2. Keceive Christ in the word. In a contract, there is not only a receiving a bond, but, by virtue of the bond, an inheritance conveyed to us. So you must not only receive the word ; we are not saved by giving credit to any maxim of religion, fides non est assensus axiomati. Not they that saw the ark — many saw it, and scoffed — but they that were in it, were saved from drowning. When a man is ready to perish in the floods, it is not enough to see land, but we must reach it, stand upon it, if we Avould be safe. It is not a naked contemplation, but a real implantation into Christ. Now, if you will know it, what- ever was in Christ in the history, must be in you in the mystery. You are adopted sons, 1 John iii. 1. Christ must be formed and conceived in you. Gal. iv. 19. You must suffer, and be crucified to the world and sin, Rom. vi. 6. You must be buried and raised up again. Col. ii. 12. All is to be done in a spiritual manner. I speak not this to turn all scripture into an allegory, but every act of Christ hath some spiritual accommodation.
So much for these two acts or parts of faith, they have known surely, and have received thy word.
Before I go off from this clause, there are two or three observations to be raised, especially if we compare this verse with John xvi. 27-31, ' For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world : again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said imto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee : by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. Jesus answered them. Do
238 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XI.
yo now believe?' From whence I observe, that this was but a late aclvnowledgraent : ver. 30, ' Now wo are sure, and by this we believe, that tliou earnest forth from God.' And presently, within an hour, Christ conimendeth it to his Father, ' They have known surely, and have believed.'
1. Observe, hew ready Christ is to take notice of the good that is wrought in us. He watcheth for an occasion to commend us to God. Satan and his instruments, they watch for our halting : Jer. xx. 10, 'All my familiars watched for my halting, peradventure he will be enticed.' Let us watch, say they, we may have matter against him. The devil is a spy, that lietli upon the catch that he may frame an accusation against you before God — (a dog doth not wait for a bit from his master's trencher, more than he doth for a passionate word) — some evil gesture and practice, whereof to accuse us ; so his instruments watch to defame you in the world. But now Jesus Christ looketh after matter of praise and commendation. 'Now we know verily, and believe ; ' and Christ presently telleth his Father of it. Oh ! what an encouragement should this be to press us to grow in knowledge, and to abound in every good work ! You furnish your intercessor with matter of praise, and give your advocate an advantage against your accuser. Christ watcheth for a good action as the devil doth for a bad. He is a swift witness, not only against his adversaries, but for his people : Mai. iii. 5, ' I will come near to you injudgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers,' &c. He cometli to convince them sooner than they are aware ; none of their sins are unknown to him, and they are brought in court before they dream of it. And the godly have a witness in heaven too. So Job xvi. 20, ' Behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.' And he is a swift witness ; we reap the fruit of many actions as soon as they are performed. A continual experience we have of this disposition of Christ in the speedy answer of prayers : Isa. Ixiv. 24, ' And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer ; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear/ He is more ready to answer than we to crave. So it is said to Daniel, Dan. X. 12, ' From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to under- stand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard,' See God's readiness to accept the services of his people ; in the first day of the three weeks he had set apart, ver. 2. Daniel thought it would be long work, and God heard him the first day. Certainly God de- lighteth in the graces of his children, when he doth so readily take notice of the first act and exercise of them.
2. I observe, by comparing that place with this, that the apostles' faith was weak, not only imperfect, but inconstant, and subject to wavering, and yet Christ commendeth it to his Father : John xvi. 30, 31, 32, ' We are sure thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should tell thee : by this we believe that thou earnest forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe ? behold, the hour Cometh, and now is, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone.' Yea, and indeed, if we look into the history of the gospel, we shall find their faith was very weak. It is true they did receive him for the Messiah, and did acknowledge that he was the Son of God, his natural and only Son, which they knew by his baptism,