Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 48
JOHN 17.21.
That the world may believe that thou haſt ſent me.
VVE are upon the matter of our Saviours Prayer, for them who ſhould believe in him by his Apoſtles word. And there are two main things, as I have noted formerly, that he deſires in their behalf: Firſt that they might be all one; Then that they might be all in one place. The firſt of theſe requeſts of his he propounds and proſecutes; propounds it in the verſe which we have even now inſiſted on, That they all may be one, &c. And then he proſecutes it with divers arguments and reaſons, in this and the ſucceeding verſes.
Whereof the firſt is taken from the furtherance, that this neer unity of theirs would be, to the acceptance of our Saviour in the world; That the world may believe that thou haſt ſent me: That they may all be one, as, &c. Why ſo? That the world may believe, &c.
For Explication of the terms, the difficulty lies eſpecially in this, viz. what ſort of people our Saviour Chriſt intendeth by the world here; For to ſay truth, the world is taken divers ways; I think more differently then any other phraſe almoſt in Scripture: Sometimes we find it uſed for elect and ſanctified, and ſometimes for reprobate and unſanctified perſons: Sometimes we find it taken for believers, and ſometimes for unbelievers, as I could give you inſtances of both theſe. And when for unbelievers; ſometimes for thoſe who believe not for the preſent, but ſhall believe in after times; ſometimes for thoſe who neither do believe nor ſhall believe. Now all the queſtion is, which of theſe three ſorts of people our Saviour Chriſt denoteth by the world in this place.
There is no colour to conceive that the world ſhould here be taken for believers, for ſuch as did then believe when Chriſt ſpake theſe words; the very next word that he adds doth evidently croſs and daſh that; That the world may believe that thou haſt ſent me: So then the world in this place apparently importeth unbelievers. But whether ſuch as beleived not for the preſent, but ſhould believe in after times: Or ſuch as neither did believe, nor ſhould believe: Whether elected unbelievers, or reprobated unbelievers, will need a little briefly to be enquired and reſolved.
Some of no ſmall authority conceive, that by the world is meant elected unbelievers; ſuch as did not then believe, but ſhould believe in after times (conceive it with a ſaving and a juſtifying faith) and that the rather for Chriſts Diſciples unity among themſelves. And hence he prays, That they may all be one as thou Father, &c. that the world may believe that thou ſent me. But if our Saviour had intended juſtifying faith in theſe words, in probability he would have ſaid, that the world may believe in me. They are but poor believers that come no further then barely to aſſent to this, that Jeſus Chriſt is ſent of God the Father; a reprobate may do this.
Beſides (which carries me exceedingly) me thinks the world is here apparently oppoſed to ſuch as did believe, and ſhould believe with a juſtifying faith. Our Saviour mentions it as oppoſite to both theſe. In the firſt place you know, he prays for ſuch as did believe, when he made this prayer; and then for ſuch as ſhould believe in after times: Neither pray I for theſe only, but for them alſo that ſhall believe on me, that they may all be one, &c. That the world, who neither do believe, nor ſhall believe with a juſtifying faith, may yet by this means be ſo far convinced, as hiſtorically to aſſent to this, That thou haſt ſent me, q. d. This is that which I deſire, that they who ſhall in after times believe by my Apoſtles word, may by their unity ſo far convince and work upon the world that never ſhall believe, as that they may be brought to this at leaſt, to acknowledge that thou haſt ſent me: For ſo believing here is nothing elſe but knowing or acknowledging: and therefore in the 23. verſe that word is uſed, I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, that the world may know that thou haſt ſent me. You ſee the meaning of the words. The point to be obſerved is this:
DOCTRINE. The unity of Chriſts Diſciples is one eſpecial means to cauſe the world to have the better thoughts and apprehenſions of their Maſter.
Though this will not convert the world, and bring them to be true believers, yet this will very much convince the world, and make them look with a better eye on Chriſt, and on the Doctrine of the Goſpel, when they that teach it and profeſs it, harmoniouſly agree among themſelves: And hence is this Petition of our Saviour here, that they may all be one, &c. that ſo the world (although it be an enemy to me) yet ſeeing the conſent and love, and unity of my Diſciples, of them that own me and profeſs me, may be even forced to acknowledge and confeſs that I am ſent of God, that my Doctrine is of God, and that I am not (as the world is apt to think) a ſeducer and impoſtor, q.d. If my Diſciples be not one among themſelves, if they be rent aſunder by a ſpirit of diviſion, the world will never yield that I came forth from thee, who art the God of love and peace; That thou haſt ſent me down to be a Mediator and a Peace-maker, to make up all the breaches and the differences between thee and thy people. They will look ſtrangely upon me, and they will never be perſwaded to acknowledge that I am come on ſuch an Errand as this is. And therefore I beſeech thee, Father, that I may be entertained under the notion of a Mediator, and that I may be looked upon as ſent by thee; do thou take care that my Diſciples be at unity among themſelves.
Now here I ſhall a little more diſtinctly ſhew you, that the unity of Chriſts Diſciples in Doctrine and Opinion, and in Affection and in Converſation, is one eſpecial means to cauſe the world to have the better thoughts of Chriſt himſelf.
The unity of Chriſts Diſciples in Doctrine and Opinion is one eſpecial means, &c. If they maintain and hold the ſame things, if they teach the ſame things, they will the ſooner gain the approbation and aſſent of thoſe that are without; But if they wrangle and contend, this will make them more averſe from Jeſus Chriſt & from the Goſpel. And truly no one thing almoſt hath kept men more aloof from Chriſt, and the Doctrine of Salvation, in and by & through him, then the perpetual, hot and endleſs controverſies and Diſputes that have been among the Teachers of the Goſpel. Nay, if they be not able to agree among themſelves, ſay they that are without, even let them all alone, we will carry till they do. And therefore the Apoſtles ſtill were very circumſpect to manifeſt agreement and conſent among themſelves in that which they delivered to the people, becauſe they knew of how great conſequence it was to further the ſucceſs & efficacy of their Doctrine. It is obſervable that Paul joyns one or two together with himſelf in his Epiſtle, ſometimes Sylvanus, ſometimes Sylvanus and Timotheus, who were not inſpired men (as it is probably conceived) and ſo could not add a whit to the divine authority of his Epiſtle: But yet he ſhews how they accorded all together, for the better ſatisfaction of the people. So the Apoſtles and the Elders and the Brethren go joyntly all together in the Reſolutions of the Synod at Jeruſalem, Acts 15.23. that their decrees might find the readier entertainment among thoſe to whom they ſent them. And though it be a certain and confeſſed truth that the agreement and conſent of teachers, neither doth, nor can work ſaving faith in any (The word it ſelf, my brethren, as it is the Object, ſo it is the inſtrumentall cauſe of faith:) yet it may prepare the heart and work it up to better thoughts and apprehenſions both of Chriſt and of the Goſpel.
The unity of Chriſts Diſciples in affection and in converſation is one eſpecial means, &c. If they live in unity and love and ſweet accord together, they that are Aliens to religion, ſtrangers to Jeſus Chriſt and to his Goſpel, will think the better of them for their ſakes. But if they be continually brawling and oppoſing one another, this keeps others off from Chriſt. If he be owned and followed by none but by a company of wrangling, quarrelſome contentious people, they will never cloſe with him. So that you ſee my brethren, it exceedingly concerns the honour of our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt and of the Goſpel, that they that appertain to him, avoid diſſentions with their brethren, for they reflect with very great diſparagement on him and it. And therefore the Apoſtle is ſo ſharp with the Corinthians, becauſe they ſhewed their malice, and had their ſuits and controveſies each with other before unbelievers, 1 Cor. 6.1. By which it ſeems they ſet them off the further, both from Chriſt and from the Goſpel. This ſhall ſuffice for the cleering of the Obſervation; proceed we to the application.
Now, is it ſo my brethren, that the unity of Chriſts Diſciples is one Uſe 1 eſpecial means to cauſe the world to have the better thoughts, &c. Here then we ſee the reaſon, my beloved, why Jeſus Chriſt, and religion, and the Goſpel, are ſo deſpiſed and undervalued and neglected, why they are ſo ill thought of in theſe times. As certainly Chriſt and the Goſpel had never leſs eſteem and credit in the world, then they have in theſe dayes; And this is one great cauſe of it, there is ſo little unity among Chriſtians. Nothing but diſputes and quarrels, and conteſts among them everywhere; whither we look upon the Teachers or the Profeſſors of Jeſus Chriſt and of the Goſpel.
If we look upon the Teachers, how ſtrangely do they differ each from other everywhere! how do they croſs and thwart with one another, as if there were many Chriſts, and many Faiths, and many Goſpels, and more wayes then one to heaven! In the Apoſtles times it was Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus, they did harmoniouſly agree together. But now Paul is of one mind, and one way, and Timotheus of a ſecond, and Silvanus of a third; So that the people are diſtracted, and in the end regard neither. They that are yet without, and to ſeek of their religion, know not what to pitch upon, but are the more eſtranged from Jeſus Chriſt and from the Goſpel. If the Trumpet give an uncertain ſound, now here and now there: now this way, and now that: how ſhall the confuſed people gather themſelves into a body, and come to be at one among themſelves? If this Pulpit ſound with one thing, another with that which is directly contrary to it; a third with that which contradicts both; where think you then ſhall poor unſtable ſouls ſettle? how is it poſſible but they that have not ſences exerciſed to diſcern, ſhould be carried up and down and really adhere to nothing, as it is at this day? And thus our Goſpel is expoſed to contempt, our Religion undervalued, and Jeſus Chriſt himſelf is ſlighted and deſpiſed.
2. If we look on the profeſſors of Jeſus Chriſt, and of the Goſpel, how are they rent aſunder into factions! Oh what a ſpirit of diviſion is there up and down among them, ſuch as never was abroad till theſe times! They are of ſo many minds, and draw ſo many wayes, and have ſuch vehement and ſuch hot contentions and diſputes among themſelves, that they are no way to be pacified and appeaſed, unleſs the God of peace himſelf appear, and above all that we can think. All that time and pains, and heat, and zeal, and ſtrength which was wont to be beſtowed in private duties, in prayer, and examination, and humiliation, &c. and to be ſet a work about their own hearts, in mortifying, and ſubduing the corruptions and the luſts that are there, is now laid out in making and upholding parties, and in maintaining controverſies, and diſputes, in doating about frothy frivolous, and vain queſtions, that tend to ſtrife and variance, and not one whit to edification.
And this is that which alienates and keeps off thoſe that are without from cloſing with religion. This takes away the beauty and the luſtre of it, that may invite them, and allure them to it. When carnal men ſee nothing elſe but rents and breaches among profeſſors of religion, the glory of it is extreamly darkned in their eyes, and it is ſure a ſtone of ſtumbling to them, and ſuch a rock of ſcandal and offence as they cannot get over. When we ſhew all our weakneſs in our paſſion, and in our violent and hot contentions, before the watchfull eyes of ſcornfull enemies: when we uncover our ſelves in the ſight of the wicked as a fool uncovers himſelf, they diſdain us in their hearts, and with us our profeſſion too. Nay if this be their Religion and profeſſion, to brawl, to wrangle, and to quarrell thus, I am even at a point (ſaith the prophane and graceleſs heart) I will have none of it. It is a choice and curious obſervation of the Holy Ghoſt (if you obſerve it) upon the difference that fell out between the ſervants of Abraham, and the ſervants of Lot, that at the very time when the contention grew, the Canaanite and Perezite was in the Land, Gen. 13.7. There was a ſtrife between the Herdſmen of Abrahams Cattle, and the Herdſmen of Lots Cattle, and the Canaanite and Perezite dwelled then in the Land. Their ſtrife was much the more vile, and the more diſadvantagious to religion, becauſe it was before them.
Uſe 2 And therefore in the ſecond place, my brethren, ſince the unity of Chriſts Diſciples, is one eſpecial means to cauſe, &c. Let this prevail exceedingly with every one of us, who are or would be taken to be Chriſts Diſciples to ſtrive and labour after this oneneſs. There have been many Arguments and Reaſons uſed heretofore often, to ſtir us up to this endeavour, but none like this, that Jeſus Chriſt will be the more reſpected, and the better thought of in the world by this means. Now for the honour of Chriſt Jeſus, leave your wrangling and contending, and agree among your ſelves; Do not ſo carry and demean your ſelves, as to perſwade the world that he was never ſent of God. He ſuffred ſhame and ignominy, and contempt for you; Oh, do not cauſe him now to ſuffer ignominy and contempt from you. You have ſeen the ſad effects of breaches and diviſions, many wayes, and this way among the reſt in theſe times: How much our bleſſed Saviour and the Goſpel ſuffers by the hot contentions of thoſe who call themſelves Saints. Ah, my beloved, if you have any love to Jeſus Chriſt, any regard at all to his eſteem and credit in the world, if you would have him in account and reputation, make up your breaches and differences, deny your ſelves for his ſake.
See how he beggs his Father for it in my Text, Let them be one, ſaith he, as thou, &c. that the world may believe, &c. that they that are without may not be ſo ill perſwaded of me as they are. And if Chriſt be ſo earneſt for it, if he begg for it of his Father, with ſo much affection, will you ſlight it, and look upon it as a ſmall matter? Oh labour to help onward that which he is ſo intent upon, that ſo without hypocriſie you may ſay Amen to this Prayer.
And thus of the firſt Argument with which our Saviour proſecutes his ſuit to God the Father, that his Diſciples might be all one: Which hath been taken from the furtherance that this neer unity of theirs would be to his own entertainment in the world.