One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 8
SERMON VIII. The Effects and Appearances of the Kingly Power and Dominion of Chriſt.
JOH. 17.2.
As thou haſt given him power over all fleſh.
WE are treating upon that main and neceſſary point in Religion, Chriſts Power and Kingdom; We have mentioned ſome effects or acts of this power, We ſhall proceed to diſcover more.
V. The Fountain of Grace.And firſt, Herein is his power over all fleſh, eſpecially his Church ſeen, that he is the authour and fountain of all the grace the godly have; And this is a glorious demonſtration of his power, that not we our ſelves or any Angel in heaven can inſpire one good thought, mollifie and convert the heart, adorn the ſoul with all kinde of graces, but Chriſt only, Joh. 1.16. Of his fulneſſe we all receive grace for grace, that is, as ſome expound, abundance and heaps of grace, as it were, or grace that is ſutable and proportionable to that in Chriſt, As the childe receiveth from the Father limb for limb, Of his Fulneſſe, Chriſt then hath Fulneſſe not only for himſelf but for us, as the Sunne hath fulneſſe of light for the whole world, The Ocean Fulneſſe of water for all the ſtreams; The Angels and Saints glorified in Heaven, yea, Adam in the ſtate of integrity he had a Fulneſſe of grace, but it was limited and ſtinted in him, only Chriſt received it without meaſure: In Chriſt there is plenitudo fontis, in Angels or Adam there was only plenitudo vaſis, as Divines expreſſe it: Now this Fulneſſe of Chriſt is for communication and our participation of …t; Therefore in other places he is compared to the Olive Tree, from which the godly receive all their fatneſſe, Rom. 9. To the Vine, Joh. 15. ſo that unleſſe we are branches in him we can do nothing: If than we ſhould ſay, Where is the power of Chriſt, how is it manifeſted? I anſwer, look upon all the godly, Are they able to mourn for ſinne with a godly ſorrow? Are they able to beleeve in the promiſe? Can they mortifie their luſts? Herein is Chriſts glorious power ſeen, I know this doth not ſo much affect us, as outward extraordinary inſtances of Chriſts power in temporall things, but certainly this is greater, for as Moſes and Joſhua's deliverance of the people of Iſrael out of Egipt, is nothing to that ſpiritual deliverance which Chriſt as Jeſus vouchſafeth to his people in ſaving them from ſin and hell, yet no doubt an Iſraelite or Jew after the fleſh would farre prize the former before the latter, though the Jew after the Spirit would farre eſteem the latter; Thus it is here, No power or works are judged great but what are temporall, viſible, and in civill outward things, we are apt more to look upon Alexander the great, or Conſtantine the great, becauſe of their civill power, then Chriſt who is the King of Kings and Lords, tranſcending all theſe, but in a ſpirituall way, 1 Tim. 6.15. Chriſt hath this magnificent Title, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: It's obſerved by Druſius a Learned man, that thoſe Titles were uſually given to the great Kings of Perſia, then which there were none aſſumed more to themſelves then they did, yet the Apoſtle attributeth this to Chriſt to inform us, that as God hath exalted Chriſt above all earthly power, ſo we ſhould magnifie and glorifie him accordingly, certainly if we Chriſtians did put forth our faith and meditations about the greatneſſe of this power, it would work great joy and confidence in us; It would work an holy fear and trembling: The Apoſtle Eph. 1. Phil 2. Col. 1. is even tranſported with the expreſſions about it. Now this power of Chriſt is no where more glorious then in ſanctifying and preparing an holy people for himſelf; To give them of the ſame Spirit with him, They that were dead and noiſome in ſinne to make them live in holineſſe and to adorn them with all the graces of his Spirit; Oh then let not the people of God be diſmai…d or diſcouraged with the apprehenſion of their own weakneſſe and impotency; how can they love God, bear afflictions, die in hope and comfort; Alas! thou thinkeſt on thy own weakneſſe and not Chriſts power, Remember Of his Fulneſſe thou art to receive; A thirſty man need not doubt whether the whole Ocean hath water enough to revive him: Chriſt we reade gave wonderful power to his Diſciples and other beleevers to work miracles; This amazed and aſtoniſhed all the world, but certainly this power of changing mens hearts and reforming their lives, is farre above this: To open the eyes of the minde is more then to give bodily ſight, to ſay Ephatha to the heart is more then to ſay ſo to the ear; To raiſe from the death of ſin is more then to command out of the grave: Auſtin ſaid, To make a man holy is more then to create a world. Converſion is not uſually called a Miracle, yet it's a greater wonder then a Miracle, Let that ſoul then which hath found Chriſt thus powerfull upon him, admire the unſearchable greatneſſe of his Chriſt wonder at it as the moſt admirable expreſſion of Gods power to thee.
Secondly, Chriſts power is ſeen in that he doth not only give grace, VI. The giver of glory.but he is able to beſtow all that glory and happineſſe the Scripture promiſeth; Now the reward or fruit of grace is either that inward peace and joy of heart here, or eternal happineſſe hereafter, both which are in Chriſts power and munificence, It was alwaies a flower in the chiefeſt power to be able to remunerate thoſe that did great ſervice, and this is part of Chriſts Jus Regale: For the firſt the peace of conſcience and joy which accompanieth well-doing is exceeding great, inſomuch that if there were no heaven hereafter, yet godlineſſe brings a preſent ſweetneſſe and delight with it, It hath preſent pay; Now all this peace and comfort eſpecially between God and the ſoul is wrought by Chriſt only who is called the King of Peace, Iſa. 9. yea, our peace, Eph. 2.14. becauſe he reconcileth God and man; If thoſe Peace-makers be bleſſed that make man and man to agree, how much more is he that brings God and man to agreement? But this Chriſt worketh; Alas the heart troubled for ſinne, rageth and is like an hell, till Chriſt bids it be quiet and ſtill: Hence he promiſeth to ſend the Comforter, and it's his Spirit which is ſent into our hearts, making us to cry Abba Father, Gal. 4.6. Oh then let the grieved and perplexed ſoul through the guilt of ſin, that can finde no reſt, no eaſe, go to him that hath power indeed to command theſe waves to be ſtill, See with what love and power Mat. 11.28. this is expreſſed, Come to me ye that are heavy laden, and I will eaſe you: Chriſt will give eaſe; See how imperiouſly he ſpeaks, Let your ſinne be never ſo terrifying, your conſcience never ſo diſquieted, The devils never ſo much troubling and tempting of you, yet I will give you eaſe; You ſhall finde reſt for your ſouls: No earthly power in the world can ſay thus truly; Therefore this is to direct the godly in their black temptations; They cry out, It cannot be I ſhould have peace, I ſhould have joy; There may as ſoon come fire out of water as peace and quietneſſe out of my heart; Oh remember this Text, The power Chriſt hath over all fleſh, Is thine excepted? Chriſt can eaſe and quiet every mans heart but thine; Be aſhamed to think thy weakneſſe more then Chriſts power; Thy guilt more then his conſolations. The other fruit of a godly life is Eternal happineſſe; and this Chriſt doth alſo beſtow upon thoſe that are his; At the day of judgement we reade of him putting them into poſſeſſion, Come ye bleſſed of my Father inherite the Kingdom prepared for you, Mat. 25. Heb. 5.9. he is called The authour of eternal ſalvation, he cals himſelf the bread of life, he that eateth on him ſhall never die more, ſo that all that happineſſe and bleſſedneſſe which is in the life to come is attributed unto Chriſt, both the purchaſe and authour of it: It's he that will ſay, Well done, good and faithfull Servant, enter thou into thy Maſters joy: For thoſe Parables that ſpeak of a great King employing his Servants in ſuch work, and then ſo abundantly rewarding of them, is Chriſt. This ſhould be a great encouragement in Chriſts ſervice; What a glorious and powerful Maſter do ye ſerve? one who is able to requite thee with eternal glory and everlaſting happineſſe, If we ſuffer with him we ſhall reign with him, Rom. 8.17. The greatneſſe and bounty of the Maſter doth quicken the Servant; Haman was glad of Ahaſhuerus his emploiment, becauſe he could put ſuch honour upon him; But oh how ſhould our hearts be enflamed to work for Chriſt, what cannot ſuch a Maſter do for us? Ask any thing in earth or heaven he can beſtow it on thee: How unworthy is it when we grudge at the work Chriſt requireth, when we repine at the Croſſe he would have us take up, This is not to attend whom we ſerve; how great our Maſter is, what Treaſuries he hath out of which he can bountifully reward us.
VII. Forgive and pardon ſin.Thirdly, Chriſts power is ſeen in that he can forgive and pardon ſinne, Which is acknowledged by all, that God only can do it, Mar. 2.7. You have this power of Chriſt particularly oppoſed by his enemies, but vindicated by him, and that he hath power to forgive ſinnes, he proveth by his power to work Miracles: Not that to bid a lame man riſe, and take up his bed and walk, is a greater thing then to forgive him, but to their ſence and in outward appearance it was ſo; yea, he doth not only remit ſinne, but he appointeth the Miniſters of the Goſpel to remit and forgive ſins, viz. by declaration and application of the Promiſes, and this he ſaith ſhall be confirmed in heaven; Certainly no power can be denied him who can authoritatively and of himſelf pardon ſinne, ſinne being an infinite injury and diſhonour to God, he muſt be equall with God that can remit this, for it's a ſure Rule, Nemo poteſt remittere de jure alieno. Oh how comfortable is this to meditate on by faith, he hath power to forgive ſinne, who died for thy ſinne, who was crucified that it might be done away: If then thy ſinnes are a burthen to thee, if thou doſt leave and forſake them, doubt not of thy pardon; Oh do not ſay, whether will Chriſt pardon or no, for ſeeing he hath power, his will was abundantly manifeſted in the ſacrificing of himſelf on the Croſſe: Now ſinne is the ſting in every thing, remove ſinne and death is no death, hell is no hell, if Chriſts power takes this away, it takes all away.
Fourthly, Christs Power is ſeen in giving Laws, VII. The great Law-giver.and preſcribing duties to all according to which they ſhould live: Therefore he cals them his Commandements, and the Apoſtle urgeth, If they died without mercy that refuſed Moſes ſpeaking, of how much ſorer puniſhment ſhall they be thought worthy who refuſe him ſpeaking from heaven? In this reſpect it is that he is ſo often called a King, and a Kingdom is attributed to him, becauſe he maketh Laws, and enjoyneth the obſervation of them under higher penalties then any earthly power can do, and that is eternall damnation, and this conſideration is a two edged Sword to many hypocrites; They love Chriſt they ſay, they truſt in him their Redeemer, but they do not obey him as a King; This is a Law-giver who hath power to damn and to ſave; Oh that the prophane and ungodly wretch, who yet hopes for mercy by Chriſt, would lay this to heart more: Art thou obedient to him as Lord and King? He ſaith, Swear not at all, Doſt thou give obedience? give over thy curſing and ſwearing: He ſaith, Let not your hearts be overcharged with ſurfeting and drunkenneſſe, Do you obey this Law? and ſo of adultery and uncleanneſſe, He that doth but luſt after a woman is guilty of eternal death; What think you of theſe Laws? Are not theſe holy and juſt? Do you think Chriſt hath not power to be avenged on you? Oh take heed of making this power againſt thee; It's able to undoe thee without hope.
Fifthly, Chriſts power is remarkably ſeen, in enabling and ſtrengthening his Children in all their afflictions, ſo that they doe not only bear them, IX. And ſupporter and comforter of his people.but triumph therein with joy unſpeakable and full of glory. This hath magnified the power of Chriſt in heaven more then any thing elſe; Men have wondred and been amazed at the patience of the Saints, and the joy of the Martyrs: But whence came they to be thus endowed with power? Had not they fleſh and bloud as well as others? Was not death with the exquiſite torments of it in it ſelf dreadfull to them as well as others? yea, certainly but Chriſts power in them made them above themſelves: Paul ſpeaking of this wonderfull diſpoſition, to know how to abound and how to want, addeth, He can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth him, Phil. 4.13. So that hereby he will rejoyce in his infirmities, becauſe Chriſts power is thereby more manifeſted, 2 Cor. 12.5. Oh then here is a good ſubject for the Children of God to dwell on, God doth not call them ſometimes to lay down their lives to a bloudy agony, he doth but exerciſe them with ordinary calamities, ſuch as are common to man, Every carnal natural man hath the like, and their natural ſtrength beareth them up in it, yet thou though promiſed the ſtrength of Chriſt crieſt out, Thou ſhalt be overcome, Why art thou ſo weak and full of unbelief? Is not Chriſts power for thy good? Hath he not all this power in heaven and earth for the good of his Children? Doth not thy diffidence make thee doubt whether Chriſt be able, whether he can ſupport thee or no? Alas, if theſe leſſe troubles be ſo irkſome, what wouldſt thou do if thou wert called to more fiery trouble? If thou canſt not bear rods, how wilt thou Scorpions? Be aſhamed, yea, and afraid of this unbelief, for Chriſt giveth his power only to thoſe that truſt and hope in him; Beleeve and all things will be poſſible to thee.
X. The Judge of the world.Sixthly, If all Inſtances were ſo ſignally demonſtrating the power Chriſt hath over all fleſh as this, that he is appointed to judge the whole world, both quick and dead are to ſtand at his Tribunal; Two things in this do manifeſt his exceeding great power, 1. The immediate preparation to it. 2. The Act of judging the preparation to it, for Chriſt by his power ſhall raiſe up all out of their graves, thoſe that for many years have been conſuming into duſt, ſhall then by his power come out of their graves, 1 Cor. 15.22. As in Adam all died, ſo by Chriſt ſhall all be made alive; The godly they ſhall riſe becauſe they are members to him the head; Hence the Apoſtle argueth the Reſurrection of the one from the other; And the ungodly they ſhall be raiſed by him as a Judge, What temporall power can be imagined like this? and then his ſolemn coming to judgement, in what power Majeſty and trembling will it be, 1 Theſ. 1.7, 8, Christ ſhall come with his mighty Angels in flaming fire of vengeance; So then it cannot enter into the heart of man to conceive, how glorious and yet how dreadfull this manifeſtation of Chriſts power will be: And as for the judgement it ſelf, Chriſt is the Judge, and therefore it's called the judgement ſeat of Chriſt, and the day of Chriſts coming; Then ſhall the ſins of all men, yea, the ſecret counſels and purpoſes of heart be manifeſted, Oh what a day will this be; Though Chriſt in the fleſh was contemned, vilified and reproached, yet then he ſhall come in power; At that time he ſhall give finall ſentence concerning the ſalvation and damnation of men; This is the great inſtance of his power, Though now we beleeve it only and not ſee it, yet then we ſhall ſee and behold it with our bodily eyes; Oh tremble at this you who will not now in obedience and humility ſubmit your ſelves to him, then look for Chriſt to be a Judge; You look for him only as a Saviour, you think he came only to forgive; No, he cometh as well to deſtroy, He will judge righteous judgement; They in the Revelation cried to the Mountains to cover them from the wrath of the Lamb.
XI. And the ſubduer of his and his Churches enemies.Laſtly, Chriſts power over all fleſh is ſeen even in this life, by overruling, conquering, and ſubduing his enemies; Chriſt though in heaven hath his enemies, all thoſe that are enemins to the Church, to his Children, they are enemies to Chriſt; Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? Act. 9.4. We oppoſe Chriſt while we oppoſe his members; Do but hurt the feet, and the head in heaven preſently feels it; But mark what is added, It's hard for thee to kick againſt the pricks; Chriſt will reign, his power will be exalted, maugre all the malice in the world, Pſa. 2.2. The rage of the Heathens and all their Imaginations were but a vain thing, God will ſet his Sonne upon the holy hill of Sion, therefore the Judges of the world are exhorted to kiſſe the Sonne, to give him hearty and humble obedience, for they are not able to bear, though but a little of his anger; Hence Rev. 2.27. Chriſt is ſaid to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron, and he will break them in pieces like a Potters veſſell: Chriſt can as eaſily break all the power and greatneſſe that is lifted up againſt him, as we can break an earthen pot with an Iron rod; And if you ſay, Why then is the power of Turk and Pope ſtill lifted up againſt him? The Apoſtle tels us, 1 Cor. 15. and Heb. 2. All things are not yet in ſubjection to him, he hath a Kingdom and power, but as yet he is only Rex pugnans & vincens, then he will be Rex triumphans; He will put down all Powers and Principalities; There will be nothing but Chriſts power; Oh then we proclaim aloud to wicked men, As you love your ſouls, as you would avoid this dreadfull power, go on no longer in your rebellion and diſobedience; Chriſt hath indeed a Scepter of grace, but he hath alſo a rod of Iron, and thou wilt finde his blows when he cometh to judge his enemy, and whoſoever loveth and liveth in ſinne, he is Chriſts enemy: O that mens eyes were opened, and their hearts ſoftened that the wrath of this Judge might not fall upon them.