Well, then, let this be considered by us seriously and often and deeply, that everlasting woe and weal is in the case. Meat well chewed nourishetli the more, but being swallowed whole breedeth crudities ; so when we swallow truths without rumination or consi- deration, we do not feel the virtue of them ; they do not excite our diligence, nor break the force of temptations : * Oh ! that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end,' Deut. xxxii. 29. I have read of a prodigal prince, that when he had given away a huge sum of money, they laid all the money into a heap before him, that he might see and consider what he had given away, to bring him to retract, or in part to lessen the grant. So it is good for us to consider what we lose in losing eternity, what we part Avith for these vile and perishing things.
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SERMONS
UPON THE
SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER OF SI JOHN.
SERMONS UPON JOHN XVIL
SERMON I.
Tliese loords spake Jesus, and lift up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come ; glorifij thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. — John XVII. 1.
I SHALL, in the following exercises, open to you Christ's solemn prayer recorded in this chapter — a subject worthy of our reverence and serious meditations. The Holy Ghost seemeth to put a mark of respect upon this prayer above other prayers which Christ conceived in the days of his flesh. Elsewhere the scripture telleth us that Christ prayed ; but the form is not expressed, or else only brief hints are delivered, but this is expressed at large. This was, as it were, his dying blaze. Natural motion is swifter and stronger in the end ; so was Christ's love hottest and strongest in the close of his life ; and here you have the eruption and flame of it. He would now open to us the bottom of his heart, and give us a copy of his continual intercession. This prayer is a standing monument of Christ's affection to the church ; it did not pass away with the external sound, or as soon as Christ ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of the Father ; it retaineth a per- petual efficacy ; the virtue remaineth, though the words be over. As the word of creation hath retained its vigour these five or six thousand years : * Increase and multiply, and let the earth bring forth after its kind ;' so the voice of this turtle is ever heard, and Christ's prayers retain their vigour and force, as if but newly spoken.
In this prayer he mentions all blessings and privileges necessary for the church. He prayeth for himself, for the apostles, for all believers. He beginneth with his own glorification, as the foundation ; and goeth on to seek the welfare of the apostles, as the means ; and then the com- fort of believers, as the fruit of his administrations in the world. Christ's merit, the apostles' word, the believers' comfort, are three things of the highest consideration in religion. I shall open these in the order and method in which they are laid down.
In the first verse we have : —
1. The preface to the whole prayer, these tJiinc/s said Jesus, &g.
110 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. 1.
2. Christ's free request, glorify thy Son ; which is backed with reasons taken from —
1.] His special relation, Father, and thy Son. 2.] His present necessity, the hour is come. 3.] The aim of his request, that thy Son also may glorify thee. I shall go over the phrases as they are offered in the order of the words.
'These things spake Jesus;' that is, when he had spoken these things. This clause serveth —
1. To show the order of the history ; his prayer followed his fare- well sermon.
2. The suitableness of his prayers to the sermon. The points there enforced are here commended to God in prayer. It were easy to suit the requests to the consolations and instructions of that sermon. From hence —
[1.] Observe how fitly Christ dischargeth the office of a mediator. The office of a mediator, or day's-man, is ' to lay his hand upon both,' Job ix. 33 ; to treat and deal witli both parties. Hitherto Christ hath dealt with men in the name of God, opening his counsel to us ; now he dealeth with God in the name of men, opening our case to him. As Moses, the typical mediator, was to speak to God, Exod. xix. 19, and from God, Exod. xx. 19, so did our Lord speak from God and to God. He still performeth the same work and office. He speaketh to us in the word, and for us in prayer. The word never works till we hear Christ speaking in it : 2 Cor. xiii. 3, ' Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me ; ' and our prayers are not accepted, but by virtue of Christ's intercession. Those that made their addresses to King Ad- metus, brought the prince with them in their arms ; or as Joseph charged his brethren that they should not see his face unless they brought Benjamin with them, their brother ; we cannot see God's face unless we bring our elder brother with us. Acts xii. 20, when Herod was displeased with the men of Tyre, they made Blastus, the king's chamberlain, their friend. It is good to have a fiivourite in heaven. Among all the favourites, none so acceptable as Christ ; get him to make intercession for you. Out of the whole, learn to see Christ in the word, to use Christ in prayer ; he is the golden pipe by which our prayers ascend, and the influences of heaven are conveyed to us : 1 Cor. viii. 6, ' One Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.' All things come from God to us through Christ.