One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 7
SERMON VII. The Text Vindicated from Arians, Ʋbiquitarians, and Papiſts: And the power and dominion of Christ obſerv'd, and applied to the comfort of his Diſciples, and terrour of his Enemies.
JOH. 17.2.
As thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, that he ſhould give eternall life to as many as thou haſt given him.
THe Verſe before ſpake of the mutual glorification which is between the Sonne and the Father; Now this ſecond verſe is ſpecificative or declarative of that wherein or whereby the Sonne may and doth glorifie the Father, viz. by the power that he hath in the whole world, more eſpecially in the Church of God, giving eternal life to them that do beleeve; So that this Text containeth one principall way or manner how the Sonne doth glorifie the Father; All the wondrous works that are done in the world bring not ſo much glory to God as the ſpiritual works which are wrought by Chriſt in the Church.
In the words we may take notice of Chriſts power, and the uſe or exerciſe of it: The power is mentioned in the former part, The exerciſe in the latter.
Concerning the former obſerve
1. The power expreſſed in this word foreign, which ſay ſome doth not ſignifie a meer power, but a power with right, and ſo difference it from foreign, as if that ſignified any power, this only is juſt and lawfull; As among the Latines potentia and poteſtas are diverſified, but this is not univerſally true, for foreign is ſometimes applied to thoſe powers and principalities of the Kingdome of darkneſſe.
2. You have the extent of this power by the univerſality of the Object, over all fleſh; Fleſh is uſuall put Synechdochically for man, to denote his fragility and meanneſſe.
3. There is the manner of the obtaining this power, It is given him.
Before we gather our doctrine, Let us Theologically explicate this Text;The Text vindicated againſt Chriſt ſaith he hath all power given him, From whence three corrupt Opinions have been by ſome in a ſeeming way eſtabliſhed.
1. The blaſphemous doctrine of the Arians, 1. The Arians.What Chriſt hath (ſay they) is given him, Therefore he is, Deus conſtitutus, Deus creatus, Deus datus, not Deus natus, how can he be of the ſame nature with God, who hath all he hath given him in time. But this is anſwered, firſt, If Chriſt ſpeak here of his divine nature, then though not as God yet as the ſecond perſon he is of the Father, and ſo not in time, But from all Eternity had with his perſon all thoſe divine properties communicated unto him. for therefore he is called the Sonne becauſe begotten of the Father. But ſecondly, If the Text ſpeak not of his nature but the office or reward rather of his Mediatorſhip, then that power and glory which is here ſaid to be given him, may well be underſtood of that Mediatory power and honour God vouchſafed to him, and although by reaſon of the perſonal Union all honour and glory was due to him, yet God had ſo ordered it that he ſhould not have the manifeſtation of it, till he had ſuffered and run through the whole courſe of his active and paſſive obedience; Therefore many underſtand this power here ſaid to be given Chriſt only in reſpect of manifeſtation, for in Scripture-language Haec aliquid dicitur fieri, quando incipit patefieri, as God ſaid, This day have I begotten thee, Act. 13.33. upon Chriſts Reſurrection, becauſe then he was truly manifeſted to be the Sonne of God.
2. The Ubiquitarian Lutherans.2, Another party riſeth up, and ſqueezes bloud inſtead of milk: Thoſe Lutherans that are called Ubiquitarians, becauſe they hold, that the humane nature of Chriſt is every where, ſaying, that the properties of the divine nature are communicated to the humane; Thus becauſe it's ſaid All power is given Chriſt therefore they conclude the humane nature of Chriſt is omnipotent, omniſcient, omnipreſent: But this is to argue fallaciouſly from the abſtract to the concrete; For ſuppoſe this be an infinite power that is here ſpoken of, it only followeth that it's given to Chriſt in the concrete, to be omnipotent, not to his humane nature in the abſtract, Chriſt is made omnipotent, his humane nature is not.
3. Papiſts.3. Some Papiſts but not all from this expreſſion gather, that the right of all temporal dominion was here given to Chriſt, and from hence would gather, that becauſe the Pope is Chriſts Vicar, therefore he ſucceedeth him in this power, and ſo can diſpoſe of all Kingdoms and Nations as he pleaſeth. But the moſt learned of the Papiſts ſay, This power over all fleſh is reſtrained to the matter in hand, viz. to gather and preſerve his Church, and at laſt to ſave it, otherwiſe Chriſt would not have ſaid to the man, who deſired him to divide the Inheritance, Who made me a Judge? Luk. 12.14. For if men had not, yet if God had, he had a full call to exerciſe ſuch a temporall juriſdiction, as Valentia the Jeſuite well urgeth.
The Text thus vindicated, let us obſerve this Doctrine.
Doct.That Chriſt hath power over all men: There is no man ſo great, ſo powerful, nor no company of men, nor all the men joyned together in the world, can exempt themſelves from that power Chriſt hath over them; We have one or two Parallel places that confirm this; Mat. 28.18. All power is given me in heaven and earth; There the Subject is more large, not only all fleſh but all ſpirits, Mat. 11.27. All things are delivered unto me of my Father; There alſo the ſubject is more large, not only all perſons but all things, as Heb. 2. All things are ſaid to be made ſubject to him.
Obſerve theſe particulars to clear the nature of Chriſts power.Before we come to mention what acts there are which declare this power of Chriſt, we muſt lay down ſeverall particulars to clear the nature of this power.
And Firſt, When its ſaid, that Chriſt hath power over all men, that is not to be underſtood reſtrictly or excluſively, I. Chriſts dominion univerſal.as if his dominion was only over men; No, you heard it was in heaven as well as earth, yea, and in hell alſo, Phil. 2. Every thing under the Earth was to bow to him: The devils are wholly in ſubjection to him, We reade of his power over the unclean ſpirits, caſting them out againſt their wils from the poſſeſſed, inſomuch that they could not enter into the Swine, without his permiſſion; Oh this part of Chriſts power, that he hath conquered the devils, hath them all in ſubjection, ſhould be no mean part of a Chriſtians comfort, for who is thy greateſt Enemy? Who is likelieſt …o undo thee? not man but devils; In their temptations how greatly are the godly in danger of being ſwallowed by them? but Chriſt hath power over them, he bids them go our leave of tempting, and they dare not or cannot come again, yea, the good Angels, thoſe thouſands and ten thouſands of miniſtring ſpirits they are wholly at his beck: No ſervant will ſooner ſtir at our beck, then the hoſt of Angels will at his word; Therefore Heb. 1. when Chriſt is coming into the world, The Angels are bid to worſhip him, So then here is a glorious power indeed, which reacheth not only to men but to devils, to Angels, oh how happy are the Children of God who have this Chriſt for their Saviour, that is cloathed with ſo much power! If our eyes were opened with the Prophets Servant, we ſhould ſee more were with us then againſt us; And then all things, the inanimate and animate creatures are under his power; The Diſciples wondred at it, when they ſaid, What manner of man is this whom the windes and Seas obey? Mat. 8.27. So that this power of Chriſt is farre more comprehenſive then this Text expreſſeth, for Chriſt only ſpeaks of men, becauſe he inſtanceth in that part of power whereby he giveth eternall life to thoſe that beleeve, and ſuch are only men.
Secondly, We are to know, That though all power be given to Chriſt, II. The adminiſtration of Chriſts power is by his Spirityet the adminiſtration and exerciſe of it is by his ſpirit called therefore the Spirit of Chriſt, by that he convinceth, by that he converteth, by that he comforteth; Inſomuch that Chriſt told his Diſciples, It was expedient he ſhould bodily depart from them, but he would ſend the Comforter to them, Joh. 15.26. ſo that not the Pope but the Spirit of God is Vicarius Chriſts, in Chriſts ſtead; Hence it is that all the ſame glorious and ſpirituall effects in the Scripture, are ſometimes attributed to the Father, ſometimes to Chriſt, and ſometimes to the holy Ghoſt in their peculiar appropriation; Chriſt by his Spirit is to be expected and praied for as the authour of all that grace and comfort we ſtand in need of.
3. Although the power of Chriſt extend to the bodies and externals of men, III. Of Chriſts dominion over the conſciences of men.yet that which in the Text is conſiderable, is, that it reacheth to the hearts and conſciences of men; And this is more then any temporall power can do, He bids Matthew the Publican Follow him, and he leaveth all to follow him; He caſts an eye upon Peter, and he preſently goeth out and weepeth bitterly; It's upon the ſpirits and conſciences of men this power of Chriſt is moſt converſant; It's by this their mindes are enlightned, their hearts changed, their luſts ſubdued, and they made new creatures, which made him ſay, he was the life, the truth, and the way, Joh. 14.6.) he is all things efficiently for our ſalvation, ſo that the great things we are to expect from this power is convictions of conſcience and converſions of heart; If the blindneſſe of thy minde, if the hardneſſe of thy heart be too heavy a ſtone for thee to remove, then lift up thy eyes to Chriſt, Say O Lord thou haſt power over all fleſh, Thou canſt ſubdue and conquer every mans heart; No man, no Angel can do this, Therefore take thou the ſole glory in doing of it.
Fourthly, As it's the heart of a man this power reacheth to, ſo the main and chiefeſt effects of this power are ſpiritual and ſuch as tend to ſalvation;IV. The chief effects of Chriſts power are ſpirituall. To give faith, to give repentance to men; When I am lifted up (ſaid Chriſt) I will draw all unto me, Joh. 12.32. Though Chriſt as God made the world, all things are ſupported and born up by him, Heb. 1. yet theſe things are not ſo conſiderable as what is done to mans ſalvation; Therefore he makes the great end of his coming into the world to ſave that which is loſt, he came to diſſolve the works of the devil. His Titles that he hath are in reference to heavenly advantages; He is called Jeſus becauſe he ſaveth his people from their ſins, and Chriſt becauſe furniſhed with all fitneſſe and fullneſſe to be a Saviour; The Jews indeed they looked for a Meſſias that ſhould deliver them out of the captivity and bondage they were in; They hoped for ſuch a power over all fleſh, that ſhould reſtore them to their ancient temporall glory; But this carnal prejudice was their undoing.
V. It is infinite power.Fifthly, This power muſt needs be infinite, for although it doth not follow that becauſe he hath power over all fleſh, that therefore he is omnipotent and infinite, yet if you do regard the end why he hath all this power, it muſt neceſſarily be infinite, for it's to gather and ſave a people out of the world, to juſtifie their perſons, to ſanctifie their natures, It's to judge all men at the laſt day; Now how can he be judge of all mens lives, yea, their ſecret and heart ſinnes, if he have not infinite knowledge, and although the humane nature of Chriſt be not capable of infinity and omniſciency, yet the perſon that is the Judge muſt be ſo qualified; This infinite power which Chriſt hath on one ſide proclaimeth unſpeakable terrour to Chriſts enemies, and on the other ſide ineffable joy to his friends.
VI. It is arbitrary in the uſe of itSixthly, This power is arbitrary in the uſe of it; He opens this mans heart and leaveth another ſhut, he cureth this blinde eye and leaveth another in darkneſſe, Mat. 11.27. When Chriſt had acknowled that ſoveraign arbitrary power of God in revealing the Myſteries of ſalvation to babes, and hiding them from the wiſe of the world, he addeth, All things are delivered me of my Father, No man knoweth the Father but he to whom the Sonne will reveal him; So then this gracious power of Chriſt is not indifferently exerciſed upon all; To ſome Chriſt revealeth the will of God effectually, to others not; There were many Publicans beſides Matthew, yet to him Chriſt makes known himſelf and not to others. Many Phariſees beſides Paul that were not ſo bitter and violent againſt the Name of Chriſt, yet Chriſt makes him feel this glorious power on his heart, and others not.
In what particulars Chriſts dominion appears.Theſe things laid as Foundations Let us conſider ſome of the remarkable particulars wherein Chriſts dominion over all fleſh and eſpecially the Church doth ſo appear, that ſo we may take heed how we neglect him.
1. In appointing a Miniſtry for the converſion of ſouls.And Firſt, This is a remarkable Inſtance of his power to appoint a Miniſtery for the converſion and ſaving of peoples ſouls: Whatſoever thy thoughts may be about the nullity or uſeleſneſſe of it, yet this is a clear effect of his power, Mat. 28. when he ſaid, All power was given him in heaven and earth, then he giveth his Apoſtles Commiſſion to go teach and baptize all Nations; Obſerve the reaſon why Chriſt beginneth with this Preface, All power is given me, &c. and therefore Go and baptize; Becauſe it's of high concernment to encourage and imbolden the Miniſters of God to conſider whoſe Servants they are, whoſe work they go about; They come from him who is able to defend them againſt the whole world, how eaſily might the Apoſtles be dejected with the greatneſſe of the work▪ and their utter unfitneſſe? What are ſuch poor and deſpicable men as they are to ſet againſt the lives and manners of the whole world? but he that hath all power in heaven and earth bid them Go preach, Go baptize, and thus Eph. 4.11. The Miniſtry is there made the great and noble work Chriſt did, upon his Aſcenſion to heaven, ſo that to oppoſe Chriſts Miniſtery, to ſet againſt this is to ſet againſt Chriſt himſelf; It's not their power but Chriſts power thou wouldeſt deſtroy.
2. In giving ſucceſſe to the means of graceSecondly, This power goeth further then to appoint a meer Miniſtery, he bleſſeth it, he giveth ſucceſſe, he makes it to bring forth much fruit. This makes the Apoſtle in his firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians ſo much exalt Chriſt and advance him, While one cried up this Teacher, another that, he bid them remember that all the Pauls and Apolloes in the Word though never ſo eminent, were but Miniſters by whom they did beleeve, yea Col. 3.19. thoſe that did ſo much admire and ſet up Angels, who eaſily may be thought to do more then the beſt Miniſters, yet Paul throweth all ſuch doctrine down to the ground, and bids them hold the head Chriſt, from whence all parts of the body receive their nouriſhment; Oh this cannot be preſſed enough on you, Many are not ſo prophane to deſpiſe the Miniſtery, to cry down Ordinances (though there be ſuch in the world) but then they are without Chriſt in the Miniſtery, without Chriſt in the Ordinances: As the Apoſtle ſpake of ſome without God in the world, So theſe are without Chriſt in the Church: It's not the Miniſtery or Ordinances but Chriſt in them and by them which communicateth vertue and efficacy.
Thirdly, Chriſts power is ſeen in convincing and enlightning mens underſtandings ſo farre as to ſee their ſinful and damnable eſtate, III. Enlightning the Underſtanding.as alſo the abſolute neceſſity of a remedy through Chriſt. Thus Chriſt doth exceed the Sunne, for though the Sunne give light to the world, yet it doth not give eyes or ability to ſee, but Chriſt doth not only make the bodily blinde to ſee, and deaf to hear, but thoſe that are ſpiritually darkened in their underſtandings, he makes them to know Chriſt he doth ſo teach, that the ſoul cannot but learn, it cannot refuſe or gainſay, O Lord, I feel ſuch light in my heart, ſuch evidence upon my conſcience, that I cannot hide this light any way; But as thoſe glorious apparitious of light which Paul had and others, came with great amazement, filled them with trembling and aſtoniſhment, ſo doth Chriſts power upon the hearts of Beleevers; Oh then enquire who are they, where are they that have found Chriſts power thus upon their mindes and conſciences? How weak are books, yea the beſt Book, the Bible it ſelf, t…ll Chriſt take ſuch a threatning, or ſuch a promiſe, and ſet it home with power on thee? This heavenly teaching and perſwading Chriſt ſpeaks of as to be wrought by his Spirit, Joh. …4. And it was wonderfull in the beginning of the Goſpel yea, in the firſt beginnings of Reformation out of Popery, the glorious workings of Chriſt were admirable to this purpoſe; Then Chriſt and the Miniſtry went along together; No ſooner did the Trumpet blow, but the wals of Jericho fell down; When Chriſt thus powerfully taught them, they were quickly perſwaded to leave their Idols and their luſts to follow him: The firſt Reformers were ſo many divine Orpheus's that made the very beaſts and trees to move, the illiterate and ſtupid people to ſeek out for wiſedom and heavenly underſtanding, You may ſay then, Why doth not Chriſt ſtill come with the ſame power? Why are not our Churches Chriſts Schools, wherein every day he teacheth ſome or other, many learn by the Miniſter, but few are taught by Chriſt? They do not know the truths as they are in Jeſus; There are many go to falſe cauſes; But thoſe impediments which indeed reſiſt this Point are
1. The atheiſm and unbelief reigning every where, ſo that we may take up that old complaint, Lord, Who will beleeue our report? It's ſaid of ſome, Chriſt could do no miracles there, becauſe of their unbelief, Mar. 6.5, 6. Not but that he had power, but to ſhew what an obſtacle unbelief was; When they inſulted over Chriſt at the Croſſe, Let him come down and ſave himſelf, if he be the Sonne of God let him deliver him, Heb. 4.2. Chriſt did not theſe things not becauſe he wanted power but they were wicked; ſo Chriſts power is not ſhortned; It's not becauſe there is no Miniſtry, but becauſe the unbelief of man is great.
2. Chriſt demonſtrates not his power it may be becauſe Cuſtomarineſſe under the Word breeds contempt and negligence: At the firſt mens affections are quick, but when accuſtomed to the world all the excellency and livelineſſe of it is taken away. A blinde man upon the firſt recovery of ſight would admire the Sunne, but thoſe that are uſed to it regard it not, though ſo glorious a creature.
3. The unthankefulneſſe and unfruitfulneſſe under the means of grace makes Chriſt deny his power; When the people of Iſrael murmured at their Manna, then God was provoked againſt them; He puniſhed the Heathens becauſe they did not glorifie God according to their knowledge, neither were thankfull, how much more Chriſtians for abuſing the Light of the Goſpel.
IV.4. Though there are not ſo many yet there are ſome few in moſt places that have found this mighty power of Chriſt on their ſouls; Though there were not many raiſed out of the grave by Chriſt, yet one Lazarus is enough to demonſtrate the glorious power of Chriſt; One in a Family, one in a Town, yea, one in a whole Nation, is enough to prove that Chriſt though now in heaven hath this power over men in the earth; Let ſuch then who have been thus taught, ſo as no man, no book could teach them, give glory to Chriſt, bleſſe Chriſt for good Sermons, good Books, eſpecially the Word of God, but above all that vertue cometh from Chriſt by theſe to heal thee; Though the woman had touched the hem of Chriſts garments a thouſand times, yet if Chriſt had not cauſed vertue to come out of him, ſhe had not been cured, ſo it is here.