Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 47
JOHN 17.21.
As thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us.
IS it the will of Jeſus Chriſt, that his Diſciples ſhould be one in God Uſe 2 by the myſtical union? Then in the ſecond place, let us be hence inſtructed to admire and magnifie the goodneſs of the Lord in this buſineſs, that he is pleaſed ſo highly to advance and honour us: That we poor wretches ſhould be made not only nigh to God, but that we ſhould be one in God, in the Father and the Son: That the great God of Heaven and Earth ſhould take us up into himſelf, and thereby raiſe us to ſuch glorious priviledges as have been mentioned in the former uſe. My Brethren, doth it ſeem a ſmall thing to you? conſider it a little and reſolve. Is it but a ſmall thing, that God ſhould take us into ſuch union with himſelf? I know not how you apprehend it, but I aſſure you, my Beloved, it amazes me; That ſuch tranſcendent honour ſhould be put upon ſuch worms as we are. Me thinks we ſhould break out to admiration with Elizabeth, Whence is this to us? Why, is it poſſible, that God ſhould ever honor duſt and aſhes thus? Whence is it? Oh, my Beloved, how humble and how thankful ſhould we be? Let us not brag of this honour, as ſome do in theſe times, who never were advanced to it, who ſay that they are taken in to God, ſo that they are God himſelf, and thus they ſwagger and blaſpheme beyond meaſure. Oh, my Beloved, let it not be ſo with us; let us not brag of this honour, but let us tremble to conſider what a weight of duty and obedience lies upon us, to walk anſwerably to it: and how exactly pure and holy they ſhould be who are in any ſenſe in God, in the Father and the Son.
And this conveys me to a third uſe, which ſhall be for admonition Uſe 3 to every one of us who are advanced to this glorious priviledge, to live and act as men that are in God, in the Father and the Son. There is a ſuitable expreſſion of the Apoſtle Paul to this purpoſe, Col. 2.6. As ye have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk in him. As you have taken him by faith, and ſo are made one with him, As you are in him, ſo walk in him. Even ſo ſay I to you, my brethren, As you are in God, in the Father and the Son, ſo walk in God; Take ſuch a courſe in the whole tenour of your converſation, as they ſhould do who are in God: And truly my beloved, that muſt be a ſtrict, a holy and exact courſe: As far as it is poſſible there muſt be no exorbitancy, no uncleanneſs in it. It was the proteſtation of the Lord to Moſes, which he repeats to Aaron, when his Sons were cut off for drawing nigh to God with ſtrange fire, Lev. 10.3. Then Moſes ſaid to Aaron, This is that the Lord ſpake ſaying, I will be ſanctified in them that come nigh me. Ah, my beloved, will God be ſanctified in them that are nigh him, and will he not be ſanctified in them that are in him? And if they muſt be holy who are nigh him, how holy muſt they be, my brethren, that are in him? in the Father and the Son: How preciſely and exactly muſt they live who live in God?
And therefore I beſeech you, my beloved, who are advanced to this high Prerogative, look narrowly to all your wayes, and keep your ſelves, as far as it is poſſible, from every ſin; And that upon theſe three Conſiderations: For,
1. Your ſin is ſtrangely and unutterably heightned by the ſtation that you have in the Father and the Son. It is ſuch an aggravation as I am no wayes able to expreſs. What, my beloved, will you ſin in God? ſhall God have wickedneſs counted in him, by your means? will you be intemperate, will you be wanton, and laſcivious and unclean in any kind? will you be covetous and worldly? will you be unjuſt in God? you do what lies in you to draw the infinitely pure and holy God into Communion with you in your ſin. Indeed ſin cannot be committed by him, but by your means it is committed in him, which is a horrid and amazing thing to think upon. You do what lies in you, to defile and pollute the holy God with the impureſt and uncleaneſt thing in all the world, (for ſo is ſin) with that which is moſt againſt his nature, which is moſt odious and abominable to him, which he is no wayes able to endure. And you are ſo audacious, that you do not only do it nigh him, and do it by him, but you do it in him. Ah, my beloved, me thinks your hearts ſhould not be ſtrong enough to bear up under that weight of ſuch wikedneſs as this is, but that they ſhould even faint and ſink within you.
Why my beloved, for thoſe that are without God, and who are far from him (as wicked men are ſaid to be) their ſins do not ſo much concern God, they cannot be ſo grievous and ſo vexatious to him. But to have ſin committed in him, this is a moſt unſufferable provocation; This goes very near him, becauſe it is done ſo near him. I beſeech you think upon it, and let it have a mighty operation on your hearts; The ſins of other men are committed out of God, but yours are committed in him.
2. As they are committed in him, ſo in the ſecond place they cannot chooſe but be obſerved by him: For God takes ſpecial notice of them, and their carriage and behaviour who are in him. So that they cannot do amiſs, they cannot ſtep awry in any thing, but he ſpies them, he knows their lying doing and riſing up, takes notice of their very thoughts, obſerves them how they go to bed, and how they riſe, whether they think of him, whether they call on him, or no; They are ſo near him that he cannot chooſe but mark them. For others that belong not to him, that are without God and without Chriſt in the world, he looks not ſo much after them: But for thoſe that are within him, they cannot but be under his immediate care, and ſpecial eye: He ſearcheth out their wayes: he doth not ſuperficially obſerve them only, but he ſearcheth deep into them, he ſees their very grounds and ends, ſo that they cannot fail in any thing, no not ſo much as in a circumſtance, but he ſpies them.
And this me thinks, ſhould make us very circumſpect in all our wayes, and infinitely cautious that we ſin not. That of the Prophet is remarkable, Jer. 8 19. Is not the Lord in Sion? is not her King in her? why then have they provoked him to anger? And I may ſay upon the other ſide, Is not Sion in the Lord? are not true believers in him, in the Father and the Son? why then have they provoked him to anger? They that are far away from God, perhaps may be the bolder to offend, becauſe they may conceive (with thoſe in Job) that he is ſhut up in the Clouds, and that he cannot ſee them at a diſtance; or if he do, he cannot reach them: But they that are in God, me thinks ſhould be very circumſpect; They ſhould conſider with themſelves that it concerns them to be wary how they walk, and what they do, becauſe he is at hand to ſpy their faults, and to obſerve their provocations.
3. And as the ſins of thoſe that are in God, cannot chooſe but be obſerved by reaſon of their nearneſs to him, ſo neither can they chooſe but be corrected and chaſtiſed. The Lord will take a courſe with them, if they miſcarry, and if they misbehave themſelves, ſooner and quicker then he will with other men. And it concerns him ſo to do in point of honour; for their iniquities reflect with more diſparagement upon him then the ſins of others do, who are further from him. It would be much for God to ſuffer ſin by him: but do you think that God will ſuffer ſin in him? That he will let it neſtle there without controul, as if he liked it, and as if he took delight in it? Would not this be a very great diſhonour to him, that God ſhould not reform thoſe that are in him? Aſſuredly, my brethren, if God will be ſanctified in them that are nigh him, he will be ſanctified in them that are in him; either one way or the other, in their holy Converſation, or in their viſible Correction, as he was in Davids caſe, that thoſe that are without may not blaſpheme, as if he ſuffred ſin and approved it well enough in thoſe that are near to him. No, they ſhall know, that he miſlikes it moſt of all in them. If he ſee many aliens to him, doing any wickedneſs, he may bear with them long perhaps, for it concerns him not ſo much to deal againſt them; But if he ſpy one of his own among them, one of them that is in him, he will ſingle ſuch a one and cull him out from all the reſt and ſay, You are in me, and in my Son, you are united to me in the neereſt bonds; and what will you do as theſe vile abominable wretches do? Come, I muſt order you (though I let the reſt alone) I muſt not ſuffer you in ſuch courſes.
Uſe 4 If true believers be in God, in the Father and the Son? Then let them be enheartned hence to uſe their intereſt in God on all occaſions, in all the ſtreights and exigencies of the Church of God. You have the priviledges and the advantage to be more then nigh him, to be in him, ſo that undoubtedly you may have audience with him when you pleaſe; and you may very much prevail with him. And therefore ſee that you improve the opportunity and the advantage that is put into your hands, by being Gods remembrancers in all caſes. If he ſeem to forget his Church at any time, to be aſleep, while ſhe is ſinking, do you come to him when you are with him in his privie Chamber, and ſpeak a good word for her. Mind him of her ſad condition, and beſeech him earneſtly to think upon her and relieve her. They that are abroad, my brethren, cannot do it; They cannot have acceſs to God, they have no intereſt in God at all. But you, my brethren, are not only in with him, but you are in him, ſo that you have his ear and heart: you can prevail exceedingly with God, and therefore ſee you be not wanting to promote the Churches cauſe with him. As it is ſaid of Jacob, you have power with God, and therefore you muſt ſeek him more in ſtreights, in difficulties, and in hard caſes, becauſe you can do more with God then others can.
Brethren, there are ſome ſtreights upon us at this time: we are involved in difficulties, more then every eye ſees. I ſpeak as unto wiſe men, judge ye what I ſay. And therefore you that are in God, that are more prevalent with him then others are, be ſure that you plead hard before him, night and day in ſuch a time as this is. The buſineſſes that are in agitation now, are of a very great concernment, and therefore ſee that you improve all the reſpect and intereſt you have in God, about them.
Uſe. 5 If true believers be in God, you then that are without God, be adviſed how you wrong them, and how you be vexatious to them. Take heed you do not injure and moleſt them for your lives: And that upon a double ground. For,
1. Being in God, they will have opportunity on all occaſions to complain againſt you. Be wary how you wrong theſe little ones. For though they be of little reckoning and reputation in the world, and though they be of little power to make defence, or right themſelves when they are injured, they are ſo near to God, that they are in him, and they will readily tell him of it. You that are men of earthly might, do not oppreſs them by your power, leaſt they cry and God hear: And he will very quickly hear them, being in him. You may abuſe and injure others with infinitely leſs danger, for they are far from God, they are a great way of, and ſo may cry, yea cry aloud and not be heard: But they that are in God, are certainly within hearing. And therefore be adviſed how you meddle with them, and make them cry ſo cloſe to God, leaſt the Lord hear and it diſpleaſe him.
2. Being in God, he will certainly redreſs them when they make complaint to him. It cannot be but he muſt be extreamly tender of thoſe who are ſo near to him. What do you think that the Almighty God will ſuffer men to be abuſed in him? A wicked wretch may touch another man indeed, and yet never touch God, becauſe he is without God, there is no union between God and him. But whoſoever touches him that is in God, muſt touch God in touching him. And hence ſaith the Lord himſelf, Zac. 2.8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. In touching you, he toucheth me, and that in the moſt tender place, the very apple of mine eye. And do you think that God will ever ſuffer ſuch audacious boldneſs as this is? That he will quietly ſit ſtill, and let ungodly wretches thruſt their fingers into his eyes, and pluck the very apples of his eyes out of his head? Take this and take all.
If true believers be in God, you then that are out of God, endeavour Ʋſe 3 to keep in with them. In any caſe make them your friends, and keep them ſo, and do not fall at any difference or odds with them; You know not what you loſe, when you loſe their love and their friendſhip. A friend in place (they ſay) is worth ſomething. And certainly they are in place, that are in God, the beſt place that can be. And therefore it is good for thoſe that are without, and live abroad, to have ſome friends in this place; you may fare the better for them, and they may do you a good turn, and a good office there, when time ſerves. Wicked men have had advantage oftentimes by the friendſhip of believers; Moſes did a good turn for Pharaoh more then once, when he knew not what to do, and when he could not help himſelf. Alas, poor miſerable man, he was an alien, he lived without God in the world: and therefore ſends for Moſes ſtill (who was in God) to ſpeak a word for him: and he was ready to ſollicite hard in his behalf, and divers times prevailed for mercy, till in the end his heart was hardned to his utter ruine. And therefore if you love your ſelves, make much of ſuch friends as theſe are.
And thus far of the application of the firſt branch of the Explication of the point. I ſhall be briefer on the other two.
Is it the will of Jeſus Chriſt, that true believers ſhould be one in God, Ʋse in the Father and himſelf by dear affection?
You then that are believers, let your hearts be knit to God and Jeſus Chriſt, by this indiſſoluble bond; Let love make you all one. And as the Father and the Son are one among themſelves, ſo be you one in them by love. Let your affections to them be ſo high, as to unite you to the Father and the Son. And even as dear affection joyns you to your fellow-Saints that you are knit in love (as the Apoſtle Pauls expreſſion is) ſo let it joyn you much more to the Father, and the Son; for they are infinitely more to be beloved. Oh let your hearts no longer live in creature comforts, and in creature ſatisfactions (which do ſo often fail you and deceive you) but let them live in God, by inexpreſſable and choice love; There live, and there reſt, and there dwell, and there neſtle, as it were in the boſome of the Father and the Son.
Mark that expreſſion of the Apoſtle, John 1.4.16. God is love and he that dwelleth in Love, dewelleth in God, and God in him. God is love eſſentially: for whatſoever is attributed to God, is God. And he is the Original and fountain of the love that is Communicated to the Creature. All the Love with which we love him, or the Creature regularly, comes from him: It is a ray of the divinity, a beam of God, a part of the divine nature. And ſeeing God is love in the ſence before expreſſed, eſſentially, originally, it follows thence, as the Apoſtle John infers, that he that dwells in love, muſt dwell in God. He that dwells, that is, continues and abides in love, to fellow Saints and fellow-members, dwels in God: But he that dwells in love to God himſelf, dwells in God much more. And therefore I beſeech you, let your hearts ſet up their reſt in love to God and Jeſus Chriſt; there let them fix and dwell; let not your love be ſcattered up and down among the creatures as it is, but let it be united all in God: and let it joyn and unite you all to God: that nothing in the world may ever ſeparate you, or divide you from him.
Brethren, you may be the loſers by Love of other things, or other friends; For after your affections and your hearts are ſet upon them, they may forſake you, and be unfaithfull and unkind to you. And beſides, you muſt beſtow ſome pains, and travail and expence on thoſe who are indeed beloved by you. Or elſe it is but a diſſembling, feigned love; for love where it is ſound and real, is very bountiful and very active. And hence it is, my brethren, that there is ſo little true affection in the world. The love of men is for the greater part, in complement, in ſhew and in appearance only: they will do nothing, they will part with nothing for thoſe whom they are pleaſed to call their friends, as they muſt do if they love in deed and truth.
But now in loving God, my brethren, (though I acknowledge you muſt part with all for him) yet you ſhall be no loſers by it. Though you forgo your friends, your houſes, and eſtates, and all for him, you ſhall have him inſtead of all; Yea, you ſhall not have him only, but you ſhall be in him by this means.
And therefore, I beſeech you my beloved, grow up into this uniting grace in theſe divided and diſtracted times, which will not only make you one among your ſelves, but one in God. But you will ask me how may this be done? I will give you ſome directions.
1. Let prayer ſtruggle for it at the throne of grace. It cannot chooſe but be a pleaſing lovely ſuit indeed to be importunate with God to make us love him, and to draw up our hearts to him. A man would think that ſuch a ſweet requeſt as this, ſhould not be turned off with a denial. Its true that prayer is the great Catholicon and univerſal means in all caſes. But yet it is expedient in a ſpecial manner to the attainment and enlargement of this grace of love, which is a ſpecial gift of the ſpirit It is the great work of the ſpirit of God to make us love God, and to endear our hearts to him. I know that Hope and Patience, &c. are graces of the Spirit, but Love is a prime grace. It is a grace of the firſt magnitude, and therefore placed firſt by the Apoſtle in that Catalogue of his, Gal. 5.22. The Love of God is ſhed abroad into our hearts, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 5.5. how ſo? by the Holy Ghoſt that he hath given us. And in another place he tells the Saints, Ye are taught of God; ſaith he, to love one another, 1 Theſ. 4.1. None in the world can teach you this but God only. And if none but he can teach us to love our brethren whom we ſee, then much more none but he can teach us to love him whom we do not ſee, and therefore let us earneſtly beſeech him to help us to take forth this Leſſon.
2. Let us endeavour to grow up in the knowledge of the Lord, and as we know him better, we ſhall love him more. That which one affirms of Learning, may be well applied to God, Non habet inimicum niſi ignorantem. He hath ſuch matchleſs excellency and beauty in him, that he that knows him, cannot chooſe but love him. Indeed while we are unacquainted with him, the admirable worth and luſtre that is in him, doth not take a whit upon us. The Philoſopher will tell us, that the judgement muſt be firſt of all convinced of the worth and value of a thing, before the heart will cloſe with it, and the affections cleave to it. Nec enim potes aut amare quem neſcias, aut habere quem non amaveris, Thou canſt not love him thou knoweſt not, nor have him whom thou loveſt not. And hence it is that wicked and ungodly men love not God or Chriſt at all, becauſe they know him not at all; Or if they know him any way, it is not under ſuch a notion as makes him beautifull and lovely to them. Perhaps they know him as a Judge, or an Avenger, not as a Father, and a Saviour. And this is indeed the cauſe why the triumphant Saints in heaven love him more then the Saints militant on earth, becauſe they have a fuller, clearer and diſtincter knowledge of him. We ſee him darkly in a glaſs, but they ſee him face to face. And this is the reaſon alſo why we love not God ſo much on earth, as we ſhall do in heaven, viz. becauſe we know him not ſo well here, as we ſhall do in that place. So that our love to God you ſee, is anſwerable to our knowledge of him: as we know him more, or leſs, ſo we love him more, or leſs. And therefore if we do deſire indeed to love him more, let us ſtrive to know him more.
3. Another means to grow up in the love of God, is to have daily more communion and intimacy with him. And this, as I conceive it, is a means diſtinct from that which goes before: For it is one thing to know him, and another to have communion, and to be familiar with him. We know abundance with whom we have no intimacy in the world. No, we know them too well perhaps to be familiar with them. So we may have a ſpeculative knowledge of the Father, and the Son, and yet may have no intimate acquaintance with them.
And this is very neceſſary to encreaſe love. To kindle and enflame affection (as the Philoſopher obſerveth) there muſt be Convictus & crebra converſatio. They muſt dine and ſupp together, they muſt walk and talk together. And whereſoever there is ſtrangeneſs, there can be no great love. And therefore if we would abound in the love of God and Chriſt, let us have more communion with them.
Beloved if we be not wanting to our ſelves, we may be very much with God. We may ſpeak with him often in a day: we may talk with him face to face in our addreſſes to his holy Majeſty, we may give him many viſits; he doth not interdict us, but invite us to come and ſup with him, and be acquainted with him throughly once; he is ſo pretious and ſo ſweet a friend, that we ſhall love him out of all meaſure.
4. Endeavour to the utmoſt of your power, to diſpoſſeſs your hearts of the unlawful love of worldly things; for this is incompatible & inconſiſtent with the love of God. If any man, ſaith the Apoſtle, love the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 1 Joh. 1.15. Let him be what he will (my Brethren) if he love the world, he loves not God: And therefore ler not any covetous and wretched worldling make ſhew of having any love to God; For certainly it is not in him. The friendſhip of the world, ſaith the Apoſtle James 4.4. is emnity with God. And therefore if we would be friends of God, we muſt diſſolve this friendſhip with the world. Inordinate, irregular, unlawful love of worldly things, muſt be expelled: And as this love is caſt out, the love of God will come in.
5. Be often in the company and fellowſhip of thoſe that love God; Converſe with thoſe who are moſt endeared to him, and they will be continually ſpeaking of him, and ſeting forth his excellency, beauty, love, and ſo will kindle and enflame your hearts towards him. They who are full of ſweet affections to the Lord, if you be much among them, will work you to the ſame temper: You may obſerve it in Cant. 5.10. and the following verſes, that when thoſe daughters of Jeruſalem who at firſt deſpiſed Chriſt, and wondred why the Church his Spouſe ſhould praiſe him ſo, and make ſuch a ſtir about him, yet when they had a while converſed with the Church, and heard her ſpeak of Chriſt with ſuch affection, admiring and extolling him above the skies, they alſo fall in love with him, and they will go together with the Church to ſeek him out; Whither is Beloved gone? ſay they, O thou faireſt among women, whither is thy Beloved turned aſide, that we may ſeek him with thee? And thus you ſee, my Brethren, frequent intercourſe and holy conference with thoſe that love God, is one effectual means to fill and to enflame our hearts with love to him.
6. Labour to comprehend with all the Saints, the greatneſs of the love of God to you, and to aſſure it to your own ſouls. It is not all the beauty and the excellency in the world, that will allure us to the … love one that we imagine doth not love us: But if we ſee and be aſſured of the love of God to us, this will kindle love to him, and make our hearts to melt towards him: When we conſider with our ſelves what kindneſs he hath ſhewed to us, what he hath done for us, what matchleſs and unfathomed love he hath diſcovered to us, this will raiſe our affections high to him again, and make us even ſick of love: And therefore I beſeech you ſtrive to be more and more aſſured of this; for at this flame you muſt kindle your fire. Here you muſt fetch your little ſpark of love (whereof the Saints are capable in this life) from the love of God to you: which being kindled in your hearts, it will never leave aſpiring, and flying higher and higher ſtill, till it have joyned it ſelf unto that infinite and endleſs flame from whence it iſſued and proceeded.
And indeed, as Bernard very well obſerves, we cannot anſwer God or Chriſt ſo well in any thing as love. To ſay the truth, we muſt not anſwer him in other things. If he be angry, or diſpleaſed with us, we ought not be angry or diſpleaſed with him again. If he condemn and cenſure us, we ought not to condemn and cenſure him again; If he chide us, we ought not to chide him again. But if he love us, we may, we muſt love him again; Yea, he expecteth that we ſhould return him love for love, for he loves to be beloved.
Is it the will of Jeſus Chriſt, that true believers ſhould be one in God, Ʋſe. in the Father and the Son, by ſweet agreement and conſent? Then I beſeech you, my Beloved, comply with Jeſus Chriſt in this particular; As God and Jeſus Chriſt agree in every thing, ſo do you agree with them. Bring your mind to the mind of God, and to the will of God, that you may be of one mind, and one will: Have you no judgement of your own, as different from Gods, but judge of things as God doth: Let his wiſdom be your wiſdom; his reaſon, your reaſon; and his determination, your determination: Have you no wills of your own, my Brethren, but let the will of God be your will, let it rule and order you: Let your will be ſo melted and reſolved into the will of God, that as far as it is poſſible, God and you may have but one will; That he may never croſs you, and you may never croſs him: Conſent to him in every thing; if he ſay any thing; true, Lord; if he do any thing; good, Lord; Yea, though it be againſt you in your ends, and in your natural deſires; yet ſay as Hezekiah to the Prophet, when he received a heavy threatning, Good is the word of the Lord which he hath ſpoken. Take heed there be no difference between God and you in any thing; let not him ſay one thing, and you another; will one thing, and you another: But ſay you as God ſays, and will you as God wills, that ſo you may be ſwallowed up in God, and that you may be one in him: And to this end I propound three things.
1. If God and you agree not every way in all reſpects, you are out, and not he: And therefore it is beſt in all things to conform your minds and wills to his: His mind and his will is always right; and yours if they diſſent, are always crooked and oblique; and therefore it is beſt to bring your mindes and wills to his, and not to think to bring his to your own. The Malon when he tries the wall that he hath builded, by his rule, and findes them not to ſuit together, he doth not go and cut the rule and bring it to the wall, but he goes and mends the wall, till he have brought it to the rule. So if your minds and wills do not agree with God's, the fault is not in his, but yours; and therefore you muſt bend your minds and wills till you have brought them ſtraight like his; and not endeavour to make his crooked like your own.
2. If God and you agree not every way, as you are irregular, ſo you are undutiful. You are his ſervants, and you are his creatures, and therefore ought in all things to be ruled by him. The Maſters will muſt be the ſervants will, in lawful things; and therefore in the Civil Law the ſervant is accounted in the Maſter, and not as a diſtinct perſon: And much more the Creators will muſt be the creatures will. He gives it being, both the beginning and continuance of it; and he that gives being, may give Law to regulate the motions and the operations of the being that he gives, and may not be conteſted with in any particular.
3. If we agree not all in God, our agreement and accord among our ſelves is worth nothing: So far it is to be approved, as it doth unite in God. Then it is good and right indeed; when as the Father and the Son agree together, ſo we agree with both of them in the very ſame things. If we be of one mind and heart, in things wherein the Father and the Son are not of one mind with us, it were better we did differ then unite; for we unite not in a right center. But if as we be one among our ſelves, ſo we be one in the Father and the Son, this is indeed a bleſſed union: If Brethren ſo dwell together in unity, that all of them do dwell together in this one God, this is a happy and a heavenly conjunction: And therefore I beſeech you, my Beloved, let us look to this, that as we all agree, ſo we all agree in God and Jeſus Chriſt. Let us examin ſtill whether our conſent in any thing do meet and unite with theirs: Let us ſee what their mind and will is, and let us all accord in that together; For though we be not one againſt another, if God be againſt us all, it is a very ſad caſe. The Apoſtle John makes mention of love in the truth, 2 Joh. 15. Love in error is not to be accounted of, but to be avoided rather; but love in truth is very pretious; conſent in error is not to be rejoyced in, but conſent in truth, my Brethren, is a comfortable thing: For this is conſent in God, who is ſo often called Truth in Scripture. And if we ſo agree, and ſo conſent, we may depend upon it, we have Gods agreement and conſent with us; and therefore let this be our great care, that Jeſus Chriſt may have his will in this buſineſs, according to his prayer in my Text, That they may be one as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us.