Use 4. Direction in the sacrament. If wo have anything to do with Christ, we know where to seek him : ' Blgssed are they that believe, and have not seen,' John xx. 19. Those that are far from court never saw the king. God hath removed Christ out of sight that we might behold him by faith. Let us look for him in the sacrament,
278 SERMONS UPON JOHN xvii. [Ser. XIY.
not for his bodily presence. How can be be there bodily, when he is received into glory ? But for his spiritual presence, the influences of his grace, and a derivation of virtue from his person.
Secondly. The next point is the necessary ceasing of his corporal presence upon his ascension : ' I am no more in the world, but these are in the world.' Let us see the reason why he will be no more with us. Now the reasons why Christ would withdraw his bodily presence from us are these : —
1. That he might try the world, and yet in a way suitable to his glorious estate. Christ, when he came to try the Jews, he came in disguise, not as the Son of God, in majesty and glory: John i. 11, ' He came unto his own, and his own received him not.' Still to try men's obedience there must be some veil. If he should be present in the world, in a glorious way becoming his majesty and empire, there would be no trial ; and therefore in a manner he still cometh in dis- guise, his glory is veiled under the ministry of men, and carried on in a spiritual manner. If he should appear in glory and power, sinners durst not quack, and so the wickedness of man would not be dis- covered, nor would the faith of his people be exercised with such praise and honour if he were personally and gloriously present. This is the commendation and praise of Christianity, that they can ' walk by faith ' when they cannot ' walk by sight ; ' 2 Cor. v. 7, ' We walk by faith, not by sight.' They see iiot Christ, because he is absent in body ; yet they believe in him, and love him, and send their hearts after him. So 1 Peter i. 8, ' Whom having not seen ye love ; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.' Faith is eagle-eyed, and can look above the clouds. The absence of Christ did not prejudice their comfort and hope. Faith contenteth itself with an intellectual sight and certainty. This is a trial of christians, when they can believe in Christ, and re- joice in Christ as if they did see him with their bodily eyes, and hear him with their bodily ears. Ihijigunt desidcrmm, quo nequeunt inferre conspectum, saith Leo— They fasten their hearts upon him, though they cannot fasten their eyes. Faith is sight enough. Thus woukl Christ try the world ; but yet, as I said, in a way suitable to his glorious estate. If he should still have continued his body among us in that state of weakness wherein he conversed in the world, his holy body would still be subject to abuse, and the injuries and scorn of wicked men, which would not agree with his glorification ; and therefore, after his resur- rection, he only showed his body to some few chosen witnesses, and so departed into heaven, that it might be no more seen, till he cometh to the last judgment with glory and power. So Christ himself saith, Mat. xxiii. 39, 'Ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ; ' that is, till ye be compelled to say so, though now ye are angry at the children that welcomed me in this manner : Mat. xxvi. 64, ' Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaveu.' Never till then, after I am taken down from the cross and buried.
2. That way might be made for his spiritual presence. Some pre- sence of Christ there must be for our comfort and safety : ' I will not leave you comfortless, 6p^dvov<;, but will come unto yon,' John xiv. 18.
VeR. 11.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 279
That Christ is still spiritually present with the church is clear by those promises to the apostles and to believers. To the apostles and their successors : Mat. xxviii. 20, ' I am with you always, to the end of the world.' Into whatsoever place and time of the world our lot is cast, we may have an assurance of Christ's presence, that is, of his assist- ance and blessing, as much as if he were actually and corporally present with us. To ministers : now if they improve their interest, they might have Christ in their company, as the apostles had ; they are taken into the same patent and charter. So also to all believers : Mat. xviii. 20, ' Wherever two or three are met together in my name, I am i^resent in the midst of them.' Whenever we are met together in any religious work and business, Christ's gracious presence is with us ; in this sense he will never depart from believers. Now this gracious presence was not vouchsafed till his corporal presence was removed. Partly because Christ will do nothing unnecessarily. When he was personally present, to solve their doubts, to instruct them in all cases, the Spirit was not poured out in such abundance ; as it is usual still with God to make up to us in spiritual supplies what we want in outward helps. Partly because his disciples had carnal thoughts of his bodily presence, and rested in it, which was to be confuted by his absence. Partly to make way for his unlimited universal influence ; his bodily presence could only be in some places; but now he is ascended, ' he filleth all things,' Eph. iv. 10. As the sun, if it should come down and shine on one particular field, it could not diffuse its beams far and near ; but now it is fixed in the firmament, nothing is hidden from its light. So Christ exalted, scattereth his beams and influences everywhere, into all parts and corners of the world. Partly because it was meet that Christ should enter into his glory and king- dom, before he declared his efficacy to men by the more plentiful pouring out the Spirit ; as princes use at their coronation to give gifts and send abroad ambassadors. So when Christ was in his royal palace, ' he gave gifts unto men, and he gave some, apostles ; and some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers,' Eph. iv. 8-11.