Use 1. To condemn them which put asunder those operations which God hath joined together, the Arminians in doctrine, the common people in practice.
1. The Arminians in doctrine, by dividing Christ from election, or election from Christ; as if Christ were to die for those that were never elected and chosen to life, equally as for those that were ; or as if he expected glory from and designed salvation unto all alike. These trouble the links of the chain of salvation. How can it be said, ' All thine are mine, and mine are thine,' when God would never own them, and the Spirit would never sanctify them ?
2. The common people, that sever the election of God and redemp- tion of Christ from the sanctification of the Spirit. They say Christ died for them, when there is no evidence of it ; or that God loveth them, when there are no fruits of his love. The fruit of the Father's love is sending of the Spirit, and ' he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his,' Eom. viii. 9. If God had chosen thee, thou wouldst be sanctified. Sanctification it is as it were an actual election ; John xv. 19, ' Because I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hatetli you.' As by election we are distinguished from others in the counsel of God, so by sanctification we are actually set apart. If Christ had died for thee, thou wouldst have the whole fruit of his purchase : Eph. V. 25, ' Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.'
tise 2. Information how believers come to be possessed of such excellent privileges. x\ll that are God's are Chvist's, and all things
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258 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XIII.
that are Christ's are ours by faith. There is the same communioQ between us and Christ as there is between Christ and Grod : 1 Cor. iii. 23, 'All are yours, for you are Christ's, and Cln-ist is God's.' We have it from the Father's love by the Son's purchase. Christ was God's natural heir ; he made a purchase that he might adopt heirs, and take them in with himself : by faith we are taken in. We may say between us and Christ, ' All mine are thine, and thine are mine ;' *I am my beloved's, and he is mine ;' Cant. ii. 16.
Use 3. To show us the comfort of the faithful. God and Christ have an equal interest in them: the Father loveth them as Christ's, as his own ; Christ careth for them as the Father's, as his own : 1 John i. 3, ' Our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.' God made the elect members of Christ's body, that he might redeem them. Christ made them children of his family, that he might love them. The Father saith, ' They are mine ;' the Son saith, ' They are mine.' The power of God issueth through Christ for their salva- tion : 2 John 9, ' He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ,' he hath the Father and the Son.' We may expect the fruits of elective love and the fruits of Christ's purchase. Two are better than one; we have the Father to love us, the Son to redeem us, the Spirit to sanctify us, and bring us to God ; it is a great advantage : John xvi. 27, ' The Father himself loveth you.' When Joab saw the thing was pleasing to David, he interceded for Absalom : 2 Sam. xiv. 1, ' The king's heart was towards Absalom.' We have more confidence to speed in our prayers : he loveth us for his own sake, and for Christ's. Christ hath satisfied the justice of God, and God is reconciled ; we have more boldness of access to him ; we need not fear his justice, we have a double claim, and may lay hold with both hands.
1. AVe have God on our side, who is the supreme judge, the offended party, the first cause and fountain of blessing.
2. By Christ we have a near relation to God : we are Christ's more than angels ; they are ministering spirits, not the spouse of Christ's bosom, nor members of his body. God hath given us to him, as he brought Eve to Adam ; we are near to God : John xiv. 20, ' I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you ; ' as a woman married to the king's son by the king's consent. The whole blessings of Christ's pur- chase are ours ; we have God in our nature working righteousness, making atonement, meriting blessedness, sending the Spirit as pur- chased by him.
' And I am glorified in them.' — So we render it, that it may lie indifferent to any sense, though the word properly signifieth, I have been glorified in them. It relateth not only to their past, present, but future endeavours for Christ's glory.
But how was Christ glorified by his disciples ?
Ans. 1. Passively, as he glorifleth himself in them, by comforting, refreshing their hearts, doing good to persons so despicable and un- worthy, and manifesting the riches of his glory in them.