SERMON XXXVII.
That they all may be one; as than,
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the
world may believe that thou hast sent
having proved the point, I shall examine why Christ should be so [Pg. 44]
earnest to have the world convinced, that he should put this into his prayer,
'That the world may believe that thou hast sent me.' The reasons are, partly in respect of
himself, partly in respect of the elect partly in respect of the world. First,
In respect of himself.
1. It is much for Christ's honour that even his enemies should have some esteem of
him, and some conviction of his worth and excellency.
Praise and esteem in the mouth of an enemy is a double honour,
more than in the mouth of a friend. The commendations of a friend may seem-the
mistakes of love, and their value and esteem may proceed from affection rather
than judgment Now it is for the honour of God and
Christ that his enemies speak well of him, and that they give an approbation to
the gospel. Many spake highly of God that never
received him for their God. Nebuchadnezzar was forced to confess, Dan. ii. 47,
'Of a truth it is that your God is a God of gods, and Lord of kings;' Deut.
xxxii. 31, 'Their rock is not as our rock, even our enemies themselves being
Judges.' His enemies speak well of him. The church commendeth
God, as they have cause, 'Who is like unto the Lord our God in all the world?'
But now they might seem partial, and therefore God will extort praise from his
enemies; those that are apt to think of Christ as an impostor and seducer shall
see the reality of their religion. It was an honour
to Christianity 'that the people magnified the apostles,' though they had not a
heart to run all hazards with them, Acts v. 13.
2. It is for
the clearing of his process at the last day. The heathens, being convinced by
God's works, are \~anapologhtoi\~, 'without
excuse.'
Secondly, With respect to the elect;
for all is for the elect's sake. The world would not stand if it were not for
their sakes. Time would be at an end but that God hath some more that are not
called, and the number of the elect is not fully accomplished. When all the passengers
are taken in, the ship launcheth forth into the main;
so we should all launch forth into the ocean of eternity if all the elect were
taken in. He prays with respect to them, 'that the world may believe.' How doth
this concern them?
1. Their conviction conduceth to others' conversion. Many of the Samaritans
possibly would not believe if Simon Magus, their great leader, had not been
convinced: Acts viii. 10, 'To him they all gave heed, from the least to the
greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.' If the word can gain
such a one but to the conviction of the truth, though he be an enemy to it in
his heart, yet it is a mighty means to further the conversion of the elect. The
conviction of the World, it is a rational inducement, it is a door by which the
gospel entereth. It is no small advantage that
Christianity hath gotten such esteem as to be made the public profession of the
nations; that potentates have counted it the fairest flower in their crown to
be styled the defender of the faith, the catholic king, the most Christian
king. By all kind of means is this to be promoted, to bring men to a general
confession. Though it be no great benefit to them as to the world to come, yet
it is a help to the elect, that they are under such a conviction; for if
Christianity were still counted a novel doctrine, a hated doctrine, and were
publicly hated, maligned, opposed, and persecuted, what would become of it?
2. For the
safety of the church. Though God doth not change their natures, yet he breaketh their fierceness, that they may not be such bitter
enemies; and so persecution is restrained; and when there is a restraint, and
he ties their hands by conviction, we enjoy the more quiet. Alas! what wolves
and tigers would we be to one another if the awe of conviction and the
restraints of conscience were taken off! We owe very much of our safety, not to
visible force and power, but to the spiritual conviction that is on the hearts
of men, by which God bridles in the corrupt and ill-principled world,
that they cannot find in their hearts so much to molest it as otherwise their
natures would carry them to, but that the gospel may have a free course, and
the gathering of the elect may not be hindered; for God's conviction is the
bridle he hath upon them, to keep them from doing hurt; though they be not
converted, yet they shall be convinced. Acts v., Gamaliel
being convinced, the apostles obtained liberty of preaching; Pliny, moved by
the piety of Christians, obtained a mitigation of the persecution from Trajan; and such halcyon days might we expect if Christians
would walk more suitable to the privileges of the mystical union; they would
dart a great deal of reverence in the minds of men, and would be more safe than
they are; for when the wall of visible protection is broken down, a Christian
merely subsists by the awe that is upon the consciences of men. Wicked carnal
men, as they have a slavish fear of God; which is accompanied with hatred of
God, so the; [Pg. 46]
have a slavish fear of the saints, only their hatred
is greater than their fear. When you abate of the majesty of your conversation,
and behave not yourselves as those that are taken into the mystical body of
Christ, and have the communion of the Spirit, when you do not walk up suitably
to your spiritual life and privileges, then the hatred of your enemies is
increased, and their fear lessened; whereas otherwise their fear which ariseth from thence is a mighty restraint How often are we
disappointed when we expect to beat down opposite factions by strife and power
I More good is done by conviction, and the church hath greater security and
peace, when they subsist by their own virtue, rather than by force of arms. I
remember, in ecclesiastical history, when Valens the
Emperor railed against all the defenders of the godhead of Christ, he did not
meddle with Paulinus, out of reverence to him, for he
was a very holy strict man; none durst lay hands upon him.
3. Many times they profess and join to
the church, and so we have benefit by their gifts and abilities, authority and
power; for God doth his church a great deal of good by carnal men. Conviction
may bring them as far as profession; and the temporary faith of a magistrate,
though carnal, may be a protection to Christianity; as a hedge of thorns may be
a good fence about a garden of roses. If they are men of parts, they may help
to defend the Christian doctrine, as a living tree may be supported by a dead
post; and the gifts of carnal men are for the use of the body, as the Gibeonites joined to Israel, and were made hewers of wood
and drawers of water; or as the carpenters who helped to build Noah's ark
perished in the flood; or as negroes that dig in the mines of knowledge. God
may employ them to bring up that which may be of great use and profit to the
world; they may help to build an
4. They serve for a warning to the
saints. When this conviction is strong upon them, and grows to a height, by the
stings of conscience and horrors of them that die in despair, God warneth his people. Though we would bear off the stroke,
yet God knows how soon this fire may be kindled in our own breasts; when men
see what convictions will do, being stifled and not complied with, and men live
not according to their light, it is a warning to others. As a slave is many
times beaten to warn a son of his father's displeasure, and naturalists tell us
a lion will tremble to see a dog beaten before him; so do the children of God
tremble at the convictions of wicked men. Oh! the horrors of their conscience
declare what God hath wrought upon them, though few take little notice
of it.
Thirdly, In respect to the world
itself, this conviction serveth both to lessen and
increase their judgment. The terms seem to be opposite.
1. Sometimes
to lessen their judgment Certainly the degrees of eternal punishment are not
equal; there is \~perissoteron\~ \~krima\~, Mat. xxiii.
14, 'a greater judgment;' there is a hotter and a cooler hell; there are few
stripes, and many stripes. In the world to come, 'it is more [Pg. 47] tolerable
for some than for others.' Mat. xii. 41. The condition of the Ninevites was made more tolerable by the conviction wrought
by Jonah's preaching, because there was a temporal repentance; they
humbled themselves for a while, though they were frighted
to this religiousness. Aristides, Cato, and other
moral heathens, their condition will be more tolerable than those men that live
in a way of brutish and filthy excess. So there are many convinced that have
helped the church, and been friendly to religion; when others have oppressed
and opposed the ways of God, they have been a hiding-place, a shelter, a
countenance, a protection to the people of God; these shall not lose their
reward: they have many blessings in this world, though they continue carnal,
and live and die in their sins. I suppose the more they comply with these
convictions, their condemnation shall be lessened, though not taken away. This
advantage they have, ut mitius
ardeant, they shall have a cooler hell.
2. Sometimes to increase their
judgment Those that maliciously oppose this conviction, they hasten their own
condemnation, and heighten it. Then it will be a sin to them with a witness,
when they knew their master's will and did it not: James iv. 17, 'Therefore to
him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him
it is sin.' They carry this conviction to hell with them, and it is a part of
their torment; this is the worm that never dies. Oh! what a terror will it be
for them to think, I had a better estate discovered to me; I knew somewhat of
the ways of God; and now I am shut out for ever and ever! There is 'a worm that
never dies,' as well as 'a fire that shall never be quenched,' Mark ix. 44.
There may be a conviction, so much as to enable a man to speak to others, yet
he may be a worker of iniquity, and cast out of Christ's presence. How will
this increase their torment! Their knowledge serveth
but to damn them the more. The characters are indelible, and are not
extinguished by death. To all other torments there is added the gnawing of
conscience. Look, as in the elect there is such a spark kindled as shall never
be extinguished; their knowledge they get here is not abolished, but perfected,
and the joys of the Spirit begin their heaven; a witnessing excusing conscience
to the elect is the beginning of heaven; so in hell, conscience will be always
raging and expostulating with you—0 fool that I was, to neglect so great
salvation which others enjoy! If I had lived civilly at least, it had been
better with me than now it is. As they know more of God than others do, so
their judgment will accordingly be greater. And you know not how soon God may
kindle this fire in your bosoms, who for the present sleep on carelessly in
your sins.
Use 1. This may
serve to persuade us that the conviction of the world is a great blessing, and conduceth much to the advancement of Christ's kingdom,
without any visible force, with mere spiritual weapons, in despite of all
opposition which can be made thereunto. The corrupt and ill-principled world
cannot stand out against the evidence of the truth, when it is soundly
preached, and in the demonstration of the Spirit. We have too slight an opinion
of the weapons of our spiritual warfare: 2 Cor. x. 4,
'The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God for the
pulling down of strongholds.' Surely they are more mighty to pull down
strongholds than [Pg. 48] we are aware of. The Spirit of the Lord, though he
will not convert, yet can so put to silence, and bridle the opposition that
carnal men make, that it shall be ineffectual. It concerneth
God in honour to go thus far on with the world for
the promoting of his kingdom, and that they may not go on with a high hand to
oppose and crush it And this doth also evince the truth of the Christian
religion, such convictions accompanying the preaching of it And God doth not
wholly discontinue this dispensation now. There are ordinary operations of the
Spirit, where the gospel is preached, which do convince the world. The careless
professor owns the same creed, the same Bible, and the same baptism, and that
is a mighty help and advantage.
Use 2. It informeth us of the love and care of Christ; he would omit
no blessing that conduceth to the church's good. He
would have those convinced whom he doth not convert, that we may have no
stumbling-block in our way to heaven. It was a question, 'Have any of the
rulers believed in him?' John vii.48. Alas! when the
powers of the world are against the people of God, the world is apt to think
hard of Christ, and many stumble at this rock of offence. Now, that we may have
the help of their power, and authority, and countenance, and the gifts of
carnal men, the Lord will put them under some conviction of the truth of
Christianity. Christ would not only give us the benefit of our fellow-saints,
but of carnal hypocrites, as the moon hath no light in itself, yet it giveth light to others; though they have no grace in their
hearts, yet they have notable parts, and they do a great deal of good, and that
our pilgrimage might not be wholly uncomfortable. If all the world were divided
into two ranks, as Jeremiah's basket of figs, Jer.
xxiv., were either very good or very naught, there were no living in the world,
if all were pagans or Christians. No; some must come under a temporary faith,
that the people of God may live more commodiously. It is the wisdom of
providence that there is a middle party, that are as a screen between the extremely
wicked and the saints; they are not so bad as the worst, because they are
convinced more, though not converted. Christians t in Christ all things are
ours, not only the elect, who are our companions and fellows in the same grace,
but also the reprobates are ours. The more civil and convinced sort of the
world are for our good, and do much serve the uses of the church; and the worst
sort of reprobates serve for our exercise and trial, for the awakening more
serious grace in us by their oppositions, and for the heightening our
privileges; the more evil they are, the more cause have we to bless a good God
that hath made us better.
Use 3. It presseth us not to slight, nor yet to rest in these convictions,
and in this temporary faith.
1. Do not slight
your convictions and remorses of conscience. Though
all convinced men are not converted, yet there are none converted but they are
first convinced. A temporary faith, taken up upon common inducements, makes way
for a saving faith; as the priming of a post makes it receptive of better colours. Whereas, on the other side, slighted convictions,
though you smother them now, will be felt another day; it is but a wound
skinned over, and slightly healed, that festers into a dangerous sore. Twenty
years were past, [Pg. 49] and there was no remembrance of Joseph; bat when his
brethren were in distress, conscience wrought: Gen. xlii. 21, 'And they said
one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the
anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him; therefore
is this distress come upon us;' they were convinced of some wrong done to him.
Convictions are forgotten, smothered, neglected; conscience speaketh
no more, but it writeth when it doth not speak; and whep the mists of the soul are a little cleared and
scattered, all is legible; that which they thought was forgotten cometh to
light, and those old convictions break out with violence, to our horror and
trouble; therefore slight them not.
2. Do not rest in these convictions.
Thus it may be with reprobates; they may be convinced of the best way, almost
persuaded, but not altogether. The young man was not far from the kingdom of
heaven; he was near, but never entered. Some civil men are upon the borders of
grace. Do not rest in this estate.
How shall I know I am only
convinced, and not converted to God? Ans. Thus:
1. If sin be discovered, but not
mortified; if there be no endeavour to get it
removed. As a March sun raiseth aguish vapours, but cannot scatter them, as when the sun gets up
into its height, so conviction discovers sin, but doth not help us to mortify
it: Rom. vii. 9, 'For I was alive without the law once, but when the
commandment came, sin revived, and I died.'
2. When we have wishes, but no
practice, slight and cold desires. Oh! when shall this sensual heart be made
heavenly! this worldly heart put into a better frame! But no serious looking
after it, nor waiting upon God, that we may obtain those things we
desire. Balaam had his wishes and good moods: Num. xxiii. 10, 'Oh, that I might
die the death of the righteous t and that my latter end may be like his!' Vellent sed nolunt; they would and they would not— empty velleities. They would fain have grace, but they will not
be at the cost of continual attending upon God till he work it in their hearts.
And they are ineffectual glances; wishing without working obtains nothing.
These are like early blossoms in the spring, that put forth lustily, but are
soon nipped, and never come to fruit.
3. Negatives
without positives. Men do not hate Christ, nor the people of God; but do
they love them? 1 Cor. xvi. 22, 'If any man love not
the Lord Jesus Christ,' &c. It is not enough not to hate Christ, but are
your hearts carried towards him? So many do not oppose the ministry of the
gospel. Ay I but they neglect the message of the gospel, they content
themselves with a few flying thoughts about Christ, heaven, and the blessed
things that are to come, like the glance of the sunbeam upon a wave: Heb. ii.
3, 'How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?' It is not said, If
we contemn, resist, undermine it. No; they are not of that rank, but they are
of a more plausible rank and sort of people; they would countenance the profession
of godliness, but neglect the duties of it There are two sorts of men—some are
well-willers to good things, some open malicious
persecutors. In some, natural hatred is more allayed, though all hate it, but
there is a despite in neglect; as the neglect of things worthy [Pg. 50] and
great argue a scorn and contempt, as well as the malicious refusal. To be
neutral and cold, indifferent to God and sin, is to be an enemy.
4. There is an inward approbation
many times, without an outward profession, or without such a constitution of soul
as to choose these things for our portion. Alas I many that are convinced
approve things that are excellent: Rom. ii. 18, 'Thou knowest
his will, and approvest the things that are more
excellent, being instructed put of the law;' Acts v. 13, 'And of the rest durst
no man join himself to them; but the people magnified them.' An honourable esteem they had, but they could not endure the
severity of discipline, as being afraid because of the case of Ananias, who paid so dearly for a little dissembling. So many
are not far from the
5. If there should be a profession,
there is no power. The net draws bad fish as well as good. There are mixtures
in the church. Many revere godliness, but were never acquainted with the virtue
and power of it. Many have an excellent model of truth, and make a profession
as plausible and glorious in the world as possibly you can desire; yet they
never knew the virtue of this religion, it never entered into their heart: 1 Cor. iv. 20, 'For the
6. If there be some real motions, as
there may be in temporary believers, for we must not think all is hypocritical,
yet it is not entire: Mark vi. 20, 'Herod did many things, and heard John
Baptist gladly.' His heart and his profession went a great way together, till
he was to part with his bosom lust. John was safe till he touched upon his Herodias; then conviction grows furious, and he turneth into a devil. Therefore take heed of mere
conviction.
Use 4. To press the
children of God to express such fruits of their union with Christ that they may
convince the world Christ prays not only that the world may be convinced, but
that it might be by those that are real members of his mystical body, that they
may have a hand to further it What are the fruits of the mystical union, that
you may convince the world?
1. Love and
mutual serviceableness to one another's good. When we live as members of the
same body, that have a mutual care for one another, then we shall bring a
mighty honour and credit to religion, and can with
power give testimony to the truths of Christ: [Pg. 51] Acts ii. 44, 'And all
that believed were together, and had all things common.' When Christians were
of one mind and heart, they had all things common. Oh! it is a mighty
convincing thing when all those that profess godliness labour
to carry on the same truths and practices. Divisions breed atheism in the
world. The Lord Jesus knew it, and therefore he prays, 'Let them be all one,
Ac., that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.' We never propagate the
faith so much as by this union. Divisions put a great stop to the progress of
truth. When contrary factions mutually condemn one another, it is a wonder any
are brought off from their vain conversations. The world is apt to think there
is no such thing as religion, and one sort is no better than another; they see
the world cannot agree about it, therefore they stay where they are.
2. Holiness and strictness of life
and conversation; there is a convincing majesty in it; natural conscience doth
homage to it wherever it findeth it; therefore live as those who are taken up
into fellowship with God through Christ Herod feared John Baptist Why? Because
he was a strict preacher? No; but because he was a just man, Mark vi. 20. When
you live thus holily, and 'accomplish the work of faith with power.' then the
Lord Jesus is 'glorified in you,' 2 Thee. i. 11,12.
3. When you can contemn the baits of
the world, and allurements of sense, this is a mighty argument to convince the
world that you have higher and nobler principles you are acted by, and better
hopes you are called to. Though you have not divested and put off the interests
of flesh and blood, for you are not angels, yet you can be faithful to God and
Christ The world admireth what kind of temper men are
made of: 1 Peter iv. 4, 'They think it strange that you run not with them into
all excess of riot.' They have the same interests and concernments, and yet how
mortified! how weaned are they from those things which others go a-whoring
after! Sure they have a felicity which the world knoweth
not of; they dread and admire this, though they hate you.
4. A cheerfulness and comfortableness
in the midst of troubles and deep wants, when you can live above your
condition, 'take joyfully the spoiling of our goods,' Heb. x. 34, and bear
losses with an equal mind; for you are not much troubled with these things;
then you live as those that are called to a higher happiness.
5. To be
more faithful in the duties of your relations. The fruits of the mystical union
run to every part of the spiritual life. None commend their religion so much as
those that make conscience of the duties of their relations, that they may
carry themselves as becomes Christians, husbands and wives, parents and
children, masters and servants. So poor servants make the doctrine of the Lord
Jesus Christ comely: Titus ii. 10, 'That ye may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.' And the apostle saith, men that do
not obey the word, may without the word be won by the conversation of their
wives, 1 Peter iii. 1. Worldly men have been much gained by the lives of
religions persona Thus you propagate the truth by carrying yourselves usefully
in your relations. This hath been ever the glory of religion, as it was in the
primitive times.
6. A constancy in the profession of
faith. You should live as if Christ and you had one common interest. Sure they
believe Christ was sent from God, and able to reward them, else why should they
sacrifice all their interests for his sake? It is said, Rev. xii. 11, 'The
saints overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony, and
they loved not their lives unto the death.' Religion had never thrived, and
spread its branches far and near, had it not been watered by the blood of the
martyrs. Christ began and watered the plant by his own blood; and then the
martyrs kept watering it till it began to be rooted and had got some esteem in
the world; and now it spreads its boughs, and yields a shadow and refreshing to
the far greatest part of the world. When men take up principles that will not
warrant suffering, or are changeable and pliable to all interests, and wriggle
and distinguish themselves out of their duty upon all occasions, it doth
mightily dishonour Christ, and make religion vile,
and harden the world, and feed their prejudices against the truth. What is the
reason the ways of God have so little honour in the
eyes of the world, so little power upon the hearts of men? Professors are so
fickle and changeable, this maketh them suspect all,
and so return to their old superstitions and vanities.
Now, that you may do so, I shall
bind it upon you by some further considerations.
1. Consider
you are God's witnesses to keep up truth in the world, to bring them on to
conversion, or at least to some temporary faith: Isa. xliii. 10, 'Ye are my
witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am he.' God appealeth
to those that have most communion with him, for the truth and reality of his
grace. If a man would be satisfied in a thing that he knowcth
not, to whom should he go for satisfaction but to those that have most
experience? Well, if the world would be satisfied is union with Christ a notion
or a real thing, ye are my witnesses: 2 Cor. iii. 3,
'Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ.' In an epistle a man
writes his mind. The scriptures they arc Christ's epistle, and so are
Christians. The world, that will not study the scriptures, are to be convinced
and preparatively induced by your lives. Every
Christian is to be a walking Bible. It is a dangerous temptation to atheism
when christians, that pretend themselves near and
dear to God, are scandalous, and let loose the reins to every corrupt affection.
He that took a Christian in an act of filthiness cried out, Chrtstiane!
vbi Deus tuus? In the
scripture there is Christ's mind in words; in a Christian there is Christ's
mind written in deeds in his [Pg. 53] conversation. You are to be a living
reproof; as 'Noah condemned the world by preparing an ark.' Heb. xi. 7. There
was something in it, when he was so busy in preparing an ark, with so great
cost and charge; it was a real upbraiding of their security and carelessness;
so when men are so diligent and busy in working out their salvation with fear
and trembling, it is a real reproof to the carnal and lazy world.
2. Consider, if you do not convince
the world, you justify the world; as
3. Consider the great good that
cometh by it. For the present, you stop the mouth of iniquity: Titus ii. 8,
'That he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to
say of you.' It is the duty of Christians not only to approve themselves to
God, but, as far as they can, to wicked men, to take off all advantage from the
world, to confute their slanders, to muzzle the mouths of carnal men, that they
may have no occasion to speak against the ways of God and the professors of
Christianity. Carnal Christians open profane mouths; their slanders shall be
put upon your score, who give them too much matter and occasion to speak. Do
not say, They are dogs; what care I if they bark? The awe that is upon wicked
men is one means of the church's preservation; therefore you must justify
wisdom: Mat. xi. 19, 'But wisdom is justified of her children.' Justification
is a relative word, it implieth condemnation; the
world condemns the ways of God, and people of God, of fancy, fury, faction. Now
you must justify them; at least, you will leave them without excuse, and
furnish matter for the triumphs of God's justice at the last day, and so will
have further cause to applaud the counsels of God, when you sit on the bench at
the last day. For as in the last day you shall, together with Christ, judge the
world by your vote and suffrage—1 Cor. vi. 2, 'Know
ye not that the saints shall judge the world?'—so now you must convince them by
your conversations. It is a sad thing men walk so as it cannot be said, Where
is the malefactor, and where is the judge? You should condemn them, as by the
difference of your lives, so by the heavenliness of your hearts.