23G SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [Ser. XT.
We ought not only to acknowledge him to be the true mediator, but to choose and receive liim for our all-sufficient portion. Worldly men look to Christ as fit for their consciences, but look to the world as an object for their aflfections. Now Christ should not only pacify the conscience, but satisfy the heart. We should come to him, not only as a physician to heal our Avounds, but as a husband to satisfy and content our love, as a meet object for our affections. The whole soul is to clasp about him. He is not only good in a way of profit, but amiable in away of excellency ; therefore the whole heart is to be givea him. The things of the world are good but for one thing ; food is good to satisfy the appetite, yet we must have clothes to warm the back. But Christ is good for all things ; he is not only the physician of the soul, but the beloved : Ps. Ixxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee ; ' since there is none so fit to match and wed their affections.
3. To receive him with the whole heart is to make after him with the earnest motions and lively aftections of the soul, as desire and delight. Carnal men have a naked imaginary persuasion, but no lively affections to Christ, unless it be for a very small while. They never felt the bitterness of sin, and so have not such veliement and strong motions of heart towards Christ. Conviction of conscience differetli much from literal assent. Carnal men have a literal assent, and a speculative delight in contemplation, but not such labour and travail of soul to get an interest in Christ. Swimming is for life and death ; it is not a work proper for him that standeth on firm land, but for those that are ready to be swallowed up of the waves. Nor have they such delight ; a stomach always full knoweth not the sweetness of bread. Christ relisheth only v/ith troubled consciences.
Use of the whole. Well, then, you see that there is required to faith, <yvwai<i and \rjy\n<i, knowledge and receiving.
1. Fvojai^, knowledge. There is a knowledge before faith, in faith, and after faith. Before faith ; a man must know what he believes, or else he cannot believe. See scriptures : John x. 38, ' That ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him ;' 1 John iv. 16, ' We have known, and have believed the love that God hath to us ;' John vi. 69, ' We know and believe that thou art Christ.' We must first know before we can believe. In faith there is a knowledge, an apprehension as well as discourse, a pregnant apprehension. Faith is a clear liglit, it freeth the soul from the mists of prejudice, by repre- senting God in the all-sufficiency of grace and jiower : Jleb. xi. 3, ' Through faith we understand that the world was framed by the word of God.' It puzzled the philosophers, but faith maketh all clear. After faith, 2 Peter i. 5, ' Add to your faith, virtue ; and to virtue, know- ledge.' Faith is the fruit of knowledge, knowledge is the fruit of faith. ISo Ps. cxix. (JG, ' Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I have believed thy commandments;' that is, a fuller manifestation. First we receive the word by faith, then we know more. Oportet discenlcm credere. First we know that it is, then how it is. The ground of faith is that they are revealed. How or what they are we learn by more acquaintance and experience. Light is always increasing, most necessary to the christian life. Faith is as knowledge is, more or less
Vek. S.] sermons upon JOHN xvri. 237
explicit, yet not so explicit but that there is some implicitness in it, as long as we live here : 1 John iii. % ' It doth not yet appear what we shall be ; but this we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him.' We have not a particular account, not a reason of the thing, but we have a reason why we believe it.
2. A7]'\jn<;. This is a proper act of faith. God is always on the giving, and we on the receiving hand ; we receive the word, we receive Christ, and we receive remission of sins, and glory ; the main of our duty is but a receiving.
Let me press you to receive the word, to receive Christ.
1. Eeceive the word, give it a kind entertainment. There is an act of consideration ; meditate upon it seriously, that truth may not float in the understanding, but sink into the heart : Luke ix. 44, ' Let these sayings sink down into your hearts.' Believe it : the truth is a sovereign remedy ; but there wanteth one ingredient to make it work, and that is faith : Heb. iv. 2, ' The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.' There is an act of the will and affections, which is called, ' a receiving the truth in love,' 2 Thes. ii. 10. Make room for it, that carnal affections may not vomit and throw it up again. Christ complaineth that ' his word had no place in them,' John viii. 37, ov %o)/)et iv vfjuv, like a queasy stomach possessed with choler, that casts up all that is taken into it: 1 Cor. ii. 14, 'A natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.' Let it lodge, and quietly exercise a sovereign command over the soul.