Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 5
John 17.1.
Glorifie thy Son.
Reaſ. 1 IT hath been the deſign and purpoſe, &c. that he might make him ſome requital for the abaſures and indignities which he ſuffered in the world.
A great part of our Saviours paſſion (my beloved conſiſted in the great diſhonour that was done to him, and in the ſcorn, and the deriſion, and the contemptuous uſage which he ſuffered, even from the vileſt, and the worſt of men. If you ſurvey it in the Goſpel ſtorie, and lay it altogether, all the affronts, and jears, and taunts, and uncivil imputations that were put upon him, you will admire that the glorious Son of God ſhould ever ſtoop ſo low for our ſakes: yet this he did for the accompliſhment of that great work, to which he was appointed by the Father: And therefore God in recompence hath ſet him up again, and raiſed him to the height of dignity and glory.
And that he did it on this very ground, we learn from the Apoſtle Paul, Phil. 2.7, 8. and following verſes. He made himſelf (ſaith the Apoſtle there) of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant, and being found in faſhion as a man, he humbled himſelf; And what of this? why therefore God hath highly exalted him, exalted him, and exalted him highly, as it is added in the next words, therefore becauſe he was abaſed.
And hence our Saviour uſeth this as an enforcing argument when he deſireth to be glorified by his father, viz. Becauſe he had been formely diſhonoured, and brought low. For this is cleerly intimated in the words, John 17.4, 5. I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do, and now, O Father, glorifie me with thy ſelf.
The works of Chriſt were ſome of Miniſtry and ſervice, and abaſure in the office of obedience and ſuffering for the Church; and ſome of power, and majeſty, in the protection and exaltation of the Church; and thoſe were to foregoe theſe. He ought to ſuffer and ſo enter into glory, Luke 24.26. There was a neceſſe in it, a neceſſity of Gods decree who had appointed, and deſigned it to be ſo, of Gods juſtice which muſt be ſatisfied by obedience, before he would be pacified with men, or in the perſon of their head and advocate advance them to his glory. Of Gods word in the prediction of the Prophets, who had fore-ſhewed, and prophecied that it muſt be ſo. And hence ſaith Chriſt in the fore-cited text, I have finiſhed my work, the work of my humiliation, and therefore now I pray thee glorifie me with thy ſelf. Let my exaltation follow. I ſhould not look to be exalted if I had not firſt been humbled. But ſeeing I have done the ſervice, let me have the recompence: ſince I have undergone the one, let me be raiſed to the other.
It hath been the deſign, &c. that he himſelf might be glorified by it. Reaſ. 2 His utmoſt aim is that he may be honoured in the honour of his Son.
Brethren, the Lord in all his works (I ſpeak it reverently) is a ſelf-ſeeker, he ſeeks himſelf in every thing he doth, and it is very fit he ſhould, becauſe there is no end above himſelf, nor better then himſelf. And if we had no higher end (my brethren) then our ſelves, we might ſeek our ſelves too. In all his actions, he hath an eye upon his own glory. And ſo he hath in this which we are ſpeaking of, the exaltation, and advancement of his Son. And therefore with this Argument our Saviour urgeth this deſire of his, Father glorifie thy Son.
Why ſhould I glorifie thee (might the father ſay) what ſhall I get by it? Thou ſhalt get honour by it (ſaith our Saviour) and therefore I beſeech thee to glorifie me upon this account; Father glorifie thy Son, that thy Son alſo may glorifie thee. I cannot glorifie thee much in this abaſure, and contempt; but if thou glorifie me once, it ſhall come back again upon thee by reflection; I will be ſure to honour thee again; And therefore I beſeech thee do it for thy own ſake, and in relation to thy own glory.
Now is it ſo, my brethren, that it hath been the deſign, &c. then certainly Ʋſe 1 it is a bold adventurous part for any man to diſhonour Jeſus Chriſt, and to caſt contempt upon him: Whoever doth it, runs a very great hazard. He doth what lies in him to croſs the Lord in that which he is moſt intent upon, on which his heart is wonderfully ſet.
Great men cannot endure (you know) to be croſſed in their wills, or hindered of their purpoſes; and how think you, will the great God endure to be affronted, and oppoſed, and croſſed in ſuch a thing as this is? From all Eternity he hath determined with himſelf to glorifie his Son Chriſt, he hath had it in his heart from everlaſting, he hath reſolved he ſhall be honoured; and that not by men alone, but by the very Angels too, thoſe eminent and glorious Creatures. It is the Fathers pleaſure that it ſhall be ſo, as the Apoſtle tells us, Heb. 1.6. When he bringeth in his firſt begotten into the world, he ſaith, and let all the Angels of God worſhip him. Not ſerve him, and obey him only, but worſhip him with divine, and with religious adoration, which is the heigth and top of honour, with the ſame honour that belongeth to the Father, as Chriſt himſelf expreſſeth it, Iohn 5.23. And if he muſt have honour, ſuch tranſcendent honour from the very Angels, muſt he not have it from inferiour creatures, who are far below Angels? Yes, Gods expects it, that at the name (that is) the power and authority of Jeſus, every knee ſhould bow, not of things in heaven only, but of things in earth too, that is, not of Angels only but of men. So that you ſee the father looks for this at our hands, he looks we ſhould do honour to his Son.
He ſaith as in the Parable, They will reverence my Son. Though they have ſlighted and abuſed other meſſengers that I have ſent among them, yet they will ſurely reverence my Son. It is impoſſible they ſhould be ſo unworthy to contemn my own Son. And what then do we think of thoſe who diſhonour and contemn him notwithſtanding? will the father who hath ſent him to this End, that he might be honoured, take this well at their hands, to be thus croſſed in ſuch a great deſign of his by wretched men? To ſee his own begotten Son deſpiſed, and ſcorned, whom he hath done ſo much to honour? Why, you will ſay, what need you be ſo earneſt upon this particular? Who doth diſhonour Jeſus Chriſt? Who doth deſpiſe him, or contemn him? do we not all acknowledge him to be our Lord and Saviour, and the like? yes we do all acknowledge him in words, indeed we call him Lord. But many of us buffet him, and ſpit upon him in the very ſame breath. There are abundance of us (my beloved) who in name are Chriſtians, who do exceedingly diſhonour Jeſus Chriſt, whatever their pretences and proteſtations be, and I will ſhew you briefly who they are.
All unbelievers do diſhonour Chriſt exceedingly in this reſpect, that they do not cloſe with him; That when he is propoſed and offered to them in the Goſpel, they do not take him, and receive him on the terms that he is offered, but put him off with a denial. This is a great diſhonour to the Lord Chriſt. It is no leſs then an implicite ſcorning and deſpiſing of him. As if he were ſo poor a gift that he were not worth the taking. Ah, my beloved, do but think upon it, that after Chriſt hath undergone ſo much as he hath done for our ſalvation, and after comes a begging to our own doors, beſeeching us that we will entertain him, and receive him, and accept of him, and that not for his own advantage or profit that accrews to him, but meerly for our own good; That he ſhould ſtoop ſo low, even by entreaties to impoſe himſelf upon us, and we ſhould be inexorable to him, and baſely thruſt him quite away from us, and refuſe to meddle with him. Oh what a horrible indignity is this to Jeſus Chriſt? What an unſpeakable debaſing of him? Yet thus all unbelievers uſe him. All, I mean where Chriſt is preached. And that may be applied to them which the Evangeliſt affirmeth of the Jews, Iohn 1.11. He came unto his own, his own friends, his own Kindred, his own acquaintance, his own nation, yea people of his own Country: But though they were his own, they would not own him nor embrace him. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. And ſo he comes to theſe men, and that with obſecrations, and entreaties too, and they clap the door againſt him, and ſhamefully g…ve him the repulſe. They tell him in effect that he may go to thoſe that need him, and look after him, or care for him. For their parts, they will none of him, then which there cannot be a viler, or more ignominions uſage in the world.
They that deſpiſe and ſlight the blood of Chriſt, they diſhonour Chriſt himſelf. His blood you cannot chuſe but think is dear to him, and the contemptuous uſage of it reflects with high diſparagement upon him. But you will ſay who de piſes Chriſts blood? are any ſo unworthy and ſo baſe among us? yes there are ſome ſuch among us who uſe the blood of Chriſt as if they did account it an unholy thing, as if it were but common blood, the blood of any ordinary creature which they might freely undervalue at their pleaſure; And ſo in doing this, they tread underfoot the ſon of God, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Heb. 10.29. they throw him down, and tread him under foot, as if he were but duſt, or dung, or ſome ſuch baſe unworthy thing, which is the horribleſt contempt that can be. They tread under foot the Son of God, while they account his blood an unholy thing.
But who accounts it ſo you will demand? Why they that uſe it ſo, do in effect account it ſo, and truly there are multitudes of ſuch among us. When ordinary blood is ſhed, as the blood of any beaſts, you know, we make no reckoning of it, we look not after it, we ſpend not any thought upon it, it is ſhed and there's an end. And verily my brethren, there are many who make no more of the blood of Chriſt himſelf, then if it were but common blood, then if an Ox, or any other beaſt were ſlain, and ſo account it an unholy thing. They never think upon it, unleſs it be to ſwear by it, they never meditate upon the end for which he ſhed it, or the uſe which they ought to make of it. He ſhed his blood for us (ſaith the Apoſtle) that we ſhould live no longer to our ſelves but to him that died for us. And yet how many are there who live wholly to themſelves notwithſtanding all this, who ſeek themſelves, their own ends, their own things, and not the things of Jeſus Chriſt?
He loved his Church, and gave himſelf for it, that he might ſanctifie and cleanſe it, Eph. 5.25. that he might waſh it in his own blood. Apoc. 1.5. And yet what multitudes are here among us, who are not cleanſed, or waſhed to this day, but tumble in the Kennel ſtill, wherein the ſwine of this world wallow? and ſo they make the Son of God, as much as in them lies, to ſuffer and to die in vain, they ſpill his precious blood upon the ground, as if it were of no value: Chriſt ſhed his blood to this end that his people might be holy, and they will be impure ſtill, and wallow in their luſts ſtill. They care not what become of it, let it be ſhed in vain for them, they reckon not. Oh what a high contempt is this to Jeſus Chriſt! Theſe men as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, tread underfoot the Son of God, they trample on him in Diſdain; and put him to the greateſt ſhame that can be.
They that deſpiſe and ſlight the ſpirit of Chriſt, diſhonour Chriſt himſelf; the Comforter the holy Spirit is the meſſenger of Chriſt, he is inſtead of Chriſt to his people, he repreſents him abſent to the ſoul. And therefore he is ſaid in Scripture to be with them, in that his holy Spirit is with them. Behold I am with you alwayes, viz. by my Spirit to the end of the world, Mat. 28. ult. I will not leave you comfortleſs ſaith Chriſt to his Diſciple, I will come to you, Iohn 14.18. he meaneth not by himſelf, but by his Spirit. So that when the Spirit comes, Chriſt comes; and therefore it is added preſently, At that time you ſhall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. So that if this ſweet Meſſenger of Jeſus Chriſt, who is to us inſtead of Chriſt, be ill-entreated by us, it is apparently a very great indignity to Chriſt himſelf. And yet how often do we damp the holy motions of this Spirit in our hearts? When good deſires and gracious purpoſes are raiſed and kindled there, how often do we ſmother them and put them out again? how frequently do we miſuſe him, who comes with counſel, and with comfort, and with grace, from ſuch a choiſe and pretious friend as Chriſt is? How do we ſlight the ſeaſonable caveats that the ſpirit gives us, either for our information, or elſe for our conſolation, and what is this upon the matter, but to deſpiſe and ſlight Chriſt?
They that deſpiſe and ſlight the Meſſengers and the Embaſſadors of Chriſt, they diſhonour Chriſt himſelf. He is in this reſpect at the ſame hand that Princes are, the wrongs and the indignities that are done to thoſe they ſend, they take as offered to themſelves; and truly ſo doth Jeſus Chriſt. His Miniſters, the Preachers, and Diſpenſers of his Goſpel, are his Embaſſadors to men, they are inſtead of Chriſt, as the Apoſtle Pauls expreſſion is, 2 Cor. 5.20. Now then we are Embaſſadors for Chriſt, we pray you in Chriſts ſtead; and they that injure or diſhonour thoſe that are for Chriſt, and that are in Chriſts ſtead, muſt needs diſhonour Chriſt himſelf. Our Saviour is expreſs and plain for this to his Apoſtles, Luke 10.16. He that deſpiſeth you deſpiſeth me; and he that deſpiſeth me, deſpiſeth him that ſent me. q. d. My Father ſent me, and therefore he that deſpiſeth, me deſpiſeth him. And I ſend you, and therefore he that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me: I ſhall ſay little of this Argument, for fear of miſconſtruction, I ſhall but leave it to your ſelves to judge whether Chriſt be in this reſpect deſpiſed and diſhonoured, yea, or no. Whether he be abuſed in thoſe whom he hath ſent, whoſe labours he hath bleſſed, and to whom he hath given the ſeals of their Miniſtry, I hope they will not much complain to any, but to Chriſt that ſent them, and if he be reſolved to bear it, I make no queſtion he will give them grace and ſtrength to bear it too, and to profit much by it.
They that fall away from Chriſt after ſome acquaintance with him, they diſhonour and diſgrace him. For in deſerting him, they ſeem to tell the world that there is nothing in him why we ſhould deſire him. They have tried him, and they find him by experience to be ſuch a one as is not worth the keeping any longer. And therefore the Apoſtle, ſpeaking of Apoſtates, ſaith that they put Chriſt to open ſhame, for that is his expreſſion, Heb. 6.9. if they fall away, ſaith he, they crucifie the Son of God afreſh, and put him to open ſhame. A ſervant looks upon it as a ſhame and a diſparagement if he be put away: So if a Servant leave his Maſter (if the reaſon be not known) it is ſome diſgrace to him. Men are very apt to think that he is a hard Maſter, that he is faulty in ſome kind or other, and that he deals not well with thoſe that ſerve him. And ſo when men forſake the ſervice of the Lord Chriſt, they make the world believe that he is an ill Maſter, that there is better wages, and more content and ſatisfaction to be had in the ſervice of ſin then the ſervice of Chriſt; And is not this a great diſhonour to him? And yet how many are there in theſe latter times, who bring diſparagement to Jeſus Chriſt by this means, and make his ſervice deſpicable in the eyes of others? How many have withdrawn from Jeſus Chriſt of late, given over waiting on his holy Ordinances, and left performing of thoſe duties to him which they were wont exactly, and conſtantly, and duly to diſcharge. They talk of Chriſtian Liberty, and this they take to be from the ſervice of Chriſt, whereas it is indeed from the ſervice of ſin: And ſo they are more looſe, and careleſs, and remiſs, and negligent then they have been in former times. Theſe men diſgrace Chriſt, whom God hath ſet himſelf to honour, and ſo they croſs him in his great deſign.
Now, I beſeech you, think upon it, you that diſhonour Chriſt, in any of the ways forementioned, or in any other way, let it be what it will: Remember that it is the purpoſe and deſign of God to glorifie his Son Chriſt; and what then will become of you, who thwart with him, who ſeek as much as lies in you to hinder him from execution of that which he is ſo intent upon? Will he take it at your hands? Nay, if he ſend his Son among you, and ſay, as in the Parable, Luke 20.13. They will reverence my Son, and you upon the other ſide, neglect him and contemn him, and abaſe him every way, he will be out of patience with you, to be thus croſſed by wretched men; he will certainly deſtroy you, he will make you know the price of ſlighting and deſpiſing him, whoſe honour is as dear and tender to him as his own.
Is it ſo, that it hath been the deſign, &c? Then be we all exhorted to Ʋſe 2 comply with God, in this great deſign of his, and to promote it to the utmoſt of our power. Let us endeavour every way to help him in that which he is ſo intent upon, the glorifying of his Son Chriſt. Its true, God needs not any of our help, he can do his own work, and bring his own deſign and purpoſes to paſs without us; he can glorifie his Son, whether we poor ſimple Creatures will or no: but yet in any caſe wherein we may be inſtrumental to him, wherein we may be uſefull any way to further that which he intendeth, he expects that we ſhould come to the help of the Lord, as the expreſſion is, though in another caſe, Judg. 5.23. and therefore let us ſeriouſly conſider what our duty is, and let us ſet up Jeſus Chriſt, and glorifie him to the utmoſt of our power.
And here I ſhall propound two things, which I ſhall orderly purſue; Firſt, let us advance his glory, when it is without our own: and Secondly, let us advance his glory, when it is againſt our own.
Let us ſet up his glory when it is without our own, when we have no glory by it, when we have no glory with it. There be many in the World, that ſeem to glorifie the Lord Chriſt, when his glory and their own concur, and come together in a Line: When Chriſt, and they may be ſet up together, when they advance and raiſe themſelves in raiſing and advancing him, they are very well content. As this was Jehues caſe, you know, his intereſt and Gods did meet, in rooting out the Line of Ahab, ſo that he ſeemed to be zealous for the Lord of Hoſts, when he was zealous only for himſelf, and for the greatneſs and the glory of his own houſe. But when the glory of the Lord comes ſingle, and alone, and naked to them, ſo that they have nothing to quicken and encourage them to ſuch a work, to ſuch a duty, but his honour only; as for their own part, they are like to get diſparagement among the greater part of men, and to be diſgraced by it, they will not ſtir, they will do nothing in ſuch a caſe as this is. A Magiſtrate it may be will be very earneſt in taking courſe with thoſe exorbitancies and abuſes which diſhonour Chriſt, as long as he himſelf may attain to honour by it, and be applauded every where for his integrity, and zeal, and courage, and uprightneſs. But when he meets with ſcoffs and taunts on every ſide, when he comes to be affronted and diſgraced, and blaſted for his forwardneſs, and to be looked upon as a pragmatical, and buſie man, he thinks it better to give over and be quiet. A Miniſter, it may be, will be painfull in his Calling, very diligent in Preaching in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, while he may be commended and admired; but when he miſſes his expected honour and applauſe, he is like a becalmed Ship at Sea, and ſtirs no longer then the breath of people drives him. And ſo a private perſon, it may be, will be very holy and preciſe, very conſtant, and very diligent in duty, very exact in waiting on the Ordinances, and the like, as long as thoſe things gain him reputation and eſteem with thoſe to whom he would approve himſelf. But when they come once to be looked upon as matter of diſparagement, and when he is diſgraced for them, he hath done with theſe courſes.
Theſe men do glorifie themſelves, and not Chriſt, at leaſt they glorifie him with relation to themſelves, and make his glory but a means to the attainment of their own; ſo that their utmoſt end is really their own glory; ſo that however it may ſeem, they do not truly joyn with God in the accompliſhment of this deſign of his, touching the glorifying of his Son Chriſt. Now, I beſeech you, my Beloved, let us not be like theſe men, let us advance the Son of God ſingle, let us ſet up his glory when it is without our own.
Nay, to go further yet, let us ſet up his glory where it is againſt our own, which is the ſecond thing propoſed; when we are no gainers by it, but rather loſers in our own honour. And thus the Saints of God have done, as I ſhall give you divers inſtances out of the Scripture, becauſe the thing is difficult, and will need the more enforcing. John the Baptiſt was much cryed up among the people, as if he had been the Meſſias: Many men, if they had been in his place, would have nouriſhed theſe conceits, and taken to themſelves thoſe fooliſh attributions: But he is ſo far from this, that he endeavors every way to put them off from him, There comes one after me, who is mightier then I, the latchet of whoſe ſhoo I am not worthy to ſtoop down and unlooſe, Mar. 1.8, 9. I indeed have baptized you with water, but he ſhall baptize you with the holy Ghoſt. q.d. You queſtion whether I be Chriſt or no, and thus you magnifie me, and applaud me, and attribute that to me which indeed belongs to Chriſt. But I muſt tell you plainly, I am not the Chriſt (as in another place he doth) I am no body to him, I am not worthy to unty his ſhoes, to do the meaneſt Office that belongs to him: And for the Miniſtry, my Art is outward, and not to be compared with his, I indeed baptize, &c. And in another place he ſhews the very ſame temper, Iohn 3.30 He muſt increaſe, but I muſt decreaſe. q.d. It muſt be ſo, and I am very well content, ſo he increaſe, and ſo his glory grow, I care not though I wane and wither in my honour, and in the reputation and eſteem which I have among the people.
So the Apoſtles, when the people aſcribed the Miracle which they had done to them, how did they ſhake away this honour from them? Acts 3.12. Ye men of Iſrael, why look you ſo earneſtly on us, as if by our own power or holineſs, we had made this man whole: no, God hath done it to glorifie his Son Chriſt, in proſecution of this great deſign, as it is added there in that place.
And when was Paul in ſuch a heat, as when the people took Barnabas and him for gods, and would have offered ſacrifice unto them? Act. 14.13. When they heard what was done, they rent their cloaths, and ran in among the people, crying out, and ſaying, Sirs, why do ye theſe things? you think us to be Gods, but we are men of like paſsions with your ſelves, and preach unto you that you ſhould turn from theſe vanities, unto the living God. You ſee they labour to advance the Lord, by taking off thoſe high conceits which the people had of them.
Now I beſeech you my beloved, let the ſame minde be in us that was in theſe men. Let us not regard a jot what becomes of our honour, ſo the deſign of our God go forward touching the glorifying of his Son. And let us ſay as Iacob in another place, So Chriſt be glorified, we have enough. You that are in any office, do not conſider with your ſelves how you may carry matters, ſo that you may be commended and approved, for moderate, and meek, and quiet men; but how you may extirpate ſin, which diſhonours Jeſus Chriſt, and root out evil doers from the City of the Lord: and if you be abuſed for this, if looſe contentious people tax you, and run out upon you; if Drunkards in their Ale make Songs upon you, do you deſpiſe the ſhame as Chriſt did, ſo you may bring him any glory?
So we that are the Miniſters of Chriſt, let this be our endeavour to advance and ſet up Chriſt; let us ſtudy ſuch a way, and follow ſuch a courſe as will glorifie him moſt, though it redound not to our own honour. Let us not make this our aim, how we may carry matters, ſo that we may be admired and magnified, that we may be accounted eloquent and learned, and the like; but that the people may be edified, and that they may be won to Jeſus Chriſt: That way of preaching, be it what it will, which ſerveth beſt to theſe ends, let us endeavour after, yea and though it ſhould be prejudicial to our own glory, though it ſhould eclipſe us. What ſaith the Apoſtle Paul, 2 Cor. 4.5. I preach not my ſelf, but the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. It is not my intention to ſet up my ſelf, that I may be looked upon, that my abilities may be applauded and admired; no, I regard not though I be concealed, though I be hid among the croud, ſo as Jeſus Chriſt appear, ſo as the affections and thoughts of men be ſet on him, ſo he be repreſented to the people in his glory: I preach not my ſelf, but the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and my ſelf your ſervant for Jeſus his ſake. And ſo for private Chriſtians, let us ſeriouſly conſider what the Lord expects from us, and how intent he is on this buſineſs, and let us ſtrive to ſerve him, and be inſtrumental to him in this great deſign of his. Let us make this our work and buſineſs, how we may glorifie the Lord Chriſt, become what will of our eſteem and reputation in the world. And this, becauſe it is a hard leſſon, I ſhall excite you to the learning and the practiſing of it, with a few motives.
Conſider wherefore you were made and placed in the world; what, to ſet up your ſelves, and to advance your own honour? No, but to glorifie the Lord Chriſt; this was the end of your Creation; All things were created by him, and for him, ſaith the Apoſtle, Col. 1.16. As they were created by him, ſo they were created for him. Now a thing may be made either for the need and conveniency, or elſe for the honour and glory of him for whom it is made. As great men in their houſes, have been always wont to have ſome things for uſe, and others for pomp. Now Jeſus Chriſt made nothing in the world for need; he needs not us for any thing that we can do; for he was abſolutely full and perfect, and compleat, before we had a being in the world; or had it not been ſo, undoubtedly he would have made us ſooner, he would not have remained ſo long without us. So then he made us for his glory, that was the end he aimed at in our Creation: And therefore it concerneth us to ſee that we anſwer this end, and that we glorifie the Lord Chriſt: Or if we do not ſo; firſt, our ſin is very great, we ſin againſt the great, the utmoſt end of our Creation: And ſecondly, our danger is very great, and we are in extreameſt peril of deſtruction. Any thing that is unuſefull, or unſerviceable to the end that it was made, is fit for nothing elſe but ruine. We make a fire to warm us, and to dreſs our meat, but if it fall a burning of the houſe, we put it out if we be able: A hatchet or a knife is made to cut, but when it comes to have no edge at all, ſo that it will not do the buſineſs that it ſerveth for, we throw it by into a corner, and provide another. A Potter makes a veſſel to keep liquid things, but if it have a crack, or hole in it, ſo that it will not ſerve for that purpoſe, he even daſhes it in pieces. So Jeſus Chriſt hath made us for himſelf, his own glory; but if we be unſerviceable to this end, and if he finde we do not glorifie him, but diſhonour him, and ſhame him, he will break us with a rod of iron, and daſh us in pieces like a Potters veſſel. We will not ſerve his turn, nor the end for which he made us, and therefore he will caſt us away; for what ſhall he do with us? If any of us have an inſtrument that is very uſefull to us, we will be very chary of it, and very carefull that we do not loſe it; but if it be of no uſe, we reckon it of no value, yea many times we break it, or we burn it in a paſſion, and there is an end of it. So Jeſus Chriſt will deal with us my Brethren; if we be ſerviceable to the end for which he made us, he will keep us, and preſerve us: But if we be unuſefull to him, or if we do not glorifie him, he will ruine and deſtroy us.
Conſider Chriſt will make you recompence for any honour that you bring to him, you ſhall have it back again, and that with profit and advantage. If you honour Jeſus Chriſt, he will do as much for you, he will honour you again; it is his Promiſe, and he will be faithfull in it, 1 Sam. 2.30. Them that honour me, I will honour. Men are exceedingly, and almoſt univerſally deceived in this particular: they think the ready way to honour, is to ſet up themſelves, and to briſle their plumes, to ſtrut and ſwell, and ſwagger in the world; to take all wayes that they can think upon, to make themſelves ſeem great and honourable in the eyes of others; but in the mean time they neglect Chriſt, they take no courſe at all to advance his glory. Alas, theſe men are quite out, if they would have true honour, their buſineſs and their work muſt be to ſet up Chriſt, and then he will be ſure to ſet up them again. If we take care to honour him, he will take care to honour us; if we do the one of them, we need not doubt to truſt him with the other. So that you ſee my Brethren, if we would be honoured and eſteemed, we have no more to do but only this, to glorifie the Lord Chriſt, to magnifie him, and to make him great, and then he is engaged to take care of our eſteem and credit in the world. But on the other ſide if we diſhonour and deſpiſe him, let us do what we can to raiſe our ſelves, and get our ſelves a name, it ſhall be all to no purpoſe, when all is done he will caſt ignominy and contempt upon us, as he tells us in the fore-alledged Text, They that honour me, I will honour; and they that deſpiſe me, ſhall be lightly ſet by.
Conſider with your ſelves how you will gratifie (if I might expreſs it ſo) or rather pleaſe the Father, in glorifying of his Son Chriſt. It is a thing that fathers take delight and pleaſure in, to ſee their ſons advanced to honour; and truly ſo doth God the Father in reference to Jeſus Chriſt. He loves to ſee him ſet up, and to ſee him made glorious, and that not only as he is his Son, in whom his very ſoul delighteth, but as it hath been his decree and purpoſe from eternity to have him glorified. You hear it hath been the deſign of God to glorifie his Son Chriſt, and a deſign on which his heart is ſet; and ſo the promoting of it by your means, muſt needs be very pleaſing to him: you may be ſure that he will vote it to be acceptable ſervice. And even as they that hinder and oppoſe this great buſineſs are oppoſites to God: ſo they that further and promote it, cloſe with him, and carry on his buſineſs, and he will take it very kindly at their hands, to have a thing which he is ſo intent upon brought to paſs by their means. Theſe things may ſtir us up, my Brethren, to comply with God in this great Deſign of his, touching the glorifying of his Son Chriſt.