[3.] In love and mercy. God was resolved that the heirs of salva- tion should infallibly be conducted to everlasting life ; he would not be defeated of his purpose, and therefore would have them quickened by virtue of that power and life that was given to Christ. God would now deal with us upon sure terms, and take order sufficient for attain- ing his end, and therefore he would not trust us with any but his own eternal Son, that nothing might be wanting. There is not only a command laid upon us, but a command and a charge laid upon Christ. Christ is a good depository; of such care and faithfulness, that he will not neglect his Father's pledge ; of such strength and ability, that nothing is able to wrest it out of his hands ; of such love, that no work can be more willing to him ; he loveth us far better than we do our- selves, or else he had never come from heaven for our sakes ; of such watchfulness and care, that ' his eyes do always run to and fro through- out the earth, that he may show himself strong in the behalf of them that trust in him.' Providence is full of eyes, as well as strong of hand. Were we oua.' own keepers we should soon perish ; but Christ is charged, who is a loving, faithful, able keeper, who is resolved to preserve us safe, till he doth at the last day present us to the Father.
Use. 1. It informeth us of two things : —
1. Of the certainty of the elect's salvation. If the elect should not be saved, Christ should neither do his work nor receive his wages. How can they miscarry that are Christ's own charge ? He hath such power that * none can pluck them out of his hands,' John x. 28. He had need of a stronger arm than Christ that must do it. When you can pluck him out of the throne then he may lose his flock. He hatli
214 SERMONS UPON JOHN XTII. [SeR. IX.
grace enough to convert them : John x. 10, 'I am come that they might have Hfe, and that they might have it more ahimdantly ;' and he liath power enough to keep them ; John x. 28, ' I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither sliall any pluck them out of my hand.' Shall we say that the Son, though he hath power, wants will ? This is blasphemy. He came down from heaven with this resolution : John vi. 38, ' I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.' Now, this is the Father's will, that they should come, and tha^ they should not be lost ; and it is meat to Christ to accomplish it : John iv. 34, ' My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.' Now it is a rule. Qui ^potest et vult, facit. He that can do, and will do, doth it undoubtedly.
2. It informeth us of Christ's distinct and explicit notice of the elect.
[1.] Of their persons, he knoweth the definite number, all their names ; he lieth in the Father's bosom, knoweth his secrets : ' He is worthy to open the book,' Eev. v. 4, 5 ; and he hath a register of his own, wherein their names are recorded: Rev. xiii. 8, ' Whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life.' Man by man, name by name, they are all written there ; as the high priest carried their names in his breast, so doth Christ ; thy name is engraven on his heart : John X. 3, ' He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.' ' Clement also, with other my fellow-labourers, whose names are in the book of life,' Phil. iv. 3. John, Anna, Thomas, Clement, they are recorded ; and Christ takes such special notice of them as if there were none other in the world.
[2.] Their condition and necessities, how obscure and poor soever they be in the account and reckoning of the world: Ps. xxxiv. 6, ' This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him ! ' Poor soul ! he is liable to such temptations, overwhelmed with such troubles, he crieth to me to help him. It was the theology of the Gentiles, dii magna curant, parva negligimt — that the divine powers did only take care of the great and weighty concernments of the world, but neglected the lesser : Isa. xl. 27, ' Why sayest thou, 0 Jacob, and speakest, 0 Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my j udgment is passed over from iny God?'
Use 2. It persuadeth us wholly and absolutely to resign up our- selves into Christ's hands. The Father is Aviser than we ; he knoweth well enough what he did, when he commendeth us to his Son. Let us give up bodies and souls to Christ, all that we have. Faith is often expressed by committing ourselves to Christ ; it answereth the trust the Father reposed in him : 1 Peter iv. 19, ' Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful creator.' The apostle knew what he did when he trusted Christ with his soul : 2 Tim. i. 12, ' I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.' Is thy soul laid a pledge in Christ's hands ? It is no easy work. That we may know wliat it is, let me open it a little.