John 17:12

This petition Christ presseth by three Arguments; The first whereof (in this verse) is taken from his care of these given him while he was bodily present with them. He had such a care of them, as he can make a fair account that none of them are lost; Only Judas was gone, who though he were chosen to the Apostleship, chap. 6.70. yet was never given to be redeemed or saved by him, but was one destinate to perdition, of whose defection and ruine the Scriptures, speaking of him under the type of Achithophel and other of Davids enemies, (Acts 1.20. with Psal. 69.25. and 109.8.) had foretold. From which Christ would inferre, that he being (not to quit his charge which he exerceth with the Father still, but) to remove from them in respect of his bodily presence, as v. 11. and 14. therefore the Father must keep them, that his pains be not lost. Whence learn, 1. Christ the Son of God did for a time condescend to be present with his people in humane shape, as for other ends, so, to testifie his tendernesse and respect to their infirmity, Matth. 9.15, 16. and to give a proofe that he will still be tender of his people; for, I was with them in the world. 2. There is no time wherein disciples, while they are in the world, will not need care and over sight without themselves, for their preservation; for, as now they were to need, so then they did need to be kept. 3. Albeit Christ, while he was in the world, had his own throng of sharp exercise and sufferings; Yet all that did not hinder him to lay out himselfe in caring for his people, and to make his bodily presence comfortable to them; for, while I was with them in the world, I kept them. 4. Christ did exercise this charge of keeping his people in the Fathers Name, that is, not only out of love to the Father whose name is called upon them, (as true Ministers care for them, because of their relation to Christ, Joh. 21 15.) but also by the power of God, and his attributes, communicate to him from the Father as God, and concurring with him in carrying on his work as Mediatour. Whereby as he leaves us a pattern of selfe-denial in the enjoyment of all our gifted excellencies; So he teacheth all beleevers to ascribe the glory of their perseverance to God only; for these causes, and in these respects, he saith, I kept them in thy Name. 5. Christ is so faithful in caring for these committed to him, that he can make a fair account of one and all of them, and of his dealing and dispensations toward them, that none of them are a missing, but all well and safely kept and guided; for, These that thou gavest me, I kept, and none of them is lost. And this is some shaddow of the great account he will make of all his flock in the last day. 6. When Christ hath taken pains upon his people, as they will still need more, so he takes an argument from what he hath done, to do more for them, because he will not lose the pains he hath taken; Therefore doth Christ plead, that since he had taken so much pains and kept them, therefore the Father would keep them still, as he hath desired. 7. As there are in the world given ones, of whom Christ will have a care, so there are sons of perdition and men appointed to destruction for their sin; for, so saith Christ there is but the son of perdition. Which cannot come in here by way of exception, as if the meaning were, I have lost none of them whom thou hast given me, except Judas: for it is clear from Joh. 6.37, 39, 40. that none of all these the Father gave him shall perish. And Judas was never given to Christ to be redeemed, but only to the office of Apostleship. But it comes in by way of opposition, (as the Original particle is frequently used) to this sense, I have lost none of them thou hast given me; but Judas is lost, or, though Judas be lost. And the expression used for designation of Judas doth serve to obviate an exception; for, whereas it might be objected, how had he lost none, since Judas was gone; He answers that he was therefore lost because he was never so given to him, but from the beginning was a son of perdition, or, a man appointed to destruction, as the Hebrew phrase imports 8. Sons of perdition may be not only in the world, and in the visible Church, but even very high in Christs Court as to external employment and service; for, so was Judas given to be an Apostle, whose defection necessitates Christ to vindicate himselfe that he was not the lesse faithful in his trust, though such an eminent man did perish. 9. Sons of perdition are such as will not be the better of any means, or care, but will perish were they even in Christs own company, and his hands (as to outward dispensations) about them; for, so Judas in Christs own Court, is the Son of perdition, and will and doth perish. 10. The defection and destruction of Reprobates, were they never so eminent, doth not any way rub on Christs fidelity in his account, they never being given to him, to save them; for, he gives a faithful account to his Father, though the son of perdition be lost. 11. God is not deceived by the defection and perishing of any, how eminent soever, but as he had his eternal purpose about them, so he could give an account what would become of them, if it were needfull, long before they had a being; As he gives proofe in his foretelling of Judas and his defection and ruine, so long before, in the Scripture. 12. The Scriptures of God are of infallible verity, in threatnings, promises, or predictions; for, the Scripture must be fulfilled. 13. The best way to read strange and crosse dispensations, is, to see an hand and providence of God in them, which may quiet our hearts, till we get a more full and distinct account of his minde in them; Therefore, in mentioning the son of perdiction. he leads us to the Scripture, wherein God by foretelling thereof, testified his providence about it, and to the fulfilling thereof by his defection, that we may see nothing in it, but that wherein he had an holy hand.