Use. Examination. Is our faith thus wrought ? Every one should look how he cometh by his faith, by what means. True faith is be- gotten and grounded upon the word ; it is the ordinary means to work faith. The word will be continued, and a ministry to preach it, as long as there are any to be converted. The gospel alone re- vealeth that which may satisfy our necessities ; it giveth a bottom for faith and particular application, as being the declaration of God's will. It is the only means sanctified by Christ for that end : John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth ; ' James i. 18. ' Of his own will begat he us, through the word of truth.' The con- dition of those is woful that want the gospel, or put it from them : Acts xiii. 46, ' Seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.' If faith be of the right make, the word will show thee once thou hadst none, and that thou wert not able of thyself to believe. Beseech the Lord to work it in thee.
SEKMON XXXV.
That they all may he one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee, that they also may he one in us: thai the world may believe that thou hast sent me. — John XVII. 21.
We have seen for whom Christ prayeth. Now let us see what he prayeth for ; their comfortable estate in the world, and the happiness of their everlasting estate in heaven. With respect to their estate in the world, Christ mentioneth no other blessing but the mystical union, which is amplified throughout, ver. 21-23. Here he beginneth, ' That they may be all one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee.' He had before prayed for the apostles, ' That they may be one, as we are one,' ver. 11 ; and now, ' Let them all be one.' The welfare of the church is concerned, not only in the unity of the apostles, but of pri- vate believers ; you had need be one as well as your pastors. Many times divisions arise from the people, and those tliat have least know- lege are most carried aside with blind zeal and principles of separa- tion ; therefore Christ prayeth for private believers, ' That they may be all one,' &c.
24 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XXXV.
In which words there is —
1. The blessing prayed for, ' That they may be all one.'
2. The manner of this unity, illustrated by the original pattern and exemplar of it, ' As thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee ; ' the ineffable unity of the persons in the divine essence.
3. The ground of this unity, the mystical union with Christ, and by Christ with God, ' That they may be one with us.'
4. The end and event of this union, ' That the world may believe that thou hast sent me.'
First, From the blessing prayed for, I observe, that the great blessing Christ asketh for his church is the mystical union of believers in the same body ; ' Let them be one,' one in us, and ' as thou in me, and I in thee.' All these expressions show that the mystical union is here intended. ' Let them be one,' ev, that is, ev ao)fia, as it is else- where explained, that they may grow together in one body, whereof I am the head, or one temple. It is sometimes set out by ' one mystical body,' sometimes by 'one spiritual temple.' One body : Col. ii. 19, * And not holding the head, from which all the body by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God ; ' Rom. xii. 5, ' We, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another ; ' Eph. i. 22, 23, ' And gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body.' And one temple : Eph. ii. 20-22, ' And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone ; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord : in whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.' ' One, as thou in me, and I in thee.' Christ doth not say that they maybe one in another ;^ that e/ATrept^^copT/o-t? doth not agree to them ; but in the mystery of the Trinity it denotes the union between the divine persons. ' One in us,' that is, by the communication and in- habitation of that Spirit which proceedeth from us. Our union is from God, in God, and to God ; from the Spirit, with God, through Christ.
Let me now inquire — (L) What it is ? (2.) Why it is so valued by Christ ?
First, What it is ? There is a union with Christ the head, and between the members one with another. I shall speak of both, though but little of the latter, because I handled it ver. 11.