him, Joh. 14.10.
Now the Father is in Chriſt as he is Mediator of the Church, and Chriſt is in the Father in the ſame reſpect, that is, they are both one, eſpecially three ways.
1. By Hypoſtatical union of the Manhood to the Godhead in the Perſon of our Saviour; for the Manhood being joyned to the Godhead in the Perſon of the Son, it muſt be mediately joyned alſo to the Father, to whom the Son as God is joyned in the neareſt tye that can be. We have no higher phraſe you know my Brethren, to expreſs the cloſeſt union, then to affirm of two that they are one, they two are are one, and we cannot ſay more. There is a union between faithful friends, for there is one heart in two bodies, as the Philoſopher expreſſes it: There is a nearer union between man and wife, for they two are one fleſh, as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks, Epheſ. 5.31. and therefore they have one name. But there is the neareſt union between the Father and the Son: for they two have one Eſſence, one Nature, one Name: And ſo the Godhead being joined to the Manhood in the Perſon of our Saviour, that Manhood by and through that God-head muſt needs be neerly and indiſſolubly joyned to God the Father.
2. God the Father and the Son are one by dear affection. Thus they are in one another, and they live in one another (as it were) by inexpreſſible and tender love, which they bear to one another. How doth the Father love the Son beyond expreſſion, and that as he is Mediator? for under that capacity he ſpeaks of him, Iſa. 42.1. and he ſeems to glory in it, Behold my ſervant, mine Elect, in whom my ſoul delighteth! and in another place he gives this atteſtation out of heaven to him, Mat. 3 17. This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed, q. d. I have ſome other children that I love well, but This is my Beloved Son above the reſt, take notice of him, this is he. And hence he lays him in his boſome next his heart, Joh. 1.18. acquaints him with his counſels, tells his ſecrets to him, entruſts him with the revelation of them, ſets him in the higheſt place next to himſelf, advances him above, yea far above all principalities, and mights, and Dominions, and puts more honour on him then he doth on all the creatures: And hence the Son is often ſpeaking of the Fathers love to him: and on the other ſide profeſſes his affection to the Father, and he would have the world to know it too, Joh. 14.31. That the world may know that I love the Father, ſo do I. So that you ſee here is union of dear love.
3. The Father and the Son are one by unexpreſſable agreement and conſent together. Though they be divers, yet they never differ; No, they continually mind the ſame things, they will and nill the ſame things, love and hate the ſame things; and this agreement is between the Father and the Son, not only as the Son is God, but as the Son is Man and Mediator too. The will of Jeſus Chriſt as he is Man, in all reſpects accordeth and conſenteth with the will of God the Father. Or if it were not ſo, it muſt be ſinful and irregular; and therefore he ſubmitted ſtill, yea even in thoſe things which were againſt the Nature that he had aſſumed; Not my will, but thine be done.
And thus you ſee how the Father is in Chriſt as he is Man and Mediaator, and how Chriſt as Mediator is in God the Father, how they are both one, viz. by hypoſtatical union, by dear affection, by unexpreſſable agreement and conſent together.
Now we ſhall eaſily diſcover how he would have his Apoſtles to be one, in his Father and himſelf, which is the ſecond thing to be unfolded in the point. It is the will of Jeſus Chriſt, that his Diſciples ſhould not only be one among themſelves, but that they alſo ſhould be one in God, in the Father and the Son. This is the ſpecial thing for which he prays, That they may all be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us.
1. Then as the Father is in Chriſt as Mediator, and Chriſt as Mediator in the Father by the Hypoſtatical union: ſo Chriſt would have his Diſciples to be in both of them by the myſtical union: That as the Manhood of the Son is mediately in God the Father, in being joyned to the Godhead of the Son, which is one with God the Father; ſo we ſhould alſo be mediately in the Father, in being joyned to the Godhead and the Manhood in the Perſon of Chriſt: That we ſhould be in the Father by and through Jeſus Chriſt: And ſo indeed are all the members of the body myſtical, by reaſon of their union with the Lord Chriſt. Chriſt is one with God the Father, and we are one with Jeſus Chriſt; and therefore (in a ſenſe) we are one with God the Father; Jeſus Chriſt is in the Father, and we are in Jeſus Chriſt, Epheſ. 1.10. We all are gathered into one in him; and therefore we are alſo mediately in the Father: And hence it is that all the Saints are ſaid not only to be one among themſelves, and to be one in Chriſt, but alſo to be one in God the Father, as in my Text you ſee, I pray for them, ſaith Chriſt, that ſhall believe on me, that they may all be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us; not one among themſelves, but one in us. Not in me only, but in thee too; Not one in me, but one in us: So that you ſee, believers all of them are in the Father by the Son.
2. As God the Father and the Son are one by dear affection; ſo Chriſt would have all his Diſciples to be one both with the Father and himſelf in the very ſame manner: He would not have them only to be one among themſelves by love, but he would have them alſo to be one in God by love: He would have their hearts to live in his Father and himſelf by unexpreſſible and choice affection: That they ſhould find no reſt, no quiet anywhere but in God and Chriſt only: To be ſo cloſely and indiſſolubly joyned to the Father and himſelf, that nothing in the world ſhould be able to divide them, to ſeparate them from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord.
3. As God the Father and the Son are one by will and by conſent; ſo Chriſt would have all his Diſciples to be one with the Father and himſelf in the very ſame manner. And as the Father and the Son agree in every thing, and never differ in the leaſt degree; that which one wills, the other wills: So true believers ſhould agree in every thing, not among themſelves only, but with God and Chriſt too. God and Jeſus Chriſt and they ſhould ſo accord in every thing, that they ſhould be as it were all one. Look what God and Chriſt wills, aſſoon as it is manifeſted and revealed to them, they ſhould will the very ſame, yea though it be againſt them in their honours, profits, pleaſures, and delights. They ſhould conform their wills in all reſpects to the will of God and Chriſt. And even as Chriſt ſaid to the Father, Not my will, but thine be done: So we ſhould ſay to the Father and Son, Not our wills, but yours be done. As you agree together, ſo we agree in you; and then indeed, my Brethren, we are like to agree among our ſelves, when we agree in God and Chriſt, and when our wills are ſuitable to their wills: Or otherwiſe agreement without this is combination and not union. And therefore Chriſt deſiring that his Diſciples ſhould be one among themſelves, deſireth alſo that they might be one in God, in his Father and himſelf, That they may all be one as thou Father art in me, &c.
Now to deſcend to Application, and therein to proceed with all the Uſe 1 branches of the Explication in their order. Firſt, Is it the will of Jeſus Chriſt that his Diſciples ſhould be one in God, by the myſtical union? Here then you ſee the glorious priviledge of Chriſts Diſciples, of all that do indeed believe in him. The Scripture makes it a great matter to be nigh to God, and ſo it is indeed, my Brethren, a very bleſſed and a happy thing. What is it then, Beloved, to be in him, in the Father and the Son, as they are in one another? This is a priviledge to purpoſe, and carries high and glorious things in it, ſuch as we are not able to conceive, and much leſs are we able to expreſs. I ſhall endeavour according to the light I have, to lay them open to you in a few particulars.
This being in the Father and the Son, implies moſt intimate Communion with them both. It is very much, my Brethren, to be with them, to have fellowſhip with the Father and the Son, 1 Joh. 1.3. All of us are far from God, and far from Jeſus Chriſt by nature: we dwell a great way from them in a ſtrange Countrey, and ſo have no commerce with them; and when we are converted, we are ſaid in Scripture to be made nigh to them, Epheſ. 2.13. To have acceſs by one Spirit, to the Father and the Son, verſ. 17, 18. And this indeed importeth near and ſweet Communion with them, ſuch as the world is not acquainted with. But to be in them, importeth yet more near and cloſe Communion: Indeed the neareſt, and the cloſeſt, and moſt intimate that can be. It is much to be with God, with the Father and the Son; there muſt be heavenly communion if it were but ſo: But to be in them as they are in one another, this muſt needs be much more.
This being in the Father and the Son, importeth ſpecial intereſt in God. The greateſt intereſt that can be when we expreſs the intereſt that any man hath in ſuch or ſuch a great man, we uſe to ſay that he is in with him. And truly it is much to ſay that we are in with God the Father, and with Jeſus Chriſt, this is a very great matter; It ſhews that we have much of their regard and love; That God and Jeſus Chriſt, and we are great friends; That while all the world are out with the Father and the Son, we are the only people that are in with them: This I confeſs is very much: But what is it then to ſay that we in them? That God and Jeſus Chriſt, and we, are in a ſenſe all one; That as the Father is in Chriſt, and Chriſt in him, ſo we are one in both of them. Here is intereſt indeed, ſuch as is impoſſible to be expreſſed.
This being in the Father and the Son, importeth great acquaintance with them both: They that are much with one another, are acquainted each with other; but they that are in one another, muſt be acquainted much more: They know not that which is without only, that which every one knows, but they know that which is within, which is obſcure and hid from other men. They know God inwardly, for they are in him; They know the ſecrets of his heart, Pſal. 25.14. and the myſterie of his will, Epheſ. 1.9. And even as Chriſt is ſaid to be in the boſome of the Father, and ſo to be the only one that is acquainted with him fully, and can reveal him to the world, Joh. 1.18. No man hath ſeen God at any time, the only begotten Son which is in the boſom of the Father, he hath declared him: So true believers are in the boſom both of God and Chriſt, and ſo are infinitely more acquainted with them, then any in the world beſides. And here to be a little more particular, they know God more immediately, and more diſtinctly then others do.
1. They know God more immediately then others do: they do not know him at a diſtance, and at ſecond hand, but they know him by himſelf; they have their knowledge of him at the Fountain head, for they are in him. Others hear of him by the hearing of the ear, but they ſee him, Job 12.5. and they taſte him, which ſenſe requires the neareſt application of the object, 1 Pet. 2.3. They know him at firſt hand, they are taught of God himſelf; they do not only hear what others ſpeak of God, and ſo accordingly diſcourſe of him, as many do by memory: but they ſpeak with God himſelf; God ſhews himſelf to them, as his own phraſe is, and ſo accordingly are more immediately acquainted with him.
2. And as they know him more immediately then others, ſo they know him more diſtinctly then others; they have not a confuſed knowledge of him only as we have of ſtrangers, or thoſe whom we behold a far off: as when we ſee a perſon at a great diſtance, it may be we diſcover that it is a man, or a woman in the general, but are not able to diſtinguiſh whether it be ſuch a man, or ſuch a woman, whether it be ſuch a friend, or ſuch a one of our acquaintance, yea, or no: But they have a clear knowledge, they ſee God evidently, and diſtinctly, in a meaſure, for they are near enough to him, they are in him: ſo that they can diſtinguiſh God, and Chriſt, from any other that comes in his Name, or that pretends that he is God, or Chriſt. And therefore, my Beloved, when there are any ſuch abroad (as ſome have been in our days) who ſay that they are Chriſt, you ſhall do well to call one of them who are in Chriſt, to tell you whether this be Chriſt indeed, or no.
This being in the Father and the Son, importeth ready, eaſie, and familiar acceſs to the Father and the Son. They are in one another, and therefore they muſt needs be much together. Believers need not to go far to ſpeak with God, he is at hand continually, for they are in him: So that they have his ear and heart too, they can come to him and ſpeak with him when they pleaſe. Others that are abroad, they hear him when he ſpeaks in publick, in the open Congregation, and when he cryeth in the place of concourſe, as the wiſe man ſpeaks: But alas they have no private talk with him as theſe have, when there is none but God and them together: And therefore they that are without, that live without God, and without Chriſt, are fain to uſe thoſe that are in God and Chriſt ſometimes to promote their ſuits to him. If they have any ſpecial buſineſs to prefer to God, they that are without muſt be beholding to them that are within, to tender their Petitions for them, as Pharaoh was in ſuch a caſe; Send for Moſes and Aaron, and let them uſe their intereſt in my behalf, let them pray to God for me.
This being in the Father and the Son, doth carry in it a more immediate enjoyment of all the comforts, ſatisfactions, and contentments that the ſoul of man can reach after; For God involves and comprehendeth in him all the good that can be thought upon, and infinitely more then the poor narrow heart of man can reach to. We would think (abundance of us) that we were very well if we had all the happineſs that all the creatures in the world could yield us: If we had ſuch a wife, houſe, gardens, ſervants, in-come by the year, honors, pleaſures and delights, as we would fancy to our ſelves, then we would think that we were happy men indeed. Why, my Beloved, whatſoever good there is to pleaſe, or give us ſatisfaction in the creatures any way (if we had them all together) is eminently and tranſcendently in God. They had it all from him, and therefore certainly he hath it all in him; and that without dregs too; The ſpirits and the quinteſſence of all theſe comforts are in God, refined from the droſſie part; ſo that in having him we have all. A naked God a naked Chriſt, is infinitely more to make a man compleatly happy, then all the comforts in the world without him. Or if it were not ſo my Brethren, our ſtate in heaven would be worſe then it is here upon the earth; the happineſs of Heaven would be much below, and much inferiour to our earthly happineſs: In Heaven we ſhall have nothing elſe but God, no Sun, no Moon, Apoc. 21.23. The Creatures ſhall not give us comfort, as they do in this world; No, God ſhall be our Sun and Moon there: he ſhall be every thing to ſatisfie us, and content us, and to make us happy: He ſhall be all in all, 1 Cor. 15.18. Now if the Lord have not as much in him as all the creatures which we leave, when we are taken hence by death, we are loſers by the bargain, whereas we know the heighth, and the perfection of our happineſs is there where we have nothing elſe but God: And therefore certainly we ſtand in need of nothing elſe to make us abſolutely and compleatly happy. And whenſoever we have leaſt of creatures, and moſt of God in this world, then we are neareſt to that full beatitude. Now God we have, if we be in him, my Beloved, and ſo we have the Fountain of all happineſs and ſatisfaction: He that is in God, in the Father and the Son, muſt needs have all that is in God, ſo far as it is neceſſary for him: And that indeed is all that can be.
This being in the Father and the Son, doth carry in it admirable ſafety: He is ſecure enough from any hurt, that is in God; For what ſhould ſeize upon him to annoy him there? You know the Lord is often called a houſe, a habitation in the Scripture; and to make up the Allegory, the Saints are ſaid to dwell in God, 1 Joh. 3.24. He that keepeth his Commandements dwelleth in him, and he in him: So that believers are in God as in a houſe, where they are warm, and well, and ſafe, however matters go abroad, what ever ſtorms there be upon land; they are not like to the Egyptian ſervants in the ſtorm of hail: they are not left abroad in the woods and in the fields to be ſmitten and deſtroyed; No, God hath fetched them into houſe, into himſelf; they are in God, who is the habitation of his people, and there they are ſecure enough, as the Pſalmiſt intimates, Pſal. 91.1. He that dwelleth in the ſecret of the moſt High, ſhall abide under the ſhadow of the Almighty: So that when the ſtorm is fierceſt, he can ſtand quiet, and look out at window, and ſee others periſh in the tempeſt. He is in the Ark, in God, and a few more with him, while all the world beſides are drowned in the deluge: It matters not to him what waves and floods there are abroad, he is where he is ſafe enough.
Nay, God is not reſembled to an ordinary habitation only, but to a place of refuge and defence, Pſal. 18.2. A Caſtle and a ſtrong Tower, &c. So that they that are in God, are in a Caſtle and a ſtrong Tower, that never was, and never will be taken by aſſault, and what need they fear there? They that are without indeed, are in very great danger, they are expoſed to the mercy of the Enemy, becauſe they know not whether to betake themſelves for ſhelter; but they that are within, may ſay as David, when the Drums beat, and the bullets flie, I will lay me down in peace, and ſleep, for thou Lord only makeſt me dwell in ſafety, Pſal. 4. ult. and that becauſe I am in thee: thou art thy ſelf my Caſtle, and my refuge, and my ſtrong Tower.
This being in the Father and the Son, doth carry in it certainty of perſeverance. What my Beloved, do you think that it is in and out? In God to day, and out to morrow, as Arminians teach. It is a moſt uncomfortable Doctrine which they have broached. Ah, my Beloved, what ſolid and induring ſatisfaction will the beſt condition that they can be in afford them, if they be not ſure to keep it?
Now here Beloved, is the fulleſt and the beſt aſſurance againſt this diſcomfort that is contained in the Book of God. You hear that true believers are in God, in the Father and the Son, yea, they are ſo in God, ſo in the Father and the Son, as they are in one another; I pray for them, ſaith Chriſt, that they may all be one as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, ſo that they may be one in us: Now my Beloved, do but ſeriouſly conſider, how is the Father in the Son? how is the Son in God the Father? What, ſo that they may be out again? and that they may part again? No, ſurely, they are ſo in one another, that they can never be divided each from other. Juſt ſo are true believers in them both: So that if God cannot be out of Chriſt, if Chriſt cannot be out of God, believers cannot poſſibly be out of either. When God and Chriſt are rent aſunder each from other, believers ſhall be rent aſunder from them both: When God and Chriſt do come to part with one another, believers muſt expect to part with both; and that would be a ſad parting, if God the Father ſhould go one way, and Chriſt another, and believers a third, never to come together any more: But in the mean time, while they ſtay together, believers ſhall continue with, and in them both: while God the Father is in Chriſt, and Chriſt in God the Father, believers ſhall be one in them. It is the will of Jeſus Chriſt as he declares it to his Father, That as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, ſo that they alſo ſhould be one in us; and he will ſurely have his will in this buſineſs.