Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 58
JOHN 17.26.
That the love wherewith thou haſt loved me may be, &c.
DOCTRINE 2. The Declaration of the Fathers Name to men, is one eſpecial means to work the grace of love in them.
IT is to this end that our Saviour makes it known, as you may ſee expreſly in my Text; I have declared unto them thy Name, and will declare it; Why ſo? to what end? That the love wherewith thou haſt loved me (that very property) may be in them; That as it is in thee, it may be wrought in them alſo. And out of doubt the means our Saviour pitches on, are uſeful and available to his ends.
Indeed men come to know the Father, by the diſcovery of his name to them; for ſo his name is all that makes him known to men: And that which worketh knowledge of him, doth mediately work love to him: So that if the diſcovery of his name do make men know him (as that is very manifeſt) it doth make them love him too. That which one affirms of Learning, may be applyed to God, Non habet Inimicum niſi ignorantem. Whoſoever knows him clearly, loves him truly; Indeed while we are unacquainted with him, the admirable worth and beauty, and excellency that is in him every way, doth not take a whit upon us. The Philoſopher will tell us that the mind muſt be informed and convinced of the goodneſs of a thing, before the heart will cleave to it, or the affections cloſe with it: And hence it is, that carnal and unſanctified perſons love not God, becauſe they know him not: Or if they know him any way, it is not under ſuch a notion as renders him deſirable or lovely to them. Perhaps they know him as a Judge, or an avenger; they cannot know him as a Saviour and Redeemer. And this is the real 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, they face to face. And this is the reaſon alſo why we love not God with ſuch a high affection here as we ſhall do hereafter, becauſe we know him not ſo well, we have not ſuch diſtinct and full diſcoveries of his name, as then we ſhall attain to. So then you ſee in general, that the diſcovery of the Fathers name to men is one eſpecial means to work the grace of love in them.
To clear it yet a little further to you. I ſhall ſhew you particularly and diſtinctly, that there are divers things in Gods name, which (being manifeſted and declared unto men) are means to win their hearts to him, and ſo to work love in them. As
The beauty of the Lord is a part of his name, and beauty being manifeſted and diſcovered is a means to win love. It is a great attractive of affection. Now herein God excells (my brethren) in this reſpect, he is incomparably, out of meaſure lovely: The greateſt beauty in the world is holineſs; ſo it is often called, as 1 Chron. 16.19. Pſal. 29.2. To ſhew that holineſs hath beauty in it; yea it is called Beauties in the plural number; The beauties of holineſs; Pſal. 110.3. to intimate that holineſs is full of beauty, and that it over-matches all the beauties in the world, if all of them were put together: And therefore this is made in Scripture the greateſt beauty of the creature; as Sin is the deformity, ſo Grace and Holineſs is the beauty of the Soul, it adorns the inner man: And therefore the Apoſtle Peter exhorteth Chriſtian women to adorn the hidden man of the heart with this, 1 Pet. 3.4. Even with the ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit, which is of great price in the ſight of God: And hence it is that holineſs is likened to the faireſt things, to Robes, and Gems, and Crowns, and Gold, and Jewels, and the like.
Now God is matchleſs in this kind of beauty; He is holineſs it ſelf; yea, he is infinitely holy: And therefore holineſs is called the Image of God. The holineſs that is in men, is but an image and a pattern of that holineſs which is originally and compleatly in the Lord: who hath in this reſpect all beauty in him. Yea, it is called the glory of the Lord, Rom. 3.23. All have ſinned and are deprived of the glory of God, which ſhined in us in the ſtate of innocency. Indeed, my brethren, he hath in him the Sum and the perfection of beauty; He hath all in him that doth win and raiſe, nothing that cools or deadens the affection; all things to invite, nothing to avert love. Others there are (my brethren) who have ſome things beautiful and comely to invite and draw love, but other things uncomely and unbeautiful to keep it off: Something or other there is in them that is odd, unpleaſing, and ſo a bar, and hindrance to affection. Brethren, it is not ſo with God, he is all beautiful, and all alluring, altogether lovely: Others are ſo in ſome reſpects, but he is ſo in all reſpects, He is altogether lovely, the allurement of all hearts; And the deſire of all Nations, Hag. 2.7. So he is always in the merit, although he be not always ſo in the event.
Object. But if God be ſo beautiful, what is the reaſon that men do not love him?
Anſw. Becauſe his name, in this reſpect, is not made known to them. All men are naturally blind, you know; and blind men cannot judge of beauty, until their eyes be anointed with the Eye-ſalve, Apoc. 3.18. to make them ſee ſuch beauty as this is: The beauty of holineſs is a ſpiritual beauty, and that is not diſcerned by a natural Eye. There muſt be a ſpiritual eye to ſee and to diſcern a ſpiritual beauty: And when you have ſuch eyes as theſe, to ſee the beauty of the Lord, your hearts will be enamoured on him; you will be in the caſe the Church was, you will be ſick of love, and ſay, Lord, turn away thine eyes, for they have overcome us: We cannot bear the dazling rayes of ſuch beauty as thine is.
The goodneſs of the Lord is a part of his name; and goodneſs being manifeſted and diſcovered, is a means to draw love. Now herein God excels (my brethren) he is good beyond pattern, and beyond meaſure: He is eſſentially good, good without goodneſs, (as Auſtin ſpeaks) becauſe indeed he is goodneſs it ſelf. The creatures be good, but not goodneſs. Their nature is good, but goodneſs is not their nature. But now the nature and ſubſtance of God, is goodneſs it ſelf, ſo that he is eſſentially good; and then he is alſo cauſally good, as Pſal. 119.68. Thou art good, and doſt good; Thou art good in thy ſelf, and thou doſt good to the creature, ſo that the earth is full of thy goodneſs: He is eminently good; ſo that whatſoever goodneſs is to be found among the creatures, is eminently and tranſcendently in God himſelf.
Now goodneſs is the object of love, and conſequently the allective of affection. If we have cauſe to fear God for his goodneſs, as Hoſ. 3. ult. then ſurely we have much more cauſe to love him, eſpecially ſince he is not only good in himſelf, but good to us: If this part of his name be manifeſted and made known to us, we cannot chooſe but love him, and delight in him. That phraſe of the Apoſtle Paul is notable, and may be very well applyed to our purpoſe, Rom. 5.7. For ſcarcely for a righteous man will one die, but for a good man one would even dare to die: Uprightneſs draws not love as goodneſs doth: One man will hardly love another ſo much for his uprightneſs as to die for him; but for his goodneſs manifeſted to himſelf on all occaſions, continually doing good to him, he may come to love him ſo, as even to lay down his life for him: And even for this cauſe we ſhall love God, and love him out of all meaſure, ſo as even to die for him, if this part of his name be fully manifeſted and made known to us.
The mercy of the Lord is a part of his name, and this if it be manifeſted to us, will beget love in us. You know the Lord is ſaid in Scripture to be merciful, yea to be rich in mercy; and that not only becauſe the mercy that he hath is pretious, but becauſe there is abundance of this pretious mercy in him; For both of theſe concur to riches; there muſt be ſomething that is pretious, and there muſt be much of it: and ſo it is with God in this caſe; He hath a maſs of mercy in him, a bottomleſs and endleſs treaſure, ſuch as the wants of all the world are never able to draw dry: And as a rich man, though he ſpend exceedingly, yet becauſe he hath a treaſure, the e is no failing, no deficiency of his ſtore; ſo God though he communicate his mercy freely to the ſons of men, yet he cannot be exhauſted; no, there is more behind ſtill, it is an infinite, a bottomleſs, an endleſs mercy; A mercy that endures for ever.
Now this rich mercy God lays out, as many other ways, ſo chiefly in the pardon of our ſins: and hence we read of mercies and forgiveneſses in God, as Dan. 9.9. Mercies as the cauſe and fountain; Forgiveneſſes as the effect and ſtream: And both you ſee my brethren, in the plural number, to ſhew the over-flowing mercy of the Lord. Indeed my brethren, there is mercy in all pardons; but in the pardon and remiſſion of the ſins of Gods people there is admirable mercy. And hence the Prophet wondred at it, not knowing what to think, or to ſay of it; Who is a God like thee, that pardoneth iniquity, &c. Mic. 7.18. The Prophet is tranſported, and carryed out beyond himſelf in admiration. And mark it well He doth not ſay, There is no man like thee, but there is no God like thee. Indeed it goes beyond the mercy of any but the true living God to do this. In which reſpect is that expreſſion, Hoſ. 11.9. I will not execute the fierceneſs of my wrath, for I am God, and not man: that ſpeech of the Apoſtle Paul is full, Epheſ. 1.7. We have remiſsion of our ſins, according to the riches of his grace. Now if this part of Gods name be made known to us, it cannot chooſe but work love in us. We love them who forgive us common debts, eſpecially if they be great, we think that we can never do enough for them, or manifeſt reſpect enough to them. But we have cauſe to love him more who forgives us ſuch debts as theſe are, which if they ſhould be rigorouſly exacted of us, we were not able to diſcharge them, but muſt be laid up under everlaſting chains. Oh my beloved, how can this chooſe but draw out our affection to the Lord? The woman in the Goſpel had much forgiven her: and what was the effect and iſſue of it? Why ſhe loved much; Her love was anſwerable to her pardon: Much was forgiven her, and ſhe loved much: She was a great ſinner, and ſhe had a large pardon, and ſo accordingly ſhe ſhewed great love. O my Beloved, if ſuch mercy be diſcovered to us, we cannot chooſe but do as ſhe did; if we ſurvey our lives, and find perhaps that we have been grievous ſinners, beyond the ordinary rate, that we were over head and ears in debt to God, that there were horrid crimes upon the bill againſt us, ſcarlet ſins, and bloody ſins: and then the Fathers name is manifeſted to us, that he hath been to us The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gratious, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin: And that according to the multitude of his tender mercies he hath blotted out our tranſgreſsions: how will our hearts come off to him? how will they flame with love to God? ſo that we ſhall cry out, O how do we love the Lord! we are not able to expreſs it, how infinitely dear is God to me!
The Love of God is a part of his name: and this if it be manifeſt alſo, will beget love in us: When it ſhines forth from God upon our hearts, it will reflect, and ſo return to God again. This flame will kindle our fire, and make it burn, that all the waters in the world will never quench it, as Cant. 8.7. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the flouds drown it. Amor eſt cos amoris, love is the ſpecial thing that whets love, and that makes it keen and ſharp: So it is with the love of man, and ſo with the love of God. If it be made known to us, and if we have aſſurance of it, it will exceedingly indear our hearts to him; We love him, ſaith the Evangeliſt John, 1 Epiſt. 4.19. Why ſo? becauſe he loved us firſt; The declaration of his love to us, works love in us to him again. Firſt he loves us, and when we know it, then we love him. So that the point is fully proved, The Declaration of the Fathers name to men is one great means to work the grace of love in them.
Ʋſe 1 To make a little Application; Firſt is it ſo, That the Diſcovery, &c. We ſee the reaſon then my brethren, why a great part of the world have not the love of God in them: Though he be altogether lovely, yet they love him not at all, becauſe his lovelineſs is hidden from them. His name is not declared to them, they have no knwledge of his beauty, goodneſs, mercy, love, &c. and hence it is that they bear no affection to him; They are alienated from him, ſtrangers to him: love him no more then they do a meer ſtranger. But how comes this to paſs? by reaſon of the ignorance and blindneſs that is in them. How many Heathen Nations in the world, and Chriſtians by profeſſion are in this condition! and ſo will certainly continue, till Jeſus Chriſt declare the Fathers name to them.
And therefore in the ſecond place, if you deſire indeed to love God, Ʋſe 2 and to grow up in this love, Labour to be acquainted with his name: Wait on the diſcoveries of it, that Jeſus Chriſt is pleaſed to make both in publique and in private; Whereſoever Chriſt declares his Fathers name, there be you attending on him, to ſee what he will further ſhew you of his beauty, goodneſs, mercy, love to you in ſpecial; and you ſhall find, that as you know more of him, your hearts will be accordingly endeared more to him; when you are with other Chriſtians, diſcourſe of this name of God, the greatneſs of his beauty, goodneſs, mercy, love, and your hearts will burn within you, with ardent flames of holy love, to his bleſſed Majeſty. When you are ſingle and alone, ſtudy the name of God; think of his attributes: let them be often in your meditations, as you ſhall ſee they were in Davids, if you read the Book of Pſalms, and then you will cry out not much unlike as he, O my God, how do I love thee, while I meditate of the beauty of thy glorious Majeſty, and thy marvailous works!
And thus far of the firſt end of our Saviours declaration of his Fathers name, That the love wherewith thou haſt loved me may be in them.
The ſecond follows in the laſt place to be handled; And I in them; that the love wherewith thou haſt loved me, may be in them, and I in them.
Firſt, that love may be in them, and then that I may be in them. The latter is adjoyned to the former by the connective particle and, as that which (out of all diſpute) will keep it company, and dwell with it. If love be in them, I ſhall be in them too ſaith Chriſt; I ſhall be where love is; and therefore I have manifeſted and declared thy name to them, in reference to both theſe: That love being wrought in them, I may be in them too by this means. This I conceive to be the drift and purpoſe of our Saviour in the words. The point ſuggeſted then is this.
DOCTRINE. Where Love is, there Chriſt is.
If love be in a man, Jeſus Chriſt is in him too; that is out of all queſtion; He comes with love into the ſouls of true believers. Brethren, Chriſt is an utter ſtranger to every ſoul that hath not true love in it. But if you knock at the door of any heart, and enquire, Is love within? is love here? If love be there, you may conclude that Jeſus Chriſt is there too. You ſee my brethren, they are knit together in my Text, That the love wherewith thou haſt loved me may be in them, and I in them. Love in them, and I in them; Love, and I. To ſhew that Jeſus Chriſt and Love do always dwell together in the ſame heart; they are not be ſeparated or divided each from other, but whereſoever one is, there is the other alſo; where love is, there Chriſt is. But then you muſt not underſtand it of love the paſſion, or natural affection, but of love the ſaving grace; of that love which is wrought by the effectual revelation of the Fathers name to men. Where this love is, there Chriſt is: as I ſhall make it evidently to appear to you: For,
Where love (the ſaving grace of love) is, there the ſpirit is; and where the ſpirit is, there Chriſt is. Firſt where love is, there the ſpirit is, whoſe ſpecial dwelling in believers is not by his Eſſence, but his graces, and chiefly by the grace of love: And hence we read of the Spirit of love, 2 Tim. 1.7. becauſe the Spirit is the cauſe of love. And hence we alſo read of the love of the ſpirit, Rom. 15.30. becauſe love is the fruit of the ſpirit: ſo the Apoſtle ſtileth it expreſly, Gal. 5.22. Yea it is the prime fruit, the chief fruit, upon which all the reſt follow, as the Apoſtle makes it there, The fruit of the Spirit is love, and then joy, peace, meekneſs, and ſo on. Love is indeed the ſpecial grace by which the ſpirit of love dwells in us; ſo that where love is, there the ſpirit is.
Now where the ſpirit is, there Chriſt is: For his inhabitation in the ſoul is by the Spirit, and ſo it is explained by all Expoſitors with one conſent, where Chriſt is ſaid to dwell in, and be in us, as ſuch expreſſions are very frequent in the Scripture: He is with us by his Spirit, and in us by his Spirit; as we are the habitation of God, ſo we are the habitation of Chriſt, through the Spirit, as it is in Epheſ. 2. ult. And as the Spirit dwells in us by love, ſo Chriſt dwells in us by the Spirit; ſo that where love is, there the Spirit is; and where the Spirit is, there Chriſt is. That is the firſt thing.
Where love is, there faith is; and where faith is, there Chriſt is. Where love is, there faith is: And therefore you ſhall find them often knit together, and made inſeparable in the Scripture, Faith and Love. I need not give you inſtances: Virtutes Chriſtianae ſunt connexae, as a Father ſpeaks. All ſaving graces are united and conjoyned; they are made up together in a chain, ſo that if but one link be wanting, all the reſt are uſeleſs. If all of them be not united, not one of them is in ſincerity. But Faith and Love have a more near relation one to the other, then the reſt have: Faith to Love hath the nature of a Cauſe; Love to Faith the nature of an Evidence: Faith worketh love, love proveth faith: Faith without Love is a dead Belief: Love without Faith is a frozen Charity: So that where love is, there faith is.
Now beloved, where faith is, there Chriſt is: Faith takes in Jeſus Chriſt into the ſoul, and makes him to inhabit there: And therefore he is ſaid expreſly to dwell in the heart by faith, Epheſ. 3.17. And he received gifts for men, ſaith David, Pſal. 68.18. Yea for the rebellious alſo, that the Lord may dwell among them. And if he dwell among and in us by his gifts, then certainly by faith, which is principal of thoſe gifts: So that where love is, there faith is; and where faith is, there Chriſt is. That is the ſecond thing.
Where love is, there the Father is; and where the Father is, there Jeſus Chriſt the Son is: where love is, there the Father is; God is love, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 4.8. he is Eſſentially ſo, as I have ſhewed you; and conſequently God and love cannot be ſeparated each from other. He can no more be ſevered or divided from it, then he can be divided from his Eſſence: And therefore the Apoſtle adds in the aforeſaid place, that he that hath the grace of love in him, dwells in God, and God in him: So that where love is, God is.
Now my Beloved, where God is, there Chiſt is: For he and the Father are one, and conſequently they muſt always be together. You are not ignorant, that Chriſt and God the Father are often ſaid to be in one another, as in that place which we have largely handled in the 21 verſe of this Chapter, That they may all be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee; As Chriſt is God, the Father and himſelf are one Eſſence: In that conſideration they are ſo in one another, that they are the very ſame: The ſame Eſſence, (for ſo the union is Identical) though not the ſame Perſon: As Chriſt is Man, the Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son, by the 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, with whom the Son, as God, is one: So that in both conſiderations Chriſt is one with God the Father; and if they be one, they muſt be together; they cannot be in all reſpects aſunder who are one: So that where love is, God is; and where God is, Chriſt is; That is the third thing. By this time, I ſuppoſe, the point is clear, where love is, there Chriſt is: For 1. where love is, there the Spirit is. 2. Where love is, there faith is. 3. Where love is, there God is.
Now is it ſo, my brethren, That where love is, there Chriſt is? That Ʋſe 1 he is there, and only there where love is: for ſo it muſt be underſtood excluſively; Then in the firſt place, what a ſad condition are they in, who have not this love in them, who have not love to God nor to his children? Nay, who indeed are Enemies to both: who hate God and hate his people, and that with a perfect hatred: as multitudes there are of ſuch my Brethren, and that not in Hell only among the Devils, and the damned crew, but on earth among men, who taſte continually of the goodneſs of the Lord, yea in the very boſom of the Church it ſelf. There were falſe brethren in the Church of the Philippians, who notwithſtanding all their glorious proteſtations, were Enemies to Chriſt, as the Apoſtle tells them, and that with tears, Phil. 3.18. And ſurely there are many every where, and in every Congregation, who pretend much love to Chriſt, and yet do really and truly hate him. It is not every one that calls him Rabbi, Maſter, as falſe Judas did, that kiſſes him and bows before him, that hath indeed the love of Chriſt in him: No, men may make a flouriſh and a ſhew of love to Chriſt, and yet may be as hearty enemies to him, and to his members, as Judas, Pilate, and the Jews were. And truly multitudes of ſuch there are among us, and every place ſwarms with them.
Now my Beloved, in what a ſad and lamentable caſe are theſe men? For they that have no love in them, have no Chriſt in them neither; they that are without love, are without Chriſt too. And ſo they are expoſed to all thoſe matchleſs miſeries which follow being without Chriſt, ſuch as no tongue is ſufficient to expreſs, as I have laid them open largely to you, on Epheſ. 2.12.
Is it ſo, my brethren, that where love is, there Chriſt is? They then Ʋſe 2 that find upon undoubted evidences, that they have this love in them, may take incomparable comfort hence: For they may be hence aſſured, that they have Jeſus Chriſt in them. If love be in them, Chriſt is in them, as is apparently ſuggeſted in my Text; That the love wherewith thou haſt loved me may be in them, and I in them. If that be in them, I ſhall aſſuredly be in them too, and therefore I have manifeſted and declared thy name to them, that love and I may dwell in them. Ah, my Beloved, what an admirable thing is this, that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould live in you, as the Apoſtles phraſe is, Gal. 2.20. that your hearts ſhould be his houſe, in which he dwells and walks, and dines and ſups, and lodges every night, ſo that he is at home in your hearts that while he is a meer ſtranger to the remainder of the world, that while they are ſo far from having Jeſus Chriſt in them, that they have the Devil in them: Chriſt is not in them, but the devil is in them: He keeps the houſe as Chriſt ſpeaks; While the ſtrong man keeps the houſe: He keeps houſe in the hearts of wicked men, the Devil himſelf is the houſe-keeper there: there he dwells, and there he works, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Epheſ. 2.2. he worketh in them, they are the Devils houſe, the Devils ſhop; they are the houſe where he dwells, and the ſhop where he works: I ſay while it is thus with other men, while others have the Devil in them, they have Jeſus Chriſt in them. The ſtrong man is bound, and diſpoſſeſſed of his habitation: The Prince of this world is caſt out, and Jeſus Chriſt the King of glory is come in. Ah, my Beloved, what a happineſs is this! I wiſh that I were able to expreſs it to you, to ſet it off as it deſerves. How would it raviſh and tranſport you, and make you to ſit down in admiration at your bleſſedneſs in this world!
That you may gueſs a little at it, review the things that have been hinted at before. If Chriſt be in you, faith is in you, yea, all ſaving grace is in you; You are bleſſed with all ſpiritual bleſſings, in that you have him in you. You have a magazine, a treaſure of the graces of his holy Spirit: So that you are ineſtimably rich, and this riches is Chriſt in you, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Col. 1.27. Not Chriſt without us, but Chriſt within us by his graces, is our riches. If Chriſt be in you, the Holy Ghoſt himſelf is in you, as a Spirit of Illumination, and a Spirit of Sanctification, and as a Spirit of Conſolation. If you be ignorant, you have one within you to enlighten you: If you be impure, if you have dregs of ſin and of corruption in you, you have one within you to ſanctifie you; if you be ſad and comfortleſs, you have one within you to comfort you; the fountain and the ſpring of Conſolation is within you: ſo that he is at hand in all caſes, you need not faint, or ſwound away, while they fetch a cordial for you. If Chriſt be in you, God is in you; your hearts are his Temples, and the great God of heaven himſelf is the light and glory of them. O bleſſed hearts that have God to dwell in them! But more particulary yet;
1. If Chriſt be in you, you have moſt intimate and near acquaintance and Communion with him. It is very much (my brethren) for Chriſt Jeſus to be with you. It was a pretious promiſe that he made to his Apoſtles, Behold I am with you: But for Chriſt Jeſus to be in you, is much more. This importeth yet more cloſe and ſweet Communion: Indeed the cloſeſt and the ſweeteſt that can be. You cannot chooſe but know him inwardly, if he be in you.
2. If Chriſt be in you, you have free acceſs to him, you need not travail far to ſpeak with Chriſt, he is at hand continually, for he is in you: ſo that you may on all occaſions, make your addreſſes to him when you pleaſe. If you have any ſupplication to preſent, any complaint to make to him, do but open your own hearts, and you ſhall find Chriſt there.
3. If you have Chriſt Jeſus in you, you are partakers of a confluence of all accommodations, comforts, ſatisfactions and delights that the poor heart can reaſonably long for, or look after: For Jeſus Chriſt hath all in him, and brings all with him, where he comes. Indeed (my Brethren) he himſelf is all, as the Apoſtle tells us, Jeſus Chriſt is all in all, Col. 3.11. In all in whom he is (my brethren) he is all: So that in having him, we have all. There is more in him alone, to make us really and fully happy, then in all the world without him.
4. If Chriſt be in you, as you are happy, ſo you are ſecure, there is no fear of falling from your happineſs; if you fall, Jeſus Chriſt falls with you, for he is in you: And this is that which makes our happineſs in all reſpects accompliſht, that as it is compleat and full, ſo it is permanent, and indeficient too. The more excellent it is, if it were not firm and ſtable, the greater were the fear, the greater were the miſery of deprivation. Fuiſſe faelicem, to have been happy, is the greateſt unhappineſs. But this felicity, my brethren, is enduring; In whomſoever Chriſt is, he dwells there; he doth not ſojourn, but he dwells there, never to depart again. The heart of ſuch a man is his ſetled habitation, of which he ſaith, Here is my reſting place, here will I dwell for ever: So that if Chriſt be in you, you are ſafe; for he will never leave you, nor depart from you, and then it is impoſſible that you ſhould periſh. Ah, my Beloved, can a man be damned with Chriſt in him? caſt into hell with Chriſt in him? ſeparated from the Lord with Chriſt in him? Chriſt willl not, cannot leave him, that is once in Chriſt, ſo that if ſuch a man ſhould go to hell, Chriſt muſt go to hell in him.
And now to ſhut up all, ſince Chriſt is in you, Let me give you this caution, let him live quiet in your hearts; do not moleſt him, and diſturb him there; Do not make him vex, and fret: let it not be a pennance to him to continue in you. Let him not ſuffer by your ſins, who ſuffer'd for them: But labour every way to pleaſe him, and to give him ſatisfaction and content: that ſo the houſe which he hath choſen meerly for your ſakes (for he hath heaven to dwell in) may not be dark and doleful, but delightful to him.
And thus at length we have diſpatched this heavenly Prayer of our Great High Prieſt and Interceſſor Jeſus Chriſt. He was even ready to go forth to ſuffer, when he made it. Me thinks I hear him ſaying to his Apoſtles and Diſciples, The time is now at hand that I muſt leave you, and be taken from the earth; Come let us pray before we part, and there; withall he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and poured out theſe holy breathings of his Spirit, for himſelf and them. Oh what a bleſſed frame of heart! O what a choice and raiſed temper (think you) was he in at that time! O what a Prayer muſt that be that was made by ſuch a perſon, in ſuch a company, on ſuch an occaſion! Chriſt was in heaven in his thoughts and his affections when he uttered it, and we have ſeemed ſometimes to be in heaven too, while we have handled it, and heard it. Well, it hath been a ſweet and precious ſubject, as ever we have dealt upon. I ſhall deſire you to review it often, and let not any choice impreſſions, that have been made upon you by it, out again. Let them not be like lines drawn upon the ſand; no ſooner formed but defaced: like water ſpilt upon the ground, that is not to be gathered up again. Here you have ſeen the heart of Jeſus Chriſt opened, and his affections plentifully flowing out to his people. Our prayers ſhew our hearts to Chriſt; his prayer ſhews his heart to us. Here you have ſeen how our dear Friend, our Head, our Husband loved us, and had us in his mind and thoughts before he dyed. Us (I ſay) who now believe, as well as them that did believe in former times. How earneſt and importunate he is with God the Father, that we may be one here, and that we may be in one place hereafter! O let us ſearch into the heart of Jeſus Chriſt, laid open to us in this Abridgement of his Interceſſion for us: that we may know it, and the workings of it continually more and more; until at length this precious Prayer come to have its full effect, and we be taken up to be for ever with the Lord, that where he is, there may we be alſo. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · George Newton, Exposition of John 17 (1660)