The Mighty Christ the Saints Help, Part 4
His mightineſs, and eminency in holineſs, and righteouſneſs doth appeare.
Firſt, Generally, in his obedience to the will of God, he ſaid he came downe from heaven, not to do his own will, but the will of him that ſent him, Joh. 6.38. and accordingly he made that his great buſineſs, and deſigne, while he was on earth, his mightineſs therein may be ſeene.
Firſt, In the univerſality of it, he did whatſoever his Father required, and left nothing of his will undone, he kept the whole Law, and offended not in One point, he did not onelyonly the eaſieſt, and pleaſant, but alſo the hardeſt, and moſt grievous part of his fathers will; when his ſoul was exceeding ſorrowfull even unto death, he prayed not ſo much for the removing of that Cup, as that his fathers will might be done, Math. 26.39, 42. Hence that of the Apoſtle, Phil. 2.8. He became obedient unto death, even the death of the Croſſe.
Secondly, In the exactneſs, and perfection of it; he kept the whole Law exactly, as he was not wanting in the matter, ſo he did not faile in the manner of performing his fathers will; there was no defects, nothing lacking in his obedience, he did all things well; what we are preſſing towards, and reaching forth unto, he attained, he was perfect in every good worke, and ſtood compleate in the whole will of his father, and hence it is that it is recorded of him, that he was without ſin, knew no ſin, did no ſin; which could not be, if he had failed in any thing.
Thirdly, In the Conſtancy of it; Chriſt did not obey by fits but conſtantly; though we cannot, he continued in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them; This righteous one held on his way, he did not faile, nor was he diſcouraged, yea when perſecution and tribulation did ariſe againſt him becauſe of his doing the will of his father, he was not offended; but did alwayes do the things which pleaſed his father, as he told the Jews, Joh. 8.29. all which ſpeakes forth his might.
Fourthly, In his delight in it, his obedience was without murmuring, or grudging, it was with delight; for the Law of God was within his heart, as he ſpake, Pſal. 40.8. I delight to do thy will, O my God; his fathers commandements were not grievous to him; he profeſſed to his Diſciples, That it was his Meat to do the will of him that ſent him, and to finiſh his worke, Joh. 4.34.
Fifthly, In the efficacy, and vertue of it, his Righteouſneſſe doth not returne to him void, but it doth accompliſh that which he pleaſe, and proſper in the thing whereto he ordaines it, and that is the making others righteous; according to that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 5.19. For as by one mans diſobedience many were made ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one, ſhall many be made Righteous; God made him to be ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we might be made the Righteouſneſs of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21. And accordingly we are; for of God he is made unto us Righteouſneſs; Now ſurely he is Mighty in obedience, whoſe obedience effect the Righteouſneſs of others.
Secondly, Particularly in the Graces of the Spirit which were in him.
Firſt, In his Faith; for he, as well as we, had faith, and that a greater, and ſtronger than ours; for he was ſo ſtrong, and mighty in faith, as that he ſtagger'd not at any of the promiſes of his father through unbeliefe; other mighty ones in faith, ſometimes feared, as Jacob, David &c. but Chriſts faith was perfect, he was never afraid of any ttouble, or any perſecutors, he knew on whom he had beleeved, he knew his father would uphold, and reward him; his confidence in his father is prophetically ſpoken of by Iſaiah, Chap. 50.6, 7, 8, 9. I gave my back to the ſmiters, and my cheekes to them that pluckt off the haire; I hid not my face from ſhame, and ſpitting, for the Lord God will help me, therefore ſhall I not be confounded; therefore have I ſet my face like a flint, and I know that I ſhall not be aſhamed, &c. And he expreſſed as much at the raiſing of Lazarus; Father I thanke thee that thou haſt heard me, and I know that thou heareſt me alwayes; he was mighty and ſtrong in faith.
Secondly, His love, he was and is mighty in that grace, which I ſhall illuſtrate in particulars.
Firſt, In the nature of it, it is above ordinary common love, above the love of one friend to another; of a father to his child, of an husband to his wife, or of a man to his own ſelf; it is ſuch a love wherewith the father hath loved him, Joh. 15.9. He tells his Diſciples, As the father hath loved me, ſo have I loved you; which words do not only hold forth the truth, but the excellency of his love towards them, it being tranſcendent, infinite love, without meaſure, above Geometrie, above all arts, and parts of men; the Apoſtle tells the Saints at Epheſus, that it paſſeth knowledge, Eph. 3.19.
Secondly, In the objects of it, not his friends as loving him any thing, though his friends as loved by him, not Saints, or any excellent lovely ones, but ſinners, enemies, and he is a Mighty one that can love Enemies; fleſh and blood cannot do this; Paul ſets forth the greatneſs of the love of Chriſt by the objects of it, Rom. 5.6, 7, 8. When we were yet without ſtrength, in due time Chriſt died for the ungodly, for ſcarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure for a good man ſ…me would even dare to die; but God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet ſinners, Chriſt died for us; he was ſo mighty in his love, that he loved his greateſt, mightieſt enemies, even thoſe that took away his life, yea when they were taking it away, at that inſtant, when it was doing, when he did hang on the croſſe, when they were in the heate of their malice, and hatred againſt him, he pray'd for the choiceſt bleſſing for them, Luke 23.34. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Thirdly, In the vertue, and operation of it, it did produce wonderfull effects, it carried him out.
Firſt, To the loweſt Condition, love brought him from heaven to earth, from the higheſt to the loweſt eſtate, from the throne to the dunghil; Though he was Lord over all, yet love made him a ſervant to all, and that is the loweſt condition to be a ſervant; this the Apoſtle mentions, as the infinite condeſcention of Chriſt, Phil. 2.7. And this himſelfe minded his Diſciples of, that he the Son of man came not to be miniſtred unto, but to miniſter, Math. 20.28. I am among you as he that ſerveth, Luk. 22.27.
Secondly, To the meaneſt ſervices, who though he was the moſt Mighty One, yet ſo great was his love, as that he did not onelyonly condeſcend to men of low eſtate, but to the loweſt, meaneſt ſervices for them, John 13. from the firſt to the ſeventeenth verſe is a full teſtimony of his love in this reſpect; that he, their Lord, and Maſter, ſhould waſh his Diſciples feet.
Thirdly, To the Greateſt ſufferings, both in life, and death; his life was a life of ſorrow and trouble, and his death was a a death of great paine, and ignominy, the curſed death of the Croſſe.
Fourthly, To the largeſt communications, he hath witneſſed the greatneſs of his love by the largeneſs of his gifts; he hath given himſelfe, This the Apoſtle mentions as the evidence of the Greatneſs, and excellency of his love to the Church, Eph. 5.2, 25. that he loved the Church, and gave himſelfe for it, and not only himſelfe to die for it, but now that he liveth, he communicateth freely to it of all ſpirituall bleſſings; for whatſoever he hath heard, or received of his father, that he imparts to his friends.
Fourthly, In the duration of it, it is for ever, he abides in his love towards them, notwithſtanding all their unkindneſſes, its immutable, no length of time, nor diſtance of place, can worke any alteration in his love, the injuries that we do to Chriſt, although they have their fruit in diſcomfort, and occaſion the ſuſpenſion of the manifeſtation of his love for a ſeaſon, (which is a burden very grievous to be borne by a gracious ſoule) yet theſe do not remove his love to his; yea though he viſit their tranſgreſſions with the rod, and their iniquity with ſtripes, yet his loving kindneſs ſhall continue with them; in a word, it is Everlaſting love, Jer. 31.3.
Thirdly, His ſelf-deniall, he was mighty in that, he was higher, and greater then any, then all, he had more then all others, and yet he forſooke all for others, he emptied himſelfe of all, never any ſo high, and never any ſo low, never any ſo rich, and never any ſo poor as he; never any ſo glorious, and never any counted ſo vile; and this not by conſtraint, but willingly; for as the Apoſtle, Phil. 2. obſerves, he made himſelfe ſo, yea when worldly honour was offered him, (for the people would have made him a King, Joh. 6.15.) he refuſed it; this was great ſelf-denial; to lay aſide a crowne when he had it, and to refuſe it when it was offered, ſpeakes him one Mighty in this Grace.
Fourthly, His patience; he had greateſt patience in greateſt ſufferings, others were not ſo patient in leſſer ſufferings, as he was in greateſt; The Prophet Iſaiah ſets him forth in his great ſufferings, and withall declares his incomparable patience, Iſaiah 53. which he uſhers in with a yet—yet he opened not his mouth, he is brought as a Lamb to the ſlaughter, and as a ſheep before her ſhearers is dumb, ſo he openeth not his mouth; when he was reviled, reviled not againe, when he ſuffered, he threatned not; patience was perfect in him; he was ſtrengthened with all might unto All patience, and long ſuffering with joyfulneſs; yea the patience of Chriſt in his moſt grievous ſufferings was ſo abſolute, that in all that his enemies tongues, and hands could ſay, or do, this Servant of God did not ſin, ſo much as in word, but offered the ſacrifice of prayer and ſupplications with the ſacrifice of himſelfe for his perſecutors, he was Mighty in this Grace.
Fifthly, His zeale; he was earneſt, and fervent in Spirit againſt all evil, and for that which was good, he did cry aloud, he ſpared not, but lifted up his voice like a Trumpet, and ſhewed the people their tranſgreſſion; he was full of zeale againſt the ſins of the Scribes, and Phariſees, freely denouncing woes againſt them, Math. 23. He was full of zeale againſt the prophanation, and prophaners of the Temple, he overthrew the money-changers, and the ſeats of them that ſold doves, and would not ſuffer that any man ſhould carry any veſſell thorow the Temple, Mark 11.15, 16. Yea be made a ſcourge of ſmall coards, and he drove them all out of the Temple, and ſaid to them that ſold doves, take theſe things hence, make not my fathers houſe an houſe of Merchandize; And his Diſciples remembred that it was written, The zeale of thine houſe hath e…ten me up.
Sixthly, His wiſdome, and underſtanding; he was of quick, and great underſtanding, when he was but twelve yeares old, all that heard him, queſtioning, and anſwering the Doctors, were aſtoniſhed at his underſtanding, and Anſwers, Luk. 2.47. He was wiſer than all his Enemies, they could never entangle him in his talke; when he anſwered to any thing, it was with ſuch wiſdome, as they durſt not ask him any more Queſtions, and no man was able to anſwer him; he was of ſo great underſtanding that he knew all m…n, and needed not that any ſhould teſtifie of man; for he knew what was in man, Joh. 2.24, 25. Yea he knew their very thoughts, Math. 12.25. Luke 6.8. He had (as the School-men ſpeak) both Cognitionem matutinam, & verſpertinam, both a morning, and evening knowledge, he knew things in their Cauſes, as well as in their natures and effects.
Seventhly, His faithfulneſs was great, without the leaſt leaven of hypocriſie, there was no guile found in his mouth, neither was there any in his Spirit; he was faithfull to his father, he did his work, and glorified his Name on Earth; was faithfull to his Diſciples, he made knowne unto them all things that he had heard of his father, Joh. 15.15. He acquainted them with ſufferings as well as the Glory that ſhould follow; he reproved them for their evils, as well as comforted them in their troubles; he was faithfull to all, doing good unto all men, as he had opportunity.
Nineteenthly, A mighty one in his works, he was mighty in deed, excellent in working; his works (as himſelfe ſaid) did beare witneſs of him, that he was ſome mighty one ſent from God, he hath declared his ſtrength among the people.
His works were of two ſorts.
Firſt, Spirituall, and heavenly, relating to the ſouls and ſpirits of men.
Secondly, More externall, and viſible, relating to the bodies of men, and others, and he was mighty in hoth ſorts.