The Prayer of Christ for His Church

John xvii. SO.

J^either pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.

OUR blessed Lord many a time, in the course of his ministry on earth, prayed with and for his disciples; hut as the display of grace in his sermons was more obscure, and he did not publish the full manifestation of his glory in the days of his own ministration, so we may reasonably infer* that those prayers at which he permitted his own discjples and others to be present, had not so full an illustration of the gospel, and of the glorious purposes of God, as he designed in this his last prayer, which he made when taking his leave of them. He was now departing from them to suffer and to die; and he put up this prayer in their hearing, that they might be comforted with the height and glory of his love, and with what he intended to do in their behalf when in heaven. For this prayer, as many of our divines have observed, is a very lively pattern of his intercession above at the throne of God»

But I shall not make any further observations upon the prayer itself. I apply myself to the words of the text, and consider

I. The persons for whom Christ prayed.

II. The blessings that he prayed for. And

III. I shall draw a few inferences from the short discourse I shall be able, to make,

Serm. L For his Church, iY

I. Let Tis consider the persons for whom Christ prayed. Upon a very diligent inspection of this chapter and comparing the parts of it one with another, I am confirmed in the opinion, that down to this verse he prayed for his apostles only, and for those that had already believed on him: for there are several expressions in most of the foregoing verses, that seem to limit and confine tlic first part of this prayer to those thai had already believed, and especially to those whom he designed to be the ministers of his gospel; but here he begins to pray for all those that should hereafter believe. There were many that believed on Christ in his own day: many thousands believed on the Lord Jesus after his resurrection, by the ministry of the blessed apostles, before their dispersion among the gentiles; and thousands of thousands, even a great mid’ titude which no man could number, of every Jcindredn and people and nation have been gathered into the kingdom of our Lord in the several successive ages of the churchy by the doctrines of the apostles, Gonveye<3 B 2 down unto them by succeeding ministers, whom the providence of God has appointed to be continued in his church. The writings of the apostles are now become a clear exposition and comment on the Holy Scriptures; for the gospel of Christ is more fully revealed, and more completely displayed and explained, in the epistles of St. Paul, St. Peter, and St. John, than in all the books of the Old Testament and New besides.

Now if we would ha a share among these converted multitudes, in the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he made whilst on earth, each one of our ffouls should be willing to inquire, whether we really desire to share in the blessings of this prayer, or not; and the way to discover this is, to consider whether we are believers in Jesus Christ, or not. Christ prays for all them that shall believe on him through the word of his disciples. It is true, he prayed for unbelievers also, that they might repent and believe; for all the blessings that precede

8erin. I. For his Church. 19

faith all the leading mercies towards conversion are the effects of the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ, for those whom the Father hath chosen and given him. But that does not seem to be the direct tendency of the sense of this verse; and it is certain, that no unbeliever can take the comfort of an interest in this prayer of Christ, till he finds some degree of faith wrought in him.

To help you in this inquiry, I shall describe faith in Jesus Christ, according as the text leads me, under these two very plain and general heads:

1. Believing in Jesus Christ implies, a knowledge of the way of salvation by Christ, as it is revealed by the blessed apostles; iJiose that shall believe on me through their word, St. Paul’s words are of the same import; hoio shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher P so then faith Cometh by hearing ;^ by a knowledge of the * Rom. xiv. ±7, testimony that the apostles give concerning the salvation of Christ, conveyed clown unto us at this day.

In order to preach Christ as a Saviour the apostles not only spoke concerning his own person, but taught many things concerning God and ourselves, as well as concerning Christ Jesus. They taught concerning God, that he is a holy and just God, and demands satisfaction for sin, and will not pardon without an atonement; that he is gracious and forgiving, and ready ta be reconciled to those that draw near to him in his own way, and agreeably to his own appointments. They taught concerning ourselves, that we are fallen from God: that we are dark and ignorant; that we are guilty and exposed to everlasting death; that we are unholy, helpless, incapable of renewing or recovering ourselves, and that we must be for ever miserable, unless the Lord Jesus Christ undertakes our salvation. They taught concerning Jesus Christ, the whole history of his life; the account of his

Serm. I. For his Church. SI

death; the end and design of it, that it was a satisfaction for sin, and a price for our souls. They taught his ascension into heaven, and what he does there; his governing the world for the church’s sake, and his appearance there in the presence of God for us. They taught all his glorious offices, his divine commission to fulfil them, and his peculiar fitness to execute every one of them. They instructed the world in what he has done, what he does, and what he will do.

Now do we know these things? have we had a lively and divine impression made of them upon our own spirits? Have we been made deeply acquainted with the defilement of our very nature; with the corruption of our hearts; with our undone state without a Saviour? Have we seen God as a just and terrible Judge, ready to execute the sentence of his broken law upon us, and yet at the same time ready to be reconciled through the mediation of his Son? Have we seen the Lord Jesus Christ all-sufficient to save; in the glory of his righteousness, to make an atonement for our guilt, and to procure everlasting happiness for us: in the glory of his spirit and of his grace, to renew our natures, to conform us to his own image, to carry us through this world, and to prepare us for heaven? Have these things made an impression upon our minds? or have our thoughts concerning them, been only the mere effects of education? Have we had only a transient glance or two of them, and have they never made any deep impression upon our souls? A mere knowledge from education, without a lively deep impression of these things, is not sufficient to prove us believers in Christ.

2. A belief in Christ implies, a trusting our souls into his hands, as one every way qualified to do all that for us which the apostles teach: and this implies a willingness in us to receive the whole salvation of Christ.

When the word salvation is mentioned, many persons are ready to think of heaven, and nothing but heaven; they are immediately apt to imagine happiness, and all happiness and nothing but happiness and pleasure contained in that word; without a consideration of the holiness that belongs to our salvation, the recovery of the divine image, which is as necessary a part of it, as the recovery of the divine favour; little considering, that the very name that was given to Christ, was given upon this account, that he was to save wfrom our sins: Thou shalt call his name Jesus f for he shall save his peafie from their sins,^

Is it, therefore, the desire of our souls to be freed from every sin, and from the power of our corrupt nature working in us? and have we, to this end and purpose, committed our souls into the hands of Jesus Christ, as an all-sufficient Saviour? The apostles represent him as a teacher come from heaven; to be given as a light to the Gentiles, Am I willing now that he should be my enlightener? that he should, by his Spirit, con- * Matt. i. 21.

vince me of every sin, reveal unto me every duty, make known unto me all the ways of mine iniquity, and teach me what is my business to practise in order to please God? Am I willing that he should convince me of all my guilt, and show me the depths of my misery and my ruin? Am I willing to have my past sins brought to remembrance, and present sins brought before my view, that I may be ashamed and humbled in the dust before Grod for them? Am I willing to have him work repentance in my soul with pow er? For so the apostles preached him, as one exffited to give repentance.

It may be there are some poor awakened sinners, that cannot say absolutely and boldly, ^’ I do sincerely hate every sin;’’ or “I do detest every corruption that works in nie, and will by no means give it leave to exercise itself: I will keep the law of God, and obey him in all the instances of duty;” but if you are a true believer, you can go thus far, and say, ‘^ I am desirous that my whole heart should be made holy; I am desirous

Serm. 1. For his Church, “t

that repentance should be v/roudit in me, though I feel hardness, obstinacy, and impenitence: though I feel in rifyself some unwillingness to submit to the yoke of my Redeemer, yet am I desirous that this stubbornness should be melted down; that this impenitence should be taken away from me; that I may have a heart of flesh given me, which our Lord Jesus Christ is exalted to bestow’’. Go to him for repentance, put your trust in him, though you feel so much of impenitence in yourselves; for he is exalted to soften the heart, as well as to bring softened hearts to heaven.

Are you willing that he should be made your atonement and your righteousness? So the apostles preach him: For he hath made him to be sin for us, icho knew no sin, that tee might be made the righteousness of God in him,^ From the one end to the other of the fourth chapter of St. Paul’s epistle to the Romans, he is preached as the great atonement, and his righteousness as the way of * 2 Cor. V. 21.

our justification before God. Do I then renounce all depend ance upon self? Do I abandon all expectations from what I have done, or from what I can do, as the means of atoning for past sins, or to re-instate me in the favour of the eternal God? Have I seen all my own righteousness so utterly insufficient as to place no hope in it? and do I, upon this account, give myself up to Jesus Christ, the almighty Saviour, who has a righteousness for those that are guilty, as well as strength for those that are feeble? — By some such inquiries as these, we may find whether we are believers in Christ or no; and consequently, whether we have any share in his prayer.

II. What does Christ pray for?

In general, the words of the 21st verse tell us, that he prays, that they may he all one: that is, that those for whom he has already prayed, his apostles and former believers, and those who shall hereafter believe on him through their word, may be all one. There-Serm. I. For his Church. S7

fore, whatever blessings are prayed for in the foregoing part of this chapter for the apostles that were not. in the nature of the thing, peculiar to them as the first ministers of the gospel may be properly assumed by and applied to all future believers. Whereby you see it comes to pass, in a very just and natural exposition of the text, that these words of my text have a large retrosi)ect, and look far backward, and include in them all the spreading blessings of the covenant of grace and peace, which our Lord had mentioned in the foregoiug parts of this prayer; still excepting those things that were peculiar to the apostles, as the first ministers of the gospel. But I shall mention particularly these four only.

i. He prays for preservation from the evil of this world. In the lltli verse he says, I am no more in the world, hut these are in the icorld, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keej) through thine own name, those whom thou hast given me. In the 15th verse he adds, I pray not that thou shouldest take

^8 The Prayer of Christ Serm. L

them out of the world, hut that thou shouldest keep them from the evil, St. Paul teaches us in the first chapter of his epistle to the Galatiaus;, that our Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver lis from this jire sent evil icorld, according to the icill of God and our Father, Now if you have not learned that this world, is an evil world, a dangerous world, a tempting world, a world unpleasant to live in, because of the continually surrounding temptations, inicjuity, and guilt of it, you are not a believer in Christ. If you are not willing to be delivered from the evil of this world, and to be kept from the pollutions, dangers, and temptations of it, you disclaim faith in Christ, and consequently the blessings that he asks for them that believe; for one of the greatest of them is, that they may be kept from all the evil of this world.

Is it therefore the language, the inward language and groaning of our hearts, Oh that God would preserve me from daily temptations! Oh that God would keep me from

Serin. I. For his Church. g§

the iniquities of this world, that are thick around me! that God would secure me from the working of sin that is in my flesh, whilst I am allied by flesh unto this sensible world: and not only from the temptations of it wliieh are alluring, but even from the overwhelming afflictions and sorrows of it! for in one sense, the sorrows of life are temptations too, as they may become a means to divide us from God. From every evil in this world, every evil that is really and finally hurtful, our Lord prays for deliverance for his saints.

2, He prays for the sanctification of them by the word of truth. In the 17th and 19th verses he says. Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. And for their sokes I sanctify myself that they also may he sanctified through the truth.

Do you know the meaning of this lan guage of Christ in his prayer? Have you felt any thing of the sanctifying power of the word of God? Have you felt the threatenings of the word of God awaken you to a holy awe and fear of sinning? Have you found the promises of the word of God alluring and sweetly inviting your souls to the gospel to trust in it, and live upon it? Have you found that the duties commanded in the word of God have a powerful and a prevailing influence upon your consciences? Have you felt relief under the, sorrows and burdens, and temptations of this life, by reading some comfortable expression of our Lord, by fixing upon some sweet part of the covenant of grace, wherein there is relief proposed and administered against every evil that can attend us? Have you found your souls drawn off from sin by words in the gospel of Christ? Have you found your spirits mortified to this world by the representations that the word of truth hath made, con*^ cerning the dangers of this world and its enmity to God?

These are the things that our Lord Christ prays for: that your hopes may be oncourraged by the promise of the word; that your souls may be mortified to sin by the commands and threatenings of the word; that every thing in the word of God that is suited to restore the divine image in our corrupt human nature, and to change us into the likeness of God and his Son, may have its proper effect upon our spirits.

The word of God has a powerful influence; upon this account the apostle Paul, when he took his leave of the church of Ephesus, says, I commend you to God and, to the word of his grace which is able to build you up. The word of grace, whereby we are converted, is an excellent instrument, through the power of the Spirit of God, to guard us from temptation, to free us from sin, to build us up in holiness, and to bring us to glory.

3. Christ prays for all believers, that they may have union and communion with himself, and through him with the Father; In the Slst verse he says, That they all

3)B The Prayer of Christ Serm. I.

may be one as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they all may he perfect in one.

Union and communion with our Lord Jesus Christ have been sometimes, in a very mystical manner, explained into greater darkness; but if I can, I will in a few words give a clear exposition of these things, which are so often mentioned in the New Testament. By union with Christ, I mean a relation to him, such as is frequently described in Scripture by many similitudes; a union with him, as members are united to the head; a partaking of life and vital influence from him, as branches are united to the vine; a union to him and oneness with him, as brethren in the same family, joined to him as the elder brother, and by him to the father; as heirs of the same kingdom, co-heirs of the same inheritance, joint heirs of everlasting glory: such a relation to him as shall answer these various representations of the word of God.

Serm. I. For Ms Church. ^3

And what do we mean by communion with him? Is Christ the heir of God? then we are heirs with him. Is Christ now glorified in heaven? it is as our forerunner, and we shall hereafter be partakers of his glory. Has he the Spirit of Grod dwelling in him without measure? we also have communion with him in the same spirit: we are partakers of the iniluence of the blessed Spirit of Grod, according to our measure and our degree.

Thus by union and communion with Christ, is plainly signified a relation to Christ, together with all the blessings that are derived from such a relation; which relation, because it is not expressible by any one thing here on earth, therefore it has pleased the Spirit of God, in his word, to represent it unto us under many metaphors and many similitudes; that as far as earthly things are capable of representing heavenly ones, you may have a full and large view of the variety of blessings that are derived ij you from Jesus Christ. This is what our Lord Jesus Christ prays for; and when he as Head of his church;, when he, as the elder brother, puts up a prayer for himself, we are all sharers in the blessings thus prayed for; because we belong to him, as members to the head, as branches to the vine, as younger brethren of him, the eldesst and first beloved Son; and we are blessed in and together with him.

4. Lastly; a dwelling with Christ and beholding his glory; is another thing that Chrst prays for. In the S4th verse, he prays that we may be icith him to behold his glory. What is there, now, in beholding the glory of our Lord Je«us Christ, that it should be so desirable a thing to believers? They behold in our Lord Jesus exalted, the fullest glory of the father revealed. They love to see the Father’s glory; and they behold in our Lord Jesus Christ, all his perfections shining in their kindest and most extensive light.

Never did God reveal to his creatures so much of his own glory, as in the God-man, Christ Jesus: in the constitution of his person, in the appointment and execution of his offices, and in his final reward. The sun, moon, and stars, the heavens and the earth, the variety of creatures that are here below, and the world of blessed angels above J all of them speak tli« glory of God further, and in fairer characters, than we are capable of completely reading and understanding; yet they are all but clouds and shadows, in comparison with the brightness of the glory of the Father, that shines forth through Jesus Christ our Lord. For herein he has manifested his manifold wisdom; and the treasures of prudence and knowledge are laid up in him. Herein he appears more like a God, and the clearest manifes* tations of him are seen in the face of Jesus his Son. Believers love to think of beholding the glory of Christ; for there they know that they behold the glory of the Father, in the fullest and sweetest discoveries of it that eVer he made. Besides, they love Jesus Christ too, and they love to see the man that they delight in glorified, and exalted above all. They take pleasure in hearing that the man who died for them lives above, Lord of angels, Sovereign of principalities and powers. Ruler of the upper and lower worlds, and of all the invisible regions of light and darkness. They love to thinks that the man that hung upon the cross through weakness, that groaned and died here on earth, that was put to death as a malefactor amongst his-own countrymen, and crucified between two thieves, is in the midst of angels. Lord of them all, and has his legions at his command. They long for the time when they shall see this man thus exalted; this man so nearly allied to God; this man united to the Son of God, the eternal Son of the Father. They long to behold him whom their faith has rested on, and upon whom their souls have supported themselves, through all the days of their infirmity and warfare; to behold him shining in his full glory, and they themselves near to him. We love to see our friends raised high

Serm. I. For his Church. 37

in honour: Jesus, our highest friend, raised higher than all the creation, and glorified above all things, is the object of the believer’s hope and joy.

Again; they delight in these thoughts too, because it is impossible that they should see the head thus advanced, and yet the members not share in the advancement; because it is impossible that they should come so near to this glory of their elder brother, and yet all his brethren not share in the glory.

The light of heaven shall be communicated, and diffuse itself all around, throughout the members of this glorious head, to all the relatives of this great Redeemer, this Redeemer who is so nearly allied to us, this God in human nature. We are like him here on earth in his obscure and unknown form among men; the world know s us not even as it knew him not; but we rejoice to think that we shall be like him too in heaven, and when we shall see him as he is, we shall be conformed to his blessedness and his 88 The Frayer of Christ Serin. I.

honours. This is a delightful subject to dwell upon: but I shall utterly prevent myself, if I do not immediately apply myself to the use.

III. The inferences which I shall make from this discourse are these:

1. Of how vast extent and power is the prayer of Christ! How many distant ages does it reach and how many distant nations! How many thousand blessings does it obtain! How powerful is the pleading of our Lord Jesus to obtain so many divine privileges and advantages, so much honour and happiness, for such vile, despicable, wretched sinners as ourselves; and that for so many thousands of them, for all them that shall believe on him through the preaching of the word! The innumerable multitude with palms in their hands, and triumph in their eyes, and joy upon their heads; the innumerable multitude that shall appear in the great day as believers in the Son of God, and conquerors over sin, Satan, and the world; all the blessings that ever they partook of, and all that they shall ever share in, are the effects of this prayer of our Redeemer: nay, I may say, that they are all included in this one part of the prayer, Thai they all may be one, as thou, Father art in me, and lin thee; that they also may be one in us. If we are brought near unto God, in our measure and according to our proportion as our Lord Jesus is near unto God in his peculiar and exalted manner; all the blessings that belong to life and eternity are comprehended in this one sentence, IlcnoiVy says Christ to his Father, that thou hearest me always ;^ and in this prayer which our Lord offered up to him as a pattern of his intercession in heaven, we may be sure that God the Father hears him; for he not only put up this prayer on earth, but is gone to heaven to plead it before the throne, in the language of blood and righteousness, in the language of death and obedience, in the language of his own Sonship and relation to the Father.

* John xi. 4^.

40 The Prayer of Christ Serm. !•

2. Of what importance is it to be a believer! Consider of what vast importance it is to believe in Christ, to have our names included in this prayer of his. This chapter is a petition of our Lord Jesus Christ fairly drawn up and he sent it to heaven while he was here on earth, and lie went up to confirm it, and carry it, and make it good; he went up to heaven to present it there himself. Now shall not every one of us be glad to have his name in it! You go to the ministers of the gospel, and say, ‘’ Pray “let me have your prayers;” you go to your fellow christians that have great interest with the Father at the mercy seat, and say, ‘’ Put up some petitions for me;’’ and you are glad when ministers mention your name and your case in particular, in the prayers that are put up in the congregation. Do you not then long to have your names in this petition, in this prayer of our Lord Jesus? Can you be contented that he should not offer up a prayer for you?

He prays for all them that shall believe on him through the word of his apostles. And 0 how sweet are the supports which believers obtain from the prayer of Christ for them, under their temptations, weaknesses, and dangers here! Wlienthey can hardly pray for themselves, when they are bowed down in spirit, when they can hardly speak a word before God in prayer, when their lips are closed, and their minds so bound up, that they can hardly vent their sorrows before God, unless in sighs and groans; how cheering is it to them to think that Jesus, the almighty, the all-sufficient petitioner, is at the same time pleading for them! ^’ I cannot speak a word before God, but he has such language as the Father will hear, language that will always prevail. I have nothing but a groan and a tear to offer up to God, but here is the pattern of his in- ^’ tercession in the chapter before us; and how large are the blessings contained in it, and all of them for me! Guilt hangs heavy upon me; guilt of past sins, and it *’ may be, guilt that comes upon me in pre-D 2 i’Z The Prmjer of Christ Serm. I.

“sent prayer; the coldness of my heart, irregular and sinful thoughts mingling •’ with my petitions; I pray and I can ^” find nothing that is worth hearing in all ‘’ my prayers; but the great Redeemer” prays for me.*’ What comfort is this to the faith of a trembling believer! When our own faith is ready to fail how sweet is it to think that Jesus Christ prays for us as he did for Peter, I have praijecl for thee that thy faith fail not. And every one of us must say, that our faith would have failed long ago, and we should have turned unbelievers again, and have run away from God, and mingled wath the wicked world, had we not had au interest in the powerful pleadings of our Redeemer. Having found an interest in the grace of God, through the prayers of our lledeemer, we stand until this day.

3. Lastly; what great obligations do the intercession and prayer of Christ lay upon believers to the discharge of many duties. * Luke xxii. y.

They prompt us to speak for him in the world. What! shall he speak for us in heaven to the Father, and shall we be ashamed to speak for him amongst men? Has he been pleading with the Father these sixteen hundred years, appearing before God in our names, procuring blessings for us, that they may be immediately conferred on us, and shall we be ashamed to speak of him amongst our fellow creatures? Shall we not speak for his honour on earth, while he is speaking for our happiness in heaven? Shall we not watch against sin, when he is praying that we should not sin? Shall we give ourselves up to all the defilements of the flesh and the world, and thus run counter to the petitions of our blessed Lord in heaven? Shall we not pray for ourselves, if Christ prays for us? What? does our Lord Jesus Christ think these blessings worth his own prayer, and shall not we think them worth ours? Shall we be cold and indolent in our own pleading with God, when our Redeemer, in the language of all his blood and tears

44! The Prayer of Chnst c. Serm. I.

shed here on earthy now intercedes in heaven? And then his prayer teaches us also to pity and pray for others too. Did our Redeemer pray for us when sinners and enemies? Does he pray for us now when our iniquities are ready many times to divide between Grod and us and to make us unworthy of being heard? Does he continue to petition for us, and shall we not pity and pray for others, our fellow sinners or fellow saints, those that are afar off from God, and those that are brought near to him? In this too we should follow the example of our Lord Jesus. We should pray that we may be all one, sharers of the same blessedness, interested in the same covenant, partakers of the same salvation, practisers of the same holiness, and at last brought to dwell in the same glory; that where Christ is there w& may he alsa