CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

JOH. 17.2. That he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

JOH. 17.2. That he should give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him.

Having dispatched the Subject to whom this fruit of Christs power is to be vouchsafed, we come now to the Fruit and benefit thereof, and that is Eternal Life; In which we will also comprehend the manner of obtaining it; viz. by way of gift, He will give; The greatness of the gift though it may be apprehended, yet it cannot be comprehended; Though we had the tongue of Angels, and the understanding likewise, yet we should but speak as a child, and think as a child, when this matter of Divinity is our Theme. Every thing is inviting; Its life, No rich man, no poor man, but desireth this; It's Eternal Life, and so can be much less rejected, and it's by way of gift, Nothing can be more welcome; It's life, there is the necessity of it; It's eternal life, there is the excellency of it; It's given, there is the freeness of it, so that this gift here supposed is not within this Horizon, nor is it made for this Meridian, but it extends to the world to come; The wisest of the Philosophers were in a misty darkness about this matter; It was much debated whether any happiness did remain after this life, and although sometimes confused thoughts did work on them, as on that man who reading a Book of Immortality, was so transported, that he killed himself immediately to enjoy it, yet these were but general indigested notions, only the Scripture doth give us a distinct and accurate account of this blessedness after our lives in this world, so then we see here an unspeakable privilege, and that most certainly to be bestowed on them, whatsoever their lives be here, though poor, though miserable, though afflicted, though troubled, yet they shall have an eternal life.

HAving dispatched the Subject to whom this fruit of Christs power is to be vouchsafed, we come now to the Fruit and benefit thereof, and that is Eternal Life; In which we will also comprehend the manner of obtaining it; viz. by way of gift, He will give; The greatnesse of the gift though it may be apprehended, yet it cannot be comprehended; Though we had the tongue of Angels, and the understanding likewise, yet we should but speak as a childe, and think as a childe, when this matter of Divinity is our Theme. Every thing is inviting; Its life, No rich man, no poor man, but desireth this; It's Eternal Life, and so can be much lesse rejected, and it's by way of gift, Nothing can be more welcome; It's life, there is the necessity of it; It's eternal life, there is the excellency of it; It's given, there is the freenesse of it, so that this gift here supposed is not within this Horizon, nor is it made for this Meridian, but it extends to the world to come; The wisest of the Philosophers were in a misty darknesse about this matter; It was much debated whether any happinesse did remain after this life, and although sometimes confused thoughts did work on them, as on that man who reading a Book of Immortality, was so transported, that he killed himself immediatly to enjoy it, yet these were but generall indigested notions, only the Scripture doth give us a distinct and accurate account of this blessednesse after our lives in this world, so then we see here an unspeakable priviledge, and that most certainly to be bestowed on them, whatsoever their lives be here, though poor, though miserable, though afflicted, though troubled, yet they shall have an eternal life.