The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 43
THE XLIII. LECTVRE, OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST.
LVKE, CHAP. XXIIII.
verse 47 And that Repentance and Remiſsion of ſinnes ſhould be preached in His Name, among all Nations, beginning at Hieruſalem.
IN opening vp of the fift appearance of the Lord after His Reſurrection to His Diſciples conueened in Hieruſalem in the night time (well beloued in CHRIST) we hauehave heard how the LORD hath trauelled by ſundrie meanes to make them to knowe Him, while as He appeared to them, and ſtood vp in the middes of them ſuddenly, He ſpake to them familiarly, and after His owne accuſtomed manner, yet they beleeue not, nor vnderſtandes Him not by His ſpeaking, but thought that He had bene a Spirit, or an Angell in the likeneſſe of a man: Then He comes nearer them, and ſhewing out His handes and His feete, and markes of the nailes wherewith Hee vvas vvounded on the Croſſe: He ſayes to them: See, feele, and touch mine handes and my feete with your hands, ſee, I am euen He, I am not a Spirit, as yee ſuppoſe: I am a verie bodie, a Spirit hath no fleſh, nor bones, therefore I am no Spirit: yet they beleeue not for joy, ſayes the Text, but they ſtoode wondering. Then Hee comes nearer them, and demandes, whether if they had any meate amongſt them, and they gaue Him a piece of roſted fiſh, and of an hony combe, Hee eates in their preſence, teſtifying to them by His action of eating, Hee was no Spirit, a Spirit cannot eate nor drinke, yet Hee leaues them not, but Hee preaches to them a ſweet Sermon, whereof the laſt day, ye heard, there was two partes. In the firſt, Hee propones to them a neceſsitie of all theſe thinges that befell vntounto Him, all behooued to come to paſſe, He behooued to be crucified, He behooued to riſe againe the third day. And why? Becauſe it was written: Firſt, in Moſes: Secondly, in the Prophetes: and laſtly, in the Pſalmes: What euer was written, all behooued to be accompliſhed, not ſo much as one ſillable of it might periſh, becauſe whatſoeuer was written by Moſes, the Prophetes, and Dauid, all was ordained and decreed, all was bound in a faſt decree from all eternitie. This was the firſt neceſsitie.
Nowe, this day, Brethren, as God will giuegive the grace, we ſhall come to the other neceſsitie, which is of the preaching, and then we ſhall come to the ſecond part of His Sermon, concerning a direction vntounto His Diſciples, to goe out to the world, and teſtifie of theſe thinges, that they heard and ſaw of Him. Then to come to the purpoſe: as it behooued that all theſe thinges that were foretolde of Chriſt ſhould come to paſſe, ſo there was als great a neceſſitie, that all ſhould be preached: That repentance and remiſsion of ſinnes, ſhould be preached in His name among all Nations. Now to ſpeake ſomewhat of this neceſſitie of preaching. Men thinke commonly all this preaching to be for a piece of policie, and for the faſhioun: a man to ſtand vp & preach to the reſt, they thinke it a piece of folie, ueening to the Church to bee but for the faſhion. But I ſhall tell thee, except there be preaching, no ſaluation, no life, ſhall pertaine vntounto thee, except there bee preaching, Chriſts comming into the worlde, is in vaine for thee, all His ſuffering is for nothing, His Reſurrection ſhall bee of no value to thee, they will doe thee no good.
For to ſpeake of the ordinance of God, and of that eternall decree: for as the Lord ordained from all eternitie, Chriſt to come in the world, to ſuffer, & to riſe againe: ſo He ordained preaching to be in His Name. But to leaue that, thinkeſt thou to come to Heauē without faith? No, thou ſhalt neuer ſee it, without faith, thou ſhalt neuer ſee ye face of Chriſt, thinkeſt y• to get Faith without hearing? If thou contemneſt hearing, thou ſhalt neuer get Faith in Chriſt, But hovve canſt thou heare if there bee no preaching: thou muſt heare a voyce: So vvithout the ſounding of the Goſpell, no life. Chriſt, & His ſuffering, & His riſing is but dead to thee vvithout preaching. That life that flovved from the Reſurrection of Chriſt, is conueyed in the ſoule by hearing, and without hearing thou ſhalt ly deade, and die euerlaſtingly. Therefore, Chriſt, vvhen Hee came into the world, He vvas no dumbe ſufferer, He preached on night and day, Paul ſayes, Epheſ. 2.17. When Hee came, Hee was the peacemaker, and Hee preached peace. And to the Romanes, Chapter 15. verſe 8. Hee is called a Miniſter of Circumciſion: and CHRIST knowing this neceſſitie of preaching, vvhen He goes His vvay to Heauen, leaues Hee the vvorlde vvithout preaching? No, Paul to the Epheſians, Chapter 4. verſe 11. ſayes, Hee gaue ſome to be Apoſtles, ſome to be Prophetes, ſome to be Euangeliſts, ſome to be Paſtours, ſome to bee Doctours: and all to the end, that they might preach the Goſpell of peace to His comming: And Paul ſayes of himſelfe: Woe to mee, if I preach not the Gospell, 1. Cor. Chapter 9. verſe 16. Hee left His Spirit behind Him, as yee ſee, He promiſes in Iohn Chapter 14. verſe 26. But marke, He left His Spirit to be miniſtred by preaching: thou who contemneſt this preaching, I denounce to thee, thou ſhalt neuer taſte of that Spirit: thou vvho vvilt ſtand vp, and ſaye, I hauehave the Spirit, and then contemneſt the Miniſterie, I ſay, thou lieſt, albeit thou vvereſt the Emperour of the vvorld.
Now to goe forwarde: there is a great neceſſitie of preaching: But take heede to this preaching: He deſcribes this preaching by ſundrie circumſtances: Firſt, it muſt bee in ſome name and in ſome authoritie: a man that ſtandes vp and preaches to the people: hee muſt preach to the people in ſome name: an Herauld vvill ſtande vp at the market croſſe, and make his proclamation, it muſt bee in ſome name: for if hee ſtande vp and proclame in his owne name, he is but a knaue, & deſerues to be hanged: So, vvhoſoeuer ſtands vp to preach, looke that hee preach neuer a vvorde in his owne name. CHRIST ſayes, there muſt be preaching in my Name: Looke that all preaching be in the Name of Ieſus Chriſt.
Nowe, vvhat is the name of CHRIST? The Name of CHRIST is His power (O that paſſing power!) His authoritie: What power? Euen that power that Hee ſpeakes of in the laſt Chapter of Matthew: All power in Heauen and Earth is Mine.
Then in the ſecond Chapter to the Philippians, and the ninth verſe: Wherefore GOD alſo hath highly exalted Him, and giuen Him a Name, aboue eueryevery name: He is exalted in a wonderfull ſublimeneſſe. O that high ſublimeneſſe! that the Lord hath receiued: Hee hath gotten a Name aboue all names, and a power aboue all powers, and none ſhall hauehave ſuch a power: then he ſets out this power: All knees muſt bowe at the Name of IESƲS: all powers muſt bow to that power, and all knees muſt bee folded before it: bowe thy knee before that power, or els, thou ſhalt be thruſt in Hell: all knees ſhallbe bowed before that Tribunall: that Name vvill cauſe all the Deuils in Hell, bow, and ſtoupe.
It is written in the 4. Chapter of the Actes: There is none other Name vnderunder Heauen able to ſaue men, but the Name of Ieſus Chriſt: thou ſhalt neuer ſee life, but by this power and this Name: Marke it: No life, I vvill tell againe: No ſaluation to man or vvoman in the vvorld, but by the Name of Ieſus, and His power: and therefore how great ſhall the power of this His Name, as yee may well ſee by the word, vvhichwhich ſets it out, euen the Goſpell. The Euangel that ſpeakes of the Name of Ieſus, Paul calles it to the Romanes, Chapter 1. verſe 16. The power of God, vntounto ſaluation. Speake of Caeſar, and this Kingdome, or that Kingdome: will it be powerfull vntounto life? Will all the ſpeaking of all the creatures in the world bee powerfull vntounto life? Speake of the Croſſe of CHRIST, what ſeemes to bee more baſe, yet it is the power of God, and the vviſdome of God vntounto ſaluation. So the power muſt be wonderfull, when a word will hauehave ſuch a power, that it will ſaue a ſoule. The LORD, when Hee was in the worlde, Hee preached in His owne Name, and the Iewes marked, that He preached with authoritie, and Hee ſayes: Amen, Amen, I ſay vntounto you, That is in mine owne Name: As for all other teachers, all their preaching muſt be in the Name and authoritie of Ieſus, and not in a creatures name.
When a man hath this LORD in His eye, without regard of himſelfe, when hee goes to ſet out that Name, ye will not beleeue, how the LORD will be with him, and how He will make his authoritie to be ſeene.
But by the contrarie, if a man hauehave no ſinceritie, and hauehave not the authoritie, and Name of IESVS before him, but ſeeke himſelfe in his preaching, hee will hauehave no ſpirit, no grace, none authoritie, his language will be vnſauourie, his preaching will be of litle value. Paul, becauſe He preached Chriſt, and Him crucified, therefore, ſayes Hee, that his preaching was with euidencie and demonſtration of the Spirit: on the other part, becauſe the Corinthian Doctours had themſelues, & not Chriſt before their eyes: therefore hee ſayes, that they preached with oſtentation, and humane eloquence, all their preaching was but winde. The Philoſophers of old, ſpake much of matters of vertue, but becauſe they neuer ſpake one worde in the Name of Chriſt: therefore all their ſpeaking was but babling, neither were they changed themſelues, nor yet changed they others, they might teach men to bee Hypocrites, and to couer their vices: but they could not bee inſtruments of Regeneration, becauſe they ſpake not in that powerfull Name of Ieſus Chriſt. I put the Papiſts in this ſame rancke, that vvill ſpeake in the Popes name: I ſay, all their doctrine, and their ſpeaking of ſaluation, is more in the name of man, nor in the Name of Ieſus Chriſte: and therefore it may well worke errour, and hypocriſie in thee, but no ſaluation: thou mayeſt well thinke that thou haſt ſomething, but in effect thou haſt nothing.
Then we ſee of neceſſitie there muſt be preaching: but whereof muſt this preaching be: The LORD ſayes, it behooued that preaching bee in my Name, Of repentance and remiſsion of ſinnes: There is the ſumme of the Goſpell. Would yee knowe the effect of all preaching? The whole Goſpell is ſummed vp in thoſe two Heades, Repentance, and Remiſſion of ſinnes. It is not my purpoſe, to inſiſt largely in theſe pointes, but I ſhall ſpeake of them ſhortly. Repentance is none other thing, but a preparation to the ſoule. Whereto? To receiue grace, to receiue remiſſion of ſinnes, ſaluation, and life euerlaſting. It is but a making ſtraight the wayes of the Lord, who is comming with grace and merciemercy to the ſoule. This Repentance is wrought partly by the Law, and partly by the Goſpell. The Law ſayes: Curſed be he that continueth not in all which is written in the booke of the Law, to doe them: and becauſe the conſcience of all fleſh, accuſes them as guiltie of the tranſgresſion of the Lawe: therefore there ariſes in the ſoule, horrours and terrours vnſpeakable: Then the Goſpell comes in to comfort the caſten downe ſoule, and it ſayes, Whoſoeuer beleeues in Ieſus, he ſhall be ſaued, for this is the ſumme of the Goſpell. When the ſoule heares this, it conceiues an vnſpeakable ſorrowe and ſadneſſe for the offending of ſo mercifull and louing a Father: and this the Apoſtle calles a godly ſorrow, 2. Cor. Chapter 7. verſes 9. and 10. Now it is this godly ſorrow properly, which workes repentance, and turnes the heart to God, that before was farre away from Him. The other ſorrow that is by the Lawe, properly is not the cauſe of repentance, but it prepares the heart thereunto. Therefore, ſeeing this godly ſorrowe turnes the heart to God, of neceſsitie it muſt be accompanied with faith: for without Faith there is no conuerſion to God.
The preaching of Iohn Baptiſt, telles vsus, how neceſſarie the doctrine of the Goſpell is to worke repentance: for He ſayes, Repent, for the Kingdome of God is at hande, Matth. Chapter 3. verſe 2. The reaſon, why they ſhoulde repent, is heere taken from the approaching and preſence of the Kingdome of God, that is, of the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt.
Now as for remiſſion of ſinnes, it is an applying of the wholeſome medicine of repentance, and by order of nature, it followes after Repentance, when the heart is prepared with repentance, then comes in Remiſſion of ſinnes, then comes in that joyfull ſentence vvhichwhich the Lorde makes His Spirit to proclame to thy ſoule: O ſinner, thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee, in the blood of Ieſus Chriſt: for Remiſſion of ſinnes is nothing, but the ſentence of the great Iudge, ſaying, O ſinner, thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee.
Nowe, this Remiſſion of ſinnes is wrought by that ſame doctrine that workes Repentance, the Goſpell that workes Repentance, miniſteres likewiſe aſſurance of the Remiſsion of ſinnes: both are wrought by one meane, for Repentance and Remiſsion of ſinnes, are both wrought together, the one goes not in time before the other, but in that ſame moment that we beginne to repent, we get aſſurances in our conſciences, that our ſinnes are forgiuen vsus, and we heare as it were out of the mouth of God, that joyfull ſentence of abſolution. It is true, that a Miniſter may pronounce Remiſsion of ſinnes to another, a certaine ſpace after he hath repented, Chriſt ſayes, Whoſoeuers ſinnes yee remit, they are remitted vntounto them, Ioh. 20.22. But the Lorde, Himſelfe abſolues a man in the ſame very time hee repentes: yet by order of nature, repentance is firſt, and prepares the heart to Remiſsion of ſinnes: Remiſsion of ſins followes, & applies grace to the ſoule prepared vvith Repentance: Repentance & the preparation vntounto grace beginnes vvith a ſadneſſe: thou vvho neuer hadſt a dolour in thine heart, thou neuer repentedſt. Turning vntounto God, is with a verie heauineſſe in the ſoule, and a ſadneſſe for ſinne, not ſo much for vvrath and Hell, as that thou ſhouldeſt bee ſo vvicked, that thou ſhouldeſt hauehave offended ſo mercifull a Father: But the remiſſion of ſinnes, & the applying of grace is with an vnſpeakable joy: there the ſadneſſe of repentance is recompenſed: thou who waſt not ſad firſt, looke not to get that joy: thou vvho art not heauie, thou ſhalt neuer bee lighted: no joy for thee: if thou goeſt on in ſinne, wantonly and merily: thou haſt gotten the joy that thou ſhalt get, thou ſhalt neuer get joye but the joye of ſinne. A true Chriſtian is joyfull, and ſad through Repentance, and joyfull through remiſſion of ſinnes, thou ſhalt weepe ere thou laugheſt, thou ſhalt lament, ere thou rejoyceſt: No joy to a faithfull ſoule, but after ſadneſſe, and all the joye of a ſinner is preſſed out of ſadneſſe, as the wine out of the berrie. So the heart of a ſinner, muſt be firſt preſſed, contrite and broken, and then joy muſt be preſſed out thereof like juice, and then the greater contrition, and the greater ſadneſſe, the greater joye ſhall follow. So long as thou remaineſt in this worlde, all thy joy muſt bee preſſed out of ſorrow: No, thou muſt not ſorrow for one day, or a yeere, but as thou art a continuall ſinner, ſo there muſt be a cōtinuall ſorrow. I giuegive thee a faithfull counſell: Be euer ſad: away with vaine hearted perſons, that hauehave no ſadneſſe: euer hauehave this dolour, and that is the right way to this joy. I doubt not, but ye that hauehave felt theſe thinges, knowe, them: Firſt, there muſt bee vnſpeakable ſighes, Rom. 8.26. and then vnſpeakable and glorious joye, 1. Pet. 1.8. And when wee come to Heauen, and hauehave laide off this burthen of ſinne, joy ſhall remaine euerlaſtingly with vsus, ſadneſſe ſhall goe awaye, then our joy ſhall riſe no more out of ſadneſſe, but thy joy ſhall be ſincere, no ſigh, no teare then, all teares ſhall bee wiped awaye: Then as thou wouldeſt rejoyce, and finde joye, mourne heere a while, that all mourning may bee taken away: laugheſt thou nowe, haſt thou neuer a teare, then thou ſhalt mourne for euer, no laughing for thee, thou ſhalt be thruſt into Hel, where there is nothing but ſhouting and crying. So, as thou wouldeſt rejoyce ſincerely, without any ſadneſſe one daye, nowe get joy out of teares. Marke theſe things: not one ſillable of this ſhall fall to the ground. Well then, we hauehave the neceſſitie of preaching, and in whoſe name we ſhould preach, and what wee ſhould preach: Firſt, Repentance, and then remisſion of ſinnes: beginne with preaching ſadly, but end joyfully, with that joyfull remisſion of ſinnes. Now, the third: to whome muſt this preaching bee? muſt it bee to the Jewes onelyonly: No, it muſt bee more largely extended: To all nations: and what ſhould bee preached to all Nations: Firſt, Repentance: Next, remisſion of ſinnes: if Repentance ſhould bee preached to all Nations, then all Nations are ſinfull: Repentance teached to all, importes, that ſinne hath power ouer all the worlde: that infection hath poyſoned all that are come into the world, as Paul ſayes, All hauehave ſinned, Iew and Gentile, & all are cloſed vp vnderunder ſinne, none excepted, Rom. 3.23. and 11.32. What more? The preaching of Repentance to all Nations, importes, the great abundance of ſinne, and the largeneſſe of the dominion of ſinne. Againe the preaching of the Remisſion of ſinnes to all Nations, importes, that the grace of Chriſt is extended to all: As ſinne ſpread it ſelfe ouer all where, ſo grace is ſpread ouer all where. The righteouſneſſe of God by the Faith of Ieſus Chriſt, is vntounto all, and vponupon all that beleeue, Rom. 3.22. Againe, the preaching of Remisſion of ſinnes to all Nations, importes, that the ſuperabundance of grace before Chriſt came, grace was cloſed within the boundes of Iurie: but after that once CHRIST came and ſuffered, and roſe againe, and went vntounto Heauen, then Heauen was opened, and grace was powred downe in ſuch abundance, that Iurie coulde not containe it, but it ſpred through the whole world. As it ſpred, ſo the preaching behooued to be ſpread, grace goes with the preaching: contemneſt thou the preaching, thou ſhalt not get one droppe of it, grace is diſperſed by the diſperſing of the preaching: take away preaching, no ſparke of grace: Woe bee to them, who reſtraine the preaching of ſuch abundant grace in this Lande, within ſo narrow boundes, and all for greedineſſe. Hell ſhall ſwallow vp theſe ſacrilegious perſons, who withholde the goods from the preachers of grace, if they repent not, ſay, this narrownes of the hearts of men, who hinder preachings, is not ſo much, a ſinne done againſt the poore people that periſh in ignorance, as againſt the grace of God: they will laugh at this nowe, but one daye they ſhall houle: O that flood of wrath, that ſhall bee heaped on them: this injurie is done to grace, it is a reſtraint of grace, and an impairing to the glorie of GOD, that is through grace: woe to thee, woe to thee againe, that holds down the grace of God, and pinches it through thy default, thou ſhalt once curſe the time that euer thou didſt it: if thou reſtraineſt that grace, that ſhould bring poore ſoules to Heauen and ſaluation.
But to goe forward: We hauehave heard the neceſsitie of preaching, in whoſe name we ſhould preach, what we ſhould preach, and laſt, to whome it ſhould be preached, to all Nations, euen, to the Gentiles. O! if we Gentiles ſhould not rejoyce, that merciemercy and grace is preached vntounto vsus, who were aliants from the grace of GOD. Now albeit this grace bee extended to all, yet there is a difference in order of preaching: for the Lorde ſayes, Beginning at Hieruſalem: As He would ſay: this preaching muſt firſt be preached at Hieruſalem, and beginne there: and before grace bee offered to the Gentiles, grace firſt of all muſt be offered to the Iewes. Grace pertaines firſt to the Iewes, they were the people of God of olde, and therefore they muſt hauehave their owne right: and then when grace is offered to the Iewes, grace is extended, and runnes abroade ouer all the earth. Paul ſayes to ye Iewes: It was neceſſary, that the word of God ſhould firſt hauehave beene ſpoken vntounto you, Actes 13.46. There is the order: yet the Lorde loues Hieruſalem, & forgets it not: Hieruſalem that crucified the Lord, the Lord forgets it not, the Lord will not caſt it away, but will ſend His Apoſtles to preach there firſt. O how loth was He to caſt away that Nation that He had choſen of olde, from among all Nations: a people that He hath once begunne with: O how loth will He be to caſt away that people: Scotland hath a proofe of this, I dare ſay it: had not bene the patience that the Lord beares vntounto this Land, He had not ſpared vsus ſo long, becauſe of the great contempt and diſdaining of the Goſpell. But aboue all the reſt, that Nation which the Lorde hath choſen from among the reſt, to be a peculiar people to Himſelfe, He will offer grace to it firſt: & therefore the Iewes got this honour firſt, to hauehave grace offered to them. And as grace in this life is offered to the Iew, ſo ſhall the Iew, get firſt glorie in Heauen. Paul Rom. 2.10. ſayes: Glorie, and honour, and peace ſhall be to eueryevery man that doeth good, to the Iew firſt, and alſo to the Grecian. And as the glorie ſhall belong vntounto the faithfull Iew firſt, ſo by the contrarie, the vnfaithfull Jew, ſhall firſt bee diſhonoured for the Apoſtle ſayes in the words immediatly preceeding: Tribulation and anguiſh ſhall bee vponupon the ſoule of eueryevery one that doeth euill, of the Iewe firſt, and next of the Grecian.
But to ende heere: I beſeech you to ſtriue vntounto vnfained Repentance, and to get an aſſurance of the remiſsion of thy ſinnes here, if thou wilt be honoured in this life by grace, and in the life to come, by glorie in Heauen: for neither grace nor glorie pertaines, vntounto impennitent ſinners who lye like ſwine in ſinne, and delite in ſinne: But only to all penitent ſinners, where ſinne aboundes, grace and merciemercy ſuperaboundes, and that in the blood of Ieſus Chriſt. To whom with the Father, and Holy Spirit, be all honour, and glorie, for euermore. AMEN.