SERMON XV.
And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and
I come to thee Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast
given me, that they may be one, as we are.—john XVII. 11.
thirdly, The next point is taken from that clause, 'But these are in
the world' Christ's apprehensiveness of the danger of believers in their
worldly state. [Pg. 282]
In managing this argument—(1.) I will open the danger; (2.) Why God permitteth it; (1.) Christ's apprehensiveness of it.
1. To open the danger. There is danger from within and from
without; within are lusts, and without are temptations; they are subject to
many infirmities, and exposed to infinite dangers and temptations.
[1.] From within. If we could live as fish in the
salt sea, fresh without any taint of saltness,
without receiving a savour from things without, the
danger would not be so great: 2 Peter i. 4, 'Having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust;' the root of the matter is within us. The world without
would do no harm were it not for the world in our own hearts. Pleasures, honours, profits are dangerous snares, but not to an angel.
When John reckoneth up the contents of the world, he
doth not reckon up the objects, but the lusts: 1 John ii. 16,
'The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life.'
Satan is our enemy, the world is the bait, but our heart is the traitor. Baalam could not hurt
[2.] From without. The world is an evil
place, both in regard of sin and misery; we are sure to be vexed or defiled, to
be corrupted by the favours or discouraged by the
frowns of it. In the world we have a great many enemies; there is the god of
the world, and the powers of the world, and the men of the world, and the
things of the world.
(1.) There is the god of this world. This country in which we
dwell, it is the
(2.) The powers of the world; usually they
are set against Christ, and therefore at the latter end of the world they shall
be broken and dashed to pieces. The world is a country wherein the church is a
stranger; every man fearing God is like a strange plant brought from a far
country, hath much ado to grow. The wicked are like nettles and thistles, that
grow without ploughing or watering, because they grow
in their own place; but the soil and air of the world doth not [Pg. 283] suit
with the saints; one time or other they are nipped, here is no kindly weather
for them. A Christian is not only a stranger, but an unconformist
to the world: Rom. xii. 2, 'And be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye
transformed in the renewing of your minds.' In every age there is something or
other started up for his trouble and exercise. In his Father's house he is
taught to do otherwise, and this putteth him upon
trouble. If God giveth the church a little rest, it
is but like a well day out of the fit of an ague, to recover strength for the
next trial; a mortified saint, that is drawn up to heaven, and would live by
the laws of his Father's house, must look for frowns: 'Yea, and all those that
will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution,' 2 Tim. iii. 12
Christ's grapes must expect the winepress; all their care should be to yield
good liquor. It is a statute, like the laws of the Medes and Persians: Acts
xiv. 22, 'That through many tribulations we must enter into
the
(3.) The men of the world. A man cannot hold any communion with
them, but he shall be the worse for them: 1 John v. 19,' We know we are of God,
and the whole world lieth in wickedness.' The men of
the world are sooty dirty creatures; we cannot converse with them, but they
leave their filthiness upon us. It is hard to touch pitch and not be defiled:
Acts ii. 40, 'Save yourselves from this untoward
generation.' We grow in a wilderness, and there are many crooked trees that are
like to twine about us, and to hinder our growth towards heaven. To disentangle
ourselves, there must be a great deal of care. So 2 Tim. ii.
21, 'If a man, therefore, purge himself from these, he shall
be a vessel unto honour.' 'From
these;' from what? In a great house, there are vessels of gold and
vessels of earth, some to honour, and some to dishonour. There are carnal seducers that are apt to
pervert us by their enticement and example, as
black pots leave their soil upon those that touch them; so base [Pg.
284] persons and carnal heretics infect us with their sinful pollutions. By
converse we are tainted unawares; as antinomian doctrines make the children of
God less strict; though they do not pervert their judgment, yet they weaken
their care and strictness. Nature is more susceptible of evil than of good. We
easily catch a sickness, but we do not get health from one another. Ears of
corn do not catch and hang upon men, but thorns do: Phil. ii. 15, 'We live in
the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,' that are as briars and thorns,
very catching.
(4.) The things of this world. The world is the valley of snares,
and so to the children of God it often proveth the
valley of sorrows. Frequency of converse maketh the
snare more easily to insinuate. It is hard to be much conversant in any matter,
and not to receive some tincture from it These things, honours,
pleasures, profits, they are accustomed objects, they
are bred up with us; we must of necessity be conversant with meats and drinks
and worldly substance, and insensibly they leave a taint upon the soul,
especially where we have them at full. Worldly prosperity is a great snare to
the saints; and things are better preserved in brine than honey. How soon is
the soul corrupted. The warm sunshine maketh the weeds grow as well as the flowers. I observe
great alterations in David's spirit; in adversity he spared his enemy, when he
found Saul in the cave; in prosperity, he killed his servant, when he plotted Uriah's death; when he threatened Nabal
in affliction, he bore with Shimei. God's children
have a better country when they have the world's best advantages. Some fruits
are not natural in
2. Why God permitteth them to be in the
world; he might have taken them to himself, and glorify them as soon as
sanctify them, or else have gathered them into some island, some obscure angle
and corner of the world, out of harm's way. But I answer—That
doth not suit with God's dispensations: John xvii. 15, 'I pray not that thou
wouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst
keep them from the evil.' The Lord hath some ends to be accomplished. He can at
first conversion make us perfect and glorified saints; it is his wisdom to take
a time; as Absalom was not to see the king's face presently, so we must wait
our time.
[1.] For his own glory. The sweetness and
power of grace is more discovered in this worldly estate. It is more wonder to
maintain a candle in a bucket of water than in a lanthorn,
or a spark in the midst of the sea: 'God's power is made perfect in weakness,'
2 Cor. xii. 9; that is, it is more gloriously
discovered. Excellent things suffer a kind of imperfection till there be an
occasion to discover them; therefore the apostle would glory in infirmities, as
they occasioned a greater exercise of the divine grace. In this worldly estate,
grace is discovered not only by its operation, but by conquest and victory; not
only as it worketh, but as it fighteth:
1 John iv. 4,5, 'Ye are of
God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in
you than he that is in the world: they are of the world, therefore speak they
of the world, and the world heateth them.' There is a
spirit that worketh in the paints, and a spirit that worketh in the world; these two are conflicting; the world
is the lists and place of battle, but Satan is, [Pg. 285] beaten in his own territory: 'Stronger is he that is in you than
he that is in the world.' The saints may be molested, but not overcome. Still
God hath his elect, and Christ his members, though
Satan hath so many factors and agents for his kingdom. Look, as
[2.] To try us. Were it not for the worldly
state, there would be no place for temptation, nor room for the exercise of
grace. He will not glorify us as soon as convert us; neither can we expect to
go singing to heaven, and without blows: Heb. vi. 12, 'Be ye followers of them who through faith and patience have
inherited the promises.' Never any went to heaven, but there was a time
to exercise both his faith and patience; we are to run and fight, this is
common to all the saints. In the way to heaven many things will befall us, that will make it seem unlikely that we shall ever come
thither; so we have need of faith; and troubles must have their turn ere heaven
be possessed, so we have need of patience. Why should we look for a peculiar
privilege? 1 Peter v. 9, 'The same afflictions are accomplished
in your brethren that are in the world.' All the saints are troubled
with a busy devil, a naughty world, and a corrupt heart Name but one saint of
God that hath been excused, that went to heaven without trials and temptations.
That quiet estate which you dream of is without precedent The
cross is the badge of this society; as Elijah said,' Am I better than my
fathers?' You arc not better than all the saints, than your other brethren that
are in the world. You should be ashamed to be alone,
and never called out to exercise. There is a measure of sufferings appointed,
and every member must take his share. It is distributed by a wise hand, so much
for the head, so much for the shoulders, so much for hands and feet: Col. i. 24, 'Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill
up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh.' Would we
only be irregular, and refuse to take our burden? Briefly, there would be no
temptation, no trial, were it not for the worldly estate, but here we must look
for it The skill of a mariner is known in a storm, and
so is our fortitude and other graces tried and discovered. I have read in the
lives of the fathers of a devout man that being one year without any trial,
cried out, Domine, reliquisti
me, quia non me visitasti
hoc anno—Lord I thou hast forgotten me, and for a
whole year hast not put me upon any exercise. Those whom God will make most
perfect, he putteth them upon the greatest trials.
Abraham had never boon represented as the father of the faithful if he had not
been exercised so much, with so many hazards and temptations. [Pg. 286]
[3.] To convince the world by their example, their strictness,
patience, fortitude. They are in the world, but not of the world. If a
Christian were not a member of the world, he would never be the wonder of the
world. They have flesh and blood as others have, and have not divested
themselves of the affections and interests of nature; the same bodies, the same
interests; yet they can deny all, and upon the convenient reasons of religion
abhor the pleasures and dear contentments of this
life, and become weaned, mortified, strict, holy; and this raiseth
the world's wonder: 1 Peter iv. 4, 'They think it strange that you run not with
them to all excess of riot, speaking evil of you.' They are so bewitched with
these things that they wonder how any can resist the temptation. Godly men are
to walk up and down the world as God's witnesses: 'Ye are my witnesses, saith
the Lord,' Isa. xliii. 11. They testify that there is a reality in religion,
and how it worketh, by the strictness and
mortification of their lives. They are to be examples to the world: 2 Cor. iii. 3, 'Ye are the epistle of Christ, ministered by
us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in tables
of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.' By your lives God writeth his mind to the world; you are a living rule, a
walking Bible.
[4.] To fit them for glory. We do not commence per saltum. Vessels of honour
must be seasoned: Col. i.
12, 'Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light.' What should an unmortified man do in heaven?
Heaven would be a prison to him, the company of God and the communion of saints
a burden. We do not come into God's presence hot and reeking from our lusts; we
are first set in the garden of the church before we are transplanted to the
upper paradise; they grow a while in the land of grace, that
they may take kindly with the soil.
(1.) Partly to weaken our desires to the world. The stones were to
be hewed and squared before they were to be set in the temple; there was no
noise of axe or hammer heard there. So during our worldly state we are humbled
with many afflictions, that we may be weaned by degrees from the world and
worldly objects: Gal. vi. 14, 'God forbid that I
should glory, save in the cross of Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified
to me, and I unto the world.' The world doth not suit with the saints, as
children are weaned from the teat by wormwood: when men are pleased in the
world they forget their country. We stir liquors and syrups that are over the
fire, that they may not stick and burn to. As Esther, when she was chosen for Ahasueras's bride, was 'to accomplish the months of her
purification' before she was presented to him, Esther ii. 12; so some days are
to be spent in our purifying and sanctifying before we are presented to God.
(2.) Partly to make us long for glory. Our
worldly estate is cumbersome; here are sins and afflictions,
that we may long for a better estate: Ps. cxx.
5, 'Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!'
As the Israelites' task was doubled, that they might long for
3. Christ's apprehensiveness of this danger. You shall see it is a
circumstance often mentioned: a little before his death, at his death, now in
heaven.
[1.] A little before his death. We have two instances—one when he
was about to wash his disciples feet and institute the
supper: John xiii. 1, 'Jesus having loved his own that were
in the world, he loved them unto the end.' Christ was then thinking that he
should shortly depart; his thoughts were not on his own glory so much as our
danger. If Christ would have thought of his own, he
might have thought of the angels and glorified saints. Cyril and Chrysostom observe that he did not think of angels and
glorified saints, but of his own in the world, those that were left to the
miseries and temptations of an evil and unquiet world. No question it was sweet
to Christ to think of the glorified saints and angels; but they were safe, and
now was a time to show pity rather than delight. The other instance we have in
his prayers in this place, from the llth to the 17th
verse. I might mention many passages in his sermons. Christ, when he was about
to leave us, he had the affection of a father to his children, or of a dying
husband to his wife; he was careful of our estate after his departure.
[2.] So at his death. A great thing that was in the eye of Christ
was victory over the world: Gal. i. 4, 'He gave
himself for us, to redeem us from the present evil world.' Certainly Christ is
willing to help you, when he suffered so much that he might help you. When you
love the world, you cross the end of Christ's death; his whole life was but a
renouncing the world. The poverty of Christ upbraideth
our aspiring projects and pursuits of worldly greatness. We seek to join house
to house and field to field, and 'he had not a place whereon to lay his head.'
But in his death he would make all sure. One tiling that he purchased of the
Father is grace to subdue the world. When he was to die, he said, Lo I give
myself, upon condition thou wilt give them grace; let them be freed from the
bondage of carnal fears and carnal desires. There is not a thing more
answerable to the design and aim of his death than this is.
[3.] After his death and ascension into heaven, he is tenderly
affected toward believers in the world; he still retaineth
his human nature and his human affections, the same heart and the same pity:
Heb. iv. 15, 'We have not a high priest that cannot be
touched with the feeling of our infirmities.' Christ, though he be exalted, is tenderly affected towards those that are left
behind; he is still tenderly affected towards you in all your straits and
troubles and infirmities. Christ's exaltation hath made no change in his
bowels; he carried his love with him, not only into the grave, but into heaven;
he is our Lord, but still our brother: as God, he knoweth
our infirmities; and as man, he feeleth them; his
love is most at work when you are in danger. Oh I what a comfort is this in all
your temptations! There is one in heaven that, seeth
and feeleth all this; let us bear it the better, and
ride out the storm. If a man were persuaded that his friends on shore knew what
tempests he endured at sea, and were praying for him, it would be a great
comfort to him in his distress. Christ's heart worketh
towards thee; he who is always heard is now praying for thee in heaven; he [Pg. 288] is touched with a feeling of thy infirmities. How should this
comfort us! They have many snares and many enemies; Lord, help them!
The reasons of this apprehensiveness and tender feeling are his
interest, love, charge, and experience: they are his own: John xiii. 1, 'Having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them to
the end.'
(1.) His interest. Christ hath a share going in every believer. As
when there are ships at sea in which you have a share, you pray for their safe
return, and are tenderly affected when you hear they are in danger. Christ is
loath to lose his share; he had but now pleaded his interest with the Father:
ver. 10, 'All thine are mine, and mine, are thine.' We are a part of his goods;
the world would weaken the estate of Christ. Believers are his treasure, and
they are in danger of rocks and pirates; and therefore he prayeth
to the Father. Now Christ hath an interest in them, not only by the Father's
grant, but their own dedication; they are his, and all that they suffer is for
his sake: ver. 14,' I have given them thy word, and therefore the world hateth them.' Let a man go on in a wicked, carnal, ungodly
way, and the world will not vex him. Let a man once be zealous for Christ, and
then he must expect trouble enough. They endure all this for me, and shall I
not be sensible? If a child should inadvertently break his leg or arm, you
would pity him; but if he should break his leg or arm in your service or defence, to rescue his father, you would pity him more.
(2.) His love: John xiii. 1, 'Jesus having loved his own which
were in the world, he loved them to the end.' Those whom we love, we are troubled
about their welfare. A careless father may die, and never be troubled what
shall become of his children; but love is very solicitous. Alas! poor orphans, they are without a guide and guardian, left to
snares and temptations, and shall it not pity them? Hugo crieth
out, 0 charitas, quam
magnum est vinculum tuum! Deum in terram traxisti, cruci affixisti, sepulchro clausisti! &c.—O love, how great is thy power! it was love that brought Christ from heaven, that nailed him
to the cross, that laid him in the grave, that carried him again to do our
business with God. Had it not been for love he had never come from heaven, and
left the bosom of the Father for the lap of the virgin, the form of God for the
veil of flesh, the glory of heaven for the darkness of the grave.
Had it not been for love, he had never died to deliver us from this present
evil world, he had never been feasible of our state and condition. Love is
jealous and sensible of nil the dangers of the party beloved; the same love of
Christ that exposeth us to troubles and hazards for
Christ's sake, the same love maketh Christ
compassionate of our miseries and sorrows. We are jealous of his honour, and he is jealous of our safety.
(3.) His charge. 'Christ hath taken an
office upon him, to defend, pity, and guide the elect through all temptations
to salvation. Now Christ cannot be unfaithful in his office: Heb. iv. 15, 'We have not a high priest that cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities.' He that is passed into the heavens is
still our high priest. Give me leave to admire that expression, Heb. viii. 2, \~leitonpgov\~ \~twn\~
\~agiwn\~, 'a minister of the sanctuary.'
When he was upon earth he [Pg. 289]
came in the form of a
servant, and now he is in heaven he is still a servant. We may speak
what Christ hath spoken for us, he is our officer and
minister even in heaven, not only in the state of his abasement, but in the
state of his exaltation. Our Lord would be ours, not only in love but duty,
that so we might have the greater assurance. Till all the saints come to
heaven, Christ looks upon himself as bound in point of office, they are his
charge; he cannot be loving to the church, nor faithful to the Father, if he
should do otherwise.
(4.) His experience: Heb. iv. 15, 'He is
touched with the feeling of our infirmities, was in all points tempted as we
are, yet without sin.' Fray mark, 'in all points.'
Christ hath had experience of all trials whereinto
any of his servants can fall, poverty, forsaking of friends, exile,
imprisonment, hunger, nakedness, watching, weariness,
pain of body, heaviness of heart, desertion as to sense, wrath and curse of
God. Christ hath carried his feeling with him into heaven; he knew what poverty
meaneth, what trouble of conscience, what heaviness
of spirit meaneth. Christ could not so experimentally
pity us, so feelingly pity us, if he were not like us in all things; his heart
was entendered by experience, as a man that hath felt
the gout and felt the stone.
Use 1.
To teach us to walk with caution, and in a continual dependence
upon God. We are continually assaulted, and live in the midst of snares.
A man that cometh into the world, saith Luther, is like a traveller
that cometh into an inn where there dwell none but thieves. Now he that carrieth jewels about him had need
to take heed; the diversity, the frequency, the continuation of temptations
should make us wary. The diversity; there are baits for every temper, honours for the ambitious, wealth for the covetous, and
pleasures for the sensual. The devil hath a diet to feed every distemper; some
arc sullen, not bent to pleasures, but Satan is not at a loss to fit them with
a temptation, there are profits for them; others are facile and more easy, they
have pleasures; others would be great, they have honours;
and when Satan knoweth the lust, he suiteth the bait; he is an old sophister,
well skilled in the tempers of men. Therefore, seeing that in every business,
in every bit of meat, in every recreation, there are snares, we we had need feed with fear and trade with fear. When there
is an enemy in the country, we keep constant watch and ward. Then, for the
frequency and continuance of temptations, they are always about us. [Pg. 290]
Long suits prevail at last. From the first use of reason till the
hour of death, as long as God continueth our abode in
the world, we are in danger. There are many baits;
Satan is crafty, and the world is spiteful, and our hearts are naught. We are
now upon our trial, the great work of religion is to
walk in a constant watchfulness and dependence. Alas I many are as if they were
in the haven already; so negligent, so careless, as if they were in the midst
of paradise, out of temptations.
Use 2.
To press us to grow weary of the world; it is a place full of snares; here we
have many snares and many enemies. If we have a mind to sin no longer, why
should we desire to live in the world? The world is a step-mother to the
saints; why should we desire to hang upon the dug? He that would always live
here is like a scullion that lovelh to lie among the
pots. In heaven we have pure company, and are out of the reach and danger of
temptations. The devil, when he was not fit for heaven, was cast out into the
world, a fit place for misery, sin, and torment; it is Satan's walk and
circuit. Here is antichrist, the devil's eldest son; here are terriculamenta et irritamenta, fears and snares. It is a dirty odd corner
of the universe; we can hardly walk up and down but we shall defile our
garments. Here are briars to hitch us, snares and baits to entice us. There is
a more excellent country above, where we shall have the company of God and the
fellowship of the saints, saints without corruption, other
manner of saints than here. There is no tempter there,
there should be your country. In a pet we long for heaven, but it should be out
of a resolved judgment Men fight in the world as long as they are able, and
then make heaven their refuge. It should not be a melancholy wish; we should
desire heaven, not as weary of work and service, but as weary of temptation.
Use 3.
Examination. What kind of temper
have we? There are 1 children of this world,' Luke xvi. 8.
The world is their own mother, they love to lie
hanging on the dugs and teats. And there is a spirit called 'the spirit of the
world,' 1 Cor. ii. 12, a genius that suitelh with present conveniences; there is 'their portion.'
Ps. xvii. 14; 'Their names are written in the earth,' Jer. xvii. 13; that is their happiness.
The nature of the world's sons is all for the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of
the eye, and the pride of life; to go fine, to feed high, to shine in worldly
pomp, affect honours and great places. Too many
Christians are baptized into this spirit. There is a use of the things of this
world, but we should use them with fear; they cannot smell the rose of the
field, Christ hath no scent or savour. Oh! it is a sad character to be a child of this world; one that
hath the nature of the mother in them, one of the world's breed. A child of God
is a pilgrim and stranger: Ps. cxix. 19, 'I am a
stranger in the earth.' Abraham purchased but a sepulchre;
that is all the faithful can lay claim to on earth. He looketh
on himself as born and bred in another land; his mother is a princess, the
bride, the Lamb's wife; and his Father is in heaven; he is in the world, but
not of the world.
Use 4. Comfort. Christ is apprehensive of your danger.
All trials you meet with do either better your hearts or hasten your glory.
Christians must expect danger, but need not fear it. Formido
sublata est,
non pugna. You are not absolutely freed from
molestations of the world, but you have a sanctified use of them: John xvi. 33,
'These [Pg. 291] things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye
might have peace; in the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
comfort, I have overcome the world.' The victory consisteth
not in not suffering and not fighting, but keeping what we fight for: 2 Tim. iv. 18, 'The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work;'
not from the lion, but sin.
Use 5. The example of Christ. When we die, let us be mindful of the
danger of our relations that we leave behind us, our families, church, ministry; commend them to God. Dying Christians should be best
at the last; dying Moses left a song. Do not leave the world without a testimony
of your love and zeal: 2 Peter i. 14, 15, 'Knowing
that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ
hath showed me. Moreover, I will endeavour that you may
be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.'