Sermon 4

1 John 5:12. He that has the Son, has life, and he that has not the Son, has not life.

There yet remains two things for signs of having Christ, for in all this point of our Christian faith, there is no word but of more than ordinary and common use; and therefore when he says, he that has the Son has life, some signs may be gathered from the word, having him, and some from having him as a Son; and some from this word life, by which we may know, whether we have the Son and life in him.

We now come to speak of the second sort of signs, He that has the Son has life, then if we would have life in Christ, we must have him as a Son.

The thing then to be opened is, What it is to have Christ, as the Son of the most high God, and that will give further light to the text, and to the consciences of them that would see the ground of their hopes settled upon a foundation, He that has the Son has life.

There are three things implied in having Christ as a Son.

First it implies, that such as have Christ in truth, and so having him, have life by him; they do not rest in having any of the benefits of Christ, though they be spiritual, but they chiefly affect to have himself, not so much his benefits as himself. He does not say, he that has such and such spiritual gifts has the Son; no, though you have never so many gifts, and they such as do accompany salvation, but that which he principally commends to us is himself. You shall read of a company of professors that had Christ, and affected to have him so far as they might have loaves from him (John 6:26-27), but our blessed Savior bids them in seeking Christ, seek not for loaves that perish, but labor for the food which endures to eternal life; and that is only the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Labor not for any loaves, whatever you might find in your pursuit after Christ. It was this by which Peter did discover the hypocrisy of Simon Magus: he desired the gift of the Holy Ghost, but for Christ himself, his heart was not set upon him, but he only desired that in which lay most profit; for had it been in his power, that upon the laying on of his hands upon any, tongues might have been given, and sicknesses healed, he might have grown mighty in the world by that trade (Acts 8:18-19). And Balaam he was somewhat more upright in his desire than Simon Magus was; one would think that he had sought after Christ, for he wished not for any temporal thing in this world, only that he might have a comfortable end. He would feather his nest with immortality, and invest himself with the robes of incorruption, and such kind of other glory as the saints in light do partake of, but it was no more his desire than the other, to desire Christ for himself, but only a blessed end, that he might be translated into immortality and glory, and so might be kept from fellowship with those devils and evil spirits he had been acquainted with all his life long, that he might not have fellowship with them when he departed from there. But he did not desire Christ for himself, and therefore whatever gift he had — as he had a notable spirit of prophecy, as the Spirit then came upon him, speaking of the marvelous blessings reserved for God's people — yet notwithstanding he never sought Christ in any of them. And therefore though he might have some glimpse of the vision of God, yet of Christ he had none. Whereas there is no true Christian that does most esteem the having of Christ, but does not only seek Christ without respect of loaves, or money, or of a quiet conscience in time of death, but even in the very time of this life, when he seeks after the ordinances of God in this life, there to live according to God, and to find pardon of sin and peace of conscience, and subduing of his lusts, and strength of grace, and power of godliness, yet even in seeking the very ordinances of God (out of which these are not to be found) yet in seeking of these, he does not so much seek these, or any blessing they do afford, as the finding of Christ in them. The story is notable and famous in (2 Samuel 15:25-27). When David fled from Jerusalem, the priests and Levites carried the Ark after him, and when David saw them overtake him with the Ark of God's presence — in the enjoyment of which stood the life of his life, the assurance of the pardon of his sin, the assurance and presence of God's favor, strengthening of his spirit in grace, and subduing his lusts — yet says he, Carry it back again to Jerusalem; if I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back again, and show me both it and his habitation; but if he thus says, I have no delight in you, behold, here am I, let him do to me as seems good to him. He would not wrong himself, nor do the church of God so much prejudice as to wrong God, and his sacrifice; they were not to offer sacrifice elsewhere, nor could they find any solemn presence of God anywhere but there, there were they all to meet, and it was the place where God had put his name. And he, considering that, he could not have the Ark with him but God's name should be dishonored, and the church of God would find much prejudice with the loss of God's Ark. And therefore rather than God should be dishonored, and the people discouraged and prejudiced by the want of it, he would send it back again, and is content to lose outward blessings. His care was not so much about outward things; his chief care was, if he might have had his wish, that he might all his time dwell in the house of the Lord (Psalm 23:4), and oh that he might be but a doorkeeper in this house, rather than to rest in the tabernacle of wickedness. But yet when he could not have this great blessing, but with dishonor to God, and prejudice to the church of God, he rather lays down the comfort that he might have from God's ordinances, and the help he might have from them, and those helps were very great — as pardon of sin, and peace of conscience, growth in grace, subduing of lusts, and establishment of his heart in assurance of his election, and vocation. Yet he is content to let them all go that he might have what he has without sin to himself, and dishonor to God, or wrong to the church. And this is a notable sign of a man's integrity and uprightness of heart: he would not have anything by which God might have dishonor; he would not have the ordinances with the church's loss, but rather sit out, and shift for himself as well as he could, and would venture the loss of them all rather than he will stand to contend for them with the loss of Christ himself. And this kind of frame of spirit was in Moses: he entreats God that he would not destroy the Israelites in the wilderness, lest his name should be dishonored, but rather blot his name out of the Book of Life than cut them all off (Exodus 32:32). Such is the uprightness of the frame of the heart of a child of God, that he desires not spiritual blessings singly for himself, not for the peace of his own conscience, nor for the subduing of his lusts, nor for the strengthening of his grace, further than may stand with the glory of God. And above all things else he seeks the honor of God, the coming of his Kingdom, and the doing of his will; and if these concur not in his way, he would rather lose them than dishonor Christ by having of them. He has a singleness of heart in seeking spiritual blessings; he seeks them not for his own ends, as you see in David's desire (Psalm 63:1-3): My soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you, to see your power, and your glory, as I have seen you in the sanctuary; because your loving-kindness is better than life, therefore my lips shall praise you. He desires not there the enjoyment of the presence of God, or the subduing of his lusts, that he might live at more ease, and have more comfort (though that be a lawful end), but he would see the power of Christ more magnified in him. He would see a mighty increase of the grace of God in him, not that he might be more excellent than his neighbors, more eminent in gifts, and so be better than others, or so esteemed; but he desires that all his lusts may be swallowed up, and that the life of Christ might more mightily over-rule, and over-sway him, and dwell mightily in him, that he might not live after his own will, nor to himself. Nor would he live by the graces of the Spirit in him, but the life that he would live is by the faith of the Son of God (Galatians 2:20), that Christ and his life in him might work all his works in him and for him. And in that at any time he desires death, it is not that he might be freed from evil and misery, but that he might be dissolved, and be with Christ (Philippians 1:23). Though the other be a lawful desire, but chiefly his desire is that he might see Christ, whom from his first conversion he has most loved, and in whom he has lived all his life, and now to be wholly possessed of him, and wholly acted and swayed by him, not that he might have his heart filled with joy, but that he might be with Christ. Not only as chiefest of ten thousand persons, but as the chiefest of ten thousands benefits of God, that should God give us pardon of sin, his Word and Sacrament, and victory over all our lusts, strength of every grace of God, and everlasting life, and therewith fellowship with all the blessed saints and angels, yet to us Christ is the chiefest of them all, none greater than the gift of Christ. And this is the sincerity of a Christian's soul: he desires more any benefit for Christ's sake, than Christ for any of his benefits' sake; for he whose heart is set upon Christ, more than upon the pardon of sin, or salvation, that soul has Christ, and life in him. He that has Christ in his eye and heart above all blessings, he indeed is a true Christian, and has Christ.

Christ must be so had, and we must so receive him as God gives him; now God gives us first Christ in all his ordinances, and then in Christ all other things, all benefits in and through Christ (Acts 8:35). We preach to you Jesus; we offer you him, all lusts laid aside, all sinful corruptions put away, whatever separates between God and us, that being done away: we now offer you Christ, and in Christ plenteous redemption; but if we be without Christ, we are without true life.

As in the Sacrament, first you have the body and blood of Christ set before you (Matthew 26:26), and then sealed up, and confirmed to you in the Sacrament, and together with that justification, and further degrees of the sanctifying spirit, and further pledges of everlasting life, and glory; no benefit, but it is conveyed through him; Christ first, and then the benefit. It is true, Herod received joy, but Felix trembling, and Jehu zeal, but none of these received Christ; they received the husk, but wanted Christ; they had the shell, but not the marrow and kernel within; they received the benefit, but Christ they did not receive, and for want of him they had no life at all. Simon Magus he believed (Acts 8:13), but he had no lively faith, because he would receive the benefit, but Christ he minded not to receive: unless the heart be knit to Christ, and the soul more seek Christ than pardon of sin, or subduing of lusts, he has no life in truth. He that has the Son, he has life; not so, he that has the gifts and benefits of the Son: but Christ first, and in having Christ we have all.

Christ must be received as God gives him, we must acknowledge there is no life in any grace, but in Christ (Hosea 14:8). On me is your fruit found, and without me can you do nothing (John 15:5). Now then carry this truth home with you, and gather from hence a true estimate of your own estates, whether you may judge of yourselves as living or dead Christians. Upon our having or not having of Christ depends our having or not having of life. How will you know, whether you have life or no, you say you have Christ, how know you that? Whether is your heart more set upon Christ, than the gifts of Christ; whether do you labor more for gifts, or for Christ himself. And if you find this, that in the truth of your hearts, you come not to the ordinances, but to find your beloved there, not out of unclean and wanton spirits, but to seek him whom your soul most desires; whose favor and countenance you would rather behold, than to hear the voice of a pleasant singer, and you are not satisfied with anything unless you find him; then shall you find life in so coming to the ordinances (Song of Solomon 3:1-3). By night in my bed I sought him whom my soul loved, etc. The bed was the Temple, wherein God did reveal himself in his ordinances, and disperse himself to his people in the bed of his love. She came to the Temple, not to seek any of the Priests and Levites there; she goes indeed to the watchmen, and makes her moan and complaint to them, that she could not find Christ in his ordinances, and she dared not rest upon their opinions; but said, have you not seen him whom my soul loves? Can you tell me any news, or give me any intelligence of my beloved Savior? Thus she inquires of the watchmen: and from them she goes to the Daughters of Jerusalem, to her Christian friends and charges them to tell him, that she is sick of love. Now if thus to desire him, is to find Christ, then there is no more to be doubted of in such a case as this; but the heart thus seeking him in his ordinances, and the affections gone after him there, more than after any of his benefits, then in truth we have the Son, he could not have our hearts, if we first had not him; and therefore it is a strong evidence we have him, because our hearts are set upon him. We search for nothing so much as for him; this is part of the meaning of that place in (Psalm 73:25): Whom have I in heaven but you, or in earth in comparison of you? He desires nothing more than him, neither peace of conscience, nor joy in the Holy Ghost, nor anything so chiefly and principally as God; but if we have a longing affection after pardon of sin, and peace of conscience, and assurance of salvation, after subduing of lusts and growth in grace; these be blessed desires, and usually upright, and sincere, but there may be hypocrisy even in these very desires, and in using the means to attain these; for sometimes by this means we seek Christ, and him in his ordinances, not so much for himself, as for the benefits we have by him, which is a spirit of harlotry. As in a woman that it may be has a strong affection to match with such a man; but it is, but that he might pay her debts, and that she might be well provided for, for the world, and that he might be avail, and a protector to her, these be lawful ends to aim at; but if it be only and chiefly for these ends, it is not true conjugal affection, for if another man could do this for her as well as he, she could make choice of another as well as of him, and she desires him, not for his, but for her own ends. And just so it is alike in this case, if a man desire the Lord Jesus Christ to this end, that he may have his sin pardoned, and be furnished with grace, though these be spiritual ends, yet so much as we prize the benefit above Christ, so much are we halting in the truth of our affection to him. If a woman in true conjugal affection, look at no more but at the very bare man, if there be true love in her towards him, she is content to have him, though she have nothing else but his person; so if our hearts be truly set upon Christ we are content to have him, though we should never see good day with him; though we should never see peace of conscience with him, though no comfort of grace in him, yet would the soul say, that is truly affected to Christ, give me Christ, and I have enough. Who, or what is there besides Christ? What is there? Why, there is variety of excellent graces: but whom have I in earth but you? As if you should put all other things in comparison against, or with Christ, they are nothing to him, then surely you have Christ.

But how much will this discord from the fellowship of Christ, the Sons and Daughters of men, who when they see the costliness of the ways of Christ, they will neither seek after Christ nor his benefits: But as for pardon of sin, as it passes all understanding, so it passes their desires; And for peace of conscience, they hope they have a good conscience; or if not, they do not search to know it; and as for the graces of the spirit, and subduing of lusts, they have a good hope, and believe as well as the best: And for the Kingdom of glory, they hope if God grant them mercy they shall come to heaven at the last: These men are far from having the Lord Jesus, and life in him; they are so far off from seeking the Son, as that they do not so much as seek those mercies and benefits which in Christ are conveyed to their souls, they neither have him nor none of his. They say to the Almighty depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of your law (Job 21:14). Of such God says, They would have none of me (Psalm 81:11), not only have him, but none of him; that is, nothing that was his, not any saving benefit of his; the world we would have, but none of those choice and heavenly blessings of Christ; no pardon of sin, no peace of conscience, no care of Christianity, or faithful Ministry, no fear of God, nor keeping of his Commandments; Dear hearts, for us, how shall we ever conceive that ever we should have life in Christ, when we do not so much as desire the very benefits of Christ? Which yet a man may desire and lose all too, and when a man has not so much as an affection to the things of Christ it is very dangerous.

But secondly, when a man is in this case, that there is a desire in a man after the benefits of Christ, more than after Christ himself; all this while you want that sincerity upon which Christ will give us a comfortable meeting, and speak peace to our souls; we are not yet come to that condition, as in which he will say: My well-beloved, you are all fair, and there is no spot in you, he yet sees not a true conjugal affection in us towards him; so as that though we should never find grace nor glory by him, yet he is the chief desire of our souls. Suppose a woman should see a man that has a desire after her, but he chiefly aims at her estate, to provide for himself, and looks no further, wonder not if she should say to him; You seek not me, but mine, she may well rid her hands of him in such a case; and truly so is the case here between us and the Lord Jesus, so long as he finds that we come to him, and seek, and pray, and wrestle, and what would we have? Oh, pardon of sin, and peace of conscience, and power of grace, to be but as other Christians are; that we could pray, and believe as they do, and find such comfort as they have, and this is the thing that the soul is chiefly set upon; now all this while that we come thus to Christ, we must not think that Christ is to blame, if he waits a little longer than we expect, for we may seek him and not find him, because we seek not so much him as his benefits, and the rich treasures of grace, and mercy, and peace, that are laid up in him without measure. The greatest part of the world do not love their souls, nor the Lord Jesus so well, as to love him for his grace and goodness sake; but yet among better men, there is a world of self-love, many a man would have his sin pardoned, because he would have his conscience at quiet; we may thank ourselves for such affections as these, not but that such affections may spring from the grace of God, for men by nature never dream of such things as these be, but yet though such affections may spring from the grace of God, yet you shall ever find such souls to detain the grace of God in unrighteousness, and out of self-love, use them all to their own ends; and look not that God may be glorified in and by them, nor that his will be done; but oh, that the soul might have peace, and that sin might be pardoned, and there it rests. When our desires are chiefly set upon spiritual gifts, if we lose much comfort and fellowship with Christ, that else we might have had, we must not marvel at it, for our desires are set not chiefly upon Christ, but upon the things of Christ; our desire is not after the person, but after the goods and benefits of Christ. Observe the Apostle's expression (Romans 8:32): He has given us his own Son; he does not say, he that has given us peace and pardon of sin, will not he give all other things also? Or, will not he give us Christ? He reasons not from Christ's benefits, to Christ, but thus he reasons; He that has given us his own Son, will with his Son, and after his Son, give us all other things. At the second hand comes in all these benefits of pardon of sin, and strength of grace, and power against our lusts, etc., these things come in as attendants upon the former; and therefore if God give us first to look at Christ, that in him we have life of justification, and sanctification, and consolation, eternal glory, peace, and grace, and all; then we have him, and life in him, else we may have the outward comforts, but stand long enough at Christ's bedroom door, before he let us in. Let it therefore be a word of direction and exhortation, to every soul that desires to have that truth of life, and peace, and grace wrought in his heart that will never die; have you respect chiefly to the Lord Jesus Christ, and long and seek more after him, than after all spiritual blessings, and much more above all worldly blessings. If you shall therefore refuse Christ, because you think he is but a melancholy person, you will never have him, if you stand upon such terms, if you will not have him unless he be thus and thus qualified; then let him alone, never talk of him, rest not in looking after any of his benefits, it is a good thing to look for such benefits as accompany Christ; but rest not there, content not yourselves in such wrestlings, never think you are of a right spirit, and that you have a lively life, and such as by which you shall maintain constant fellowship with God, unless you find your hearts longing after Christ; My soul thirsts for the living God (Psalm 42:1-2). Let your hearts be chiefly set upon him for his own sake, you can tell what it is to set your affections more upon a person than upon their estate; and you must know, that your affections are more set upon Christ, than upon any benefit he has, unless you find Christ more than his gifts, you shall find little peace in your way; you must see that all, even the worst of his things are beautiful and comely, and is more to be desired than gold, is sweeter than the honey, or the honeycomb; he that thus has the Son has life, the Son of God; God and Man, as he is our Son, and our Savior; let the desire of your soul be to him, and your affections run out after him; be you for him, and then he will be for you (Hosea 3:2-4). Stand not so much upon this, what Christ will be for you, but be sure that you be for him; let friends and all go, and be sure you be only for him. Though Christ love us first, yet he will make us no assurance of his love to us, till he see us love him; and if we choose him first, before and above all his benefits, then we shall have him; make him then your assurance, and your kingdom shall not be shaken; think not that he will make you a feoffment before you be married to him, but we must be content to come to him, and take him as he is, and stand upon no conditions with him. You must not look for assurance of Christ's benefits till you have himself, and if you choose him, then you shall have assurance to your souls, that he has chosen you first; you cannot ask more than he will give; but first you must have himself, he will give you a kingdom, but you must first be a little flock, all is yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. Thus choose him above all his benefits, and you shall have him, and life in him.